"Xixi, tell Grandma, what stage have you and Si Ye reached?" Xu Zhilan asked anxiously after lying down.
Shen Xi hadn't expected Xu Zhilan to ask her this question. She stammered and after a long while, said, "We… we're still in the getting-to-know-you phase."
In fact, it was more or less as she had said; Qin Si Ye was still missing one "thank you" to complete their interactions, and they hadn't truly established a relationship yet.
"How can you still be in the getting-to-know-you phase?" Xu Zhilan frowned upon hearing this. "Xixi, don't hide it from me. Didn't you two stay in the same room in Country B last time?"
"Grandma, it wasn't like that, it was..." Before Shen Xi could even finish the word "misunderstanding," Xu Zhilan interrupted her with a laugh.
"Xixi, don't be shy. I can tell you both like each other. Otherwise, why would you have agreed to let him stay at your place in Country B?"
Xu Zhilan held her hands tightly and continued with anticipation,
"Xixi and Si Ye, pick a good day and get engaged first. Or you can register your marriage first, Grandma supports you. In this family, my word still counts."
Hearing this, Shen Xi was deeply touched, her eyes involuntarily reddening.
But she knew she couldn't do this at the moment.
It wasn't just because of Su Chengyu. Qin Xiuzhi's fainting and hospitalization today was likely also due to his opposition to this matter.
After all, the backgrounds of Chen Chen's three children had not yet been made public, and not everyone could be as open-minded as Grandma and accept a woman with three children of "unknown origin" into their family.
Moreover, this was the most prestigious and wealthiest Qin family in City K.
"Grandma, I..." Just as Shen Xi was about to explain, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Shen Xi turned her head and saw two anxious-looking women enter.
One was Qin Xuelan, and the other she hadn't met before. She looked young, but she resembled Qin Xuelan greatly, even having a hint of Su Chengyu's features.
Shen Xi immediately guessed that this woman was Su Chengyu's sister. She had mentioned having a sister when she was dating him.
"Mom, you're awake." Qin Xuelan quickly walked to the bedside and naturally pushed Shen Xi aside.
Shen Xi stumbled and managed to steady herself by holding onto the bedside table.
She thought Qin Xuelan was just too worried about her mother and didn't take it to heart.
However, Mei Yun, who had just walked in, saw the action clearly. She was about to get angry, but Shen Xi gestured for her to stay silent, indicating she was fine.
"Grandma." Su Yixin also walked forward, stood by the bed, and wiped her tears.
"I'm alright. Don't be sad." Xu Zhilan forced a kind smile and then looked at Qin Xiuyi, who was standing at the back, and asked in a low voice, "Where's your brother? Why didn't he come in?"
Two of the three children had come in, but Qin Xiuzhi hadn't come to see her.
Was he holding a grudge against her? He hadn't even come to see her when she fainted and was lying in bed.
She had fainted almost at the same time as Qin Xiuzhi and had no idea about his condition.
"My brother… my brother…" Qin Xiuyi hesitated, unsure how to answer, when Qin Xuelan immediately took over and replied quickly, "Mom, my brother fainted with you and is still in the hospital."
"What did you say?" Upon hearing this, Xu Zhilan's hands trembled slightly, and her face turned pale with anxiety.
She lifted her head, looking at everyone in disbelief.
"Grandma just woke up, you shouldn't tell her these things." Shen Xi walked forward with some concern, glancing at Qin Xuelan, afraid that Xu Zhilan would be stimulated and faint again.
"Who are you? When did it become your turn to interrupt when we Qin family members are speaking?" Qin Xuelan snorted coldly, straightening up slowly, and glared at Shen Xi with icy eyes.
Shen Xi stood her ground with neither humility nor arrogance, her voice clear as she retorted, "I am a doctor Qin Si Ye specifically hired to treat Grandma. Regarding information that might be detrimental to her condition, I believe it is my responsibility to remind the person not to say it."
"Doctor? That sounds nice. Who knows if you haven't been coveting the position of Young Mistress of the Qin family from the very beginning." Qin Xuelan scoffed, her mockery and sarcasm very apparent.
Hearing this, Shen Xi felt a surge of anger.
This wasn't the first time Qin Xuelan had said such a thing to her; she had said the same thing to her at the restaurant encounter.
However, back then, she hadn't been ready to accept Qin Si Ye and had been very resistant to him.
But things were different now.
Although she didn't want to argue with Qin Xuelan in front of Xu Zhilan, she couldn't stand idly by when someone commented on her like this.
A proper counter-attack was necessary.
She smiled faintly, "Mrs. Su, regardless of my intentions, that is between Qin Si Ye and me, and it seems to have nothing to do with you."