Jiang Ziyu distributed toothpicks to Qianqian and Yuze, and as she handed one to Xiaoran, she noticed he was still in the same awkward posture.
"Why are you still lying there, not moving?"
With Qianqian's writing pressed against his chest, Xiaoran knew that Jiang Ziyu would discover their secret as soon as he got up.
Jiang Ziyu patted his bottom again, urging, "Get up quickly, the ground is cold."
Shaking his head, Xiaoran buried his face in the carpet. "I need to quietly contemplate things."
"Contemplating is fine, but why are you lying face down?" Jiang Ziyu placed the signed paper on the fruit plate and stood up to lift him from the ground.
Xiaoran trembled, racking his brain to make his body and the paper become one.
"Mommy!"
Just as Jiang Ziyu's hand touched Xiaoran's body, Yuze suddenly shouted.
Stopping her movement, Jiang Ziyu turned to look at Yuze, who appeared flustered. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Yuze clutched his nose and spoke with difficulty, "My nose feels so hot, it feels like something is running out."
Her attention temporarily shifted from Xiaoran to Yuze. She turned, cupped Yuze's head, and helped him into the bathroom.
During this brief interval, Xiaoran nimbly got up from the ground, quickly tore up the paper, and made it disappear without a trace.
The trash can was not safe. The fragments were large, and if discovered, they could be pieced together to reveal the content.
Xiaoran and Qianqian searched for a place to hide the item. To their dismay, Xiaoran ended up stuffing the paper into his mouth.
With a dry, rolling of his eyes, Xiaoran swallowed the paper pieces with the cold boiled water from the table.
Qianqian worriedly brushed Xiaoran's hand, her large eyes seeming to ask about his condition.
"It's fine, it's not the first time I've eaten something like this," Xiaoran reassured her with a smile.
From behind, Jiang Ziyu helped Yuze to the sofa. "You need to drink more water. The weather is too dry, causing your nose discomfort."
"Okay," Yuze obediently replied.
After settling Yuze, Jiang Ziyu looked back and saw that Xiaoran, who should have been lying on the ground, had already gotten up. She didn't voice her observation.
"Mommy, are you staying tonight?" Xiaoran asked.
"No, I have to take Qianqian back soon."
She was currently a person of particular interest to Di Ruihe. If she stayed the night, before tomorrow, Di Ruihe would meticulously investigate the existence of Yuze and Xiaoran.
Such a risk could not be easily attempted.
After coaxing them to finish the fruit plate, Jiang Ziyu met with the housekeeper responsible for their care. She briefly explained a few things before leaving with Qianqian.
...
"Cousin-in-law, where did you go?"
Upon entering the living room, a voice called out from the sofa. Di Ruihe, who should have been at the company, stood up from the sofa and inquired with concern.
After only a few hours apart, he was already this anxious?
Jiang Ziyu crouched down to change her slippers and walked towards Di Ruihe. "I went to the mall. Have the doctor's matters been resolved?"
The topic had shifted abruptly, and with this question, the control of the conversation had passed to Jiang Ziyu.
"Yes, I've arranged for a doctor to come to the house. They should be here in about half an hour." Di Ruihe estimated, glancing at his watch.
"Really? I didn't expect my cousin to be so efficient." Jiang Ziyu's words conveyed admiration.
Di Ruihe's face lit up with a smile, so much so that Wu Xuerou, who had come downstairs, felt a pang of jealousy.
Why had the two of them become so familiar all of a sudden?
"Cousin-in-law, you shouldn't put too much pressure on yourself. Qianqian is actually like any other child. She's smart and beautiful; whether she can speak or not is secondary."
The three sat facing each other on the sofa, with Di Ruihe engaging in a somewhat manipulative conversation.
If she weren't waiting for the fish to expose itself, Jiang Ziyu would have loved to burst out laughing and ask him if he wouldn't mind becoming a mute, unable to express his thoughts.