"What are you talking about? As to how I see it, she is doing great! I really admire her. You should know how rare it is to find such a nice and decent girl like Leena." Shannon sighed softly as she silently wished for Claire to behave more like Leena. She would surely be happier if that was the case.
"Thanks for being so gentle and gracious. My Leena is really lucky to have you as her family," replied Belinda. Then she cast a glance at Leena and smiled. As Leena's sister-in-law, she couldn't help but feel proud whenever others complimented Leena.
"Actually, I think Kevin is the lucky one here. Being a soldier makes him always busy with military matters. I know that he seldom has time for his family. Therefore, Leena has to manage a lot of things all by herself. I feel sorry for her." As someone who was married to a soldier, Shannon herself knew just about everything that Leena was going through too. It honestly amazed her to see Leena handle so many things by herself despite her young age.
"Sounds like a heated chat here," said Duke as he stepped in with his gloomy face. He was deeply concerned about Leena's health and he just couldn't relax about it. In reality, he had always been worried about her all this time.
There you are, Duke. Come here. I would like to introduce you to Major General Gu's mother. She came all the way from the capital city to see Leena upon hearing about the accident."
The sincerity on Belinda's face was so clear as she greeted Duke. It was actually a pleasure to see him here. She had thought of giving him a call and asking him to come just a few minutes ago. Thus, it was a pleasant surprise that he showed up here so unexpectedly.
Good to see you, madam. My name is Duke. I am the elder brother of Leena. It really warms my heart to see you coming from afar to visit my sister." Duke sounded indifferent when he spoke. It was obvious that he was still mad at Kevin.
"Good to see you too. Leena is our daughter-in-law. She is part of the Gu family. It is only natural for us to come here and visit her. We are all relatives here, so there is no need to be aloof. Don't you think so?" As smart as she was, Shannon easily sensed the coldness from Duke's words right away. It was what pushed her to stand her ground and subtly remind everyone that Leena was already a part of the Gu family.
"Of course, you are right. We are all family here. I am sure you are hungry. Why don't we all go out for dinner? It would be perfect if we can treat you a nice dinner since you are visiting our city." Belinda quickly changed the subject upon noticing the tension that filled the air. She was actually worried that Duke might say something wrong, or worse, do something inappropriate
Shall we go?" Shannon turned her head and looked at Kevin, who had been silent the whole time. She wanted to know her son's opinion about dining out.
Sure. You guys have fun. I will stay here and look after Leena." Kevin replied without giving much attention to Duke's attitude. He knew that he was still mad at him. However, nothing could change the fact that Leena was his wife. There might have been a lot of complications lately but never had divorce gone any close to his plans. He just simply loved Leena more than anything.
"Sorry to trouble you then. It might cost you a fortune." Shannon smiled at them and teased a little to lighten up the mood.
Not at all. We are actually glad that you're here. By the way, please call me Belinda. It is easier and it sounds friendlier. I'm more used to being called by my first name." Blushing a bit, Belinda smiled back at Shannon. She was an open-minded woman with a great personality. She was naturally friendly, thus, she liked being casual with everyone.
You are right. We are all family here. Calling you by your first name does sound better," replied Shannon while nodding. She appreciated Belinda and liked her straight away. She might be much older than her but she was definitely an easy-going woman herself too. She couldn't agree more to Belinda that families shouldn't be aloof and distant with each other. Silence flooded the whole hospital room the moment they left. Kevin released a soft sigh and turned to Leena who was still lying on her hospital bed. Just the sight of her beautiful face made his heart skip a beat. She was his sole joy after all. He was about to tend to her when someone suddenly knocked on the door.
"Come in." Kevin was surprised as he was not expecting any visitor at the moment. He wondered who would that be. Could it be the arrogant Edward himself?
"Major General. Sorry to bother you. There are some urgent documents from the army base that require your signature. I have brought them here for you." Lee stepped in with some files in his arms. He looked apologetic as he knew that he was disturbing Kevin and Leena's moment together. It was clear to him that the Major General's priority right now was his beloved wife. However, the issues concerning the army base were also important and couldn't be delayed. It was Kevin's responsibility to deal with them as soon as possible. This was what was required of him for being a soldier. With a heavy sigh, Lee nodded to Kevin and walked towards him with the documents. Sure. Noted with thanks. Please leave them on the corner table for me. Has Hank set out already?" Kevin knew that the documents were not confidential since they could be brought outside of the army base. He gave Lee an approving look and watched him carefully put the documents on the table.
"He has! He actually set out one hour ago. He told me to send his best regards to you and your wife. He said he was truly grateful for your kind help on his promotion." With full respect, Lee forwarded Hank's messages to Kevin. He then walked to Kevin's side and waited for his further instructions.