Jin Qingyue looked at her with misery written all over her face.
She walked towards the door and asked Jin Bao’er, “Do you really want to live with Daddy?”
She nodded fervently and answered, “Yes.”
“Do you not want to live with Mommy anymore?” Jin Qingyue again asked.
“No… I’ll come back to stay with you when school reopens.”
Jin Qingyue held her hand and walked outside, all the way toward the entrance.
Shi Shaochuan was still waiting by the entrance. As soon as he saw them coming out, he stepped forward to snatch Jin Bao’er away from her and picked her up in his arms.
“Jin Qingyue, I’m warning you, if you ever dare to scold and hit Bao’er again, I’ll teach you a lesson.”
“Shi Shaochuan, I’m warning you too. If you teach her any twisted beliefs again, you’ll get it from me. Also, you’d better ask your daughter clearly whether I really hit or scolded her. Bao’er is so young and yet she already knows how to lie. Seems like she’s inherited your habit of lying!”
“I can’t be bothered to talk to you,” Shi Shaochuan said nonchalantly with a look of frustration.
He lifted his daughter up in his arms and drove away.
Jin Qingyue returned inside to grab her purse before going back to Ling Ciye’s apartment.
Since there were no servants in the apartment, she had no choice but to do the household chores by herself and tidy the house until it was spick and span. She then showered and took a nap in her pajamas.
By the time she woke up, it was already dark outside.
She switched on the lights to find that Ling Ciye had yet to return home. Could he have thought that I was at Brother’s place now that Bao’er was home?
While she was in the midst of preparing dinner in the kitchen, she heard a knocking on the door.
Jin Qingyue stepped out of the kitchen to see that Ling Ciye had returned with a bag of food.
Surprised to see her at home, he said, “I saw that the lights were switched on when I was downstairs so I knew you were home.”
“Shi Shaochuan took Bao’er away with him so I came back here. What’s this?” she asked, picking the bag of food from his hands.
“I had dinner with Qingyan outside and there was this particular dish that tasted delicious that I ordered another portion for takeout. I was planning to ask Qingyan to bring it home for you, but I decided to bring it to you myself after noticing that the lights were on. Have you eaten?”
“I made some plain porridge. I’ll pair it with the food you’ve brought home.” Jin Qingyue scooped the food onto a plate and placed it on the table.
“Why are your eyes so swollen?” Ling Ciye asked.
“Um… maybe I didn’t sleep well. I took a nap in the afternoon.”
“Let me go check on the porridge,” she continued, turning around to walk to the kitchen.
Ling Ciye could tell that she was in low spirits and followed her into the kitchen.
“Brother Ciye, would you like to have some porridge too?”
“Sure.” Leaning against the kitchen cabinet, he leaned his head closer toward her and asked, “Have you been crying?”
“No. Why would I cry? Don’t you know that I’m very strong? I will never tear up,” she denied, forcing a smile.
“I only know that you’re very brazen. I didn’t know you were good at lying too.” He grabbed her wrists and stared at her solemnly. “Don’t try to fool me. Why did you cry? Did that scoundrel incur your wrath?”
Jin Qingyue burst into laughter and said, “That scoundrel?”
“Shi Shaochuan. Did he say something to upset you?”
Jin Qingyue had no choice but to admit, “It was Bao’er.”
“Bao’er? What did she do?”
Jin Qingyue explained everything to Ling Ciye, after which she said, “She’s my biological daughter. I gained so much weight and became as chubby as a pig just to give birth to her. I was the one who raised her single-handedly. Just how did she turn out to be such a scheming child who only wants her Daddy? I find human relationships really puzzling sometimes. Could it really be because she’s deprived of paternal love?”
“Maybe. She’s still young and insensible.”
“Sometimes, you really can’t give up everything for your child. I really ought to live for myself. I’ve already made a decision.”
“What decision?”
“I want to live for myself and pursue my own happiness. I want a blissful and warm family. Brother Ciye, don’t you want the same thing as I do?”
“I do share similar sentiments.”
She turned off the stove and scooped some porridge into two bowls, one for herself and the other for him. They then exited the kitchen with some utensils and sat down opposite each other.
“I feel like I’ve experienced what it’s like to have a family after spending all this time with you. This is the ideal family I’ve always dreamed of. Waiting for you to come home every day is like waiting for my husband,” Jin Qingyue said while eating her porridge.
Ling Ciye did not utter a word, though he would in fact first take a look at the window of his apartment from downstairs when he’d return home every day. Whenever he saw that the lights were on, he would feel as if he had a wife waiting for him at home.
They coincidentally shared the same thoughts.
Ling Ciye reached out to hold her trembling hand while they held each other’s gazes.
“I’ve been really happy throughout this short amount of time that we’ve been together. I hope we’ll continue remaining that way and keep each other happy for the rest of our relationship. After all, that’s what dating is about, isn’t it?”
“I thought so too,” she agreed with a nod.
“The porridge tastes really good.”
Jin Qingyue was filled with joy and looked at him with happiness written all over her face.
—
Bu Xianxian stood by the garage and waited for a long while before Jin Qingyan finally showed up.
“Xianxian, what are you doing here?” Jin Qingyan asked while locking his car with the automatic car key.
“Um, Nick, I haven’t spoken to you in a long time so I just wanted to chat with you.”
“A few days isn’t that long.”
“But it feels way too long for me. I heard your wife is away on a business trip again.”
Placing his hands behind his back, Jin Qingyan answered, “Yes, she is. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…”
“Xianxian!” Mrs. Bu hurried towards them and chided, “Didn’t I tell you not to wander about at night?”
“Mother, I’m human, not a bird. I don’t have to be caged whenever the sky turns dark.”
Mrs. Bu poked her in her forehead and said, “I’m merely chiding you and yet you’re talking back to me so rudely. Nick, could I ask something of you?”
“Go ahead, Auntie.”
“We were lucky enough to be able to move here into the city thanks to you, but we’re still experiencing some communication issues due to the language barrier. Nick, could you help us hire a language tutor to teach us some conversational S Nation language? Well, Xianxian is going to get married here after all. Uncle and I hope language won’t become a hindrance for her,” Mrs. Bu said earnestly.
“Sure, no problem. I’ll arrange that for you tomorrow,” Jin Qingyan agreed without hesitation.
“Nick, thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it, Auntie. I should be the one thanking you guys.”
Mrs. Bu was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. She nodded and pulled Bu Xianxian away before saying, “Xianxian and I are going back to get some rest. You should too. You must be tired after a long day of work.”
“Okay.”
Mrs. Bu only let go of Bu Xianxian once they returned inside their room.
Jin Qingyue looked at her with misery written all over her face.
She walked towards the door and asked Jin Bao’er, “Do you really want to live with Daddy?”
She nodded fervently and answered, “Yes.”
“Do you not want to live with Mommy anymore?” Jin Qingyue again asked.
“No… I’ll come back to stay with you when school reopens.”
Jin Qingyue held her hand and walked outside, all the way toward the entrance.
Shi Shaochuan was still waiting by the entrance. As soon as he saw them coming out, he stepped forward to snatch Jin Bao’er away from her and picked her up in his arms.
“Jin Qingyue, I’m warning you, if you ever dare to scold and hit Bao’er again, I’ll teach you a lesson.”
“Shi Shaochuan, I’m warning you too. If you teach her any twisted beliefs again, you’ll get it from me. Also, you’d better ask your daughter clearly whether I really hit or scolded her. Bao’er is so young and yet she already knows how to lie. Seems like she’s inherited your habit of lying!”
“I can’t be bothered to talk to you,” Shi Shaochuan said nonchalantly with a look of frustration.
He lifted his daughter up in his arms and drove away.
Jin Qingyue returned inside to grab her purse before going back to Ling Ciye’s apartment.
Since there were no servants in the apartment, she had no choice but to do the household chores by herself and tidy the house until it was spick and span. She then showered and took a nap in her pajamas.
By the time she woke up, it was already dark outside.
She switched on the lights to find that Ling Ciye had yet to return home. Could he have thought that I was at Brother’s place now that Bao’er was home?
While she was in the midst of preparing dinner in the kitchen, she heard a knocking on the door.
Jin Qingyue stepped out of the kitchen to see that Ling Ciye had returned with a bag of food.
Surprised to see her at home, he said, “I saw that the lights were switched on when I was downstairs so I knew you were home.”
“Shi Shaochuan took Bao’er away with him so I came back here. What’s this?” she asked, picking the bag of food from his hands.
“I had dinner with Qingyan outside and there was this particular dish that tasted delicious that I ordered another portion for takeout. I was planning to ask Qingyan to bring it home for you, but I decided to bring it to you myself after noticing that the lights were on. Have you eaten?”
“I made some plain porridge. I’ll pair it with the food you’ve brought home.” Jin Qingyue scooped the food onto a plate and placed it on the table.
“Why are your eyes so swollen?” Ling Ciye asked.
“Um… maybe I didn’t sleep well. I took a nap in the afternoon.”
“Let me go check on the porridge,” she continued, turning around to walk to the kitchen.
Ling Ciye could tell that she was in low spirits and followed her into the kitchen.
“Brother Ciye, would you like to have some porridge too?”
“Sure.” Leaning against the kitchen cabinet, he leaned his head closer toward her and asked, “Have you been crying?”
“No. Why would I cry? Don’t you know that I’m very strong? I will never tear up,” she denied, forcing a smile.
“I only know that you’re very brazen. I didn’t know you were good at lying too.” He grabbed her wrists and stared at her solemnly. “Don’t try to fool me. Why did you cry? Did that scoundrel incur your wrath?”
Jin Qingyue burst into laughter and said, “That scoundrel?”
“Shi Shaochuan. Did he say something to upset you?”
Jin Qingyue had no choice but to admit, “It was Bao’er.”
“Bao’er? What did she do?”
Jin Qingyue explained everything to Ling Ciye, after which she said, “She’s my biological daughter. I gained so much weight and became as chubby as a pig just to give birth to her. I was the one who raised her single-handedly. Just how did she turn out to be such a scheming child who only wants her Daddy? I find human relationships really puzzling sometimes. Could it really be because she’s deprived of paternal love?”
“Maybe. She’s still young and insensible.”
“Sometimes, you really can’t give up everything for your child. I really ought to live for myself. I’ve already made a decision.”
“What decision?”
“I want to live for myself and pursue my own happiness. I want a blissful and warm family. Brother Ciye, don’t you want the same thing as I do?”
“I do share similar sentiments.”
She turned off the stove and scooped some porridge into two bowls, one for herself and the other for him. They then exited the kitchen with some utensils and sat down opposite each other.
“I feel like I’ve experienced what it’s like to have a family after spending all this time with you. This is the ideal family I’ve always dreamed of. Waiting for you to come home every day is like waiting for my husband,” Jin Qingyue said while eating her porridge.
Ling Ciye did not utter a word, though he would in fact first take a look at the window of his apartment from downstairs when he’d return home every day. Whenever he saw that the lights were on, he would feel as if he had a wife waiting for him at home.
They coincidentally shared the same thoughts.
Ling Ciye reached out to hold her trembling hand while they held each other’s gazes.
“I’ve been really happy throughout this short amount of time that we’ve been together. I hope we’ll continue remaining that way and keep each other happy for the rest of our relationship. After all, that’s what dating is about, isn’t it?”
“I thought so too,” she agreed with a nod.
“The porridge tastes really good.”
Jin Qingyue was filled with joy and looked at him with happiness written all over her face.
—
Bu Xianxian stood by the garage and waited for a long while before Jin Qingyan finally showed up.
“Xianxian, what are you doing here?” Jin Qingyan asked while locking his car with the automatic car key.
“Um, Nick, I haven’t spoken to you in a long time so I just wanted to chat with you.”
“A few days isn’t that long.”
“But it feels way too long for me. I heard your wife is away on a business trip again.”
Placing his hands behind his back, Jin Qingyan answered, “Yes, she is. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…”
“Xianxian!” Mrs. Bu hurried towards them and chided, “Didn’t I tell you not to wander about at night?”
“Mother, I’m human, not a bird. I don’t have to be caged whenever the sky turns dark.”
Mrs. Bu poked her in her forehead and said, “I’m merely chiding you and yet you’re talking back to me so rudely. Nick, could I ask something of you?”
“Go ahead, Auntie.”
“We were lucky enough to be able to move here into the city thanks to you, but we’re still experiencing some communication issues due to the language barrier. Nick, could you help us hire a language tutor to teach us some conversational S Nation language? Well, Xianxian is going to get married here after all. Uncle and I hope language won’t become a hindrance for her,” Mrs. Bu said earnestly.
“Sure, no problem. I’ll arrange that for you tomorrow,” Jin Qingyan agreed without hesitation.
“Nick, thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it, Auntie. I should be the one thanking you guys.”
Mrs. Bu was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. She nodded and pulled Bu Xianxian away before saying, “Xianxian and I are going back to get some rest. You should too. You must be tired after a long day of work.”
“Okay.”
Mrs. Bu only let go of Bu Xianxian once they returned inside their room.
