Arriving at the People's Hospital, Qin Chuan practically rushed into the ward at the fastest speed possible, startling his parents who were inside.
"What are you rushing for, Xiao Chuan? You scared us!" Jiang Cuihua chided, wiping spilled hot water on the table.
"Third child, has our second brother been to the hospital?" Qin Shuren, being the head of the family, was much calmer than his wife. Noticing the anxiety on Qin Chuan's face, he asked immediately.
"Dad, has my second brother visited the hospital?" Qin Chuan asked.
Just as Qin Shuren was about to answer, his eyes suddenly froze, staring intently at the ward entrance. Jiang Cuihua also stopped what she was doing, her gaze fixed on the doorway. Qin Chuan quickly turned his head and saw Li Ya, who had somehow followed them in, standing there gracefully. Her bright and beautiful face, tall figure, and outstanding aura made her a focal point wherever she went.
"Oh my, Boss Li is here too! Please come in and have a seat..." Before Qin Chuan could react, Jiang Cuihua had already gone forward with great enthusiasm, even more so than when she saw her son.
"Hello, Auntie!" "Hello, Uncle!" Li Ya greeted them politely and obediently, which delighted Jiang Cuihua and Qin Shuren immensely. They rushed to offer her water and fruit, their attitude exceptionally warm.
Dark lines appeared on Qin Chuan's forehead, but he still explained, "Dad, Mom! Sister Li Ya came with me today. I went to Sister Li Ya's clothing factory..."
"Going to the clothing factory is great! You are both young, you have common topics, you should interact more in the future!" His explanation, instead of helping, only made the elderly couple happier, their eyes almost disappearing from their smiles. As someone who had been through it, Qin Chuan knew exactly what his parents were thinking, and he couldn't help but feel helpless.
Li Ya, who was being warmly entertained, noticed Qin Chuan's helplessness and couldn't help but suppress a smile, biting her lips. However, she couldn't laugh out loud, as it would be too inappropriate.
"Auntie, Qin Chuan went to the clothing factory this afternoon to help me!" Li Ya finally explained.
"That's even better! You young people have common interests and hobbies, you should indeed help each other and progress together!" Qin Shuren said, his demeanor completely shifting to match Jiang Cuihua's.
"Dad, we came to find my second brother. Did he come to the hospital before dark?" Qin Chuan couldn't hold back any longer. If his parents continued to ramble, who knew what they would say next. Besides, the most important thing was that there was nothing ambiguous between him and Li Ya; they were simply trying to matchmake them.
"He did!" Qin Shuren finally answered.
"My second brother came to the hospital? When?" Qin Chuan quickly pressed.
"Around three or four in the afternoon. Your second brother asked us to tell you that he wouldn't be back today and would return tomorrow!" Qin Shuren said.
Qin Chuan: "..."
I feel like punching someone, don't I? He had felt guilty for wasting time earlier and frantically searched everywhere, only to find out that Qin Gang had already decided not to come home and had gone off somewhere to fool around. This guy was still the same old brother who liked to mess with his younger sibling, not changed at all!
At this moment, Li Ya also breathed a slight sigh of relief, her worries completely dispelled. To be honest, if something had happened to Qin Gang, she would have been partly responsible, as Qin Chuan's delay was all because of her.
A few minutes later, the two of them walked out of the hospital. Li Ya kept glancing at Qin Chuan's face.
"If you want to laugh, just laugh all you want. My second brother is such a jerk!" Qin Chuan said with a dark expression.
Finally, Li Ya, who had been holding back for a long time, burst into laughter, then even squatted on the ground, completely losing her composure.
"Had enough laughing? If you're done, let's go eat!" Qin Chuan said helplessly. What could he do with such a brother?
"Okay, what should we eat? I'll treat you!" Li Ya stood up, wiping away tears of laughter.
"Who do you think you are, looking down on me? Just because you're a rich woman doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. I earned ten thousand yuan today! I'll treat you!" Qin Chuan patted his chest with full confidence, where the ten thousand yuan earned from Zhang Long and Wu Erma was kept.
"Alright, it doesn't matter who treats whom, but I get to decide what we eat today!" Li Ya's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she then took the driver's seat to drive.
A little over fifteen minutes later, the Santana arrived at an ancient street in the county town. This was the old district, and also the most famous snack street in the county town. It was evening, and the night market, with its numerous stalls, was in full swing, brightly lit, with constant hawking, and the air filled with various enticing aromas.
"Are these the things you wanted to eat?" Qin Chuan asked in surprise.
"Yes! I've been craving the taste of this place for a long time!" Li Ya, in the driver's seat, had sparkling eyes and even licked her red lips. Qin Chuan, seeing this, felt a little flustered. The gesture was too alluring, making him fantasize.
"Let's go, get out of the car with me, our dinner tonight is here!" Li Ya was as happy as a little girl, and Qin Chuan was also infected, following her out of the car. It seemed he hadn't tasted the flavors of his hometown snacks for many years, and this was a small wish fulfilled.
The two walked together into the old town's snack street. In sight were vendors selling candied hawthorns, Roujiamo, grilled meats, fried noodles, and jellies—a wide variety. Qin Chuan also spotted a candy shaped like a rooster, which immediately triggered a memory. It was definitely his childhood favorite, very sweet. There was also bamboo tube fried rice, which was fried rice wrapped in a bamboo tube, sprinkled with white sugar or saccharin, tasting sweet and glutinous, also a childhood favorite. Back then, one portion cost only one or two cents. Whenever his parents went into town, they would bring some back, bringing back so many memories. Qin Chuan couldn't help but walk over and buy two portions of each. The rooster-shaped candy was three cents a stick, and the bamboo tube fried rice was two cents. Although definitely more expensive than before, such prices were incredibly reasonable for a reborn person like Qin Chuan.
"Here, these two snacks are my most cherished childhood memories. Have you ever had them?" Qin Chuan handed one portion to Li Ya.
"Wow, rooster candy sticks, and bamboo tube fried rice! These are also my most cherished memories!" Li Ya happily accepted, taking a lick of the rooster candy first, her face immediately showing intoxication. "It's this taste! Wonderful!"
"My dad used to buy it for me often!"
"Mine too!" Qin Chuan agreed.
"Qin Chuan, I remember there was another delicacy when we were kids, I can't quite recall the name, but it was very sweet and got stuck in your teeth..." Li Ya suddenly said.
"Now that you mention it, I seem to remember it. In our village, it was called 'Xie Guagua'!"
"Yes! That's the name, Xie Guagua!" Li Ya became very excited, grabbing Qin Chuan's hand. "Let's go, let's hurry and find it! That's what my dad bought for me the most!"
Running behind her, Qin Chuan suddenly realized why Li Ya was so excited tonight. This woman was probably trying to recapture the lost paternal love through these childhood delicacies! This made his heart filled with emotion! After all, for everyone in the world, weren't all childhood flavors a testament to their parents' deep love!