Chapter 281: Gu En Visiting the Sick 4_1
As a man, He Teng’s heart wasn’t as delicate as that of Zhilan. Thus, he didn’t have much to say about Lan Li and Ding Jinshi’s current situation. However, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of regret for Lan Li, who seemed to be two different people during the years spent with Ding Jinshi and the years alone.
"Brother."
Zhilan’s soft voice disrupted He Teng’s thoughts. The man on the hospital bed looked up to acknowledge his wife’s smile. He hummed in consent, waiting for Zhilan to express what she was about to say.
"It’s nothing, I just wanted to call for you." Zhilan softly giggled then moved closer to He Teng, her laughing face magnified in front of his eyes.
He Teng pulled back his gaze, skeptical. Before he could question her, Zhilan addressed him again, this time by his name instead of ’brother’ — He Teng.
Zhilan’s Mandarin was impeccably precise and rounded. Even though they both grew up in the countryside, surprisingly, there wasn’t a trace of the local dialect in her speech. Thus, even after hearing his name countless times, at that moment, He Teng found it strangely satisfying when Zhilan pronounced it.
Seeing that He Teng was not blaming her for her lack of formality, Zhilan plucked up the courage to continue, "Ateng!"
When He Teng turned his gaze at her, Zhilan quickly feigned innocence and chuckled, explaining, "That’s how dad used to call you!"
"Hmm." He Teng was now quite confused. He didn’t know whether Zhilan was acting crazy all of a sudden, or had something Lan Li told her privately earlier provoked her?
She had started by calling him ’brother,’ then He Teng, and now Ateng.