Shen Ying didn't notice any of this, assuming her daughter just missed her mother. She affectionately stroked her head, as if she had already planned it, and said:
"After we finish eating, we'll go see Mom. It's better to ask her some questions in person. Also, before coming here, I specially ordered a small cake from Aunt Liu Cui, so we'll bring it over together. She'll definitely like it."
The man's answer pleased his daughter. Shen Suisui clapped her hands excitedly and picked up a dessert from the table to eat, completely ignoring Bai Ling's now extremely dark face.
Shen Suisui wanted to make the other party back down and let her know that she and her brother did not need a stepmother.
"It's so late. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to finish our dinner before disturbing Comrade Jiang Yu's rest?"
Bai Ling placed the menu on the table, brushed a stray hair behind her ear, and adopted a kind and understanding expression. Seeing Chen Suisui's provocative expression, she could easily guess what she was thinking. She was just a child; a little something nice would do the trick.
"That's true."
Shen Ying nodded, and just as the woman was feeling smug and Shen Suisui was going crazy, he spoke again:
"Then after we finish eating, Sui Sui and I will take you home. We can go by ourselves."
"I...I didn't mean that..."
Bai Ling tried to continue arguing, but the man didn't give her a chance to explain at all.
“Miss Bai, even though you have a child with you, it’s still a good opportunity for malicious people to spread rumors about you two being alone together so late at night. The last time at the hotel was a perfect example.”
His rebuttal left the other person speechless. Bai Ling stammered, realizing that further words were pointless, and sighed. She should have known better than to say that; she could have used the excuse of visiting Jiang Yu to go and check on the situation, to see if there was any possibility of the two reconciling.
Now look what's happened! They've blocked their own escape route. They've really shot themselves in the foot. How incredibly stupid!
"Sui Sui, is there anything you want to eat? You're graduating today, and tomorrow you'll be a big girl. Auntie will be here for the next couple of days. When you and Daddy have some free time, Auntie will take you shopping for some pretty clothes, okay?"
Seeing this, Bai Ling shifted her focus to the child.
"No need, Auntie. My mom is a designer, and the clothes she makes are beautiful."
Shen Suisui smiled sweetly, appearing both obedient and sensible, but in reality, she was showing off how outstanding Jiang Yu was. Seeing this, Bai Ling could only offer an awkward smile. This meal was truly unpleasant.
After the meal, Shen Ying arrived as promised and escorted the woman back to her residence. Before leaving, Shen Suisui even said goodbye to her, which gave Bai Ling the illusion that she had already won over the child.
On the way to the hospital, Shen Suisui held the man's large hand, tilted her head back, and asked:
"Dad, did that lady like you?"
She may be young, but she's not stupid. Anyone could see through her obvious intentions.
"You're still young and don't know anything, so don't talk nonsense here. Focus on your new lessons and prepare to go to primary school in the fall. If you have nothing to do during this time, you can go and ask Dongdong for help and listen to what primary school courses are like."
Shen Ying hurriedly interrupted her strange questions. He naturally understood what women were thinking.
"Anyway, I don't care. You can't divorce Mom, and you definitely can't marry that woman and make her our stepmother. Otherwise, I'll take Niannian and An'an and run away from home, or I'll live with Mom and never want you again."
Shen Sui Sui remained serious, and the man secretly sighed:
This little girl knows quite a lot.
"In that case, when you see your mother later, have a good talk with her. It would be best if you could persuade her to come home and live with you. That way, we'll all be happy."
The father and daughter chatted as they walked, quickly arriving at the hospital. In the ward, Jiang Yu was eating the osmanthus cake Su Yujing had bought; it tasted sweet and fragrant. It was slightly richer than the ones she made herself, but still delicious. She had already eaten several since they arrived; once she got greedy, she simply couldn't control herself.
When she heard the commotion outside, Luo Zewen was no longer at the hospital. The door to the ward was open, and as soon as Shen Suisui saw her mother, she skipped and hopped in.
Before anyone inside could react, she had already pounced on the woman. Jiang Yu was startled, then, seeing it was Shen Suisui, gave her a loving, reproachful look:
"Little girl, slow down. Watch your step. Do you want some osmanthus cake?"
Then, the desserts on the table were laid out one by one for the children to choose from.
"Mom, how did you get sick? Did your wound flare up again? Does it hurt? Are you bored here all by yourself? Sui Sui has already graduated. From now on, I'll stay with you, okay?"
This afternoon at the graduation ceremony, there was an activity where we could interact with our parents. I won one, look!
Shen Suisui unzipped her backpack and placed a piece of candy in Jiang Yu's hand. She had gotten it while running, and was saving it to bring to her mother when she came to visit.
"Sui Sui is so great, thank you for still thinking of Mom."
Jiang Yu was moved, thinking that if she were to separate from the man, she really wouldn't be able to bear to part with these children.
Her attention was entirely focused on her daughter, deliberately avoiding the man's burning gaze. Thinking of what she had witnessed at the school gate that afternoon, she felt a mixture of relief and jealousy. She wasn't even sure what her true feelings were.
“When Sui Sui and I came here, we met the attending physician at the nurses’ station. We asked him, and he said that we could be discharged and go home to recuperate in the next two days.”
"Jiang Yu, go back. Let Mom and Wanwan take care of you."
The man was particularly moved by what he said, even though there wasn't a big problem with Su Yujing staying with him at the hospital. He also believed that the two of them wouldn't do anything out of line.
But if word gets out, who knows what they'll say. Besides, every time she thinks about being alone with this man in a room, her heart aches inexplicably.
"No need. Tomorrow, Mr. Su and I are going to the provincial capital for training, and we don't know when we'll be back. You don't need to come over every day to persuade me to go home. We can talk about this properly when I get back in a while."
As she said these words, Jiang Yu didn't even look at him. Although she was talking about divorce, she couldn't just walk away. She needed to say goodbye properly to the children, and also to Zhao Meiyun and Shen Wan, explaining the situation.
"Tomorrow? To the provincial capital?"
Upon hearing this news, Shen Ying looked incredulous. After receiving the accurate answer, she paused for a full ten seconds.
Although he was worried about the woman's health, he also knew that once she made up her mind, no one could easily change it.
The good news is that she hasn't brought up divorce again. Whether she's deliberately avoiding it in front of the children or not, it seems to the man that there's still room for negotiation.
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