These past few days, I've had my assistant help arrange the house my maternal grandfather found. I'll be able to move in a few days.
"Babies, I'm back."
Shi Xinxin swiped her fingerprint and changed her shoes next to the shoe cabinet.
A few children rushed out in unison.
After a wave of warm greetings, they had already arranged for a sumptuous dinner to be prepared.
"Wow, my darlings are so amazing, Mommy is so happy!" Shi Xinxin kissed each of the three little ones on the cheek, and the children giggled with delight.
Dinner was very pleasant.
However, back in her room, Shi Xinxin's thoughts were much more complicated.
Her mind felt as if it were exhausted and in disarray.
The embarrassments of that night and the man's deep, magnetic voice swirled in her mind.
The suspicions she had harbored before also seemed to surface.
It was so similar, so similar that she could guess without a paternity test.
As Shi Xinxin was contemplating, Shi Xiaojie knocked on her door.
"Mommy, it's time for your milk."
"Come in, darling."
Shi Xiaojie pushed the door open.
"Mommy, you've worked hard today. Drinking milk will help you sleep!"
It was hard not to feel affectionate towards such a well-behaved child. Shi Xinxin quickly kissed him on the cheek.
"Mommy wants to ask Xiaojie a question now, okay?"
Shi Xinxin, remembering her earlier thoughts, couldn't wait and began to probe the children.
"Mommy, you can ask whatever you want."
"Xiaojie and your brothers, have you ever thought about finding your dad?"
Shi Xinxin felt heartbroken saying this. Such young children had followed her through hardships and endured so much with her; it was truly unfair.
Yet, she couldn't bear for them to be deprived of a father's love forever.
"Mommy, actually, having you is enough for us. Seeing how hard you've worked all these years, we feel bad too. We hope to have a dad who can share your burdens." At his young age, the child's voice was soft, but his words were as heartwarming as an adult's.
"But if that dad is irresponsible, then we don't want that kind of dad. If he doesn't protect you, we can protect Mommy when we grow up!"
The child, at such a tender age, looked at his mother with the most sincere eyes.
Hearing her children say this, Shi Xinxin was deeply moved and temporarily set aside her urgent thoughts.
"Mommy will think carefully for you all."
After Shi Xinxin settled the children, she then absentmindedly handled some work matters.
Tomorrow's follow-up appointment, if one were to be honest, was not a major issue.
Shi Xinxin, utterly exhausted, sank into the soft, large bed, hugging the warm quilt.
The next day, Shi Xinxin woke up bathed in the morning light.
She glanced at the wall clock; there was still some time before the scheduled consultation.
She spent twenty minutes applying a simple, light makeup, went out, ordered breakfast, and left some for her children, attaching a note. Then, she picked up her medical bag and left. The clock now read exactly eight fifty.
She went downstairs and got into her car to drive to the appointment.
As she was driving into the parking lot, a figure flashed by. Shi Xinxin squinted and peeked out, feeling that the figure was overly familiar.
Seeing that time was drawing near, Shi Xinxin didn't have time to think further and drove towards the Haojue Clubhouse.
Sheng Chenjin's assistant was brimming with anticipation. He was finally going to meet the legendary "Ghost Hand Divine Doctor."
[I've arrived. Are you outside the clubhouse yet?]
The assistant's hands were trembling.
[Black trench coat, wearing a hat.]
Shi Xinxin replied concisely.
The moment the assistant saw the words "black trench coat," he locked his gaze onto the person standing in front of the Haojue Clubhouse. His eyes lit up.
He slowly drove his car to the person's side. Before rolling down the window, he exited the driver's seat and, with trepidation, approached Shi Xinxin.
Shi Xinxin was wearing a hat and sunglasses at the moment, and the upturned collar of her trench coat concealed most of her face.
Sheng Chenjin's assistant couldn't recognize the person in front of him at first glance.
He appeared flustered and hesitant, not daring to meet the Ghost Hand Divine Doctor's eyes, his words stumbling due to nervousness.
"Hello, my name is Bai Feng. Today, I will be escorting you to... for my friend's follow-up examination."
It was Sheng Chenjin's assistant!
Shi Xinxin suddenly realized.
So, the person who had been seeking treatment for his eyes was Sheng Chenjin?
Shi Xinxin recalled that she had only performed eye surgery for Sheng Chenjin last night, and today he was so eager to find the "Ghost Hand Divine Doctor" for a follow-up examination, which indicated he still didn't trust her.
Understanding this, Shi Xinxin remained silent, merely nodding. She hadn't taken off her hat yet, so only a glimpse of beautiful lips and the large sunglasses perched on her nose could be seen.
Bai Feng trembled as he opened the rear door and, holding the roof for support, cautiously invited Shi Xinxin into the car.
By the time Bai Feng drove away, he hadn't heard a single word from Shi Xinxin.
"If you feel uncomfortable in the car, you can take off your hat."
He still wanted to see what his idol looked like.
Shi Xinxin listened to his words with curiosity. Bai Feng treated her with the demeanor of an elder.
Sheng Chenjin's assistant was quite interesting.
To playfully tease the somewhat naive assistant, she decided not to take off her hat. She would wait until she met Sheng Chenjin to surprise him.
She cupped her fist against her lips and coughed slightly, indicating she wasn't feeling well.
"Oh, oh, I see. You're not feeling well recently. Please, take your time."
The assistant gave an awkward smile, feeling he had been inconsiderate just now.
He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the person behind him shake her head, indicating she was fine.
The assistant also breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart. Soon, their car stopped steadily at Sheng Chenjin's location. This time, it wasn't at Sheng Chenjin's home but at a relatively secure private clubhouse.
"We've arrived."
From the moment Shi Xinxin got out of the car, she noticed someone sitting far away on the second floor, watching her.
Shi Xinxin curled her lips coldly, preparing for the good show to unfold.
Upon reaching the second floor, the moment she pushed the door open, Shi Xinxin could distinctly feel a gaze fixed upon her.
It carried an invisible pressure.
Shi Xinxin said nothing and sat down opposite Sheng Chenjin, waiting for him to speak. However, Sheng Chenjin just stared at her silently, as if contemplating something.
It had to be said that the moment Sheng Chenjin saw this person, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
As the two remained in a standoff, Shi Xinxin slowly took off her hat, a smirk playing on her lips.