Perhaps after shouting it the first time, Gu Chen was less resistant to shouting it the second time, and it came out much more smoothly.
Mr. Lin: "It's no problem, it's no problem. We have plenty of stuff at home anyway, so it's perfect to give it to the kids."
Xia Ran wanted to refuse again, but Grandpa Xia spoke up.
"Xiao Ran, that's fine. Since your Uncle Lin wants to give it to you, just accept it. We're all family, there's no need to be so polite."
“That’s right, that’s right.” Mr. Lin happily agreed. Xia Ran glanced at the two of them and finally nodded with a smile.
"Indeed, I was too polite."
"Just remember next time. Your grandfather is right, we're all family, there's no need to be so polite," said Mr. Lin.
Xia Ran readily agreed.
Gu Chen looked at the group but didn't say anything. He was just a little confused as to why his great-grandfather and stepfather both said that this grandfather was part of the family.
However, he is a good boy and knows he shouldn't ask questions, otherwise his stepfather will be angry and might even be sad.
Since this grandfather can make my stepfather and great-grandfather so happy, it's not a big deal if he accepts it.
At dinner, Xia Ran prepared quite a lot of dishes. Gu Chen was probably because it had been so long since he had spent time with Xia Ran like this, so he followed Xia Ran around while she cooked, not wanting to leave her side for even a moment.
Even when Xia Ran was cooking, he would sit on a small stool at the kitchen door and watch her.
Lin Ziming happened to see this scene when he arrived. He was not surprised at all by Gu Chen's arrival. Instead, he went over to tease the child.
"Xiao Chen, long time no see. How have you been?"
Upon seeing Lin Ziming, Gu Chen's face immediately tightened. He remembered that this person was the one who was going to compete with him and his older father for the position of younger father.
Therefore, he will not pay any attention to this person.
Besides, how long has it been since they last saw each other? When he was in the hospital, he visited his great-grandfather and saw him almost every day.
Thinking of this, Gu Chen immediately looked away, completely ignoring Lin Ziming.
Lin Ziming asked, somewhat helplessly.
"Xiao Chen, don't you like me?"
Gu Chen still did not answer Lin Ziming's question, but Xia Ran turned around and glanced at Gu Chen, her gaze falling on him, her tone unusually stern.
"Xiao Chen, why don't you respond when Uncle Ziming is talking to you? Didn't your dad tell you that you should always greet people you know? Now you not only don't greet them, but you also ignore Uncle Ziming. Is this how you take my words to heart?"
Gu Chen stiffened, his eyes slightly reddening as he looked at Xia Ran, but Xia Ran didn't give him a chance to play the victim, her face remaining serious.
Seeing this, Gu Chen could only turn his head to look at Lin Ziming and whisper,
"Hello Uncle Ziming, I'm sorry, I was wrong just now, I promise it won't happen again next time."
After he finished speaking, he did not wait for Lin Ziming's reply, but instead looked up at Xia Ran.
"Little Daddy, I know I was wrong, please don't be angry, okay?"
Xia Ran wasn't trying to dwell on it; she just wanted to teach the child some manners.
"Okay, Daddy forgives you this time, but you can't do it again, understand? That's impolite of a child."
"I understand, Little Daddy." Gu Chen smiled faintly, and Xia Ran's expression softened as well.
Lin Ziming was still somewhat surprised to see this scene.
Because Xia Ran is in two completely different states when she's with her child.
"The way you educate your children still surprises me quite a bit."
Hearing Lin Ziming's words, Xia Ran was both amused and exasperated.
"Is 'surprise' a bit of an exaggeration? I was just doing what a father should do."
Lin Ziming was taken aback, then chuckled softly.
“You are a good father. Let me help you. After dinner, you should take my dad home. He has been up all day here.”
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves to help Xia Ran, and Xia Ran did not refuse.
Gu Chen sat on a small stool watching, feeling a little sad. If only the person standing next to his stepfather was his elder father, he would wake up laughing in his dreams.
While we were eating, the doorbell rang again.
The group exchanged glances, wondering who had arrived, while Xia Ran and Lin Ziming already had someone in mind.
Lin Ziming, in particular, glanced at Gu Chen again. The only person who could come at this time was probably Gu Zheng.
It was precisely because he realized who the visitor was that Lin Ziming got up before Xia Ran.
"I'll drive it."
Xia Ran paused for a moment, but did not refuse.
However, when Lin Ziming went to open the door, the person at the door was not Gu Zheng, but it was still related to Gu Zheng.
Qin Hao's eyes widened in shock when he saw that the person who opened the door was Lin Ziming.
No wonder his brother was so angry when he asked him to come over. It seems that Lin Ziming's methods are quite clever; he even came with Xia Ran.
Qin Hao had a lot on his mind, but he didn't show it on his face at all.
"Dr. Lin? What are you doing here? Or have I come to the wrong place? Didn't Xia Ran move here?"
Qin Hao knew he was right, because Gu Zheng had already told him to buy the opposite door, and he had already sent someone to sign the contract. How could he possibly be wrong?
Chapter 368 Deeper Meaning
However, he certainly couldn't reveal this matter; he had to pretend to be ignorant.
Lin Ziming was incredibly intelligent; how could he not perceive the deeper meaning behind Qin Hao's words?
However, since the other party didn't say it outright, he wasn't the type to actively expose it. He mainly wanted to see what Qin Hao intended to do when he came over.
"No, you've come to the right place. Xia Ran lives here. I just came here for a meal."
"Oh? Is that so? Then I'll go in and find Xia Ran. I have something I want to talk to him about."
Qin Hao said with a look of sudden realization, and was about to go inside, but was stopped by Lin Ziming in the end.
"No, you can't go in now. I need to go in and ask Xia Ran first, or I can have Xia Ran come out and talk to you."
Although he didn't let Qin Hao leave, he wouldn't rashly let Qin Hao in either, since it concerned Xia Ran, and of course he still needed to ask Xia Ran's opinion.
Qin Hao's expression froze, and he looked at Lin Ziming with a forced smile, saying...
"Then I'd like to trouble Dr. Lin to go in and tell Xia Ran that I need to speak with him and that he absolutely must come out."
“Okay,” Lin Ziming said. “But I’m no longer a doctor, so it’s better if you just call me Mr. Lin, so your brother won’t think the hospital didn’t fire me and cause trouble for the hospital.”
Qin Hao frowned upon hearing this, but before he could ask a question, Lin Ziming had already closed the door.
Qin Hao: "…………" Is there really no need to be so wary of him? Is he the kind of person who doesn't keep his word?
Since he said he would wait at the door, he definitely would. How could he possibly go in when no one was there? Honestly, is he that kind of despicable person?
Qin Hao couldn't help but roll his eyes, but then he couldn't help but sigh.
It's normal that people don't believe them. After all, what his brother did was so infuriating. If it were him, he probably wouldn't believe them either, since they were all his brother's accomplices back then.
So now I can only obediently stand at the door and wait.
Lin Ziming walked into the living room, looked at Xia Ran, and said,
"It's Qin Hao. He said he needs to talk to you and that you absolutely have to come out. I didn't let him in. Why don't you go out and see? Of course, if you don't want to go, I'll go and refuse him for you."
Xia Ran breathed a sigh of relief when she heard it was Qin Hao.
"It's okay, Ziming, please sit down and eat. I'll go out for a bit."
“I’ll go too!” Gu Chen stood up after Xia Ran.
Xia Ran looked at him and said, "Why don't you stay here and have dinner with your great-grandfathers? Your dad is just going out to take a look."
Gu Chen shook his head, "But I want to go out. I also want to see my uncle. What if he needs to talk to me?"
Hearing this, Xia Ran could only take the child and leave.
Qin Hao was waiting at the door, still worried that Xia Ran wouldn't come out, so he was even planning to call her on his phone.
But just as he took out his phone, the door in front of him was opened.
When he saw that it was Xia Ran who opened the door, he breathed a sigh of relief and immediately voiced his thoughts.
"I was worried you wouldn't come out, and I was even about to call you."
He waved his phone at Xia Ran, who smiled gently.
"If you come to see me as a friend, then I will definitely welcome you."
Qin Hao put his phone down and smiled helplessly upon hearing this.
"I'm relieved to hear you say that. I was really afraid you'd never see me again."
"No," Xia Ran said firmly. "You are you, and he is he. I've thought it through. By the way, Brother Ziming said you had something to discuss with me. Why don't you come in and talk? We're eating right now, why don't we grab something to eat together?"
Qin Hao's eyes widened. "Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
He said some unpleasant things, but his body language betrayed him as he walked past Xia Ran into the living room.
Xia Ran smiled and then closed the door with the child.
Qin Hao originally thought that only Lin Ziming and the old man were in the living room, but he didn't expect there to be a middle-aged man he didn't recognize.
He smiled at Grandpa Xia and said...
"Grandpa, it's been a long time."
Upon seeing Qin Hao, Grandpa Xia paused for a moment, but didn't respond at all.
He didn't want to associate with anyone related to Gu Zheng except for Gu Chen.
Seeing the old man's reaction, Mr. Lin realized that this person was not worth talking to, so he buried his head in his food.
And I must say, Xia Ran's cooking skills are really good; it's just to his liking.
However, Qin Hao was neither afraid nor embarrassed, since he had already imagined this scene when he came over.
Lin Ziming nodded to him and got up to go to the kitchen.