“I’m fine.”

Xu Chuxiao let out a long sigh, "I'm glad you're okay."

Xu Chuxiao didn't blame her for not answering the phone, nor did he ask her what she was doing. He knew how to act so well that Liu Huanyi felt guilty and couldn't help but explain.

"I went to see Xiao Luo as soon as I got back. Things were so chaotic over there that I didn't have time to answer the phone."

Xu Chuxiao laid on the bed, relieved, "Well, I understand. It's okay if you don't answer my calls. I'm just worried about your safety."

"Don't worry, I've been in Sioux City for more than ten years."

Xu Chuxiao said softly, "How can I not worry? I will always be concerned about you."

She was the one he had finally found, and she had been in his mind for decades. He was afraid that she would get hurt and disappear.

Liu Jin felt like his ears were smoking. "You, you should go to bed early. I want to sleep too."

"Okay, tell me when you're coming and I'll pick you up at the airport."

"Let's talk about it later. I haven't finished dealing with Sucheng's affairs yet."

Liu Jin hung up the phone, with Xu Chuxiao's words circling in his mind.

A strange sweetness quietly grows in my heart.

The next morning, Liu Jin was still asleep when he was awakened by a knock on the door.

She was about to get angry, but she saw Jiang Xiaoluo's haggard face through the peephole and immediately opened the door to let her in.

Jiang Xiaoluo didn't sleep all night, and Zhao Tiezhu's words were like a thorn in her heart.

She thought about it all night, not knowing whether she should care about Uncle Jiang, so she came to Liu Jin to discuss it early in the morning.

"Drink some water first. You haven't had breakfast yet? I'll cook noodles for you."

Liu Jin walked into the kitchen, and Jiang Xiaoluo followed her closely, telling her the thoughts that had been bothering her all night.

"Last night I asked myself, can I really let it go completely? I don't know, but as soon as I close my eyes I can remember my mom scolding me and beating me. She almost beat me to death several times, and it was my dad who persuaded her to stop."

Jiang Xiaoluo held a cup of hot water and lost herself in memories, an indescribable expression of confusion gradually emerging on her face.

"One time, I was doing housework at home. My mother came back in a bad mood and deliberately found fault with me, saying that I didn't clean the table. She used this as an excuse to beat me up and knocked out two of my teeth..."

Jiang Xiaoluo paused, then continued with difficulty, "It was my dad who came to comfort me and gave me money to buy candy. I will never forget how he gave me the money and patted my head."

The reason why she couldn't make up her mind to ignore it was that her father was not always so bad to her, nor was he completely bad. In addition to the abuse, he would give her some care and love.

Even though she stood by and watched when the Jiang family abused her, the little comfort her father gave her was one of the few solaces in her childhood.

After saying that, Jiang Xiaoluo didn't dare to look Liu Jin in the eye.

"I know I'm a coward, I'm sorry, you guys deserve to scold me."

However, to her surprise, Liu Jin did not scold her. Instead, he patted her shoulder and comforted her, "We already knew that you are not such a cruel person. We have already guessed your decision."

"Then aren't you angry?" Jiang Xiaoluo looked at her in surprise.

"I'm not angry. But there are some things I need to make clear to you..."

After a long while, when Liu Jin finished speaking, Jiang Xiaoluo nodded solemnly, "I will listen to you."

Someone was swearing in the emergency ward of Renxin Hospital early in the morning, disturbing the patients and their families in the entire ward.

"You old man, you're as heavy as a bear. I can't even turn you over! It's exhausting!"

Aunt Jiang complained while wiping Uncle Jiang's body.

Family members of patients in other beds advised her: "If it's so hard, just hire a nurse. Nurses are paid well nowadays."

"That's money too! I don't have a dime!"

Asking her for money is more painful than asking for her life!

After wiping her body, Aunt Jiang saw someone else having breakfast, so she casually asked how much it cost. After hearing what the person said, she immediately screamed.

"So expensive?! Isn't this just robbing me?"

"This is the price at the hospital entrance, and it's still considered good. Otherwise, do you want to eat for free?"

Aunt Jiang touched her nose. She didn't want to eat for free, but she was also unwilling to spend her own money to buy it.

She thought of Jiang Xiaoluo and became furious.

Seeing that other people had sons and daughters serving them by their beds, but theirs was the only one left empty, Aunt Jiang kept cursing Jiang Xiaoluo.

Cursing was not enough, she simply called Jiang Xiaoluo to ask her what she was going to do now.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Xiaoluo’s phone call was not connected, so she called Zhao Tiezhu.

As a result, no one answered Zhao Tiezhu's call, and Aunt Jiang slapped her thigh in regret.

I shouldn't have let Zhao Tiezhu go yesterday! Maybe they've both packed up their things and are ready to run away!

Aunt Jiang was shocked and quickly called the nurse, "Nurse, please help me look after my old man. I'm going to go out for a while."

She had to stop Zhao Tiezhu and Jiang Xiaoluo as soon as possible.

The nurse was puzzled. "I'm still working! How can I help you see a patient?"

"Oh, it's just a matter of convenience—"

Aunt Jiang was about to play the sympathy card with the nurse when she heard Liu Jin's voice.

"Where are you going?"

Aunt Jiang turned around and saw Liu Jin was very excited. She grabbed her arm and asked, "Where is Jiang Xiaoluo? Why didn't she come? Her own father was lying in the hospital and she didn't even come to see him. Does she still have a conscience?!"

Liu Jin pried open Aunt Jiang's hands, patted the place where she was grabbing with disdain, dragged a clean stool and sat beside the bed, with his hands in his pockets, looking quite imposing.

"No matter where Jiang Xiaoluo is, it has nothing to do with you."

Aunt Jiang was so angry that her eyes almost popped out. "How can it be okay? Her father is like this because of her. If she had listened to us earlier, would her father have fallen? She is such an ungrateful and unfilial daughter, why doesn't she come to fulfill her filial duty? Her conscience has been eaten by a dog!"

"You have to make it clear. Your man's illness was caused by you. You know what you have done to him over the years. And he has been acting strange for more than a day or two. Have you ever shown any concern? You are the only one to blame for his illness. No one else can be blamed!"

Liu Jin's words almost drove Aunt Jiang crazy, "You bitch! What nonsense are you talking about——"

Liu Jin took a step back to prevent Aunt Jiang from rushing over at any time.

However, as soon as Aunt Jiang opened her mouth, the nurse glared at her and said, "Family member of the patient, this is a public ward, please observe the rules. Otherwise, I will have to ask the security guard to kick you out!"

"...I didn't mean it! Wasn't she very loud too?" Aunt Jiang said unconvinced.

The nurse said, "They are much quieter than you. You will disturb the patient's rest."

The only patient in the ward who hadn't woken up was Uncle Jiang. Aunt Jiang felt ashamed to be lectured by the nurse in front of so many people, so she gritted her teeth and said, "I know, I know!"

The nurse left after checking the room. Aunt Jiang kept glaring at Liu Jin. She wanted to scold her but didn't dare to be too loud, so she could only express it with her eyes.

Liu Jin was not afraid of her gaze at all until she said, "Xiao Luo was so well behaved before, but you guys led her astray."