Qin Ningyi didn't know how to explain. He took Zhao Di into the hospital, with An An following silently.
Covered in bruises and scrapes on exposed skin, her head had been hit a few times. She had a mild concussion, but thankfully they had intervened in time to prevent further injury.
The doctor recommended hospitalization, but Li Zhao Di insisted on leaving. "An An, I'm fine, I don't need to be hospitalized."
"The doctor said you need to stay, sister. You should listen to the doctor." Although An An was angry with Qin Ningyi, she was reasonable and didn't throw a tantrum.
Li Zhao Di's heart ached at the thought of the cost of hospitalization, and she kept shaking her head and refusing, her eyes like a fawn's, looking pitifully.
Qin Ningyi sighed inwardly and asked, "Can she recover with rest at home?"
The doctor, already chilled by Qin Ningyi's icy demeanor, nodded. A mild concussion could indeed be managed with rest at home, but they had only recommended hospitalization out of concern the patient might not follow medical advice. Hearing Qin Ningyi's question, the doctor agreed, "That's also possible." Just let this man with the stern face leave quickly!
An An pursed her lips and silently pulled Li Zhao Di towards the exit.
An An was very quiet the entire way.
Back home, Qin Feiwan and Su Nianzhu had already arrived. Seeing An An leading Li Zhao Di in, they hurried forward to inquire.
"What happened?" Su Nianzhu led Li Zhao Di inside, her heart aching at the sight of the frail young girl's injuries.
An An forced a smile and replied, "Grandma, this is my neighbor sister. She's very good to An An and even taught An An how to cook. Today, we passed a barbecue stall and saw sister Zhao Di being beaten…"
At this point, An An glanced at Qin Ningyi and continued glumly, "An An and… Dad got out of the car to save sister Zhao Di. Thinking she was alone here, we brought sister Zhao Di back."
An An's hesitation and expression when saying the word "Dad" made Qin Feiwan sense that something was amiss.
"Good child, have you eaten?" Su Nianzhu asked Li Zhao Di.
Li Zhao Di touched her stomach and nodded with great embarrassment.
Su Nianzhu led her to the dining room to sit and asked the housekeeper to bring some food.
An An followed all the way, staying by Li Zhao Di's side, afraid she might feel uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, Qin Feiwan pulled Qin Ningyi aside to inquire about the incident.
"So, you didn't stop to save her because you thought it wouldn't be safe for An An in the car?" Qin Feiwan squinted at her brother. Having a child certainly changed him. In the past, he would have been the first to intervene.
Qin Ningyi nodded. He had thought about the other party being numerous and that it wouldn't be good to go forward with An An, but leaving An An alone in the car was also out of the question. That's why he chose to call the police.
He hadn't expected An An to so urgently shout for him to stop. He had intended to get out of the car himself, but An An had already run out.
"You saved her in the end, though. Why does An An seem angry?" Qin Feiwan hit the crucial point. "An An hasn't called you anything since coming in."
Qin Ningyi also found it puzzling. He had merely told An An not to put herself in danger in the future, so why was she so upset this time?
After hearing about what happened in the car, Qin Feiwan had a sudden realization. "An An thinks you didn't want to save that young girl, that's why she's angry with you."
Qin Ningyi considered that it was likely the case.
"I'll go talk to him." Qin Feiwan stood up to find An An. "Alas, it's still missing a mother to mediate. I really want to meet An An's mother."
"An An, come and talk to your aunt." Qin Feiwan called An An over and led him along the connecting path between the two buildings, taking a side route.
The night was deep, and a gentle breeze rustled. The chirping of cicadas created a relaxing atmosphere.
"An An, are you mad at your dad?" Qin Feiwan got straight to the point.
An An mumbled, "Yes, Dad is bad."
Qin Feiwan looked at him encouragingly, and An An continued, "Dad didn't want to save Sister Zhao Di. I went to save Sister Zhao Di, and then he came. In the end, he blamed me."
So that was it. Qin Feiwan gently stroked An An's soft hair.
"An An, your dad isn't like that," Qin Feiwan said in a low voice.
"When he was little, he always stood up for the weak. Even though he had a cold expression, if someone was bullied, he was the first to help," Qin Feiwan said, gazing at the soft moonlight, lost in memory.
When they were children in the compound, a delicate and tender little sister had moved in. She was very clever, which made a group of naughty boys jealous, and they went to trouble her. Her brother, who never paid attention to those people, walked over, beat them up, and took the little sister out to play for the day. When they returned, he stubbornly refused to admit his mistake even after being punished by their grandfather.
"Our grandfather, your great-grandfather, was a soldier. He taught my father and me to be brave and responsible from a young age. Your father was a boy and was often taken for training by him. He was very skilled and even saved a little girl."
An An was very confused. Why was his father as a child different from his father now? "Then why did Dad scold me today?"
"An An, he did it because he loves you." Qin Feiwan felt a warmth in her heart, thinking of her brother, who had almost no reservations growing up, but who had not acted immediately for An An's sake. The last time he had done something like this was when he returned to inherit the family business for the sake of her and their younger brother's dreams.
"Your dad values you even more. Thinking that the other party was numerous, he was afraid you would get hurt if he took you along, and it wouldn't be safe to leave you in the car. That's why he didn't rush to save her."
A gust of wind blew, and An An looked up at Qin Feiwan, seeming to understand a little.
"An An, you're still young. Do you think you could have beaten those grown men if you had rushed forward?"
An An shook his head and lowered his eyes.
"Exactly. Your dad was angry because An An you rushed forward without considering your own safety, not because you saved Sister Zhao Di."
"Really?" An An understood now but still wanted a definitive answer.
"If you don't believe me, go ask your dad." Qin Feiwan watched him with a smile.
An An slowly walked back to the living room and stood in front of Qin Ningyi. "Dad, you're not mad that An An wanted to save Sister Zhao Di, but because An An rushed forward alone?"
Qin Ningyi was relieved to see that An An was finally willing to talk to him. He looked at him and nodded. "Yes, Dad is very happy that you are a brave child, upright and kind."
An An finally showed a smile upon hearing Qin Ningyi's praise.
"But, before you do anything, think about it first. Could you have beaten those people?"
Qin Ningyi asked calmly, and An An also quieted down to think, shaking his head. "An An can't beat them…"
"You are still a child. Protecting yourself is already a great accomplishment." Qin Ningyi patted his head. "Next time, you can let Dad handle it. As long as you protect yourself, Dad can take care of everything."
The father and son finally reconciled. Su Nianzhu, with Li Zhao Di, walked over.
"Uncle Qin, An An, I still want to go back."