Moreover, Dazhuang's reaction was much better than he had imagined.
Da Zhuang is only a little shocked and a little unable to accept it now. At least he is not angry or embarrassed, which is good enough.
Dazhuang: "You'd better leave now, I don't want to see you, you scared me!"
"Okay, I'll go now." He Xiu sighed, turned and walked towards the door, but when he got to the door, he looked back at Da Zhuang.
Da Zhuang, who had already relaxed, tensed up again the moment he saw He Xiu's gaze.
"What...what are you doing? And...get out of here right now!"
He Xiu smiled helplessly, "Okay, let's go now. Don't overthink it. I just wanted you to know that I like you. I didn't mean to put any pressure on you."
After saying this, He Xiu left. Da Zhuang slumped on the bed, his forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Thinking of what He Xiu had just said, he couldn't help but shudder!
Holy crap!! What the hell is this?! Is He Xiu out of his mind?! He likes him? He actually likes him?! He Xiu actually likes him?!
Holy crap!! How could I like him?! He doesn't even look like a pretty boy! How could I possibly like him?
But why does it feel a little strange?
Dazhuang patted his chest and couldn't help but sigh. What a mess! He'd somehow managed to attract such a nasty romantic interest?
"No, no." Da Zhuang quickly grabbed his phone, found He Xiu's contact information, and was about to block and delete him.
But just as he was about to block him, he remembered what He Xiu had said earlier.
He remembered He Xiu saying that Xia Ran could still message him if she had any problems. So what did He Xiu mean? Did he think Xia Ran's illness might relapse?
Da Zhuang's hand, which was about to block the other person, froze in mid-air. In the end, he gritted his teeth, put down his phone, and didn't block them.
Forget it, it's just a contact number, I'll just leave it there, nothing's going to happen anyway!
Da Zhuang tried to comfort himself, but his mind was still a mess, filled with what He Xiu had just said to him.
This is really strange! Why? How could He Xiu like him? Isn't that odd?
While Da Zhuang was doubting and comforting himself, He Xiu had already arrived in the living room.
Xia Ran was watching cartoons with her child in the living room when she saw He Xiu come out and immediately asked him a question.
"Dr. He, have you finished talking?"
“Yes, we’ve finished talking.” He Xiu stopped walking. “I still have some things to take care of at the hospital, so I have to go back first. If anything comes up, Da Zhuang can call me. I’m always here.”
Xia Ran: "You're back so soon? I was hoping to treat you to a meal. Thank you so much for telling me about what happened yesterday."
He Xiu: "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Since we are all friends, let's not be so polite. As long as the child is alright, that's all that matters."
"Okay, I'll treat you to a meal next time I have the chance."
Xia Ran didn't force He Xiu. He thought to himself that He Xiu and Da Zhuang seemed to have a pretty good relationship, and there would be plenty of opportunities to treat them to meals later.
He Xiu left for quite a while before Da Zhuang finally came out of the room, dawdling along.
Well, when Xia Ran saw Da Zhuang come out, she was quite surprised, very surprised and puzzled.
Because, in all the years he'd known Dazhuang, this was the first time he'd ever seen Dazhuang like this, well... so awkward!
What's wrong with you? Why do you seem so shy?
Xia Ran couldn't help but ask a question, and Da Zhuang immediately bristled upon hearing it.
"Damn it! Who's shy?! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Xia Ran, who was initially just a little puzzled, couldn't help but narrow his eyes when he saw Da Zhuang's reaction. He felt that he had discovered something even more suspicious.
"Dazhuang, what's wrong with you? Something doesn't seem right. And Dr. He seemed a bit off when he went out just now..."
"Huh? He... he seems a bit off? What's wrong with him? How could his emotions be off?" Da Zhuang asked instinctively.
This sentence made Xia Ran even more certain of his own thoughts. In fact, he had just said those words to provoke Da Zhuang, but he didn't expect that they would actually come out.
"Dazhuang, you'd better tell me honestly what happened."
Seeing Xia Ran like this, Da Zhuang instantly realized that he had just been bombed, but... it seemed that he had no choice but to say something now.
Dazhuang sat down on the sofa next to him, and said with a hint of hesitation on his face,
"Um...actually...it's nothing much, it's just...it's just that he said he likes me..."
When Da Zhuang said the last sentence, his voice was barely audible, but Xia Ran understood it.
"You just said that He Xiu likes you?" Xia Ran's smile froze slightly. "And you? Did you say yes to him? Do you like him?"
"No, no," Dazhuang quickly shook his head. "How could I possibly like him?"
Xia Ran looked at Da Zhuang, whose face was slightly flushed and whose eyes were still somewhat evasive, and sighed inwardly. Da Zhuang's behavior clearly indicated that he had some feelings for He Xiu.
But why doesn't Dazhuang dare to admit it? Is it actually because of him?
"Dazhuang, if you like him, you don't need to be afraid to admit it. It's normal to like someone. Don't be scared by my situation. Someone like me is someone you might only encounter once in ten thousand people."
"There are still many reliable people in this world, so don't let it leave you with any psychological trauma."
Although Xia Ran himself had experienced failed love and a failed marriage, he would not let Da Zhuang lose faith in love.
Because there are still people in this world who can be trusted, just as there are always more good people than bad people.
Dazhuang: "No, it's not because of you. It's just that I don't like him, and I've never thought about spending my life with a man."
"Anyway, I've already told him that he won't be coming over again."
"Really?" Xia Ran said with some doubt. He remembered that when He Xiu left just now, it didn't seem like they had already agreed on something, as Da Zhuang had said.
"Of course!" Dazhuang nodded affirmatively. "Oh well, let's not think about these trivial things anymore. Let's think about what to eat for lunch."
Chapter 231 Subtle
Seeing that Dazhuang didn't want to continue the topic, Xia Ran could only nod in agreement, but she felt a little helpless.
I hope Dazhuang can be happy and not follow in his footsteps, otherwise he probably will never believe in love again.
Grandpa Xia returned slowly with his groceries, and when he saw Gu Zheng still sitting in the car by the door, he gave a heavy snort.
Gu Zheng also saw Grandpa Xia. He subconsciously wanted to go up and call out to Grandpa Xia, but in the end he didn't say anything and just sat in the car watching Grandpa Xia enter the house.
However, when Grandpa Xia saw people going in and out of the house next door, he paused for a moment, turned his toes, and walked towards the house next door.
He saw unfamiliar people, not the neighbors he knew from his younger days.
He stopped someone and asked, only to find out that the reason was that the owner of the house had sold it.
After getting the answer he wanted, Grandpa Xia turned around and went back, but sighed with some regret.
I never expected this house to be sold. I probably won't see my old neighbors anymore.
When Grandpa Xia entered the room and saw Xia Ran watching cartoons with the child, his eyes softened instantly. However, he seemed to remember something and immediately straightened his face again.
When Xia Ran saw Grandpa Xia return, she subconsciously asked him a question.
"Grandpa, what groceries did you buy?"
"I just bought a little something, hurry up and cook, I'm starving."
Grandpa Xia put down what he was carrying on the table, his tone very unpleasant.
When Gu Chen, who was being held by Xia Ran, saw this scene, his eyes dimmed, filled with indescribable sorrow.
However, Xia Ran didn't notice. Instead, she led the child to the table and looked at the vegetables that Grandpa Xia had bought.
Xia Ran smiled when she saw what vegetables Grandpa Xia had bought.
There was freshly peeled shrimp meat, which they found when he brought the children back last time. The children especially loved the shrimp and egg custard that Grandpa Xia made.
In addition, Grandpa Xia also bought a large, beautiful, and fresh box of strawberries.
Neither he nor his grandfather liked strawberries, but the child was particularly fond of them.
"Grandpa," Xia Ran said with a smile.
Looking at Grandpa Xia, she said, "Why are you so stubborn and soft-hearted? You're clearly heartbroken, but you won't admit it."
Grandpa Xia's eyes widened instantly, and he said,
"What are you saying? I don't understand. Hurry up and cook. Besides, his father made my grandson suffer, why should I be nice to his son?"
Xia Ran shook her head helplessly and didn't ask any further questions.
"Okay, then I'll take the kids to wash the strawberries, and then I'll prepare the meal."
Xia Ran led the child into the kitchen, and the first thing she did was quickly wash the strawberries and serve them to the child.
"Baby, look, these are strawberries that Great-Grandpa bought for you. He knows you love strawberries the most, and he loves you so much. So, take these strawberries and eat them with Great-Grandpa, okay?"
"Really?" Gu Chen's eyes showed a hint of hesitation. "Great-grandfather... isn't angry with the baby anymore?"
Xia Ran kissed Gu Chen on the cheek tenderly and said,
"Of course it's true. Your great-grandfather even bought you shrimp and asked your uncle to make you shrimp steamed egg."
“Then…then I’ll go eat strawberries with Great-Grandpa,” Gu Chen said.
Xia Ran nodded and said, "Go ahead."
"Mmm, but Daddy, have one first." Gu Chen put the biggest and reddest strawberry to Xia Ran's lips.
Xia Ran's eyes were full of laughter as she opened her mouth and bit into the whole strawberry.
"Let's go find Great-Grandpa." Because she had a strawberry in her mouth, Xia Ran's speech was a little slurred.
Gu Chen nodded and then took the small plate and went out. When he arrived in the living room, Grandpa Xia was sitting in a rocking chair.
Gu Chen was still a little nervous. Although he was young, he knew that his great-grandfather was angry with him and his uncle.
But remembering what his stepfather had said earlier, and what his elder father had instructed him, he mustered up his courage and went over.
As for Grandpa Xia, he had seen the child when the child came out, and now that he saw the child coming over, he tried his best to keep a straight face and not let his emotions show.
“Great-great-grandfather…” Gu Chen walked up to Grandpa Xia, took a strawberry and put it to Grandpa Xia’s lips, “You… eat strawberries, they’re very sweet.”
Grandpa Xia glanced at the child, and when he saw the child's expectant face, his eyelids twitched violently, but he still tried his best to keep a straight face.
"I don't want it, you can take it away."