In a very good mood, An Xin decided to cook a proper meal to treat her husband.

It would be her way of thanking him for letting her go out and work.

However, Bai Yichen merely glanced up casually, raised his eyebrows, and smiled faintly.
“Cook whatever you like; I’m not picky.”

To be honest, everything An Xin made tasted great. Since they got married, other aspects of their lives might not have improved, but the quality of their meals certainly had—by a significant degree.

The young men in Bai Yichen’s exploration team were immensely envious of him. Lunchtime felt like their daily highlight because of the meals An Xin packed for him.

The food An Xin prepared for Bai Yichen often became a hot commodity among the team, and Bai Yichen rarely had the chance to finish his lunch before his teammates swooped in to share it.

An Xin hadn’t realized Bai Yichen was so unpicky, and she couldn’t help but think to herself how great it was to have such an easy-going husband.

“Alright,” she said. “You stay here and watch over our mom while I go make lunch.”

Saying “our mom” came more naturally to An Xin these days.

Bai Yichen nodded. “Alright.”

An Xin returned to their rented home, where her twin brothers were reviewing their schoolwork under her younger sister An Yang’s guidance.

She went to the kitchen and mentally scanned the warehouse she had access to. Selecting some ordinary, inexpensive ingredients, she lit the stove and got to work. She prepared a pot of rich chicken soup, a pot of white rice, red-braised pork intestines, and pumpkin soup.

The fragrant lunch was ready in no time. After feeding her siblings first, An Xin packed some chicken soup into a thermal container and took her siblings to the hospital.

When they entered the hospital room, they found that Chen Hongyan, who had been sleeping deeply earlier, was now awake. Bai Yichen was helping her adjust her pillow for a more comfortable position.

Seeing An Xin arrive with the children and the thermal container, the elderly mother weakly waved to them.

“Kids, come over to mom.”

The siblings quickly gathered around the bed, concern evident on their faces, while An Xin placed the thermal container on the bedside table and spoke softly.
“Mom, how are you feeling now that you’re awake?”

Chen Hongyan, who hadn’t known she was undergoing surgery until she woke up, gave her eldest daughter a reproachful look before answering.
“I feel alright—just a bit of pain from the incision. An Xin, why didn’t you tell me I was having surgery beforehand?”

An Xin met An Yang’s gaze. Before she could explain, Bai Yichen stepped forward and gently held her back.

“It’s not An Xin’s fault,” Bai Yichen said seriously. “The doctor said surgery was necessary, and I was the one who asked them not to tell you. I was worried you’d refuse and let your condition worsen. I’m sorry, Mom. It’s all my fault.”

An Xin blinked in surprise.
An Yang was equally stunned.

Bai Yichen had taken full responsibility for their decision, sparing them from Chen Hongyan’s scolding.

An Yang, who had been nervous about their mother’s reaction, suddenly looked up at her brother-in-law with a sense of admiration. What a great man! He shielded them completely from blame.

An Xin glanced at Bai Yichen with a complex expression.

This man was more responsible than she had imagined. These matters weren’t his to bear, yet he took them all upon himself.

Chen Hongyan, initially harboring a bit of resentment toward her children for deceiving her, now felt a pang of guilt.

“Bai Yichen, why are you apologizing? You were only thinking of my health. I don’t blame you.”

After all, her son-in-law was right. If she had known about the surgery, she would have refused and let her illness worsen.

“Thank goodness for your quick thinking,” Chen Hongyan said. “Without you, I’d still be sick and worrying about my kids. I should be thanking you instead.”

Bai Yichen stood straight, his voice calm yet warm.
“Mom, we’re family. Let’s not dwell on it. As long as you recover, An Xin and the kids will have hope for the future. Money can always be earned back, but health is irreplaceable.”

Chen Hongyan sighed in relief.
“My An Xin is truly lucky to have married such a good son-in-law. I’m so grateful.”

An Xin was taken aback.

Not only had Bai Yichen avoided her mother’s scolding, but he had also gained her gratitude and praise.

This man was on another level. An Xin couldn’t help but feel impressed.

“Mom,” An Xin said gently, playing along with Bai Yichen’s narrative, “since Bai Yichen cares so much about you, you must recover quickly. We’re all counting on you. I brought you some chicken soup—let’s get you strong enough to leave the hospital soon.”

“Alright, bring it over. I’ll drink it while it’s hot,” Chen Hongyan said, her tone unusually cooperative.

She glanced around the room. “Have you all eaten?”

An Yang stepped forward.
“Mom, we’ve eaten. Only Sister and Brother-in-law haven’t yet. They’ve been here watching over you all this time. Let me serve you soup, and let my sister and brother-in-law go back to eat.”

An Yang picked up the soup and spooned it for her mother.