“Sorry.”
On the way back, Shen Yan suddenly spoke in a low voice.
Ruan Ting He looked at him in surprise. “What are you apologizing for?”
“Because I was the one who asked Li Bao to bring Ruan Jiao Jiao into the compound. Four years ago, I should have sent her away first, and then gone to…”
To find you.
He still didn’t dare reveal that he was the man from four years ago. He was afraid she would get angry and never speak to him again.
Ruan Ting He raised her brows slightly. “Who did you originally want Li Bao to pick up?”
Shen Yan’s expression flickered with panic. “A girl.”
“Who?” She already had a faint suspicion, but she needed confirmation.
“Are you two going to stand there like door gods?” Yin Quan’s annoyed voice suddenly came from behind them. “Move!”
He urged them forward. He was starving, and he was also carrying Xiaobao, while Dabao and Erbao each clung to his clothes.
He looked like a human child-hauling machine.
It felt extremely unnatural.
He really was not used to taking care of children.
Once inside the living room, Ruan Ting He was set down on the sofa.
But Shen Yan did not leave. Instead, he knelt in front of her, lifted her injured foot with both hands, and gently placed it on his knee.
“Does it hurt?”
Seeing her fair, delicate ankle now red and swollen made his heart ache. He leaned in slightly and gently blew on it, trying to ease her pain.
Ruan Ting He’s ears turned red. “It doesn’t hurt that much. Don’t get so close.”
Compared to the pain in her ankle, his warm breath brushing against her made her feel even more uncomfortable—tingly and itchy in a way she couldn’t explain.
She tried to pull her foot back, but Shen Yan held her calf firmly.
“Don’t move.”
He then turned to Yin Quan. His tone shifted completely. “Yin Quan, where’s your medical kit?”
As a doctor, Yin Quan naturally had one at home.
He brought it over and put on gloves.
“What are you doing?” Shen Yan frowned at him.
Yin Quan ignored him and knelt down, preparing to examine Ruan Ting He’s injury.
“Applying medicine, obviously.”
Just as Yin Quan’s hand was about to touch her foot, Shen Yan immediately blocked him.
“No need. I’ll do it.”
Yin Quan shot him a look. “Are you crazy? Are you a doctor? Can you check for fractures or dislocations? Do you even know what medicine to use?”
Shen Yan pushed him aside decisively. “I can.”
“How can you?” Yin Quan was confused.
Shen Yan had already taken his gloves and put them on.
“Do you think I spent the past few years going to hospitals every time I got injured?”
“You…”
The details of Shen Yan’s four-year undercover mission were classified. Very few people knew about it, and Yin Quan was naturally not one of them.
But a mission that took four years to complete—one could easily imagine how dangerous it must have been.
Yin Quan’s gaze landed on the scar on Shen Yan’s forehead that still hadn’t fully healed.
This guy must have collected far more injuries in those years.
He stepped back and let Shen Yan treat her.
Ruan Ting He was speechless. She still felt Yin Quan was more professional.
But she hadn’t planned to let him apply medicine in the first place.
“Brother Yin Quan, could you check the children for injuries instead?”
She had already checked them roughly after the fight earlier. Erbao and Xiaobao were mostly scared with minor scrapes, and Dabao had some bruises and swelling, but nothing serious.
Yin Quan nodded and began examining them carefully.
As expected, there were no major injuries.
Dabao had bruises on his arm and abrasions on both arms. There was a large bump on his forehead, but no dizziness or vomiting, and he responded normally—no signs of internal injury.
Erbao had a knee injury, mild scrapes on his body, and tear-filled eyes, clearly still shaken.
Xiaobao only had a small abrasion on her palm. She looked like she had been well protected by her brothers, but her watery eyes were heartbreaking.
Yin Quan suddenly thought of his childhood.
Back then, the doctor had said his mother was carrying a baby girl. He had been excited, imagining a cute little sister.
But in the end, his mother gave birth to another boy—and one he had disliked since childhood.
After that, he stopped hoping for a sister.
And sure enough, his mother’s third child was also a boy—Yin Ze.
If he had a sister… she would probably be as cute as Xiaobao.
Without realizing it, his heart softened. He took out medicine and started applying it for Xiaobao first.
Dabao looked confused. “Uncle, shouldn’t you treat me first? I’m the most injured.”
He even showed off his bruised arm and forehead bump.
Xiaobao withdrew her hand and babbled something incomprehensible, clearly signaling for him to treat Dabao first instead.
Dabao waved it off. “Sister is the most considerate. But I was just saying—I can endure it. Let’s treat the younger ones first.”
Xiaobao shook her head and pointed at Erbao instead.
Erbao quickly said, “I’m not hurt. Big brother is worse—treat him first.”
The children kept pushing each other forward, each refusing treatment for themselves.
The three adults watching all felt their hearts soften.
Ruan Ting He opened her arms gently. “Mom can also help apply medicine. Who wants to come to me?”
All three children looked tempted, their eyes shining, but each hesitated and stopped before stepping forward.
Dabao suddenly walked up to Shen Yan.
“Uncle Shen, can you help me apply medicine?”
He still remembered that Shen Yan had publicly clarified things earlier—that the fat boy was not his son, and that woman was not his wife. He had also defended them fiercely.
He decided to give Uncle Shen another chance to be their dad.
Shen Yan nodded immediately, clearly pleased.
That “Dad” earlier was already very satisfying to him.
As for who Dabao called “Dad” afterward—he pretended not to hear it. In any case, he would never allow another man to become their stepfather.
That position could only be his.
Erbao and Xiaobao exchanged a look, as if silently agreeing.
Xiaobao climbed into Yin Quan’s arms, while Erbao ran to Ruan Ting He.
One child for each adult. Fair enough.
The medicine in Yin Quan’s kit was already the best available in this era. While not as advanced as what she had in her space, it was sufficient for minor injuries.
However, Ruan Ting He never expected Xiaobao to suddenly take out a few cartoon band-aids.
The moment both Yin Quan and Shen Yan saw the band-aids that clearly didn’t belong to this world, Ruan Ting He’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
But she already had an excuse prepared.
“Hehe… I made these myself!”
Just as Yin Quan leaned in to take a closer look, Shen Yan pushed him toward the kitchen.
“Aren’t you hungry? Go cook the dumplings.”
Ruan Ting He quickly stood up. “I’ll go cook.”
Shen Yan pressed her back down onto the sofa.
“You stay with the kids. Yin Quan can cook.”
And with that, he dragged Yin Quan away.