Chapter 152: Chapter 145: Xiao Meng’s Decision (Part 1)
"You forced her to go?"
Yin Shaohui frowned.
Bai Shunyuan nodded, "The alcohol... I forced her to drink that too..."
Yin Shixiu’s eyes grew colder, almost fixed on Bai Shunyuan, glancing occasionally at Su Xiaomeng who kept her head down in silence.
"Why?"
Yin Shaohui was puzzled.
Bai Shunyuan took a deep breath, "Grandpa, it was my fault. Earlier... I had some unpleasantness with Su Xiaomeng and wanted to get back at her, so..."
"I don’t care if you dragged her there or if she went on her own. My grandson is lying inside now, and she just now came rushing over! Reeking of alcohol!"
Zhou Mengqin said coldly, "When the child wakes up later and is hungry, what are you going to feed him?"
Su Xiaomeng bit her lip.
Zhou Mengqin glanced at her, "I won’t say more. From now on, I have one stance: I acknowledge my grandson and granddaughter, but Su Xiaomeng, I do not."
Su Xiaomeng could hear the thick disappointment in Zhou Mengqin’s words, making her feel extremely hurt.
Tears welled up.
There was injustice, helplessness, but more than anything, self-blame...
"I’m sorry... I’m sorry... Mrs. Yin..."
"You don’t need to say sorry to me. You should apologize to your son, to your husband."
Su Xiaomeng closed her eyes, tears the size of beans fell to the ground. She resembled a child who made a mistake, head hung low, small shoulders trembling as she walked to Yin Shixiu, "Uncle... Huang, Huang Huang... how... how is he? Sob sob..."
Yin Shixiu looked at her like this, his heart felt a pinch, but his words carried a bit of coldness.
"The high fever is subsiding, Huang Huang is inside."
Su Xiaomeng looked up, her blurry vision saw through the glass the small hospital bed with Huang Huang, an IV on his head, his brows slightly furrowed, sleeping restlessly but completely still...
Her heart felt like it had been hollowed out, so unbearable it was almost hard to stand.
Her legs were weak...
Her lip had been bitten bloody, watching the child suffer, her guilt and self-blame nearly overwhelmed her.
Tears pattered to the floor...
Bai Shunyuan still wanted to say something, but for a moment, anything spoken felt redundant.
Su Xiaomeng turned her back on him, he could vaguely see the tear-streaked face on the glass.
At that time he had told her, those who smile too brightly make me curious about what they look like when they cry...
Now, Su Xiaomeng was crying—crying sadly, feeling wronged, guilty, and full of self-blame...
Yet he found that he didn’t feel good inside at all.
"Did you bring her here?"
Yin Shixiu asked, a bit abrupt, but it shifted Bai Shunyuan’s gaze from Su Xiaomeng.
Actually, from the start, Bai Shunyuan had already surveyed Yin Shixiu, just not as purposely and thoroughly.
At this moment, their gazes collided, sparking flames in the air.
"Yes."
"Thank you, you can leave now."
Yin Shixiu said, his tone very indifferent, not showing a hint of gratitude.
Bai Shunyuan glanced at Zhou Mengqin and Yin Shaohui, and couldn’t help but say, "I’m sorry, Grandpa Yin, Grandma Yin..."
"Alright, alright, you can go back. It’s getting late."
Yin Shaohui said.
Bai Fengmao’s grandson, even now, although having ideas, naturally couldn’t say anything.
Bai Shunyuan left the VIP hospital area, Su Xiaomeng still turned her back on him.
His fist tightened slightly, his heart fluttering, not knowing what was going on within himself.
Later, Yin Shixiu asked Uncle Huang to drive Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin back as well.
The child had him and Su Xiaomeng to keep watch.
Before leaving, Zhou Mengqin spoke a few more words to Yin Shixiu, hoping he would reconsider the marriage.
No evasion, no lowered voice, seemingly wanting Su Xiaomeng to hear as well.
And Su Xiaomeng... indeed heard it clearly.
After the elders left, the hospital area returned to quiet.
She sat on the chair by the bedside, simply watching Prince Huang in the crib.
How did he get a fever?
Touching his little hand, Huang Huang immediately grasped one of her fingers tightly, unconsciously holding on...
Su Xiaomeng was struck again in the heart by Huang Huang’s small gesture.
Yin Shixiu slowly exhaled, at this moment also feeling a bit physically and mentally drained.
Looking at this girl who made him restless... somewhat helpless, no solution.
"Why didn’t you tell me the truth?"
He asked, this was what bothered him the most.
Su Xiaomeng’s nose felt sour, tears welled again in her eyes, somewhat choked as she spoke, "I was afraid you’d be angry..."
Yin Shixiu felt his chest tighten.
"Come out."
He said and walked out of Huang Huang’s room first.
Su Xiaomeng gently withdrew her finger, stood up and followed him out.
"Is what Bai Shunyuan said true?"
He stared at her, "Did you not want to go, was he forcing you to go? Did he also force you into the car?"
Su Xiaomeng lowered her head, staring at the smooth floor, and nodded...
Tears "plop" and two more drops fell down.
"Do you think if you told me the truth, I’d be angry?"
Su Xiaomeng shook her head, then looked up, emotionally collapsing, "But you’d be worried... sob sob sob..."
Yin Shixiu’s heart tightened, his mouth opened slightly, somewhat unable to speak.
"I thought it would be okay, I called Nanny Chen, I asked her if Huang Huang was uncomfortable today... I didn’t think much, I was just afraid to tell you that I’m not coming home to take care of the baby because I need to attend a gathering... you’d be angry, but I was also afraid to tell you honestly that I was forced, you’d be worried... sob sob..."
"Why did you drink?"
Yin Shixiu asked again.
This question made Su Xiaomeng feel even worse, "I forgot... I really forgot... I’m sorry... sob sob..."
"Bai Shunyuan snatched my phone, said if I drank that bottle of spiced liquor, he’d return the phone to me, and not go against me anymore... sob sob... so I drank..."
Yin Shixiu’s face turned a shade colder.
"From when exactly did he start making things difficult for you?"
"I, I returned to school, and afterwards..."
"You didn’t tell me this either, why?"
Su Xiaomeng wiped her tears, but they just wouldn’t stop flowing...
"He didn’t hit me, didn’t scold me, just sometimes wouldn’t spare me verbally, why should I tell you... sob sob... you’re so busy every day... worrying about the baby, also worrying about me... sob sob..."
Yin Shixiu felt a bit speechless inside, but fortunately...
It wasn’t the worst-case scenario he had imagined before.
"Do you know why the parents are here today?"
Su Xiaomeng sniffled, wiped away her tears, and shook her head...
Yin Shixiu looked at her, "They came to tell you they’ve accepted you."
"But now..."
Su Xiaomeng lowered her head, Yin Shixiu did not finish his sentence, yet she fully understood.
She... messed up again.
Yin Shixiu took a shallow breath, stepped forward to rub her hair, "Alright, let’s keep trying, okay?"
He hadn’t spoken yet, but once he did, Su Xiaomeng’s emotions collapsed even more!
She stretched out her arms and rushed into his embrace, wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest, repeatedly apologizing, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry... Uncle, I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it... I’m sorry..."
Yin Shixiu’s arm was slightly stiff, but eventually he hugged her back, gently patting her back.
"Stop crying now, Huang Huang will wake up soon."
"Sob sob... I’m sorry, I’m really sorry..."
"I understand, I understand. No next time, alright?"
Su Xiaomeng nodded emphatically! But hugging Yin Shixiu, she just couldn’t let go.
She was really scared today; Huang Huang’s illness frightened her, Yin Shixiu hanging up on her frightened her, Mrs. Yin’s slap frightened her, and every word from the elder scared her...
Seeing Huang Huang with an IV on his head, at that moment, half her body went limp...
Yin Shixiu lowered his head and kissed her hair top, Su Xiaomeng felt somewhat comforted, her anxious and panicked heart calming down a bit, her small face rubbing against his chest again.
"Uncle..."
"Hm?"
"You can’t hang up on me again!"
"Never, any time!"
Su Xiaomeng stomped her foot, angrily said.
This act left too big a shadow on her.
Because... she really already liked Yin Shixiu very much.
Thinking that he might not want her anymore, she really felt very afraid.
"Even now, you’re still making demands of me?"
"Anyway, absolutely not!"
"...Okay, I won’t hang up. Can you look up? The nurse outside has been waiting for a long time."
He quietly reminded.
Su Xiaomeng quickly jumped away from him, and sure enough, there was a nurse standing outside... her face blushed, seemingly trying to avoid suspicion.
Su Xiaomeng awkwardly turned her head.
The nurse came in to check Huang Huang’s temperature, fortunately, it had dropped to thirty-seven.
She changed the baby out of his sweat-soaked clothes, the doctor came to check on Huang Huang’s situation, and then advised them on the child’s diet and other precautions.
He said it’s okay to stay in the hospital for continued observation or bring the baby home, but Su Xiaomeng was worried the fever might recur and decided to stay.
Meanwhile, Yin Shixiu had to go back, Shuangshuang was still at home.
Zhou Mengqin’s words to him made him ponder deeply.
Whether the nanny is genuinely dedicated to taking care of the child.
In the middle of the night, Huang Huang woke up a few times, Su Xiaomeng fed him some formula, but Huang Huang seemed not to like it, each time only drinking a little and then refusing.
Su Xiaomeng went to the doctor, honestly confessed how much alcohol she had, including the alcohol concentration and amount.
She inquired about when she could feed the baby breast milk again.
Given that the spiced liquor’s alcohol content was low, there should be no major issues, but to be safe, she could wait two more days.
The next morning, Yin Shixiu came to pick up Su Xiaomeng and Huang Huang to go home.
Today was Saturday, yesterday Yin Shixiu rescheduled a meeting to today, but he canceled it.
The two of them stayed at home to take care of the child, didn’t go anywhere.
Su Xiaomeng called Su’s mother several times, asked about many precautions for taking care of the child.
She wrote them down, afraid her mind would be stupid and forget again.
Yin Shixiu watched her carefully taking care of the baby, knowing she was genuinely frightened by what happened this time.