“Mm.” Song Chuyi stroked her slightly messy hair and closed his book, saying, “Changqing, let’s sleep.”
“Oh.” Changqing blinked. Seeing how calm his eyes were, it seemed like he purely meant sleeping.
She secretly found it strange. Yesterday, he still said firmly that he was going to prove himself. Could it be that he was tired today too and hadn’t been able to recover?
Changqing suddenly wasn’t so happy. It seemed like Song Chuchu was very tired every day.
Tomorrow, she would get Auntie Zhang to make some tonics for him.
He couldn’t collapse from exhaustion at such a young age.
“Right, today Li Shaobin said that he would get some Wagyu beef from Japan next time.” Changqing said expectantly, “You’ll have to take me along next time.”
“I know. Wasn’t all the meat you had today enough?” Song Chuyi caressed her round tummy.
Changqing was like a little kitten, feeling comfortable and satisfied at his caress. She closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly after.
She woke up in the middle of the night, wanting to go to the washroom and realized that the space beside her was empty.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around. There was no one in the toilet too. However, there was a faint silhouette at the balcony outside.
Song Chuyi watched the moon with his back facing her. He was wearing a white singlet and he was delivering a flickering red light in his fingers to his mouth.
He was actually smoking?
Song Chuchu, who never smoked, was actually smoking?
His back was blurred under the moonlight and it made it hard for Changqing to recognize that this was Song Chuchu.
Changqing sat on the bed and looked for a while. She stood up barefooted and pulled open the sliding door of the balcony softly.
“Why are you awake?” Song Chuyi turned his head around. His black pupils were deep.
“I woke up to go to the toilet. Changqing looked at him carefully. “Chuchu, do you… have something on your mind? You’re even smoking. You don’t even smoke.”
Song Chuyi looked at the cigarette in his hand and extinguished it, saying lightly, “I’m thinking about a patient.”
“Then it must be a more troublesome case.” Changqing nodded. She could understand. He was a dutiful doctor and it was normal for him to be troubled by his patients. “However, if you don’t sleep well at night, your neuro system won’t have a good rest. The next day, your brain will function slower than others and that wouldn’t enable you to help your patients. Just don’t think of anything for now and get a good rest. Maybe you’ll be able to solve all your problems the moment you wake up.”
“The way you talk now sounds like you’re half a medical expert.” Song Chuyi smiled.
“Of course. I’m now the wife of a renowned surgeon,” Changqing said while lifting her brows.
“I know. Wife of a surgeon, aren’t you going to the toilet? Do you want me to carry you?” Song Chuyi laughed softly and stretched his arms out towards her.
“No way.” Changqing took a step back. “I’m going to the toilet now; come back to sleep quickly.”
Song Chuyi nodded and watched her receding back. A hint of worry flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Changqing came out from relieving herself and saw that he had come back from the balcony. She climbed into bed and hugged him from behind, resting her leg on his waist crudely.
Song Chuyi suddenly thought of that huge bear that used to be on her bed. Now, he had become the substitute for her huge bear.
The next morning, Changqing gave Grandma Song a call the moment she woke up. The moment Song Chuchu came out from the toilet, he saw her saying sweetly, “Grandma, happy birthday, I wish you a long life up until 100 years old, and I hope you live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains. May your happiness be as immense as the East Sea and may you get younger and prettier as you live. If you have nothing to do, you can do some line dancing and live to 150…”
Grandma Song laughed until she was unable to close her mouth. “You little thing, your mouth is so sweet early in the morning. Remember to come by and have dinner at home tonight. Come earlier and have a chat with Grandma.”
“Grandma, I have a program recording today and it might go on till at night, but I will head over to see you once I’m done. What do you say? Please don’t get angry. Actually, for you, I really didn’t want to go to the recording, aye, but if we don’t record the program, the broadcasting station won’t be able to broadcast it on schedule next week,” Changqing lamented.
The corners of Song Chuyi’s mouth twitched. This performance skill…
Grandma Song’s heart softened from hearing that. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Having the thought is enough. Do your work first; it won’t be too late if you come a little later.”
“Thank you, Grandma. I love you for ten thousand years. Muah.” Changqing hung up.
Song Chuyi had goosebumps all over.
“Chuchu, look, did I do well?” Changqing said delightedly.
“Very well. I’ll reward you with a lollipop after this.” Song Chuyi muttered to himself for a while and said, “If you really don’t have the time to drop by tonight, it’s okay too.”
“No, although I don’t really want to go to your house, that wouldn’t be very nice. I’ve promised Grandma and I can’t go back on my word. As long as I head over, no matter how late it is, that will show my good intentions.” Changqing went to the changing room to change barefooted.
Evening.
Song Chuyi drove to the Song Household after work.
In the courtyard of the Song Household, there were five to six luxurious cars and off-road cars. The car plate numbers were either zeros, eights or sevens. These were very familiar cars. They belonged to the friends and relatives of the Song Family.
The people invited for the Old Grandma’s birthday were all close friends and relatives of the Song Family. In the Song Family, until Song Huaisheng’s generation, the Old Grandma had four sons and a daughter. However, some of them married overseas and some migrated overseas. Only Song Huaisheng and the fourth son were still in the country.
After parking his car, Song Chuyi walked towards the house and saw Song Qiaoqiao, who was squatting by the door and admiring the little goldfish in the pond. The little five-year-old girl stared at the little fish and even used her finger to poke them from time to time.
At the side, Fourth Uncle Song Zhengru had a cigarette between his fingers and he said gently, “Chuyi, you’re back.”
Song Qiaoqiao lifted her head up and a bright smile immediately hung on her round, little face. She strode out with her little legs and opened her arms wide, pouncing at him. “Brother Chuyi, I want a hug…”
“Mm, Qiaoqiao has grown taller and fatter again…” Song Chuyi lowered his head and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Song Qiaoqiao pouted her little mouth unhappily. “I’m not fat; it’s called cute. Everyone else all says I’m cute.”
Song Chuyi laughed softly. Why did he feel that this five-year-old little girl looked so similar to the one in his house when she pouted? “Right. Cute. You’ve grown cuter and cuter.”
Only then did Song Qiaoqiao smile with satisfaction. “Brother Chuyi, I heard you found a pretty little sister for me—is that true? Why didn’t she come with you?”
“She’s at work and might come by only when it’s very late.” Song Chuyi thought for a while and added, “You’ll definitely like her more.”
“Why?” Song Qiaoqiao blinked.
“Because… she’s like you,” Song Chuyi said after thinking for a while.
“Like me?” Song Qiaoqiao’s eyes were wide open. “Could she be the same age as me? Brother Chuyi, could it be that you two are in a May-December romance?”
Song Chuyi: “…”
After not seeing her for some time, the little sister even knew what a May-December romance was.
Song Zhengru stared at her daughter. “Don’t spout nonsense.”
Song Qiaoqiao pouted unhappily from being lectured by her father.
What was that? Brother Chuyi plainly said that she was like her.
Song Chuyi turned his gaze to Song Zhengru and said with a slight smile, “Fourth Uncle, I have yet to congratulate you on your recent promotion.”
“After waiting for so many years, it was time for a promotion.” Song Zhengru squinted his exquisite and deep eyes. He took a puff slowly. “After a few days, when I’m steady in my position, I’ll greet some people for you and help bring up your position at the hospital.”
“It’s no rush at all,” Song Chuyi said lightly. “I don’t have enough experience yet and there’s still room for improvement in my medical skills. It wouldn’t hurt to grind myself for a while.”
Song Zhengru pointed at him with the cigarette and laughed. “Your father wasn’t wrong. You really are a medical-geek. I think you’re not at all interested in status.”
Song Chuyi smiled silently. That was true.
As a doctor, he didn’t really prioritize power. What was important was the satisfaction that came from saving people.
“However… it can’t continue on like that,” Song Zhengru said. “Your dad’s intentions are that since you already have a career and a family, it’s time for you to take some time off to make a baby and not only focus on medicine. Actually, children are quite cute.”
“Yeah, just like me.” Song Qiaoqiao immediately lifted her face sweetly. “Brother Chuyi, all the best. Give birth to a cute baby like me. That way, I can become an aunt.”
Song Chuyi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She was only five and she wanted to become an aunt…
“Chuyi, you’re back. Why are you standing at the door? Come in to keep Grandma company.” Inside, the oldest cousin, Song Junle, addressed him.
“Then I shall go in first.” Song Chuyi wanted to put Song Qiaoqiao down, but the little girl refused to let go and just wanted him to carry her.
He had no choice but to carry Song Qiaoqiao in, greeting every guest and relative.
When it was dinner time, one relative said, “Why isn’t Chulang back yet?”
“Give him a call,” Dai Ai said while looking at Song Chuyi.
Song Chuyi’s face froze and he took out his phone to give Song Chulang a call. The phone rang for a while without anyone picking up. He said, “He should be getting home soon; that’s why he’s not picking up.”
“It doesn’t even cost much to pick up a call,” someone said with a laugh.
“Let’s bring up the dishes first before waiting,” Song Huaisheng said.
When the table-full of food was served, the sound of the car engine came from outside.
“Chulang must be back.” The Old Grandma stood up with a laugh.
The living room was lively with chatter and laughter.
However, when the two silhouettes entering through the door could be seen, all the laughter in the living room suddenly paused.
Song Qiaoqiao, who had been nestling in Song Chuyi’s embrace, suddenly felt the grip on her tightening and felt uncomfortable. She lifted her head up and saw Song Chuyi’s frozen expression then looked at the quiet crowd. Lastly, her gaze landed on the beautiful figure beside Brother Chulang and she broke the silence with her harmless words. “Brother Chulang, is this your girlfriend?”
“No, she’s also a sister.” Song Chulang looked at the person beside him. Her misty eyes were locked at a certain place and they moistened up. He called softly, “Yunyang…”
She suddenly came to and walked up with a gift in her hands, saying with an exceptionally hoarse voice, “Grandma, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I know it’s your birthday today and I sought out these red sandalwood Buddhist beads for you when I was in India. I wish you a long life, up to 100 years old.”
Grandma Song watched and didn’t move, only saying lightly, “What kind of Buddhist beads does our magnificent China not have that you had to seek them out from India?”