Chapter 54: Mom Is Back!

Lin Zhiguo felt as if struck by lightning.

His entire body froze on the hospital bed.

Could it really be… Yu Wanqin?

The wife he had always looked down upon and abandoned at home had actually become a medical talent that even Jingshi Medical University wanted to recruit?

Lin Zhiguo’s breathing grew rapid.

No! It couldn’t be!

Maybe it was just someone with the same surname!

Lin Zhiguo stiffly lay back down on the hospital bed, unable to believe it and too afraid to dwell on the thought.

…

Tongtong was completely unaffected by Scumbag Dad. Over the past two days, she had been eating well, drinking well, and playing happily at her godfather’s house.

What made her even happier was that Mom was coming back!

Even before Yu Wanqin arrived home, she had already sent her daughter a large package of Jingshi specialties.

There were Jing Ba Jian, Fuling Cake, Lüdagun… a whole messy pile of things, along with two new-style children’s clothes and toys.

The children in the compound watched with envy.

Tongtong generously shared her snacks with her little friends, playing with a group of kids under the Old Ginkgo tree in the family compound.

Just then, Lin Zhiguo was discharged from the hospital and passed by the family compound on his way home.

He walked with a limp, his injuries not much better than before, and he looked even more haggard.

It was truly because one unlucky thing after another had happened to him lately, endlessly.

He had been recuperating in the hospital for nearly ten days, but instead of getting better, he kept encountering all sorts of accidents, like falls and collisions.

One night, a stray cat even jumped in out of nowhere, landing right on his wound, nearly finishing him off on the spot.

Because of these incidents, his injuries even showed signs of worsening.

He felt as if he were cursed by misfortune.

He wanted to call Tongtong to come to the hospital and take care of him, at least to pour him some tea or water.

But Gu Yanbin protected Tongtong like his own eyes, giving him no chance to get close.

Whenever he called, he could never reach her.

Lin Zhiguo was utterly frustrated.

After all, he was the girl’s biological father!

Now, seeing Tongtong playing outside, her happy and radiant smile stung him.

Lin Zhiguo scowled darkly: “Tongtong! Can’t you see your dad is injured and can barely walk? Why don’t you come over and help me? Do you have no conscience?”

His words drew the attention of many people in the family compound.

Tongtong put down her new toy and looked back at her scumbag dad, whose face was sallow, eyes sunken, and hair messy like a homeless man. She almost didn’t recognize him.

She blinked her big eyes: “Dad, you always buy delicious food and new clothes for Jiaojiao and Huzi. Why don’t you ask them to take care of you when you’re sick?”

Lin Zhiguo glared at her, furious: “You’re my daughter. Who else should I ask if not you?”

Tongtong spread her chubby little hands, looking helpless: “But… but I’m too little. I can’t even wash my own face.”

Everyone listening thought, that’s true.

The little girl couldn’t even take care of herself. Lin Zhiguo, as her biological father, was being too unreasonable.

Liu Lan shielded the child and couldn’t help but say: “Deputy Battalion Commander Lin, you’re perfectly capable yourself. How can you have the nerve to ask a child to serve you? This landlord attitude of yours is unacceptable!”

Lin Zhiguo paled in fright: “I… I didn’t mean it that way!”

Liu Lan snorted coldly: “I don’t care what you meant! As long as we’re here, you won’t get to bully the child!”

“Exactly!” other parents chimed in.

The children had just received candy from Tongtong, so naturally they had to speak up for her.

Lin Zhiguo didn’t expect that a single sentence from him would nearly provoke public outrage.

Frightened, he quickly hobbled away on his crutches, looking utterly dejected.

Si Muchen stood beside Tongtong, his dark eyes coldly fixed on the other man.

It seemed his daily visits to the hospital weren’t enough—Lin Zhiguo still had the energy to cause trouble.

[System! Misfortune transfer! Target: Lin Zhiguo!]

[Received] The System’s voice sounded weak and crackled, as if drained of energy.

For the past two days, the little host had visited the hospital daily, transferring misfortune to Lin Zhiguo seven or eight times.

It was truly being pushed to its limits.

Si Muchen glanced at the limp, glowing orb in his mind, a flicker of disdain flashing in his eyes.

Still, despite its exhaustion, the System remained dutiful and responsible.

Just as Lin Zhiguo reached his doorstep,

he stepped on a piece of discarded fruit peel, slipped, and fell into a waist-deep mud pit, landing himself back in the hospital.

Lin Zhiguo: “!!!”

Tears streaming down his face, he was wheeled into the operating room. Before any anesthesia could be administered, Dean Su pressed down and re-stitched his wound.

Agonized and numb, he begged Dean Su for anesthesia.

All he received in response was Dean Su’s icy stare: “Such a minor injury isn’t worth wasting state resources.”

Lin Zhiguo: “…”

He felt as though fate had dealt him a cruel hand.

…

Another week passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Zhiguo had learned his lesson.

After returning home, he stayed put, lying in bed all day. Whenever he was thirsty or hungry, he made Lin Jiaojiao and the others attend to him, minimizing trips to the bathroom and outings.

Only then did his injuries finally heal for the most part.

Lin Jiaojiao had long grown impatient with him, but with her mother locked up, he was their only source of support.

She had no choice but to help Lin Zhiguo with his daily needs, enduring the stench until she herself smelled foul.

The children in the courtyard refused to play with them, instead running off to find Tongtong.

Lin Jiaojiao felt deeply resentful. Every time she saw Tongtong, her eyes turned vicious, as if she wanted to devour her.

Tongtong paid no mind.

She had been in an exceptionally good mood lately.

Especially today—her mood was at its peak.

The news of Mother’s return from her training had come through a phone call two days ago.

Calculating the time, the train should arrive today.

Tongtong woke up early in the morning, deliberately changing into a new light blue dress. She asked Brother Muchen to braid her hair beautifully and tie it with a bow.

She looked as pretty as a doll, her pink cheeks so tender they seemed to glow.

She twirled in front of her two brothers to make sure everything was perfect before finally feeling at ease.

Gu Yanbin took a day off, changed into a crisp new military uniform, borrowed a Jeep from the Military Department, and took the children to the train station early to wait.

Tongtong’s face flushed with excitement as she perched on her godfather’s shoulder, craning her neck to look around.

“Daddy! When will Mommy’s train arrive?”

“Soon, soon… look how eager you are.” Gu Yanbin chuckled, gently pinching her chubby cheeks, though he himself felt inexplicably nervous and expectant.

Si Muchen held his sister’s hand, his gaze fixed in the direction of the platform.

Gu Jingnan chattered away: “I wonder if Auntie Yu still remembers me. Hehe, I’m craving the braised pork she makes!”

One adult and three children all watched the station exit with anticipation.

Half an hour later,

the green-skinned train pulled into the station.

Tongtong widened her round eyes, afraid she might miss something.

When she spotted that familiar graceful figure in the crowd, her big eyes lit up.

Struggling to slide out of her godfather’s arms, Tongtong shot out like a little cannonball.

“Mom!”