dognovel Chapter 1462 Protected Objects
Chapter 1462 Protected Objects
Chapter 1462 Protected Objects
Let's go see my sister-in-law today.
Gu Ning came out of the house while combing her hair and reminded Li Xuewu, who was sitting in the study reading the newspaper, "She was admitted to the hospital the day before yesterday."
"Is she due yet?" Li Xuewu put down his newspaper, thought for a moment, and said, "Yes, she is."
"Since you're back, I won't go over."
Gu Ning glared at Li Shu, who was slinking downstairs, and explained, "Today's surgeries are all booked."
"Does your hospital treat you like an iron man?"
Li Xuewu feigned dissatisfaction and said, "I need to have a good talk with your Dean Zhang sometime. Even the most intensive training isn't this demanding. It's too much work."
"Am I the only one getting special treatment?" Gu Ning could tell he cared about her, and she knew he was doing it on purpose.
Given his personality, if he truly wanted to stand up for her, he wouldn't have gone directly to talk to Dean Zhang; he had many other methods.
Besides, if she doesn't want to "work hard," no one will force her; it's just that her work schedule has been arranged this far.
"The whole hospital is on high alert, even Dean Zhang has to perform surgery, what do I have to complain about?"
Gu Ning walked back to her room, sat down at the dressing table, tidied her hair, and looked at herself in the mirror, murmuring, "Should I cut my hair short?"
"It'll be harder to fix if it's too short, it looks better as it is now." Li Xuewu stood behind her, looking at her in the mirror, and said, "Don't work too hard."
Feeling the warmth and gentle pressure of his hands on her shoulders, Gu Ning nodded and said, "I won't go to Guangzhou for National Day, I really don't have the time."
“You’ll have to talk to your mom about that. I’ve never refused my mother-in-law before—” Li Xuewu said, feigning seriousness. “I won’t comment on this matter.”
“Your character—” Gu Ning glanced at him, stood up and went to the dressing room, reminding him, “Don’t spoil Li Shu, she’s been very playful lately.”
There are many reasons why someone doesn't want to go to school.
Li Xuewu picked up the wooden comb she had just placed on the dressing table and styled his hair into a 3/7 split, saying, "You don't need to worry about this."
"What are you trying to do now?"
Gu Ning turned to look at him from the dressing room and emphasized, "You're not allowed to ask for leave for her, do you hear me?"
"I'm not your stepfather, why don't you trust me?" Li Xuewu said nonchalantly, "Alright, Dr. Gu, with your kind heart, hurry up and change your clothes, go downstairs for breakfast, and get to work early to save lives. Your comrades in pain are waiting for your miraculous healing."
Why are you so sarcastic?
Gu Ning glanced at him with some disbelief, but the time on the wall reminded her that she needed to hurry.
If he hadn't insisted on causing trouble last night, she wouldn't have overslept. Today's surgeries were indeed full, and she really didn't have time to argue with Li Xuewu.
As for Li Shu, it wasn't that she was negligent or irresponsible; the girl had become shrewd and didn't want to talk to her about certain things, but instead clung to her teacher, Xiao Xiao.
Her personality has become much warmer in the past two years, and she has learned to compromise even more after having Li Shu and Li Ning.
However, the cold personality that has been cultivated over the years still carries a sense of distance, making strangers feel unapproachable. This is not noticeable when the children are young, but it becomes apparent as they grow older.
Li Ning learned from his older sister that he was precocious; he was precocious despite his young age, and although he didn't talk much, he had a lot of ideas.
On the contrary, Li Shu became more and more charming and naive as she grew older, which was also due to Li Xuewu's pampering.
Every child in the entire kindergarten is assigned a private tutor; she is unique in this regard.
Even Dean Zhang's children didn't mention hiring a tutor to teach them dance and music at home.
Li Shu's performance in kindergarten was outstanding, and rumors had already started to circulate, but neither Li Xuewu nor she cared about them.
Er Ya, who often picks Li Shu up from kindergarten, overheard it and even mentioned it to the kindergarten teacher.
However, the kindergarten teacher's attitude was also complicated; she seemed indifferent, or even had a problem with it.
Li Xuewu had this on his mind, but he didn't tell Gu Ning because he was afraid it would distract her; doctors are under too much pressure.
As family members of medical workers, we should take the initiative to assume our due responsibilities and obligations.
Li Shu had already told him why he didn't want to go to school. It's not a big deal, but it's not a small one either; it depends on how the parents handle it.
Li Xuewu wouldn't emphasize his family's special status, but he also wouldn't force his daughter to submit.
Family education can influence a child's entire life. Parents cannot only consider their own feelings and impose their own life philosophy and attitude on their children.
If children learn to be easygoing and submissive from a young age, what initiative will they have when they grow up?
Li Xuewu and Gu Ning never said anything about other children, let alone criticized Li Shu for not being as well-behaved as other children.
Every child is different, and their family conditions and environments are all different. How can we expect all children to be the same?
To put it bluntly, which child isn't mischievous? Which child isn't special? Parents who really want an identical child can't even achieve that; it's a false proposition.
Arguing with reason is the only positive quality a child can strive for in this world; the sociological concept of moderation can be learned when the child grows up.
***
Breakfast at Li Xuewu's home was relatively simple: steamed buns, twisted rolls, or cornbread, accompanied by eggs, cold dishes, and rice porridge, which was mostly made of white rice, millet, or cornmeal.
In summer, vegetables with dipping sauces picked from the yard are added to the dining table, while in winter, an extra hot dish is added, such as cabbage, potatoes, tofu, etc.
Are Li Xuewu's family living in poverty? They have other income besides their salaries, so why would they eat cornbread and such simple meals?
The quality of this meal is considered good for this era; whose everyday meals consist of large amounts of meat and fish?
Li Xuewu and Gu Ning agreed that they shouldn't eat too much refined grain; they should mix it with coarse grain.
Li Shu is a picky eater, but with Li Xuewu and Gu Ning as role models, she has gotten used to eating whole grains.
Children who grow up drinking milk and eating eggs from a young age develop their intelligence and physical abilities faster than their peers.
At first, it wasn't noticeable, but in less than six months, Li Ning's physical fitness surpassed Li Tang's, so Zhao Yafang continued to supplement her child's diet with eggs and milk.
The chicken Li Xuewu left her had long been used to make soup; the one she kept at home was a different one she bought.
Banggeng no longer raises chickens in the courtyard; his mother and the old lady take care of them now.
Fish and shrimp are rare. The chickens are only given meat when the boys in the yard go fishing by the lake when they have nothing better to do. Otherwise, they eat coarse food and leftovers, but they still lay eggs.
Are there any eggs left at home?
At the dinner table, Gu Ning asked Er Ya a question, and then said to Li Xuewu, "Take them all to the hospital for your sister-in-law."
"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "What else could I possibly do, let my niece suffer?"
"Don't talk nonsense when you go—" Gu Ning reminded him, "Your sister-in-law cares about this a lot."
"She's envious that we have Li Shu." Li Xuewu chuckled and glanced at his daughter. Today, Li Shu was unusually skilled, like a young lady.
Gu Ning knew that she would only be so quiet when she had something else in mind; she was already waiting for her father to come back and complain.
She had already told her daughter that she could reason with her daughter about things, but she was not allowed to speak ill of the teacher.
Li Shu noticed the look in her mother's eyes, but she remained cautious and dared not be too arrogant.
In fact, Gu Ning never scolded Li Shu, let alone yelled at her, and Li Xuewu did the same.
With such parents, Li Shu never yells or loses her temper with anyone.
Is it okay to scold your child at the dinner table?
The older generation naturally doesn't care about this. If they don't educate their children during their free time while eating, when will they?
I'm busy all the time, either at work or doing housework, so I don't have time to educate my children.
If children are taught a lesson while eating, most of them will develop stomach problems, which is caused by their emotions.
Seeing that his daughter seemed concerned, Li Xuewu winked at her and gave her a smile.
With her father's support, Li Shu secretly smiled and ate her meal earnestly.
Li Ning's big eyes darted around, looking at this and that, seemingly lost in thought.
He can now feed himself with a spoon, but he often gets food all over himself, though he manages to fill his stomach.
Er Ya and Zhao Yaping remained silent at the dinner table. Even though Li Xuewu and Gu Ning didn't put pressure on them, it wasn't their own home after all, so they still felt constrained.
They were fine when Li Xuewu wasn't home, but they were all a little afraid of him when he came back.
Strangely enough, Li Xuewu rarely interacted with them, and even when resting at home, he barely spoke a word.
But the two of them were very afraid of him, and when they saw him they would speak in a soft voice and dare not make a loud noise.
The two were of similar age and lived in the same room. After nearly a year of getting to know each other, they were already familiar with each other and were like sisters.
When Gu Ning asked, Er Ya was about to answer, but when Li Xuewu spoke, she swallowed her words.
Just as Gu Ning finished breakfast and hurriedly went to work, Li Xuewu called her back again.
"Do you remember what Li Shu's kindergarten teacher said to you that day?" After Li Xuewu asked and saw her nod, he continued, "Go change your clothes, and we'll go to the kindergarten."
"Dad—" Li Shu, who had been following her father since her mother left for work, suddenly asked.
Li Xuewu looked down at his daughter and said with a smile, "It's okay, let's go see your aunt, but according to the rules we have to ask the teacher for leave first."
"Hmm—" Li Shu nodded obediently when she heard that she didn't have to go to school.
The gesture of nodding was quite large, enough to show her resistance to going to school and her longing for freedom.
Li Ning followed behind his older sister, and when he saw his father say that, he also took his sister's little hand.
The meaning was clear: he wanted to go too.
"Ya Ping, go to school. You can go to the hospital on the weekend." He then looked at Zhao Ya Ping, who was waiting to go to the hospital as well, and said, "Middle school is different from elementary school. If you miss a class, it will be hard to catch up. What do you think?"
"Yes, Second Brother, I'll listen to you."
Zhao Yaping was well-behaved and sensible, and understood that her second brother's words made sense. At this moment, she followed Er Ya back to her room to pack her schoolbag.
Li Xuewu went upstairs to change his daughter and son into their outdoor clothes, and then changed into his work attire.
After getting ready, the group strolled out without driving. Zhao Yaping headed towards the bus stop, while Li Xuewu led Li Ning, Li Shu, and Er Ya towards Li Shu's kindergarten.
Li Shu and Li Ning were very happy to be able to go out with their father. They each held one of their father's big hands and jumped around, as if they were eager to grow up quickly.
"Dad, is Auntie going to have a baby?" Li Shu asked curiously. "What about Li Tang?"
"Why do you ask that?" Li Xuewu replied with a smile, "Li Tang is still the grandpa and grandma's baby."
"If they have a new baby, will Li Tang still be their baby?" Li Shu asked with some concern. "What if they treat Li Tang badly?"
"Your mom and dad had you first, then your brother. Do you still think of yourself as our baby?"
Li Xuewu answered his daughter's question with a rhetorical question, and then said, "Your grandpa and grandma are in the same situation as our family."
“But…” Li Shu suddenly lowered her head in disappointment, kicked at a small pebble on the ground, and let go of his hand, murmuring softly, “I’m not your and Mommy’s baby…”
"Who told you this nonsense?"
Li Xuewu's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Er Ya, who had a blank look in her eyes, and said to his daughter in a calm tone, "If you're not Mommy and Daddy's baby, then how come you live in our house and call us Mommy and Daddy?"
“But—” Li Shu looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion, and said, “The teacher said I’m not your child, that I was adopted, and that I…”
"Then it's the teacher's fault."
Li Xuewu stopped, squatted down, and looked at his daughter earnestly, emphasizing, "Would you abandon your parents because of other people's wrong comments?"
"No—" Li Shu pouted, her voice trembling with tears, "I want my mom and dad—"
"That's why Mom and Dad can't leave you either." Li Xuewu smiled and hugged his daughter, gently comforting her, "You and your brother are both Mom and Dad's precious treasures."
"If the teacher is wrong, we can correct her. If she realizes she's wrong, we'll forgive her, okay?"
"Hmm—" Li Shu's worry wasn't about what the teacher said, but rather that she was afraid they would abandon her.
Just as her sister-in-law Zhao Yafang was giving birth, the little girl was worried about the arrival of the new family member.
She may be young but she's precocious, but she's still a child, a sensitive little sprite.
Er Ya awkwardly handed him a handkerchief and whispered, "Brother Li, I didn't..."
Before she could finish speaking, Li Xuewu waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to explain.
"It's okay, let's go to kindergarten."
Li Xuewu smiled as he wiped away his daughter's tears and snot bubbles before pulling his daughter and son along to continue walking towards the kindergarten.
Actually, it's not far from the kindergarten, but the two little ones walk slowly and can't go faster even if they want to.
Er Ya usually walks Li Shu to school, and rarely carries her.
This was Gu Ning's request: if she could walk on her own, she absolutely could not be carried. The same applied to Li Ning.
Li Xuewu hadn't planned to send Li Shu to school today, so he didn't pay attention to the time.
Even when Li Ning sees small ants and insects and stops to observe them, he will take the initiative to wait for them.
After calming down and receiving affirmation from her father, Li Shu regained her innocent and carefree personality.
Children's emotions are always like this, unpredictable as the weather, changing from rain to sunshine.
But we can't leave any dark clouds behind, otherwise her sky will be incomplete when she grows up.
Along the way, Li Xuewu answered countless strange questions from her, including but not limited to the fact that her aunt had given birth to a baby.
The four of them leisurely walked to the kindergarten amidst Li Shu's endless questions and Li Ning's inquiries about everything.
"Li Shu is late—"
From afar, one could see teachers anxiously waiting at the school gate, and their first words to Li Xuewu were these.
Perhaps out of consideration for his status, these words seemed to be directed not at him, but at Er Ya.
Er Ya usually picks up and drops off Li Shu, so the two know each other.
Perhaps because he was getting impatient, his tone was a little irritable and he seemed a bit grumpy. Even if it wasn't directed at Li Xuewu, his attitude was still quite clear.
The young teacher tried to take Li Shu's small hand, just like always, but this time she didn't.
"Sorry, you don't need to pick her up today. I'll ask for leave for her."
Li Xuewu explained politely, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Is your principal here?"
"You need to tell me in advance if you want to take leave."
The teacher glanced at him, then at Li Shu, who was clearly fine, before pointing to the courtyard.
Regarding the identities of Li Shu's parents, some people know, and some don't; the rumors have become increasingly confusing.
In this era, service jobs were considered secure, and the focus was on serving the people.
You can be an ordinary citizen, but you can't emphasize your special status. Teachers don't really care who your father is.
Li Shu performed exceptionally well in kindergarten and was liked by some teachers. Naturally, there were also those who had heard too many rumors and were not fond of Li Shu's mischievousness and arrogance.
Whose child has both a nanny and a tutor? Is it a little princess?
Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention to her attitude. Once he confirmed the direction she pointed, he led Li Shu and Li Ning into the courtyard. Er Ya glanced at the teacher and followed them in.
The teacher still looked indignant, muttering something under his breath, but no one knew what he was saying.
Perhaps it was because of her youth, or perhaps it was because Li Shu's parents' attitude made her feel uncomfortable.
Being a teacher is an honorable and respected profession, and everyone should respect it.
The teacher didn't pay much attention when she saw Li Shu's parents take the two children to the principal's office and went back to her class.
***
"Hello, are you Director Liu?"
Li Xuewu knocked on the open office door and introduced himself to the middle-aged woman sitting behind the desk: "I am Li Shu's parent, my name is Li Xuewu."
"Oh, Li Shu's parent, hello."
Principal Liu was clearly surprised by his appearance, as if she hadn't quite caught up yet.
Li Xuewu had already brought his two children and Er Ya into her office.
"You're quite rare, aren't you? I've only seen you three times since Li Shu came to our kindergarten, haven't I?"
Principal Liu, not understanding his purpose in coming, came out from behind her desk and greeted him with a smile.
Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, explaining, "Li Shu felt sorry for me and her mother being so busy with work, so she asked her aunt to help instead of us taking her to kindergarten."
"Yes, yes, I've met you. Sit down and let's talk."
Director Liu was clearly a worldly person and knew the identities of Gu Ning and Li Xuewu. At this moment, she acted neither servile nor arrogant, but was very worldly-wise.
To be the principal of a government-run kindergarten, one must be a very shrewd and capable person.
When she saw Li Xuewu come in, she sized up the younger one; he wasn't old enough to go to school yet.
Thinking about it this way, it becomes clear that Li Xuewu's visit to the kindergarten was definitely not for the children's schooling.
If it's not for the small, then it's for the big.
She had heard a lot of rumors about Li Shu and was originally planning to find an opportunity to communicate with her parents, but unexpectedly, Li Xuewu came to her door first.
"Thank you, but I won't drink the water."
Li Xuewu first waved his hand to refuse her politeness and asked her to sit down first, before sitting down on the sofa.
When Principal Liu saw how formal he was, her heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at Li Shu's condition.
The little girl was considered well-behaved by her, but the cleverness and mischievousness in her big eyes couldn't be hidden.
Honestly, she also really liked Li Shu; she was multi-talented, loved to express herself, and had a very cheerful personality.
While other children might cry at times, she is unusually sensible.
She's genuinely mischievous and dares to fight back; if someone bullies her, she'll really hit them.
She's quite talkative, always chattering away, and she even dares to talk back to the teacher. She's the most talkative person in kindergarten.
"Er Ya, first tell Principal Liu what Teacher Wang said when you came to pick up Li Shu that day."
Li Xuewu didn't immediately question or reason with her, but instead gestured for Er Ya to speak first.
Er Ya glanced at him before turning to Principal Liu and saying, "Last Friday when I picked Li Shu up from school, I overheard some parents discussing Li Shu's background and..."
As she said this, she glanced at Li Shu cautiously. At that moment, Li Shu was holding her father's hand tightly and looking at Director Liu.
"They said some very bad things and mentioned Teacher Wang, so I talked to Teacher Wang about it."
Er Ya continued, "Teacher Wang was a little impatient, saying that people can say whatever they want and she has no right to control them, and that Li Shu was just too spoiled."
"Okay, you can take Li Shu and Li Ning to the courtyard and wait for me."
Li Xuewu didn't let her continue. He patted his daughter's back and said softly, "Take your brother and aunt to the yard and wait for Dad. Dad will talk to the headmaster for a few minutes and then come find you. We'll go to the hospital to visit your aunt later, okay?"
"Okay, sure—" Li Shu looked away from the headmaster's face, nodded to him, and then took her younger brother's hand and left the office with her aunt.
"Um, Comrade Li..."
"Shall I speak first?" Before Principal Liu could finish speaking, Li Xuewu looked at her calmly and said, "On the way to the kindergarten, Li Shu told me that her teacher, Wang, said that she is not the child of me and Gu Ning."
"No...she..." Principal Liu suddenly widened her eyes and said, "Is there a misunderstanding?"
"You can investigate this matter at your own pace."
Li Xuewu said in a calm tone, "Li Shu's situation is rather special. As you can see, she is indeed not the child of Gu Ning and me."
"I didn't think it was necessary to 'report' her background to you before, but since the kindergarten teachers and parents are so curious, shall I tell you?"
His expression gradually turned serious. He said, "However, you might believe what I'm saying, but other teachers and parents will certainly have doubts. I'll take Li Shu back today, and tomorrow I'll ask the Foreign Affairs Department to send a specialist with a letter of request to report to you. I also ask you to inform the leaders at the president level and above of the main hospital, as well as all the teachers and parents in the kindergarten, so they can hear it."
"Comrade Li, you—"
Principal Liu couldn't sit still any longer. She gently waved her hand to reassure him, saying, "Please don't get agitated. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly..."
"We need to investigate this thoroughly, otherwise I won't be able to explain to my child whether I am her father or not."
Li Xuewu stared into Principal Liu's eyes and said, "If you can't find out the truth, then I'll ask the main hospital to give me an explanation. It can't be that her mother is working non-stop on the front lines of surgery while she's being gossiped about at the kindergarten, right?"
“Li Shu told her mother that she didn’t want to come to school anymore, and she mentioned it to me this morning as well.”
He pointed to the armrest of the sofa and said, "You should have heard about my situation. I was transferred to work in Liaodong at the beginning of this year and I rarely come back."
"Her mother simply couldn't take care of both children, so she asked relatives to help."
"Yes, yes, I've heard about it."
When Director Liu saw him say that, she knew that this matter had to be taken seriously, and she kept saying nice things to him.
But the facts are right in front of her. She doesn't believe what the little girl who is obviously a nanny says, and she can also not believe what Li Shu's child says, but what about Li Xuewu's words?
Do we really need someone from the main hospital to come and investigate?
“There’s nothing special about my family. When I was working, I was a manager in a company, and her mother was a doctor at the general hospital. We were both serving the organization and the people.”
“After work, we are all ordinary people, raising children and dealing with the same mundane things like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. There is nothing for teachers and parents to discuss.”
"I don't want to explain much about the tutor. The fact that I can provide my children with more educational resources is the result of my hard work and struggle."
Li Xuewu softened his tone and said calmly, "If the kindergarten has a rule that children with private tutors are not allowed to attend school, then we will certainly respect that rule. Please process our withdrawal procedures today."
"You must have misunderstood. There is no such regulation. Having conditions is a good thing, isn't it?"
Principal Liu said with a forced smile, "Li Shu is a little star and a talented artist at our school, so she receives a lot of attention. I never expected something like this to happen."
"That's my stance."
Li Xuewu didn't want to listen to her empty talk, so he said bluntly, "If you're willing to investigate, then Li Shu can come to school tomorrow, and I'll wait for her after school to hear her opinion."
"If you and other teachers are still curious about her background, then like I said..."
He stood up, ignoring Director Liu's attempts to persuade him to stay and her polite gestures, and stepped out of the office.
"dad--"
Li Shu, who was playing with pebbles with her younger brother, saw him come out and ran over with a smile.
Are you getting impatient?
Li Xuewu laughed and flicked her cheek, then picked her up and carried her and Li Ning, who had run up behind him, on his shoulders and strode out of the kindergarten, leaving behind the two children's joyful laughter.
Director Liu stood at the door looking at the father and his two sons, her heart pounding. Was this someone she could afford to offend?
Logistics work is difficult, and she also has connections at the main hospital; her husband works in the medical affairs department.
If it weren't for this connection, she wouldn't have become the kindergarten principal. How could she not know this family's situation?
Even if she didn't know about Gu Ning and Li Xuewu's background and relationship while she was in kindergarten, wouldn't her husband know?
Back when Li Shu entered the park, her husband had reminded her that this young couple was not simple.
What do you mean by "ordinary people"? Gu Ning is a doctor at the main hospital, so why don't you mention Gu Ning's parents?
It's Li Xuewu. He claims to be a corporate cadre, but there are different levels of cadres.
Hongxing Steel Group, a company that frequently appears in newspapers, is the most powerful large enterprise in Dongcheng District.
Li Xuewu is a leader of the group. He is so young that he has reached this position. Can he be an ordinary person?
She didn't tell the teachers below these things because she didn't want too much information to cause misunderstandings and discussion.
Unexpectedly, instead of her mentioning it, the teachers started gossiping behind her back.
It would be fine if we just talked about it in private, but not only did the parents find out, it was also done behind the child's back.
She really didn't know how to be angry or what to say to Teacher Wang.
Teacher Wang came to the kindergarten two years ago. Her mother was a retired head nurse in the inpatient department who had retired due to illness.
Because of this relationship, she agreed to work at the kindergarten.
That's how government agencies are; if you mention any one of them, you'll find a whole string of connections, and they might all be related to someone.
Class A is having a counting lesson. Teacher Wang is standing in front of the podium, pointing to the numbers on the blackboard and teaching everyone to read the numbers. Some children have gotten up early, and the monotonous reading makes their eyelids droop and their eyes sway.
Some children even lay down on the small table and started to doze off.
That's how kids are; their energy is like an electric battery. Once it's depleted, they get drowsy and fall asleep as soon as they're tired. They have very little self-control.
Teacher Wang is usually very patient; who in a kindergarten has a short temper?
She has a sharp tongue but a kind heart. However, she was upset today because Li Shu was late and her parents were clearly there to cause trouble.
Li Shu saw the nanny playing with Li Shu and her younger brother in the yard, which made her even angrier.
How can parents be like this, taking sick leave even when they're not sick? How much spoiled do they have to be?
But Li Shu couldn't control herself today; she couldn't even manage the confused children.
He picked up the yellow wooden ruler from the podium, walked to the small table, and gave each person a whack.
Of course, he wasn't hitting the children; he was slapping the table while yelling at them to be more attentive.
"Teacher, I want to sleep—"
Children can't keep their thoughts to themselves, and he vaguely looked up and replied.
Teacher Wang was furious. She was thinking about what Li Shu's parents would talk to the principal at the parent-teacher meeting, but she blurted out, "You're the principal, you can sleep wherever you want!"
"Teacher Wang, could you come out for a moment?"
Unfortunately, Principal Liu had just reached the door and hadn't even spoken to Teacher Wang when she heard this.
She's the headmistress, so she can sleep wherever she wants whenever she wants. What's wrong with this girl Wang? Why can't she keep her mouth shut? She dares to say anything.
"Sleep, sleep, sleep well, sleep like a bunch of silly little devils—"
Teacher Wang was startled by the principal's gaze, especially the way she looked at her, which made her heart pound.
Seeing her leave, he turned back and glared at the children, wanting to scold them but unable to bring himself to do so, leaving only this sentence before heading out.
After she left, the children were no longer sleepy and started chattering about Li Shu, who hadn't come to school.
They had all seen it just now; Li Shu was playing in the yard, and they were so envious.
-
"Auntie, I miss you so much!"
Li Shu was very good at handling things; she called out before even entering the ward.
Zhao Yafang gave birth to Li Tang at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital last time, and she chose the same place again this time.
With her father-in-law's connections and her brother-in-law's presence, what did she have to worry about?
There are better hospitals available; the main hospital where my sister-in-law lives and the United Industrial Hospital are both convenient options.
In terms of both medical conditions and equipment, United Industrial Hospital is second to none in Beijing.
The main hospital where Gu Ning works is full of elites, so she can choose to give birth anywhere.
But she still wanted to live closer to home, not only so that her mother-in-law and grandmother could bring her meals, but also so that she could see Li Tang every day, since he was not yet three years old.
When Li Xuewu brought Li Shu and Li Ning into the ward, only his elder brother was there to take care of them.
Zhao Yafang lay on her side on the bed. When she saw the men arrive, she responded and smiled.
Why aren't you in school?
She tapped Li Shu's forehead and said with a smile, "Is it because your dad has someone backing you up now that he's backing you up?"
"I miss you—" Li Shu giggled, letting her aunt point at her, and lifted her leg to climb onto the bed.
She really didn't care how big Zhao Yafang's belly was, and still thought this was a kang (heated brick bed) in a courtyard.
"Get down here and stay away from your aunt." Li Xuewu chuckled as he helped his daughter up and placed her and Li Ning on the bed next door.
"Your aunt is now a key protected person. Can't you see your uncle is on duty here?"
Li Xuewu said this because Li Shu's dangerous actions had made his older brother's eyes widen in alarm.
Zhao Yafang smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's alright, what can she do to me?"
"Your little hands are quite strong," Li Xuewu glanced at his daughter and said, "She can even peel peanuts by herself."
"Auntie, shall I peel some peanuts for you?"
Seeing that her father had praised her, Li Shu tried to get down on one leg to show off, but her uncle picked her up and held her in his arms.
"Little ancestor, you'd better behave for a while."
Li Xuewen smiled and coaxed her, saying, "Your aunt doesn't want to eat anything right now, she's just happy to see you."
"Grandpa," Li Shu patted her grandpa's face with her two little hands, tilted her head, and asked, "You seem a little unhappy to see me—"
"Hehehe—" Zhao Yafang couldn't help but look at Li Shu and laugh, "How come you're so good at talking?"
"She's got quite a chatterbox," Li Xuewu said with a smile, looking at his sister-in-law. "Did Dad say when she'll give birth?"
"Director Xia took a look at it, saying it would be done in the next couple of days."
Zhao Yafang seemed a bit listless. With her hand under her head, she turned to the side and said, "I'd better give birth soon. I've had enough. She's too heavy."
“Mom has been giving you too much nutrition, this pregnancy is going to be tough.” Li Xuewu looked at his older brother and said, “I brought the eggs for my sister-in-law home. I told Mom I would cook them for you tonight and bring them over.”
"We can't even finish all the eggs at home," Zhao Yafang said with a laugh as she rolled over. "I can't eat anything right now."
"You'll be hungry after you give birth." Li Xuewu gestured to his older brother and asked, "Did you take leave?"
“There aren’t any proper classes anyway.” Li Xuewen adored Li Shu, holding her tightly in his arms and pacing around the ward, saying, “The research institute offers more flexible hours.”
"Are you able to handle the workload? If you need help, just let me know. I'll have Jingru come to my house to help, and Erya come over to take care of you."
Li Xuewu said this last sentence to his sister-in-law with all his heart, because they were brothers and very close.
Zhao Yafang waved her hand and said, "Nothing's wrong. Grandma is taking care of Li Tang. Mom and your eldest brother are enough. Besides, Dad and the third brother are here."
"I'm not really of any help."
Li Xuewu smiled and comforted his sister-in-law, saying, "When my nephew or niece is born, I'll give them a big red envelope."
"Don't say that, I'm confident."
Zhao Yafang touched her belly and said, "This time it's a pointed belly, it must be a girl."
As she said this, she looked at Li Shu hopefully. The couple had been thinking about Li Shu for a long time and wanted a daughter.
Li Xuewu found it amusing and reminded her, "Whether your belly is pointed or flat has nothing to do with whether you're having a girl or a boy. Didn't Dad tell you it's because of the baby's position?"
Do you think Dad would be as disappointing as you?
Zhao Yafang glanced at him and said, "Can't you just go along with me? I'm a key person under protection now."
It is said that the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother and the younger brother-in-law is like a son, so one should not joke about them easily, but one should also consider their age.
Li Xuewu and Zhao Yafang are two years apart in age. They get along well and can naturally joke around with each other.
Besides, one is a highly educated person and the other is a senior executive. Even when they joke, there are limits, and they can't say just anything.
Li Xuewen didn't care about their bickering. He coaxed Li Shu to take an apple from the metal cabinet, peeled it with a knife, and divided it in half between Li Ning and Li Shu.
After entering the room, Li Ning only ate and watched, or played by himself on the hospital bed, unlike his sister who was so noisy.
"Okay, I'll go along with what you say..."
"Ouch—" Before Li Xuewu could finish speaking, Zhao Yafang grimaced and frowned as she let out a soft cry.
"What's wrong?" Li Xuewen tried to comfort the two children, but his mind was still on her.
"Go find a doctor, I think my water broke." Zhao Yafang had experience with childbirth and naturally understood the situation. She wasn't too nervous and gripped the bed railing, saying, "It should be, it should be."
Li Xuewen stood up excitedly and quickly left the ward; his shouts could still be heard in the corridor.
This is the obstetrics and gynecology ward, so there are naturally doctors on duty. Li Xuewu had just held Li Shu and Li Ning in his arms to keep them from being frightened when the doctor quickly walked in.
"It's okay, she's about to give birth."
Director Xia glanced at them and said definitively to Zhao Yafang and Li Xuewen, "But it's still early, let's go to the observation room first."
These days, people are cheap, and doctors are very relaxed, especially towards their colleagues' family members.
She knew what was going on with Li Shun's daughter-in-law.
He gave a few instructions to the nurse who followed him in, and then gave Li Xuewen some more advice before leaving.
"Go home first and bring Mom here."
After listening to the doctor's words, Zhao Yafang calmed down and turned to the three men standing in the ward, instructing them, "Don't tell Xiaoning and Yuxiu yet. Just come when you have time. There's no point in waiting outside."
"It's alright, don't worry about it."
Li Xuewu carried Li Shu and Li Ning out, saying as he walked, "Big brother will take you to the observation room first. I'll pick up Mom and we'll talk later. Dad and the third brother probably don't know yet. I'll go and call them on the way."
"Goodbye, Auntie." Li Shu could sense the tense atmosphere and waved to the old woman, saying, "I'll come see you again when you're better—"
(End of this chapter)