"Brother Xi? Are you alright?"
"Oh, my dad's looking for you, isn't he..." Shen Zaixi chuckled softly, sounding quite helpless.
"I already told you it's just a minor surgery, it's really nothing. I was just asleep, and you woke me up again."
"Even if it's just a minor surgery, you don't have to stay in the hospital alone during the Lunar New Year. We could come and see you..." Jiang Jianhuan complained.
"It just so happens that my old hen is ready to be slaughtered. I'll make some chicken soup for you to take with you."
"Okay, okay, then please thank Aunt Yi for me."
"You sent me a New Year's text message before. Did you plan to leave the hospital quietly by yourself if your uncle didn't tell you?" Jiang Jianhuan took a deep breath and looked at the black night sky in front of him.
“Hey Xige, even though I have a boyfriend now, you don’t need to avoid me to this extent. After all, you’re someone my parents watched grow up. If they found out you were hospitalized alone in China, they would definitely scold me.”
Jiang Jianhuan joked, trying to speak in a relaxed tone. She heard Shen Zaixi's smiling voice on the other end, as indulgent and gentle as ever.
"Yes, I was wrong. Then I'll trouble you to come to the hospital to see me tomorrow."
The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up. Shen Zaixi stared at the black screen, covering her eyes in silence for a long time.
He moved slightly, but his abdominal wound throbbed with pain. He hissed softly and rang the call bell to summon a nurse. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, a far cry from his earlier relaxed demeanor.
Jiang Jianhuan stared blankly at the air for a while before putting away his phone and preparing to go inside. But as soon as he turned around, he saw Su Mo standing under the porch not far away.
The nightlight was soft and cool, illuminating the darkness. His figure stood straight, and Jiang Jianhuan was stunned for a moment. Then she ran over and buried her head in his arms.
"It's so cold..." She hugged him tightly, acting coquettishly. Su Mo unconsciously lowered his eyes and smiled, reaching out to touch her head.
"Then hurry up and go inside."
"Why were you eavesdropping on my phone call?" As soon as Su Mo's attitude softened, Jiang Jianhuan seemed to sense some kind of signal. Seeing that he wasn't angry, she became bolder and confronted him, looking up and opening her eyes wide to question him.
Su paused for a moment.
"...I was a little worried because you hadn't come back for a long time, so I came out to check on you." He didn't know what he was lacking confidence about. Shouldn't he be the one explaining?
"...oh."
"Then why didn't you call me?" Jiang Jianhuan continued to ramble on, while Su Moti grabbed her arm and stood up straight, his face serious.
What did you say on the phone just now?
"...Didn't you hear everything...?" Jiang Jianhuan touched his nose and whispered.
"Be serious," Su Mo scolded in a low voice.
"I plan to visit Brother Xi tomorrow. He's hospitalized here all by himself. If my parents find out, they'll definitely scold me." Jiang Jianhuan repeated what she had just said, and then immediately remembered something.
"Oh, right, I need to tell my parents—"
"Let's wait until tomorrow. They should all be asleep by now," Su Mo said in a low voice, pulling Jiang Jianhuan aside.
"Yes, I was too impatient." She said regretfully, not noticing the sudden deepening of Su Mo's gaze.
Are you in a hurry?
Without thinking, Jiang Jianhuan was about to blurt out "Yes," when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, and he immediately changed his mind.
"It's alright, but I'm afraid I'll forget tomorrow."
"It's alright, I remembered to remind you." Su Mo's expression softened slightly as she spoke as usual, and Jiang Jianhuan nodded.
"Okay, let's go to sleep then."
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, sleeping in was out of the question; before dawn, the sound of firecrackers began.
Jiang Jianhuan got dressed and went outside, only to find Yi Qingxue and Jiang Xin already in the kitchen making dumplings, preparing breakfast for the day.
She rushed over and told him about Shen Zaixi's hospitalization yesterday.
As expected, Yi Qingxue became anxious and upset as soon as she heard this.
"What's going on! Ah happy, that child, doesn't know how to take care of herself at all. She didn't even tell me about something so important!"
"Oh dear, I was all alone in the hospital yesterday, really..."
Jiang Xin also looked solemn and serious.
"Hurry up and pack your things, let's go see him together, and let Lao Shen know that we're safe so he won't worry."
The two families had known each other for many years and had an excellent relationship. Moreover, after the incident, it was entirely thanks to the Shen family's help that Jiang Jianhuan received a lot of care from Shen Zaixi during the years she studied abroad.
Beyond friendship, there are also many favors owed. Now, during the Lunar New Year, Shen Zaixi is hospitalized alone in China, so everyone is naturally extremely worried.
So when Su Mo came out, she saw several people bustling around, preparing to go to the hospital to visit the sick.
Chapter 67
Chicken soup was simmering on the stove, filling the whole house with its aroma. Su Mo looked outside and, sure enough, the two old hens that had been standing tall and proud yesterday were now all alone.
He pursed his lips, said nothing, but walked up to Jiang Jianhuan, who was packing nutritional supplements, and whispered.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No need." Jiang Jianhuan glanced at him, a hint of caution in her eyes. "You can sit on the sofa for a while; dinner will be ready soon."
The dumplings were already wrapped; they're ready to eat as soon as they're boiled. There are three kinds of fillings: cabbage and pork, celery, and shiitake mushrooms.
Jiang Jianhuan prepared two bowls of sauce, adding an extra spoonful of chili to Su Mo's bowl.
The soup was still simmering. At the dinner table, Yi Qingxue and Jiang Xin were still chatting about going to the hospital later. Their words were full of concern and worry. Jiang Jianhuan glanced at Su Mo cautiously.
He sat there, head down, eating dumplings, his profile serious and focused, his long eyelashes falling down, his expression gentle and calm.