Chapter 176 Holding on tight

"It's okay, it's alright now, Mom's here. Don't be afraid, don't cry... It's all over now."

Taking advantage of this moment, Song Lei propped himself up, pulled Zou Qiuyue over, and asked urgently.

"What's wrong? What's wrong with Cuifen? Why are all three of you crying? What happened?"

His brows were furrowed tightly, and his eyes were full of worry and unease.

Zou Qiuyue lowered her head, feeling conflicted.

When I came in, Song Xiaomei specifically told me not to mention that matter to Song Lei.

He had just undergone surgery and was still weak; the doctor repeatedly told him not to get angry.

But Song Xiaomei's tears still fell uncontrollably.

At this, Song Lei was so anxious that he almost sat up.

"Xiaomei! What happened? Tell me! Did something happen to Cuifen? Or is there some difficulty at home? Don't hide it from me!"

Song Xiaomei sniffed and forced a smile.

"It's just... I was talking to Aunt Cuifen just now, and when she told me about her past, I felt sad and couldn't help but cry. Really, nothing else."

Given how much Song Lei dotes on her, if he knew the truth, he might just jump up right now and rush to fight Zhang Kesheng to the death.

Song Xiaomei knew in her heart that she had already wasted too much time in this relationship.

She couldn't let her parents shed any more tears for her.

Song Lei stared at the mother and daughter, and could tell they were hiding something.

But he couldn't guess what was hidden.

Is it about money?

Or is it a matter of personal relationships?

We are all family, connected by blood and sharing the same heart.

But some things, not asking is the best way to show respect.

Song Lei sighed softly, his gaze falling on Shen Cuifen.

"Yes, Cuifen has really had a tough time. Over the years, she has shouldered everything on her own, taking care of Zhongshun, making a living, and raising her child to be so sensible. It's not easy."

The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, both seeing a complex mix of emotions in each other's eyes.

"Xiaomei".

Song Lei quickly changed the subject, his voice feigning ease.

"Didn't you say you were going to look at that company that hires nannies? It's almost four o'clock now. If we go any later, it will be inconvenient after dark, and it's not safe on the road."

As he spoke, he secretly winked at Zou Qiuyue.

"Qiuya, why don't you come with me? It'll put my mind at ease."

He turned his head, his tone serious.

I'm worried about Xiaomei being alone. You can go with her so you can look after her.

Zou Qiuyue was wondering how to bring up the matter when Song Lei spoke up first.

She breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded in agreement.

“Sure, you don’t have anything to do right now, so I’ll go with her and check out the place on the way.”

Shen Cuifen quickly nodded in agreement.

"Sister Qiuya, you go ahead! I'll stay here with Brother Song. I'll keep watch over him. If anything happens, I'll call the nurse right away. Don't worry."

"Then...we'll go after dinner?"

Song Xiaomei looked up at the window.

The last rays of the setting sun are fading away, and night is quietly approaching.

Song Lei immediately shook his head.

"Go now! It gets dark quickly. One of you needs to go home, and the other needs to go back to the hospital. If something happens on the way, I won't be able to sleep well tonight. Go while it's still light and come back as soon as you're done."

Spring days are short, so the earlier you go and the earlier you return, the safer you will be.

After discussing it, the mother and daughter decided to set off right away.

"Sister Qiuya, you can go without worry, I'll get the food!"

Shen Cuifen called out with a smile.

"I'll make an extra portion, you can heat it up when you get back."

"Alright, then I'll leave Old Song in your care."

Zou Qiuyue gave her instructions.

She turned around, her gaze falling on Shen Cuifen, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"We'll be back as soon as we're done. Don't overwork yourself."

Shen Cuifen nodded in agreement, a smile still playing on her lips.

Just as the mother and daughter were about to leave, Shen Cuifen chased after them again.

"Xiaomei! Sister Qiuya! Wait a minute!"

She practically shouted it out.

The two stopped at the same time, turned around and looked back.

Song Xiaomei instinctively grabbed her mother's hand.

Zou Qiuyue frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Cuifen, what's wrong?"

She softened her tone.

Shen Cuifen took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly.

"I just want to remind you, if that's really the case, don't act impulsively. Even if you're so angry you want to hit someone, don't aim for vital organs. Don't ruin your life for a jerk."

After saying that, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Zou Qiuyue smiled and patted her shoulder.

"I remember everything. Didn't you say so before? Don't worry, Xiaomei and I will definitely be able to hold back later."

Song Xiaomei nodded in agreement, her eyes brightening considerably.

"Aunt Qiuya, don't worry about it. After hearing what you said, I understand now."

She paused, her tone gradually calming down.

“Since he doesn’t want this family and is still messing around outside, there’s no need for me to hold on to him.”

Looking at her daughter's aggrieved face, Zou Qiuya silently prayed.

Hopefully, this child has truly come to a realization.

Shen Cuifen kept staring at the backs of the mother and daughter.

They didn't look away until they turned the corner at the end of the corridor.

The ward was so quiet that only the faint sound of the IV drip could be heard.

She suddenly found herself with free time.

I couldn't connect with Song Lei either.

Thinking about Zou Qiuya and the others, he paced back and forth in the room.

Seeing her like this, Shen Zhongshun felt a chill run down his spine.

"Mom, please don't leave. I feel uneasy watching you."

He pointed to the shoe prints on the ground.

"These shoes are brand new, if you keep walking like this, the soles will wear through!"

Shen Cuifen looked down.

The red leather shoes on his feet were already filthy.

That day, I was rushing to take my son to the hospital, and it had just rained, so the road was wet and muddy.

She walked with uneven steps, her shoes covered in thick mud.

"Why do you have so much to say, you little rascal?"

Despite saying that, he stopped walking.

She obediently sat back down on the edge of the bed and gently smoothed the messy hair on her son's forehead.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

She had just sat down when Shen Zhongshun let out a loud yelp.

He leaned his head against the pillow, gazing at her longingly.

She had no choice but to stand up again, sigh, and pick up the lunchbox from the bedside table.

While asking Song Lei what he wanted to eat, she walked towards the door.

Her mind was in complete turmoil.

I can't figure it out, and the more I think about it, the more frustrated I get.

I should have gone with Qiuya and the others.

She was already feeling irritated when two people appeared not far ahead, which made her even more annoyed.

Zhou Wenjuan seemed to have twisted her ankle, and she was walking with a limp.

She bit her lip in pain, her fingers gripping Lu Zhongping's arm tightly.

Lu Zhongping carefully helped her to sit down by the flower bed.

Shen Cuifen originally wanted to take a detour to avoid seeing it.

But then, Lu Zhongping actually squatted down and took off Zhou Wenjuan's shoes.

Then I held it in my hands and gently kneaded it.

She couldn't hold back any longer, rolled her eyes, and felt a surge of anger.

The movements were so familiar, they didn't seem like a mother and child at all.

It clearly looks like...

She didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Zhongping, stop... Mom's feet smell!"

Zhou Wenjuan quickly tried to pull her foot back, a hint of shyness appearing on her face.

Lu Zhongping held her tightly, not letting her move at all.

"Oh my god, I don't mind at all, why are you avoiding me? Let me rub it first, and then I'll take you to see a doctor."

As he spoke, he carefully massaged her ankle with his palm.

Zhou Wenjuan's face gradually turned from deathly pale to bright red.