Chapter 234

Xiao Xueyi didn't dare to delay any longer. He immediately ran over carefully, picked up the stone, held the cup in one hand, and supported the stone's head with the other.

Stone's throat was already very sore, and he hadn't eaten or drunk anything for days. When he felt something being brought to his mouth, he instinctively began to swallow.

Xiao Xueyi was somewhat excited, "The stone still has the ability to swallow on its own."

After drinking more than half a cup of the spiritual spring water, Shu Ying stopped him, saying, "It's enough that he's quenched his thirst. He's not ready to eat too much right now."

Xiao Xueyi said "Oh," and carefully helped Shi Tou lie down, supporting his waist. He had just turned around to put down the water glass when he turned back and saw Shi Tou's eyelashes trembling slightly as he slowly opened his eyes.

The moment Shi Tou saw Xiao Xueyi, he looked completely incredulous.

He spoke, his voice hoarse, "Dad, what are you doing here? Am I dead?"

This place was unfamiliar, and the only person he could see was Xiao Xueyi.

Hearing the child's innocent voice, Xiao Xueyi felt as if Xin Shang had been stabbed with a knife. He hugged Shi Tou tightly, "Of course not, Daddy's back. Daddy won't let anything happen to you."

He gently stroked the stone's head. "Dad won't be leaving for now."

Xie Zhiyan is right; one must always balance family and work.

Stone is still so small. He can't live without his mother's love and his father's care. He had thought things were too simple before. But a child can't grow up for no reason. He was born into this new life, so he should be fully responsible for it.

Shi Tou's voice choked with emotion, as if he had been waiting for these words for a long time. He hugged Xiao Xueyi tightly, "Dad, is everything you said true? You can stay home with me all the time now?"

He couldn't even tell whether he was dreaming or in reality.

Xiao Xueyi gently patted his back, "Of course it's true. The doctor said you're very sick right now. Once you're better, Dad will reconsider the job issue. Since you don't like Aunt Lü, I'll send her back, and Grandma too."

He paused, then tucked the blanket around Shitou. "Actually, Grandma often bullies you too, doesn't she? But you're afraid of putting Dad in a difficult position, so you never say anything. Dad won't let anyone who doesn't like you live with us anymore. From now on, we'll live however you want, okay?"

Shi Tou looked at the floor of the ward, unsure of what to do.

He gripped the blanket tightly with both hands, seemingly conflicted. "Actually, when Dad wasn't home, Aunt Lü didn't just beat me. She used to be very good to me. Later, she said that I wasn't her biological child and wouldn't be filial to her in the future. But when I was sick the year before last, Aunt Lü stayed by my bedside all night. Dad, she's not entirely a bad person."

Although he couldn't understand why his aunt, who used to be so nice, had turned out this way, the only love he could feel after losing his mother came from Lü Jie. At that time, he truly felt that perhaps he was a child who had a mother's love.

Even after many things happened later, and he gradually understood that he didn't have a complete family, he still couldn't bring himself to hate them.

Xiao Xueyi sat down on the sofa, patiently organizing the tools he was using, and suddenly spoke up, "You're trying to absolve yourself of all responsibility, saying that Shi Tou doesn't like Lü Jie and your mother, but all of this is clearly your own problem. Don't push the blame onto a child and make things difficult for him."

Shi Tou is a completely independent person with his own thoughts. He was once indebted to Lü Jie, and although he didn't want to see Lü Jie living in misery in the future because of him, he felt that a small child like him couldn't bear so much responsibility.

"I thought someone your age would understand, but you blame others for the child's injury, and then blame the child for the harm caused by those who drove the child away. Should I say you're shrewd or just clueless?"

Xiao Xueyi glanced at Xie Zhiyan beside him, but the words he was about to say remained unspoken.

Shi Tou grasped Xiao Xueyi's hand. "Dad, I won't be happy if I have to send them away because of me. Grandma is Dad's mother, and she's Dad's only family member besides me. I have a long time left to spend with Dad, but Grandma has very little time left to spend with him."

He understands these principles: children without mothers tend to mature earlier than other children.

Xiao Xueyi nodded. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that Shi Tou was a very cute child, and he shouldn't have ended up like this.

"Even children understand this principle, but you can't figure it out."

She looked at Xie Zhiyan with some suspicion, "Is he really that capable in your unit? But he doesn't seem to be someone with strong professional skills at all. He handles his personal life like a mess. How did someone so indecisive, hesitant, and lacking in resourcefulness become the deputy regimental commander?"

Xiao Xueyi's voice wasn't loud, but it was very insulting.

Xiao Xueyi almost knelt down before her. This aura was nothing like that of a delicate young lady from Shanghai. She was clearly a leader with an extremely strong presence. She and Xie Zhiyan were evenly matched.

Xie Zhiyan glanced at Xiao Xueyi, knowing the deputy commander's personality.

On the front lines, he was the best comrade-in-arms, even willing to risk his own life to protect his fellow countrymen. His excellence at work was undeniable, but he was indeed a bit careless at home.

"Now you know about the child's situation. The root cause of Shitou's injury is you. Although the current outcome is not what you wanted, you cannot escape the connection. As for Lü Jie, her behavior is hateful but also pitiful."

Xiao Xueyi lowered his head and began to reflect on his behavior over the years.

Xie Zhiyan knew that he couldn't figure it out, so he simply cut to the chase, "As a husband, you don't care about your wife and you haven't fulfilled your obligations to your family. As a father, you can't spend time with your children often, and you even ignore their emotions. You haven't fulfilled the responsibilities of a father."

Whether a family is harmonious or not depends primarily on the man. If he fails to step forward to solve problems that should be his responsibility, the end result will only be a lose-lose situation, and he himself will not even benefit from it.

“I’ve always believed that as long as I provide my child with the best material foundation, he will be able to grow up happily. So even though I know my child is reluctant to leave me each time I come back, I still have to go on business trips. Sir, my understanding has indeed been somewhat flawed, but I have never thought of making my child suffer.”

Stone was his only child and his only hope.