Shen Qingzhou drove Lin Qiao back home. He parked the car outside the gate, unlocked the doors, and said, “You go back first.”
Lin Qiao asked, “What about you?”
Shen Qingzhou glanced at the back seat, implying something, and said, “I need to deal with these things.”
She didn’t need him to elaborate; just imagining what he was about to do was enough to make her feel uneasy. She was already quite frightened, so she definitely wouldn’t insist on going with him.
“Then when will you come back?” Lin Qiao asked, unfastening her seatbelt.
Shen Qingzhou checked his watch, his deep eyes slightly narrowing as he softly replied, “Not sure. If I’m too late, don’t wait for me. Have dinner and go to sleep.”
Lin Qiao hurriedly said, “No, I’m scared being alone at home.”
Shen Qingzhou took her hand and kissed it gently. He furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before saying, “Then go to the hospital. Duxinling and Xiaoning are there. There’s an empty bed in the ward. You can drive Duxinling out and sleep there tonight.”
Lin Qiao thought this plan was feasible, but she still hoped he would return, “If you finish early, come pick me up. I still want to be with you.”
Shen Qingzhou tightened his grip on her hand, slightly lifting the corner of his lips, and softly hummed in agreement before starting the car and driving toward the hospital.
When they arrived at the hospital, Lin Qiao got out and said goodbye to Shen Qingzhou. After giving her a few instructions, he was about to roll up the window and leave when Lin Qiao said, “Be careful yourself.”
Shen Qingzhou gave no clear response, waved at her to go inside first, and Lin Qiao shook her head, “You go first. I’ll watch you leave.”
Shen Qingzhou’s lips curled upward, his dark eyes sparkling like stars. He simply said one word: “Okay.”
Seeing his smile, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile too. After saying goodbye, Shen Qingzhou turned the steering wheel and drove off in the opposite direction. Watching his car disappear into the distance, Lin Qiao felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy.
Lin Qiao hadn’t informed Duxinling beforehand about coming to the hospital, so when he saw her, he was quite surprised.
His surprise wasn’t alone; others in the ward were also taken aback.
Besides Xiaoning and Duxinling, there were two unexpected guests in the ward: Qi Zheng and Jian Shi.
Jian Shi was the secretary of Fang Zheng’s father, Fang Mingjun. Her presence here was likely at Fang Mingjun’s request, though part of it might have been her own decision.
Lin Qiao hadn’t seen her in a long time, so seeing her here with Xiaoning was quite unexpected.
Compared to Jian Shi, Qi Zheng’s presence was more understandable. After all, Lin Qiao already knew about Qi Zheng’s complicated history with Xiaoning’s parents. Xiaoning’s blood might even partially come from him.
“Lin Qiao, why are you here?” Duxinling asked, stepping forward, “Perfect, come in. I’m entertaining guests. Why don’t you keep Xiaoning company for a while?”
With just the word “guests,” Duxinling clearly defined the relationships among everyone present. Qi Zheng and Jian Shi didn’t speak, but they looked at Lin Qiao, who, however, didn’t look at them.
Lin Qiao nodded at Duxinling, closed the door quietly, and walked to the bed, sitting beside Xiaoning and gently touching his face. Xiaoning instinctively snuggled into her arms, looking slightly frightened toward Qi Zheng.
Why was Xiaoning afraid of Qi Zheng? Had Qi Zheng said something? Lin Qiao subtly looked toward Qi Zheng, who was also looking at them. He gazed at Xiaoning in her arms, as if sighing, then raised his eyes to meet Lin Qiao’s. His dark pupils were filled with embarrassment.
Lin Qiao turned her gaze back, patted Xiaoning’s shoulder gently, and whispered, “It’s so late, why aren’t you sleeping yet? Aren’t you tired?”
Shen Qingzhou drove Lin Qiao back home, parked the car outside the gate, unlocked the doors, and said, “You go in first.”
Lin Qiao asked, “What about you?”
Shen Qingzhou glanced at the back seat, implying, “I need to deal with these things.”
Even without him saying it, just thinking about it made Lin Qiao realize that handling those things wouldn’t be pleasant. She was already quite frightened and certainly wouldn’t insist on going along.
“Then when will you be back?” Lin Qiao unbuckled her seatbelt and asked.
Shen Qingzhou checked his watch, his deep eyes narrowing slightly as he said in a low voice, “It’s hard to say. If I’m too late, don’t wait for me. Have some dinner and go to bed first.”
Lin Qiao quickly replied, “No, I’m scared to be home alone.”
Shen Qingzhou took her hand, kissed it, furrowed his brow as if thinking, and after a moment said, “Then why don’t you go to the hospital? Du Xinling and Xiao Ning are both there. There’s an empty bed in the ward. You can kick Du Xinling out and sleep there tonight.”
Lin Qiao thought the plan was feasible, but she still hoped he would return: “If you finish early, come pick me up. I’d rather be with you.”
Shen Qingzhou tightened his grip on her hand, curled his lips into a soft smile, and hummed in agreement before starting the car and driving toward the hospital.
When they arrived at the hospital, Lin Qiao got out and said goodbye to Shen Qingzhou. After he gave her a few instructions and was about to close the window and leave, Lin Qiao said before he could, “Be careful.”
Shen Qingzhou didn’t respond but waved for her to go inside first. Lin Qiao shook her head and said, “You go first. I’ll watch you leave.”
Shen Qingzhou smiled, his dark eyes sparkling like stars. He only said one word: “Okay.”
Seeing his smile, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile too. Shen Qingzhou said goodbye, turned the steering wheel, and drove off in the opposite direction. Lin Qiao watched his car disappear, feeling inexplicably melancholic.
Lin Qiao hadn’t informed Du Xinling in advance about coming to the hospital, so he was surprised to see her.
Not just him—others in the room were surprised too.
Besides Xiao Ning and Du Xinling, there were two unexpected guests: Qi Zheng and Jian Shi.
Jian Shi was the secretary of Fang Zheng’s father, Fang Mingjun. It was likely Fang Mingjun had sent her, though there was a small chance she had come on her own.
It had been a long time since Lin Qiao had seen her, so running into her at Xiao Ning’s room was quite a surprise.
Seeing Qi Zheng, however, was somewhat understandable. After all, Lin Qiao already knew about the connection between Qi Zheng and Xiao Ning’s parents. The blood flowing in Xiao Ning’s veins might very well be half his.
“Lin Qiao, what brings you here?” Du Xinling asked, stepping forward. “Perfect timing. Come in. I’m entertaining guests here. Keep Xiao Ning company for a bit.”
The simple word “guests” clearly delineated the relationships in the room. Neither Qi Zheng nor Jian Shi spoke. They looked at Lin Qiao, but she avoided their gaze.
Lin Qiao nodded at Du Xinling, closed the door quietly, walked to the bedside, sat next to Xiao Ning, and touched his face. He instinctively snuggled into her arms, looking somewhat fearfully toward Qi Zheng.
Why was Xiao Ning afraid of Qi Zheng? What had Qi Zheng said? Lin Qiao subtly glanced at Qi Zheng, who was also watching them. He seemed to sigh as he looked at Xiao Ning in Lin Qiao’s arms, then raised his eyes to meet Lin Qiao’s gaze, his dark eyes filled with embarrassment.
Lin Qiao averted her eyes and patted Xiao Ning’s shoulder, whispering, “It’s so late. Aren’t you sleepy?”
Xiao Ning said pitifully, “They’re too noisy. I can’t sleep.”
Qi Zheng hung his head in shame, rubbing his throbbing temples.
Jian Shi pursed her lips and said softly, “Mr. Du, it seems I’ve come at a bad time. I’ll visit another day. I’ll take my leave now. Goodbye.” She turned to Xiao Ning and waved. “Xiao Ning, rest well. Auntie is leaving.”
Xiao Ning ignored her, burying his face in Lin Qiao’s chest, which left Jian Shi somewhat embarrassed.
Lin Qiao said calmly, “The child is a bit shy. Don’t take it to heart, Miss Jian.”
Hearing this, Jian Shi felt even more ashamed. She covered her mouth with a cough and hurried away.
With Jian Shi gone, only Qi Zheng remained as the outsider. Qi Zheng also knew he shouldn’t overstay his welcome. He sighed and said, “Mr. Du, I still hope you’ll consider my suggestion. After all, I have the right to know the truth.”
Du Xinling smiled and said, “Sir, telling me this is really useless. You need to talk to Shen Qingzhou. He’s Xiao Ning’s father and his legal guardian. Xiao Ning’s surname is Shen—he’s Shen Ning, not Du Ning.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ning complained, “Yeah, Du Ning sounds awful. Shen Ning is much nicer!”
Du Xinling glanced helplessly at Xiao Ning, rubbed his nose, and smiled somewhat aggrievedly.
Xiao Ning curved his lips into a well-behaved smile, looking incredibly handsome and adorable. Lin Qiao felt her heart melt and couldn’t help but stroke his head.
Qi Zheng naturally saw Xiao Ning’s smile too. His gaze seemed distant, and after a long while, he said, “Then could you please convey my message to Mr. Shen? I doubt he’d agree to meet with me.”
Du Xinling spread his hands and said, “You might not know this, but I’m just his business partner. He won’t listen to me about matters outside work. I’ve always been the one playing nanny to him—he’s always the boss. Who told him he’s the master? What can I do? Talented people have the right to be arrogant, right?”
Though his words were blunt, the meaning was clear. Not only did he outright reject Qi Zheng’s request, but he also made it impossible for Qi Zheng to ask any further favors.
Qi Zheng sighed, wanting to pin his hopes on Lin Qiao. The moment he looked at her, Lin Qiao knew what he was thinking. She immediately said, “Don’t count on me. I’m on Shen Qingzhou’s side.”
Qi Zheng seemed to have a headache. He took one last reluctant look at Xiao Ning and finally left with a sigh.
After he left, Lin Qiao coaxed Xiao Ning to sleep. Once he was sound asleep, she called Du Xinling outside to talk.
“Why was Qi Zheng here?” Lin Qiao asked quietly.
Du Xinling whispered, “It’s because of the child. He wants to take Xiao Ning for a paternity test to see if Xiao Ning is his son or someone else’s.”
Lin Qiao said coldly, “What does he mean? If Xiao Ning is his, does he want to take him back?”
Du Xinling said, “Exactly. Can’t you tell? If the child is really his, he’ll definitely want him back. He didn’t come before because he couldn’t find us. Now that we’re all in Beijing and the hospital is fixed, of course he’d show up.”
Lin Qiao said, “We absolutely cannot agree. He shouldn’t even think about it. Why bother with a paternity test? If he’s truly remorseful, he should be willing to take care of the child regardless of whether he’s the biological father or not.”
Du Xinling pursed his lips and said, “Even if he is sincere, Shiheng would never agree to let him take the child back. But you—I find you quite interesting. Most girls wouldn’t want to become a stepmother right after marriage, but you’re different. You don’t want to lose this little burden.”
Lin Qiao shot him a glance and said, “Xiao Ning is not a burden. Don’t talk nonsense. Shen Qingzhou isn’t so poor that he can’t afford to raise a child. What’s the harm in raising a few more?”
“I think you say that because Xiao Ning likes you. What if he didn’t like you and forced Shen Qingzhou to break up with you? Would you still feel the same way?” Du Xinling asked pointedly.
Lin Qiao sighed helplessly. “Let me put it this way: everything has an order. I came later. If Xiao Ning didn’t like me, of course he’d have the right to suggest to his father not to be with me. But these are all hypotheticals. Doesn’t he like me a lot?” Lin Qiao curled her lips smugly. “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Why was Jian Shi here?”
Du Xinling said with a headache, “I wanted to ask you the same thing. Why don’t you keep an eye on your man? He’s attracting bees and butterflies everywhere. That lady comes to the hospital every few days. If people didn’t know better, they’d think she was Xiao Ning’s stepmother!”
Lin Qiao frowned. “Haven’t you told her to stop coming?”
“How could I? She’s a woman, after all. I’m a man—I can’t say something that harsh.”
In this regard, he was completely different from Shen Qingzhou. Lin Qiao nodded and said, “Alright then, I’ll think about what to do. You go rest. I’ll watch Xiao Ning tonight.”
“I’ll just rest in the next room. If anything happens, call me. I have nowhere else to go anyway.”
“Goodnight then. Rest early.”
Du Xinling bid Lin Qiao goodbye and went into the adjacent room. Lin Qiao returned to Xiao Ning’s room and found him awake again.
Surprised, Lin Qiao asked, “Why are you up?”
Xiao Ning, half-sitting on the bed with sleepy eyes, pouted and said, “I can’t sleep.”
Lin Qiao closed the door, turned off the main light, leaving only a soft small lamp on, walked to the bedside, sat on a chair, and looked at Xiao Ning at eye level. “You’re lying. Your eyes are so sleepy you can barely keep them open. How could you not be sleepy?”
Xiao Ning pursed his lips, as if he couldn’t hold it in any longer, and said, “Auntie Lin, where did my dad go? I haven’t seen him for days.”
The child was probably frightened by Qi Zheng today and missed his father terribly. Lin Qiao was also worried about Shen Qingzhou, who had gone to handle important matters. She sighed softly and said, “Be good, Xiao Ning. Go to sleep tonight. Auntie Lin will stay with you. When you wake up tomorrow, I’ll take you to find Daddy, okay?”
Xiao Ning lay back down, pulled the covers over himself, turned to look at Lin Qiao for a long time, and whispered, “Auntie Lin, can I call Daddy?”
Lin Qiao was taken aback. She thought Shen Qingzhou might be busy and unsure if he’d have time to answer, but she couldn’t bear to see Xiao Ning sad. So, she took out her phone and called Shen Qingzhou.
Fortunately, Shen Qingzhou wasn’t too busy to answer. The ringtone didn’t last long before his voice came through. It was very quiet on his end, and his voice sounded even more magnetic over the phone.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lin Qiao glanced at Xiao Ning, who was full of hope and had climbed out of bed to snuggle close to her, waiting to take the call. She quickly said, “Xiao Ning misses you a lot and wants to talk to you.”
Shen Qingzhou was silent for a few seconds, then said in an even deeper voice, “Put him on.”
Lin Qiao complied and handed the phone to Xiao Ning, who immediately took it and exclaimed, “Daddy!”
Since Xiao Ning was holding the phone, Lin Qiao couldn’t hear what Shen Qingzhou was saying—only Xiao Ning’s responses.
Xiao Ning seemed very happy, constantly saying “mm-hmm.” Shen Qingzhou was probably telling him something. After listening for a while, Xiao Ning said, “Daddy, will you come see me tomorrow?”
Shen Qingzhou must have agreed, because Xiao Ning then said joyfully, “Mm-hmm! Okay! I’ll be good. I’ll protect Auntie Lin. Don’t worry!”
Lin Qiao was startled, not expecting Shen Qingzhou to say such things to Xiao Ning. While she was still processing, Xiao Ning added, “Yes, I’m a man. I won’t let Daddy down.”
Hearing these words, Lin Qiao’s eyes reddened. It wasn’t because she was overly emotional or easily brought to tears—it was just the sudden realization that having such a wonderful child thinking of you and caring for you from somewhere was truly a wonderful thing.
She couldn’t help but place a hand on her stomach, wondering when she might have a child like that herself.
Qi Zheng lowered his head in shame, rubbing his throbbing temples.
Jian Shi pursed her lips and softly said, “Mr. Du, I think I came at a bad time. I’ll come another day. I’ll leave now. Goodbye.” She looked at Xiaoning and waved, “Xiaoning, rest well. Auntie is leaving now.”
Xiaoning ignored her, burying his face into Lin Qiao’s arms, which left Jian Shi somewhat embarrassed.
Lin Qiao said calmly, “The child is a bit shy around strangers. Miss Jian, please don’t take it to heart.”
Hearing this, Jian Shi felt even more humiliated. She coughed lightly and hastily left.
With Jian Shi gone, only Qi Zheng remained as an outsider. Knowing he shouldn’t overstay, Qi Zheng sighed and said, “Mr. Du, I still hope you can seriously consider my suggestion. After all, I also have the right to know the truth.”
Duxinling smiled and said, “Sir, talking to me like this is useless. You should go to Shen Qingzhou. He is Xiaoning’s father and legal guardian. Xiaoning’s surname is Shen, not Du. His name is Shen Ning, not Du Ning.”
Hearing this, Xiaoning protested, “Yes, Du Ning sounds terrible. Shen Ning sounds much nicer!”
Shen Qingzhou drove Lin Qiao back home, parked the car outside the gate, and unlocked the doors, saying, “You go in first.”
Lin Qiao asked, “What about you?”
Shen Qingzhou glanced at the back seat, hinting at something, and replied, “I need to take care of these things.”
Even without him saying it, Lin Qiao could imagine that dealing with those things wouldn’t be pleasant. She was already quite frightened and certainly wouldn’t insist on going along.
“Then when will you be back?” Lin Qiao unbuckled her seatbelt and asked.
Shen Qingzhou checked his watch, his deep eyes narrowing slightly as he said softly, “It’s hard to say. If I’m too late, don’t wait for me. Have some dinner and go to bed.”
Lin Qiao quickly responded, “No, I’m scared to be home alone.”
Shen Qingzhou took her hand, kissed it, furrowed his brow as if thinking, and after a moment said, “Then why don’t you go to the hospital? Du Xinling and Xiao Ning are both there. There’s an empty bed in the ward. You can kick Du Xinling out and sleep there tonight.”
Lin Qiao thought the plan was feasible, but she still hoped he would return: “If you finish early, come pick me up. I’d rather be with you.”
Shen Qingzhou tightened his grip on her hand, smiled faintly, and softly said, “Mm,” before starting the car and driving toward the hospital.
When they arrived at the hospital, Lin Qiao got out and said goodbye to Shen Qingzhou. He gave her a few instructions and was about to close the window and leave when Lin Qiao said, “Be careful.”
Shen Qingzhou didn’t respond, just waved for her to go inside. Lin Qiao shook her head and said, “You go first. I’ll watch you leave.”
Shen Qingzhou smiled, his dark eyes sparkling like stars. He only said one word: “Okay.”
Seeing his smile, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile too. Shen Qingzhou said goodbye, turned the steering wheel, and drove off in the opposite direction. Lin Qiao watched his car disappear, feeling inexplicably melancholy.
Lin Qiao hadn’t informed Du Xinling in advance about coming to the hospital, so he was surprised to see her.
But he wasn’t the only one surprised—there were others in the room besides Xiao Ning and Du Xinling.
There were two unexpected guests: Qi Zheng and Jian Shi.
Jian Shi was the secretary of Fang Zheng’s father, Fang Mingjun. It was likely Fang Mingjun had sent her, though there was a small chance she had come on her own.
Lin Qiao hadn’t seen her in a long time, so running into her at Xiao Ning’s room was quite a surprise.
Seeing Qi Zheng, on the other hand, was somewhat understandable. After all, Lin Qiao already knew about the connection between Qi Zheng and Xiao Ning’s parents. The blood flowing in Xiao Ning’s veins might very well be half his.
“Lin Qiao, what brings you here?” Du Xinling asked, stepping forward. “Perfect timing. Come in. I’m entertaining guests here. Keep Xiao Ning company for a bit.”
The simple word “guests” clearly defined the relationships in the room. Qi Zheng and Jian Shi remained silent, watching Lin Qiao, though she didn’t look back at them.
Lin Qiao nodded at Du Xinling, closed the door quietly, walked to the bedside, and sat next to Xiao Ning, gently touching his face. He instinctively snuggled into her arms, looking somewhat fearfully toward Qi Zheng.
Why was Xiao Ning afraid of Qi Zheng? What had Qi Zheng said? Lin Qiao subtly glanced at Qi Zheng, who was also watching them. He seemed to sigh as he looked at Xiao Ning in Lin Qiao’s arms, then raised his eyes to meet Lin Qiao’s gaze, his dark eyes filled with embarrassment.
Lin Qiao looked away and patted Xiao Ning’s shoulder, whispering, “It’s so late—aren’t you sleepy?”
Xiao Ning said pitifully, “They’re too noisy. I can’t sleep.”
Qi Zheng hung his head in shame, rubbing his throbbing temples.
Jian Shi pursed her lips and said softly, “Mr. Du, it seems I’ve come at a bad time. I’ll visit another day. I’ll take my leave now. Goodbye.” She turned to Xiao Ning and waved. “Xiao Ning, rest well. Auntie is leaving.”
Xiao Ning ignored her, burying his face in Lin Qiao’s chest, which left Jian Shi somewhat embarrassed.
Lin Qiao said calmly, “The child is a bit shy. Don’t take it personally, Miss Jian.”
Hearing this, Jian Shi felt even more ashamed. She covered her mouth with a light cough and hurried away.
With Jian Shi gone, only Qi Zheng remained as the outsider. Qi Zheng also knew he shouldn’t overstay his welcome. He sighed and said, “Mr. Du, I still hope you’ll consider my suggestion. After all, I have the right to know the truth.”
Du Xinling smiled and said, “Sir, telling me this is really no use. You need to talk to Shen Qingzhou. He’s Xiao Ning’s father and his legal guardian. Xiao Ning’s surname is Shen—he’s Shen Ning, not Du Ning.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ning complained, “Yeah, Du Ning sounds awful. Shen Ning is much nicer!”
Du Xinling glanced helplessly at Xiao Ning, rubbed his nose, and smiled somewhat ruefully.
Xiao Ning curved his lips into a well-behaved smile, looking incredibly handsome and adorable. Lin Qiao felt her heart melt and couldn’t help but stroke his head.
Qi Zheng naturally saw Xiao Ning’s smile too. His gaze seemed distant, and after a long while, he said, “Then could you please convey my message to Mr. Shen? I suspect he won’t agree to meet with me.”
Du Xinling spread his hands and said, “You might not know this, but I’m just his business partner. He won’t listen to me about matters outside work. I’ve always been the one playing nanny for him—he’s always the boss. Who told him he’s the master? What can I do? Talented people have the right to be arrogant, right?”
Though his words were blunt, the meaning was clear. Not only did he firmly reject Qi Zheng’s request, but he also made it impossible for Qi Zheng to ask anything further of him.
Qi Zheng sighed, wanting to pin his hopes on Lin Qiao. The moment he looked at her, she knew what he was thinking and immediately said, “Don’t count on me. I’m on Shen Qingzhou’s side.”
Qi Zheng seemed to have a headache. He took one last reluctant look at Xiao Ning, sighed, and finally left.
After he left, Lin Qiao coaxed Xiao Ning to sleep. Once he was sound asleep, she called Du Xinling outside to talk.
“Why was Qi Zheng here?” Lin Qiao asked quietly.
Du Xinling replied softly, “It’s because of the child. He wants to take Xiao Ning for a paternity test to see if Xiao Ning is his son or someone else’s.”
Lin Qiao said coldly, “What does he mean? If Xiao Ning is his, does he want to take him back?”
Du Xinling said, “Exactly. Can’t you see? If the child is really his, he’ll definitely want him back. He didn’t come before because he couldn’t find us. Now that we’re all in Beijing and the hospital is fixed, of course he’d show up.”
Lin Qiao said, “We absolutely cannot agree to this. He shouldn’t even think about it. Why does he need a paternity test? If he’s truly remorseful, he should be willing to take care of the child regardless of whether he’s the biological father or not.”
Du Xinling pursed his lips and said, “Even if he is sincere, Shi Heng would never agree to let him take the child back. But you—I find you quite interesting. Most girls wouldn’t want to become a stepmother right after marriage, but you’re different. You don’t want to lose this little burden.”
Lin Qiao shot him a glance and said, “Xiao Ning is not a burden. Don’t talk nonsense. Shen Qingzhou isn’t so poor that he can’t afford to raise a child. What’s the harm in raising a few more?”
“I think you say that because Xiao Ning likes you. What if he didn’t like you and forced Shen Qingzhou to break up with you? Would you still feel the same way?” Du Xinling asked pointedly.
Lin Qiao sighed helplessly. “Let me put it this way: everything has an order. I came later. If Xiao Ning didn’t like me, of course he’d have the right to suggest to his father not to be with me. But these are all hypotheticals. Doesn’t he like me a lot?” Lin Qiao smiled smugly. “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Why was Jian Shi here?”
Du Xinling said with a headache, “I wanted to ask you the same thing. Why don’t you keep an eye on your man? He attracts bees and butterflies everywhere. That lady comes to the hospital every few days. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she’s Xiao Ning’s stepmother!”
Lin Qiao frowned. “Haven’t you told her to stop coming?”
“How could I say that? She’s a woman, after all. I’m a man—I can’t say something that harsh.”
In this regard, he was completely different from Shen Qingzhou. Lin Qiao nodded and said, “Alright then, I’ll think about what to do. You go rest. I’ll watch Xiao Ning tonight.”
“I’ll just rest in the next room. If anything happens, call me. I have nowhere else to go anyway.”
“Goodnight, then. Rest early.”
Du Xinling bid Lin Qiao goodbye and went into the adjacent room. Lin Qiao returned to Xiao Ning’s room and found him awake again.
Surprised, Lin Qiao asked, “Why are you up?”
Xiao Ning, half-sitting on the bed with sleepy eyes, pouted and said, “I can’t sleep.”
Lin Qiao closed the door, turned off the main light, leaving only a soft night light on, and sat on the chair by the bed, looking at Xiao Ning at eye level. “You’re lying. Your eyes are so sleepy you can barely keep them open. How can you not be sleepy?”
Xiao Ning pursed his lips, as if he couldn’t hold it in any longer, and said, “Auntie Lin, where did my dad go? I haven’t seen him for days.”
The child had probably been frightened by Qi Zheng earlier and now missed his father terribly. Lin Qiao was also worried about Shen Qingzhou, who had gone to handle important matters. She sighed softly and said, “Be good, Xiao Ning. Go to sleep for now. Auntie Lin will stay with you. When you wake up tomorrow, I’ll take you to find Daddy, okay?”
Xiao Ning lay back down, pulled the covers over himself, and turned to look at Lin Qiao for a long time before whispering, “Auntie Lin, can I call Daddy?”
Lin Qiao paused, thinking that Shen Qingzhou might be busy and unsure if he’d have time to answer. But she couldn’t bear to see Xiao Ning upset, so she took out her phone and called Shen Qingzhou.
Fortunately, Shen Qingzhou wasn’t too busy to answer. The call connected after just a few rings, and his voice came through the phone, deeper and more magnetic than usual amid the silence on his end.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lin Qiao glanced at Xiao Ning, who was full of hope and had already climbed out of bed, pressing close to her, waiting to take the phone. She quickly said, “Xiao Ning misses you a lot and wants to talk to you.”
Shen Qingzhou was silent for a few seconds before his voice grew even deeper. “Put him on.”
Lin Qiao handed the phone to Xiao Ning, who immediately took it and exclaimed, “Daddy!”
Since Xiao Ning was holding the phone, Lin Qiao couldn’t hear what Shen Qingzhou was saying—only Xiao Ning’s responses.
Xiao Ning seemed very happy, continuously saying “mm.” Shen Qingzhou must have been saying something to him. After listening for a while, Xiao Ning said, “Daddy, will you come see me tomorrow?”
Shen Qingzhou must have agreed, because Xiao Ning followed up joyfully, “Mm! Okay! I’ll be good. I’ll protect Auntie Lin. Don’t worry!”
Lin Qiao was taken aback, not expecting Shen Qingzhou to say such things to Xiao Ning. While she was still processing, Xiao Ning added, “Yes, I’m a man. I won’t let Daddy down.”
Hearing these words, Lin Qiao’s eyes reddened. It wasn’t that she was overly emotional or easily brought to tears—it was just that she suddenly felt how wonderful it was to have such a good child thinking of her and caring for her from afar.
She couldn’t help but place a hand on her stomach, wondering when she might have a child like that of her own.
Xiaoning smiled sweetly, his cute and handsome appearance making Lin Qiao’s heart melt. She couldn’t resist stroking his head.
Qi Zheng naturally saw Xiaoning’s smile. His gaze was somewhat dazed. After a while, he said, “Then could I trouble Mr. Du to relay a message to Mr. Shen? I suppose he probably won’t agree to meet me.”
Duxinling spread his hands and said, “You probably don’t know, but I’m just his business partner. He won’t listen to anything I say outside of work. It’s always me taking care of him like a nanny, while he’s always the master. Who asked him to be a master? I can’t do anything about it. People with talent are naturally entitled to be proud, right?”
Although the words were rough, the meaning was clear. Not only did it politely refuse Qi Zheng’s request, but it also made it impossible for Qi Zheng to ask anything else of him.
Qi Zheng sighed, hoping to place his hope on Lin Qiao. As soon as he looked at Lin Qiao, she understood his intention and immediately said, “Don’t count on me. I’m on the same side as Shen Qingzhou.”
Qi Zheng seemed somewhat troubled, looked at Xiaoning unwillingly, and finally sighed and left.
After he left, Lin Qiao put Xiaoning to sleep. Once Xiaoning was asleep, she called Duxinling outside to talk.
“Why is Qi Zheng here?” Lin Qiao asked softly.
Duxinling whispered, “Because of the child, of course. He wants to take Xiaoning for a paternity test to see if Xiaoning is his son or someone else’s.”
Lin Qiao said coldly, “What does he mean? If it turns out to be his, does he want to take the child back?”
Duxinling replied, “Exactly. Can’t you tell? If the child is really his biological son, he will definitely want to take him back. He didn’t come before because he couldn’t find us, but now that we’re all in Beijing and the hospital is fixed, how could he not come?”
Lin Qiao said, “Absolutely not. He shouldn’t even think about it. What paternity test? If he’s truly remorseful, he should be willing to take the child regardless of whether he’s biologically his or not.”
Duxinling pursed his lips and said, “Even if he is truly remorseful, Shiheng won’t agree to let him take the child. As for you, I find it interesting. Other girls don’t want to become stepmothers as soon as they walk through the door, yet you seem happy not to lose this little burden.”
Lin Qiao gave him a sidelong glance and said, “Xiaoning is not a burden. Don’t talk nonsense. Shen Qingzhou isn’t poor enough not to be able to raise a child. Raising a few more won’t kill him.”
“I think you’re saying this because Xiaoning likes you. What if he doesn’t like you, and forces Shen Qingzhou to break up with you? Would you still think the same way?” Duxinling asked sharply.
Lin Qiao sighed helplessly, “Let me put it this way. Everything has its order. I came later. If Xiaoning doesn’t like me, he naturally has the right to suggest to his father not to be with me. But these are all hypothetical. He likes me quite a bit, right?” Lin Qiao smirked proudly, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Why did Jian Shi come here?”
Duxinling groaned, “I was going to ask you the same thing. Why don’t you keep an eye on your man? He’s attracting all kinds of people. That lady comes to the hospital every few days. People might think she’s Xiaoning’s stepmother!”
Lin Qiao frowned, “Didn’t you tell her not to come here anymore?”
“How can I say that? She’s a woman, and I’m a man. I can’t bring myself to say such harsh words.”
In this aspect, he was quite different from Shen Qingzhou. Lin Qiao nodded and said, “Alright then. I’ll think about how to handle this. You go rest first. I’ll stay with Xiaoning tonight.”
“I’ll just rest in the next room. If anything happens, call me. I don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”
“Then goodnight. Rest early.”
Duxinling said goodbye to Lin Qiao and went into the neighboring ward. When Lin Qiao returned to Xiaoning’s ward, she found him awake again.
Lin Qiao was surprised, “Why are you up?”
Xiaoning sat halfway up in bed, his eyes drowsy, pouting, “I can’t sleep.”
Lin Qiao closed the ward door, turned off the main light, and left only the soft small lamp on. She walked to the bed, sat on the chair, and looked at Xiaoning eye to eye, saying, “Liar. Your eyes are so tired they can’t even stay open. How can you say you can’t sleep?”
Xiaoning pursed his lips, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore, and said, “Auntie Lin, where did my dad go? I haven’t seen him for days.”
The child was probably scared after seeing Qi Zheng today and really missed his dad. How could Lin Qiao not worry about Shen Qingzhou, who was out handling something important? She softly sighed and said, “Xiaoning, be a good boy and go to sleep tonight. Auntie Lin is here with you. When you wake up tomorrow, Auntie Lin will take you to find your dad, okay?”
Xiaoning lay back down, pulled the covers over himself, turned to look at Lin Qiao for a long time, and softly said, “Auntie Lin, can I call Dad?”
Lin Qiao was taken aback. She thought Shen Qingzhou might be busy at this hour and might not have time to answer the call, but she couldn’t bear to see Xiaoning upset. So she still took out her phone and called Shen Qingzhou.
Fortunately, Shen Qingzhou wasn’t too busy to answer. The phone rang only briefly before his voice came through, calm and magnetic.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lin Qiao looked at Xiaoning, who was full of hope. Xiaoning had already climbed out of bed and was waiting next to her for the phone. She quickly said, “Xiaoning really misses you and wants to talk to you for a bit.”
Shen Qingzhou was silent for a few seconds, then his voice became even softer, “Give him the phone.”
Lin Qiao complied, handing the phone to Xiaoning. Xiaoning immediately took the phone and called out, “Dad!”
Since the phone was in Xiaoning’s hand, Lin Qiao couldn’t hear what Shen Qingzhou said on the other end. She could only hear Xiaoning’s responses.
Xiaoning seemed very happy, continuously saying “Mm-hmm,” as Shen Qingzhou must have been talking to him. After listening for a while, Xiaoning asked, “Dad, will you come see me tomorrow?”
Shen Qingzhou must have agreed, because Xiaoning then happily said, “Okay! I’ll be good. I’ll protect Auntie Lin. Don’t worry, Dad!”
Lin Qiao couldn’t help but be startled. She hadn’t expected Shen Qingzhou to say such things to Xiaoning. While she was still stunned, Xiaoning continued, “Yes, I’m a real man. I definitely won’t let Dad down.”
Hearing these words, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but tear up—not because she was particularly moved or because she was easily moved to tears—but because she suddenly felt that having such a good child who misses and cares about you somewhere is truly a wonderful thing.
Unconsciously, she placed her hand on her abdomen, wondering when she would have a child like this too.
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