5:30 PM.
Just as Song Yunshen received the prepared lunchbox from Xia Jinshu and was about to head to the hospital, his phone vibrated.
He took it out and looked at it, and his expression changed slightly.
However, with Xia Jinshu right in front of him, Song Yunshen composed himself, pretending nothing had happened. After picking up his lunchbox, he went downstairs with Xia Jinshu and secretly sent a message to Xia Kening in the elevator.
[ Song Yunshen ]: What's the situation now? I just came downstairs.
[ Xia Kening ]: I've already hailed a taxi. I'm waiting for it with Grandpa at the entrance of the community. Hurry up and come over.
[ Song Yunshen ]: Send a message to the driver and ask him to change the pick-up location to the North Gate of the West District. Take Grandpa there quickly.
[ Xia Kening ]: Huh? Why?
[ Song Yunshen ]: If you don't mind your older sister seeing this, then it doesn't matter.
[ Xia Kening ]: Damn it! Why didn't you say so sooner?
Stepping out of the elevator, Song Yunshen and Xia Jinshu parted ways at the entrance of the building. One headed towards the north gate, while the other left through the east gate. When Song Yunshen arrived at the north gate, he saw Xia Kening standing on the street, waving anxiously at him.
"Grandpa!" Song Yunshen hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Song Qingen's wrist.
" Ningning send you?" Song Qingen glanced at his grandson, his face still showing some displeasure. "You brat, you're no better than me. Your father had such a big matter, and you didn't even tell me."
"I'm innocent, Grandpa! I thought you already knew." Song Yunshen feigned a wronged expression and complained to Song Qingen, "I'm a victim too, okay? I only found out last week that Dad secretly went for surgery and only told me after it was over. I thought you, like Uncle, knew beforehand and were keeping it from me too."
"How would I know?" Song Qingen got angry as soon as the topic came up. "Your dad's really gotten too big for his britches. Anyone who didn't know better would think he didn't have parents!"
"Alright, alright, Grandpa, calm down," Song Yunshen soothed. "Let's go to the hospital first, we'll talk about it there. Dad was just worried about us. The surgery went smoothly, he's fine now."
"If I don't give him a good dressing down today, I'm not a Song!" Song Qingen's temper was still very volatile, which made Xia Kening shrink back in fear, and she felt more and more regretful.
She regretted speaking so quickly; she wanted to slap herself now.
Little did she know that Uncle Song was keeping it from even Grandpa Song, and she thought he was only keeping it from Song Yunshen.
She hadn't considered this at all when she spoke. Now it's too late to regret it.
Fortunately, Song Yunshen wasn't bothered by the pressure at all. Instead, he hugged Song Qingen's arm and said with a grin, "No, Grandpa, I've had the surname Song for over ten years. I don't want to change it. It's a bit hard to find suitable blood for this kind of thing right now. We can't just use Gaogao's, can we?"
"You little rascal..." Song Qingen tried to keep a straight face, but he was still amused by him and couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Don't interrupt me, I'm still angry!" "Oh, it's not that serious." Song Yunshen patted his chest and then continued, "He just had surgery and is still in the observation period. After all, it was heart surgery. If I scold him now, what if his emotions fluctuate and affect the outcome of the surgery?"
"Let's put the dispute aside for now. We can be firm, but let's not actually start a fight. Just make him apologize."
"Let's wait until he's discharged and his condition is stable. Then we'll take Gaogao to the vet for a blood test. You can give Dad a good scolding then."
"Get out of the way, get out of the way." Song Qingen couldn't keep his composure any longer after hearing that. He shoved the boy aside, his initial anger completely dissipating. "You brat, you're always so unserious, talking nonsense, just like your dad."
"Sigh, I can't help it, it's all my uncle's fault, he led me astray." Song Yunshen skillfully shifted the blame, directly placing the burden on Zhao Zeheng's head. "Why don't we go find my uncle first, you can vent your anger on him."
"Get lost, why would I want to see him?" Song Qingen waved his hand dismissively.
"Shall we go find Uncle?" Song Yunshen suggested again. "Uncle knows the truth too. It's one thing for Dad to be ignorant, but Uncle didn't even secretly inform you. He deserves a scolding!"
"You just don't want me to go to the hospital, don't you?" Song Qingen glanced at him sideways, finally realizing what he meant.
Upon seeing this, Song Yunshen coughed twice. "How could that be? The car hasn't arrived yet, Ningning, where is it?"
"It's right at the intersection, we'll be there soon," Xia Kening said quietly to the two of them, glancing at the ride-hailing app.
Her gaze fell on Song Qingen's face, and she noticed that Song Qingen had calmed down considerably compared to before.
Xia Kening then turned to look at Song Yunshen, and seeing his calm expression, she felt a surge of admiration. Xia Kening was angry earlier, and had only tried to tell him not to be angry, but to no avail.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Song Yunshen arrived, he quickly and without saying much, he made Song Qingen completely forget his anger. If Xia Kening hadn't been still angry just now, she suspected that Song Qingen would have burst out laughing.
Xia Kening was truly envious of that kind of emotional intelligence.
It was only then that she suddenly realized that although Song Yunshen often spoke to her in a nonsensical and unserious manner, he was actually quite reliable when it mattered most.
It seems that in Song Yunshen's eyes, he can always find the most appropriate way to deal with things, without panicking at all, and he has a strong ability to adapt to changing situations.
In this respect, Xia Kening admitted that she was far Song Yunshen.
Soon, the taxi stopped in front of the three of them. Song Yunshen let Xia Kening sit in the passenger seat, while he sat in the back seat with his grandfather.
After getting on the bus, Song Qingen noticed the lunchbox Song Yunshen was carrying and asked in confusion, "What's that?"
"Dad's dinner," Song Yunshen said, "I've been bringing him dinner lately."
"This guy is so good at ordering people around. Why do we bring him food?" Song Qingen frowned. "It's such a hassle for you to come and go every day."
Grandpa still loves his grandson. Even though his son is in the hospital, he is still worried about whether his grandson is tired.
Song Yunshen chuckled and shook his head, "Anyway, it's summer vacation now, so there's nothing to do." "Then where did you get this food?" Song Qingen asked curiously again, "You didn't cook it yourself, did you?"
"I definitely wouldn't do it," Song Yunshen explained. "I hired a tutor during the summer vacation. She finishes her class at 5 pm and then cooks dinner for me, so I just made some for my dad too."
"What kind of tutor is so good? They even cook for you?" Song Qingen couldn't help but ask.
"My dad promised the tutor that if my English score improves when school starts, he'll give me an extra bonus," Song Yunshen said. "I'm just helping out with the cooking to thank my dad."
"No wonder." Song Qingen nodded in realization and didn't ask any more questions.
Soon, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the First People's Hospital.
Song Yunshen got out of the car with his grandfather and Xia Kening and headed straight for the ward.
The three arrived at the ward door. Song Yunshen repeatedly told Song Qingen not to argue later. Seeing that he nodded in agreement, he knocked on the door.
When the caregiver, Lao Li, heard the knock on the door and glanced at the time, he knew it was the patient's son bringing food.
So he immediately got up, went to the door, opened it, and prepared to welcome Song Yunshen in.
The next second, he was stunned.
Besides Song Yunshen, two other people came today: an elderly man and a young woman... It's normal for an elderly man to come; he's probably an elder relative of the patient.
But what about this young girl?
The key point is that this isn't the same two that came before!
What on earth is this young man named Song Yunshen up to? He keeps bringing different girls to the hospital every day.
Is this acceptable?
The caregiver, Old Li, looked completely bewildered as Song Yunshen led the two into the ward, then left the room and sat down on a small stool in the corridor, lost in thought.
Those two girls from last time, it's obvious they have a Song Yunshen, they both cooked and brought him meals.
Could it be that this meal was cooked by the new girl herself? Maybe she's a relative?
Old Li felt he shouldn't think too badly of the person. The patient said his son was a top student at Ningjiang Middle School; it was impossible for him to be having affairs at such a young age, right?
That's outrageous.
Old Li thought it was unlikely; it was more likely to be a relative.
While Old Li was lost in thought and making wild guesses, Song Mingyuan, who was in the ward, was looking forward to what dinner would be for the night. He was stunned when he saw his father walking in with his son. Then he saw Xia Kening next to Song Yunshen.
He did have some recollection of this little girl, since he often saw her face when the door lock beeped, and knew that she frequently visited their house to see Song Yunshen.
But how did these three people come together as a group?
They even came to the hospital to see him together.
Song Mingyuan was completely dumbfounded.
Song Qingen, remembering that he had already promised his grandson, didn't actually lose his temper. He simply walked to the bedside, snorted coldly, plopped down on the chair next to him, and sulked silently.
Song Yunshen stepped forward and set up the bedside table, then opened the lunchboxes one by one, saying with a smile, "Grandpa is very angry right now, you'll have to explain to him yourself."
"You told him that?" Song Mingyuan glanced at his son and sighed helplessly.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Song, it was... it was me who said it..." After Xia Kening entered the ward, she seemed like a different person. She timidly hid behind Song Yunshen, cautiously peeking out her head to apologize to Song Mingyuan.
She came in yesterday with Song Yunshen's body inside her, which was fine.
But when she actually faced Song Yunshen's father, even though Song Mingyuan didn't say much, Xia Kening still felt a sense of pressure, making her hesitant to speak.
This isn't Song Mingyuan's fault. It's simply that Xia Kening has an instinctive fear of the "father" role and hasn't been able to adjust to it yet.
" Ningning, what are you apologizing for? What's there to apologize for?" Before Song Mingyuan could even speak, Song Qingen interrupted, "It was your Uncle Song's fault to begin with. He didn't apologize, so you don't need to."
"Ahem..." Song Mingyuan coughed lightly twice, still not quite understanding what had happened. "It's nothing, I didn't mean to blame you, I'm just curious, how did you meet Song Yunshen's grandfather?"
"I was playing badminton with her in the neighborhood when Grandpa happened to see us while walking his dog," Song Yunshen explained from the side.
"Oh, I see." Song Mingyuan nodded in understanding, then asked, "So what happened today?"
"Oh right... what happened today?" Song Yunshen suddenly realized that he had been so focused on comforting his grandfather that he had forgotten to ask what had happened today.
So he turned his head and looked at Xia Kening with a questioning expression.
Xia Kening noticed their gazes and couldn't help but shrink back. After calming herself down a bit, she explained softly, "After dinner today, I went to Grandma's shop. Gaogao hadn't been taken for a walk yet, so I helped Grandma walk Gaogao. I also went to the pavilion to find Grandpa."
"Grandpa was playing chess with someone in the pavilion at the time, and they were talking about Uncle Song taking a long leave of absence."
"I happened to know about this, so I just blurted it out. I didn't expect Grandpa didn't know, and then I was exposed..."
Song Yunshen looked surprised. "Why are you walking their dog?"
" Ningning is so well-behaved. She often helps us old folks walk the dog. This isn't the first time," Song Qingen waved his hand, adding, " Gaogao likes her a lot too; she's quite obedient in her care." Is that so?
Song Yunshen looked at Xia Kening with suspicion, feeling that this matter was not so simple.
Song Mingyuan, lying in the hospital bed, didn't delve into the matter. After roughly understanding what had happened, he waved his Song Yunshen, "I know the situation. Take her out and wait a while. I'll talk to your grandfather."
There are some things that are a bit awkward to say in front of a younger person. Song Yunshen understood this and nodded in agreement. He then turned and left the ward with Xia Kening, leaving the room for the two of them.
After they went outside, Song Yunshen leaned against the wall in the corridor, arms crossed, and asked Xia Kening, "Tell me honestly, what was this about walking the dog? Why haven't you mentioned it before?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Xia Kening said shyly, fidgeting a little, and muttered softly, "I'm just that helpful."
"If you don't tell me, I'll go ask Grandma later."
"Okay, okay, it's just that Grandma gives me a little reward every time I walk the dog," Xia Kening said, pouting. "It's just some small snacks, I don't ask for much, I was just too embarrassed to tell you before."
"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Song Yunshen rolled his eyes at her, then reached out and ruffled Xia Kening's hair. "It's fine this way. Go ahead and take her for a walk if you want."
Seeing that he wasn't angry, Xia Kening chuckled twice, but then quickly composed herself, lowered her head, and whispered, "I'm sorry about what happened today..."
"It's not your fault, after all, I didn't explain things clearly to you beforehand." Song Yunshen shook his head. "A normal person would never imagine that my dad even kept it from my grandfather."
"It's not because of that." Xia Kening shook her head repeatedly, biting her lip, her face still full of regret. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands. "You don't know, when Grandpa heard about this, he immediately took a pill to calm down. He must have been terrified. If anything had happened to him, I don't know how I would face you afterward..." "Yes, my grandpa has high blood pressure. If his emotions fluctuate too much, he's easily affected." Song Yunshen reached out and pinched Xia Kening's cheek. "But don't blame yourself too much. Just be more careful in the future and think more before you speak."
Hearing him say that, Xia Kening felt a little sad in the face of Song Yunshen's gentleness. She couldn't help but take two steps closer, gently tapping her head against Song Yunshen's chest, and whispered, "Why don't you scold me a little?"
"Alright, alright, where did Xia Kening go?" Song Yunshen reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently rubbing her head. "You like being scolded so much, don't you? I haven't settled the score with you for yesterday yet, I'll settle it with you when we get home tonight."
Upon hearing his words, Xia Kening instinctively covered her bottom, gritted her teeth, and whispered, "You bad guy!"
Song Yunshen helped Xia Kening calm down in the corridor, finally helping her to get out of her self-blame.
Meanwhile, the caregiver, Old Li, sat on a small stool, pretending to be invisible and not seeing anything. He was looking down at his phone, but his eyes were constantly darting around, his mind racing.
Are they related?
Old Li's lips twitched, and he didn't know where to begin. He felt that his worldview had been completely shattered and there was no way to salvage it.
He didn't know what the two were talking about; he was sitting on the other side of the ward door and couldn't hear very clearly.
But as Song Yunshen and Xia Kening were chatting, they suddenly hugged each other, leaving Old Li completely bewildered. He wondered what kind of plot this was.
Are you here to visit a patient or to flirt?
"Is this a place for you to do this kind of thing?!" Old Li couldn't help but clutch his heart, suddenly realizing that he also needed heart surgery.
Fortunately, the two in the ward didn't talk for long before Song Qingen pushed open the door and said to the two outside, "We're done talking, come in."
At this moment, Song Yunshen and Xia Kening had already separated and were chatting idly about other topics. Hearing Song Qingen's voice, they turned around and went into the ward.
By this time, Song Mingyuan had almost finished his dinner.
Xia Kening took the initiative to run to the bedside, took an apple from the fruit basket, peeled an apple for Song Mingyuan, and handed it to him. "Uncle, have an apple."
"Oh, thank you." Song Mingyuan stared at the apple in front of him, momentarily stunned. He suddenly remembered that Song Yunshen had also peeled an apple for him yesterday, and he hadn't expected to get to eat one today.
But that girl was much easier to deal with than my son; she could eat apples for free.
Unlike Song Yunshen, who can get 1000 yuan from a single apple.
I absolutely can't afford it.