Chapter 9: Discharge from the Hospital
Both little ones gazed up at their aunt with wide, innocent eyes full of wonder.
Su Xingwan hesitated for a moment.
She wasn’t even sure if she could make that corn and pork rib soup properly.
But seeing their expectant, adorable faces, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.
With a resolute heart, she nodded and said, “Alright! When you’re discharged, Auntie will make it for you.”
“Yay!” The two little ones were so happy they danced around.
***
In Lu Yun’s hospital room, Xu Xiao brought in the corn and pork rib soup that the matriarch had personally prepared.
He hesitated and said, “President Lu, this soup really was made by the matriarch herself.”
Before coming over, he had even opened the insulated container to check, and upon seeing it wasn’t the plain white noodles from before, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“I specifically asked the matriarch today. The food she made for you yesterday was also corn and pork rib soup. Since you’re being discharged today, she specially asked that you return to the old residence to have a meal with her.”
Lu Yun’s gaze was calm. “I understand.”
After he finished eating, Xu Xiao took the empty lunchbox to the area designated for washing kitchenware.
On his way back, he passed by the adjacent room with its door wide open.
“Auntie, the noodles taste different today,” the two little ones said in unison, each taking a bite and looking at their aunt with puzzled, big eyes.
After drinking the corn and pork rib soup yesterday, the noodles today didn’t seem quite as tasty.
Su Xingwan was puzzled and tried a bite herself.
“It hasn’t changed. It tastes the same as before.”
The two little ones looked even more confused. Their little minds couldn’t figure out why.
But since their aunt had made the noodles herself, they wouldn’t waste them. Wasting food was shameful; they had to be good children.
So, they finished the noodles at a pace like a little train chugging along.
Seeing them eat every last bite, Su Xingwan gently patted the two tufts of hair atop their heads with a contented smile.
In her past life, no one had ever praised her cooking. Even the noodles she made were refused by her friends.
Here, these two little ones loved her cooking. She had found her loyal food fans, and she decided to cook for them every day from now on!
The two little ones hadn’t yet guessed what was in their aunt’s heart. They handed over their empty bowls proudly.
“Auntie, look! Did we eat it all clean?”
Su Xingwan smiled warmly. “Completely clean. You two are amazing!”
Little Su Hua and Little Su Luo felt as if they’d eaten the sweetest honey in the world, so happy they wanted to fly.
***
Being praised by Auntie felt so wonderful.
From now on, they wanted Auntie to praise them all the time!
***
“President Lu, guess what I just saw?”
As soon as Xu Xiao entered the hospital room, he couldn’t help but share what he had witnessed.
Lu Yun looked up. “What?”
Xu Xiao said, “Next door there’s a single mother with two little children, and I saw that mom feeding her kids noodles that have no nutritional value at all. Yet the kids were happily enjoying them. Sigh… I don’t know if she’s a new mom who just doesn’t know any better or what, but she’s really not good at taking care of her children.”
The noodles looked remarkably similar to the ones Xu Xiao had previously brought to Lu Yun.
Lu Yun, hearing such trivial gossip, was somewhat speechless. “Why do you care about other people’s business?”
Xu Xiao was retorted but explained, “I only thought of the young master’s children when I saw those two kids.”
Though he didn’t know what the young master’s children looked like, they were still part of the Lu family. As long as they were estranged from the family, Lu Yun’s heart would never be at ease.
Lu Yun remained silent.
“Have you packed everything?”
Xu Xiao nodded. “All packed.”
Lu Yun dressed and left the hospital room. Nearby, he heard the playful laughter of children.
He looked up, his gaze deep, turning toward the ward visible through the window.
A young woman wore a light blue cotton jacket, her face simple and without makeup, radiating a gentle and serene aura.
She smiled warmly, holding a little girl in one arm and holding the hand of a little boy with the other.
…It was the woman from the shopping mall.
“We’re being discharged!” Su Xingwan said happily.
“We’re going home!” The two little ones, still with their backs to Lu Yun, jumped for joy.
Su Xingwan could clearly feel that since they had been ill, their personalities had become more lively and cheerful.
This was exactly what she wanted to see.
Originally, the two little ones had been somewhat quiet and wary, always watching the adults’ expressions, when with the original owner.
That was not what she wished for.
She wanted to see children be themselves—to be children with all their innocent charm.
As the young woman led the two little ones out of the hospital room, Xu Xiao came up behind Lu Yun. His gaze followed the departing trio.
“President Lu, that’s the single mother I mentioned earlier. Though she doesn’t seem very skilled at taking care of her children, she has the demeanor of a mother and is very gentle with her kids.”
***
Lu Yun asked, “How do you know she’s a single mother?”
Xu Xiao chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious? I’ve passed by here these past few days and haven’t seen any man from her family come to the hospital.”
Lu Yun said, “It’s also possible her husband is just irresponsible.”
Xu Xiao paused, then admitted, “That’s true. A husband not coming doesn’t necessarily mean they’re divorced.”
***
Opening the door to their home, the warmth inside was comforting. The two little ones eagerly flopped onto the sofa and rolled around.
Su Xingwan turned on the heater, and soon the room grew cozy.
The two little ones took off their cotton jackets.
They looked at Auntie with bright, expectant eyes.
Su Xingwan noticed their unusual expressions and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Little Su Hua smiled brightly. “Auntie, did you forget something?”
Su Xingwan was stunned and then remembered.
She had bought corn and pork ribs for the soup early that morning but hadn’t yet dared to start cooking.
Little Su Luo said, “Auntie promised to make us corn and pork rib soup.”
Little Su Hua nodded beside him. “We really want to eat the corn soup Auntie makes!”
Su Xingwan said, “Then sit here nicely and wait. Auntie will go to the kitchen and make the corn and pork rib soup for you.”
“Okay!” The two little ones nodded eagerly, their faces full of anticipation.
Then Su Xingwan took out the tablet at home and, through a video app, casually selected an animated show for them to watch.
“You watch the cartoon here for a while. When Auntie’s soup is ready, I’ll call you.”
“Great!” The two little ones’ big eyes lit up instantly.
Auntie had really changed—she even let them watch cartoons now.
Seeing their excited little movements, Su Xingwan’s heart ached with tenderness. Such small children had hardly ever watched cartoons before.
In the kitchen, Su Xingwan looked at the recipe for corn and pork rib soup she had downloaded on her phone.