“Young Master, Young Mistress, the dumplings are ready. Ma’am requests for your presence,” Mr. Feng informed them.
Lin Xinyan swallowed her words. “Let’s go.”
Zong Jinghao had been drinking on an empty stomach, and the mention of food made his stomach growl.
“Alright,” he hummed in response.
Chinese New Year was months away, but Cheng Yuxiu cooked up a feast anyway, considering the fact that they had four more mouths to feed. She hoped to get on Zong Jinghao’s good side as well.
She did not know what Zong Jinghao liked, so she cooked a variety of dishes.
Lin Xinyan caught on immediately and glanced at Zong Jinghao intendedly.
Zong Jinghao merely evaded her gaze and pulled out a chair to sit down.
Lin Xinyan walked into the kitchen just as the maid turned off the stove. She picked up a ladle and offered, “I’ll do it.”
Everyone’s dumplings were mixed together in the pot, making the ugly ones look increasingly jarring, next to the pretty ones.
Lin Xinyan scooped the dumplings into one giant bowl, which confused the maid.
“I wouldn’t eat that if I were you,” the maid warned her. “I don’t think that anyone can finish that!”
Lin Xinyan grinned. “Someone will.”
I’m doing this on purpose!
Didn’t you refuse to eat Cheng Yuxiu’s dumplings? How about the ones the kids and I had made?
Try eating it all, you picky jerk!
Lin Ruixi was already full, so Lin Xinyan filled three bowls with dumplings- one for herself, one for Lin Xichen, and one for Cheng Yuxiu. She handed the three bowls to the maid to help her set the table.
Lin Xinyan set the giant bowl of misshapen dumplings right before Zong Jinghao. “I’m sure that you won’t reject this? I made this for you along with the kids.”
Zong Jinghao stared at the giant bowl in shock. This is enough to feed a whole litter of pigs!
“Make sure that you finish it, Daddy!” Lin Xichen reminded him, echoing Lin Xinyan’s thoughts. He pulled his sister over and asked, “Look! Daddy’s eating your dumplings! Aren’t you happy?”
“Yes! Of course!” she chirped. “Do you like my dumplings, Daddy?”
Zong Jinghao fell silent.
How am I going to say no to her?
He picked his spoon up and stirred the suspicious mixture of dough and vegetables that looked nothing like dumplings.
“Why aren’t you eating, Daddy?” Lin Ruixi asked curiously. She had looked forward to the moment that her father had tasted the dumplings she made.
Lin Xinyan poured him some vinegar. “It’ll taste better with vinegar.”
“Yeah, Daddy! It tastes better with vinegar!” Lin Ruixi echoed.
Cheng Yuxiu stood at the side, wringing her hands together anxiously. How is he going to finish that huge bowl of dumplings?
She hesitated for a moment before walking up to him with an empty bowl and saying, “Give me some, I’ll help you finish it.”
Zong Jinghao ignored her completely and scooped a mouthful of the doughy mixture into his mouth. He figured that he could stomach anything that his wife and kids had made.
To Cheng Yuxiu, however, it was an indication that Zong Jinghao would rather suffer on his own than accept her help.
She felt bitter on the inside as Lin Xinyan scooped a few dumplings into her bowl in an attempt to comfort her. “Mom, I can’t finish these. Can you help me?”
Cheng Yuxiu forced a smile onto her face. “Sure.”
Zong Jinghao spent the night tossing and turning on his bed, his stomach bursting at the seams.
The next morning at the hospital…
Su Zhan woke up several times throughout the night begging for water, while his grandmother returned to consciousness for a brief moment in the middle of the night before falling into a deep sleep again.
As a result, Qin Ya did not sleep a wink that night. She collapsed onto the sofa at dawn, and not even the rising sun could wake her up.
Su Zhan woke up that morning aching all over. Flipping over and opening his eyes, he took in the unfamiliar surroundings as the events of last night flooded into his mind; he had been out drinking with Shen Peichuan and Zong Jinghao, after which he left with Shen Peichuan. He could not recall anything else beyond that point.
He sat up and surveyed his surroundings. Did Shen Peichuan just send me to the hospital?
He looked to the side and saw Qin Ya sprawled on the sofa without a blanket. The heater was on, but the cold wintry winds could still seep through the cracks between the window panes.
Standing up and yanking the blanket off his body, he walked over to Qin Ya and covered her with it, only to notice the dark bags beneath her eyes.
She hasn’t been sleeping well…
Did she stay up the entire night? She looks so tired…
Qin Ya squirmed under the blanket, enjoying the newfound warmth. She found herself in a more comfortable position as she continued with her nap.
Su Zhan stayed by her side and stared at her face, noticing how angular and pale it had become.
She must have been heartbroken by all the drama with Liu Feifei…
Su Zhan sighed. He loved her wholeheartedly, yet he had hurt her without realizing it.
Suddenly, the door to the room creaked, and Su Zhan stood up immediately, thinking that it was a doctor doing his rounds.
However, to his horror, Liu Feifei was the one standing at the doorway, holding a basket of fruits and a bouquet of flowers. “I heard that Grandma fell sick, so I’m here to visit…”
The truth was, she had concealed herself behind the Su residence that day and watched as Qin Ya left the house. She had planned to go back in afterward but was cut short by Su Zhan running out while carrying his grandmother in his arms.
She found out about his grandmother’s illness after following him to the hospital, but she did not dare to visit the previous day in case he got suspicious.
“What are you doing here?” Su Zhan asked, his face darkening.
“I had just wanted to visit Grandma…” she uttered pitifully. “She’s met me before, and I’ve called her Grandma before…I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me visiting her!”
Qin Ya stirred, as though she had heard something that she did not like.
Su Zhan pulled the blanket over Qin Ya and glanced at Liu Feifei. “Let’s go out,” he whispered.
Liu Feifei shivered at the sight of him taking care of Qin Ya. He used to do that to me…
She balled her fists but forced herself to remain calm. “I’ll put down the gifts first.”
After setting the flowers and fruits on the table, she turned to Su Zhan and announced, “I’m done. Let’s go.”
Su Zhan stepped out of the room without uttering another word as Liu Feifei ran to catch up with him.
