Sui Yu's face was serene: "Okay."
Sui Yan obediently opened his arms and hugged his mother, wrapping his little arms around her neck and saying to his brother: "Brother, you have to bring sister over soon too."
Sui Yu smiled: "Okay, Sui Yan, don't worry."
Seeing everyone off, Sui Yu rubbed his brow and leaned back against the door frame, closing his eyes to rest.
After some time had passed, a girl's slightly hoarse voice sounded: "Why are you still here?"
Sui Yu opened his eyes and unsurprisingly saw Ye Anning standing before him, her pretty eyes slightly moist.
"Done crying?" The young man's voice was light, as if he had guessed this situation from the start.
Ye Anning gave a wry smile: "Yeah, where are they? Let's go find them."
Recalling how pitiful little Sui Yan looked curled up in front of Ye Wan's bed, worrying terribly, Ye Anning couldn't help but bite her lip hard.
Only by witnessing this herself would she know just how cruel the truth really was...
Sui Yu lowered his eyelids, not consoling her: "Let's go."
"Mm."
Sui Yan, who had come with his mother to the sickroom, ran up to Ye Wan again. The little boy didn't say anything, just kept looking worriedly at Ye Wan's belly.
Liu Hua tucked Ye Wan's blanket around her, her voice softening: "You just rest and recover here. Anning will keep staying at my place."
Ye Wan gave a weary smile: "I've wronged you so much, yet you're still helping me."
She had always felt regretful towards Liu Hua and Sui Yan, even though it didn't seem like she had done anything unethical.
Liu Hua clicked her tongue: "Don't overthink it, Sui Jinhong and I discussed it thoroughly before divorcing. It's just... if he hadn't insisted on custody of Sui Yan back then, I wouldn't have been so unwelcoming of him coming to my home even now."
"But he was right to worry, I really wasn't fit to raise a child at that time. It's a good thing AhMan was there."
Seeing Liu Hua's retrospective look, Ye Wan felt a bit better. She couldn't help but tease: "So when are you planning to get a marriage certificate with this man? We've all been waiting a long time."
Xu Yi, who was named, felt both surprised and a little delighted.
He had wanted to remind Liu Hua too, but was afraid of putting too much pressure on her.
Liu Hua turned to look at the visibly nervous Xu Yi, smiling: "It'll be in the next few days, before the new year. We won't have a wedding ceremony, just invite everyone out for a meal."
Xu Yi, who had been eavesdropping intently, was suddenly dumbstruck with delight: "Really? Little Hua, you..."
Liu Hua spread her hands: "Didn't I ask you to pick a date before? Since you never gave me an exact date, I just chose one on the calendar myself."
Xu Yi was puzzled: "But you never brought it up again after that, even when I was so obviously hinting at you. You just ignored me."
Liu Hua fell into thought: "Could there already be a generation gap between us?"
Xu Yi: "...?"
Ye Wan burst into laughter at the absurd pair: "You two are just playing around, aren't you?"
Liu Hua protested: "It's definitely not my fault."
Xu Yi smiled wryly: "It's all my fault."
Liu Hua grunted in satisfaction, then turned to her obedient little boy and clapped her hands: "Sui Yan, come here."
Sui Yan ran over and hugged his mother's leg: "Mommy, I'm hungry."
AhMan promptly handed over Sui Yan's little backpack: "Sui Yan, do you want to have some small cookies first? There's also yogurt in there."
Liu Hua frowned slightly: "It's almost mealtime now anyway. What would you all like to eat? Let's order takeout."
Sui Yan had already started rummaging through his little backpack, opening a bag of small cookies and a bottle of yogurt to drink eagerly.
Liu Hua felt pity: "Was Sui Yan really that hungry? Mommy will order takeout now and have food delivered."
AhMan reminded: "Madam, do you want to order a prenatal meal set too?"
Liu Hua nodded: "Yes, and also a kids' meal... and get another portion for the few children back home, I almost forgot about them."
Sui Yan raised his hand: "I want meat!"
Liu Hua didn't tease the little boy anymore: "Okay, the meat that Sui Yan loves the most."
Ye Wan watched their family, her expression growing ever more gentle.
Sui Yu and Ye Anning stood outside the sickroom looking in, making sure they hadn't gotten the wrong room before knocking.
AhMan heard the sound and immediately went to open the door: "It must be little Sui Yu and Anning... why did you two take so long to come over?"
Sui Yu covered for Ye Anning: "Sister AhMan, we almost got lost finding the way just now."
Ye Wan looked towards the doorway: "Anning!"
Ye Anning immediately ran to Ye Wan's side: "Mom, sorry, I just went to use the restroom."
Ye Wan smiled wryly: "You silly child, what is there to apologize for?"
The atmosphere was harmonious on this side, until Sui Jinhong returned after completing the formalities. After everyone had finished eating, Liu Hua was going to take the children back home.
Holding a little girl's hand in each of hers, she said to Ye Wan: "Then we'll head home first. There are still a few kids back home. If you need any help here, just let me know and I'll have AhMan come help take care of you."
Ye Wan sighed with a smile: "This is already too much trouble for you when you're caring for so many children. I can hire a couple of caregivers or nannies to come over."
Liu Hua considered: "That works too, I suppose."
Sui Yan clutched his mother's hand, innocently bidding Ye Wan farewell: "Goodbye Auntie Ye, you and the little brother take care."
Ye Wan waved with a smile: "Okay, goodbye Sui Yan. Anning needs to be good staying at Auntie Liu's house."
"Mm, I'll come see you again tomorrow, Mom."
...Divider...
Shen Nian was a girl who didn't stay here long before going home, leaving just the three boys behind.
Sui Zhi was sprawled across the sofa, taking up several people's worth of space: "Why aren't they back yet? Did they forget about us again?"
Qiao Ze was holding a medical book, looking as composed as ever: "It's fine, at least they remembered to order us takeout so we don't starve."
Qi Linhan looked at them with a pitying gaze: "Is your position in the household really like this?"
Sui Zhi tilted his head to look at him: "Is it not like this for you at home?"
Qi Linhan cleared his throat awkwardly: "I'm just a bit surprised. So this is how it is for everyone."
At the lowest status in the family.
As they spoke, voices sounded from the entrance.
Sui Yan was gesticulating animatedly as he spoke: "Mom, the braised pork for lunch was so delicious! I want to eat it again next time!"
Liu Hua looked disgusted: "Sui Yan always eats the most every time."
As she spoke, she opened the door to their home, but was immediately met with the expressionless faces of the three boys in the living room.
This scene... why did it seem vaguely familiar?
