Chapter 17: Striking a Chord Upon arriving at the hospital, Zhang Qian quickly inquired with the nurse and learned which ward her mother, Mrs. Zhuang, was in. The ward had four beds. The one furthest inside held an elderly woman lying on her side with a gentle, kind face. A police officer was speaking quietly with someone nearby and turned as they saw others approaching. “You must be the family of Zhuang Huilan?” the officer asked. Zhang Qian hurriedly responded, “Zhuang Huilan is my mother. Is she alright?” “She should be fine,” the officer replied. The officer then turned to Lu Liang, assuming he was her husband. “Sir, could you step outside with us for a moment?” Zhang Qian was about to speak but Lu Liang gently tapped her hand and smiled, “I’ll go and check the situation.” Mrs. Zhuang looked up in confusion at Zhang Qian and then at Lu Liang. Zhang Qian sighed. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, but she didn’t want her child exposed to electronics too early. Mrs. Zhuang smiled warmly, “Little Lu gets along so well with Little Yun. You can rest easy now.” Zhang Qian smiled wryly but didn’t explain further. As night fell, both Zhang Yun and Mrs. Zhuang were asleep. The nurse they had hired was also in the room, attending to Mrs. Zhuang. Zhang Qian and Lu Liang stepped outside the room. “Lu Ge, thank you for everything. How much do I owe you? I’ll transfer it to you,” Zhang Qian said, holding her phone out. “Does this mean I’m being too forward by being your boyfriend?” Lu Liang teased. “I didn’t mean it like that,” Zhang Qian replied, slightly embarrassed. “Just think of it as a gesture for your mother, and I really like Little Yun,” Lu Liang said, his tone warm and sincere as he looked at the little girl sleeping in the bed. “If my life plans hadn’t gone awry, my child would be about this age too,” Lu Liang added quietly, with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. Zhang Qian didn’t respond immediately, but she understood the emotion behind his words. The conversation shifted. “You really should change your job. The child is getting older, and sooner or later she will find out what you do. She asked me about it just now.” Zhang Qian’s eyes widened. “What did you tell her?” She had purchased a home in Magic City but still lived in a company dormitory, never telling her daughter what her job really was. “I told her that Uncle Lu is a big boss, and your mom helps me with some things,” Lu Liang said with a smile. “She also said, ‘Tell my mom to take more time off so she can spend more time with me.’” Zhang Qian remained silent for a long moment before murmuring bitterly, “What else can I do?” “Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re good with words and have high emotional intelligence. I think opening a beauty salon would be a good fit for you,” Lu Liang suggested. “But I know nothing about it,” Zhang Qian protested. “You can learn. Besides, you don’t have to stick to the beauty industry—you can observe first,” Lu Liang urged. Then, with a mischievous smile, he gently caressed her ear, his thumb softly rubbing it. “We could open a shop together. I’ll invest, and you’ll manage.” Zhang Qian shivered slightly. Over the past few days, Lu Liang had picked up on her sensitive spots. Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively pushed his hand away. “Stop it, we’re in the hospital.” Lu Liang grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just used to it.” “Mom, when are we going home?” Little Yun, who had just woken up, walked over to them and looked up with concern. “Mom, your face is so red. Are you getting sick?” Zhang Qian quickly turned away, giving Lu Liang a scornful look. “You two go ahead to the parking lot first. I need to talk to Grandma and the nurse.” “Little Yun, take your backpack, and let’s go,” Lu Liang said with a grin, leading the girl to the parking lot. As they passed the pediatric clinic, Little Yun couldn’t help but glance enviously at the other kids, who were being carried by their fathers. Lu Liang noticed and squatted down in front of her, whispering, “Little Yun, hop on, Uncle will carry you.” Little Yun’s face lit up, and she climbed onto his back excitedly, whispering, “This is so wide, different from when Mommy or Grandma carry me.”