Aunt Liu arrived just before Ming Yuqian left and brought a change of clothes and toiletries for him.
She also arranged for a small fold-out bed to be set up in both Ming Yutong's room and the small lounge area outside.
In the evening, Aunt Liu stayed inside with Ming Yutong, while Ming Yuqian rested outside. Being a man, Ming Yuqian found many things inconvenient.
In the morning, Aunt Liu went to the cafeteria to buy breakfast and, upon leaving, saw Fu Yinxiu.
He was sprawled out on the narrow bench at the door, occupying the entire seat with his long body. His legs were awkwardly bent, with his feet hanging off the edge of the bench despite his attempt to curl up.
Aunt Liu was momentarily stunned. She had seen this man the night before but didn't know who he was. At that time, she had just glanced at him and didn't think much of it.
To her surprise, he was still there this morning.
She double-checked the time on her phone, which showed it was only 6 a.m. — she hadn't made a mistake.
So he had spent the whole night here?
It was quite odd that he chose to sleep on such a narrow bench.
Ming Yuqian hadn't mentioned Fu Yinxiu to Aunt Liu, only informing her about Ming Yutong's injury and asking her to keep it from the family.
As soon as Aunt Liu opened and closed the door quietly, Fu Yinxiu woke up. He sat up quickly upon seeing Aunt Liu, startling her.
"How... How is Tong Tong?" Fu Yinxiu asked hoarsely.
Even though Ming Yutong had forbidden him from calling her that, he couldn't help himself. If he couldn't call her that in front of her, at least he could do it privately.
He had become so humble regarding Ming Yutong.
"Miss Ming is doing fine," Aunt Liu said suspiciously. "You are—"
Fu Yinxiu noticed the thermal food container in her hand.
"Are you going to the cafeteria?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm going to get some soup for Miss Ming to help with her recovery," Aunt Liu nodded.
The food delivered from the cafeteria came in either porcelain bowls or plastic containers, which weren't ideal for maintaining warmth or health.
Aunt Liu had brought a thermal food container from home to keep the soup hot until Ming Yutong woke up.
Ideally, she would have gone home to slow-cook a nourishing soup with ingredients that wouldn't clash and were good for blood replenishment.
Ming Yutong's condition had been poor to begin with, and with such a serious injury, it was uncertain how long it would take for her to fully recover.
Given her situation, she couldn't go to the cafeteria herself and had to rely on others to bring her food.
Fortunately, the cafeteria at Chutian Hospital was excellent and provided customized nutritional meals for patients.
Upon hearing this, Fu Yinxiu signaled Aunt Huo, who immediately came over, handing a thermal food container to Aunt Liu and saying, "Don't bother going to the cafeteria. No matter how good the food there is, it can't compare to home-cooked meals."
"This pigeon soup I made is simmered with many blood-nourishing herbs. I even consulted the doctor to ensure the herbs don't clash with the medicine Miss Ming is taking. The soup has been simmering all night, with the pigeon meat cooked to the point of falling off the bone, and the bones almost dissolved. After surgery, this kind of soup is perfect for aiding recovery. I know Miss Ming has a weak constitution and is prone to cold, so I'll make sure to prepare nourishing soups daily to help her regain her strength."
"Also, I've brought breakfast for you and Mr. Ming, so you don't have to run around," Aunt Huo said, pushing another thermal food container into Aunt Liu's hands.
Aunt Guo spoke rapidly, stuffing the containers into Aunt Liu's hands as if in a whirlwind, leaving her a bit stunned.
"What... who are you?" Aunt Liu asked helplessly.
Fu Yinxiu, unsure of how to explain, was saved by Aunt Huo's seasoned performance. With a smile, Aunt Huo said, "My master is a friend of Miss Ming."
Though Aunt Huo's words were clear, her expression was quite ambiguous.
Fu Yinxiu realized for the first time how good Aunt Huo's acting was and thought that in the future, such matters could be handled by her.
As someone who often gossiped with other housekeepers, Aunt Liu quickly understood the implication of Aunt Huo's expression.
"My master and Miss Ming had some misunderstandings. Miss Ming was angry and refused to see him. This is just our small token of goodwill. Regardless of the circumstances, Miss Ming's health is the most important thing," Aunt Huo said quickly and breathlessly, leaving Aunt Liu somewhat dazed and confused.
Aunt Huo then opened the hospital room door, pushed Aunt Liu inside with the food, and closed the door behind her.
Since Chutian Hospital was quite far from 'Mingri,' Ming Yutong woke up shortly after Aunt Liu left.
Freshly washed and ready, Ming Yuqian saw Aunt Liu returning with the thermal food containers and a bewildered expression.
Ming Yuqian asked, "You're back so soon?"
Aunt Liu placed the containers on the table and replied, "I saw a gentleman and a lady outside. The lady handed me the soup and breakfast."
Ming Yuqian immediately recognized who it was and went outside with the food. As she exited, hhe saw Fu Yinxiu staring longingly at the hospital room door, with a blanket draped over the bench behind him.
It seemed he had indeed spent the night on the bench.
"Fu Yinxiu, what are you trying to achieve with this act?" Ming Yuqian asked irritably.
He hadn't cherished Ming Yutong when she was well.
Now that he realized the misunderstanding and saw Ming Yutong risking her life for him, he had changed his attitude instantly.