While cooking, Xu Lai thought of her past self and couldn't help but laugh. Her grandmother was puzzled and asked, "What are you laughing at for no reason?"
Xu Lai shook her head: "It's nothing, I just thought of my past self. Back then, I didn't know how to cook, and I learned from books every day."
She scooped out the steak, discarding all the seasonings, washed it clean, and transferred it to a clay pot. She had many clay pots at home—one for soup, one for stew, and one for clay pot rice.
She poured oil into the casserole, added fermented soybean paste and a piece of hot pot base. Because she was worried that her grandparents couldn't handle spicy food, she originally planned to add only half a piece. But her grandmother said, "It's okay, just add the whole thing. It won't taste good if it's not spicy."
Xu Lai poured everything out, melted it, added the steak and stir-fried it evenly until it was browned, then added a can of beer and a small bowl of water, and simmered it.
After the steak had been stewing for an hour, she added the radish. She didn't peel it; she just washed it, cut it into chunks, and threw it in to stew together.
As soon as the lid was opened, a fragrant aroma wafted out. Little Black ran to the kitchen and squatted eagerly by the stove.
Xu Lai ignored it; Xiao Hei was done eating some bones.
She brought the dishes to the table, served rice, and prepared to eat. Tonight's steak was exceptionally tender and flavorful.
They had all started eating when Zhao Qingyun finally got home. It gets dark early now. He usually gets off work at 5:30 and doesn't get home until a little after 6:00. In the summer, Xu Lai would be cooking, but in the winter, she would be cooking earlier.
His grandmother usually waited for him in the living room, but she didn't come out today. He was a little puzzled, so he knocked on the door.
No one answered the door, so Zhao Qingyun pushed it open and went inside. He found his grandmother lying by the bed. She was fairly conscious, but one side of her body was paralyzed. He immediately picked her up and ran out the door.
Calling an ambulance at this point wouldn't be as fast as driving there himself, so Zhao Qingyun simply unlocked the door.
Xu Lai saw this from home and, seeing his anxious and flustered state, she ran out as well, asking, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Qingyun put her grandmother in the back seat, fastened her seatbelt, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "I don't know, I didn't see her to greet me when I came back, and she didn't answer the door when I knocked. When I looked, my grandmother was on the ground."
Xu Lai opened the passenger door: "I'll go with you."
Zhao Qingyun drove incredibly fast; a journey that usually takes half an hour took him less than twenty minutes.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Xu Lai got out of the car and ran to the emergency room, saying, "Is there a doctor here? Please arrange for an examination immediately. An elderly person has fainted at home."
The nurse followed her out. Grandma Jiang had been moved to the bed, and Zhao Qingyun was pushing her from behind.
Once inside the operating room, Zhao Qingyun finally relaxed. Xu Lai supported him from the side, clearly sensing his extreme anxiety.
She understood perfectly; if something happened to her grandparents, she would want to kneel down and beg God for mercy.
She helped him to a chair and sat him down. Zhao Qingyun rested his elbows on his knees and put his hands together in front of his forehead.
Xu Lai comforted him, "It's alright, Grandma Jiang is a lucky person, she'll be fine."
Zhao Qingyun's voice choked up a little: "From childhood to adulthood, I have spent the most time with my grandmother."
Xu Lai understood him well and knew how important his grandmother was to him.
After a while, Zhao Qingyun realized that she had forgotten to call and tell Ms. Yingqiu.
He dialed the number, his fist pressed against his mouth, and the other end answered quickly, "What's wrong, son?"
Zhao Qingyun was unsure how to begin, and he said with difficulty, "Grandma, Grandma... she fainted at home."
Yingqiu immediately put down her chopsticks. "What?! Is it serious? I'll buy a ticket and go back right away."
Zhao Qingyun shook her head: "He's still in the operating room, I don't know how he is."
Mr. Zhao had already booked the plane tickets; before the phone call even ended, he and his wife had already bought tickets for that evening.
Ms. Yingqiu hung up the phone after saying a few words. She quickly asked the nanny to pack several sets of clothes for her, as the plane was about to take off in a little over an hour.
The two rushed to the airport and used the VIP channel, luckily making it in time.
She couldn't help but say, "We shouldn't have let Mom go back in the first place. We don't know what her situation is like over there."
Mr. Zhao put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Alright, alright, Mom wants to go back herself. How can we, as her children, stop her? Besides, Qingyun is there too, so don't worry."
Jiang Yingqiu pulled out a piece of paper: "He can't just not come back, can he? He said he'd be back in a little over a year."
On Zhao Qingyun's side, after an unknown amount of time, the operating room door opened and the doctor came out.
Zhao Qingyun rushed over, "Doctor, how is my grandmother?"
The doctor said, "It's alright now. Luckily, it was discovered in time and she was brought here quickly. It's just that her high blood pressure flared up, and she also has some underlying conditions, so she needs to take good care of herself."
Zhao Qingyun nodded: "Thank you, doctor."
Grandma was transferred to a VIP ward, a private room for her, which was quiet. She would have to stay in the hospital for a few more days, and Zhao Qingyun didn't want anyone to disturb her.
Around midnight, Ms. Yingqiu called, "Son, which floor?"
Zhao Qingyun didn't expect her to arrive so quickly. Xu Lai gestured for her to go outside to answer the phone, while she kept an eye on her grandmother.
He gently closed the door and said, "VIP ward, come here, I'll wait for you at the elevator."
Ms. Yingqiu arrived quickly. Zhao Qingyun didn't expect his father to come too. Ms. Yingqiu had clearly been crying several times, as her eyes were a little red.
Zhao Qingyun comforted her, "Mom, don't worry, Grandma is fine. I sent you a message, but you probably didn't see it on the plane."
Jiang Yingqiu had no time to look at her phone; she only felt relieved after hearing that everything was alright.
The group went to the ward together. Grandma Jiang was still asleep, and Xu Lai was keeping watch by her bedside.
Seeing someone arrive, she stood up, somewhat stunned. She recognized Aunt Jiang, but the man beside her who resembled Zhao Qingyun...
After Zhao Qingyun and his parents had seen his grandmother, he took her outside and introduced her: "Mom and Dad, this is my girlfriend, Xu Lai."
Xu Lai hadn't expected to meet the parents under such chaotic circumstances, and Ms. Yingqiu and her husband also felt that the timing was inappropriate.
Xu Lai greeted, "Hello, Uncle and Aunt."
The two nodded. "It's getting late. Qingyun, take Xiaolai home first. Your dad and I can manage here. I'll arrange for a caregiver to come tomorrow."
Zhao Qingyun thought it was feasible. Once he was sure his grandmother was safe, he felt relieved. Plus, with Ms. Shangqiu here, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. He could just come back tomorrow morning.
Xu Lai barely ate a few bites of food before coming over. She had been tense the whole time, and now that the pressure was off, she realized she was hungry.
Zhao Qingyun drove to a ramen restaurant near his company, and he thought the taste was pretty good.
Looking in a direction that didn't seem to lead home, Xu Lai asked, "Where are we going?"
Zhao Qingyun turned the steering wheel: "I'll take you out to eat."
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