Leaving the badminton hall, Qin Si Ye strode towards the restroom.
When Gu Lin emerged after picking up his racket, Qin Si Ye was nowhere to be seen. He sighed and hurried towards the changing rooms.
Just as he reached the restroom entrance, a frantic little boy dashed out, colliding with his leg.
Qin Si Ye instinctively reached out to steady him. Upon seeing the boy's face, he exclaimed in surprise.
"Chen Chen?"
Shuo Shuo looked up, also astonished. "Uncle Qin?"
On their previous encounters or communications with Qin Si Ye, he had always hidden behind Chen Ge Ge. He never expected to meet him here today.
What was more, the way they met was exactly the same as the first time.
Shuo Shuo rubbed his slightly sore little head and asked with a smile, "Are you here to exercise too, Uncle Qin?"
"Yes," Qin Si Ye replied, gazing at him warmly.
Shuo Shuo asked thoughtfully, "What are you playing?"
"Badminton," Qin Si Ye said, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Oh? What a coincidence! My mommy was playing badminton over there just now. Did you see her?" Shuo Shuo looked at him in surprise.
On Friday, the three of them had judged that Qin Si Ye and Shen Xi had had an unpleasant exchange. He asked deliberately to gauge whether their relationship had eased.
"I saw her," Qin Si Ye replied casually.
Shuo Shuo's eyes lit up, his face beaming with pride. "Did you notice that my mommy is a really great player?"
Qin Si Ye paused for a moment before replying with a smile, "Indeed, she is very good!"
Suddenly, Shuo Shuo's expression turned mysterious, and he tugged lightly at Qin Si Ye's arm. "Uncle Qin, I have a secret to tell you."
Qin Si Ye unconsciously bent down, looking at him with curiosity. "What secret?"
"You probably saw an excellent man with her just now, right? That's Uncle Song. He's always been very good to Mommy. You have to try harder."
After Shuo Shuo finished speaking, he stood up straight and ran ahead.
He couldn't linger here any longer. If Mommy and the others came looking for him, his plan would be revealed.
Qin Si Ye slowly turned around, his gaze dark as he watched the direction in which the boy had gone. He took out his phone and called Zhao Ze.
That night, in a private room at a restaurant, Shen Xi's family of four, along with Xie Yifei and her daughter, Song Kai Cheng, and Jian Yan, a total of eight people, were seated around the dining table, chatting and laughing harmoniously.
The table was laden with a sumptuous spread of dishes. The children, eager to dig in, had been held back by Shen Xi several times.
She glanced down at her watch. It was already 7:30. She looked up at Song Kai Cheng, "Why isn't Auntie here yet? Should we call her?"
"No need. I just called her. She should be here any moment," Song Kai Cheng replied in a gentle tone.
As soon as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open from the outside.
Mei Yun, dressed in an ancient-style long dress, stood at the doorway with a smile on her face.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I've kept everyone waiting."
Everyone at the table rose. Shen Xi quickly walked over and hugged her warmly. "Auntie, I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," Mei Yun said, her eyes glistening with tears as she gently patted Shen Xi's shoulder.
Just then, she felt her leg being hugged. Looking down, she saw the three adorable children standing before her, their heads tilted up, their eyes tearful as they looked at her.
"Grandma, did you miss us?"
Mei Yun released Shen Xi, crouched down, and with an outstretched hand, gathered all three of them into her embrace.
"My little darlings, of course I missed you. Sometimes, I missed you so much I couldn't sleep."
As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.
Everyone present was moved by the scene.
After Song Kai Cheng brought Yin Xi to Country B back then, it was Mei Yun who had been taking care of her.
Especially after the birth of the three adorable little ones, it was Mei Yun and the nanny who had looked after them, treating the three babies as if they were her own grandchildren.
She cherished them dearly, never wanting them to be hurt.
Thus, a deep familial bond had been forged between them.
"Xi Xi, Auntie, quickly bring the children to their seats. Everyone is waiting," Song Kai Cheng said, looking at them.
"Yes, yes, yes, the three treasures, are you hungry waiting for Grandma? I could already hear your tummies rumbling," Mei Yun said as she stood up, taking the children's hands and walking towards the dining table.