Adopting a Child

The school day dragged on, but at last it was time to go home.

Shen Baili returned home on time, her schoolbag on her back.

She spotted two extra pairs of shoes by the entrance and knew they had guests.

Before she reached the living room, she heard a pleasant woman's voice.

Shen Wan was the first to notice her. "Welcome home, Suìsuì."

"Come say hello to Aunt Xie and your uncle."

Adopting a Child

This was Shen Baili's second time seeing her stepfather Xie Chengyue's younger sister, Xie Liuzheng, since the family dinner.

Xie Liuzheng was everything Baili had imagined a pianist would be when she was little.

Cool and headstrong, brilliantly talented, and as beautiful as a fairy descended to earth.

Time had left few traces on her face. Her eyes were clear and bright, holding an artist's purest hopes for the world.

Shen Baili had never attended one of Xie Liuzheng's piano concerts in person, but even through a video, she could feel her gift for music.

"Hello, Aunt Xie. Hello, Uncle." Shen Baili stepped closer and greeted them politely.

"Hello." Xie Liuzheng met her eyes and gave a slight nod, her manner far from affectionate.

She didn't dislike her brother's stepdaughter. The girl was quiet, well-behaved, and full of life. But she felt no urge to get close to her, either.

Duan Xing was more attentive to such things. "I heard you were in the hospital recently. Have you recovered?"

Xie Liuzheng had mentioned it to him once. He had remembered and offered his concern when the moment was right.

Compared with Xie Liuzheng's reserve, Duan Xing was gentle and thoughtful. People tended to warm to him easily.

"I've fully recovered. Thank you for asking," Shen Baili said.

Unlike the rugged, commanding good looks of the Xie men, Duan Xing had a softer appearance. His understated features carried no hint of aggression.

Between the information she had gathered about the wealthy family and the servants' gossip, Shen Baili had pieced together their love story.

Duan Xing had fallen for Xie Liuzheng at first sight and then pursued her with a string of romantic gestures.

Eventually, Xie Liuzheng had fallen in love with him and married him at the height of her career.

After they married,

Duan Xing hadn't asked her to give up her career. Instead, he had quit his well-paid job in the internet industry to accompany his wife on performances around the world.

Later, Duan Xing had opened an Art Training School. It brought in a healthy profit and was well known in wealthy circles, giving him both money and recognition.

Sitting together, Xie Liuzheng and Duan Xing made a striking pair. They looked well matched.

As they talked, Duan Xing looked after Xie Liuzheng without making a show of it. He kept the conversation moving, too, proving himself both a good listener and pleasant company.

Beside him, Xie Liuzheng looked relaxed. A faint smile rested on her face as she basked in their love.

Shen Baili stayed in the living room and chatted for a while before going upstairs to do her homework. She only just finished when it was time for dinner.

As her studies grew more advanced, the workload grew too. She applied herself diligently.

There were extraordinary geniuses in the world who understood a lesson at once, knew how to use it the moment they put pen to paper, and grasped everything perfectly.

Shen Baili wasn't one of them. She was a little clever, and she worked hard to make up for what she lacked. That was how she had stood out among Haicheng's countless students.

Since starting high school, she hadn't slacked off just because her living conditions had improved. No longer needing a part-time job had given her more time to study. It was exhausting, and sometimes a chemistry problem was so hard that she secretly wiped away tears.

But she would always find a way. That was what she told herself every time.

She looked at the little check marks covering her test paper, deeply satisfied, and drew a cute smiley face in the name field.

"Suìsuì, you're amazing!"

***At dinnertime, the family sat together. The seating arrangement had changed a little.

Xie Zhiyu chose to sit beside Shen Baili, while Xie Liuzheng sat next to Xie Chengyue.

Duan Xing noticed the change and took the seat beside Xie Liuzheng.

The atmosphere at dinner was pleasant. Duan Xing had a knack for bringing up topics everyone was interested in without making it obvious, and he never left anyone out.

Xie Zhiyu casually put some greens and seafood on Shen Baili's plate. She was already used to it and kept her head down as she ate.

Shen Wan and Xie Chengyue saw it, but by now they thought nothing of it.

Xie Liuzheng, however, was startled. She knew her nephew. He was always cold toward people he didn't care about.

In the Xie Family, serving someone food was an unusually warm gesture.

Duan Xing put some ribs and corn in her bowl. "Honey, you've lost weight lately. Eat more."

Warmth stirred in Xie Liuzheng's heart. "Mm."

Shen Wan smiled faintly at their exchange. When she lowered her eyes, she found several pieces of stir-fried beef in her bowl.

She glanced at Xie Chengyue. He was drinking soup, so she couldn't see his expression.

The corners of Shen Wan's mouth lifted slightly.

With two more people at the table, dinner felt warmer.

After dinner, Shen Wan told Xie Liuzheng that the engagement had been called off.

"They've gone too far!"

Xie Liuzheng was furious. She hadn't expected Sang Ya to do something so shameless and trample on her nephew's feelings.

She sought out Xie Zhiyu alone, but when she faced her nephew, every word of concern stuck in her throat. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "If you want a drink, you can come to me."

"We can talk, too," she added.

Xie Zhiyu caught on almost instantly. "You heard my engagement was called off?"

"Mm." Xie Liuzheng nodded. "Why didn't you call me?"

She wanted to pat her nephew on the head, but he was too tall. She changed course and patted his shoulder instead. "Don't... let it hurt you too much."

"Sang Ya isn't worth it."

Her words of comfort were stilted. Xie Liuzheng—or rather, the whole Xie Family—was ill at ease with tender moments. They had all been raised to be high achievers, but none of them was any good at expressing their feelings to family.