"Is this what you call a severe illness, that you'd have me come take a look?" the man asked Huo Nanru with a dark expression.
Huo Nanru visibly flustered, "No, husband, listen to me, I can explain..."
"Xiao Song, don't be angry, let's talk things out properly," Huo Nanru's mother quickly got up from the ground, forcing a smile as she explained to Huo Nanru.
"Xiao Nan was just worried about Junjun, that's why she called you. Junjun was supposed to be admitted today, but that family got there first. You really can't blame Xiao Nan."
Her attitude was a complete 180 from before. Huo Nanru's mother had been acting like a shrew just moments ago, but now she was meekly trying to appease him.
"Huo Nanru, I told you, behave yourself." The man's displeasure was evident. He beckoned to Junjun, "Come here, son."
Junjun sprinted over, showing no signs of a limp.
"What happened to your leg?" He shielded Junjun with his body, his smile that of a doting father when facing his son.
Junjun, still high on the joy of beating a game, didn't notice Huo Nanru's anxious gaze. "The school bully got punished by the principal to sweep the floor that day. I went to watch, and he pushed me down, so I fell," he said innocently.
"And now?"
"Mom said I still need to be hospitalized, and she and Grandma took me to get a cast," Junjun said, looking at his father with a wronged expression. "Dad, this cast on my leg is so inconvenient, I can't run fast."
"Can I take it off?"
These words were enough to explain the situation.
The man's face darkened to the point where it looked like it could drip water. He turned back to Huo Nanru, "This is what you called severe? This is why you called me back?"
"Don't you take advantage of Junjun being here to be so reckless. I'm telling you, Huo Nanru, be sensible." The man's threat clearly had some effect; the two elders fell silent.
Huo Nanru also looked very cautious.
"Alright, since there's nothing wrong, don't cause trouble here. Let's go." The man scooped Junjun up, gently stroking his hair. "Home, I'll take you out for a big meal."
"Yay!" Junjun hugged the man's neck, looking utterly dependent.
Huo Nanru followed behind, her demeanor submissive. As she passed Huo Rou, she shot her a fierce glare.
If it weren't for Huo Rou, she could have kept Junjun's father here today and wouldn't have him out looking for other mistresses.
She remembered this incident. Huo Rou, just you wait.
Huo Rou paid no attention to her glare. Huo Nanru had deceived and threatened medical staff earlier, wasting medical resources. It was generous of her not to have dealt with her already.
With Shen Wuyou's gentle voice, they entered the ward and saw An An lying on the hospital bed.
The dirt on his face had been cleaned, and his clothes had been changed.
"So, we just need to wait for the medicine to take effect?" Huo Rou stroked An An's forehead affectionately. This calamity was all due to her own carelessness.
She thought she had distanced herself from the battlefield, but she didn't realize the battlefield was always there.
An An slept on, never waking. During this time, Shen Wuyou administered some liquid to An An, all of which were special medicines developed by the Shen family organization.
Although Shen Wuyou didn't elaborate, Huo Rou saw the labels on the medicines and understood how dire An An's condition had been.
Later, An An's complexion gradually turned rosy. Shen Wuyou finally stopped the subsequent medications and simply smiled faintly at her, "Eat something."
As she spoke, there was a knock on the door.
Through the peephole, they could see Ruan Ruan's little head.
"An An Gege!" Ruan Ruan pressed her mouth against the peephole, mouthing "An An Gege."
Seeing that Ruan Ruan was safe, another weight was lifted from Huo Rou's heart. She waved her hand, signaling for her to come in.
Accompanying Ruan Ruan were Ruan Su, Ling Xiao, and Qiao Yushan.
"Little Shifu, I brought you food, eat up quickly." As soon as Qiao Yushan saw them, he greeted Huo Rou and then nodded at Shen Wuyou, indicating they knew each other.
"You're finally willing to come back?" Shen Wuyou smiled with perfect grace.
"It's rare for Shifu to leave that small village, so of course I had to find an opportunity to visit," Qiao Yushan said as he arranged the dishes he brought on the table.
"Besides, it's almost Lunar New Year, and I have to wish my Little Shifu a happy new year. It's a matter of etiquette. Someone like you, who doesn't have a Shifu, wouldn't understand."
Shen Wuyou shook her head. This person was as glib as ever after all these years. Unfortunately, neither of them was in a position to say anything else.
As Qiao Yushan looked up, his gaze met Qin Ningyi's. The young master of the Qin family was indeed a man of outstanding talent.
Huo Rou didn't notice their silent exchange. Persuaded by everyone, she went to the small coffee table to eat.
Ruan Ruan asked Ling Xiao to put her down and, taking his hand, went to the hospital bed. She looked at An An on the bed with a worried expression.
"An An Gege, you must get better quickly. I'm telling you, I've really found my dad. I secretly asked on the way, and Dad really received an email and came to find me."
"An An Gege, I'll have a dad from now on too. Hurry up and wake up so you can help me see what kind of dad he is."
Ruan Ruan chattered softly. Ling Xiao didn't show any impatience beside her. Listening to Ruan Ruan's voice, the tenderness in his eyes deepened.
Ruan Su had corrected Ruan Ruan countless times along the way. At first, Ruan Ruan had listened and apologized to Ling Xiao with a wronged expression.
But then Ling Xiao had whispered about the email to her, and Ruan Ruan had stopped listening to Ruan Su's corrections.
Ruan Ruan talked for a very, very long time. Towards the end, she was almost falling asleep but still refused to leave.
The next day, as the morning sun streamed into the ward, the two children woke up simultaneously.
After passing the critical period and staying in the hospital for a few more days, An An was finally allowed to be discharged once his complexion returned to normal.
"Oh dear, my poor little An An, you can finally be discharged. What do you want to eat? Your Godmother will treat you." Xia Qingxue had been free lately and came to the ward every day to play with the two children.
She was the most excited about the discharge.
An An looked at Ruan Ruan beside him and pursed his lips. "Can we have hot pot?" he said to Xia Qingxue.
"Plain broth is fine. You've just been discharged, so no spicy food yet!" Xia Qingxue warned before leading the two children forward.
It was common to encounter old acquaintances in places like hot pot restaurants.
Zhao Wencai, who had been repeatedly rejected by Huo Rou recently, saw a familiar figure as he came out of a private room.
He turned and shouted into the room, "Brothers, Captain Huo!"
His shout was loud enough that almost everyone in the restaurant could hear it.