As Jiang Meilin and Ning Xiaozhi stepped out of the hospital, they failed to notice four men whose attention they caught.
They watched the interaction between the two for a few seconds and then thought to call out to one of them.
"Iris," one of the men called.
Ning Xiaozhi and Jiang Meilin turned to the source. While a happy smile firmed on Ning Xiaozhi's face, a curious exoressiin was on Jiang Meilin's.
"Brother Yi!" Ning Xiaozhi waved them to come over.
She thought it would be disrespectful to leave Jiang Meilin like she did Ye Chaoxiang at the airport in City Z. The four men walked over.
"You guys came on time. Did you take an early flight?" Ning Xiaozhi asked.
"Of course. How is aunt? Is she okay?," Hao Yingjie inquired.
"She should be. Her knee suffers the whole thing. But it is not that serious," Ning Xiaozhi briefed.
"Thank God, it isn't that bad," Ning Li Qiang sighed out in relief with his right palm over his heart.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Oh! Guys, this is Mrs Jiang. Mum, these are my cousins. Ning Yi, ning Li Qiang and Hao Yingjie and... my father, Mr Ning," Ning Xiaozhi introduced them.
While they exchanged pleasantries and all that, Ning Xiaozhi could still see the question in their eyes.
"I call her mum becuse is the best mother in the whole wide world. I love her so so much. So you better watch how you bully me or else you will all get it," Ning Xiaozhi said with pride.
"Ah! I see," Ning Yi slowly nodded with slight smile.
"Don't mind Xiaozhi. She is just flattering me," Jiang Meilin blurted out.
"You know I am not," Ning Xiaozhi retorted.
"Silly girl. Anyway, it was nice meeting you all. Maybe we should creat a time for a proper introduction? Of course it would fit your schedule," Jiang Meilin asked.
"I would not mind meeting our little princess's favourite people," Hao Yingjie spoke this time.
"That's great then. I will take my leave now."
"Okay, mum. Say hi to grandpa Jiang and uncle Zhao Fu," Ning Xiaozhi said.
"I will. Bye, dear."
With that, Jiang Meilin took her leave. Ning Xiaozhi then turned to here cousins.
"I will be leaving her to you guys this evening. I and Chaoxiang are going to see my best friend in a hospital," she informed them.
"I think we will leave uncle to do that. I want to meet with peoole in my young age," Hao Yingjie suddenly said in a rather playful tone.
"Tsk. Are you trying to call me old?" Mr Ning retaliated.
"I dare not." The other two laughed. Hao Yingjie was back again with teasing their elders.
"Let's go in," Ning Xiaozhi said.
"Ah! What about Ye Chaoxiang? How has he been faring?" Ning Yi asked as they walked back into the hospital.
"Chaoxiang is doing great. He would be back from work later," she replied.
"Is he treating you well?" Mr Ning could not help but ask.
"Even better than how you and mum treated me," was her feedback.
Mr Ning sighed but nodded. Of course she would still be mad at him. All these while he had not called to check up on her at least. It is only natural that she would be mad at him.
Through your the remaining walk back to the room Mrs Ning was army turned quiet. Ning Xiaozhi did not mind at all.
When they arrived, Mrs Ning was surprised. She knew they were coming but she did not expect them to show up this early.
"Hi, aunt. How are you?" Ning Li Qiang greeted first. The atmosphere was choking him up.
"I... I'm fine, thank you."
"We heard what happened. You should really be careful, aunt."
"Yeah. What were you even thinking of? You really scared us, aunt," Hao Yingjie agreed to Ning Yi's words.
"I... I'm sorry for making you all worry for the likes of me. I'll be more careful," Mrs Ning apologizd. Her eyes down the whole time.
"Just be more careful," Mr Ning said.
He had be frowning since he saw her she looked on that hospital bed. The cast on her leg looked more weird to him. He was not used to seeing his wife like this.
And like it or not, the part of him that loves her could not help but be annoyed. She now look pale, her lips were kind if chapped.
She even had a faint dark circles underneath her eyes. The hospital gown even made it worse. He sighed within himself.
Mrs Ning nodded obediently without a word. She then wiped her eyes to prevent those tears from falling. She suddenly felt awful.
These are the people she cared little about in the past. Only her decision mattered. But seeing them going out of their busy schedule to come and see her...
It made her feel bad and awful.
"I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for all the hurt I've caused you all. For all those decisions I made without letting you have a say. I should have minded my own business and focus on being a good mother and an aunt... and a wife," she cried.
"I know you all hate and I deserve it. I don't deserve any of your care. I was... I was practically evil especially to my own daughter. Xiaozhi, I'm so sorry."
"If only you realized all these along time back. You did nothing but took away my youth. If I had not left home, maybe I would have been married off to a d*ck head. Maybe my life would have been bland," Ning Xiaozhi said.
"I know and I feel awful because of it."
"Yeah, you should feel awful. Do you know how much I wanted you to just stop and think of what I would feel when you kept treating me like some asset? Do you know how much I wanted a normal mum?