Huo Rou had been in the hospital for three days. After Dr. Wang finished his follow-up examination, she finally asked, "Doctor, can I be discharged now?"
Dr. Wang, who was slowly getting used to Huo Rou's sweet voice, looked at Qin Ningyi beside her.
This big shot came to report every day, completely abandoning his usual workaholic demeanor. If Huo Rou were discharged, he wondered if they would ever have a chance to meet again, as he could tell Huo Rou had no desire to communicate with this fellow.
As expected, Qin Ningyi frowned upon hearing Huo Rou's words, his tone serious. "No, your injury is not a minor matter. Rest for a few more days."
Huo Rou casually rolled her eyes. What was this little injury? Her recovery speed was always fast, and in a few more days in the hospital, the scar would be gone.
She looked at Dr. Wang, who, under Qin Ningyi's gaze, stammered, "Perhaps it's best to stay a few more days. Your injury really needs more rest."
Dr. Wang had seen the wound and had never seen anyone recover so quickly.
He didn't know if it was the medicine she had been taking these past few days or if it was her constitution, but she was healing remarkably fast. Even from his perspective, she was well enough for discharge.
An An had been taken out to eat by Xiao Konglin, who was also getting Huo Rou's medicine for the day. He wasn't in the ward now, so Huo Rou spoke her mind. "Doctor, you've seen the wound. I can definitely be discharged now. Don't look at his eyes."
Dr. Wang sweated profusely as he looked at Huo Rou. The young lady had quite an imposing presence.
"Actually, it's true..." he said, bracing himself, "you can be discharged."
Qin Ningyi shot him a glare, then turned to Huo Rou. "Then you can be discharged later tonight. I'll have the housekeeper tidy up the house first."
Seeing Huo Rou's firm resolve, Qin Ningyi couldn't help but concede. "An An has always slept with me, so the second bedroom hasn't been tidied. I'll have the housekeeper prepare it before you're discharged."
"No need."
These were the two words Qin Ningyi had heard most frequently in the past few days. He felt a pang of frustration. "You don't have a place to stay here. Are you going to live in a hotel with your best friend?"
Huo Rou said calmly, "I'm taking An An home."
"No."
"Don't, Mommy." An An happened to walk in from outside and, upon hearing this, refused in unison with Qin Ningyi.
"Mommy, let's not go back. Daddy is here, why should we go back?" An An ran over anxiously, unhappy at the thought of returning to a life without his father.
"Let's not go back. An An has already started school here. Going back means finding a new school all over again." Qin Ningyi started with An An's education, trying to persuade Huo Rou.
"Besides, if you take An An back to the village, can you find a better school than this?" Qin Ningyi looked at An An, then at Huo Rou. "An An is so smart; we shouldn't hold him back."
An An immediately nodded in agreement. "Mommy, the children in the village laugh at me, and it's so boring playing with them. They just... they can't keep up with my thoughts."
Huo Rou recalled what the village children had said about An An, and for a moment, she hesitated.
An An then moved to Qin Ningyi's side, holding his hand, and looked at Huo Rou with great reluctance. "Mommy, An An finally found Daddy. An An doesn't want to leave. If we go back, there will be no Daddy."
Qin Ningyi bent down and picked up An An, looking silently at Huo Rou, waiting for her decision.
Huo Rou looked at the father and son, their faces, expressions, and eyes so alike.
She had seen An An's dependence on Qin Ningyi these past few days, and she knew An An liked Qin Ningyi, but...
She couldn't get along with Qin Ningyi. After what happened, she couldn't bear to see him often.
Qin Ningyi saw Huo Rou's hesitation and displeasure, and his doubts grew.
Seeing that Huo Rou still wouldn't agree, An An's eyes welled up with tears in his eagerness.
"An An is still young. Even the smartest children need to go to school, need quality education, and friends they can play with. An An is my son, and I don't want my son to become mediocre because of our choices." Qin Ningyi looked into Huo Rou's eyes.
"You can bear to hold back your own son; I can't." Seeing that Huo Rou was still unmoved, Qin Ningyi used the harshest tone. "Now that I know my son exists, don't even think about keeping him away from my life. Huo Rou, I'm not someone you can easily deal with."
Huo Rou naturally knew his current situation. She had his photos on her computer, which meant she had a certain understanding of him. It was precisely because of this understanding that she didn't want An An's existence to be known by him.
And now, all her concealment had been shattered by An An's journey to find his father.
Looking at the tears and longing in An An's eyes, Huo Rou's heart softened, and she finally nodded.
Qin Ningyi breathed a sigh of relief and instructed, "Then I'll go back and order people to tidy up the house. An An, you stay here with your mother. I'll come to pick you both up."
"Mhm! Okay, Daddy!" An An, with twinkling eyes, was overjoyed.
Qin Ningyi opened the ward door and walked out. Sunlight streamed in, illuminating Huo Rou's fair face. She squinted against the light, letting Qin Ningyi's retreating back disappear from view.
"That's great, Mommy. I can finally live with both Daddy and Mommy," An An said to Huo Rou, his eyes shining.
Huo Rou curved her lips into a smile that seemed gentle yet held a hint of something deeper.
How could she possibly live under the same roof as Qin Ningyi?
Huo Rou got out of bed and looked at her clothes. Everything was fine. She hooked her lips and beckoned to An An, "An An, let's go for a walk."
"Mommy, aren't we waiting for Daddy to pick us up here?" An An wanted to wait for Qin Ningyi.
Huo Rou smiled at An An, with a hint of playful coaxing. "An An, Mommy hasn't been here before. I've been lying down for so many days. Won't you accompany me for a stroll?"
"Of course!" An An couldn't resist his mother's smile. It was just a walk; of course, he would accompany her!
Huo Rou got her way, feeling no guilt about using a child's affection. She took An An's hand and walked out.
Dr. Wang rushed over upon hearing the news. Huo Rou only said she was going out for a stroll. Considering she had no friends here, he assumed she wouldn't go far, and under Huo Rou's gaze, he reluctantly agreed.
When Qin Ningyi received the call that she had left the hospital, Huo Rou and An An were already in a taxi, heading towards a neighborhood near An An's school.
"Mommy, why are we going to the area around the school? Are we looking at An An's school?" An An asked from the car, watching the increasingly familiar scenery.
Huo Rou smirked, her fingers constantly sliding on her phone.