"Ouch! Ouch!"
When Grandpa Zhai looked at the painting, his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
His rough fingers gently traced the delicate lines and vibrant colors, his voice slightly choked.
"Did Zhouzhou draw this? For Grandpa?"
Zhouzhou nodded vigorously, her little face full of anticipation and a little nervousness.
"Great! It's so well drawn! Grandpa likes it!"
The old man smiled so much that the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out, and like a child, he carefully put the painting away and solemnly hid it under his pillow.
"Grandpa must keep this safe! Once he gets better, we'll hang it at home and look at it every day! What do you say?"
He waited for a long time, but didn't receive a response from Zhouzhou.
Only then did he realize that Zhouzhou couldn't speak, and his heart immediately tightened.
"I'm sorry, I..."
He slapped his knee in frustration, cursing himself for being senile and bringing up the most inappropriate topic.
But Zhouzhou's reaction was unexpected.
The little girl didn't show any sign of grievance or sadness. Instead, she looked up at the old man with a reassuring smile.
She gently shook her head, her small mouth opening and closing silently a few times, trying to make clear lip movements.
The old man didn't quite understand the slightly complicated lip movements at first, and looked at Zhou Qiqi with some confusion.
Zhou Qiqi immediately translated gently, "Mr. Zhai, Zhouzhou said it's alright, so you don't need to apologize."
She gently put her arm around Zhouzhou's shoulder and said to the old man:
"You didn't mean it, don't take it to heart. Zhouzhou is a very easy-going child."
Looking at this young child who had suffered misfortune at such a young age, yet remained so resilient and sensible, Grandpa Zhai's heart was overflowing with affection.
His rough, large hand gently stroked Zhouzhou's soft hair, his voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob:
"Good child, such a good child..."
He paused, as if trying to change the subject or find common ground, his gaze falling on Zhouzhou's hand resting on the small cloth bag, and said:
"Grandpa likes to practice calligraphy and draw flowers and birds at home, just messing around. Zhouzhou is so talented at drawing, how about Grandpa teaches you to draw birds?"
Zhouzhou's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded vigorously. She then immediately looked down to rummage through her small cloth bag, clearly wanting to find paper and pen for an on-the-spot "exchange."
The old man also became interested and hurriedly asked the caregiver to help him find paper and pen.
The ward was filled with the comforting sound of pens scratching on paper and the old man's patient explanations.
An old man and a young boy, one speaking and the other drawing, created a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere once again.
Shen Huaichuan stood silently by the window, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the old man and the child exchanging pleasant words.
More often than not, he would look towards the corridor outside the door, his brows slightly furrowed, his fingers unconsciously twisting the cuffs of his Zhongshan suit.
Zhou Qiqi took in his hesitant expression.
She knew it perfectly well.
While Zhouzhou and the old man were focused on the drawing, she quietly walked to Shen Huaichuan's side and lowered her voice:
"Huaichuan, do you want to go see Mrs. Zhou?"
Shen Huaichuan stiffened slightly, turned his head, and looked at her with a complicated expression, a hint of embarrassment at being seen through and a deeper sense of guilt.
"Qiqi, I..."
His throat tightened, and he didn't know how to start speaking.
If I go to see her, I'm afraid Qiqi will feel uncomfortable; if I don't go, I can't get over my conscience.
After all, his master had saved his life, and his master's wife had taken good care of him before.
Zhou Qiqi sighed softly, her tone unusually calm:
“What’s there to object to? The matter is the matter, and the person is the person. When the disciplinary committee handled it, you didn’t plead for her; you handled it officially, and that’s enough. She is still your teacher’s wife; there’s still a bond between you. Besides,”
She paused, her gaze open and honest.
“When we first came to the family compound, if she hadn’t been the first to bring us a stove and coal briquettes, we wouldn’t have been able to get hot water. I remember that kindness that helped us in our time of need.”
Marriage is a process of mutual compromise between two people, and Shen Huaichuan was willing to do things for her that he himself did not want to do.
She naturally wouldn't stop Shen Huaichuan from doing what he wanted.
As long as you don't ask her to come along, it's fine.
These words were like a warm current, instantly smoothing out the wrinkles in Shen Huaichuan's heart.
He looked deeply at Zhou Qiqi, his eyes filled with indescribable gratitude and emotion.
His wife was so insightful and open-minded.
"Thanks."
All the words in the world can be summed up in these two weighty words.
He turned around and prepared to leave.
"etc."
Zhou Qiqi called out to him,
“What kind of talk is it to go empty-handed? I took two extra items when I bought them. Go get them from the trunk.”
She paused, then continued.
"Also, let Zhouzhou go over there too. After all, she helped you look after things many times when you were busy before, so you owe her a debt of gratitude."
It was just time for the old man to take his medicine, and the caregiver was calling him over. Zhou Qiqi beckoned Zhouzhou over and told her about it.
Zhouzhou's smile faded slowly, her lips pursed tightly, but in the end, under Zhou Qiqi's gentle gaze, she nodded.
After Zhouzhou left with Shen Huaichuan, the ward fell silent.
Grandpa Zhai leaned against the headboard, his gaze fixed on the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window. The lively atmosphere from before had dissipated, and he showed signs of fatigue and loneliness, as if he were recovering from a serious illness.
Zhou Qiqi saw this, poured a glass of warm water and handed it over, softly suggesting:
“Mr. Zhai, the sun is shining brightly outside and the wind is gentle. Shall I take you outside for some fresh air? It’s not good to stay cooped up inside all the time.”
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