After saying goodbye to the doctor, Xia Yu arrived in front of Kong Hanyue’s ward.
He first adjusted his expression, showing a look of grief, and then opened the ward door.
Kong Hanyue, who was happily playing with her phone on the bed, panicked upon seeing Xia Yu’s expression.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Approaching the bed, Xia Yu took Kong Hanyue’s hand, his face filled with sorrow: “The doctor said there’s no need to continue treatment.”
“What? Haven’t I been feeling much better lately!” Kong Hanyue looked at Xia Yu in shock. Previously, he had told her this was just a minor surgery—how could it suddenly become an incurable disease?
Xia Yu didn’t answer, only looking heavily at Kong Hanyue.
Kong Hanyue felt increasingly uneasy. Aside from giving birth to Xia Yu and Youxue, this was her first time undergoing surgery, and she already felt somewhat anxious.
She thought of scenes from TV dramas where protagonists deceive their parents about having terminal illnesses, claiming they’re just minor illnesses.
She anxiously looked at Xia Yu: “Have you been lying to me? What illness do I actually have?”
Not knowing what Kong Hanyue had imagined, Xia Yu remained silent.
Kong Hanyue took this silence as confirmation. Her hand loosened, and her phone slipped down.
Pah—
The phone fell to the ground.
Looking at the phone on the floor, Kong Hanyue’s eyes became unfocused.
She saw Xia Yu stand up.
“Where are you going?” Kong Hanyue grabbed Xia Yu’s hand.
“I’m going to handle the final procedures for you,” Xia Yu said.
Kong Hanyue’s mind flashed images of coffins, graveyards, and crematoriums. She tightly gripped Xia Yu: “I think I can still be saved!”
“The doctor said it’s okay to give up,” Xia Yu replied.
“No way! I haven’t even finished the Kong family genealogy yet!” Kong Hanyue’s will to live was strong.
As the two were tugging, the doctor knocked and walked in.
Seeing that the two showed no sign of leaving, the doctor asked in confusion: “Why haven’t you left yet?”
Hearing the doctor’s words of dismissal firsthand, Kong Hanyue completely lost hope. She released Xia Yu’s hand and lowered her head.
Two seconds later, she asked in a hoarse voice: “Doctor, how much longer do I have to live?”
The doctor looked puzzled: “How should I know how much longer you have? I’m a doctor, not a fortune teller.”
“What’s the general timeframe? How long can I usually survive with my illness?” Kong Hanyue pressed.
The doctor frowned, scratching his bald head: “You’re already recovered. The surgery was very successful.”
Silence filled the ward. Kong Hanyue turned to look at Xia Yu, who had quietly moved toward the door.
She threw off the blanket and chased after him.
After running a few steps, Xia Yu saw that Kong Hanyue wouldn’t give up until she caught him. Worried she might injure her wound, he had no choice but to stop.
“You ungrateful child, you actually tricked me!” Kong Hanyue grabbed Xia Yu’s collar with her left hand and hit him with her right.
“I didn’t lie. I said there’s no need for treatment anymore. If you’re healed, of course there’s no need for treatment!” Xia Yu defended himself while protecting his face.
After hitting him a dozen times, Kong Hanyue let go, her hand aching and her temper flaring.
“Quickly, let’s go handle the discharge procedures!” Kong Hanyue went back to her room to pick up her phone and pulled Xia Yu toward the elevator.
Once her anger subsided, she became happy again at the thought of no longer having to stay in bed.
Xia Yu was equally cheerful because he had successfully tricked Kong Hanyue.
The only one in a bad mood was the doctor standing aside.
The doctor asked the philosophical three questions: Who am I? Where am I? What happened?
Three seconds later, having deduced the cause and effect, he scratched his head.
The young nurse behind the doctor looked enviously at the direction Xia Yu and Kong Hanyue left: “These young people are really playful.”
“Young people?” The doctor glanced at the nurse beside him. “They’re mother and son.”
The nurse looked at the doctor in shock: “Mother and son?”
“You couldn’t tell, right? I wouldn’t have noticed either if I hadn’t seen the medical records,” the doctor marveled. “I wonder how she maintains her youth. It’s a pity my wife has become an old hag. Otherwise, I’d definitely ask her.”
“Doctor, why didn’t you ask for me!” the nurse complained, missing the opportunity.
The doctor gave the nurse a sidelong glance: “If I asked, would it benefit your husband? I’m not stupid.”
Turning around, the doctor returned to his office.
Downstairs, Xia Yu and Kong Hanyue, who had been discussed by the doctor, got into the car.
After the car left the hospital, Xia Yu received a call from An Siyao.
“How is Mom doing?” An Siyao asked.
“She’ll be home in an hour. She’ll be nagging you soon,” Xia Yu replied.
Glancing at Kong Hanyue, Xia Yu saw her snatch his phone.
“Hello, Siyao, I’m almost home. Is Yinyin at your place?” Kong Hanyue asked.
“Grandma, grandma!” a little girl’s voice came from the phone.
Before Kong Hanyue could reply, the girl hastily corrected herself: “Oops, not grandma. I know I made a mistake—it’s ‘big sister’!”
Xia Yu rubbed his forehead. Only Kong Hanyue in the entire world would have her granddaughter call her “big sister.”
“It’s okay, just call me grandma,” Kong Hanyue said with a sigh.
The grandmother and granddaughter chatted for a while. Kong Hanyue then shared some experiences about her second pregnancy with An Siyao before hanging up.
Xia Yu took the phone back and casually checked Kong Hanyue’s forehead temperature.
“What are you doing!” Kong Hanyue slapped Xia Yu’s hand away, angrily questioning him.
“You don’t have a fever. Why do you suddenly realize you’re a grandma today?” Xia Yu looked at Kong Hanyue curiously.
Kong Hanyue didn’t answer immediately. She looked out the window and sighed:
“I used to play happily by myself, feeling like whether you were around or not didn’t make much difference. But after being sick for a few days, I feel like you’re actually quite important.”
Xia Yu looked at Kong Hanyue in surprise, not expecting her to have gained insight after her illness.
Kong Hanyue was immersed in self-reflection and didn’t notice Xia Yu’s gaze. She continued: “In the past, I could act spoiled when something happened. Now I realize it’s not so easy anymore.”
Xia Yu stroked his chin, feeling that Kong Hanyue’s return to normal was a good thing, so he didn’t say anything. Most importantly, the chaotic generational relationships had finally returned to normal.
“I’ll come back to help you take care of the kids. I’m confident in raising children. Look at you and Youxue, and Zexue and Xinxin—they’re all good kids,” Kong Hanyue looked at Xia Yu expectantly.
Xia Yu didn’t know how to respond. Having lived two lifetimes, he had raised Youxue since childhood himself, Zhong Yunze was well-raised by his father, and Zhong Yunxin was a delinquent girl, managed only through strict discipline. He couldn’t figure out where Kong Hanyue got her confidence.
Seeing Xia Yu’s silence, Kong Hanyue took it as agreement and began making specific arrangements: “Starting today, Yinyin will sleep with me. That way, you can do whatever you want at night more conveniently.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Yu, who had previously been indifferent, suddenly looked fierce.
Yinyin had always slept with him at night. Kong Hanyue was trying to take his daughter away!
Although having Yinyin around made things inconvenient at night.
While Xia Yu was wavering, Kong Hanyue continued with her plans: “Following your upbringing experience, I’ll give Yinyin some money every day and have her do laundry, cook, and handle housework. I’ll just lie there and create challenges for Yinyin’s growth. You can occasionally be strict with her, letting her know from an early age to be strong…”
Kong Hanyue excitedly talked for five minutes, recounting Xia Yu’s childhood environment, attempting to replicate his success.
“What do you think?” Kong Hanyue looked at Xia Yu.
Xia Yu calmly analyzed and carefully considered before reaching a conclusion: “…Maybe it’s better if Yinyin still calls you ‘big sister’?”
“No way! I’ve decided to be a grown-up who doesn’t act spoiled anymore!” Kong Hanyue was resolute.
Adults wouldn’t lie around making children work! And you’re already old enough to be a grandma, yet you’re only now deciding to act like an adult psychologically?
“You can call Siyao and the others ‘mom,’ so you’ll have someone to act spoiled with,” Xia Yu tried to persuade Kong Hanyue.
“You consider yourself my son, yet you want to be my dad?” Kong Hanyue looked at Xia Yu in fear.
Bringing the topic back, Xia Yu continued his persuasion.
When they arrived home, Xia Yu still hadn’t convinced Kong Hanyue.
As soon as they entered the house, Kong Hanyue eagerly began implementing her plan. She handed her phone and its payment password to her granddaughter Yinyin, starting the experiment.
Xia Yu watched worriedly but soon realized his concerns were unfounded.
Kong Hanyue’s phone had plenty of money. The Yu family’s mobile payment, food delivery, and online shopping systems were already well-established. Yinyin only needed to tap on her phone to support her useless grandmother.
After being taken care of for two days, Kong Hanyue reverted to her old self. The grandmother and granddaughter resumed calling each other sister and played games together.
Xia Yu turned off the computer monitor and sighed.
This mother was beyond help.
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