Chapter 260: Chapter 260

With Ji Rui’s approval, Le Tong decided to stay directly in the hospital.

"Mr. Ji, can you find a nearby room with a kitchen? I’d like to make some porridge and soup for Baobao."

This time, Le Tong was no longer the same person with swollen red eyes and completely lost without direction. Having accepted reality, she quickly straightened her back, ready to fight hard for Baobao.

She was far more experienced in these matters than Ji Rui. She knew that what she needed most now was to face it with strength, rather than hiding in a corner shedding silent tears.

Ji Rui, who was usually the one giving orders, nodded obediently, took the phone outside for just a couple of minutes, and then returned, handing a bunch of keys to Le Tong.

"It’s the last room on this floor. It’s the director’s office, with a kitchen and a lounge that you can use freely."

Le Tong took the keys and handed him a paper noting the ingredients and herbs needed for porridge and soup.

"Mr. Ji, tomorrow morning take these to the doctor and see what Baobao can eat and can’t eat. For whatever he can eat, let Brother Li buy some back."

Ji Rui immediately took the note and went out. The past couple of days, Baobao had been fussing and hadn’t eaten much, relying solely on nutritional supplements provided by the hospital. Seeing his son’s face getting paler by the day broke Ji Rui’s heart. Now that Le Tong was willing to do this, he was eager to allow it.

After finishing these tasks, Le Tong returned to sit by the bedside.

It was already past two in the morning, yet she felt no sleepiness at all.

She reached out and grasped Baobao’s little hand tightly between her palms.

She had thought she would never hold this small hand again!

Now that she had another chance to hold it tightly, she would never let go!

No one could ever take this warm little hand away from her.

"Le Tong, why don’t you rest in the director’s office? I’ll watch over Baobao." Ji Rui softly suggested to Le Tong as he returned after waking the attending doctor to confirm Baobao’s dietary restrictions.

"Mr. Ji, no need to worry about me. I’ll just stay here with Baobao."

Le Tong did not turn her head and replied to Ji Rui in a hoarse voice.

Ji Rui knew Le Tong’s stubbornness well, and since it was the middle of the night and Baobao was sleeping soundly, it wasn’t appropriate to make any commotion. Not saying much, he turned and went out quickly, returning shortly with a set of bedding.

"You’re tired too. Sneak onto the bed, and I’ll sleep on the sofa."

As Baobao’s dad, Ji Rui couldn’t possibly leave his dear son just for Le Tong to take care of. Since Le Tong insisted on staying here, he had no other choice but to sleep on the sofa.

Le Tong glanced at the family companion bed close to Baobao’s and nodded.

Baobao wasn’t just suffering a cold or headache. His stay at the hospital was likely to be prolonged. She had to take good care of her own health to properly care for Baobao.

These were insights she had accumulated over years of caring for her bedridden mother. It could also be considered a positive and proactive mindset.

Le Tong lay sideways on the bed, her gaze always fixed on the deeply asleep Baobao, though she kept telling herself to sleep so she could have the energy for the battle tomorrow.

Yet, her mind replayed every moment she had once spent with Baobao over the past half-year, like a movie.

And sleeping on the sofa, Ji Rui seemed to be in a similar state. Around four or five o’clock, Le Tong softly called him.

"Mr. Ji?" Chapters first released on novel·fire·net

"Hmm?" The man’s deep yet clear voice indicated he was just as awake as she was at the moment.

"You probably haven’t had a good night’s sleep for several days! Let me watch Baobao, you sleep!"

In the darkness, Le Tong couldn’t see the situation on the sofa, but her voice was very gentle.

Before today, she and Ji Rui were two unrelated individuals.

But from this moment on, she and Ji Rui had become the closest allies because of Baobao’s sickness. She understood that in the coming days, she and he must become a supportive and dependent alliance at least until Baobao regains health.

Even a tall man could have moments of vulnerability.

Le Tong remained silent, but in the darkness, Ji Rui’s deep and hoarse voice broke through.

"Baobao doesn’t have a mommy. When I brought him home, he was only three days old.

Someone placed him in my arms, and he wasn’t afraid at all, rubbing around like a little puppy. At the time, I felt no attachment to him. He was merely the product of a pact between me and the old man.

Baobao smiled a lot since a young age. The first word he learned was ’dad’. He called me dad, and even called the dog at the mansion dad. In any case, everything he liked he called dad.

Later, his vocabulary grew, but the word ’mommy’ wasn’t learned until he was close to three years old.

Maybe he wasn’t incapable of saying it; maybe he just knew he didn’t have one, so he never called it."

Ji Rui paused here, while in the darkness, Le Tong silently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with her sleeve.

"I’m not a good daddy. From a young age, he’s always been with the old man. I would only go back to be with him on Saturdays and Sundays, and that was considered a task.

He’s a smart and sensitive child. He probably understands my half-heartedness, yet he always stuck to me and tried to please me.

As long as I’m around, he clings to me and no one else, going wherever I go.

Isn’t it strange? A child as guarded as Baobao had no defenses against you, and you have been wonderful to him.

Sometimes, even I, as his dad, feel that compared to you, perhaps I don’t love Baobao enough.

Maybe this is what they call fate.

Baobao suddenly got sick. I didn’t want to trouble you, but Baobao kept fussing and being noisy. He is willful; I know, but as his dad, I can’t blame him because I’ve let him down too much already. All he wants is someone to replace mommy, yet even that I can’t give him.

Le Tong, thank you for rushing back first thing. When Baobao stabilizes, I’ll have a good talk with him, but for the next few days, can I ask you to treat him well and not talk about leaving?"

Le Tong took a heavy breath through her nose, completely understanding Ji Rui’s emotions as he spoke, yet she couldn’t express it to him.

At this moment, her feelings could hardly be better than his. In many ways, they might even be more painful!

[I thought it was around the fourth watch, but looking at the time, it turned out to be midnight, so I’ll consider this the first update for the 19th. The truth is slowly emerging, good night ladies!]