CHAPTER 303: CHAPTER 303: SONG YUANHUAN IS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL

However, what made Xu Xiuxiu happiest today was not just about the matters of Soup City, but because Song Yuanhuan could be discharged from the hospital to return home. Song Yuanhuan had been in the hospital for nearly a month. Although he did not need to worry about medical expenses, and he still had to rely on a wheelchair after discharge, with his right leg still unable to function properly, this was a vast improvement compared to the once certain outcome of disability. Moreover, the family no longer needed to arrange for someone to make constant trips to the hospital, which made everyone quite happy.

"Pa, Pa, Pa..." Seated in his wheelchair, pushed home by Song Yuanming, Little Baby nestled in Song Yuanhuan’s arms, twisting his head all around like a little lord, utterly curious. His little mouth occasionally called out ’Daddy’, immediately blossoming into a flower-smile upon receiving a response from Song Yuanhuan behind him.

"Ma, Ma, Ma..." The boy and girl twins always seemed to have telepathy, perhaps even a sense of competition. As Little Baby tirelessly called for Daddy, Little Moon, with her pudgy cheeks, called for Mommy in Xu Xiuxiu’s arms, further enhancing the harmonious atmosphere of Song Yuanhuan’s discharge.

Perhaps they all felt that today was an exceptionally good day.

"Brother, it’s been so long since we’ve sat down together for a meal. Come on, try this, Aunt Luo and Mom learned to make starch pork." Song Yuan Yao enthusiastically recommended the dish to her second brother.

"Okay." Song Yuanhuan glanced at the rich spread of food on the table, affectionately picked up his chopsticks to try the starch pork, and then revealed a nostalgic expression, "It’s very authentic."

"Right? I think so too." Song Yuan Yao immediately nodded in agreement.

"It can’t be compared with Sister Liu’s cooking, but as long as you don’t mind, that’s fine." Aunt Luo, relieved, merrily helped Xu Xiuxiu feed the twins their milk mush. The little ones had started weaning; occasionally they drank breast milk, but mostly they were fed rice mush and every now and then some easily digestible food like tender steamed egg custard. They also had formula once a day—not too frequently, though.

"Look how adorable they both are! Their little mouths look the same when they’re eating rice mush." Aunt Luo, feeding Little Baby and seeing Xu Xiuxiu feed Little Moon, found them moving their little cheeks so charming.

No wonder people long for grandchildren as they get older—the little babies were just too cute. Her own desire for grandchildren and daughters-in-law became even more apparent.

"Yes!" Xu Xiuxiu laughed along too.

"Oh dear, Yuanhuan’s soup should be ready by now; I haven’t served it yet." Aunt Luo chuckled, giving Little Baby another spoonful before suddenly remembering the soup still slow-cooking in the clay pot. She passed the bowl of rice mush to Xu Jingjing, who was sitting beside her, and then got up to go to the kitchen to serve the soup.

"Little Baby, come, Auntie will feed you, huh! Good baby, open wide, that’s it... So well-behaved, mwah mwah mwah..." Xu Jingjing took over the bowl of rice mush and expertly coaxed Little Baby.

However, while everyone at the table was in good spirits, our patient, Song Yuanhuan, suddenly tensed up at Aunt Luo’s words, his jaw clenched tight and a rare flash of pained suppression in his deep eyes. He had never imagined there’d come a day when he’d flinch at the smell of soup. As a soldier on missions, he had faced all sorts of harsh conditions. Sometimes, to ambush the enemy, he stayed hidden in the same spot without moving for days and nights, considering eating bugs and ants to stave off hunger a mere trifle.

Yet now, he was driven to insanity by the love-filled big bone soup made by his own wife; he was truly sick to the point of nausea.

"Xiuxiu, I’m applying for discharge benefits!" Slamming the table, Song Yuanhuan forcefully asserted his desire to regain his manly pride. He truly did not want to continue with those soup-drinking days dominated by his wife.

"Let’s hear it." Xu Xiuxiu raised an eyebrow, giving Little Moon a spoonful of rice mush, observing how well-behaved the two little ones were, and then, as if bestowing a favor, turned her gaze to Song Yuanhuan.

"Can we take a break from the pork bone soup today? I really don’t want to drink it anymore." Song Yuanhuan mustered all his courage to speak up. He had sworn in his heart that he was done with pork bone soup for life.

"Sure!" Xu Xiuxiu agreed promptly and decisively.

Song Yuanhuan had braced himself for rejection and had a bunch of explanatory phrases ready. But he had absolutely not expected Xu Jingjing to agree so readily, with no intention of forcing him to drink the pork bone soup. So, did all his mental preparation and life ’chicken soup’ (advice) have to die before seeing the light of day?

"Yup, Aunt Luo didn’t get pork bones today, she bought a duck to make soup instead. Personally, I think the duck soup tastes pretty good. Everyone should have some in a bit." Xu Xiuxiu continued, smiling, then scanned the faces of everyone at the dining table before resting her eyes on Song Yuanhuan’s face.

Song Yuanhuan’s face turned gloomy as if he had been deflated. There was no pork bone soup, but now there was duck soup, and it seemed he still couldn’t escape from having soup. Now, Song Yuanhuan really felt sick to his stomach over his injury.

"Pfft!" Song Yuanming couldn’t help but burst out laughing at this, then gave his second brother a sidelong glance with perfect timing: "Second brother, the duck soup is good." It sounded like a soothing comment, but the more he listened, the more it seemed like he was being mocked.

Song Yuanhuan’s face grew even darker, glancing threateningly at Song Yuanming before snorting coldly.

Song Yuanming immediately retracted his neck guiltily and quietly resumed eating.

At night, after being pampered by Xu Xiuxiu and having finished washing up, Song Yuanhuan was already lying comfortably in the master bedroom’s bed. Xu Xiuxiu, fresh out of the shower and drying her hair, entered the bedroom to meet Song Yuanhuan’s intense gaze.

"What’s wrong?" Xu Xiuxiu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wife, come here, let’s have a serious talk about life." Song Yuanhuan snapped closed the military book he’d had from beginning to end, purely for show, and then wickedly beckoned to Xu Xiuxiu with a curl of his finger.

"Sure!" Xu Xiuxiu set her towel aside, her wet hair still dripping as she draped it over her shoulders, then obediently moved closer to Song Yuanhuan: "I love talking about life, ideals, and revenge."

For some reason, Song Yuanhuan thought he could detect a grinding of teeth in Xu Xiuxiu’s words. He reached out to cup her small face and planted a kiss on her lips: "Xiuxiu, starting from tomorrow, I refuse to drink any soup." It wasn’t just pork bone soup; he had sentenced all kinds of soup to death.

"Is this a negotiation?" Xu Xiuxiu lazily sprawled on the bed, looking up at him, her small hand poking his sturdy chest.

Song Yuanhuan’s expression stiffened: "It’s a declaration." With that, he bent down and kissed her forcefully, this time leaving a red print.

"Oh." Enduring Song Yuanhuan’s passionate kiss, Xu Xiuxiu uttered a voice after a while, but it was so soft and faint, it was unclear whether Song Yuanhuan heard her or not.