The memory of that near-death experience at the birthday banquet kept washing over the old man's mind.
"...I remember." In fact, the scene had been too chaotic at the time, so when he woke up, he asked Qin Sui who had accompanied him to the hospital.
At that time, Qin Sui firmly told him "it was Li Xiaoya."
So it wasn't difficult to deduce that the little child now walking beside Qin Sui...
"Is this Li Xiaoya?" Old Mr. Zhang bent slightly, lowering his gaze.
Most elderly people naturally harbor tolerance and affection towards children.
Old Mr. Zhang gave Li Xiaoya a kind smile.
"Yes, I'm Xiao Ya," Li Xiaoya responded in a soft voice.
Old Mr. Zhang nodded.
He should thank the child, but what gift would be better? The little one had taken the initiative to visit, so they were the ones being impolite.
"Whose child is she?" Old Mr. Zhang asked.
But Qin Sui didn't answer this question, instead saying: "Could you help her with something?"
"What is it? Tell me."
"Her family is ill and temporarily unable to take care of her. Could she stay at your place for a few days?"
Old Mr. Zhang was slightly taken aback.
The secretary beside him was also stunned, not because of the request itself.
He just felt that today, Qin Sui's words... were quite numerous.
It was rare for him to actively make requests on behalf of others.
Seemingly afraid Old Mr. Zhang would refuse, Qin Sui continued: "If possible, I'd like to stay at your place for a few days too. I'm usually very busy, and haven't had much chance..."
After his initial surprise, Old Mr. Zhang was left feeling delighted: "Of course, that's fine."
As people age, they particularly long for liveliness.
It's just that he now often needed to rest quietly, and could no longer easily walk into bustling crowds.
"Then we'll go back to pack our luggage first," Qin Sui said quickly.
This was an exceptionally rare display of enthusiasm. After all, in the past, nothing had ever seemed necessary or urgent to him.
Old Mr. Zhang agreed, and watched them leave.
The courtyard emptied again in an instant.
"It suddenly got lively for a moment, I'm not quite used to it," Old Mr. Zhang shook his head slowly.
The secretary remarked with deep emotion: "Their relationship seems quite good, how rare!... But Young Master Qin didn't say whose child she is. If her family is ill, don't they have a nanny to take care of her?"
"How can a nanny alone be enough to care for a child? Without adults around to watch, she might be more easily bullied."
"Anyway, it's not a big deal... I personally hope it can be livelier here too."
Old Mr. Zhang was old but not muddleheaded. He could see at a glance that Qin Sui seemed to have some purpose, but at his age, he intentionally overlooked the holes in the story.
"Then we'll need to hire a female nanny. This household hasn't taken care of a girl before, let alone such a young girl," the secretary frowned, a bit troubled.
Old Mr. Zhang was startled: "Yes... that is a problem."
He only had one son.
Because he had always been busy with work, he hardly knew how his son had been raised from childhood to adulthood... he had no idea how it had happened.
For a long time, Old Mr. Zhang had reflected on this, feeling that his son's reticence was due to his own inadequacy as a father, accompanying him too little.
Who knew that when he finally had free time, his son would become busy. Later on, there was no chance for father-son companionship at all.
Old Mr. Zhang lowered his head, muttering: "I never even properly raised a child..."
The secretary hurried to comfort him: "It's alright, Young Master Qin has a sister at home, he has experience."
Old Mr. Zhang raised his head at these words and closed his eyes.
For a moment, everything around was extremely quiet.
"Shall I take you home?" Qin Sui asked proactively outside.
Li Xiaoya had very little luggage. Basically, wherever she went, someone would prepare many new living supplies for her.
"Wait, let me make a phone call," Li Xiaoya turned her back, took out her phone and walked towards a big tree nearby, saying, "Wait for me there."
Qin Sui stood still, but was very puzzled inside.
Who was she calling? Why did she need to turn away from him?
He thought of the last time at the hospital... when Li Xiaoya's phone rang, she didn't answer immediately, but asked him to help report a number first.
Why?
Could there be some dangerous person on the other end of the line?
Qin Sui stared at Li Xiaoya's back with great interest.
Meanwhile, Li Xiaoya had just dialed Ke Muning's number.
After ringing for quite a while, the other end finally picked up.
"Hello." The voice was still hoarse.
Li Xiaoya asked: "What's wrong with you?"
"What? Nothing's wrong, I just had a bit to drink." Ke Muning raised his hand to support his forehead, his eyes showing bloodshot weariness.
Li Xiaoya looked up at the sky, the sun was high.
She suddenly remembered: "It's night where you are?"
"Yes." Ke Muning paused, getting off the bed, and asked: "Can you guess what I'm thinking?"
"What?"
"I was originally planning to call you tomorrow, to give you a little surprise. But you called first." Ke Muning's tone lifted slightly.
"Surprise?" Although the other side couldn't see, Li Xiaoya still tilted her head.
"Ha, I got you a very beautiful gift, you'll definitely like it! It's coming by international express, but should arrive soon."
"Thank you."
"Is that how you should say it? Sounds a bit formal, little crazy one."
Li Xiaoya tilted her head again, though the other side still couldn't see. She said: "Thank you, daddy... Is that how I should say it?"
"..."
"?"
"......"
When no new sound came from the phone for a while, Li Xiaoya couldn't help but take it down and tap it.
"I have something to say, Ke Muning, are you still there?" she asked in a crisp voice.
"Ha, didn't you just call me daddy? Why did you switch back?"
"Because I can't see your expression now, I don't know if you like hearing it," Li Xiaoya said seriously.
Ke Muning's eyes flickered.
Her craziness was different from his.
She was a child who was very good at reading people's expressions, and made each crazy decision after observation.
Observational skills were an excellent quality.
However, after meeting Li Jiang, Ke Muning suddenly felt that "being good at reading people" might not be a good thing when it came to children.
Ke Muning spoke up: "Then I'll tell you now, I like it. Call me that a hundred times, can you let me hear it?"
"But that would be very tiring."
"..." Ke Muning covered his face, a bit speechless, but still couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Ha, haha, alright." At least it showed she was willing to call him that, just afraid of getting tired.
"Okay, now tell me, what did you want to say?"
"When you left, did you give up the apartment?"
"No, do you want to live there?"
"Can I take away the things you bought for me?"
Ke Muning paused on the other end of the phone.
So the little one treasured the things adults gave her.
"Of course... you can. You can even take the whole apartment if you want."
"But I can't pull it away."
"Haha, hahahaha." How did the little crazy one get cuter and cuter?
His hand was itching!
Ke Muning stood up, pacing anxiously in two circles by the bed.
"Then I'll go get the things, bye-bye." Li Xiaoya hung up the phone.
Mm. This way nothing would be wasted.
Ke Muning sat by the window, staring at the bustling traffic below, unable to sleep.
He really couldn't sleep at all.
How could there be a child in this world who possessed both the qualities of craziness and a pitiful, endearing nature that made people want to dote on her?
Now that I've left, she won't secretly frame all the things I bought her, hug them in her arms, and cry secretly in the middle of the night, will she?
