Running Towards You - Chapter 46.2

Liu Jia looked incredulous. “Yanhua Supermarket? Didn’t you say she was a key employee? What’s she doing at a supermarket?”

“A key employee at the supermarket, she meets clients to negotiate orders for stock, sometimes handles deliveries. Oh, and there’s also a pool hall where she works part-time as a coach.”

“None of that sounds reliable. What school did she graduate from? What was her major?”

“Sangou Tou Elementary School,” Lu Jiahe forced out.

The two of them:

Liu Jia looked bewildered. “I meant university. I’m not asking about elementary or middle school.”

“She dropped out of middle school. She only has an elementary school education.”

The two of them:

Professor Lu stood up in anger. “What am I supposed to say to you?”

“Dad, education and work don’t define a person. You can’t dismiss her just because of that.”

“But this is the most basic criterion! How can we believe someone who hasn’t even completed nine years of compulsory education will stay with you for a lifetime? Don’t you realize the gap between you two?!” Professor Lu snapped furiously.

“I know, and I’ve thought about it, but I’ve realized those things aren’t issues,” Lu Jiahe replied.

“You’ve truly lost your mind,” Professor Lu said before storming off to his study and slamming the door shut.

Lu Jiahe flinched, then turned after a long pause to the silent Liu Jia. “Mom, please talk to him for me.”

“Don’t ask me. On this matter, I stand with him. We need time to process this,” Liu Jia said.

Lu Jiahe walked over and sat beside her, holding her hand and leaning against her shoulder. After a while, she murmured, “Mom, you’re so warm.”

“Don’t think acting sweet will work now,” Liu Jia said.

“It’s not acting sweet it’s how I truly feel. Even when the family is fighting, I can still lean on you and find warmth.” Lu Jiahe spoke slowly. “But do you know about her? Her birth mother drowned herself when she was five, and her alcoholic father never cared for her. It’s not that she didn’t want to study she simply couldn’t finish school.”

Liu Jia turned to her in surprise. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

As Lu Jiahe recounted Ji Yin’s background and experiences, Liu Jia suddenly raised her hand. “Hold on a moment.”

She then stood up, walked to the study, and pushed the door open. “Stop eavesdropping. Come out and listen properly.”

Professor Lu: “…”

After a long standoff, Professor Lu emerged with a cold expression, weighed down by his pride, and sat down. “Go on.”

“Alright.” Lu Jiahe lowered her head, suppressing a smile.

During dinner, Lu Jiahe shared more in fragments. Professor Lu’s expression remained stern, whether from lingering anger or wounded pride was unclear.

Liu Jia, however, occasionally chimed in, engaging in a back-and-forth with Lu Jiahe.

After the meal, noticing Lu Jiahe frequently checking her phone, Liu Jia asked, “Does her condition require hospitalization?”

“Yes, she’s already admitted.”

“If you want to visit her, go ahead,” Liu Jia said.

“Really?”

“Of course. Your legs are your own it’s not like we can lock you up.” Liu Jia glanced at the dining table, then fetched a thermal container from the cupboard and placed it in front of her. “There’s so much pork bone soup left, it’d be a waste to keep it. Take some to her.”

“Thanks, Mom!” Beaming, Lu Jiahe kissed her cheek, quickly filled the container, and headed out. At the door, she called back, “Dad, I’m going to the hospital.”

“…” Professor Lu snorted.

Even from the hallway, the lively chatter from the hospital room was audible, Yanzi’s animated voice drawing frequent laughter.

Lu Jiahe reached the doorway and saw Ji Yin sitting up in bed, her lips curved in a smile, eyes crescent-shaped with joy.

“Dr. Lu is here,” Dong Xiang, nearest to the door, announced. At once, Yanzi and Ji Yin turned toward her.

In the next moment, Ji Yin was out of bed, rushing over in delight. “You came?”

“Not welcome?”

“Of course you are!”

“Don’t move around go lie back down,” Lu Jiahe said, stepping forward.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Ji Yin was so excited that she momentarily forgot about her fractured arm. Fortunately, this time it was just her arm that was injured her legs were fine, unlike last time when she had been far more restricted.

At least she could walk over to greet Lu Jiahe when he arrived.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“We just finished dinner and were about to head back to grab some clean clothes for her,” Yanzi said.

“You two go ahead and get them. I’ll stay here.”

“Wow, Dr. Lu, you’re seriously the best!” Yanzi grabbed Dong Xiang gratefully and hurried off.

“What’s this?” Ji Yin pointed curiously at the thermal container in Lu Jiahe’s hand.

“Soup. Still have room for it?”

“Absolutely!” Ji Yin patted her stomach.

“Have some, then.” Lu Jiahe unfolded the small table tray and poured the soup into a bowl.

“It smells amazing! Where’d you buy it?” Ji Yin took a small sip.

“My mom made it.”

Ji Yin looked up in shock. “Teacher Liu Jia made this herself?”

“Mm.”

“Holy sh—” Ji Yin bit back the curse just in time. “shocking! I can’t believe I’m drinking Teacher Liu Jia’s soup!”

Lu Jiahe was amused by her conscious effort to censor herself and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, there was some left, so she told me to bring it over.”

“She doesn’t hate me?” Ji Yin asked, bewildered. Given the circumstances of their first meeting, she had assumed no elder would ever think highly of her.

“You’re so likable, who could hate you?”

Ji Yin knew he was just humoring her, but it still made her happy. She downed the entire bowl in one go.

Lu Jiahe raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you already eat dinner?”

“I’m stuffed.”

“Then why drink so much?”

“This was made by Teacher Liu Jia herself of course I had to finish it!” Ji Yin noticed his odd expression and asked, “What’s wrong? Was I not supposed to?”

“It’s not that… You finished all of her soup, but what about when I make some?”

Wait, why did that sound like jealousy?

No way. Dr. Lu couldn’t possibly be jealous of his own mother, right?

What was she even thinking?

Ji Yin laughed awkwardly. “Come on, you’ve never made soup before.”

“Oh.”

Early the next morning, Lu Jiahe came by for rounds and placed a thermal container on her bedside table, murmuring, “Drink up. I made it.”

Ji Yin practically shot up from her sickbed, grinning as if the sun had risen from the west that day!