The surgery was scheduled for the next morning, so He Lang had Mrs. He take the children home.

He Lang saw Xue Yue standing at the window, gazing outside. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Nervous?"

Xue Yue looked down at the people still coming and going at this hour and said slowly, "Life is so fragile. You never know when you might get sick."

He Lang walked over to her side and glanced down. "Didn’t the doctor say it’s not a big deal? You just go to sleep, and it’ll be over when you wake up."

Xue Yue pressed her lips together. "I’m not exactly scared, I just... I really don’t like hospitals. The first time I ever set foot in one was when my older brother was on the brink of death. I really hate coming to places like this."

He Lang put his arm around her shoulders and sighed softly. "No one likes coming to the hospital. It’s always a last resort. But you don’t have to worry. I’m here."

He Lang knew Xue Yue wasn’t as relaxed as she claimed. After all, it was surgery. It was normal to be nervous.

Xue Yue’s heart softened. She turned and wrapped her arms around He Lang’s waist. He Lang patted her back and nuzzled his chin against her hair.

After a long moment, Xue Yue mumbled, "This is so annoying. Other people have babies, so why am I the special case? Honestly... And that doctor who delivered my baby, what was up with him?..."

He Lang listened quietly to Xue Yue’s rambling complaints. ’It’s better for her to let it out than to keep it bottled up,’ he thought. But as he listened, her words started to take a strange turn.

"You know where we keep the savings passbook. Please raise Shiyi and Ruanruan well. You have to make sure they go to school. And my dad—"

He Lang finally couldn’t help but interrupt. "What are you talking about? Didn’t I tell you it’s just a minor surgery and that you’ll be fine? What’s going on in that head of yours?"

Xue Yue pouted and said in a low voice, "I was just saying."

He Lang’s voice was heavy. "I don’t like hearing that. I said you’ll be fine, so you’ll be fine."

Xue Yue paused for a few seconds, then nudged her head against his chest. "Alright, alright. If you don’t like it, I won’t say it." ’But you have to be prepared for the worst.’

The next morning, Xue Xingzhou and Zhang Qian came to the hospital as well.

Xue Xingzhou looked at Xue Yue and frowned. "Why didn’t you tell us?"

Xue Yue said, "It’s just a minor surgery, so I didn’t tell you."

He Lang glanced at Xue Yue. ’You wouldn’t know she was the one basically giving her last will and testament last night.’

Zhang Qian took Xue Yue’s hand. "It’s still surgery, after all. We’re family. You should have told me and your brother. We only found out last night when Xing Jun came home and said you were hospitalized. Your brother was so worried, he rushed to your house and had to ask your mother-in-law just to find out what was going on."

Xue Yue said sheepishly, "It’s fine. I was planning to tell you after it was over."

Zhang Qian asked, puzzled, "What made you decide to come to the hospital for a check-up anyway? And then to find this out."

Xue Yue said, a little embarrassed, "I just thought it was strange that I never got pregnant again after having Shiyi."

Zhang Qian said, "You guys weren’t using birth control?"

Blushing, Xue Yue shook her head.

It wasn’t just Zhang Qian who was surprised; even Xue Xingzhou frowned and looked at He Lang. Being stared at like that by his brother-in-law, He Lang felt a bit awkward and rubbed the tip of his nose.

Zhang Qian exclaimed, "You two... TSK, TSK. You’re really something else."

’Tell me about it!!’ Thinking back on it now, even Xue Yue felt they had been so foolish.

"Who’s doing the surgery?"

He Lang replied, "Uncle Wen found a department head to do it. He’s very experienced."

Xue Xingzhou nodded. "That’s good."

Once Xue Yue was taken into the operating room, they all sat waiting outside, falling silent.

Fortunately, the surgery went smoothly, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Xue Yue was still unconscious when she was wheeled out of the operating room. He Lang watched her quietly and stroked her forehead.

Wen Yuanbo even came over to check on her. After discussing with the department head for a while, he came in and told them, "Everything looks good. Let her rest and recover well at home for a while. Come back for a follow-up in three months."

"Okay."

They stayed in the hospital for three days before Xue Yue was eager to go home. The doctor prescribed some oral medication and discharged her.

Xue Yue took time off to stay at home, and He Lang wasn’t as diligent about work either. The person who ran over most cheerfully every day was Xue Xingjun, who would sometimes report things to He Lang at the house.

"You could just call. You don’t have to run all the way over here."

Xue Xingjun swallowed the chicken in his mouth. "It’s fine. This way I can also check on my sister."

Xue Yue said, amused, "You just want to get some good food, don’t you? Otherwise, why do you always manage to show up right before lunch every day?"

These past few days, He Lang had bought several large roosters to make soup and meat to help Xue Yue recover. But after two meals, Xue Yue couldn’t eat any more of it, which was a great benefit for the gluttonous Xue Xingjun.

"Hehe, Sis, I’m mainly here to see you. My gluttony is just a secondary reason. I’m getting really sick of the food at the supermarket cafeteria."

Xue Yue asked, confused, "Doesn’t the cafeteria change its menu? How could you get sick of it?"

He Lang also looked at Xue Xingjun.

Xue Xingjun wiped his mouth and started complaining to He Lang. "Brother-in-law, I was meaning to tell you about this. You have no idea, but it seems like the chefs check to see if you’re there every day. The food is different when you’re there versus when you’re not. Especially these past few days, the meat dishes are either too salty or too bland. Either way, they’re just not good."

He Lang frowned. "How come Dad didn’t mention anything when he came home?"

Xue Xingjun shook his head. He didn’t know.

"Anyway, that’s the pattern I’ve noticed. You should ask your father when you get back."

After finishing his meal, Xue Xingjun left.

That evening, when He Lang’s father returned, He Lang made a point to ask about it.

He Lang’s father looked completely unconcerned. "What’s so strange about that? The chefs cook for so many people every day; of course some dishes will be too salty or too bland sometimes. If it’s salty, just drink more water. If it’s bland, it’s still edible. Besides, it’s meat. It tastes good no matter what."

He Lang’s father had lived through the famine years, so to him, these were the good old days. As long as there was meat and vegetables at every meal, it didn’t matter if the food was a little salty or bland.

He Lang said, "Dad, that’s not the point. I’m paying them. If their quality is inconsistent for a meal or two, that’s understandable. But I heard from Xing Jun that this happens every time I’m not there, and specifically with the meat dishes. That’s a serious problem."

His father was taken aback for a moment. "Oh, well, I didn’t notice that."

He Lang’s expression was neutral, but his eyes were dark.

The next day at noon, just as it was time for lunch, He Lang got ready to leave.

Mrs. He called out to him, "Lunch is almost ready! Where are you going? Eat first and then go."

He Lang waved his hand at her and left.

When He Lang arrived at the supermarket on his motorcycle, a security guard at the entrance saw him arrive at that time of day, and his eyelid twitched. "Hello, Mr. He."

He Lang nodded, parked his motorcycle, and strode inside. He went straight to the cafeteria. It was lunchtime, and the place was crowded.

He Lang walked to the serving window and watched them dish out food. It was obvious that the trays for vegetable dishes were nearly empty, but the tray with the meat dish was still half full.

The woman serving the food happened to see He Lang arrive. Her hand trembled, and a spoonful of vegetables fell.

He Lang shot her a glance and entered the kitchen from the side.