C23 What Is There That You Don't dare to Look Straight At?!

Compared to the last time, Soong Ruanruan was significantly more composed when faced with the man's scrutinizing gaze. She assumed Fu Jingchuan had brought his child in for a medical consultation, so she addressed her daughter, "An An, your brother has some things to take care of, so why don't you rest for a bit, okay?"

An An's voice, unguarded and filled with concern, asked, "Is brother sick too?"

Fu Sui casually spoke up, "I'm here to see you."

It dawned on Soong Ruanruan that her son had intentionally come to visit them.

Was this a case of sibling intuition?

Feeling a wave of tenderness, Soong Ruanruan couldn't dismiss her son's thoughtful gesture. She revised her approach, "Dear Sui, why don't you play with your sister for a while? Your father and I need to step out for a conversation, is that alright?"

Fu Sui nodded, then turned to his father, seemingly seeking his approval.

Soong Ruanruan noticed this and her brow furrowed.

She could see that her son still relied on Fu Jingchuan, but there was also a mix of reverence and distance. Clearly, the father and son didn't communicate much, much less share their innermost thoughts.

With these thoughts in mind, she felt an even greater need to talk with the man.

A few minutes later, they stepped out of the ward.

Soong Ruanruan opted for a direct approach, feeling the weight of the man's towering presence.

"Mr. Fu, you've likely reviewed Dear Sui's diagnosis and symptom report. He has bipolar disorder, specifically a mixed episode," she began, her voice catching slightly before she regained her composure.

"The treatment plan I recommend includes CBT combined with clinical medicine. There are also three alternative plans, but all of them require family support. Therefore, I hope you can give me a detailed description of your usual interactions with your child, your communication methods, and the communication styles of other family members."

After finishing, Soong Ruanruan looked up, having not heard a response for a while.

With just one glance, she felt as though she could be drawn into the profound vortex of the man's eyes.

Stay calm, stay focused!

After all, they had both faced death before; what was there to fear now?

Soong Ruanruan silently gritted her teeth, finally managing to quell the subconscious shiver within her.

It was undeniable that this man's impact on her life was profound.

So profound that even after so many years, when she thought she could face anything without a ripple, she still needed to fortify her mental defenses to avoid showing any weakness in his presence.

"Mr. Fu, if you have any questions about my treatment plan, please don't hesitate to ask," she stated coolly.

Fu Jingchuan's expression remained impassive, his comment casual as though merely a reminder, "Next time we communicate, remember to look up."

"...Okay." Soong Ruanruan replied, her tone betraying a hint of defiance as she added, "Mr. Fu, you may use that expression with others, but I would appreciate it if you could show a bit more warmth towards Dear Sui. He is, after all, just a child."

Fu Jingchuan's gaze deepened.

He had been exceptionally attentive to Fu Sui, even reading parenting books over the past four years. By his own assessment, he had certainly achieved the status of a 'good father.'

The atmosphere turned icy.

"Soong Ling, remember your role as a doctor. I've allowed you to monitor Fu Sui's progress, but that doesn't extend to advising on the Fu family's private affairs."

His commanding tone caused Soong Ruanruan to catch her breath.

She composed herself, responding with a congenial tone, "I wouldn't presume to do so. It was merely a small suggestion."

It seemed that healing her son's psychological issues would be a long journey, one that would inevitably require further interaction with this man.

With the conversation concluded, Fu Jingchuan opened the door.

Warm sunlight bathed the two children. The little girl, holding a Rubik's cube, exclaimed to the boy with glee, "Brother, I did it!"

Fu Sui said nothing, but his eyes shone with pride and affirmation.

Upon seeing her mother, An An eagerly announced, "Mam, look what I've learned!"

Soong Ruanruan's gaze fell upon her daughter, who had successfully solved the Rubik's cube.

"Brother taught me!" An An boasted, lifting the cube high, "It's a gift from brother!"

Soong Ruanruan was momentarily taken aback but then smiled with relief. "Dear Sui is so impressive, and so are you, An An. You both should continue to learn from each other in the future."

"Yes, yes!" An An nodded with joy.

Fu Sui wasn't quite sure how to respond. To him, the task had been too simple, but he had brought it specifically for his sister, hoping it would make her happier.

Time flew by, and soon it was time for the father and son to leave.

After bidding farewell to Fu Sui, An An blurted out, "Uncle, will you come to visit again?"

A flicker of something unusual crossed Fu Jingchuan's eyes as he asked in a deep voice, "Do you want me to?"

The little girl nodded emphatically. "Next time, Mam will take you out to play with us."

After a brief pause, she added in a tender voice, "And when I'm all better, I'll take you all out to play too~"

Fu Jingchuan hesitated for a moment before responding with a nonchalant "Hmm."

He was surprised at his own patience; he hadn't expected to be so accommodating with a child, not even with his own son.

Fu Sui's eyes sparkled at the thought. Had Daddy just... agreed to play together?

Once the pair had departed, Soong Ruanruan, feeling a slight headache, closed the ward door and asked her daughter, "An An, do you really like that uncle?"

"Yes, doesn't Mam like him? He's also Little Brother's dad," An An replied innocently.

Soong Ruanruan felt somewhat resigned. Was this the subtle tie of kinship?

"What do you like about him?" she inquired.

Without hesitation, the little girl responded, "Uncle is very kind!"

Soong Ruanruan thought to herself that if Fu Jingchuan heard that description, he'd probably be embarrassed.

She decided to let things be. If her daughter was happy, she wouldn't stand in the way of the father-daughter connection.

From that day on, Fu Sui made frequent visits to An An's ward.

The bond between the two children grew stronger by the day. Coupled with the advancement of psychological therapy, Fu Sui's bouts of mania became less frequent. Though still reserved, he was making significant progress.

Another weekend arrived in the blink of an eye, and An An was finally ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Before leaving, the little girl energetically packed her small backpack.

"What's An An putting in there?"

"It's a gift for the nurse sisters!" the little girl answered sweetly, her gaze drifting toward the door now and then.

Soong Ruanruan knew her daughter was eagerly awaiting her brother's arrival. They had made a pact that Dear Sui would come to see her off on the day she was discharged.

Her daughter was very excited about it.

...

Simultaneously, Lo Qing's strident voice echoed through the Fu family's grand home.

"Sui, your auntie is here to take you out for dinner."

Fu Sui continued to pack his backpack, unfazed.

"How can we let the Little Young Master do this himself?" Lo Qing complained, noticing the butler standing by without offering assistance.

The butler responded formally, "The Little Young Master prefers to organize his things himself."

"Sui is just a child; how can he possibly organize everything properly?" Lo Qing said, her eyes showing her displeasure as she reached for Fu Sui's arm. "Sui, be a good boy. Your dad won't be home for dinner today, so your auntie will take you out for something tasty."

"No," Fu Sui replied coldly, sidestepping the woman's touch.

Lo Qing's face stiffened, but she quickly regained her composure. "Then where does Sui want to go? Auntie can take you there, and then we can go out to eat, okay?"

This time, however, she received no response from the boy.

To spare her any embarrassment, the butler stepped in, "Miss Lo, the Little Young Master is on his way to the hospital to pick someone up. We've already arranged a driver, so there's no need for you to go out of your way."

Lo Qing's eyes narrowed.

It was that Soong Ling again!

She didn't need to make any special effort to know that Fu Sui had been spending time with Soong Ling's daughter; it was common knowledge throughout the hospital.

Others might think it was simply two children getting along, and that the Little Young Master had grown more attached due to Soong Ling's effective management. But Lo Qing saw through the facade!

In her eyes, it was undoubtedly that unattractive woman who had used some scheme to ingratiate herself with the Fu family people!

Ignoring the butler's reaction, Lo Qing seized the opportunity to grab Fu Sui's arm as he was about to sling his bag over his shoulder.

"Sui, listen to your auntie. There's no need to rush to pick someone up. We can wait until after dinner, or I can take you myself."

She couldn't stand the thought of being outdone. If Soong Ling could endear herself to a child, why couldn't she?

Maybe she had been too lenient with Fu Sui. Perhaps taking a firmer stance might make him more compliant.

As she pondered this, her grip on the boy's hand tightened.

Fu Sui's brow furrowed, yet he didn't complain of the pain, simply guarding the backpack behind him.

The butler, alarmed by the scene, hurried over to intervene, "Miss Lo, if the Little Young Master is reluctant, let's not force him. Please, you should leave..."

"Crash!"

The sound of shattering glass rang out as something was flung from the backpack, causing Fu Sui's eyes to fly open in shock!