It was just after five in the afternoon, and the kids had all finished school.
Qiao Muye was the one who went to pick them up.
They hadn't seen him in several days, so the children were quite happy to see him.
They called out for him, hugged him, and then Lu Nianxi asked, "Grandpa, is Dad hospitalized? Can we go to the hospital now?"
On the way, Qiao Muye gave the children a heads-up: "When you see Dad, if he looks very different, try not to be too surprised."
Lu Nianxi asked curiously, "Did Dad have surgery today?"
Qiao Muye said, "No, the surgery is in a couple of days."
"Then what will be different?"
"You'll know when you see him."
Qiao Muye wasn't intentionally being mysterious; he just couldn't bring himself to tell them that their dad was now bald.
Not a single hair was left on his head.
Indeed, when they arrived at the hospital and entered the ward, the three kids were quite well-behaved, with Lu Nianxi holding Qiao Muye's hand.
