Chapter 96: Heart Attack

As soon as Jiang Yuan spoke, Zhong Xiao fell silent at once. Song Yanzhou glanced, almost subconsciously, at Song Tingshen, who maintained his usual air of indifference, as if none of this concerned him in the least. He said calmly, “Sister-in-law, what are you talking about?”

Jiang Yuan suppressed a laugh. “Alright, alright, let’s just say I was rambling.”

Then, as if remembering something, she asked, “Xiaoxiao, where did you buy those crabs at lunch today? I just came back from the market, and everyone said the catch has been poor lately, not many crabs. There were plenty of sea fish and octopus, but your brother doesn’t like octopus. I noticed he ate a lot of crab at lunch—I wanted to make some for him tomorrow.”

Zhong Xiao replied at once, “If big brother likes it, I’ll make it for him again tomorrow. Sister-in-law, don’t worry about it—I’ll make sure to get some.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony, but nodded with a smile. “Alright, then I won’t argue! Thank you, Xiaoxiao, your cooking is truly delicious!”

Zhong Xiao was quite pleased with herself.

When she accumulated more merit points, she planned to unlock even more culinary skills. She hadn’t realized before, but now she found the act of cooking exhilarating—wielding her tools and commanding the kitchen felt wonderful!

She was truly falling in love with cooking.

While Jiang Yuan and Zhong Xiao were chatting, Song Tingshen interjected, “Weren’t you going to change and head out? I’ll wait for you here.”

“Oh,” Zhong Xiao replied, “alright.”

Song Yanzhou asked, “Where are you two off to?”

Song Tingshen waited until Zhong Xiao had gone upstairs before lowering his voice. “To Mount Baiyun.”

“What for?” Song Yanzhou was puzzled.

After a brief pause, Song Tingshen said, “Zhong Xiao is Uncle Nie’s daughter.”

“Nie…” Song Yanzhou froze, scarcely able to believe it. “Uncle Nie? You mean… that Uncle Nie?”

Even though there was only one family named Nie in the entire Taizhou Island military district, Song Yanzhou still wanted to confirm—it was simply too astonishing.

Zhong Xiao, it turned out, was the daughter of an old acquaintance.

Song Tingshen nodded, eyes lowered. “She only learned today herself, so she wants to visit.”

Song Yanzhou fell silent. “She should visit. If I weren’t in this condition, I would go see Uncle Nie too.”

Compared to Song Tingshen, Song Yanzhou’s bond with Nie Yunfeng was even deeper, as Nie Yunfeng had raised him. Back then, Song Qingfeng and Zuo Lan were always busy, and it was Nie Yunfeng who had cared for Song Yanzhou like his own child.

Song Yanzhou had always called Nie Yunfeng his godfather.

By the time Zhong Xiao came downstairs, dressed in a dark shirt and pants, Song Yanzhou and Jiang Yuan had already left. Song Tingshen was waiting for her at the door. As he glanced back, he caught sight of her face, made even more delicate and petite by her neatly pinned-up hair, and his heart skipped a beat.

The dark clothing set off her fair skin, making her look like a porcelain doll.

[Xiaoxiao is so beautiful, Xiaoxiao is truly lovely, like a fairy descended to earth.]

[There’s no one in the world more beautiful than Xiaoxiao.]

Zhong Xiao heard these words in her mind, but her face remained perfectly calm. Even as a faint, indescribable emotion welled up inside her, she forced it down, allowing only a slight twitch at the corner of her lips.

“Captain Song, shall we go?”

Song Tingshen tore his gaze from her face and opened the door. “Yes, let’s go.”

The two of them left the Song house, one after the other, just as Zuo Lan hurried home, nearly colliding with Zhong Xiao.

Fortunately, Song Tingshen caught Zuo Lan in time, preventing an actual collision.

“Mom, why are you in such a rush?” he asked.

Zuo Lan’s arm hurt a little from Song Tingshen’s grip, but when she looked up and saw the two of them, she asked, “Where are you going?”

Instead of answering, Zhong Xiao countered, “Aunt Zuo, what’s happened? Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Manling’s condition is critical. She has congenital heart disease, and after such a severe shock, she suffered a sudden attack. The doctors in internal medicine are resuscitating her now. I came back to find my address book, so I can contact other hospitals for medication.”

At this critical moment, Zhong Xiao didn’t hesitate for a second. She said, “I have the medicine. What do you need?”