After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me

"Dad!" Zhouzhou looked at him in surprise.

"Damn!" Ancestral Master's hand trembled, and the sunflower seeds in his hand flew out as he stared in shock at Ye Lingfeng, who had just sat up.

Had he returned to his body?

The next moment, Ye Lingfeng's body suddenly fell backward, slamming into the wall. Ancestral Master now had another soul near him. Who else could it be but Ye Lingfeng?

He quickly did some calculations and realized the situation.

Ah, it seemed Ye Lingfeng had been so angry that his strong resentment caused his soul to temporarily return to his body.

"You only have one chance to say something, and you wasted it on Qin Lie. Are you sure you hate him?" Ancestral Master, always the troublemaker, teased.

"What do you think?" Ye Lingfeng's words were barely squeezed through clenched teeth.

Seeing this, Ancestral Master swallowed nervously and stopped joking. He could tell that Ye Lingfeng now looked as ferocious as a vengeful spirit. He wisely decided not to provoke him any further, lest he truly turn into a monster.

Zhouzhou, however, was more concerned. She hadn't even had time to speak when Ye Lingfeng collapsed again. Her heart raced, and she hurriedly approached him to check his pulse. There was nothing wrong, except his soul was no longer in his body.

It felt like the earlier incident had been an illusion, but the towel on the ground confirmed that it indeed have happened.

Qin Lie, noticing the towel, recalled the earlier moment and had an idea.

Clearing his throat, he caught Zhouzhou's attention. When she looked up at him, he stood and said, "Zhouzhou, let's go for a walk outside."

"Okay." Zhouzhou, feeling down and drained, didn't have much energy but still agreed to accompany him.

Meanwhile, Ye Lingfeng fumed even more, muttering, "Look at him! Zhouzhou came here to see me, and yet he's dragging her away!"

"I should have punched him earlier!"

"Just wait... we'll live together after retirement, huh? At that time, I'll poison his food every day!"

Ancestral Master sat quietly away from Ye Lingfeng.

The jealousy in the air was palpable, and it seemed like Ye Lingfeng's anger could destroy everything.

Ye Lingfeng's eyes were practically glowing red with rage as he fixated on Qin Lie and Zhouzhou. His mind whirled with a thousand ways to send Qin Lie to the afterlife.

Qin Lie, however, sneezed twice suddenly, scratching his nose.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Zhouzhou asked in concern.

Qin Lie shook his head, "It's nothing. Probably someone's cursing me."

It was clear who he meant.

As he held Zhouzhou's hand, his fingers lightly tapped her palm, almost as if writing something.

Zhouzhou paused, surprised by the touch. It had been a long time since the father and daughter had held hands after Zhouzhou went into high school. She glanced at him, and he met her gaze, as if about to say something.

Zhouzhou understood instantly, keeping her composure, but silently acknowledging the message he was relaying.

He was using Morse code.

Zhouzhou had received training in the Fourth Bureau, and Qin Lie had learned it too. She hadn't expected this skill to come in handy now.

He was asking if Divine Thunder could hear them.

Zhouzhou subtly nodded, and in the next moment, she wrapped her arm around his, hiding her hand's movements from view. She smiled up at him. "Dad, tell me about your recent activities. Has anything interesting happened?"

Qin Lie then began recounting some trivial events as they chatted about family matters. On the surface, they were just passing time, but in reality, their fingers were sparking with secret communications.

Qin Lie said that he had a theory that might help Ye Lingfeng wake up.

Zhouzhou's eyes lit up. "What is it?"

He quickly tapped out another message: "From the way Ye Lingfeng acted earlier, he seemed very angry. If I'm right, he woke up because of his rage."

Zhouzhou was momentarily stunned but didn't show it, simply giving him a knowing look.

Qin Lie continued, "It seems that he's been able to see us all along, but we couldn't see him. After he saw you praise me, he must have gotten jealous and forced himself back to life."

Zhouzhou: "... That's a bit ridiculous."

But honestly, this seemed like something Ye Lingfeng could do.

Zhouzhou still hadn't abandoned her plan to get them tiny backpacks, hoping they'd take them to kindergarten together. She felt the idea would work even when they were in their seventies, because honestly, they were so childish!

With a sigh, Zhouzhou couldn't help but smile.

She now knew what Qin Lie's next step would be. She tapped out a quick response on his palm.

[I think it will work.]

The two exchanged a glance and smiled together, in perfect synchrony.

They didn't wander outside for long—just a quick bite before returning to the hospital room.

"Daddy, here's your favorite steak. Eat more."

"Mm, you eat too. If it's not enough, we can order more. By the way, how about we go home tomorrow? I've learned a few new dishes and can cook for you."

"Yes, yes!" Zhouzhou hesitated for a moment before asking, "What about Sharp Tongue Daddy?"

Qin Lie thought for a moment and said, "How about we bring him home? He's fine now, can breathe on his own, doesn't need medicine, and staying in the hospital is just a waste of money. Medical care is expensive."

Zhouzhou nodded enthusiastically. "That's a great idea. Let's take Sharp Tongue Daddy home tomorrow after we finish the discharge papers."

"Okay, let's stick to this plan."

"Yeah, right!" Ye Lingfeng groaned, his eyes rolling with frustration. He was so worked up that his fingers trembled as he pointed at them. "Now he's even encouraging my daughter to give up on me for money!"

Ancestral Master, who had been listening quietly, interjected, "Qin's right, you're not sick, so why waste money?"

"I don't care!" Ye Lingfeng's eyes burned with anger, and his voice choked. "What hurts most is that Zhouzhou agreed! How could she do this to me?"

Seeing him unravel, Ancestral Master sighed, "Zhouzhou just wants the best for you. A hospital bed can't compare to home, and she just wants you to be comfortable. Plus, it wasn't her idea—it was Qin's suggestion."

"Right, it was Qin Lie's idea, but she agreed!" This did not comfort Ye Lingfeng; instead, it pushed him further into despair.

The thought that the little girl he had raised with his own hands would now choose money over his care made him want to cry.

It reminded him of those dramas he had watched with Grandma Qin—where parents worked tirelessly to raise their children, but when they fell ill, the children weren't there for them, and even abandoned their care for money.

Tears started to well in his eyes.

In the hospital room, Zhouzhou noticed the tears in Ye Lingfeng's eyes and immediately pulled Qin Lie's arm.

This strategy... it was working!