Chen Zong placed the dishes he bought from home in front of his daughter, in order to ease Chen Rao Jiao to reach them. Then he handed over the bowl full of warm rice to her before he settled down next to Chen Rou Jiao, watching her fill her empty stomach.
The mouth-watering dishes before her eyes managed to entice her hunger. All were her favourite dishes, from the beef stew, chicken soup, and most importantly fried vegetables.
Being in a coma for several days made her stomach growled, begging to be filled immediately. Therefore, seconds after her father gave her the rice, she quickly took the beef stew and the fried vegetable into her bowl and gobbled up in an instant.
"Slow down. You will choke if you eat rapidly." Chen Zong softly reminded his daughter. At the same time, he prepared a glass of water and put it beside the bowl. Seeing his daughter take a mouthful of rice into her small mouth made him restless.
Chen Rou Jiao grinned like a Cheshire cat, with her mouth full with food. Chen Zong sighed and shook his head.
"Luckily I came to your apartment two days ago. If not, maybe till today, I will never know about your condition."
Chen Rou Jiao swallowed the remaining food in her mouth before she started talking. She put down the chopstick in her hand to the table.
She examined the old face of her dad; the exhausted look, he must have worried about her these couple days till he did not have much time to rest properly. The pair of small eyes appeared dry, as if they had not had proper rest.
The same hand she holds the chopstick changes to hold her father's hand tightly. She did not know how to explain to her father about her situation since she herself did not ask for this to happen.
"I am sorry for making you worry." Those were the only words that came out straight from the bottom of her heart.
Chen Zong studied her apologetic face. First time she made that expression was when she was admitted in the hospital 12 years ago, but for a different reason.
He sighed. He patted her hand that held his softly. Though he tried hard to suppress his tears, however, it did flow down his wrinkled face.
"As long as you are safe and sound, dad will be relieved. No father in this world wants to see his child suffer in front of his eyes."
Chen Rou Jiao smiled bitterly when Chen Zong said that. Remind her about a decade ago, some old man treated his daughter badly, and only took care of others. Her face turned sour.
"If it is you, I totally believe it." Chen Rou Jiao let go of her hand and continued her meal. "Not all parents are good to their children." she added.
Chen Zong shook his head seeing how Chen Rou Jiao was still thinking about that. He, however, never blamed Chen Rou Jiao. She had all the right to still remember it.
He smiled then, and pinched her soft cheek. "You always have negative thoughts."
Chen Rou Jiao groaned childishly while rubbing her cheek. "Dad!"
"Enough. Finish your food. I want to cut apples for you."
Chen Zong rose from his chair, and searched for a knife at the small cabinet next to the patient bed, but to no avail. He looked around the private room, until his eyes stopped at the coffee table not far from the bed.
The knife was there in the plate and next to it was an apple halfway peel.
Chen Zong furrowed. However he went to get the sharp tool along with the plate and the apple.
"Why did your friend not finish peeling the apple?" He asked his daughter after he settled down at his place.
Chen Rou Jiao lifted her gaze, while her mouth was still busy munching the beef stew. "Mn?"
Chen Zong showed the apple, but Chen Rou Jiao knitted her eyebrows. . As far as she remember, Xie Rong and Mr. Zhang did not touch anything when they came. Then only a person left.
"Maybe one of my client, Mr. Li did it. He must forget about it because he and Mr. Zhang discussed something with the doctor earlier." Chen Rou Jiao explained.
"Mr. Li is your client?" Chen Zong raised his eyebrows.
"Mn. Why?" Chen Rou Jiao was puzzled with his reaction. And seeing he did not answer right away, she started to pay more attention to him.
"Mmm.. that young man said he was your friend from college. Or was he lying to me?"
"Aaa.. Yes. He was from my college, but we were not close enough to call each other as friends." Chen Rou Jiao forced a smile on her pale face. "But he is my client now. I am now working with him. So that's how he became my client."
Chen Zong nodded calmly. "Oh I see." He resumed the task Li Da Zhan left, peeling the apple skin. "But that young man is really good."
"What do you mean?"
Chen Zong still focused on the fruit, but he kept on telling the reason, "When I came to see you after Miss Xie told me about your condition, the person who stayed by your side was him." Chen Zong gave her a meaningful look. If he did not introduce himself earlier, I thought he was your boyfriend you hid from me."
Chen Rou Jiao coughed badly when her dad said that. She quickly took the glass of water her dad prepared for her earlier and drank all of it in a flash.
"Stop joking around, dad. I don't even like him." She coughed again but a bit lighter than before.
"Eyy.. why not. He is such a reliable man. You must not waste such an opportunity."
Chen Rou Jiao chewed her lower lips. She looked at how delighted her dad was when he talked about Li Da Zhan. While she could only sighed silently. If her dad knew who Li Da Zhan was, he might never voice such cringey opinions.
"I have many things to do rather than thinking about marriage. Maybe the daughter of yours will be single forever."
"Aiyaa… the one who say like that will be the one who get married soon."
"Heh." Chen Rou Jiao chuckled with her dad and his superstitious belief. "It wouldn't happen if I did not allow it." She smirked.
"Aaa…" Chen Zong smirked, "we'll see."
"Okay then."
Chen Zong gave the apple he cut to Chen Rou Jiao when he saw his daughter had finished all her food. And Chen Rou Jiao took it from him with a simple thanks.
"Liang Shu will come tomorrow after he finishes his shooting."
"Mn. He must be shocked like you after knowing about me, right?"
"Who wouldn't? But he was still able to focus on his work. Such a professional lad. Hohoho."
Chen Rou Jiao also laughed seeing how her dad cheered with Liang Shu's progress.
"He must take it from you."
"Yeah. and you too."