Chapter 272

"Where's the food?" "Grandpa!" "My brother went out at noon today, so I'm in charge of lunch." A rather clever voice rang out in the ward, though it carried a tone that suggested they were secretly discussing something. Hearing this, the old man lying on the bed, his face covered by a pure white blanket, pulled the blanket down slightly, revealing a pair of slightly puzzled eyes and his bald head. Although his face was covered with wrinkles, he still exuded a unique spirit. The illness didn't seem to have dampened his optimism. He asked with some doubt, "Where did Xiao Shui go?" "Oh dear, don't always think about Xiao Shui Xiao Shui. He's always fussing over you, and his meals are never even properly seasoned. Today, it's my turn to show you some respect~" Xia Fen blinked, holding up the takeout she had just gotten from outside so the old man could see it clearly, and then placed it on the small table in the ward. The two large bags looked heavy; you could tell they were already full without even opening them. Hearing Xia Fen's words, a smile seemed to appear in the old man's eyes, and he slowly straightened up with Xia Fen's help. "Sigh..." "I told you not to let me die in the hospital. I could have traveled the world with that time." The old man shook his head with apparent regret, watching Xia Fen bustling about. Although he spoke of traveling the world, his eyes revealed a deep, honest affection. As people age, their pursuits are no longer as passionate as in their youth. Past hardships and setbacks, joys and sorrows, all gradually fade from memory with the passage of time. In the end, it seems only the wish for family happiness remains. If the sons can't fulfill it, then it's up to the grandchildren. Although Xia Zhongshan's actions were despicable, at least he left behind two good grandchildren, allowing him to enjoy some family bliss. "Xia Yan should go back too. He's been in Beijing for almost two months now. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the principal; he's been asking for leave so many times and they haven't even given him a leave of absence." "I curse him to fail all his final exams!" Xia Fen cursed, then placed the ordered takeout on the bedside table. A rich aroma immediately overpowered the smell of disinfectant. "Yeah." "What's the use of worrying about an old man like me..." Surprisingly, the old man didn't defend Xia Yan, nor did he scold Xia Fen for secretly badmouthing her brother behind his back. Instead, he looked helplessly at her with a hint of agreement. He listened to whoever was in front of him; otherwise, who would want to keep an old man like him company? But before he could finish speaking, he was drawn to the food in front of him. The vibrant colors of spicy hot pot, the golden-brown, crispy fried chicken, and the perfectly brewed milk tea were laid out before them, a stark contrast to the bland, watery food they'd been eating every day lately. "Fen..." the old man asked, pointing in surprise at the food. "You're feeding this to a seventy-year-old grandfather?" "What's wrong with it? If you're not full, just tell me, I'll give you this too." Xia Fen put down her fried chicken and chuckled, treating the old man as if he were a terminally ill patient. The old man paused, then burst into laughter, picking up a piece of fried chicken without gloves, just like Xia Fen. Delicious. ———————————————— "Chun Qiu, what should I say to you?" The girl turned her head, somewhat speechless, looking at Chun Qiu was curled up in its cat bed licking its paws. "Meow." It probably only recognized that someone was calling its name. Hua Xin sighed, then patted Cha Cha's increasingly large belly with a headache, inwardly feeling sincere remorse for her cats. The power of spring was indeed not to be underestimated. She didn't know how much time had passed; if the delivery station owner hadn't reminded her when she came to pick up a package today, she wouldn't have known that her two cats, who spent all their time together, had already produced kittens without her noticing. These kittens wouldn't be a problem for her, at most requiring a little more feeding... but taking care of them would be a bit troublesome, since this was her workplace, and she'd have to spare time to care for newborn kittens... If this absurd thing hadn't happened to her, it would be fine; she'd learned a lot about kitten care at the cat cafe, at least she wouldn't kill them. As for finding them homes when they grew up... But now... Hua Xin couldn't help but sigh again, her mind filled with the predicament she would have to solve in a while. "Come here!" "Let's go home!" "I'm sorry, Chacha, my Chun Qiu will take responsibility. Don't worry, you can have the kittens!" The girl stroked Chacha's head apologetically and tenderly, then gave Chun Qiu a light slap on the bottom, and resolutely walked away. What a pity for Chacha. She's still just a kitten, yet she's pregnant at such a young age, and doesn't even know how many kittens she's carrying. Luckily, she was adopted by the couple at the courier station. Otherwise, what would happen after Chun Qiu's debt repayment period ended and he ran away like a scumbag? How can a single mother cat survive alone in the wilderness with her kittens? Indeed, Hua Xin glanced at the slow-moving Chun Qiu, clearly not believing Chun Qiu was the kind of responsible person. How could such small animals understand so much morality? They probably just want to be fed and kept warm every day. But if it were Xia Yan, he probably wouldn't have run away, right? A man like him would probably abandon everything for this, or be completely coerced by his wife and children into becoming a "family" man whose only thought is how to work and make money. Sigh, what a naive young man... Wait. Thinking this, the girl suddenly realized something was wrong. If Xia Yan wouldn't run away... then who was pregnant? ... Hua Xin suddenly went from her earlier sighs to silence. But her mind, true to her character, began to conjure up some inappropriate scenes. "Ughhhhhh!" "This is so annoying!" The girl angrily opened the door and threw Chun Qiu inside, then sat down on the sofa herself. There were still many pressing matters; trying to distract herself wouldn't work. The key was... Hua Xin thought seriously. Where could she find her mother's phone number? 210. A brief meeting, each facing their own hardships. It was July. How could time pass so quickly, as if it were free? Grandpa Liu, utterly perplexed, shook his fan, as if hoping to dispel some of the sweltering heat. The surroundings remained unchanged, the same old scene: residents and cars coming and going, and he, too, remained the steadfast security guard standing guard at the entrance of the community. In truth, another year had passed. It seemed like only yesterday he was a handsome young man, not yet possessing the charm he had now.