Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 578

Russel was sharp as a tack, not the kind to easily fall for tricks or deceptions. Nobody enjoys playing the fool, after all.

His compromise was purely for my sake.

Feeling a bit awkward, I shifted my gaze away. Even though I was grateful to Russel for convincing my dad on my behalf, I couldn't keep entangling with him over this matter.

"Let's drop this subject," Russel suggested, sensing my discomfort and smoothly changing the topic. His voice eased, "I also mentioned to your dad about your little act of playing sick. Maybe it's time to ditch that strategy. His health isn't in the best shape to be worrying about other things. He needs not just treatment, but also to keep his spirits up."

I was stunned, "You told him?"

Russel nodded, "Yeah? Is that not okay?"

It was fine, actually. It saved me the trouble of keeping up the charade, and I could visit my dad without any pretense.

A bold thought crossed my mind, and before I could stop it, I blurted out, "Russel, have you ever been involved in some sort of pyramid scheme with your persuasive skills?"

His brow furrowed slightly, clearly taken aback by my comment.

But then he recovered, "Irene, what are you on about? You know what I've done in the past, don't you?"

Of course, I knew. Graduated from a prestigious medical school, then straight into residency at the hospital, quickly becoming the youngest and one of the most capable department heads, followed by years of dedicated service. No side hustles there.

Realizing my faux pas, I quickly clarified, "I know, I do. I'm just amazed at how you managed to persuade my dad. He can be quite stubborn about certain things, and both my mom and I have had our fair share of headaches over it."

"Well, luckily your dad likes me, so he tends to listen to what I have to say," Russel said, his tone a mix of self-promotion and solemnity.

My dad did indeed like Russel, almost as much as my mom did. By their standards, Russel was the ideal son-in-law, had it not been for a few questionable actions on his part that seemed a bit underhanded.

I nodded in agreement, unable to deny his personal charm, especially where my parents were concerned.

It was getting late, the night air was misty with no stars in sight, and a fine drizzle began to fall. Russel stood up, "Are you going to see your dad now?"

"I am. You go ahead and get some rest. If you're around these next few days, I'll make time to treat you to dinner," I replied.

"Alright," he nodded.

So, I headed back to the hospital wing to find my dad.