Little Stone's eyes sparkled, and he gripped Xiao Xueyi's arm tightly with both hands: "Dad, is what you said true?"
Xiao Xueyi felt guilty. He should have asked the child's opinion long ago, instead of making all the decisions for him under the guise of doing what was best for him, only to end up hurting him terribly.
He nodded heavily, looked at the stone seriously, and spoke his mind.
"Stone, Dad will never marry anyone again in this life. From now on, you will live with Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. But you may not have Mom to take care of you. Are you willing?"
He anticipated that Shi Tou might wake up when he arrived, so he bought a boxed lunch from a restaurant, and the ward is now filled with its delicious aroma.
Shi Tou nodded: "Of course I'd like to, but if Dad has someone he likes, I won't object."
Xiao Xueyi was stunned, not expecting a five-year-old child to say such a thing.
He had always treated him like a child, but after losing his mother, Stone had grown up quickly, and his emotions were more delicate than those of other children.
Every day that followed without his mother seemed to become a catalyst for the child's emotions, forcing him to grow up quickly to accept the reality of not having a mother.
Xiao Xueyi didn't know how a child of a few years old had endured those days and nights, but when he looked down at Shi Tou's innocent face, he felt even more that his inaction was too despicable.
If I had been more attentive back then, I could have noticed the wounds on my child's body. I only increased the number of business trips I took because I was thinking of my child.
But now he has not gotten any of the things he wanted. In fact, if Shi Tou hadn't been unable to bear Lü Jie's abuse, he doesn't know what kind of living environment he would have grown up in.
Xiao Xueyi was filled with intense self-reproach. As a man, he had always felt that he should be strong.
But when his son expressed his wish for his happiness, he didn't know how to respond.
He could only pick up the lunchbox on the table next to him, his smile somewhat unnatural: "Good child, Dad will never leave you again, and I will never let you suffer like this again. I specially went to the state-run restaurant to buy the dishes when I came here. I also made sweet and sour pork. The chef said that children like to eat this. Try it and see if it's good."
Xiao Xueyi rarely spent time alone with Shi Tou, so he had no idea what kind of food the child liked.
Based solely on my own preferences, and after asking the restaurant owner, I learned that children generally like sweet and sour flavors, so I specifically asked the chef to make this sweet and sour pork.
In addition, the doctor said that Shitou was severely malnourished. Although Shuying had been taking care of him during this period, his diet was mainly based on a set menu, and he also added a large chicken leg to his diet.
After waking up, the doctor kept emphasizing that Shi Tou's diet should be as light as possible. Therefore, he has been drinking porridge the most recently. After several days, Shi Tou's eyes lit up when he finally saw something delicious.
"Dad, are all these really for me? Please sit down and eat with me."
Stone couldn't help but swallow hard. He hadn't seen Meat Star in a long time. The aroma of chicken legs filled his nose, and he wished he could swallow them whole, bones and all.
Seeing the child eating with relish, Xiao Xueyi finally smiled.
Stone looked down at the wound on his arm, put down the chicken leg in his hand, and showed the wound, which was almost healed.
“Dad, I know why you’ve been unhappy lately. You feel like I was seriously injured and that you didn’t protect me well. But look, my wounds have healed. You don’t need to worry about me too much. After Aunt Shuying applied the medicine, it doesn’t hurt much anymore. It’s just a little itchy, but Auntie said it’s proof that I’m recovering. My skin has grown back healthy. So Dad has protected me very well. You don’t need to be unhappy.”
When Shi Tou woke up, he had already noticed that Xiao Xueyi would be very sad every time he came over and saw the scars on his arm. He didn't want his father to be sad, and he didn't want his father to feel too guilty.
Xiao Xueyi had been trying to hold back his emotions, but when he saw how sensible Shitou was, he couldn't hold back anymore. He turned his head, covered his face with one hand, and burst into uncontrollable tears.
He was a terrible father; not only did he fail to help his child grow up in any way, he also pushed him into a pit of fire.
As an adult, he still needed the comfort of a child in the end.
Stone could have pretended not to understand these emotions between adults, but he still showed his wounds to comfort his father, who was not actually injured.
It felt like someone had thrown a stone into your heart, crashing heavily into a stagnant pool of water, instantly enlivening your emotions, though mostly a feeling of guilt towards your child.
He knew perfectly well that he shouldn't cry in front of his child, but he just couldn't help it.
Xiao Xueyi turned around and hugged Shi Tou tightly on the hospital bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
"It's Dad's fault. Dad didn't take good care of you. Dad is sorry to you and Mom. Shitou, you don't have to be so sensible."
Since Ren Wangshu's death, he has been immersed in grief over his wife's passing.
Because Shi Tou's eyebrows and eyes resembled those of Ren Wangshu, he would think of his deceased wife every time he saw the child.
He has been escaping reality; he is unwilling to admit that his wife has left, nor is he willing to recall that dark period.
But after he ran away, he left his child alone in the same place. Little Stone had no mother and no father to rely on either. Only now has he finally realized that he is a man and a father, and should grow up as soon as possible.
Ultimately, people always have to look forward.
Stone hugged his head, its little hands gently patting Xiao Xueyi's back.
“Dad, I will work hard with you. The teacher said that as long as the family is together, we will always have a home. You are not alone. Mom will be at ease when she sees us all growing up.”
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