"If I ever see you giving anyone else a ride again, man or woman, you're not keeping this car."
In a daze, Song Qinian seemed to hear Shen Chi Yan say this. So, a few days later, when Miao Zi Ai came to find Song Qinian and asked her to drive her to the hospital to visit Shen Yu Shu's grandmother, Song Qinian refused without thinking.
"Why? Don't I deserve to sit on your back seat?"
Song Qinian felt a bit awkward. "No, no, it's just that my car is out of power."
If Shen Chi Yan saw her giving Miao Zi Ai a ride, who knew what crazy thing he might do.
Miao Zi Ai expressed her regret, and the two took a taxi to the hospital.
Shen Yu Shu had taken a few days off to look after his grandmother. When they saw Shen Yu Shu again, they felt he had lost a lot of weight.
As soon as Miao Zi Ai saw Shen Yu Shu, she was filled with concern. "Yu Shu, how have you been lately? How is Grandma?"
Shen Yu Shu patted Miao Zi Ai's head. "Don't worry, she's much better now."
"Mmm, that's good."
Shen Yu Shu glanced at Song Qinian and said apologetically, "Nian Nian, I just found out about what happened on the forum. I'll go clarify this afternoon. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you."
Before Song Qinian could respond, Miao Zi Ai said indignantly, "Don't pay them any mind. The more you clarify, the more they'll get worked up. Let your innocence speak for itself."
"But..."
Song Qinian gestured. "The most important thing for you right now is to take care of your grandmother. Don't worry about anything else."
"Right, right, let's go in and see Grandma."
Seeing that Song Qinian didn't seem to care about the forum matter at all and didn't suspect her, Shen Yu Shu felt a lot of internal torment.
But he had made his choice and there was no turning back.
Grandma recognized the well-behaved and cute Song Qinian at a glance. She looked at Song Qinian and smiled kindly, "Xiao Shu, isn't this the girl who brought you here last time?"
"Yes, Grandma, her name is Song Qinian, we all call her Nian Nian."
"Nian Nian, what a lovely name! Child, come here, let Grandma have a look."
Shen Yu Shu's grandmother beckoned Song Qinian over. After a moment of hesitation, Song Qinian walked towards her.
Grandma held Song Qinian's hand and examined her from head to toe, her face beaming with joy. "Oh, you're such a well-behaved and pretty child. Do you have a boyfriend?"
Song Qinian wanted to gesture for her hand back, but Grandma held on tightly. She could only cast a pleading look at Shen Yu Shu and Miao Zi Ai.
Shen Yu Shu said, "Grandma, Nian Nian can't speak, please don't trouble her?"
Grandma seemed to ponder how someone couldn't speak.
After a long while, she patted Song Qinian's hand with regret and pity. "Child, you've suffered."
Song Qinian shook her head, her nose stinging a little.
Shen Yu Shu's grandmother reminded her of her own grandmother.
When she couldn't speak, Song Guan Liang lost sleep over it and tried every means to cure her.
Liu Xiao Han, on the other hand, worried that Song Qinian wouldn't marry well, and complained and grumbled every day.
Only Song Qinian's grandmother would hold her and comfort her softly, "Nian Nian, the doctor said there's nothing wrong with your throat. Sooner or later, you'll be able to speak again. You sing so beautifully, Grandma still wants to hear you sing 'Nanniwan'."
Thinking about it, she hadn't visited Grandma in a long time. When she had her next long holiday, she would definitely go to the countryside to see her.
"Xiao Shu, you must take good care of Nian Nian at the company."
Shen Yu Shu's eyes flickered slightly. "Yes, I will."
After leaving the hospital, Shen Yu Shu wanted to treat Miao Zi Ai and Song Qinian to a meal. Before they could refuse, Shen Yu Shu smiled and said, "I haven't had a proper meal in days. I have no appetite eating alone. Just do me a favor and have a meal with me!"
Since he put it that way, Song Qinian and Miao Zi Ai found it hard to refuse.
The three of them went to a hotel near the hospital.
Standing at the hotel entrance, Miao Zi Ai and Song Qinian exchanged glances.
Miao Zi Ai said, "Do we have to go to such a fancy hotel? This place looks expensive."
Shen Yu Shu chuckled. "What? Underestimating me? Think I can't afford a meal?"
"That's not what I meant. It's just that Grandma is in the hospital, and it costs money every day. I was worried you..."
"Stop worrying. It's just a meal, it won't bankrupt me."
Miao Zi Ai looked at Song Qinian. Song Qinian felt that since it had come to this, if they said anything more, it would hurt Shen Yu Shu's pride. So she smiled and nodded.
The two walked ahead, neither of them noticing Shen Yu Shu quietly send a message to Lin Lan Xing.
Shen Yu Shu looked at Song Qinian's slender and petite back, clenching his fists tightly.
To save Shen Yu Shu some money, Song Qinian and Miao Zi Ai ordered the cheapest dishes.
Shen Yu Shu also ordered a glass of red wine and poured some for Song Qinian and Miao Zi Ai.
As soon as Song Qinian saw the wine, she remembered her embarrassing behavior last time.
"I'm sorry, I can't drink."
Shen Yu Shu had already raised his glass with a smile. "Nian Nian, this glass is to thank you for taking me to the hospital that day. Also... we've known each other for over a month, and we haven't properly celebrated. It's rare for the three of us to get together, so let's take this opportunity to have a drink. Don't you think so, Xiao Ai?"
"Yes, yes, we must have a drink. Nian Nian... this red wine isn't that strong."
With their combined efforts, Song Qinian had no choice but to compromise.
"I'll only have this one glass."
"Okay, just one glass!"
The three raised their glasses. Miao Zi Ai and Song Qinian had happy smiles on their faces, while Shen Yu Shu's mood was complicated.
Watching Song Qinian bring the wine glass to her lips, Shen Yu Shu suddenly called out to her, "Nian Nian!"
Song Qinian and Miao Zi Ai were both startled and looked at Shen Yu Shu.
At that moment, Shen Yu Shu's phone suddenly rang. It was a message from Lin Lan Xing: "Don't disappoint me."
Shen Yu Shu's hand clenched the phone tightly, his fingers turning white from the force.
"Yu Shu, what's wrong?"
Hearing Miao Zi Ai's voice, Shen Yu Shu closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, he looked at them with a smile. "It's nothing. I just wanted Nian Nian to drink slower, so she wouldn't choke."
"Haha, Nian Nian isn't a child, how could she choke on wine?"
"Yes, come on, let's drink."
"Mmm, let's drink."
Miao Zi Ai clinked glasses with Song Qinian again, and they drank the wine together.
The three of them drank, ate, and chatted, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant.
However, after a short while, Song Qinian suddenly felt hot all over and her head started to spin.
She hadn't even finished one glass of wine, yet she felt tipsy.
Miao Zi Ai and Shen Yu Shu were chatting happily. Song Qinian tugged at Miao Zi Ai's arm.
"Oh, Nian Nian, why is your face so red? Are you drunk already? Your alcohol tolerance is too low!"
Song Qinian felt increasingly unwell and managed to gesture, "I'm going to the restroom."
"Do you need me to go with you?"
Song Qinian shook her head. "No, no, you guys chat on."
After Song Qinian left, Miao Zi Ai looked at Song Qinian's wine glass and then mockingly laughed, "She's blushing like this after just a little drink. Nian Nian really can't drink. We should let her drink Wahaha from now on, haha..."
Shen Yu Shu watched Song Qinian's unsteady back, his lips pressed together tightly, and said nothing.