CHAPTER XLIII

In the early morning of the second day, Qiao Yun got up early, Ye Chengyu was probably too tired recently and was still asleep.

The escort bed was very small, and the two of them made do with each other all night, and he was afraid of squeezing Qiao Yun, so he almost slept on the side.

Qiao Yun stood on the edge of the bed and watched him for a few seconds, reaching out to cover him with a thin blanket, but his movements were light but still woke him up.

Ye Chengyu opened it slowly, his brain didn't seem to start working, his eyes were a little confused, looking at her without blinking, he didn't have the shrewdness he had in the past, but he looked like a somewhat childish teenager.

Qiao Yun still had a little sadness between his eyebrows, and when he saw him like this, a faint smile slowly appeared on his beautiful face.

"Awake?" She asked softly, Ye Chengyu seemed to come back to his senses in an instant, and the softness in his eyes did not fade immediately, but it was not as confused and harmless as just now.

"Well, I'll have someone bring the food." He nodded, got up from the bed, and slept in an uncomfortable position for a long time, his whole body was a little sore, he reached out and pinched his shoulder, Qiao Yun had already walked in front of him when he saw this, and pulled him to sit down on the chair next to him.

"Don't move, I'll help you pinch for a while, you go back to sleep tonight, I'll accompany Xiao Yezi."

Her pinching force was not light or heavy, the strength was just right, Ye Chengyu originally closed his eyes and followed her pinching, but when he heard the sound, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at her.

Qiao Yun's face was well concealed, without the slightest expression of collapse like last night, so quiet that Ye Chengyu suddenly felt flustered.

"Qiao Yun—"

Before he finished speaking, she immediately interrupted: "Okay, I'll go wash up." ”

She almost ran away, Ye Chengyu looked at her thin figure fixedly, and felt very uncomfortable.

……

Xiao Yezi is not as energetic as a child of her age because of her long-term illness, her face is very pale, and now she can slowly open her eyes and look at Qiao Yun, and her words are intermittent and weak.

Qiao Yun endured her grief and wiped her face and combed her hair, the little girl tried her best to look at her with wide eyes, while Ye Chengyu stood aside and looked at the two quietly.

The interior of the ward where Xiao Yezi lives is a warm color of pink and goose yellow, cute ornaments are everywhere, bright flowers bloom everywhere you look, and the arrangement is attentive and delicate, so you don't have to guess whose masterpiece it is.

If it weren't for the fact that the child really had no strength, Qiao Yun thought, she must have loved such a room.

"Baby, can mom tell you a story?" After cleaning up for her, Qiao Yun sat beside her with a chair and said softly.

Xiao Yezi winked at her, and the longing in her eyes instantly pierced Qiao Yun's heart.

She owes this child too much, they have never communicated like a normal mother and daughter, since Xiao Yezi fell ill, Qiao Yun used up almost all her time to treat her in order to earn more money.

"Mom-"

Xiao Yezi called her softly, Qiao Yun looked up at her, the little girl slowly stretched out her hand to touch her face, Qiao Yun breathed sluggishly, leaned her face towards her, grabbed her little hand and put it on her face.

"Mom, don't ...... Is it okay to cry? I will be very obedient......" The child spoke very slowly, but he spoke very clearly, like a knife blade, inserted into Qiao Yun's heart again and again.

Qiao Yun was shocked to realize that she didn't know when she had burst into tears, she wiped the tears on her face in a panic, but found that the more she wiped it, the more she wiped.

"Okay, mom doesn't cry, my baby is very well-behaved, mom doesn't cry......"

Qiao Yun really wants to continue to be that strong mother in front of her children, but now in the face of such a fragile child, she really can't do it.

Ye Chengyu has been standing behind her and watching them not far away, his heart at the moment is like a knife, he has always looked at any feelings extremely indifferently, even for Fang Rou, no matter how much he repays her for her hard work towards him over the years, but during this time, he really experienced a complete pain.

Blood relationship is really a magical thing.

Every time he saw Xiao Yezi, his heart would throb for a while, and it would be sour.

The air in the room seemed to freeze at this moment, Qiao Yun suppressed the sadness in his heart, and wanted to hold back his sobbing, but he couldn't help crying.

Xiao Yezi is a well-behaved and sensitive child, she is more sensible than Qiao Xiaoqiao, she understood a long time ago that she was sick, and she may never get better, although the uncles and aunts in the hospital will always comfort her, but the child is still clear in her heart.

"Mom, I, miss you so much...... I don't hurt at all, don't be sad, okay? ”

The child watched Qiao Yun cry, her eyes were also red, and she cried with her, her voice was not as loud as that of children of the same age, and even like an adult deliberately suppressed her throat, whimpering, like a wounded kitten.

"Okay, okay, mom doesn't cry, our little leaf is good, mom is wrong, mom is not sad, mom is just too happy, our little leaf is sensible." When Qiao Yun saw the child crying, she immediately endured her sadness and reached out to wipe her face, even if she was sad now, she had to grit her teeth and endure it.

She gently hugged the child in her arms and coaxed her, just like she had coaxed Qiao Xiaoqiao many times before, but when she held Xiao Yezi, she moved carefully, as if she was not holding a four-year-old child in her arms, but a fragile porcelain doll.

……

Ye Chengyu didn't know when he had gone out, he leaned on the corner and smoked, and there were already cigarette butts on the ground.

When Chen Chen walked over, he didn't react, still frowning and looking at the distance where he was smoking one puff at a time.

"Mr. Ye, Tang Lei had a car accident, and now he is in a vegetative state in the hospital, and the clues investigated before have been broken here."

This is bad news, but Ye Chengyu didn't say anything for a long time, as if he didn't hear it.

Chen Chen knew that he had been irritable recently, so he didn't dare to say anything else, just stood quietly with him.

For a long time, when Chen Chen couldn't calculate the time, he suddenly extinguished the cigarette in his hand and turned his face to look at Chen Chen.

"What about Lin Ruxue?"

Chen Chen's expression was stunned by his question, and then he reacted again, and replied truthfully: "It's still in the old mansion, but I heard from the housekeeper that she has been a lot of peace recently, and she doesn't make a fuss anymore, and she can occasionally go out for a walk with her wife." ”

Ye Chengyu's originally waveless black eyes lit up, he pursed his lips and didn't speak, but his face changed significantly.

"Look at what she's been up to lately, I need all of her whereabouts, including who she's been in contact with recently." After giving the order, Chen Chen answered the call to leave, and Ye Chengyu suddenly added, "Send a few people to follow her again, don't be noticed by her." And the woman, too, gave me a close look. ”

……

Ye Chengyu blew the wind outside for a while, and waited until the smell of smoke around him dissipated before he moved his body and walked back to the ward.

In the room, Qiao Yun had already packed up her mood, she was leaning on the head of the bed with a soft face holding Xiao Yezi, the two of them were holding a storybook in their hands, she whispered a story to the child, Xiao Yezi leaned on her arms with half-squinted eyes and looked up at her.

A string that was tense in Ye Chengyu's heart suddenly broke, and he walked over quickly, but when he really walked in front of the mother and daughter, he suddenly lost his speech.

He wanted to tell her: Qiao Yun should not be so ruthless, can you work harder?

But when his gaze touched Qiao Yun's gaze, all his words turned into smoke again.

"What's wrong?" Qiao Yun looked up at him with Xiao Yezi in his arms, Ye Chengyu's heavy gaze wandered on her and Xiao Yezi for a long time, and then he pulled his lips and smiled lightly, "It's okay." ”

He turned around to leave, but Xiao Yezi, who was in Qiao Yun's arms, stopped him.

"Uncle Ye......"

Ye Chengyu's footsteps immediately stopped and turned to look at the child, Xiao Yezi tried to show a smile towards him, "Uncle Ye, my mother told me a story, can you listen to it too?" ”

The child's invitation, even if the atmosphere is stagnant now, seems to be very sincere.

"Okay." Ye Chengyu obviously knew how to hide his feelings better than Qiao Yun, his face did not change at all, and he stepped forward and sat on the chair on the side.

The little girl reached out and took his hand and put it on the pink quilt, and then found a comfortable position in Qiao Yun's arms to lean on.

The story Qiao Yun told her was: The daughter of the sea.

When the little mermaid turned into a bubble and disappeared into the sea, the little girl suddenly opened her eyes and asked her, "Mom, will I also become a bubble on the sea and disappear?" ”

Qiao Yun was speechless for a while, and his heart began to throb irregularly again.

Ye Chengyu immediately took over and said: "No, Xiao Yezi is a little princess, our little princess, how can it become a bubble on the sea?" ”

The child looked at Qiao Yun suspiciously, "Mom, is it?" ”

Qiao Yun lost her mind, Ye Chengyu pushed her, she immediately came back to her senses, ummed for a moment, and then suddenly said to Xiao Yezi seriously: "Uncle Ye is Dad, Xiao Yezi wants to call Dad, you know?" ”

Probably Ye Chengyu and Xiao Yezi didn't expect Qiao Yun to suddenly say such a sentence, both of them looked at her together, Xiao Yezi's eyes were full of doubts, and he seemed to be a little unable to understand why Uncle Ye suddenly became a father, and Ye Chengyu looked at her with a lot of complicated feelings.

There are surprises, surprises, and a hint of sadness that is not easy to detect.

"Little Yezi is good, call Dad." Qiao Yun deliberately avoided Ye Chengyu's gaze, looked down at Xiao Yezi and said, the child just paused, and then grabbed Ye Chengyu's hand tightly and called obediently, "Dad." ”

The little girl seemed a little shy, and when she screamed, she lowered her head and nestled in her mother's arms.

Ye Chengyu's brain exploded by this sound, and he forgot to react for a moment, but it was Qiao Yun who raised his eyes to look at him, and he was shocked and immediately responded.

Qiao Yun was a little crying and laughing at his reaction, but this can be regarded as a trace of warmth mixed with sadness.

……

Euthanasia is allowed in the United States, although they made up their minds early on not to let Xiao Yezi suffer, but Qiao Yun and Ye Chengyu still couldn't bear it, they selfishly wanted Xiao Yezi to accompany them more.

The recognized Ye Chengyu seems to be more like a father in front of Xiao Yezi, playing with Xiao Yezi every day, bringing her a lot of beautiful dolls and clothes, and almost satisfying all the children's wishes.

Ye Chengyu and Qiao Yun have almost focused on Xiao Yezi's side these days, for Qiao Xiaoqiao, Qiao Yun and Ye Chengyu almost meet her for no more than two hours a day, and they take turns to accompany Xiao Yezi and Qiao Xiaoqiao.

For children, living alone in a strange environment is very insecure, a day or two is barely okay, but it won't work for a long time, Qiao Xiaoqiao is always crying at night these days, Qiao Yun is taking care of Xiao Yezi here, and there is also distracted to comfort Qiao Xiaoqiao, Ye Chengyu wants her to rest, and he will coax Qiao Xiaoqiao by himself, but Qiao Yun feels that he should accompany Xiao Yezi more and leave him by Xiao Yezi's side.

That night, Qiao Xiaoqiao was tired and finally fell asleep, Qiao Yun rubbed her sore temples and got up to go to the hospital, but as soon as she moved, the little girl who was asleep immediately grabbed the corner of her clothes and woke up.

"Mom, where are you going?" The little girl's cheeks were a healthy pink, and her big eyes looked at her without blinking, with a look of longing.

Qiao Yun's heart twitched, and he was speechless.

She froze in place and thought about it again and again, and said, "Baby, will Mom take you to see your sister?" ”

Qiao Xiaoqiao never knew that she had a younger sister, she looked at Qiao Yun curiously with wide eyes, and didn't react for a long time.

Qiao Yun bent down, hugged the child's small body into his arms, and said softly: "My sister is a mother's child like you, but my sister is sick now, she is very seriously ill, and my mother has been taking care of my sister in the hospital for the past few days, is my mother taking you to see if she is okay?" ”

"Okay." Qiao Xiaoqiao nodded immediately, twisted his body and went to get the clothes that were stacked aside.

"Mom, I'll help you take care of your little sister together." The little girl probably understood the relationship between "this sister" in Qiao Yun's mouth and herself, and immediately said.

Qiao Yun pulled her lips and showed a bitter smile, but she still couldn't say anything.

took Qiao Xiaoqiao to the hospital, Ye Chengyu was holding Xiao Yezi and telling a story as she usually did, Qiao Xiaoqiao saw Ye Chengyu, and immediately broke free of Qiao Yun's hand and rushed over.

"Uncle Ye! You're here too, wow! The little girl was full of vitality, her pink face was full of smiles, and she stood in front of Ye Chengyu like a beautiful little butterfly.

Before Ye Chengyu could answer her, the little girl had already set her eyes on the child in his arms, it was a beautiful little girl, Qiao Xiaoqiao stretched out her hand and grabbed the little girl's little hand, and slowly brought her face closer to her, "Are you my sister?" Sister, I'm your sister Oh, my name is Qiao Xiaoqiao, what's your name? ”

Xiao Yezi lives in a crowded hospital all the year round, and he is no longer afraid of life, but in the face of such a lively and enthusiastic Qiao Xiaoqiao, he is also a little afraid, and retracts his hand and retreats into Ye Chengyu's arms.

Qiao Xiaoqiao was a little sad by her refusal action, but she still held her hand firmly without giving up, "I'm your sister, my mother said you were sick, I'm here to take care of you!" ”

Probably wanting to prove that she would be able to take care of Xiao Yezi, Qiao Xiaoqiao made persistent efforts to get in front of her, Xiao Yezi kept avoiding her until there was no way out, and then she raised her eyes to Ye Chengyu for help.

The situation when the two children met for the first time made people a little helpless, and a little crying and laughing.

Qiao Yun immediately stepped forward and pulled Qiao Xiaoqiao to her side, "My sister didn't know you when she saw you for the first time, so she would be shy, can't you know like this?" ”

Qiao Xiaoqiao nodded as if she didn't understand, Qiao Yun had already bent down and said to Xiao Yezi: "Baby, this is my sister, my sister is here to play with you, you have to be obedient, you know?" Say hello to my sister. ”

Xiao Yezi appeared from Ye Chengyu's arms when he heard this, stared at Qiao Xiaoqiao quietly, and then slowly opened his mouth for a long time and shouted: "Sister." ”

Qiao Xiaoqiao was a sister for the first time, and she was so happy that she immediately screamed, sat on the side with a small bench and said to Xiao Yezi, "Then what is your name?" ”

Xiao Yezi blinked and smiled shyly at her, "Xiao Yezi." ”

Qiao Xiaoqiao stretched out her chubby little hand and dragged the storybook from Ye Chengyu's hand, flipped through it, and said to Xiao Yezi seriously: "Then is it okay for my sister to tell you a story?" Sister plays with you! ”

Xiao Yezi nodded, and the little girl began to look through the storybook, but she didn't know many words, and not all of them knew pinyin, but looking at Xiao Yezi's longing eyes, Qiao Xiaoqiao and little girl still started to make it up.

The two children got along well, Qiao Yun and Ye Chengyu stood aside and watched them play for a while, then turned around and went out.

……

On the aisle, Qiao Yun leaned against the wall, Ye Chengyu and her stood face to face, the two looked at each other speechlessly, and after a while, Qiao Yun said: "I know that Xiao Yezi has never had a birthday, and her wish is that her parents will celebrate her birthday with her, and it is not far away, wait until ...... Her birthday, right? ”

Birthday, and a week to go.

When Qiao Yun said this, his body was trembling, and even his voice was trembling.

Ye Chengyu nodded silently, the two glanced at each other, and then continued to be silent.

"Qiao Yun—" Suddenly he whispered to her.

Qiao Yun's gaze froze, and after his gaze touched his burning gaze, he suddenly turned away, "I'm tired, let's talk about other things after I'm busy with Xiao Yezi's affairs." ”

"I'm talking about Xiaoyezi." Ye Chengyu said.

Qiao Yun looked at him, and he said solemnly: "If you don't want to lose her, let's work hard again, no matter what the cost, I will try to keep her." ”

He had never had such an urge to go against the sky, but only this time made him understand where the value and meaning of his life was.

As soon as the words fell, a long silence followed.

"I can't be so selfish, I look at her painful life, it's better to let her leave happily......" Qiao Yun said, her eyes were already full of tears, "It's been two years, I've been looking a little bit thin, it's really worse than death, her illness has been squeezing my nerves, I'm afraid that I will be too attached to her existence, and in the end it will not hurt me, but her." ”

"There was no joy in her short life, it was all pain, and these pains were brought upon her by my mother, and I am guilty, I-"

Her voice was choked, and Ye Chengyu reached out to hold her into his arms, soothing her with silent movements.