Zhao Meimei was especially popular in the hospital ward, where the patients in the five beds were all suffering from old-age diseases. As people age, they tend to feel lonely and crave excitement, so they love having cheerful children around, smiling and playing, which brings a lively atmosphere.
Zhao Meimei was talkative and not shy, calling everyone in the room grandpa or grandma with a sweet tongue, like it was coated in honey. She wandered from bed to bed, ending up with a pocketful of snacks and treats.
Liu Xiue saw that Zhao Meimei was staying in the ward and noticed that Mrs. Zhao Senior was clearly in a good mood. She decided not to rush home, staying with Zhao Meimei until it was nearly dark before she packed up and headed home, leaving Zhao Dazhuang at the hospital for overnight care.
Before Liu Xiue left, she was full of worry, instructing Zhao Meimei for a while, and then finally, with frequent looks back, led Zhao Meimei out of the hospital.
Liu Xiue had been exhausted all day at the hospital and was too tired to move once she got home. She just wanted to lie in bed and rest properly.
"Mom, you go upstairs first. I'll go call Brother Yangyang for dinner." Zhao Meimei happily let go of her mom's hand and intended to run towards the small building.
Only then did Liu Xiue remember the arrangement to invite Shi Yang over and hastily called Zhao Meimei, "Slow down, no rush. I haven't even entered the house to prepare the meal yet."
Zhao Meimei waved her hand and dashed away quickly.
As Zhao Meimei reached the road in front of the small building, she saw that the iron gate of the yard was wide open. She felt pleased, thinking that her Brother Yangyang had purposely opened the gate early, waiting for her to come call him.
Zhao Meimei ran straight into the yard without hesitation and stood in front of the house door, reaching up to knock. Her hand was raised, but she realized there was a floor between them, wondering if Brother Yangyang could hear her. Last time, she had called him out by standing at the gate and shouting at the top of her lungs.
Zhao Meimei stepped back two steps, stood beneath the second-floor window, and opened her mouth to summon him.
At noon, Shi Yang had cooked the dumplings Zhao Meimei's mom had given him, did his homework, and then watched TV for a while. His mom returned in the evening when it was getting dark, and as soon as she entered, she hugged Shi Yang and began to cry.
Shi Yang listened to her sobbing and lamenting for quite a while before understanding the situation.
Shi Yang's mom had spent New Year together with his dad, living happily and blissfully, and then bringing up their old discussions again about getting a marriage certificate.
Shi Yang's father's original wife was still lying in the hospital, oblivious and unconscious, with her life supported by money. But Shi Yang's father felt guilty for finding another woman and having a child outside, feeling that unless his original wife truly passed, he wouldn't officially marry Shi Yang's mom.
When Shi Yang was young, he didn't understand and often saw his mom secretly wiping tears, just knowing from the bottom of his heart that he rejected his dad, believing that man bullied his mom.
As he grew up, he scoffed at his dad's behavior, thinking it was typical of wanting moral recognition after immoral actions, even worse than being shameful.
Shi Yang didn't respect his dad, looked down on that man's style of handling things, but his mom was deeply in love with his dad, loving him wholeheartedly, through all trials.
When Shi Yang was younger, not understanding the situation, he would argue and cause trouble with his mom, sulking whenever he saw his dad and pretended not to recognize him. Slowly, he realized his actions were hurting his mom, so he stopped expressing his inner thoughts deliberately, and when mentioning disowning his dad, he would reconsider his mom's feelings, changing to random topics to avoid tension.
Shi Yang decided not to acknowledge his dad for life, but this didn't affect his affection for his mom.
Shi Yang felt sorry for his mom sobbing, cursing his dad internally, and softly comforted her, saying, "Mom, don't be upset anymore."
Shi Yang's mom: "Sob sob... It's so outrageous. I've been with him for so many years, raised you so big, and now he tells me it's impossible to divorce that woman. What does that make me? All these years... sob sob... I'm unwilling, let alone you; you are his biological son!"
Shi Yang got angry and replied bluntly: "I've never acknowledged him, I only have a mom, no dad."
Shi Yang's mom: "Sob sob... Yes, we don't need him, let him spend his life in the hospital! Yangyang... sob sob... what should Mom do!"
Shi Yang wrapped his arms around his mom, gently patting her back, "Don't worry, I'm here for you. When I grow up, I'll take care of you."
Shi Yang's mom: "Yangyang, now Mom truly only has you left... sob sob..."
Sitting side by side on the sofa, Shi Yang and his mom were both very emotional.
Shi Yang's mom's tears fell like raindrops, Shi Yang reached out to help wipe them away, "No more crying, alright? You have me."
Shi Yang's eyes were reddened, his handsome face tightly pursed into a straight line. His brows and eyes showed maturity beyond his years. He spoke quietly but firmly, "Mom, let's not mention him anymore, just pretend he doesn't exist. Here, let me wipe your face, your makeup is smeared."
Shi Yang soaked the towel carefully, wiping his mom's face and hands, then wrung it out cleanly and placed it on the radiator by the wall. As he looked back at his teary-eyed mom, his heart ached with tenderness for her, and anger at his own inability to avenge her.
Shi Yang walked to the window, pushed it open, and in a gesture of venting, picked up the basin of water used for the towel and poured it out the window.
Just as Zhao Meimei was about to shout, she saw the second-floor window suddenly pushed open from inside. She was thrilled, thinking that her Brother Yangyang was impatiently checking if she had arrived.
Zhao Meimei gathered her breath, opened her mouth, and shouted, "Yang...!"
A figure swayed in front of the second-floor window, moved quickly, and a silver column of water poured from above.
Splash!
Ah!
The warm water hit Zhao Meimei's head and turned into a cold waterfall upon impact.
"Oh my!" Zhao Meimei was drenched by half a basin of towel water, her head and face soaked completely. She was wearing her new cotton coat from New Year, with a thick sweater knitted by her mom underneath; now she was wet all the way through, cold and shivering...
"Meimei?" Shi Yang heard the sound and leaned out the window, seeing the small drenched Zhao Meimei shivering in the cold wind, her little face scrunched up about to cry.
"Brother Yangyang!" Zhao Meimei called out miserably, wiping her face with her hand, feeling her hair stiffened from the cold.
Shi Yang quickly dropped the basin and rushed downstairs, leading Zhao Meimei into the house from the yard.