Shen Yi hummed. Turning his head, he saw his grandfather was still awake.

He said, "Grandpa, aren’t you usually asleep by this time?"

Mr. Du was also getting drowsy. In a gentle voice, he said, "Your mom is leaving first thing tomorrow. She was talking to me about going to the provincial capital."

Shen Yi thought for a moment, tossed his schoolbag on the sofa, and sat down. He said, "Grandpa, after your last check-up at the county hospital, it’s clear that the hospital in the provincial capital is still the best place for your treatment."

"Exactly! Dad, see? Xiao Yi says so too. If they can’t treat you in the provincial capital, we’ll go abroad!" Du Liya’s eyes were rimmed with red. She had already lost her mother; she couldn’t bear to lose her father as well.

Facing his two loved ones, Mr. Du sighed, his expression remaining calm. "Whether I live for another year or for another ten, it doesn’t make much of a difference to me."

"But..."

Shen Yi suddenly spoke up. "Grandpa, let’s talk about this later. I still haven’t graduated, so I’ll be here for another year anyway. You should get some sleep. It’s too late."

The old man was in poor health and couldn’t afford to stay up late. It was already past ten-thirty.

Mr. Du was feeling drained as well. Thinking his children wouldn’t press the issue any further, he nodded and went back to his room.

Du Liya asked in surprise, "Xiao Yi, I thought you agreed that your grandfather should go to the provincial capital for treatment. So why did you...?"

"Mom, do you remember what Grandpa just said? He didn’t flatly refuse like he used to. That means his stance is actually softening."

Du Liya was a little lost, not quite understanding what her son meant.

Shen Yi said calmly, "I’ll do my best to convince Grandpa before my college entrance exams are over."

Du Liya seemed to understand a little, but not completely. She murmured, "I wonder what happened to make your grandfather start to change his mind."

Shen Yi didn’t answer. He just said, "I’m going to bed," slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and went back to his room.

’It must be because of Qin Jiao’s appearance,’ he thought.

In his past life, when Qin Jiao was forced to marry him, his grandfather had been very fond of her. He had often told him not to bully Qin Jiao.

’But with the misunderstanding between them back then, and my own uncontrollable temper, how could I possibly have been good to her?’

’Back then, Grandfather was already terminally ill, with only a few days left to live. But things are different now. Now, we still have plenty of time.’

’Grandfather will get better.’

’And things between me and Qin Jiao... will get better, too.’

Du Liya kept feeling that something was off. It wasn’t until she returned to her room, washed up, and was getting ready for bed that it suddenly hit her. ’Has my son become much more cheerful than before?’

’In the past, our interactions were either filled with stony silence or fierce arguments, as if we were mortal enemies.’

’But this time, it felt like we were a real mother and son.’

When Du Liya fell asleep that night, a smile still lingered on her lips.

Her good mood lasted until the next morning. Du Liya couldn’t cook, so she planned to get up early to buy breakfast for her father and son. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of steaming hot buns on the table.

Her father and son were sitting at the table, eating quietly.

Du Liya asked in shock, "Did you go out and buy these?"

Mr. Du smiled. "Xiao Qin’s parents made them. They’re delicious. Come, have one." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Du Liya already had a favorable first impression of Qin Jiao, so hearing this made her even more eager. "I’ll have to try one," she said with anticipation.

’If this had been the mother from my past life... she would have probably said something like, "Are they trying this hard to curry favor with the old man? Do they have some ulterior motive?"’

Shen Yi watched his mother sing Qin Jiao’s praises, feeling his spirits lift. As he was about to leave after finishing his meal, he leaned in and said quietly to his mother, who was on her fourth bun, "Mom, back when I was home, I noticed Aunt Ji was always coming over to see Dad."