Chapter 548 - Do you miss your aunt? (1/2)
After arriving home, Yang Wenchang had shot her a look, wearing a vaguely sheepish expression on his face. Huo Jinyao it seemed, had yet to wake up.
Su Qingsang didn’t realize the reason for the look Yang Wencheng had sent her until she caught sight of Huo Jinyao’s hand. The drip had done its job. However, due to Yang Wenchang’s lack of familiarity with the procedure, when he had inserted the needle, some bleeding had occurred.
Su Qingsang eyed Yang Wenchang after noticing the bloodstains on Huo Jinyao’s palm. However, she did not have the heart to chide him for it.
If anyone was to be blamed for it, it should be herself, for running off to criticize Liu Tongjia instead of staying behind to watch over Huo Jinyao.
“You can take your leave first, I’ll take care of him.”
“Alright.” Yang Wenchang nodded his head. After a while, he decided to speak up to warn Su Qingsang, “Huo Jinyao woke up, just for a short time, a little while ago. He fell back asleep again soon after.”
“It’s alright. He’s likely groggy because of the drip. He should wake up more naturally later.”
Yang Wenchang breathed a sigh of relief, reassured. Su Qingsang was a doctor, and she would know how to care for Huo Jinyao.
Su Qingsang had only eaten a little, scrounging up a meal of whatever food had been available that that night. She had just cooked some porridge earlier, and it was now warm and ready for consumption. However, Huo Jinyao had still not woken up to eat it.
She had not expected someone who looked so healthy every day, could have succumbed so easily to a simple cold, or experience such severe symptoms.
After Ms. Yu had packed up, Su Qingsang sent her home.
Now as she sat at Huo Jinyao’s side, she glanced at him, holding her laptop as she waited for him to wake up.
As she thought back on what Liu Tongjia had recounted, Su Qingsang began to surf the web for any news of said past events. However, she could find nothing on it and had to assume that a cover-up of the incident had taken place.
Or perhaps, ten years ago with the Internet far less developed, such local news would not have been uploaded.
She was still debating whether to make time to ask Old Master Huo for answers when Huo Jinyao awoke from his slumber.
Su Qingsang heard him stirring and stood up promptly. Upon opening his eyes, Huo Jinyao noticed her immediately.
“Old…”
“Do not speak.”
He had slept for nearly a day. Su Qingsang poured him a glass of warm water and helped Huo Jinyao sit up so he could hydrate himself.
Once Huo Jinyao had drunk the glass of warm water, he immediately gained more color in his cheeks.
“My wife?”
“You’re ill.” Su Qingsang glanced at Huo Jinyao and spoke in a low voice. “It’s not even summer and yet you’re bathing in cold water. It’s no wonder you fell sick! Do you think you are invincible?”
Huo Jinyao thought about the mail he had received before, and he could only smile. Still, he refrained from speech.
Su Qingsang knew that Huo Jinyao was probably in a poor mood, and she lay off reproaching him. She raised a hand to Huo Jinyao’s forehead. “You’re no longer burning up. However, you still have to continue taking your medication.
“Wait here, I’ve cooked some porridge since you are sick. Have some food before you take the medicine.”
“Alright.”
Huo Jinyao did not object to her advice. Realizing it, Su Qingsang quickly went out and returned with the bowl of porridge.
“If you dislike the taste of this, I make no apologies for it.” Su Qingsang placed her tray aside and passed the bowl of porridge to Huo Jinyao. “It’s your own fault for falling sick. This is all sick people can eat.”
“You cooked it yourself.”
“Yes.” Su Qingsang nodded her head and passed the bowl over before glaring at Huo Jinyao. “Do not be picky.”
“Why would I?” Huo Jinyao spoke up with a slightly raspy voice. He could not resist adding rather soppily, “The porridge cooked by my wife is the best in the world.”
Su Qingsang glared at him playfully, betraying a hint of humor.
She blew at the porridge lightly to cool it and placed the spoon at Huo Jinyao’s lips. Huo Jinyao regarded Su Qingsang tenderly as he enjoyed his wife’s ministrations.
Su Qingsang fed him slowly and meticulously as if she was used to doing this…
Huo Jinyao met her gaze, smiling at her and observed, “You seem pretty experienced at this.”
“Well, it’s not as if this is the first time I’ve done this.”
Su Qingsang replied evenly, but as she did so, the bowl she was holding trembled slightly in her grasp. She had become intimately familiar with the work of caretaking because of Xiang Caiping.
When Xiang Caiping had injured her hip, Su Qingsang had been given the main responsibility for taking charge of her care in the hospital, even though there were nurses there.
Who was to know that Xiang Caiping was not her biological mother. The last time the two of them had met, it had not gone well.
Xiang Caiping had ignored her, and she had not been able to find the courage to ask Xiang Caiping if she had been doing well.
Su Qingsang’s internal turmoil did not go unnoticed by Huo Jinyao, who thought he knew the likely cause.
“Are you thinking of auntie again?”
Huo Jinyao had always believed that Xiang Caiping was a decent enough person. If she had truly been Su Qingsang’s birth mother, it wouldn’t have been so poor a match at all.
“If you want to see her, I can make arrangements for you.”
Su Qingsang pursed her lips tightly but shook her head decisively in the end. Without speaking, she fed Huo Jinyao the last spoonful of porridge.
“Another bowl, perhaps?”
“Alright.”
Su Qingsang stood up to replenish the bowl of porridge. In truth, she did wish to meet Xiang Caiping again – but what good could come out of it?
Neither Xiang Caiping or herself were capable of resuming the close relationship of their past. It was impossible for them to be mother and daughter anymore.
The last time they had met, the frosty encounter had made Su Qingsang long, regretfully, for the warmth of the past. From time to time, she would think about Xiang Caiping.
During the previous visit she made to Lin City, she had even entertained thoughts of meeting Xiang Caiping. However, due to the lack of time, as well as the fears about anticipated awkwardness that would ensue, she did not go through with it in the end.
Perhaps, given the chance in the future, she could discretely check up on her. She would not need to disturb Xiang Caiping if she only visited to sneak a look at her.
Huo Jinyao ate another bowl of porridge before Su Qingsang gave him his dose.
He was still rather weak and the pallor of his face persisted.
Su Qingsang did some tidying before returning to the bedroom. As she thought of Liu Tongjia’s tale, she still could not see the evil character that Liu Tongjia had spoken of in Huo Jinyao.
“Jinyao.”
She wanted to ask him questions regarding the kidnapping he had experienced in the past, and whether he remembered the things he was accused of.
She wanted to ask him how his brother and sister had died. Had he really caused their deaths?
However, glancing at Huo Jinyao’s frail body, she could not utter these words aloud.
“Hm?”