Chapter 9
Qiao Ze nodded, "Are we going home, Auntie?" He just wanted to see Yan Yan now and tell her that he would protect her forever.
Although a four-year-old child might not understand such words.
Liu Hua turned around and asked the doctor behind her, "Can he be discharged from the hospital now?"
The doctor looked at Qiao Ze's medical report and smiled, nodding, "Yes, he can."
Liu Hua then said to Qiao Ze, "Then let's go home now."
Qiao Ze, sitting in the car, was filled with anticipation, as it was almost impossible to have a chance to make up for his mistakes.
Both Liu Hua and Qiao Ze were not talkative people, so they remained silent at this moment.
Qiao Ze looked at the unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar scenery outside the car window and suddenly realized a serious problem.
He had just seen the date, and it was the year when he was twelve. And in that year, Liu Hua had died unexpectedly, and Yan Yan had fallen seriously ill as a result.
Qiao Ze felt overwhelmed with panic. He was in the villa at that time, but he had no idea what had happened.
He only knew that a sudden fire had destroyed everything.
...
Not far from Liu Hua's villa, a young man suddenly woke up.
Qi Linhan looked around with a splitting headache, and before he could react, someone approached him.
"Young master, you're awake," the person's voice was filled with concern.
Qi Linhan furrowed his brows as he looked at the person. He recognized him. He was one of his subordinates. But wasn't he supposed to be in his thirties? Why did he look like he was in his twenties?
Seeing Qi Linhan only staring at him with a furrowed brow, the person became even more anxious. "Young master, you fainted suddenly... Are you alright?"
Qi Linhan waved his hand dismissively, "I'm fine..."
He stopped halfway through his sentence, realizing that the voice and the hand were not his own!
Qi Linhan finally realized that something was wrong, and it wasn't with other people, but with himself.
He had just been at Yan Yan's funeral...
Qi Linhan calmed down and asked, "What is the exact date now?"
The person respectfully reported a date, and Qi Linhan coldly waved his hand, "Alright, go help everyone first."
After the person left, Qi Linhan clenched his teeth forcefully.
He had returned to the year when he was twelve, back to a few days before he first met Yan Yan.
He closed his eyes, and tears almost welled up uncontrollably.
Qi Linhan lowered his gaze, and the originally sharp eyes now filled with tenderness. "Yan Yan..."
...
As Sui Jinhong took the three children to Liu Hua's house, his dissatisfaction with Liu Hua grew stronger.
He looked at the increasingly desolate surroundings along the way and couldn't help but ask Sui Yan, "Yan Yan, will Mom take you out to play?"
Sui Yan, with candy in her mouth, puffed her cheeks and said, "Mom said Yan Yan is still too young and can't go out to play."
Children don't know what they should and shouldn't say. She simply said what she knew.
However, this statement caused the other three people present to furrow their brows. Sui Jinhong had already made up his mind to fight for custody of his daughter.
"No one raises children like that."
When the group of four arrived at their destination, they saw AhMan standing at the entrance of the villa, craning her neck to look into the distance.
As soon as the car stopped, Sui Yan couldn't help but push open the door and jump out. The little girl joyfully shouted, "AhMan! I'm back!"
AhMan was on the verge of tears as she rushed over and hugged the little girl tightly. "Sui Yan!" She pinched the little girl's tender face. "Sui Yan, you can't run around on your own anymore. We'll worry, you know?"
Sui Yan obediently hugged her and said, "AhMan, I know I was wrong."
As soon as the little girl admitted her mistake, AhMan softened. "Alright, alright. Did anything bad happen to Sui Yan outside?"
Sui Yan shook her head. "No! Dad and Aunt Ye have been very good to me."
But AhMan didn't seem very happy. She turned to Sui Jinhong and said, "Madam will be back soon. Mr. Sui, you can leave."
Her words were not polite at all, but Sui Jinhong didn't mind. He pointed to the two boys behind him and said, "Xiao Yu and Xiao Zhi are here too. Can't we come in and sit for a while?"
AhMan frowned but compromised. "Then please come in."
As soon as Sui Yan returned home, she bounced around, wanting to bring some food for her older brother. AhMan didn't care and let her do as she pleased.
They didn't have to wait long before Liu Hua and Qiao Ze arrived. Liu Hua seemed a bit agitated, and this agitation reached its peak when she saw Sui Jinhong.
"Why are you here?" Her voice was cold.
Sui Jinhong furrowed his brow and said, "I brought Sui Yan back."
Liu Hua's body stiffened for a moment. "What do you mean by bringing Sui Yan back?"
Sui Yan came out with a bunch of things and was overjoyed when she saw Liu Hua and Qiao Ze. "Mommy, Brother Ze, you're back!"
Qiao Ze's eyes were gentle as he walked over and squatted in front of the little girl. "Sui Yan, have you been naughty?"
Sui Yan lowered her head guiltily and didn't have time to say anything before Liu Hua walked up to her. "Sui Yan!"
Sui Yan looked at her with a grievance. "Mommy."
Suppressing her agitation, Liu Hua spoke in an extremely cold tone to Sui Jinhong, "Get out."
Before Sui Jinhong could say anything, Sui Yu and Sui Zhi were reluctant to leave. They wanted to stay and protect Sui Yan. How could they leave so early?
Sui Yu furrowed his brow and said, "Mom, we miss Sui Yan."
As soon as he spoke, Liu Hua didn't insist any further. She looked at her two sons and said with a stiff voice, "...You can go back in a few days. Don't let it affect your studies."
Sui Yu didn't insist either. Even if it was just a few days, he could feel a bit more at ease. "Okay."
They thought these few days would pass peacefully, but in the evening, someone came to the villa again.
Qi Linhan looked at the villa in front of him and took a deep breath. He said to the person next to him, "Knock on the door."
The person didn't hesitate and walked forward to knock on the door three times.
AhMan quickly ran over and opened the door...
So the three individuals sat stiffly in the same living room.
Qi Linhan cleared his throat and said, "Um, we accidentally ended up here and we were hoping to stay for the night."
Liu Hua didn't want to say much and simply replied, "Please, but I hope you can leave early tomorrow morning."
Qi Linhan paused for a moment and nodded politely, "Thank you."
These three individuals didn't know each other initially, but through a series of unexpected events over the past few days, the children among them had gotten to know each other.
And they all had a strong sense of wariness towards each other.
Just as the atmosphere became awkward, a soft voice came from upstairs.
"Mommy, can I have another piece of chocolate tonight?"
As the voice faded away, a little girl came down the stairs while holding onto the railing.
The little girl appeared to be only three or four years old, and she was utterly adorable. Her facial features were tender, and her aura was as soft as a small animal.