C36 How Long Do You Have to Call Me Uncle?

However, just minutes later, the hospital informed them that the surveillance camera in the corridor was undergoing routine maintenance and was not operational.

Moreover, Soong Feifei had already left, so a confrontation with that woman was not immediately possible!

"Mommy, I'm okay now. Can we go home?" the little girl asked, seeing her mother tirelessly running up and down the stairs.

Soong Ruanruan caressed her daughter's cheek, "Yes, let's head home."

An An had been wronged, and Soong Ruanruan was not about to let it slide. Offending her was one thing, but anyone who dared to harm her child would face her full wrath!

Upon reaching the hospital entrance, Soong Ruanruan spotted the black stretch limousine. It was unmistakably the Fu family's private car, as ostentatious as the Fu's reputation.

"Ling, An An!"

As the mother and daughter descended the stairs, Ji Yu approached them, his voice laden with concern and guilt.

"I heard An An had a fall. Where did she get hurt? Is it serious?"

An An shook her head, "I'm fine, Mr. Ji."

"It's been taken care of, no need to worry," Soong Ruanruan reassured him, not intending to place any blame on the man, given Ji Yu's busy schedule.

"I apologize, I had to attend to a patient who suddenly suffered from angina. I thought it would be quick, but I didn't mean to make An An wait so long..."

The little girl nodded understandingly, "It's okay, Mr. Ji. You're a doctor, you have to save lots of people!"

Ji Yu's anxiety eased, "Good girl. Today, Uncle will make you some braised pork."

"Yay!"

The trio's laughter and banter restored the usual warm and cozy atmosphere as they headed towards the parking lot.

Suddenly, the stretch limousine pulled up beside them.

Through the car window, Fu Sui's handsome face was watching An An. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally managed to say, "Join us for a meal."

Soong Ruanruan was taken aback, but before she could inquire further, her daughter responded brightly, "Does brother want to come over for some braised pork too?"

Fu Sui stiffened.

He had intended to treat An An to a feast, especially after seeing her cry earlier, which tugged at his heartstrings. Yet, he was at a loss for how to properly console her, which led him to the idea of food.

But now, his gesture had been misinterpreted. He opened his mouth to clarify when he heard his aunt's voice.

"Sure, I can make braised pork too. Dear Sui, would you like to join us?" Soong Ruanruan was eager for her son to come over for a visit.

Ji Yu extended a warm invitation as well, "Sui, Mr. Ji's culinary skills are quite impressive. Would you like to give them a try?"

Fu Sui paused, then turned to glance at someone else.

It was then that Soong Ruanruan noticed there was another person in the car — Fu Jingchuan.

The car was roomy, but she hadn't really seen who was inside. It seemed unlikely that Fu Jingchuan would come to her place, right?

Well, he probably wouldn't. CEOs are always so busy.

Twenty minutes later, Soong Ruanruan felt as if she'd been proven wrong.

Her modest apartment felt even smaller with Fu Jingchuan's presence.

The cozy living room was filled with the chatter of two children. Fortunately, regardless of the adults' interactions, Dear Sui and An An always played well together.

"Ling, help me with the radishes," Ji Yu called out from the kitchen.

Soong Ruanruan expertly grabbed the knife and responded, "Okay."

Their teamwork was seamless, and before long, a full spread of dishes graced the table.

"Brother, look how amazing Mam and Mr. Ji are! They made all these yummy dishes," An An said in her babyish voice as she was lifted into her high chair. Then, she turned to Fu Jingchuan, "Can you cook too, Mr. Fu?"

Soong Ruanruan braced herself; her daughter had a knack for asking tricky questions.

Fu Jingchuan settled into his seat and answered straightforwardly, "No."

The little girl looked slightly disappointed but quickly added, "That's okay, An An can't either."

"Sweetie, have some more," Soong Ruanruan urged, serving the child several pieces of braised pork to divert her attention.

Fu Sui watched on, a hint of melancholy fleeting through his eyes. It wasn't jealousy he felt, but rather envy. His mother truly was the gentlest person in the world; his father, on the other hand, had never once offered him food like that.

The next moment, he noticed a few more dishes had appeared in his bowl, courtesy of Soong Ruanruan.

"Dear Sui, you need to eat more. You had a lot of blood drawn for today's checkup, so it's important to replenish your nutrients," she said softly.

A warm feeling stirred in Fu Sui's heart, her tender words flowing through him like a soothing stream.

"Mam, why don't you give brother some meat?" An An asked, her lips pursed in a pout.

"Brother isn't too fond of meat right now. When he starts to like it, An An, make sure to share some with him, okay?" Soong Ruanruan responded with a playful tone.

"Okay!" The little girl nodded, her face showing she'd taken the words to heart.

Soong Ruanruan had her reasons. Her son suffered from a mild case of anorexia and was particularly averse to the rich taste of meat. No one dared to force him to eat anything, which had led to various health standards not being met.

With such symptoms, the only approach was gradual and patient. Forcing a child to eat something they disliked from the get-go would only heighten their resistance.

Fu Jingchuan lifted his eyelids slightly, noting her attentiveness.

"Mr. Fu, thank you!" The little girl suddenly remembered something after a couple of bites and quickly spoke up.

She hadn't thanked her uncle for taking her to apply the medicine earlier, which was impolite.

Fu Jingchuan's actions briefly stilled, and he responded with a calm "Hmm."

Ji Yu chimed in, "I won't make An An wait so long next time."

"It wasn't long at all. I'm happy to wait!" An An replied cheerfully.

Soong Ruanruan slightly furrowed her brow. "Mr. Yu, it wasn't intentional. There's no need to bring it up again."

As Fu Jingchuan listened to their affectionate and natural exchange, his gaze grew deep and inscrutable. In the lull of their conversation, he suddenly asked in a grave tone, "When are you planning to have the wedding?"

Soong Ruanruan's hand froze mid-reach for the vegetables.

Ji Yu's eyes flickered, his expression slightly strained.

"When did Mr. Fu start taking an interest in other people's private affairs?" Soong Ruanruan quipped with a mocking laugh after a brief silence.

She couldn't very well admit that the deed was done, especially since Ji Yu had previously stepped in to help without making their situation public.

But the man before her wasn't buying her deflection. He pressed on, "Or could it be that you two aren't actually married?"

"Mr. Fu!" Soong Ruanruan raised her voice, not wanting to lie in front of the children. "This is a matter between Ji Yu and me. Surely, you don't have the right to inquire about it, do you?"

Fu Jingchuan placed his utensils down with deliberate slowness, his piercing gaze fixed on Ji Yu.

"How long do you intend to have An An call you 'uncle'?"

The little girl, puzzled, asked, "Mr. Ji is Mr. Ji ~ If I don't call him uncle, what should An An call him?"

Soong Ruanruan felt her heart climb into her throat. She had explained many things to her daughter, like her hoarse voice and grimacing face, which her daughter had accepted with a nod, but she couldn't possibly deceive her child into believing Ji Yu was her father.

"Mr. Fu, what exactly are you trying to accomplish? Are you unhappy with my treatment and thus looking for faults?" she challenged.

Fu Sui, overhearing the exchange, tugged quietly at Fu Jingchuan's sleeve.

He didn't want his aunt to be upset during their meal with An An.

Fu Jingchuan caught Soong Ruanruan's slightly flustered expression and glanced at his son's hopeful eyes before turning away with a chill in his demeanor.

"Soong Ling, I gave you an opportunity."

She'd better not actually be Soong Ruanruan because on the day the truth comes out, he couldn't promise to hold back his actions!

Soong Ruanruan's complexion turned ashen, but fortunately, her naturally sallow skin masked the frantic pounding of her heart.