"The police are interrogating them, and we'll have an answer soon," Xie Zhendong said, holding her and asking with concern, "Didn't you tell the nanny you were going for a walk in the garden? What exactly happened?"
Recalling the incident, Zhan Jiayi said with lingering fear, "I don't know what happened either. I was just taking a nice stroll in the garden when someone pricked my arm with a needle, and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found myself tied up... they wanted to... to abort my baby..."
She couldn't continue, hugging Xie Zhendong and crying. It was the most humiliating moment of her life.
"Alright, alright, don't think about it anymore. I understand," Xie Zhendong said, patting her back. "Why did Qin Tianyi call me to inform me that you were in trouble?"
"When I fainted again, I saw Gu Susu... she, it should be her who saved me." Zhan Jiayi hadn't expected Gu Susu to help her, forgetting their past grievances, when she was completely helpless and desperate.
Xie Zhendong had also inquired with the police while she was unconscious. Someone had reported the incident, and the unlicensed practitioner and two thugs were subdued.
It turned out that the people who subdued them were Qin Tianyi's wife. He still had a question: "How did Gu Susu end up at that back-alley clinic?"
"I, I..." Zhan Jiayi guessed tearfully, "When I was walking in the hospital garden, I happened to see her bringing her child for a check-up. She probably noticed I was in trouble unintentionally."
Xie Zhendong grunted. Because of Xie Qining's matter, he hated Qin Tianyi along with him. He hadn't expected Qin Tianyi's wife to save Zhan Jiayi and her unborn child, which made him feel very conflicted.
Xie Zhendong wasn't the only one with complex emotions; Zhan Jiayi was too.
Because Shu Zhongze had treated her so heartlessly, she had transferred her resentment to Gu Susu.
Thinking back now, she had actually had a good impression of Gu Susu from the beginning and hadn't felt any animosity.
...
After sending Xiao Xingxing home, Susu went to the police station to give her statement.
By the time she returned to the villa, it was already dark. Tianyi had also returned long ago and was waiting for her for dinner.
Tianyi hadn't stayed at the group for long today. After receiving Susu's call, he had gone home early. Seeing Xiao Xingxing unharmed had relieved half of his worries.
Now, seeing Susu return, unharmed, he was completely at ease.
"You don't have to wait for me. Eat first if you're hungry," Susu said cheerfully to Tianyi and Xiao Xingxing.
Tianyi's expression, however, was somber. He said in a commanding tone, "Come here, eat together."
Susu said "oh," realizing Tianyi was going to lecture her again.
She had initially felt happy about doing a good deed and even testing her擒拿手 (qín ná shǒu - a type of martial art) that she had been practicing for a long time. Now, she didn't dare to show too much happiness.
During the meal, Susu kept putting food on Xiao Xingxing's plate, avoiding eye contact with Tianyi, wondering if she had been impulsive again.
Xiao Xingxing, eating his meal, didn't understand the subtle emotions between his parents. He happily said, "Daddy, Mommy was so amazing today! She used the skills Aunt Daisy taught her to beat up the bad guys. We should reward Mommy with a chicken leg."
As he spoke, he tried to pick up a chicken leg with his chopsticks to put in Susu's bowl.
But the chicken leg he chose was too big, and he couldn't quite hold it. Tianyi helped him hold it and placed it in Susu's bowl, only saying, "Eat."
Xiao Xingxing stared at Susu and said with a smile, "Teacher said that good behavior gets a chicken leg as a reward."
Susu picked up the bowl and took a bite of the chicken leg, smiling, "It's delicious. The chicken leg you two gave me is really tasty."
Tianyi looked at Xiao Xingxing and said in a teaching tone, "Sometimes, when helping others, you need to act within your capabilities and prioritize your own safety. Do you understand?"
"Oh," Xiao Xingxing seemed to understand and said, "Daddy means that if I see someone drowning, but I can't swim, I shouldn't jump in to save them. Teacher also said that this way, not only can you not save them, but you might get yourself into trouble too."
"Yes," Tianyi gave Xiao Xingxing a chicken leg as a reward.
Susu, not entirely agreeing, said to Xiao Xingxing, "If you can't swim, you shouldn't jump into the water to save someone. But we can call for help for the drowning person, and we can also look around for a lifebuoy or any tools that can help save them. After all, if we don't try to save them, it's a life."
Xiao Xingxing looked at Susu again and nodded, "Mommy, I understand."
Tianyi said nothing further, and they finished their dinner in silence.
That night, back in their room, Susu saw that Tianyi's expression had been consistently distant, and he wasn't actively talking to her.
Susu smiled apologetically and came to his side, asking, "Are you angry? Do you think I shouldn't have helped Zhan Jiayi?"
"You've already helped, so what's the point of saying this now?" Tianyi didn't look at her, continuing to work on his laptop.
Susu quickly stood behind him and massaged his shoulders and neck, saying, "It was just a coincidence today. I was curious about what those people were up to. But since I had followed them to the entrance of the back-alley clinic, I thought..."
"Do you think life has been too comfortable? Will people like Zhan Jiayi and Xie Zhendong be grateful?" Tianyi finally couldn't help but speak.
Susu pretended to be annoyed and said, "I really couldn't stand by and do nothing when I encountered something like this. I won't meddle in other people's affairs again next time."
"Next time, next time!" Tianyi turned to look at her. "How many 'next times' have you told me, but you never seem to learn. Never mind whether they'll be grateful; did you even consider putting yourself and Xiao Xingxing in danger at that time?"
"I did consider it. I had two bodyguards with us," Susu smiled gently. "If the two bodyguards weren't there, I definitely wouldn't have dared to go into the clinic alone."
Tianyi felt as if he had punched cotton; Susu had rendered him speechless.
It had turned out that he shouldn't have had the bodyguards follow them.
Susu adjusted his head and continued to massage his shoulders and neck, saying, "Don't worry, I'll consider my own abilities and the surrounding situation now. After all, I brought Xiao Xingxing for a follow-up check-up today, so of course, I wouldn't let Xiao Xingxing be in danger."
"It's good that you know," Tianyi's tone finally softened. "How was Xiao Xingxing's follow-up check-up?"
Susu had helped Zhan Jiayi without expecting gratitude from Xie Zhendong or Zhan Jiayi. If it had been someone else in this situation, she wouldn't have stood by and done nothing.
In fact, her biggest concern was still Xiao Xingxing's surgery. Explaining so much to Tianyi was also her way of wanting to discuss Xiao Xingxing's surgery with him.
"All his physical conditions are currently stable, but the doctor advised us to have the surgery as soon as possible. They fear that if he relapses, it will be difficult to control. Because the child is developing resistance to some medications, only surgery can truly cure him."
These were the doctor's exact words.
Tianyi had been struggling with the surgical plan lately and knew it couldn't be delayed any longer.
He thought for a moment and finally made a decision, saying, "Let's have the surgery done abroad. There's a pediatric endocarditis specialist in New York. Every surgery he performs is a classic for other doctors to study. Let him perform Xiao Xingxing's surgery; it feels the most reassuring."