The two of them were quietly eating when crying came from the bed. Little Sanbao rubbed her eyes as she woke up. Not seeing her mother, she pouted and burst into loud crying, which also woke Daba and Erbao sleeping in another bed.
Jiang Banyue quickly put down her chopsticks and rushed to the bedside to pick up Sanbao.
“Baby, be good. Mommy is here.”
When Erbao saw Mommy come over, he also stretched out his arms wanting to be held. Daba patted him to comfort him, but Erbao pushed Daba away and cried for his mother instead.
Helpless, Jiang Banyue had no choice but to hold Sanbao in one arm while trying to free the other hand to pick up Erbao. At that moment, Erbao was picked up by Gu Qingci.
Jiang Banyue opened her mouth, wanting to say thank you, but thought of something and closed it again.
Gu Qingci held Erbao in his arms and gently soothed him. Erbao kept sobbing and reached out for his mother. Gu Qingci carried him to the window and pointed outside at a small car.
“Baby, look, there’s a little car outside. Do you want to ride in it? Uncle will take you to ride in the little car, okay?”
Erbao pouted, sniffled, and gradually stopped crying. Tears still hung in his eyes, about to fall but not quite dropping, while his chubby little finger pointed outside as he made soft babbling sounds.
“Oh, you want to go outside and play? Alright, Uncle will take you right away.”
Gu Qingci turned with Erbao and looked at Jiang Banyue.
“I’ll take the kids out to play for a while.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jiang Banyue felt like she had been troubling Gu Qingci all along.
“I’m really sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s fine. Don’t be so polite with me.” Gu Qingci said.
He carried Erbao back to the bed and helped him get dressed.
“Daba, do you want to go out and play with Uncle too?”
Jiang Huaijin nodded readily. He wanted Mommy and his little sister to rest peacefully.
Gu Qingci smiled and patted Daba’s head.
He always felt Daba was too well-behaved—so smart and sensible.
After dressing the two children, he casually took two bottles of milk and carried them out for a walk.
Jiang Banyue held Sanbao, staring blankly at his back, lost in thought. She sighed softly and gently patted Sanbao in her arms.
Sanbao soon fell asleep again. Jiang Banyue carried her out of the hospital room and used the front desk phone to call her parents.
“Hello.”
It was Jiang’s father’s voice.
Hearing her father’s voice, Jiang Banyue almost burst into tears from grievance.
“Dad, Sanbao is sick. She had a high fever last night. We’re at the hospital…”
“What?!” Jiang’s father shouted in shock, alarming Jiang’s mother who was cooking in the kitchen.
“What happened?” she asked, rushing over with a ladle in hand.
“Banyue, don’t panic. Your mom and I are coming right now!” Jiang’s father said urgently.
“Mom, Dad… please speak clearly!” Jiang’s mother urged anxiously.
“Sanbao is sick. They’re at the hospital. We need to go quickly. I don’t know how they managed through the night…”
“Oh my poor baby!” Jiang’s mother immediately ran to turn off the stove, took off her apron, and set it aside, muttering anxiously.
“Grandpa went out for a walk and hasn’t come back yet. I’ll leave him a note.”
The two of them rushed to the hospital. As soon as they entered, they saw Jiang Banyue holding the baby.
“My little granddaughter!” Jiang’s mother took Sanbao into her arms.
“Dad, Mom…” Jiang Banyue felt as if she finally had support and relaxed.
“Where are Daba and Erbao?”
“They…” she started to say, but Gu Qingci returned holding the two boys.
Seeing a stranger holding their grandsons, Jiang’s parents exchanged puzzled looks.
“Who are you?” Jiang’s father asked, taking the boys and sizing up Gu Qingci.
Jiang Banyue quickly explained, “Dad, Mom, he’s my friend, Gu Qingci. He was the one who sent us to the hospital last night.”
Gu Qingci smiled and greeted them politely.
“Hello, Uncle, Auntie. My name is Gu Qingci.”
Jiang’s mother quickly warmed up and invited him in.
“Xiao Gu, how long have you known our Banyue?”
“About a month.”
Facing his girlfriend’s parents for the first time, Gu Qingci felt a bit nervous but remained calm.
“Xiao Gu, are you married?” Jiang’s mother asked directly.
From her experienced perspective, this young man clearly liked her daughter—the way he looked at her said it all.
“Mom! Why are you asking that?” Jiang Banyue almost choked in embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” Gu Qingci smiled lightly. “Auntie, I’m not married. I’m single.”
“Oh, single? Do you plan to get married?”
“If I meet someone I like, I would be willing to marry,” he replied, glancing at the embarrassed Jiang Banyue with a faint smile.
Jiang’s mother happily pulled him to sit and chatted enthusiastically with him, even digging up many childhood stories about Jiang Banyue. Gu Qingci listened with interest, smiling all the while.
Meanwhile, Jiang Banyue and her father were taking care of the children. Jiang’s father leaned in and whispered:
“Look at your mother. She’s smiling like she’s never been this happy—even when she married me.”
Thinking of her mother’s intentions, Jiang Banyue felt so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole and hide. Her ears turned red.
Unable to bear it any longer, she walked over and placed her son into Jiang’s mother’s arms.
“Mom, take care of the baby. He’s looking for grandma.”
“Is that so? Oh my precious grandson!”
Jiang’s mother happily took the child away.
Gu Qingci coughed lightly, hiding his smile.
Jiang Banyue stood awkwardly in front of him, completely mortified.
“Thank you… and sorry for all the trouble. My parents are here now, you should go rest.”
“You’re really good at using someone and then discarding them,” Gu Qingci teased with a smile.
“I didn’t mean that! I’m not—” she hurriedly tried to explain.
At that moment, the doctor came for rounds.
After examining the child, the doctor said, “The fever has gone down. It’s nothing serious. Just take some medicine for two days and she’ll be fine.”
“Great!” Jiang’s mother hugged Sanbao happily.
“My baby is so strong!”
“Doctor, can we discharge now?” Jiang Banyue asked.
“Yes.”
They began packing up. Gu Qingci took the two children and said, “My car is downstairs. I’ll send you home.”
“Oh my, Xiao Gu, that’s too much trouble!” Jiang’s mother said again.
“It’s fine. Don’t be polite with me.”
By the time Jiang Banyue returned after completing discharge procedures, everything was already packed. Gu Qingci carried luggage in one hand and a child in the other. Jiang’s parents each held a child as well.
At the door, Jiang Banyue reached out to take her son from him.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
At the shop, the car stopped. Gu Qingci got out and opened the door, taking Daba from her arms.
“You go open the door.”
“Okay.”
As Jiang Banyue opened the door, Daba in Gu Qingci’s arms suddenly lifted his head and stared across the street.
He felt a familiar gaze.
Across the road was a military SUV. Inside the car, Shen Yunhe’s eyes were red as he stared tightly at Jiang Banyue, a half-burnt cigarette between his fingers. The car was filled with thick smoke.
He had arrived around 3 a.m., unable to get a ticket for the latest train. Impatient, he drove back immediately and waited here the entire time.
And now, he saw her get out of another man’s car.
The child in that man’s arms kept looking over—and that face… looked just like his.
That was his son.
The child he had with Jiang Banyue.