Two days later, Xiao Mei appeared at the hospital room door with Xiao Xing.
Qin Tianyi and Susu were both a little surprised.
"Didn't I ask Xiao Lin to take you directly to the villa?" Tianyi asked.
Xiao Mei walked into the room with Xiao Xing and explained, "Young Master, we have already returned to the villa. Young Master Xiao didn't see you and Young Mistress at the villa, so he cried and insisted on seeing you. Xiao Lin then, he then brought us to the hospital... Young Master, please don't blame Xiao Lin, it was me who insisted he bring us."
As she spoke, she lowered her head, fearing Qin Tianyi would be angry.
Susu pinched his cheek and smiled, "Don't be so serious, okay? If they're here, they're here. You'll scare Xiao Mei and the child if you're like this."
Qin Tianyi pushed her hand away, "Am I being serious? I was just asking."
"Oh, oh, then smile for me."
Seeing the young master and young mistress bickering so affectionately, Xiao Mei couldn't believe her eyes and relaxed.
Xiao Xing, looking at his parents who were so sweet even when arguing, couldn't help but grin.
Qin Tianyi finally smiled and beckoned to Xiao Xing.
Xiao Xing immediately ran over and pounced by his hospital bed, asking, "Dad, are you sick? Do you need injections and medicine? Does it hurt?"
"I'm fine, I'm not afraid of anything," Qin Tianyi said, stroking his head.
Xiao Xing wanted to climb onto his hospital bed to hug him, but Susu stopped him, saying, "Xing, you can't hug Dad yet. Wait until he's discharged and we're home to hug him."
Qin Tianyi, however, dotingly extended an arm and hugged him, saying, "Have you been reading English and doing math problems these days? Have you finished the workbooks I gave you?"
Xiao Xing dared not look at him and whispered, "I've read some, and done a little."
In fact, he had long forgotten where he had put the books and workbooks he brought, and had been playing with Wei Yanan every day, forgetting about his studies.
After speaking, he quickly looked at Susu for help.
"Oh dear, he's still young. You're asking about his studies as soon as you meet him. Don't scare the child," Susu covered for him.
Qin Tianyi didn't press him further about his studies and said, "Alright, it's okay if you've fallen behind. When I get better, I'll study English and do math problems with you."
Xiao Xing leaned into his arms and said, "Okay."
Susu couldn't help but smile and watched them with Xiao Mei.
He began to tell Xiao Xing stories of the past, "You know, when I was as young as you, I could recognize three thousand Chinese characters, read English classics, and solve advanced math problems. I was a famous prodigy back then. Some teachers came specifically to recruit me into the gifted class."
Xiao Xing listened, half understanding, and asked, "What is a gifted class?"
"It's a place where prodigies and geniuses study together," Qin Tianyi replied.
Xiao Xing then asked, "What is a prodigy? Is it fun to be a prodigy?"
This question stumped Qin Tianyi. Susu chuckled beside him, feeling he was too eager to force growth.
She didn't want Xiao Xing to be a prodigy; she just wanted him to be happy and healthy.
"Dad, were you happy when you were a prodigy?" Xiao Xing asked again when he didn't answer.
Qin Tianyi couldn't say. Was he happy back then?
When he was a child, he only received more favor from his elders and father if he was exceptionally outstanding. For this, he worked hard to become a prodigy.
Later, until his mother's accident, he realized that being too outstanding would attract jealousy, so he learned to play dumb.
He couldn't help but think of his father, who was still bedridden. He hadn't visited him in a long time. The father and son were now worse than enemies.
"Alright, we won't be prodigies, and I won't force you to study anymore."
Xiao Xing's big eyes blinked and said, "You don't need to test me anymore, can I still play with you in the study?"
"Of course, you can read whatever books you like," Qin Tianyi said with a loving smile.
Although he wouldn't treat his own children as harshly as his father did, the influence he received from childhood made him unconsciously too strict with his children.
Xiao Xing couldn't sit still and happily broke free from him, looking around the room curiously. He didn't forget to say to Qin Tianyi, "Then Dad, you must get better quickly."
...
A few days after Xiao Xing and Xiao Mei returned to Lancheng, Chen Ma also returned from the countryside.
Tianyi and Susu had contacted Chen Ma in the hospital. Chen Ma couldn't bear to be apart from them and decided to return to Lancheng to take care of them. If she could no longer move, she would retire in Lancheng.
Now they could be reunited. Susu had no more reason to prevent Tianyi from being discharged and had to agree to him returning home to recuperate.
When they returned to the seaside villa from the hospital, Chen Ma and Xiao Mei had already cleaned and tidied everything.
When Susu saw Chen Ma again, she noticed that Chen Ma's hair had turned almost entirely white. It felt like a lifetime ago. She opened her arms and hugged Chen Ma tightly.
Chen Ma patted her back and said, "Young Mistress, it's good that you're back."
This time, when she returned to the seaside villa, she felt a true sense of home. She realized that somewhere along the way, she had already considered this place her home.
Xiao Mei, holding Xiao Xing's hand, said happily, "Young Master, Young Mistress, Chen Ma heard that Young Master is being discharged today and personally cooked many of Young Master's favorite dishes."
Susu hummed and said, "Thank you, Chen Ma."
"Young Mistress, what are you thanking me for? I don't deserve it," Chen Ma said.
Qin Tianyi put his arm around Chen Ma's shoulder and said, "You deserve it. We are family." With that, he walked towards the dining room with Chen Ma.
Chen Ma's eyes welled up with tears. Susu took Xiao Xing's hand, and she and Xiao Mei followed behind them, feeling an indescribable emotion.
If only they could all live happily together like this in the future – their family of three, plus Chen Ma, and loyal servants like Xiao Mei and Xiao Lin.
After returning, Qin Tianyi still tried his best to rest in bed. It took a hundred days for bones to heal, let alone that he had not only injured his bones and muscles but also reinjured the affected area. If he didn't recover properly this time, he feared there might be lingering problems.
As long as Susu was with him in the bedroom, he couldn't be serious.
Before he had recovered his health, Susu didn't want to engage in any strenuous activities with him.
She might as well stay in the kitchen with Chen Ma and learn to cook a few more dishes.
This day, she was learning to make bone broth with Chen Ma. She had looked up recipes online before, but when she followed them, she felt the taste wasn't as authentic as Chen Ma's.
Chen Ma taught her a few tips while cooking. When Susu tasted it after seasoning it according to Chen Ma's instructions, the taste was indeed different.
"Young Mistress, you can now turn the heat to low and simmer for two hours. Then it will be ready for Young Master to drink," Chen Ma said with a smile.
"Okay," Susu said, simmering the soup and preparing to make other dishes.
Chen Ma stood beside her, seeming to hesitate for a long time before asking, "Young Mistress, have you and Young Master truly reconciled this time? You won't, you won't argue again, will you? I'm getting old, and if you two start fighting again, my heart won't be able to take it. Young Mistress, please don't worry me anymore, just stay well like this, okay?"