CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 147: SO HAPPY, SO LUCKY

Just as Qin Xiao had heated the oil and added some green onions, ginger, and garlic to stir-fry, Xiao Li suddenly covered her mouth and ran off...

Seeing Xiao Li cover her mouth and run, Qin Xiao quickly turned off the stove and followed her...

In the bathroom, Xiao Li was already leaning over the toilet vomiting, spewing out the cherries she hadn’t digested yet...

Qin Xiao entered, saw her vomiting, and quickly patted her back, then got her some water to rinse her mouth...

When Xiao Li finished vomiting and rinsed her mouth, Qin Xiao helped her up and asked, "Weren’t you over morning sickness?"

Xiao Li shook her head, "I haven’t vomited in a long time! I’ve been so busy at the hospital and hadn’t thrown up at all!

Maybe I still can’t stand the smell of cooking oil! Just got nauseous from the aroma of your stir-fry..."

Qin Xiao said, "Then why don’t you wait in the room for a bit? I’ll finish cooking, and when the smell’s gone, you can come out."

The kitchen is open, and although there’s a range hood, there’s still some oil smoke when cooking. Xiao Li’s been very sensitive lately; if she sits in the living room, she might feel uncomfortable again...

Qin Xiao first helped Xiao Li back to the room, got her a glass of water, then went out to finish cooking...

Once the dishes were on the table, Qin Xiao smelled himself and felt the smell of oil smoke, so he went to the next-door dressing room to change clothes, and then went to call Xiao Li.

After her brief rest, Xiao Li felt better. Upon hearing it was time to eat, she eagerly followed Qin Xiao out.

At the dinner table, the food was already laid out. Xiao Li, seeing the dishes before even eating, praised, "Uncle, I told you you’re a genius!

If I hadn’t seen you cooking myself, I’d doubt these were made by you."

Qin Xiao smiled and served Xiao Li a bowl of soup to warm her stomach...

Xiao Li took a sip of the soup, "Hmm... Tastes just like Aunt Wu’s stew. Uncle, did you ask Aunt Wu to teach you how to make this soup?"

Qin Xiao nodded, "Yes, I had Aunt Wu teach me over video calls a couple of days before you returned home.

Tried it twice, and today’s turned out pretty well..."

Xiao Li loved Aunt Wu’s soup, which is why Qin Xiao specially learned it from her. As for the other dishes, he learned from recipes...

Hearing Qin Xiao’s words, Xiao Li naturally knew it was because of her that he took the effort to learn the soup from Aunt Wu, making her heart feel sweet and making the soup taste even better than Aunt Wu’s.

After finishing the lovingly made soup, Qin Xiao served Xiao Li some rice and handed her some chopsticks, and she started tasting the other dishes he made.

Every dish she tried, she would give some praise...

The meal concluded amidst Xiao Li’s praises.

After the meal, Qin Xiao cleaned up the table while Xiao Li went to the living room to video call Mianmian.

While they were eating, Mianmian had sent a video call request. As they were almost done eating, Xiao Li didn’t pick up immediately, planning to chat with Mianmian after the meal...

Once the video connected, Mianmian’s little face appeared on screen, "Mom... Grandma said you were captured by that big monster dad, and it’ll be a while before you come back...

Mom, are you really with dad?

Why don’t you come back with dad?"

Hearing Mianmian’s childish voice, Xiao Li’s heart melted, "Mianmian, what grandma said is true, mommy was captured by dad, and it’s dad who won’t let mommy come home. As for why dad won’t let mommy come home? Mommy doesn’t know either!

Why don’t you ask dad later, okay?"

Over the video, Mianmian puffed up angrily, "Dad is a big meanie..."

Just as Qin Xiao finished cleaning up and came over, he heard Mianmian calling him a big meanie. He raised an eyebrow slightly and took the phone over, "Mianmian, who are you calling a big meanie?"

Mianmian puffed up even more and said, "Dad won’t let mom come back, dad is a big meanie."

Hearing this, Qin Xiao glanced at Xiao Li, who shrugged, "I’m just telling the truth, you’re the one not letting me come home!"

Qin Xiao chuckled, took the phone, and walked away while calming Mianmian.

Seeing him taking the phone away, Xiao Li hurried to follow, intending to hear what he’d say to Mianmian, but Qin Xiao went straight into a room and locked the door, leaving Xiao Li outside.

Xiao Li stood there, incredulous, staring at the closed door...

He... he... he...

Uncle actually... actually locked me outside!!!

Xiao Li stood at the door, glaring at the tightly shut room door. Not even two minutes passed before Qin Xiao ended the video call and opened the door...

As soon as Xiao Li saw Qin Xiao open the door, she pounced on him, waving her arms, "Uncle... how dare you lock me out...

Tell me, what did you say behind my back to Mianmian in the room!

You don’t love me anymore; how dare you lock the door and talk bad about me behind my back..."

Qin Xiao endured Xiao Li’s affectionate pouncing with a smile...

After she calmed down, he said, "I was just explaining to Mianmian why I wouldn’t let you come home.

Since you’ve thrown this pot to me, of course, I have to explain things clearly to Mianmian!"

Xiao Li retorted angrily, "How am I passing the blame? You’re the one not letting me go back!"

Qin Xiao nodded, "Yes, yes, yes! You’re not placing blame; you’re stating the facts.

But isn’t this fact upsetting our little Mianmian? I have to go and console her!"

Xiao Li squinted, "You didn’t need to exclude me to console her!

And you locked the door...

You must have said something bad about me."

Qin Xiao laughed, "Well, I was afraid that if you heard what I said to Mianmian, you’d be shy later, so I avoided it..."

Xiao Li stared at him intently, "So what exactly did you tell Mianmian?"

Qin Xiao smiled, "I told Mianmian that mommy missed daddy and wanted to stay and play with daddy for a while.

Once done playing, we’ll go back to see her."

Hearing that, Xiao Li felt a curtain of black lines over her face. Play...? The implication of this play is too deep...

After calming Xiao Li, Qin Xiao took her to the balcony to breathe some fresh air...

Standing on the balcony, looking at the city below, Xiao Li laughed, "The pandemic is over, the city is back up and running, how wonderful..."

Qin Xiao nodded, "Yes, everyone has worked hard during this time!"

Xiao Li nodded, "Indeed! Everyone has worked hard.

The pandemic hit hard and caught everyone off guard; I’ve witnessed too many partings at the hospital during this period.

In our ward, there was an elderly man whose condition had improved, but after seeing his wife pass away, his condition worsened the next day, and he followed her.

We, as doctors, can’t save those who have lost the will to live, especially when that will is tied to emotion.

There was also a girl who was on the brink of danger several times, yet she survived each time simply because she said she is about to graduate and return home, to repay her parents, and she couldn’t leave...

There are so many stories, and thinking back now, it’s truly a blessing and a fortune realizing how happy and lucky we are!"