Seeing Shen Qingqing, Mr. Gao paused.
But since he had come, he couldn't just turn back with his wife and child, so he went in.
As soon as Gao Qi saw them, the smile on his face vanished, his attitude turned cold, and he only spoke to Shen Qingqing beside him.
"This time, it's all thanks to you."
Shen Qingqing shook her head, "You're welcome, I did it for myself too."
Mr. Gao stood aside with Mrs. Gao and the child, feeling a bit awkward. After the two finished talking, he cleared his throat and said, "Ah Qi, I've come to see you."
Gao Qi lowered his eyes, pretending not to hear.
Mr. Gao felt a bit awkward, but seeing the bandage on his son's forehead, his heart softened, and he couldn't get angry anymore. "What your mother did before..."
"My mother is already dead."
Gao Qi finally looked up, his voice so cold it could freeze.
Mr. Gao suppressed his anger, "Ah Qi, since you know your mother is gone, then Xiaowen is your mother now."
"She is not my mother," Gao Qi said word by word.
This defiant and stubborn expression made Mr. Gao's anger surge, and his tone became harsh, "When are you going to be so stubborn?"
Gao Qi sneered, "Who is being stubborn?"
Mr. Gao shouted, "Are you saying I'm stubborn? Is that how you talk to your father? I've been patient with you because you were injured, don't push your luck!"
"Lao Gao!" Mrs. Gao intervened, "Don't speak like that, the child is still sick, he's not feeling well, so his words might be thoughtless. Don't be angry, Ah Qi definitely has you as his father in his heart, he's just not good with words."
While seemingly appeasing, her words were actually fanning the flames.
Instead, it reminded Mr. Gao of his son's constant rebellion. Unmistakable anger showed on his face, "Other people's children have rebellious phases, but they get over it. Why is it with you, it never ends? Ever since your mother passed away, you've been a handful, always looking at me unfavorably!"
He took a breath and continued,
"Especially after Xiaowen entered this household and your younger brother was born, your hostility intensified. What do you want? Do you just not want me to live a peaceful life?"
"Do you want me to be lonely for the rest of my life?!"
This accusation was quite serious.
Gao Qi looked steadily at Mr. Gao, his expressionless face, "When did I ever say you couldn't find happiness?"
"Then what are you always causing trouble for? What do you want?" Mr. Gao now couldn't understand his son.
Ever since his late wife passed away, he had never been normal.
A flicker of disappointment flashed in Gao Qi's eyes, "If you had truly found a woman who was devoted and willing to live a peaceful life with you, would I have disagreed?"
Mr. Gao was stunned.
Mrs. Gao's eyes flickered. She covered her mouth, looking somewhat shocked, "Ah Qi, do you mean I'm not peaceful enough?"
She seemed to have received a blow and stumbled back a step.
"Why say that about me? Haven't I been good enough to you? Haven't I contributed enough to this family? When you're not home, I take care of your father. When he feels unwell at night and misses you, I'm the one who keeps him company. And what about you?"
She seemed unable to continue, her voice choked with emotion.
"You only know how to throw tantrums at your father and don't understand filial piety at all..."
"Don't listen to his nonsense, I know how you are," Mr. Gao comforted her, then looked at Gao Qi with immense disappointment, "I don't know why you would say this, but Gao Qi, you have disappointed me greatly."
Gao Qi couldn't help but laugh.
The more he laughed, the angrier Mr. Gao became, "You're still laughing, you truly have no heart!"
Gao Qi couldn't control himself. It was as if he had heard the biggest joke. He laughed so hard that his stomach started to ache.
Mr. Gao roared, "That's enough!"
"You are enough."
Suddenly, a cold, displeased female voice rang out.
Mr. Gao instinctively looked at Shen Qingqing, his face grim, "This is our family matter. If Miss Shen has finished her visit, you are welcome to leave."
Meaning, do not meddle in our affairs.
Shen Qingqing snorted, "I don't want to meddle in your affairs, but I really can't stand it any longer."
"You can't stand it?" Mr. Gao almost thought he misheard, "What does our family matter have to do with you?"
Shen Qingqing shook her head, "You truly are..."
She glanced at Gao Qi, and for his sake, she swallowed the word "idiot."
But Mr. Gao was not foolish, and he knew that what she had paused to say was not good. "Miss Shen, are you bored?"
Gao Qi's face instantly turned cold, "This is my guest, and my benefactor. Mr. Gao, please speak respectfully!"
Mr. Gao was taken aback, a hint of disbelief in his eyes, "What did you call me?"
Mrs. Gao was also surprised, she didn't expect Gao Qi to...
She immediately began to add fuel to the fire.
"Lao Gao, don't be angry. The child is just arguing with you, trying to get your attention this way, hoping you'll care more. Just indulge him and don't be angry with Ah Qi."
Mr. Gao ignored her and looked at Gao Qi.
Shen Qingqing patted Gao Qi's shoulder as he was about to speak and looked at Mrs. Gao, "Madam, if you hadn't come today, perhaps father and son would have spoken more harmoniously."
Mrs. Gao frowned, "What do you mean?"
"What else can I mean? I mean your skill at fanning the flames hasn't reached your home yet," Shen Qingqing said with her arms crossed. "You know Gao Qi doesn't welcome you, so why pretend? You also know that whenever you come, Gao Qi will give you a cold shoulder, yet you still came."
Mrs. Gao argued, "I just wanted to apologize to Gao Qi. It was wrong of me to hide his illness from him before, but I had my reasons at the time."
"What reasons?"
"At the time, Lao Gao was not in good health, and I was worried that telling him would affect him. I admit, I was a bit neglectful of Gao Qi because, for me, Lao Gao is the most important." Mrs. Gao looked at Mr. Gao with tenderness and love.
Mr. Gao felt a surge of emotion. He had been somewhat displeased with Xiaowen before, but...
Ultimately, she loved him.
Shen Qingqing tutted, "Get out of here. If you truly loved him, you would know that Mr. Gao has always missed Gao Qi. Why didn't you try to mend the relationship? You also know how worried Mr. Gao is about Gao Qi. My husband told you then that Gao Qi was in mortal danger at any moment. Why didn't you say anything?"
Mr. Gao was stunned, "In mortal danger?"
Since he had arrived, this child had been defiant towards him. Apart from looking a bit haggard, he really couldn't tell that the child had suffered such a severe injury before.
Shen Qingqing nodded, "Do you want to see the medical records?"
A deep sense of guilt appeared in Mr. Gao's eyes.
"Lao Gao, I really didn't mean to. I was just afraid you would worry and that your health would be affected," Mrs. Gao explained hurriedly.
Mr. Gao ignored her.
His mind was filled with Shen Qingqing's words, "in mortal danger at any moment."
The color slowly drained from Mrs. Gao's face.