Chapter 52

This was also the reason why Wei Yang had been so excited upon seeing Ji Nian earlier. Previously, it was because of Ji Nian that he hadn’t been completely harmed by the poison. At that time, he already felt that the child was a lucky star. Now, after seeing the little yellow chick before waking up, he was even more convinced of this. As for the mysterious antidote, he thought somewhat unreasonably: *Since no one has claimed it, I’ll just consider it as Ji Nian’s doing. So what?* Ji Tingzhou hadn’t expected this silly boy to accidentally stumble upon the truth. Torn between pride for his own child and the need to keep Ji Nian’s secret, he ultimately resisted the urge to boast. “Hmm, I believe you.” Wei Yang, who had braced himself for Ji Tingzhou to scold him for still being foolish, was caught off guard. “Huh?” Ji Tingzhou stood up, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. “You’ve suffered a lot during this time.” Before Wei Yang could feel moved, Ji Tingzhou continued, “I’ve signed you up for advanced Latin dance classes as a reward.” “You can start once you’ve recovered.” With that, he turned and left, even thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Wei Yang was left sitting there, utterly bewildered. “Huh??” ... Back at the Ji Family residence, Zhiliao had been waiting since early morning. As soon as Ji Nian got off the plane, she spotted her. Skipping the last step of the stairs, she leaped down, her little braids flying as she threw herself into Zhiliao’s arms. The weather was cold, so Zhiliao quickly unfolded the blanket she was holding and wrapped Ji Nian tightly in it. “Zhiliao jiejie!!” Ji Nian happily flailed about in her arms. Zhiliao’s face broke into a faint smile. The scar on her face was less noticeable in the dim light of the evening, making her appear somewhat tender. The warm atmosphere made Ji Tingzhou, who was slowly approaching, expressionless. *When has the child ever been this enthusiastic with me?* If Zhiliao hadn’t already received news of Wei Yang’s recovery, she might have mistaken Ji Tingzhou’s expression for bad news about Wei Yang’s condition. “Master,” she greeted him, signaling to a servant to drape a blanket over Ji Tingzhou. Her eyes scrutinized him. He had lost some weight, but he looked in good spirits. Glancing down at Ji Nian in her arms, Zhiliao pinched the child’s chubby cheeks. Ji Nian, on the other hand, had gained some weight. The blanket matched Ji Tingzhou’s outfit perfectly. He allowed the servant to wrap it around him, then reached out and pulled Ji Nian away from Zhiliao’s embrace. Back in familiar surroundings, Ji Nian took a bath. Zhiliao, worried she might be tired, had dinner brought to her room, all easy-to-digest foods to help her relax. Ji Tingzhou didn’t go downstairs for dinner either. When Ji Nian came out, he beckoned her over. Once she was seated, he asked, “Is there anything you want?” Hearing this, the porcelain spoon in Ji Nian’s hand clinked as it fell back into the bowl. She had a feeling that this moment would come. *It seems Ji Tingzhou is planning to send me away and is preparing things for me.* Misunderstandings are like stubborn remnants—they don’t understand why they’re stuck, and you, not having dug deep enough, don’t even realize they’re there. Ji Tingzhou’s intention behind the gift was simple. The child had done something incredible and deserved a reward. But Ji Tingzhou had no experience giving gifts to children, so he decided to ask her directly. Ji Nian honestly said she didn’t want anything. Noticing her lack of interest and the way she kept her head down while eating, Ji Tingzhou suddenly sensed something was off. *Has Ji Nian not looked me in the eye since this afternoon?* He had just started to speak when Ji Nian’s face suddenly changed. She clutched her stomach, retched, and began to vomit. Ji Tingzhou’s expression shifted instantly. He stood up abruptly and rushed over. “Ji Nian!?” Seeing the beads of sweat instantly forming on the child’s forehead, he turned to someone and said, “Call the doctor.” A servant immediately ran out of the room. Ji Nian vomited almost everything she had eaten that day. But even after vomiting, she didn’t feel better. Her stomach was wracked with sharp pain, and she curled up involuntarily. Ji Tingzhou didn’t let her kneel on the floor. He pulled her into his arms, one hand patting her back as he asked, “What’s wrong? Is it your stomach?” Ji Nian’s face was twisted in pain, but when she heard Ji Tingzhou’s question, she looked up at him and froze for a moment. Ji Tingzhou was staring at her with a face full of concern. To hold her, he had even knelt on one knee, right next to her vomit. This was the same man who changed clothes three times a day and was extremely particular about cleanliness. Yet now, he seemed completely unaware of the mess, his arms firmly wrapped around her, his eyes focused solely on the child in pain. Ji Nian lowered her gaze, her long lashes trembling slightly. In a voice laced with a hint of grievance she didn’t even realize she was feeling, she whispered, “My stomach hurts...” Hearing her weak voice, Ji Tingzhou felt as though an invisible hand had gripped his heart. Before he could respond, Ji Nian added— “Eating an ice cream will make it better.” Ji Tingzhou: “.........”