Chapter 438: Was I a Free Gift for Topping Up My Parents' Phone Bill?

"Shi Ran, you little ungrateful wolf, I am your mother!" Shi Youxuan stood with her hands on her hips, roaring at the room.

The door opened a crack.

A pair of bright, sparkling eyes peered out through the gap.

At this moment, Fang Jie came out from the kitchen to bring Spring Shoes for the two of them.

Sheng Zerong also walked over from the living room, asking after the two of them with concern.

Only then did Shi Ran confirm—it was Mom and Dad who had returned!

"Mom, I missed you so much!" The little one pulled the door open and rushed out of the room, throwing herself into Shi Youxuan's arms.

She said sweetly, "Mom, why did you only just come back? I couldn't even get through on the phone, do you know how worried I was..."

Shi Ran was incredibly sharp; she knew her mother was petty and loved to nitpick.

Since she hadn't recognized them, her mother would definitely make a scene, and how long that scene lasted depended on her mood and Shi Ran's performance.

Dad was easy; he didn't need coaxing and wouldn't get angry, so she ignored him.

The little one didn't mind the dirt, acting all cute and coquettish in Shi Youxuan's arms. Shi Youxuan's fragile "glass heart" was greatly satisfied, so she let the previous matter slide.

"Be good, stop rubbing against me; I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes."

She had been wearing these clothes for a week without washing them; Shi Youxuan felt she smelled, and she was immensely disgusted with herself.

"Okay, I'll go get you clean clothes." The little girl was very observant, pattering into the room to fetch a change of clothes for her mother.

Sheng Hanyu briefly told his younger brother about what had happened over the past two days, then went to shower and change as well.

Sheng Zerong knew they were exhausted, so he urged them to get some good rest before he left.

Once the two were clean and refreshed, having changed into comfortable loungewear, they were immediately so sleepy they couldn't keep their eyelids open.

While they were away, Sheng Hanyu and Shi Youxuan had only slept three or four hours a day on average.

But they hadn't felt tired then; now that their aunt had been rescued and they knew she was out of danger, they were suddenly exhausted beyond measure, with no way to fight it.

Originally, they had wanted to spend more time with their child, but now they saw double when looking at her.

Shi Youxuan: "Be good, go do your homework, let me sleep for a while." After saying this, she collapsed onto the soft, comfortable bed and fell asleep the next second.

Sheng Hanyu said to his daughter: "Your mother is too tired, Dad will keep you company."

After saying this, he sat on the edge of the bed and then couldn't help but fall over—he fell asleep too!

"Sigh!"

The little girl sighed like an adult.

She pulled the quilt up to cover her parents, and while tucking them in, she muttered to herself: "They say children with a mom and dad are treasures; I used to believe it, but now I don't."

When she first found out Sheng Hanyu was her father, Shi Ran had looked forward to the day when her father loved her mother and also loved her.

Her mother would love her and also love her father, and the three of them would live together; she would be a happy child cherished by her parents!

Later, when her wish came true, the little girl realized she had been too young and too naive.

Things were not like that at all.

The family of three was living together.

All of her father's attention had shifted entirely to her mother; the best of everything was for her mother, with no ranking involved.

Everything.

Was her father being good to her before just a facade?

Everything he did was just a means to attract her mother.

Originally, all of her mother's attention had been on her, but later it was decisively drawn away by her father, and it all shifted as well.

Shi Ran discovered this with sorrow.

Even though she lived right by her parents' side, she lived like an orphan, frequently being ignored.

Her mom and dad were true love, while she was just a free gift for topping up the phone bill!

No, she had to assert her presence, starting now.

So, when the little girl went to sleep that night, she brought over her own pillow and quilt and squeezed firmly between the two of them, only then feeling satisfied.

The next morning.

Sheng Hanyu was the first to wake up; as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the little girl sprawled like an octopus between him and Shi Youxuan.

Her little face was flushed, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her lids, like two little fans.

Looking at Shi Youxuan again...

A smile that could not be hidden played on the corners of Sheng Hanyu's mouth.

Mother and daughter were exactly the same.

The way Shi Ran slept was the same way Shi Youxuan slept; she was still just a child through and through.

For many years, this was the first time he had slept for so long.

He had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow and slept until dawn.

Sheng Hanyu picked up his phone from the bedside table and quietly left the bedroom.

He went to the living room and turned on the phone to check; there were no missed calls from Jian Yixin, but there was a string of unknown numbers, dozens of them.

They were all the same number; although there was no contact name, he knew in his heart who it was.

Aside from Sheng Jiang, there couldn't be a second person.

He had blocked Sheng Jiang's number, so he had just changed numbers and called again!

These "tricks" were all things Wang Yingzhi had played out long ago.

He was extremely disgusted.

But Sheng Hanyu still decided to call back to let him know.

He dialed the number, and it was answered after only one ring; Sheng Jiang's timid voice came from the other end: "Hanyu, your aunt has woken up."

"Are you at the hospital?"

Sheng Hanyu's voice was icy, as concise and to the point as always.

"Ah, yes, I am at the hospital. I couldn't get through to your phone, so I, I called Yixin. Hanyu, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything else, it's just, it's just..."

Sheng Jiang stammered, speaking in a muddled and incoherent manner.

It was mainly because he was too nervous; most people who have done something wrong are nervous.

Except for Wang Yingzhi; that woman simply has no conscience!

He placed the mobile phone on the coffee table without hanging up, then went to the washroom to freshen up.

After brushing his teeth, washing his face, and changing his clothes, Sheng Hanyu returned all tidied up and picked up the phone again; Sheng Jiang was still circling the previous topic and hadn't moved on.

"Are you finished?" He was losing patience.

Hearing his son's urging, Sheng Jiang was so nervous he didn't know where to put his hands and feet, and he stuttered even more, becoming even more incoherent: "Ah, finished, finished, that... you, no, when are you coming? Your aunt misses you..."

Having finally expressed everything he wanted to say, Sheng Jiang broke into a sweat despite the biting cold wind!

"I'll go right away."

Sheng Hanyu hung up the phone.

Sheng Jiang was incredibly excited; even though he knew the call had already been disconnected, he still replied several times: "Good, good, good, I'll wait for you at the hospital."

Tucking his phone into his pocket, Sheng Jiang wrapped his coat tighter around himself and hurried his pace back to the hospital.

He had lied.

Wang Yinghao had indeed woken up, but she had said not to let him disturb Sheng Hanyu and his wife.

They had already worked very hard to save her, so they should be allowed to rest well at home.

The aunt had said the same thing to Jian Yixin and Sheng Zerong.

Sheng Zerong and his wife had readily agreed and followed her wishes, but Sheng Jiang had not!

He wanted to take this opportunity to let the "whole family" reconcile.

He also wanted to reunite with Wang Yinghao, but he lacked his son's boldness and tenacity, and didn't even have the courage to confess his feelings.

Sheng Jiang wanted his son to facilitate things between him and Wang Yinghao; he wanted to enjoy the ready-made results, and he couldn't wait any longer.

But the prerequisite for all this was that his son had to know Wang Yinghao had woken up, so he started making calls, regardless of whether Sheng Hanyu was awake or had rested well.

He had come out to buy soup for Wang Yinghao, and for fear of the soup getting cold, he unbuttoned his coat to keep the thermal container warm against his chest.