CHAPTER 830: CHAPTER 830: LEARNING

Lin Mengyao and Yu Xia heard Xu Ke’s words and realized they were a bit hungry themselves. They smiled, took off their coats, sat on the sofa, and began nibbling on the food.

"These shrimp dumplings were made by Uncle Lin, right?" Yu Xia took a bite of a shrimp dumpling, her face lighting up with surprise as she spoke.

"Your tongue is really sharp; it was indeed made by Uncle Lin," Xu Ke replied with a smile after hearing Yu Xia’s words.

"I knew it," Yu Xia grinned triumphantly, happily grabbing another dumpling and placing it into her bowl.

Today, Yu Xia seemed much more lively than usual, even Xu Ke was a bit taken aback. "What’s going on? Why are you suddenly so happy?" Xu Ke asked curiously.

"Maybe it’s because I’ve been in the hospital room for so many days, and today I finally got to go out and enjoy the breeze for a while. I’m just too happy," Lin Mengyao said after thinking for a moment.

Yu Xia swallowed the food in her mouth before speaking: "Sister understands me. Actually, I feel like I’ve almost fully recovered at the hospital. I want to be discharged; I don’t want to stay here any longer, is that okay?" Yu Xia shyly tugged on Lin Mengyao’s sleeve, her face reddening as she sneakily observed their reactions.

This was the first time since Yu Xia came into this family that she acted this way. Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao didn’t want to dampen Yu Xia’s spirits, nor did they want to refuse her. Even though they were staying in a VIP room at the hospital, it was still a hospital, not home. The pervasive smell of disinfectant in the air and the all-encompassing white of the room could make anyone feel uncomfortable. So, if they could, they too would want to take her home as soon as possible.

"Alright, I’ll ask the doctor later. If the doctor agrees to discharge you, we’ll handle the discharge procedure, and you can convalesce at home. If your condition isn’t suitable, you’ll have to continue staying here," Xu Ke said.

Upon hearing that Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao were willing to take her home, Yu Xia’s eyes immediately brightened. She blinked her sparkling eyes and nodded vigorously, saying, "I know."

Yu Xia didn’t say anything, but Xu Ke noticed a hint of urgency in her eyes, which made him feel amused and endlessly affectionate at the same time. He initially wanted to wait until the women finished eating before asking, but he now felt like there was a fire lit under his seat, and he couldn’t stay put.

"You all continue eating, I’ll step out for a moment," Xu Ke said.

Lin Mengyao, who was originally eating, gradually stopped chewing, raised her head to look at Xu Ke, who was about to leave, and asked, "You’re leaving again?"

Xu Ke paused while putting on his coat. Seeing the look of understanding in Lin Mengyao’s eyes, he reached out and ruffled her hair, saying, "What are you thinking? I just got back and have no other things to attend to. I’m just going to talk to the doctor about Xiaxia’s discharge. The hospital isn’t the same as home. It’s okay to stay here when you’re unwell, but there’s really no need to stay too long; it’s not good for mental health." Xu Ke bent down and pinched Lin Mengyao’s cheek as he spoke.

Lin Mengyao was so flustered by Xu Ke’s action that she even forgot to breathe for a moment. Although Xu Ke often did things like this in private, he usually did so when it was just the two of them. But now, with Xiaxia in the room, Lin Mengyao found it hard to relax, looking at Xu Ke with a pleading expression.

Xu Ke was stunned, not expecting Lin Mengyao to have such a big reaction just from having her cheek pinched. He was so startled that he dared not do anything intimate with her in front of Yu Xia again.

Feeling embarrassed, Lin Mengyao lowered her head. She didn’t quite know what had come over her just now; she only knew her cheeks were so hot she could fry an egg on them. Hearing Xu Ke’s assurance now felt like grasping at straws, making her eyes light up.

"As long as you’re not leaving, I thought you were going again. We haven’t spent time together in so long," Lin Mengyao said, glancing at Yu Xia as she spoke, her face turning red before she even started talking. But she still forced herself to finish, though her tone and manner were unlike her usual self—less firm and a bit soft.

Not only had Xu Ke never seen Lin Mengyao like this, but Yu Xia was also seeing this side of her for the first time. She momentarily stopped eating, and while she wanted to look up, she resisted her curiosity, focusing instead on listening intently. If Yu Xia had animal ears, they would surely be perked up at this moment.

Xu Ke glanced towards Yu Xia and noticed she was stealthily observing them, but he didn’t say anything. Though he didn’t know where Lin Mengyao learned this trick, he couldn’t deny that he quite liked it. Therefore, seizing the moment when Yu Xia was distracted, he quickly bent down, lifted Lin Mengyao’s chin with his finger, and kissed her without hesitation, making her eyes widen in surprise.

Instinctively, Lin Mengyao gave Xu Ke’s shoulder a slap, which Xu Ke caught. "Don’t worry, nobody saw us. I’m off to find the doctor. You two take your time eating," Xu Ke said with a mischievous grin and slipped out of the room before Lin Mengyao realized it.

"Idiot," Lin Mengyao muttered softly, her face flushed, as she touched her lips but still gazed wistfully in the direction Xu Ke had departed.

It took a while for her to come to her senses about what she’d done, filling her with a renewed sense of shyness, making her afraid to meet Yu Xia’s eyes.

"Don’t worry, sis, I didn’t see anything," Yu Xia teased.

"But where did you learn that trick, sis? I’ve never seen you use it before. If you had, brother-in-law would be head over heels for you a long time ago," Yu Xia said, poking Lin Mengyao’s cheek, turning her face as red as a boiled shrimp.

"Your brother-in-law is a big jerk, and you’re a little one. You said you didn’t see anything, but it seems you’ve got the clearest view," Lin Mengyao said with a flushed face, giving Yu Xia a light pat on the shoulder.

Yu Xia feigned a pained smile before leaning in mysteriously, "Even if you don’t tell me, I know who you learned it from. It’s definitely that lady you met today. I saw you both whispering for a while."

"Oh, stop it and just eat," Lin Mengyao said, stuffing a shrimp dumpling into Yu Xia’s mouth, finally able to take a deep breath and calm her racing heart. In her mind, she silently praised the lady for her tips on being coy—it was surprising how effective just a couple of her techniques could be.