“Juvenile dementia? Is that a real condition?” Xie Yijun blinked, slightly stunned.
Zhu Yanyi grinned and explained, “Some old people get lazy and stop thinking, so they get old-age dementia. They forget people and things because their brains get weak. If I said I might forget you, I’d be saying I have dementia. But I’m only eleven, so I can’t be old. That’s why I call it juvenile dementia.”
Hearing this, Ouyang Manqing, who had been feeling gloomy, burst into laughter. Her voice was clear and pleasant. Zhu Yanyi’s eyes lit up as she looked at Ouyang Manqing. “You must be Auntie Manqing.”
Ouyang Manqing didn’t know what “Auntie” meant, but seeing Zhu Yanyi look at her, she guessed it was a term like aunt. “I am Ouyang Manqing. Hello, little Ani. Your Uncle Yijun talks about you all the time since she got home. She praises you whenever she has free time. It makes your cousin Jingyun complain that Dad doesn’t love her anymore.” Xie Jingyun was Xie Yijun’s only daughter, two years younger than Zhu Yanyi.
“It’s summer vacation. Why didn’t you bring Cousin Jingyun?” Zhu Yanyi asked casually.
“She was sick. The hospital said it wasn’t contagious, but your Uncle Yijun and I were too busy to care for her. So we sent her to her grandmother’s house.” Ouyang Manqing had already grown fond of Zhu Yanyi. She wasn’t someone who liked people easily, but Zhu Yanyi’s charm had increased with her rising abilities. Ouyang Manqing couldn’t help but like her.
Zhu Yanyi nodded, took Ouyang Manqing’s hand, and greeted Xie Zhong before leading them away. “Come, Auntie Manqing. I’ll show you to your room. Grandma cleaned it this morning. I checked, and it’s very clean. The beds and quilts are new.” As she spoke, she walked toward a room nearby. Xie Yijun said something to Xie Zhong, then smiled, picked up their luggage, and followed them into the room.
The room was spacious and well-lit. As Ouyang Manqing stepped inside, she felt an indescribable sense of comfort. Once Xie Yijun put down the luggage, Zhu Yanyi said, “Auntie Manqing, don’t worry. Take off your scarf to let your face breathe.”
Xie Yijun and Ouyang Manqing then understood Zhu Yanyi’s intention. She had brought them to the room to avoid putting psychological pressure on Ouyang Manqing. Treating her in private meant no one would see her current condition. This was Zhu Yanyi’s thoughtfulness. She hadn’t explicitly asked to examine her, only suggesting she let her face breathe. This way, even if she couldn’t cure her, Ouyang Manqing wouldn’t be overly disappointed.
To Zhu Yanyi, every patient was someone who needed help. Ouyang Manqing had traveled all the way from Shanghai to seek medical help, so she had to do her best. Ouyang Manqing had covered her face with a scarf all along, showing she was afraid to face her own appearance. She might not feel inferior, but for a woman who had always been beautiful, suddenly becoming ugly caused immense psychological pressure. Therefore, whenever possible, Zhu Yanyi wanted to make her feel relaxed, which would also help her condition.
“Okay, thank you, Ani.” Ouyang Manqing smiled and slowly removed her scarf, though her hands trembled slightly, revealing her underlying anxiety.