The winter chill was shielded from the constant warmth of the special care ward. Sun Guixiang leaned against the rocking hospital bed, a soft blanket covering her legs, holding a brand new literacy textbook—an after-school reading material the foundation had assigned to Xiao Shitou.
She always liked to look through it when she was in a good mood, as if this would bring her closer to her grandson's world.
The sky outside the window was gray, but the ward was lit with warm yellow lights, and the air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant and a sense of "stability."
Nurse Xiao Li walked in carrying an exquisite insulated bag with a smile on his face: "Auntie Sun, look who's here?"
Sun Guixiang raised her head in confusion.
The next moment, when she saw the figure following the nurse and quietly walking into the ward, her cloudy eyes instantly burst into a light of surprise.
It’s a child!
Ye Qingliu was wearing a soft dark grey turtleneck sweater with a neatly cut black tweed jacket on the outside, which made his figure look even taller and slimmer.
Her short black hair was neat and tidy, and she still wore her signature pair of thin-rimmed silver glasses on her nose.
In his hand he was carrying a heavy-looking, beautifully packaged cardboard box.
"Little friend! Why... why are you here!" Sun Guixiang's voice was trembling with excitement. She quickly put down the book and supported herself on the edge of the bed, trying to sit up straight.
"The nightclub has a meeting nearby this afternoon, so I stopped by to see how you're recovering."
Xiao Li explained with a smile, took the paper box from Ye Qingliu's hand and placed it on the bedside table, then quickly moved a comfortable armchair and placed it next to the bed.
"You two continue chatting while I go get some hot water." After saying that, she tactfully retreated and gently closed the door.
The ward suddenly became quiet, with only the sound of the wind outside the window and the low hum of the heater.
Ye Qingliu did not sit down immediately.
He walked to the window, and his gray-blue eyes calmly scanned the environment of the ward through the lenses, as if confirming something.
Then he turned around, walked silently to the armchair, and sat down in a relaxed manner.
Her sitting posture still had the elegance ingrained in her bones, her back straight, her legs casually crossed, and her hands naturally placed on the armrests.
He didn't exchange pleasantries, his gaze resting calmly on Sun Guixiang's face. His voice was as clear as freshly melted snow: "How do you feel?"
"Good! Much better!" Sun Guixiang nodded quickly, her face filled with a smile from the heart, and her wrinkles were smoothed out.
"The doctor said it's under control! The cough is much less severe now! I can sleep well at night! Thanks to you, kid! If it weren't for you..."
As she spoke, her eyes began to feel hot again, and she quickly raised her hand to wipe them.
Ye Qingliu listened quietly, there was no ripple in his gray-blue eyes, only the calmness of a deep pool.
He did not respond to the words of gratitude, as if they were just natural background noise to him.
His eyes fell on the beautifully wrapped cardboard box on the bedside table.
"Here," he raised his chin slightly, indicating the box, his voice still calm, "try it."
Only then did Sun Guixiang notice the box. The packaging was gilded with foreign letters she didn't recognize, and it looked quite valuable. "What...what is this?"
"Dessert." Ye Qingliu said concisely, "It is said to be good for appetite." He added, his tone as if he was stating an objective fact.
Sun Guixiang was flattered and waved her hands quickly: "Oh, little friend, you are too expensive! I, an old woman, don't need to eat such delicious food..."
"Open it." Ye Qingliu interrupted her. His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable gentle command.
His eyes still looked at her calmly.
Sun Guixiang looked at the boy's cold and serious eyes, and could no longer say no.
She reached out her hand carefully, untied the ribbon on the box somewhat clumsily, and opened the exquisite lid.
An intoxicating sweet smell mixed with rich milk aroma, sweet jam and crispy butter instantly filled the entire ward.
Several exquisitely shaped snacks were neatly arranged in the box.
There are mousse cakes drizzled with glistening syrup and dotted with fresh berries; there are layers of puff pastry rolls covered in rich chocolate sauce.
There are also small and exquisite Madeleine shell cakes sprinkled with icing sugar. Each piece is as delicate as a work of art and exudes an attractive luster.
Sun Guixiang had never seen such a beautiful thing in her life, let alone eaten it.
She stared blankly, her cloudy eyes filled with surprise and a hint of helpless panic.
This...how can you bear to eat this?
Ye Qingliu seemed to see her hesitation.
He leaned forward slightly, stretched out his slender, clean fingers, and very naturally picked up a relatively plain-looking small round cake that was closest to the edge of the box.
The surface of the cake is a light yellow sponge, evenly covered with a layer of delicate white buttercream, dotted with a few bright raspberries.
He placed the small cake on a clean small plate, then picked up the exquisite small fork that came with it and handed it to Sun Guixiang.
"Try this." His voice was still cold, but his actions were filled with a patience that brooked no rejection.
Sun Guixiang looked at the small plate and fork handed to her, then looked at the boy's calm face, and a huge warmth surged in her heart.
She no longer refused, took the plate and fork with trembling hands, carefully poked a little bit of cream with the tip of the fork, and put it into her mouth.
At that moment, the extremely dense and smooth milk aroma and sweetness melted on the tip of the tongue, with the slightly sour taste of raspberry, forming an indescribable wonderful taste.
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