The day he came in the doctor’s office was the first time Li Meilin saw him.

 

Eleven year old Meilin was bored to death staring at the rain drops cascading down the window of her father’s office. Dr. Li was known as a great doctor throughout the province, but only a few people know that he was a doting father too.

 

Meilin was his princess, his shining glory. She was the best thing that happened in his life – well, second to meeting her wonderful mother, of course. But despite being doted on and spoiled over, Meilin was growing up to be a kind, gentle and respectful child.

 

But all that was thrown out of a window when her mom left her at the hospital in her dad’s office to visit her aunt in the neighboring province for the weekend. Now she sat at the sofa with a frown firmly attached to , slouching inelegantly like any bored eleven year old would.

 

It wasn’t until the sound of the door opening and voices talking that she sat upright and poised properly. For some reason, it comes unconsciously to her to always be polite in the presence of adults. Disrespect is the worst thing she could commit, even more than taking extra candies from the sweets jar, and Meilin knew that.

 

The voices grew louder and clearer as she observed her father, Dr. Li, enter the office with another man who looked like he was nearly the same age as her father.

 

Pleased to see her father back, she got off the couch and started to stride towards him. Dr. Li immediately saw his daughter and smiled softly before excusing himself and asking them to sit comfortably in the sofa.

 

Dr. Li turned towards his daughter and crouched down. “Meilin, go to Nurse Wei’s office for a moment.” He patted the little girl whose pout becoming more prominent by the second.

 

Meilin held her tongue, which already prepared a string of complaints, and nodded obediently. She turned around and dragged herself towards the door, pulled it open, and grabbed the handle to close it silently. But not before looking back one last time at her father’s figure walking towards his desk. She spared a glance at the stranger sitting on the couch, and squinted at the boy sitting beside the stranger. Weird, she thought inwardly, she didn’t see him come inside earlier.

 

With a shrug, she closed the door and ran towards the nurse’s office, hoping to get a few sweets from her before her father discovers.

 

 

The pitter patter of the rain outside wasn’t helping at all.

 

There was a blank expression on his face ever since they arrived at the hospital, and he kept it up all the way to the doctor’s office. His hand clenched and unclenched every fifteen seconds, his thoughts coming up with different theories on why he was in the hospital right now, instead of being with his grandparents for the weekend.

 

“Please, come in.” The kind looking doctor gestured after stepping inside his office. Yixing saw him turned his head and smiled softly before asking them to sit comfortably then excusing himself.

 

His father put his hand behind Yixing’s back and gently pushed him inside. The large hands grabbed his shoulders loosely and directed his small body towards the sofa in front of the doctor’s desk.

 

The little boy sat beside his father, his hands placed on his lap. The doctor, who was crouching down, immediately stood up, catching Yixing’s attention. His eyes widened in surprise for a few seconds as he watched a little girl walking towards the door. He didn’t see her there before, or maybe he was just too engrossed with his thoughts to notice the little girl.

 

Dr. Li walked towards his desk, and Yixing turned to look at him – missing the little girl’s narrowed eyes directed at him.

 

---

Meilin Li was arranging the flowers in the vase with her mother when Nurse Wei barged in.

 

The nurse was sweating profusely. Her face had a frantic look on it, and she immediately called Dr. Li’s attention, who was busy watching his wife and daughter.

 

“Dr. Li, there’s an emergency. It’s the boy, Zhang Yixing.” The worn out nurse immediately voiced out.

 

The little girl never saw her father run out of the room that fast before.

 

 

Seeing this as a sign of approval to ask, Meilin immediately inquired her father if he was okay, what happened, and do the flowers look beautiful. Dr. Li slumped onto his chair and smiled at the little girl.

 

He answered that he was okay, and explained that a little boy got hurt but he was okay now, and yes, the flowers looks lovely.

 

Meilin grinned before scooping up the remaining flowers to throw them away. Her eyes stared down at the pile, staring at it for a minute before turning her head towards her father.

 

 

---

Zhang Yixing opened his eyes.

 

‘It hurts’

 

His eyes adjusted to the bright light flowing inside the room. He could hear voices outside. ‘Mother? Father? Grandma? Grandpa?’

 

Yixing furrowed his brows and turned to his side, wondering where his parents could be.

 

His eyes widened.

 

And then softened, at the sight of flowers.