Chapter 47 His Heartache

They went into a Cantonese restaurant before having dinner.

The mall restaurant doesn't have private rooms; it only uses screens to partition off half of the space. The ceiling lights emit a dim yellow glow, spreading across this small area, and the air is filled with the enticing aroma of food.

The small round table was just the right size for the family of five, with two aunties standing behind the children.

Qin Qiao looked down at her phone and ordered food. After asking the children and Chen Jiashu what they wanted to eat, she ordered five dishes and a soup.

The waiter brought over three children's aprons, and the aunt came forward to help the children put them on.

Xi Xi was still recalling how her father had reached out to feel for the back of the chair. She tilted her head and looked into Chen Jiashu's bright eyes, asking curiously, "Dad, when will your eyes get better?"

Chen Jiashu patted Xixi's little head, his thin lips curving slightly: "We'll have to wait until Xixi is eighteen... Is Xixi willing to wait for her father?"

The children are still young. Telling them the truth now is cruel, that it's a beautiful lie, will allow them to grow up with hope, and at the same time, it will slowly teach them the process of acceptance.

Looking at Chen Jiashu's flawless smile, Qin Qiao smiled along with him, confirming for him: "The doctor said that Dad's eyes will take a long time to recover, but it's okay, we can be Dad's eyes together."

Like Chen Jiashu, she did not explain to the children that their father had weak eyesight.

The three children looked at her together. Zhao Ye was right next to her, and his eyes suddenly reddened: "Mom... but Fatty said... said my dad is blind... Fatty's dad will take him to the amusement park... and he can ride a bicycle with him..."

Chen Jiashu's fingers, which were resting on the table, twitched almost imperceptibly, and the smile on his face became somewhat unnatural.

Qin Qiao saw it all; his eye condition made walking extremely difficult. He faced insurmountable challenges every day, never able to get used to them, only forced to accept them.

But he's already very powerful, really.

Qin Qiao withdrew her gaze, her smile deepening. She gently squeezed Zhao Ye's little finger and said softly, "But Zhao Ye's dad is amazing too. Do you remember who was the first to notice when you had a fever in the middle of the night on the first day of school?"

Zhao Ye blinked his wet eyes and whispered, "...Dad."

"It was Zhaoye who told Mom. You said my dad was amazing."

Qin Qiao turned to meet Chen Jiashu's gaze, who was looking away, and slowly spoke to the children:

“Every dad has his own special skills. The electric oven that makes a ‘ding’ sound in our house, the refrigerator that ‘talks to us’, the air conditioner… Dad had these made in a factory. Isn’t that amazing?”

Her 'magical' words brought tears to the man's eyes.

Zhao Ye exclaimed excitedly, "Dad's an inventor?"

Danie's curiosity was piqued: "Can Uncle invent a refrigerator for making cakes?"

Xi Xi hugged Chen Jiashu's waist, rubbing her little face against his arm: "Mommy, Daddy is so great."

After discerning her intentions, Chen Jiashu lowered his gaze and smiled slightly, a hint of gratitude in his eyes.

Infected by the beautiful atmosphere, Qin Qiao's eyes welled up with tears, and she spoke even more gently: "Although Dad can't see now, his heart is brighter than anyone else's, just like we can remember what home looks like and each other's voices even when we close our eyes... So, Dad is just 'seeing' the world in another way."

The first dish the waiter brought was steamed spare ribs with soy sauce. It was very delicate, served on a small plate smaller than the palm of my hand.

The children's attention was drawn to the delicious food, and they all stood on the footrest of their high chairs, their eyes wide and their mouths practically watering. The nanny quickly went over, picked up some serving chopsticks, and placed some ribs into their small bowls.

Qin Qiao placed a piece of pork rib in Chen Jiashu's bowl and plate, and received a polite "thank you" in return.

*

After dinner, they went to the store where Xixi wanted to buy a princess dress. Qin Qiao helped Xixi change into a bright red princess dress, and the two walked out together. Xixi held onto the hem of the dress and twirled around in front of the mirror twice. The little girl, who already had her own sense of style at such a young age, was overjoyed to have chosen her favorite dress and danced with delight.

"Daddy, is Xixi's dress pretty?"

Xi Xi excitedly ran to Chen Jiashu's side. Chen Jiashu shortened his white cane and hung it on his wrist. He half-squatted down, stretched out his hand, and his well-defined fingers gently touched the girl's shoulder, slowly moving down from the outside of her arm to the hem of her skirt.

This red knitted dress features layers of tulle around the waist; the tulle fabric has a nice texture and isn't scratchy.

“Daddy saw it. It’s as soft and warm as a cloud, and the skirt is like flower petals…” Chen Jiashu praised earnestly without being perfunctory. “Our little princess is like a little red sun, illuminating the whole store.”

When her father touched her body just now, Xixi had already remembered that her father was different. She never expected that her father could actually 'see' what she was wearing.

Xi Xi covered her mouth, utterly astonished by her father's amazing discovery: "Daddy, how did you know!"

There were other parents with children shopping in the store, and the children, full of curiosity, stuck their little heads out to look in this direction.

Chen Jiashu deliberately kept her in suspense, prompting Xixi to press him impatiently, "What is it?"

"Of course, it's the Princess Ginny doll set that Xixi wants the most."

Xi Xi jumped up: "Ha, Daddy, I want it, I want it!"

That was a month ago. Xi Xi seemed to want a Genie doll in front of Zhao Ye. Chen Jiashu heard this and remembered it, so he asked Tian Jiayue to help him buy one.

When Tian Jiayue returned, she told him that the doll was a non-sale item from a certain luxury handbag brand and could only be obtained as a gift by purchasing the specified handbag. Furthermore, the current stock was exhausted, and the workshop needed to remake it, which would take at least twenty working days.

Well, let's wait then. We finally got it three days ago.

Chen Jiashu prepared Christmas gifts for Zhaoye and Danie: smart robot toys, a favorite among boys. The three little ones returned home laden with gifts. On the way back, Xixi and Danie hummed the songs their teacher had taught them in class. Listening to the children's laughter, Qin Qiao couldn't shake the image of Chen Jiashu's fleeting sadness when Zhaoye mentioned the simple wish he couldn't fulfill, and the sorrow in his eyes as he curled his fingers.

When the red light came on, Qin Qiao gently stepped on the brakes and stopped with the car in front of her. Her fingers unconsciously tapped the steering wheel, and she caught a glimpse of the yellow dotted lines on the left side out of the corner of her eye.

Neon lights illuminate the city, and the night sky is tinged with colorful shimmering lights.

The taillights merged into a sea of ​​red. The Audi suddenly crossed the dotted line, made a U-turn, and sped off towards the villa district in the east of the city.

*

The aunt said to Chen Jiashu from outside the door, "Zhaoye is asleep."

She then went downstairs.

Chen Jiashu sat on the sofa. When he looked away, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his face. He didn't hold it for long before lowering his eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

Six months ago, when he learned that Qin Qiao had given birth to a son and a daughter for him, he was overjoyed, but after the joy came deep worry.

Although he already possesses material conditions that can guarantee them a comfortable life, can they mask his incompetence as a father as he becomes increasingly powerless?

Chen Jiashu accidentally knocked Zhao Ye's toy car off the coffee table. The sound was clear; it must have landed right near his feet. Chen Jiashu bent down, touched the ground with his fingers, and groped around for a bit before finally finding it.

The man opened his palm, lowered his head, and almost pressed his eyes against the toy car before he could vaguely make out its appearance: gray and red were combined, and the body lines were straight and sharp.

Two months ago, as usual, he went inside to put away his white cane. He walked straight into the room, a familiar place, when unexpectedly, there was something on the floor. He stepped on it; his slippers had thin soles, and the object was hard and sharp. Since the nerve endings in the soles of the feet are most abundant, it felt like a red-hot steel nail had pierced him. He grimaced in pain, stumbling backward until he bumped into the wall before stopping. It took him a long time to recover.

"Chairman Chen." Sister Jing stood outside; they walked almost silently.

Chen Jiashu placed the car in the center of the coffee table and looked up at the door: "What's wrong?"

He only realized his voice was a little hoarse when he spoke, a result of suppressing his emotions for a long time, he knew.

My mind is in turmoil.

Before Sister Jing could answer, a sweet child's voice rang out: "Daddy!" Like the tinkling of a bell, Chen Jiashu suddenly stood up.

He could picture Qin Qiao standing outside the door with Xi Xi in her hand; they had come specifically to see him.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Chen Jiashu turned and walked forward impatiently, so much so that his calf bumped into the coffee table.

He had no intention of counting his steps at the moment. He raised his right hand and waved it slightly in the air, careful not to get too excited and bump into the door.

"dad!"

The sound of a doorknob turning came from outside. Chen Jiashu was one step ahead of them; he grasped the doorknob, pressed down, and opened the door.

He stopped at the doorway, lowered his head, and in his blurry vision appeared a figure of different heights, carrying warmth and fragrance.

"Daddy!" came another joyful cry, followed by a soft little hand tightly hugging his right leg.

Xi Xi and Danie chatted with Chen Jiashu in the room. Qin Qiao remembered something important, went out, and called Yang Shuhua as she walked.

She had just walked down the spiral staircase when the second call connected.

Their arrival turned the entire building brightly lit, the glare almost blinding. Qin Qiao slowly walked to the sofa, sat down, and took off her bulky down jacket and handbag, placing them aside.

After hearing her say that she was staying at Chen Jiashu's place that night, Yang Shuhua was very unhappy, and her tone became somewhat sharp: "Qiaoqiao, what did you promise your mother before?"

Qin Qiao turned to look out the window.

The villa features windows covering an entire wall, from the third floor to the first floor, composed of large panes of glass.

Back then, Yang Shuhua often sat in the living room, basking in the sun while knitting scarves and small shoes.

The clean windowpane reflected the floor tiles, sofa, dining room door... and my slightly furrowed brow.

"Qiaoqiao! Mommy is talking to you!"

“The child wants to be with Chen Jiashu, and we, as mothers, have no right to interfere with the child’s choice,” Qin Qiao said calmly and rationally to Yang Shuhua.

Yang Shuhua paused for a few seconds before speaking in a softer tone: "It can only be tonight. We'll bring them back tomorrow."

Whenever Chen Jiashu was mentioned, Yang Shuhua would transform into a different person. During those six months, Lan Jie always took Xi Xi to see Chen Jiashu.

Sometimes at the dinner table, Xixi would mention her father, and Yang Shuhua would deliberately change the subject.

The skincare products Chen Jiashu gave her were all piled up in the storage room, and Yang Shuhua hadn't opened a single box.

The resentment her mother harbored towards Chen Jiashu far exceeded Qin Qiao's imagination; it was almost terrifyingly stubborn, and there was also a strange sense of fear in her. Whenever this thought crossed her mind, Qin Qiao would shake her head and reject it.

Qin Qiao: "Mom, I'll be back tonight. Xi Xi misses Zhao Ye too. Let her stay with Chen Jia Shu this week."

After another moment of silence, Yang Shuhua hoarsely said "okay" and hung up the phone.

Xi Xi was asleep in Chen Jiashu's arms, snoring softly. He stroked the child's soft, smooth face, a smile appearing at the corners of his eyes.

“Uncle…” Daniel yawned: “Xi Xi is asleep.”

Chen Jiashu turned his head, his eyelids lowered, and stroked Danie's head with his palm: "How about you sleep at Uncle's house and sleep with Zhaoye tonight?"

Although the house has many rooms, only one children's room was reserved when it was renovated.

Sister Bai is tidying up the guest room; he'll be sleeping there tonight, while Xi Xi and Qin Qiao will be sleeping in the bedroom.

The child's drowsiness came suddenly and fiercely. Danie's eyelids drooped, and she swayed her little body, saying, "Okay..."

Suddenly, she closed her eyes and fell onto Chen Jiashu's lap, her small hands clutching the fabric at his waist.

Just then, Sister Jing called out to Chairman Chen from outside and then pushed the door open and came in.

But then I saw this scene.

This usually aloof and decisive man was holding one child in his arms and another lying on his lap. The two children were soundly asleep, trusting him, while his large hand gently patted the boy's back again and again.

The scene is not only heartwarming, but also interesting and precious.

Jingjie picked up Danie horizontally, the child's little hands drooping down, still clenched into tiny fists.

"Jing, you take Danie over first, I'll come over later."

"I understand, Chairman Chen." Sister Jing hugged the child tightly, turned around and left.

Chen Jiashu carried Xixi toward the bedroom, silently counting his steps and walking more carefully than usual.

sixteen.

Chen Jiashu's calf touched the edge of the bed perfectly, without missing a single point.

He bent down, freed one hand, lifted the blanket, and gently placed Xixi on the bed.

The girl whimpered and wriggled her little body.

Chen Jiashu half-squatted down, grasped his daughter's calf with one hand and slid it down to her ankle, while using the other hand to remove her shoes. He then repeated the action to remove her other shoe.

Finally, after covering Xixi with the blanket, he touched her face to make sure her mouth and nose were covered.

He is a different kind of father. He can't see his children wearing pretty clothes; he can't ride bicycles with them... Things that other fathers can do in a minute take him twice or even several times longer.

Will they be disappointed later?

A footstep stopped behind him, and a gentle voice rang out: "Jiashu, let's talk."