"Uncle Pei, Aunt Shu?"
The little dumpling's voice still carried the nasal tone of someone who had just woken up. Her soft voice broke the eerie silence in the hall as soon as it landed.
Turning her head, Shu Han saw that it was Chao Chao, and her beautiful eyes suddenly lit up.
Grandpa Huo put down his teacup, his raised thick eyebrows carrying a smile: "Chaochao's awake? Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
Huo Qin lifted his eyelids to look and saw the little dumpling's unique fluffy hairstyle. He couldn't help but reach out and beckon her over. He tidied her hair as if no one else was around, and once it wasn't so messy, he let go of her hand: "Okay, go ahead."
For a moment, the Pei couple were both a little surprised.
The little dumpling, who was summoned and dismissed at will by Huo Qin, walked up to Shu Han in a daze.
The woman's body was a little tired from days of traveling across borders, but she looked more energetic than when she first came to the Huo residence.
"Chaochao is awake! Aunt Shu and Uncle Pei are back." Shu Han took the little dumpling's hand and smiled gently. "Aunt and Uncle have already found a doctor for Brother Yushen. They've come to pick him up today."
Chaochao, who was about to snuggle into the woman's arms, suddenly leaned back and asked, "Is Brother Yushen leaving?"
"Yes, I'm already packing my luggage."
To be precise, everything was already packed up. The Pei family of three stayed here to wait for Chaochao to wake up.
Hearing the woman's affirmative answer, Chaochao blinked blankly, then turned back to look at the half-open guest room door. She asked sullenly, "Are you leaving today...?"
She'd only been with Yu Shen for a few days...
Although Chaochao knew that her older brother would go home once his condition improved, she didn't expect that day to come so soon.
Pei Luying, who was standing next to him, wanted to speak, but was stopped by his wife's glare. Shu Han stroked the little boy's soft little hand, "Yes, the doctor who is going to see Yu Shen is coming soon. He needs to be hospitalized to check his condition first, and he has to leave today."
Looking at the little boy's forlorn expression, she felt a mix of relief and bitterness. "Thank you, Chaochao, for taking care of our Ashen these past few days. Your aunt and uncle are really... happy that Chaochao can play with Brother Yushen."
So much happened during their time traveling abroad, especially the exposure of the former nanny's misconduct in abusing Ah Shen. Shu Han, belatedly realizing the truth, initially thought it was all over—
Behind each silence lies Pei Yushen's gradual self-destruction.
But unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better, and that turning point was the little dumpling in front of us.
Shu Han understands her son. After one man-made disaster after another, indifference and sharpness are the high walls he erected to protect himself. They also tried to let Pei Yushen meet more friends of the same age, but all of them came to nothing. Everyone thinks that A-Shen is a strange person who is difficult to get along with.
Shu Han touched the little dumpling's rosy cheeks and said apologetically, "If Brother Yu Shen did anything to hurt Chao Chao's feelings before, Auntie apologizes on his behalf. Brother... he didn't really mean it that way..."
Chaochao tried hard to recall, but the unpleasant memories of meeting Pei Yushen were already blurry. What rushed to her mind were the scenes of Pei Yushen playing with her in the past few days.
"No, Yu Shen is fine, Aunt Shu, don't worry." The little dumpling comforted Shu Han instead, patting her hand, "He ate a lot today."
Amused, Shu Han chuckled and said, "That's great!"
Now she truly understands why Ah Shen didn't resist hospitalization this time, and calmly gave the answer "okay" after their anxious inquiries.
If only... Ah Shen could have met Chao Chao sooner.
The luggage in the room had already been packed. Pei Yushen had very little stuff, with only two suitcases and a little space left.
The dried flowers and seashells were packed in a sturdy little box and placed in the trunk.
At this moment, the servants who were packing the luggage all left the room. Pei Yushen sat at his desk, his dark eyes gazing absently at the small wooden house on the corner of the desk.
The door rattled slightly.
A sticky rice ball suddenly buried itself in Pei Yushen's arms, "Waaah, Yushen-gege, why are you leaving? Will you come back...? Chaochao will miss you so much, waaaah..."
Pei Yushen, snapped back to reality by the impact, said, "...I'm going to the hospital, not to jail."
Chaochao sniffed and raised her head: "What's the difference? Anyway, I can't see my brother anymore..."
Pei Yushen: "I... am just leaving for a short while."
His dark eyes were lowered as he took out a tissue he had prepared beforehand from his pocket. He had already guessed that the little dumpling would cry.
"If you miss me, you can call me."
The little boy tugged at a tissue to blow his nose, still very sad: "But brother, you don't even know how to use a cell phone..."
She can use a smartwatch, but Yu Shen can't do anything.
Pei Yushen: "...I don't use it, it's not that I don't know how to use it."
"Never mind, I'll contact you later."
The little dumpling immediately broke down and cried: "Does this mean we won't contact each other anymore?!"
Is she supposed to wait for Yu Shen to contact her? Will she have to wait until the year of the rabbit and the month of the dog? She's the one who always asks her brother to go out with her!
Pei Yushen: "...I guarantee it."
"Brother Yu Shen, you have to keep your word." Chao Chao stopped crying and whimpered as she climbed out of his wheelchair. "So, when you come back this time, will your illness be cured, brother...?"
Pei Yu lowered his eyelids slightly: "I don't know what will happen."
"It's okay." Chaochao patted the boy's arm optimistically. "If you're still not better, Brother Yushen, you can come back again."
That way, Chaochao can play with her older brother again, hehe.
Upon hearing this, Pei Yushen glanced at the smiling little dumpling beside him. So, the result of failure wasn't so bad after all.
"Have you packed all your things, brother?"
The housekeeper, Chaochao, looked around the room, wondering why it seemed no different from before, even after being tidied up.
Shu Han stood outside the door, quietly observing, a smile on her face, yet she hesitated to speak, her finger tapping her watch.
Pei Yushen slowly pushed the wheelchair out, saying, "Everything's alright."
"!!! Brother Yu Shen, have you forgotten about Xiao Lü!" Chao Chao hurriedly tiptoed to lift the small wooden house on the table. "You can't leave Xiao Lü here with just a stone!"
It simply cannot bear it!
Pei Yushen stopped her hand first.
"Just leave it here."
As if anticipating the little dumpling's accusation, she said, "I didn't abandon it. You don't have to keep it in this room all the time. You can put it anywhere in your room."
"I will come back for it."
Pei Yushen said.
“…Well, okay then.” Chaochao hesitated and withdrew her hand. “Brother Yushen, you must remember that there is still a green stone waiting for you. A boy can’t be a heartless man.”
The last sentence was spoken by the little dumpling in the tone of someone who had been there before.
Pei Yushen: "..."
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