Regarding Lu Tianming, Song Qiao still feels a bit afraid. Perhaps it’s because the domineering image of Lu Tianming is deeply etched into her mind, so facing him makes her genuinely feel a bit helpless.

With his gaze fixed steadily on her, Lu Jingchen raised his hand to touch her cheek and then spoke, "Alright, you come with me, and we’ll go in together when we return later."

Song Qiao responded with a hum and nodded, then the two of them held hands and walked towards the elevator.

The attending doctor’s office isn’t here; it’s on the floor below. This floor is entirely made up of VIP wards, and occasionally nurses and doctors come up for rounds.

In the ward, after Xu Qian walked in, she saw Lu Tianming lying on the hospital bed, being fed porridge by the butler.

Upon hearing the sound, the butler immediately glanced in her direction, and upon seeing Xu Qian, the butler’s face instantly showed a hint of delight. He stood up and said, "Madam, you’ve returned."

Xu Qian glanced at Lu Tianming, met his gaze, then moved her eyes away from him and nodded at the butler before quickly walking over to take the bowl and spoon from his hands and said, "Let me do it."

The butler immediately stepped aside and then said to Lu Tianming, "Sir, since Madam is back, I’ll head home first. The young master and little miss are still at home. Shall I bring the two kids over at noon?"

Lu Tianming nodded, "Alright, you head back first. Prepare a little more food when you come over at noon."

The butler immediately understood, and not long after the ward was left to just Lu Tianming and Xu Qian.

Lu Tianming’s gaze remained fixed on Xu Qian. After a few minutes of silence, his voice carried a hint of age and hoarseness as he asked, "Have they harmed you these days, how have they treated you? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you uncomfortable anywhere, eating well? Should I have the butler make more of your favorite dishes? If you’re too tired, you can rest first."

Lu Tianming spoke a lot at once, without a pause.

Xu Qian’s hand, holding the spoon to stir the porridge, halted for a moment, then she raised her eyes to look at Lu Tianming but replied with a question instead, "You asked me so many questions at once, which one should I answer first?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Lu Tianming, "You can answer them one by one."

"But I’ve already forgotten what you just asked me."

Looking at Xu Qian, whom he has shared decades of life with, Lu Tianming felt a warmth spread in his heart. Perhaps because this experience with life and death, having one foot in the grave, he has become more accepting.

Moreover, if it hadn’t been for the desire to see her return safely, to be back by his side, he might have left this world already.

After ten seconds of silence, Lu Tianming continued to repeat the previous questions almost verbatim, "Have they harmed you these days, how have they treated you? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you uncomfortable anywhere, eating well? Should I have the butler make more of your favorite dishes? If you’re too tired, you can rest first..."

This time, Xu Qian managed to organize all the questions but did not immediately answer; instead, she said, "You’ve said so much at once, aren’t you tired? Have some porridge first, then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know."

Lu Tianming, upon hearing Xu Qian’s words, did not continue to ask but instead replied with an "oh."

Xu Qian spooned some porridge, blew on it lightly at her lips, and then brought it to Lu Tianming’s mouth for him to eat.

Initially, he had no appetite, but because of Xu Qian’s presence and her feeding him porridge, Lu Tianming suddenly felt he could drink a lot. He finished a big bowl, but as he had just undergone surgery not long ago, he wanted another bowl, but Xu Qian wouldn’t allow it.

After he finished the porridge, Lu Tianming looked at Xu Qian and said, "You haven’t answered my questions yet."

Xu Qian tucked him in neatly, without looking at him, and said, "These days have been fine, aside from the lack of freedom. They haven’t done anything to us. We’ve been well-fed and well-cared for. They’re not ordinary kidnappers, so they haven’t harmed us."

After a pause, she continued, "Also, the leader of the kidnappers is quite handsome."

Lu Tianming’s face went slightly dark upon hearing this and grumbled, "You’re already so old, still thinking of straying?"

Xu Qian, hearing this, immediately shot him a dissatisfied glare, "When did I say I was straying?"

"Didn’t you say the kidnapper leader was handsome?"

"He’s indeed quite handsome, like our son." Xu Qian didn’t find it inappropriate. She thought she wasn’t wrong at all.

Lu Tianming, this old geezer, how could he accuse her of straying?

If she really wanted to stray, she would have picked someone long ago when he was old.

Lu Tianming’s eyes fixed on Xu Qian with a hint of displeasure, "You’ve never praised anyone like this before."

Xu Qian, "..."

This old man is jealous?

Thinking about it, Xu Qian found it amusing, tucked him in again, and said, "We’ve been bickering for more than half our lives. I’m already used to this kind of life. If you suddenly ask me to live with someone else, I really wouldn’t be able to get used to it."

With that, she held Lu Tianming’s hand and said, "Old man, if we hadn’t been together back then, I probably wouldn’t have realized that life could be so wonderful."

Her love story with Lu Tianming was full of ups and downs back then.

Upon hearing Xu Qian’s words, Lu Tianming finally seemed satisfied and, with a bit of a smug tone, said, "Good to know. Only now do you realize I’m the most suitable person for you."

Xu Qian, "..." Given a little color, you want to open a dye shop?

...

Outside the ward, Lu Jingchen and Song Qiao stood there, watching Xu Qian and Lu Tianming inside without saying anything, just quietly observing.

After a while, Song Qiao spoke to Lu Jingchen, "Jingchen, do you think we will be like this with mom and dad in the future, growing old together, bickering, and reflecting on the difficulties of life?"