The girl’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment. She knew she had chosen the wrong moment to appear and quickly turned around.
Thump! Her forehead smacked hard against the door.
It hurt so much!
Tears welled up in Song Tingyou’s eyes. “Wah—”
Song Xinya was startled, jumping down from Qin Yuhe’s lap. His hand slid down her thigh, leaving a burning trail across her skin.
There was no time to escape. Song Tingyou pressed her forehead, turned around in sheer awkwardness, and lowered her head. “Big sister… big brother-in-law.”
Song Xinya asked, “Why did you come out?”
Song Tingyou wanted to ask herself the same question. Why did you come out? Why! Why! Who told you to come out! If you weren’t embarrassed, who would be!
Even though it wasn’t the best time to talk, since she had chosen to come out, she had to grit her teeth and finish what she needed to say.
“Big sister, you said you’d take me to the nursing home to see Grandma today.”
Song Xinya hadn’t forgotten. She remembered perfectly. “Call Xiaoye. We’ll go together.”
Song Tingyou quickly pulled open the door and stepped inside to fetch Song Tingye.
Qin Yuhe had thought he’d have a whole day alone with Song Xinya at home, but she still had to go out today.
“Mrs. Qin,” he said, “you’re busier than me, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.”
Song Xinya replied, “Tingyou hasn’t seen Grandma since she came back. We were busy with other things the past few days. If I don’t take her to visit today, it’d be rude and improper.”
Qin Yuhe said, “I’m not saying you shouldn’t go. Grandma really needs to be seen.”
He stood up from his chair. “I’ll come with you.”
Song Xinya grabbed his arm and pulled him back down into the seat. “Don’t come. The wound on your stomach hasn’t healed yet. If you walk too much, the stitches might burst.”
Qin Yuhe said, “I’m not made of glass. I’m not that fragile.”
Song Xinya insisted, “No, no. Your stitches are almost ready to come out. We’ve been nursing you for so many days—we can’t lose all that progress.”
She was tense, cautious, and extremely careful. She didn’t want him to take any more risks.
If the wound burst and he had to get stitched up again… how much pain would he be in?
Just thinking about it made her heart ache like needles pricking it.
She coaxed him, her words sweet as honey. “This time, Tingyou is the main character for visiting Grandma. If you come along, you’re so tall, handsome, and distinguished—the moment you appear, you’ll steal everyone’s attention. Grandma will be too busy staring at her gorgeous son-in-law to focus on getting to know Tingyou properly.”
“Mr. Qin, please stop radiating charm! You capable, gentle, handsome, and irresistible man—just stay at home!”
Qin Yuhe raised an eyebrow, a faint smile curving his lips. “Mrs. Qin, your flattery has me completely bewitched.”
Tamed by Song Xinya’s shower of praise, Qin Yuhe agreed not to go.
In the servant’s quarters, Song Tingyou stood against the door, her face still pale with shock.
Jin Ruizhi looked up from his physics exam paper. “Your face is as red as an apple. What did you see that’s so embarrassing?”
Song Tingyou patted her chest. “N-nothing.”
Qin Yuyan raised her hand high. “I know! Tingyou must have seen big brother and big sister being lovey-dovey.”
Song Tingyou, caught off guard, blurted out everything. “Mm-hmm.”
Jin Ruizhi thought to himself, CEO Qin and Teacher Song were in the living room; at most, they were just hugging and cuddling. Nothing too inappropriate.
He looked at her rosy cheeks. “You blush just from seeing someone hug?”
Song Tingyou rubbed her blazing face. “Shouldn’t I be blushing?”
Jin Ruizhi twirled his pen between his slender fingers. “This is nothing.”
Song Tingyou asked, “Then what kind of thing is worth blushing about?”
Jin Ruizhi leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. A faint, knowing smile played on his handsome face. “You’ll find out later.”
At that moment, Song Tingyou had no idea what Jin Ruizhi meant.
She turned to Song Tingye. “Brother, do you know what Jin Ruizhi is talking about?”
Song Tingye looked up from his math paper, his eyes as innocent as a simpleton’s. “How would I know?”
Song Tingyou sighed. “Brother, seeing that you’re just as clueless as I am puts my mind at ease.”
Qin Yuyan raised her hand again. “I know this one too! Jin Ruizhi means the thing where a man pins a woman down to make a baby!”
Song Tingye and Song Tingyou looked at Jin Ruizhi. “Is that what you meant?”
Jin Ruizhi picked up his pen and continued with his work. “That’s what the little princess said, not me.”
Qin Yuyan scratched her face. “Did I get it wrong?”
At this stage, Song Tingye, Song Tingyou, and Qin Yuyan only had the vaguest concept of “making babies.” As for the actual process—the how—they had no clue.
So far, none of the three had ever watched that kind of video...
…
Song Xinya brought Song Tingyou and Song Tingye to the nursing home.
The three of them first went to learn about Grandma’s condition.
In the doctor’s office, Song Xinya met the psychiatrist Qin Yuhe had arranged for Grandma.
“Mrs. Qin, I’ve just finished a therapy session with your grandmother.”
Song Tingye asked, “Has Grandma’s condition improved?”
The psychiatrist replied, “Compared to before, she’s somewhat better. But she still slips in and out of mental instability.”
“For mental illnesses to heal, the most important factor is the patient’s willingness to save themselves.”
“Your grandmother carries a heavy emotional burden. She often hallucinates that her missing little granddaughter is still with her. She immerses herself in this fantasy and doesn’t want to come out of it, which is why the treatment isn’t as effective as we’d like.”
Song Xinya said, “I’ve already found my sister.”
The psychiatrist’s eyes lit up with hope. He looked at Song Tingyou standing beside Song Xinya. “Go see your grandmother right away.”
The psychiatrist accompanied the three siblings toward the ward.
Through the window, they could see what was happening inside.
In the spacious room, the frail grandmother sat in a chair, holding a pillow in her arms.
She leaned down, pressing her forehead against the pillow, her face full of tenderness. She spoke to it: “Tingyou, sweetheart, my little Tingyou is the best child in the world. Grandma is putting Tingyou to sleep.”
Her wrinkled hand patted the pillow gently, her arm rocking back and forth slowly as she soothed her “precious granddaughter.”
Careful not to disturb the “sleeping child,” she stood up very slowly and walked toward the bed.
She lifted the blanket, placed the pillow inside, and gently covered it.
Grandma patted the blanket over and over, coaxing her beloved “granddaughter” to sleep.
Song Xinya pushed the door open and walked in. Grandma raised a finger to her lips and whispered softly, “Shh… Tingyou is sleeping. Don’t disturb her.”
Song Xinya approached the bed and took Grandma’s hand. “Grandma, do you know who I am?”
Grandma studied Song Xinya for a moment and replied, “You’re my other precious granddaughter, Yaya.”
Song Tingye stepped in and asked, “Grandma, what about me? Who am I?”
Grandma said, “I’d recognize you even if you turned to ashes. You’re the Kung Fu Panda who’s black and fat and ugly.”
Song Tingye broke out in a cold sweat.
What Kung Fu Panda?!
That panda was black, fat, and ugly—how could it compare to him? Not even one ten-thousandth of his handsomeness!
The door of the ward stood wide open. Song Tingyou walked in.
Song Xinya pointed at Song Tingyou and said, "Grandma, do you see who she is?"
