Hearing her recount the past, Yuan Meng also felt a pang of emotion. "Don't stand there, come and sit down. Don't you see how big your belly is? Aren't you tired?"
Ling Ruoke smiled, walked over and sat down. She casually picked up a grape from the table, took one, and put it in her mouth. Meanwhile, Zhuang Yuqi and Huo Fu'an were already squatting in a corner, playing with their toys.
Yuan Meng poured her some tea and sat down opposite her. "Why did you suddenly come to T City?"
Ling Ruoke looked at Zhuang Yuqi, leaned over and whispered, "Zhuang Yuqi is on a hunger strike. His grandfather called me and asked me to come over, otherwise he really wouldn't eat."
Yuan Meng's eyes widened. "A hunger strike? How old is he? He's already on a hunger strike? Why? Was he scolded by his grandparents?"
“He wants me to come to T City to see him and his father. Kids these days are so precocious; they know how to use tricks at such a young age. But he’s really pitiful; I can’t bear to blame him.” Looking at Zhuang Yuqi, who was playing with Fu’an and acting like a child for the first time, her feelings deepened.
Yuan Meng nodded, her eyes filled with sympathy.
"By the way, have you visited Zhuang Yicheng recently?"
“I went. He was still the same, like he was asleep. If it weren’t for the machine by the bedside, I would have thought he was just asleep.” Yuan Meng’s smile was a little bitter, but she wasn’t embarrassed. To her, Zhuang Yicheng was just a friend, and there was nothing wrong with caring about a friend.
Hearing the bitterness and sorrow in her words, Ling Ruoke also felt incredibly depressed. "I hope he's had enough sleep and wakes up soon. He's the kind of responsible person who will definitely wake up."
"I hope so. Anyway, how have you all been lately?" Yuan Meng smiled, reached out, and touched her belly.
Ling Ruoke was completely oblivious to her gesture, because she had gotten used to being touched since her belly started growing. If she were startled every time she was touched, she estimated she would have a heart attack.
"I'm fine. It's just that the weather has been hot lately, so I haven't had much of an appetite, and I often wake up at night because of the heat. But you, I think you seem to have lost some weight. What happened?" Ling Ruoke thought to herself, perhaps it was because she was worried about Zhuang Yicheng.
Yuan Meng smiled slightly. "It's also because of the hot weather; I really don't have much of an appetite. In winter, I could eat two bowls of rice, but now I can't even finish one." The more important reason is that she can't sleep at night; she often tosses and turns all night and can't sleep well at all.
Ling Ruoke knew she wasn't telling the truth, but she didn't continue the topic. After all, everyone has things they want to keep to themselves, things they don't want to tell others, so why should she steal someone else's thoughts? "It's like this, luckily my due date is in October, which is already autumn. If I were to give birth at that time, I'm afraid the postpartum period would be tough enough."
"Of course! Speaking of which, were you scared?" Yuan Meng smiled genuinely, recalling how she felt when she was pregnant.
Ling Ruoke shook her head. "What's there to be afraid of at a time like this? I'm actually looking forward to him coming out soon. His grandparents and great-grandfather have been waiting anxiously for him for ages." She couldn't help but laugh when she thought about how her grandparents would vie to talk to her on the other end of the phone every time she answered.
Yuan Meng touched her belly, feeling the pulse beneath her palm, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. When she was pregnant with Fu'an, Kaiyi had already died a heroic death, her mother-in-law had passed away, and she herself was about to be imprisoned. All the cruelty had befallen her then; Fu'an's arrival was the only bright spot. If it weren't for the little one inside her, constantly reminding her that she wasn't alone, she might have already understood herself.
Yuan Meng gave a helpless, bitter smile. Everyone thought she was strong, but she wasn't strong at all. It's just that weak people often have strong backers behind them, which is why they dare to let themselves be weak. But she had nothing but herself and the little baby in her arms; where did she get the right to be weak?
Ling Ruoke sensed Yuan Meng's emotional change and quickly tugged at her hand. "After lunch, let's go to the hospital to see Zhuang Yicheng. That guy is really something; he sleeps comfortably while everyone else who's awake worries about him. When he wakes up, we should think of a way to punish him!"
Yuan Meng prepared lunch, and the four of them ate before taking a taxi to the hospital.
Because Ling Ruoke was with them, Yuan Meng and the others were also able to get in. But what good would it do once they were inside? The person on the bed lay quietly, oblivious to everything. He had completely abandoned all the hustle and bustle, joys and sorrows of the world, simply sleeping alone in his own world.
Ling Ruoke turned her head and saw Yuan Meng staring blankly at Zhuang Yicheng on the bed. Her face was expressionless, but she looked utterly lost in thought. With him right in front of her, no one could tell where her mind was wandering.
Fu'an, being so young, was completely unaware of the hardships people faced. He thought Zhuang Yicheng was genuinely asleep and curiously ran back and forth in the ward, also showing great interest in the machine by the bedside. Luckily, they discovered him early, otherwise, who knows what trouble he might have caused.
As they left the hospital, the four of them stood at the entrance. Apart from Fu'an, the other two adults and one child all looked unwell.
Not knowing where to go, they simply went along with the children's wishes and found an indoor playground. Fu'an was naturally overjoyed, and even Zhuang Yuqi had a smile on his face.
This was a children's playground, and Ling Ruoke, being heavily pregnant, naturally couldn't play there. Yuan Meng simply sat beside her, letting the two children play by themselves. After all, adults couldn't understand the world of children; even though they had once been children themselves, their hearts had long since grown old.
Looking at the two laughing children, Ling Ruoke smiled and said to Yuan Meng, "I'm reminded of a saying: When you're a child, happiness is a simple thing; when you grow up, simplicity is a happy thing."
"It's a classic." Yuan Meng breathed a sigh of relief, quite moved.
Ling Ruoke also felt a pang of emotion. Growing up brings more worries. The more you understand, the harder it is to find happiness. "That's why I wish I could stay young forever!"
Yuan Meng couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing her words. She reached out and touched her face, saying, "You, who's lived in such a pampered life, are making such pronouncements? Are you deliberately trying to make life unbearable for us poor souls?"
"I'm innocent, absolutely innocent! Growing up means there will always be worries, no matter how happy you are. When we were little, we didn't have so many problems. I'm not wrong." He hugged her arm and leaned on her shoulder. "Yuan Meng, you will be happy."
Yuan Meng looked at Fu'an, smiled slightly, and didn't answer. The word "happiness" was too far removed from her. Her only happiness now was to let little Fu'an grow up carefree and be a happy child. She dared not hope for anything else.
By the time the two children had finished playing, it was already past 5 p.m., which was dinnertime.
The child naturally wanted to eat Ronald KFC, and Ling Ruoke also wanted to eat fried chicken legs and such, so they simply went to KFC and ordered a family bucket, two hamburgers and four cups of milk.
By the time they finished eating and left KFC, it was already getting dark. Since they weren't in a hurry to go home, the group decided to take a walk on the street. Occasionally, they would go into a shop that interested them. Most of the time, it was Yuan Meng who had her eye on something, so Ling Ruoke had no choice but to follow along.
Yuan Meng is a mother, and mothers always put their children first, so she mainly goes to children's clothing stores.
Ling Ruoke was pregnant, so naturally she liked these stores. The two of them picked out several outfits for Fu'an and two outfits for Zhuang Yuqi.
The two children went to the amusement park today, ate KFC, and got new clothes. They were overjoyed. Zhuang Yuqi, in particular, is a big fan of Ruoke. With his mother by his side and buying him clothes, he was naturally ecstatic.
Seeing that he was finally acting like a child again, Ling Ruoke felt a pang of sadness. So she put her arm around his shoulder and walked away, wanting to bring more joy to the child in this short time.
Halfway there, everyone got tired, so they took a taxi home.
Yuan Meng's small bed could comfortably fit two adults and a child in winter, but it was definitely not suitable for the hot summer. Ling Ruoke then booked a room at the nearby 7 Days Inn, chatted with Yuan Meng for a while, and left when it was almost time.
The two children were happy today and played excitedly together. Fu'an didn't want his older brother to leave, so he twisted his chubby body and kept making noise, which was both funny and endearing.
Ling Ruoke and Zhuang Yuqi took a shower and lay in bed talking. "Zhuang Yuqi, I'm going back to Z City tomorrow. You have to be good from now on. If you miss me, call me. But don't risk your life again."
Zhuang Yuqi, who had been lying happily beside her, suddenly fell silent upon hearing these words. "Mom, can I go to Z City with you?"
Seeing the longing in his eyes, Ling Ruoke almost agreed, but then she thought better of it. "Zhuang Yuqi, can you come over after I give birth? Look how big my belly is, I need someone to take care of me, I can't take care of you. My family is also busy taking care of me, it's not convenient for you to be there, is it?"
Although Zhuang Yuqi was unhappy about this, he was a reasonable child. He sullenly rubbed against Ruoke's arm, not saying a word, just clinging to her arm pitifully.
Ling Ruoke called Zhuang Botao and asked him to send someone to pick up Zhuang Yuqi the next morning. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Botao came in person.
After handing Zhuang Yuqi to him, Ling Ruoke looked at Zhuang Botao and said, "Uncle, Zhuang Yicheng is still unconscious. It's not good for him to just lie there like this. So if there are people or things that might wake him up, we shouldn't give up trying. Don't you think so?"
Zhuang Botao naturally agreed, but whether or not to do it was his business.
Ling Ruoke passed through security and entered the waiting area amidst Zhuang Yuqi's tearful eyes.
However, this summer was destined to be eventful. Before Ling Ruoke could even board the plane, she received a call from Tan Peishi, saying that Tan's mother had accidentally fallen and injured her leg and was hospitalized.
After hanging up the phone, Ling Ruoke sighed helplessly. Why do these bad things always happen, one after another? It's really upsetting.
When Ling Ruoke arrived at the airport in Z City, someone was already waiting to pick her up. It was none other than Huo Qingfeng's bodyguard. Seeing the familiar face made her feel a little better.
He instructed the guards to drive the car directly to the hospital to check on Tan's mother's condition.
"Peishi, how is she?" Ling Ruoke asked anxiously as soon as she entered the ward.
Tan Peishi rushed over and supported her, saying, "Be careful, your belly is so big, don't you take care of yourself?"
"I was just worried because I heard that Aunt Tan was injured," Ling Ruoke said, sticking out her tongue sheepishly.
Mrs. Tan was leaning against the bed, smiling as she said, "It's just a minor injury. Pei Shi is making a big fuss over it. The doctor said she can be discharged after a few days of rest, and it won't affect her mobility in the future."
"That's good. When I heard that, I was terrified." Ling Ruoke sat down on the edge of the bed and took Tan's mother's hand. "Since it has already happened, let's comfort ourselves: Tan's mother, you've been working hard these past few days, so it's good for you to take this opportunity to rest."
Mrs. Tan smiled and agreed.
Seeing that her mother was alright, Tan Peishi pulled Ling Ruoke aside to chat. Touching her belly, she happily said, "You're better off than me. You gave birth in autumn, when the weather was cooler. It was the height of summer for me, and I couldn't shower or wash my hair for days. I almost went crazy. For the first few days, I kept asking Fu Peigang if he could smell anything on me."
Thinking back to that embarrassing time, Tan Peishi couldn't help but laugh, and her joyful laughter filled the ward.
Ling Ruoke looked at her, feeling envious. "Comrade Tan Peishi, you are definitely a blessed person. From the day I met you, you have always been so cheerful and carefree. Now you are almost thirty years old, and you are still so carefree."
"She's heartless!" Tan's mother glared at her daughter and criticized her without hesitation.
Tan Peishi stuck out her tongue and made a face at her mother. "I think this is called being optimistic and open-minded. Anyway, a day is a day, whether you're happy or unhappy. What's going to happen will happen, whether you're happy or not. So, it's better to live life carefree like this. My husband, Fu Peigang, likes me this way. Even if the sky falls, I can still be happy."
"How shameless!" Mrs. Tan looked at her with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
Ling Ruoke held Tan Peishi's hand, looking at her always smiling face, and said, "I think Peishi is great. She's happy herself and brings happiness to others; she's a real joy!"
“My husband, Ruoke, really knows his stuff!” Tan Peishi said, putting her arm around Ruoke’s shoulder and winking at her. “But you’re still a little slow. My husband, Fu Peigang, is the best at recognizing talent; he has an absolute eye for good people!”
Ling Ruoke and Tan's mother were both amused by her incongruous appearance.
Fu Peigang wasn't home, and Tan's mother was hospitalized again, so Ling Ruoke stayed at Peishi's house for one night to help look after Xiao Lele.
When Huo Qingfeng received the call and heard that she hadn't come home yet, he was so upset he almost cried. He sounded pitiful on the phone, whining and acting all cutesy with his wife, completely losing his composure.
Ling Ruoke was also aroused by his teasing, and wished she could rush back that very night to be with him intimately. In the end, she managed to hang up the phone after a bit of coaxing and cajoling.
Tan Peishi stayed at the hospital with her mother, while Ling Ruoke took care of Xiao Lele alone. Fortunately, Xiao Lele was a well-behaved child; as long as he was fed and watered, he wouldn't make a fuss.
Ling Ruoke thought she wouldn't need to sleep all night, but to her surprise, he only woke up once during the night to drink milk and urinate, and then slept like a little pig again. He woke up early the next day, babbling and moving around in bed without crying.
Although Tan's mother's injuries wouldn't heal anytime soon, Ruoke was heavily pregnant, and they couldn't let a woman almost a month along take care of the baby. So they decided that Ruoke should go back that afternoon, otherwise the captain would be coming after them.
Ling Ruoke had prepared breakfast, which Tan Peishi ate when she returned, and then she took some to Tan's mother. She had put little Lele in his cradle and was playing with him when her phone suddenly rang. To her surprise, it was Mei Yanting calling. "Hello, Yanting?"
"Sister Ximeng, where are you now? I have something I want to tell you, can you come out for a moment?" Mei Yanting's voice sounded like she really had something important to say.
Ling Ruoke thought for a moment and then said, "I'm at Peishi's house, come over." After hanging up, her mind started wandering, wondering if Mei Yanting and Chen Shan had argued again. It was truly exasperating to think that these two had only been married for less than a year and were already causing so much trouble.
Mei Yanting arrived quickly. The moment she entered, she stared at her intently, as if trying to bore a hole through her.
"What's wrong?" Ling Ruoke felt a little uncomfortable under her strange gaze and frowned. She paused, then forgot to shake the rattle in her hand, and Xiao Lele cried out unhappily.
Mei Yanting took a breath, stepped forward, looked into Ruoke's eyes, and said, "Sister Ximeng, I have a question for you. Please tell me honestly."
"Yanting, I haven't said anything to deceive you, have I? What do you mean by that?" Ling Ruoke was displeased. She wasn't a liar, and she didn't like even well-intentioned lies; she just couldn't bear to lie sometimes.
"I did not mean that."
"Whether that's what you mean or not doesn't matter. Ask away, I'll answer every question and never hide anything." Ling Ruoke stopped looking at her and instead looked at the cheerful little Lele. She didn't get angry easily, but Mei Yanting really made her very uncomfortable. She had always treated Mei Yanting with sincerity and honesty, and no matter what others said about her, she always thought of helping and taking care of her. But now, Mei Yanting's words were like a knife to her heart.
Mei Yanting knew Ling Ruoke was angry. After a moment of silence, she still asked.
"Sister Ximeng, did you kill Xu An?"
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