"Uncle!"

"Father!"

Li Caiyi quickly tried to straighten up his body, and Dai Zhiqiang promptly came up to help.

Dai Bolin's body shook violently as he coughed hard. Li Caiyi grabbed his trembling hands with fear and panic budding in her heart.

"I-I'll call for the doctor!"

"No. I–cough, I'm fine, Little Yi." Dai Bolin clasped her hand, preventing her from going anywhere. "Sorry for alarming you. I'm just surprised and choked on my saliva again."

"Father.." Dai Zhiqiang bit her lips in regret. He shouldn't have confronted that woman in front of his father. Who knows if he still had some hope of reconciling with her? Dai Bolin was just that kind of soft-hearted man.

"Zhi," Dai Bolin called out to him, and he brushed away that thought in his mind. "Don't let your hatred dominate you. It will cause you to be stuck in your place forever and never move forward. Don't tire yourself with such feelings."

Dai Zhiqiang smiled helplessly. He really wanted to refute, but he couldn't bear to do that when looking at his father's pitiful state.

"Father, I understand. I will bear that in mind, so please don't force yourself."

"Zhi, I'm not saying this not for her sake but because I'm worried about you. Cough." Dai Bolin said before he coughed again.

"You don't have to say anything, Father. I understand what you mean, so please calm down. The doctor said you can't be agitated."

"Yes, I will lie down for now." Dai Bolin smiled weakly. His eyelids threatened to close with how tired he was. "Little Yi, please look after my Zhi. He is a stubborn and grumpy kid; he will need you to help him."

Li Caiyi felt there was an underlying meaning under his words, but she was far too concerned about the older man's condition to think about that. "Of course, I will watch over him, Uncle. Please don't worry and take a rest."

Both of them carefully helped him to lay down on the bed. Dai Bolin cast the last glance at his ex-wife before slowly closing his eyes.

Li Caiyi's heart was in pain. The older man looked thinner and wearier day by day. It was genuinely saddening that the only thing they could do was watch as he fought his disease back.

"Zhiqiang, you should take the conversation outside. Let's not disturb your father's rest."

Dai Zhiqiang nodded. "It was short-sighted of me. I should have paid more attention to Father."

Li Caiyi reached out to give him a pat on the back. "Don't blame yourself. I know this isn't easy for you, either."

Dai Zhiqiang looked down at his father's figure, who was peacefully sleeping. Dai Bolin was a good, respectable man, but those traits didn't pass down to Dai Zhiqiang. He inherited more of his mother's selfish genes; it was unimaginable for him to let the past go just like that.

Although he wouldn't necessarily take revenge, he wouldn't act friendly towards her either.

"Let's take this outside and not bother the sick person." Dai Zhiqiang said sharply without bothering to look at the woman.

"En, let's talk outside," replied the woman, fully aware that the cold sentence was directed at her.

"Zhiqiang.." Li Caiyi held on to the edge of his sleeve. She looked like she wanted to say something but was reluctant to do it.

Dai Zhiqiang smiled knowingly. "You stay here with my father. I will return soon."

"No. Uncle specifically asked me to watch over you. I have to be there to make sure you will be fine." Li Caiyi retorted stubbornly, eliciting a weak chuckle from him.

"Alright. Then you can watch from the sideline. I hope you won't be there to witness my lame side, though."

"Lame or not, I will be the one to decide. I won't let you go alone."

Dai Zhiqiang's heart felt warmer just from hearing that. He hated to be controlled, but he was like putty in her hand. And strangely, he didn't hate that.

Thus, the two went out of the room, followed by the older woman who kept staring at Dai Zhiqiang's back with a complicated gaze.

***historical

In the end, they returned to the secluded spot in the hospital's yard, with one additional person awkwardly following them. Li Caiyi gave the mother-son pair some privacy by waiting from a distance, but not too far away, so she could still watch over them.

None of them were in the mood to have a leisure chat while sitting on the bench, so they just stood there in silence.

"Zhiqiang, how are you?" The woman, Yue Ling, hesitantly spoke first.

Just listening to her voice was enough to make him flare up again, but then his eyes glimpsed upon Li Caiyi's figure standing beside the tree, and his heart calmed down. Or at least, he tried to sound calm by making his tone as civil as possible.

"As you can see, I live pretty well. What makes you come here?"

"I heard about your father's condition from one of our friends from the same college, and I thought I should give him a visit."

"Why? There is supposed to be nothing between us anymore."

Yue Ling's eyes turned misty as she clenched her bag tightly. While she was contemplating on what to say, Dai Zhiqiang scanned her from up to down.

No matter how you looked at her, she looked like a successful middle-aged woman. There was hardly any trace of weariness she used to have on her face.

The family bond between them had been severed forcefully by her. There was no point in showing a semblance of care now.

Dai Zhiqiang could only see her action as an attempt to ease her sense of guilt, not because she actually cared about Dai Bolin.

"If you feel bad about what happened in the past, I can do nothing about it. But do remember that your presence isn't welcomed here."

Yue Ling nodded. "Yes, I understand. I come here fully aware of the consequences."

"Good that you know. Please don't show your face anywhere near my brother and me as you promised. Father is magnanimous and doesn't seem to mind your presence, so I'll let you see him from time to time."

Yue Ling raised her head in disbelief. "Really? You'll allow that?"

Dai Zhiqiang almost clicked his tongue in irritation. He didn't like this, but his father's needs came first.

"Don't misunderstand. The second my father refuses to meet up with you, that's when you should know your place and retreat. I won't do anything against my father's wishes."

Yue Ling's corner of mouth curved up in a nostalgic smile. "I see you are still the same as ever inside."

"Ah?"

"You are still the same family-loving kid, just like I remembered you."