reignition

The man suddenly sat up straight on the bed, almost unable to sit still.

"How...how did you get here?" Lu Bozhou's voice trembled slightly.

The main lights in the ward weren't on; only the bedside lamp provided dim illumination. He hadn't usually cared much about the brightness of the light.

At that moment, however, he desperately wanted to see the expression on her face. He reached out to grab the headlight switch, and the outstretched movement aggravated his wound.

But he didn't say a word, only frowned.

The sound of someone leaning on their elbow drew near, and a fair hand reached out and turned on the switch.

"Have you eaten?" Jiang Mian's voice was calm, sounding quite ordinary.

Lu Bozhou shook his head, but then seemed to feel that simply making a gesture wasn't enough, so he said, "Not yet."

"Dad, we brought you food!" Lu Chaochi's eyes lit up as he held the insulated food container in his small frame, as if presenting a treasure.

Lu Bozhou reached out to take it, but Jiang Mian took it first, already putting down her elbow crutches.

She carried the insulated food container in one hand and propped up the small table on the hospital bed with the other.

Lu Bozhou looked at her leg and asked in a low voice, "Is your leg feeling better?"

"Much better." Jiang Mian opened the insulated food container and arranged the layers on the small table. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Did the doctor say I can eat now?"

"That's enough." Lu Bozhou reached for the chopsticks, but his movements were clumsy because his right arm had been unfixated, so he could only use his left hand.

Jiang Mian remained silent, glancing at his movements out of the corner of her eye.

Even in this state, he was still quite particular. Despite his obvious inability to use his left hand properly, he insisted on first using chopsticks to pick up the food and transfer it to the spoon that had been used to scoop rice, then putting down the chopsticks, picking up the spoon, and putting it into his mouth.

Slow and methodical.

If he could eat everything, that would be fine, but sometimes he's not quick enough and the food falls off the spoon, so he patiently picks it up and puts it back on the spoon.

While listening to the child talk about what happened at kindergarten, there was not a trace of impatience in her actions or expression.

It was as if this was the most pleasant time of his life, and there was no need to rush.

He wasn't in a hurry, but Jiang Mian was getting anxious.

“I should have let you go to kindergarten properly back then. I was wrong,” Lu Bozhou said.

Listening to the child's happy expression as he talked about kindergarten, Lu Bozhou thought back to how he had initially decided to keep his child at home once and for all out of concern for the child's safety. It was truly...

He paused, and his expression faltered slightly.

He had long realized that he always treated important people in ways that he thought were good, regardless of whether the other person would be sad or wronged.

He felt justified, believing that he was doing it all for the other person's good.

But now that everything has settled down, looking back carefully, was it really for the other person's good?

Or was it just to save trouble? Actually, there were better ways back then, but they would have taken more time, effort, and emotional investment.

He simply didn't want to.

Lu Bozhou didn't think about these things much before, but now he suddenly has a lot of time to think about them properly.

After thinking about it, it's not hard to understand why Jiang Mian no longer wants to love him.

Lu Bozhou was a little distracted. A moment later, a fair and soft hand took the chopsticks from his hand.

This action, and the gentle touch between his fingers, brought Lu Bozhou back to his senses.

He stared blankly at Jiang Mian.

Jiang Mian lowered her eyes, picked up some food with her chopsticks and put it in her spoon, then raised her chin at him, indicating that he should eat.

Lu Bozhou remained motionless for quite some time.

Jiang Mian looked up at him and said, "I don't expect you to need me to feed you, do I? Little Stone is so small, he can eat by himself."

Lu Bozhou quickly picked up the spoon and put it in his mouth. Because he was in such a hurry, the spoon even hit his teeth.

Lu Chaochi, standing to the side, couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle as he watched his father eating so eagerly and obediently.

With Jiang Mian serving him food, the meal went smoothly.

Jiang Mian tidied up the lunchbox, spoons, and chopsticks. "I'll go wash them."

But Lu Chaochi was very enthusiastic and quickly stretched out his little hand to Jiang Mian, "I'll go, I'll go wash."

Recently, the kindergarten teachers have been encouraging the children to help with housework at home every day. The nanny at home is efficient and clean, so there's practically nothing for her to do.

So I'm feeling particularly energetic right now.

Jiang Mian smiled and handed it to him, saying, "Thank you, baby."

Lu Chaochi carried the lunchbox to the sink as if he were riding on wheels of fire.

Suddenly, only Lu Bozhou and Jiang Mian were left in the ward.

The atmosphere suddenly seemed to become a little stiff.

Lu Bozhou didn't speak, but his eyes were fixed on her without blinking.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Why...did you come?"

"The child gets very nervous as soon as he hears about your surgery." Jiang Mian's voice remained as calm as ever, sounding as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

She glanced at Lu Bozhou calmly. "Even if I didn't come, he would have Jiang Yu bring him."

After hearing this, Lu Bozhou paused briefly before asking again, "Why did you come?"

He seemed to desperately need an answer.

Jiang Mian, who had been looking down, raised her eyes and looked directly into Lu Bozhou's eyes.

Lu Bozhou's eyes trembled instantly.

Jiang Mian knew his personality; he just wanted an answer.

Jiang Mian remained silent for only a few seconds. "I don't want the child to be caught in the middle between you and me. I don't want him to have to be careful about my attitude if he wants to visit you while you're in the hospital. If he wants to see his father, I'll bring him here."

“If you don’t want me to bring him here…” Jiang Mian smiled faintly and began to say this.

Lu Bozhou immediately interrupted, "I didn't."

Jiang Mian: "..."

Lu Bozhou: "I didn't mean to ask you to bring him here; I couldn't be happier."

"That would be best." Jiang Mian looked at him. "Even if you don't want to, you have to bear with it."

Hearing her somewhat assertive words, Lu Bozhou's eyes curved slightly.

Jiang Mian continued, "Before this, for various reasons, I was not a good mother, and you were not a good father. But from now on, I hope we can become good parents."

Lu Bozhou paused for a moment, then said, "You're much more competent than me..."

His voice was low.

Jiang Mian didn't comfort him, but only said, "I think so too. So you should do it properly in the future."

Lu Bozhou stared at her intently, his gaze deep and resolute.

Lu Chaochi was worried about his father and missed him.

So instead of leaving immediately, I sat on Lu Bozhou's hospital bed, chatted with him, and played Gomoku on his tablet.

She fell into a deep sleep on her father's hospital bed when she got sleepy.

Lu Bozhou lowered his voice and looked at Jiang Mian, "I'll have Xiao Chen come up and carry him into the car."

"It's alright." Jiang Mian pulled the blanket up a little. "Let him sleep here tonight."

Lu Bozhou suddenly looked up at her.

Jiang Mian stood by the bed, bent down to take off the child's socks, and said, "The child still loves his father. Let him stay here with you for the night, and he'll feel more at ease."

As soon as Jiang Mian finished speaking, Lu Bozhou gently grasped her wrist.

"how about you?"