The meal ended on a discordant note, and Bai Xiao was also troubled.
Left alone, Bai Xiao cooked the meal, and the three of them ate in silence.
Bai Xiao packed some chicken soup in a thermos, and An Zhiyuan took it to the hospital, knowing his wife was someone with a tough exterior but a soft heart.
Though Bai Xiao said nothing, it was clear to all that the soup in the thermos was meant for the elderly grandparents.
He might as well play the mediator.
Suddenly having a wife with so many relatives indeed took some getting used to.
Bai Song was also due to return to his military unit, and this was their only chance to see each other as Bai Song was about to rotate to the frontlines.
Even though Bai Xiao was worried, she knew there was nothing to be done.
Unless she followed her brother to the battlefield, there was no way to look after Bai Song for long.
The siblings parted ways.
An Zhiyuan returned and reported that the old lady’s injuries were not serious. After applying medication, they returned to the hotel they were staying in. He delivered the chicken soup, and the grandparents were delighted, naturally aware that it was their granddaughter’s sentiment.
It didn’t matter to them that in fact, the old lady herself had cooked the soup.
However, that meal had been disrupted.
The old lady, with her wrist bandaged, leaned against the headboard, "Old man, who would have thought our Xiaoya would have such a formidable daughter? She’s nothing like us; I find her temperament reserved—not one to show weakness or be soft-hearted. I suspect this has to do with her experiences as a child.
Yes, after suffering so much back then, it’s hard for the girl to place her trust in people again."
"Let’s not talk about it. It’s hard to say who was right or wrong, but now that she’s back with us and, as you’ve seen, she’s quite capable herself, having formed her own family, the child doesn’t acknowledge us probably because she doesn’t want us to disrupt her life. Let’s go back in a few days.
We shouldn’t force her to accept us all at once; she’s decisive and won’t be constrained by mere kinship. What we should hope for is her happiness," the old man voiced what they both clearly understood.
Though Bai Xiao reluctantly relented today, that child really was different from what they had imagined.
Not the compliant girl longing for family affection and protection from abuse, she was instead like a strong tree, unafraid of storms.
Moreover, they could see that Bai Xiao’s brother was indeed a true elder brother. Bai Xiao listened well to Bai Song, treating him completely differently from how she treated them.
They thought the little cabbage beaten down by abuse would crave the protection of a family.
In reality, the elder brother and sister protected her well.
And the affection they gave her was why the child was so good to her own family.
The old lady sighed as well, "No more talking, I understand. There’s still a barrier between this child and us. Relationships require a foundation of affection, let’s take it slow."
The old man glanced at the old lady’s hand, "How is it? Does it still hurt?"
"You know, it’s quite strange. It hurt so much when I first scalded it—not so much hurt, but rather a throbbing pain. But those two injections from Bai Xiao really did provide relief, and I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I feel like the blisters have gotten much smaller after those two pricks." The old lady was quite delighted; after all, it was the first treatment her granddaughter had performed for her.
"You feel that way too? I had the same sensation just now but thought my eyes were tricking me." The old man laughed, "It seems our granddaughter is indeed capable. But it’s a pity she didn’t go to university."
"What’s so difficult about going to university? I’ve heard that she was very good in her studies, even got into the aviation school. Becoming a doctor was probably due to the family’s financial situation. Haven’t you thought about who her immediate superior is?"
"Yes, let’s have the eldest allocate a higher education spot for her to further her studies. We wouldn’t be nepotistic—it would be an exception, and if I have to, I’ll force the eldest to do it just this once," the old man exhaled deeply.