C38 I'll Count to Three

"Do you have any idea who the Fu family is? Even as the psychologist for Young Master Fu, you can't afford to cross them!"

After a stern reprimand, she was sent packing, and a call was made to Soong's father.

"Old Soong, did you catch the news? I hate to say it, but I can't keep covering for your kid. If this keeps up, the company might as well shut its doors..."

On the other end, Soong's father's expression soured. After enduring his old friend's grievances, he offered a few cursory responses before hastily ending the call.

Staring at the pile of termination letters on his desk, Soong's father let out a deep sigh.

If things didn't improve, he'd have no choice but to swallow his pride and make a personal visit to the Fu's!

...

As dusk settled in, the workday drew to a close.

Stepping out of the hospital, Soong Ruanruan descended the stairs hand in hand with her son, immediately spotting the Fu family's striking black sedan with Zhou Chi standing by.

"Assistant Zhou, could you please pass a message to Mr. Fu? I'd like to take Dear Sui home for a bit of fun."

She had already promised her son, and her daughter had been eager for another visit to the apartment. There was no reason for Soong Ruanruan to refuse.

Dear Sui hadn't fully enjoyed himself last time, and with Fu Jingchuan absent, he was sure to have a more relaxing experience.

Once Zhou Chi relayed the situation to his boss, a hush fell on the other end of the line.

Soong Ruanruan seized the moment to assure, "Mr. Fu, you can trust me with Dear Sui. We had a great time at the apartment last time, and I'll make sure he's returned promptly today as well."

There was no direct reply. Zhou Chi, seeking clarification, asked, "President, what are your instructions?"

Whatever Fu Jingchuan's response, Zhou Chi simply acknowledged with an "Okay" and ended the call.

"Dr. Soong, if you could wait just ten minutes, please."

Soong Ruanruan patiently knelt to engage Fu Sui in casual conversation, subtly gauging the boy's psychological well-being.

Before long, the sound of measured footsteps echoed from above.

Soong Ruanruan turned to see Fu Jingchuan and the hospital director emerging from the main entrance. After exchanging a few words, the director bid him farewell with a polite gesture down the steps.

Clearly, they had just concluded some business with the hospital. Yet, only someone of Fu Jingchuan's esteemed status could warrant such a personal send-off from the director.

Soong Ruanruan's heart gave an involuntary flutter at the thought.

Surely it wasn't what she suspected.

The man approached with confident strides, his gaze briefly passing over her before he scooped up his son and got into the car.

"Dr. Soong, please get in the car," Zhou Chi prompted her with a discerning look.

It was now evident that Dear Sui could indeed visit her home, but it meant that the child's father would be accompanying them.

Soong Ruanruan wavered for a moment but ultimately resigned herself to the situation and climbed into the car.

She couldn't disregard her son's feelings.

Through repeated companionship, her son's heart had gradually warmed up to her, and he was now initiating conversations about his thoughts. She couldn't let Fu Jingchuan's presence sever the tender shoots of progress.

The sedan sped smoothly along, arriving at the apartment in just over ten minutes.

"Mammy, you're back!"

As the key turned in the lock, Soong Ruanruan was greeted by her daughter's cheerful voice, as always. Yet, upon entering the living room, she was taken aback by the mountain of toys on the sofa.

There were plush animals, building blocks, dolls, and an array of girl's accessories.

"What is this…?"

The little girl bounded over to Fu Sui, tugging at his hand with pride. "Brother bought these for me! And there are so many pretty dresses too!"

Soong Ruanruan glanced into the open bedroom to find it indeed overflowing with little girls' dresses.

"…"

Now, she was torn between reprimand and praise.

Her son's intentions were pure, aimed at bringing joy to An An, but for Soong Ruanruan, a regular wage earner, it seemed excessive.

She wasn't accustomed to such lavishness and didn't want her daughter picking up bad habits.

Before she could figure out how to broach the subject, Fu Sui was the first to ask, "Do you like it?"

An An nodded, "I love everything big brother gives me!"

A spark of joy appeared in Fu Sui's eyes.

As long as his sister liked it, he could buy her even more in the future. And since the dads had given their silent approval, it meant he was doing the right thing.

Soong Ruanruan crouched down to meet the child's gaze, her voice soft as she said, "Dear Sui, thank you for your gift, but some of the styles are very similar. There's no need to buy so many."

Fu Sui didn't quite understand and blinked in confusion, "Why?"

Not wanting to dampen her son's enthusiasm, Soong Ruanruan turned to Fu Jingchuan. As a father, it was his duty to instill the right values in his son.

"Mr. Fu, in the future, let Dear Sui buy what he likes. I'll take care of purchasing An An's toys."

To her surprise, Fu Sui responded earnestly, "I'm her big brother."

He had already come to see An An as his true sister, and as her big brother, it was his role to give her only the best.

Soong Ruanruan paused, a sudden twinge of emotion at her son's declaration.

Indeed, he was the big brother. They were siblings by blood, and despite the years apart, their connection remained strong.

With that realization, Soong Ruanruan no longer wished to dwell on her own thoughts and turned to Fu Jingchuan.

"Mr. Fu, now that Dear Sui has been delivered, you must be reassured. I won't keep you from your important work any longer."

She genuinely didn't want him to linger. The last encounter had been awkward enough with Ji Yu present; alone, it would surely be even more uncomfortable.

But then, An An unexpectedly spoke up, "Mam, let's invite Mr. Fu to join us for dinner."

Soong Ruanruan's hand, poised to open the door, stilled. She turned to see her daughter's eyes brimming with hope and then to her son, who, while less overt, clearly didn't want his father to leave.

Alright, she seemed to have become the villain in a tale of family discord.

"Mr. Fu, as you wish," Soong Ruanruan conceded, unable to bear the children's looks of disappointment.

Soon after, the kitchen was alive with the sounds of cooking.

Hoping for Fu Jingchuan to lend a hand was a pipe dream, so despite feeling suddenly unwell, Soong Ruanruan persevered and skillfully prepared the meal.

The two children played nearby, while Fu Jingchuan silently surveyed the room.

He noticed a notebook on the table and, with feigned indifference, took a closer look. It was filled with meticulous notes on Fu Sui's symptoms and changes throughout his treatment, evidence of the woman's dedication.

Fu Jingchuan's gaze grew somber.

Fu Sui wasn't her child, yet this woman had shown a level of concern and attentiveness for her son that went beyond professional duty.

It was so exceptional it almost invited suspicion.

"It smells delicious!"

The dishes were served, and hearing her daughter's joyful exclamation filled Soong Ruanruan with contentment.

But the next moment, a sudden dull pain in her lower abdomen caused her face to pale. After settling the child at the table with a few instructions, she excused herself to the restroom.

As she had anticipated, her menstrual cycle had begun.

An An, growing impatient after a lengthy wait, furrowed her brow and mumbled, "Why isn't Mommy coming out?"

No sooner had she spoken than a loud "thud" came from the restroom as something hit the floor.

Startled, the children hurried to the bathroom.

Fu Jingchuan strode swiftly to the door.

"I'm fine, just knocked over the mouthwash cup," Soong Ruanruan called out, somewhat disheveled as she sat on the floor, replacing the cup on the sink.

Her stomach pain had left her drained, causing her to slip and fall.

Not wanting to cause the children concern, she told a small lie.

Yet, in the very next moment, she felt as if her fib had backfired.

Initially, she hadn't felt much pain, but the moment she tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, eliciting an involuntary hiss from her.

Fu Jingchuan, hearing the sound of pain from inside and noticing the woman hadn't emerged for quite some time, was growing visibly impatient.

"Mommy, why haven't you come out yet?" An An, concerned, attempted to pry the door open, but upon hearing her mother's words, reluctantly pulled back her little hand.

"Mommy just needs to tidy up a bit inside, I'll be out in a moment," Soong Ruanruan reassured as she tried once more to stand, but to no avail.

That's when Fu Sui chimed in, "Finish eating, then clean up."

The children's anxious expressions were plain to see. Fu Jingchuan's brow furrowed, and he dispensed with the pleasantries, "I'm going to count to three."

What in the world? Was he implying that if she didn't come out, he would force his way in?