Qu Chaozong’s response was to shift his gaze away expressionlessly.
He pulled out a urinal from under the bed, tore open the packaging, intending to help Zhang Zhao relieve himself.
Zhang Zhao, after being fussed over like this, his pale face was flushed red, and upon seeing him about to help him urinate, even his neck turned red.
"No need!" Zhang Zhao weakly refused, his voice hoarse like scraping tal across the ground.
Qu Chaozong asked, "Are you sure?"
After being on IV fluids for such a long ti post-surgery, Zhang Zhao really wanted to go to the bathroom, but with the choice between holding it in and being helped to urinate by a stranger, he chose the forr without hesitation.
Qu Chaozong laughed coldly, "Alright then. Anyway, your sister doesn’t seem reliable, and I need to leave soon. If you can really hold it in all afternoon, that’s great; if not, just pee on the bed then. At least you’re covered with a blanket, so the sll won’t spread out imdiately."
Qu Chaozong straightened up, "I have sothing to do, so I’m leaving now."
Zhang Zhao’s eyes widened, utterly surprised that Qu Chaozong just decided to leave, incredulously looking at his sister.
Zhang Xin, seemingly unmoved by being labeled unreliable by Qu Chaozong, nodded expressionlessly, "I’ll go with you. I’ll treat you to a al later."
Qu Chaozong glanced at Zhang Zhao out of the corner of his eye, seeing his face turning a bit purple, not sure if it was from holding in or anger.
Qu Chaozong lifted his foot to leave, just took a step, when he heard Zhang Zhao reluctantly mutter, "Don’t go."
Qu Chaozong acted as if he didn’t hear and took two steps out of the hospital bed aisle, with Zhang Xin trailing leisurely behind.
Zhang Zhao realized he was really about to leave and wasn’t joking, so he panicked. Heaven knows he’s holding on with sheer willpower.
"Stop!"
Zhang Zhao shouted, using all his strength, causing a tearing pain in his surgery wound and breaking out in cold sweat, which clung to his clothes.
Qu Chaozong turned his head, gently wiping the corner of his eyes to hide the grin growing there, stupid kid, when I was going through my rebellious phase, you were still in kindergarten lifting skirts off little girls.
Qu Chaozong didn’t really embarrass Zhang Zhao, knowing how fragile the dignity of soone his age is, and silently helped Zhang Zhao urinate, then casually wiped him down with a towel.
Zhang Zhao was noticeably more cooperative this ti, keeping quiet from start to finish, and the blush on his face slowly faded away, the sensitivity and shyness of youth restored to calm under Qu Chaozong’s deliberate care.
After tidying things up, Qu Chaozong ignored Zhang Xin and spoke directly to Zhang Zhao, "I have things to do and can’t stay here. How about I get you a caregiver? It doesn’t cost much for a day, they’re professional and more efficient. Appendicitis is a minor surgery; you’ll likely be self-sufficient by tomorrow. If you decide you don’t need them anymore, just pay them and let them go. What do you think?"
Zhang Zhao was stunned, a flash of bewildernt and doubt in his eyes; nobody had ever spoken to him like this.
Seeing no response, Qu Chaozong thought Zhang Zhao was still sulking, shook his head, thinking it was silly for him to even try discussing it with him, stood up, and told Zhang Xin, "Let’s go hire a caregiver."
Qu Chaozong’s tone when addressing Zhang Xin was entirely commanding.
After speaking, Qu Chaozong turned and walked out, in his mind Zhang Xin was a fool, her abilities limited to clinging onto n, not even knowing the basics of caregiving, hence he didn’t bother to engage with her further.
Watching Qu Chaozong’s back, Zhang Xin observed that Qu Chaozong was actually quite strong-looking, with broad shoulders and a thick back. In his mid-length down jacket, he resembled a towering, powerful bear from behind.
As she watched, she started to smile, unsure if it was his sturdy back amusing her or the surprise of his repeated breaking of her perceptions.
She felt she had truly found a treasure this ti.
Qu Chaozong helped hire a caregiver who appeared honest and sincere, then left the hospital to attend to his own matters.
Zhang Xin stayed at the hospital for a while and saw that Zhang Zhao hadn’t passed gas yet and didn’t need food. She glanced at the conscientious caregiver and stood up, "I’m leaving now, I’ll co back in the evening."
Zhang Zhao was resting with his eyes closed, but upon hearing this, his eyelids trembled, stubbornly refusing to open them.
The caregiver, thinking Zhang Xin was speaking to him, quickly bid farewell courteously, "Miss Zhang, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him."
The clatter of high heels gradually faded, Zhang Zhao slowly opened his eyes, a sense of loss heavy as ink in his gaze, unerasable, unmanageable.
When Zhao Dazhuang fell ill, Shi Yang separately inford his parents, his mother rushed over upon getting the call, bringing along loads of canned fruit and such, and Shi Yang went down to et her.
Shi Yang’s father ca after finishing work in the evening, by the ti he arrived, Zhao Dazhuang’s fever had co down, but he still needed IV fluids for inflammation.
The two families gathered like one, with no reservations, Shi Yang’s mother helped take care of Zhao Dazhuang while Shi Yang’s father chatted for a bit before pulling Shi Yang aside.
They stood in the hallway at a quiet corner, father and son speaking face to face.
Shi Yang’s father got straight to the point, "Do you rember your Uncle Qian?"
Shi Yang didn’t have to think hard and imdiately pictured an image of a fat, big-eared, broad-backed nouveau riche.
Before he could ask, Shi Yang’s father explained directly, "After taking up his new role, your Uncle Qian went into the fire departnt and is now the deputy director."
Shi Yang suddenly realized, understanding that his father wanted to discuss the issue of mall leasing with him.
Shi Yang asked, "Have you discussed it with Uncle Qian?"
Shi Yang’s father was honest, "Not yet, we just agreed to have both families go out for a al to catch up."
Shi Yang’s father’s words reassured Shi Yang, as long as they could arrange a eting, it would be easy to handle, he was confident in his persuasive skills to negotiate the matter, especially with his father’s influence if needed.
Shi Yang breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could fully exhale, he quickly realized another implication in his father’s words.
Both families? For a good catch-up? Putting those two sentences together sounded odd, when did his father ever bring along family when eting friends? Even if he did, it was always with his mother, never specially inviting him.
Shi Yang licked his lips and asked, "Dad, your Uncle Qian’s child, if I rember correctly, it’s a daughter?"
Shi Yang’s father smiled slightly, "Yes, her na is Qian Jinqiu, you can call her Xiaoqiu. She’ll be graduating with her master’s degree this sumr."
Shi Yang’s eyes dimd as he looked at his father, feeling it necessary to have a thorough discussion about this topic.
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