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 your Aunt Liuzheng and her husband."

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

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

Cool, strong-willed, brilliantly talented, and as beautiful as a fairy.

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

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

"Hello, Aunt Liuzheng. Hello, Uncle," Shen Baili said politely as she approached.

"Hello." Xie Liuzheng met her eyes and gave a slight nod, her manner polite but distant.

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

Duan Xing was more attentive. "I heard you were hospitalized a while ago. Have you recovered?"

Xie Liuzheng had mentioned it once, and he had remembered to ask when the moment was right.

Compared with Xie Liuzheng's reserve, Duan Xing was gentle and thoughtful. People took a liking to him easily.

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

Unlike the rugged, commanding good looks of the Xie Family men, Duan Xing had a soft appearance that didn't seem intimidating at all.

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

Duan Xing had fallen for Xie Liuzheng at first sight, then pursued her with one romantic gesture after another.

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 high-paying job in tech to accompany his wife on performances around the world.

Later, he had opened an arts academy. It earned a tidy profit and was well known among the wealthy, bringing 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 took care of Xie Liuzheng so naturally that it barely drew notice. He kept the conversation moving, too, and was as good a listener as he was a talker.

Beside him, Xie Liuzheng looked relaxed. A faint smile rested on her face, and she seemed utterly content in love.

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

As her lessons grew more advanced, the homework piled up, and she applied herself seriously.

There were extraordinary geniuses in the world who understood something after one lesson and could put it to use the moment they picked up a pen.

Shen Baili wasn't one of them. She was somewhat clever, but it was hard work that had helped her stand out among Haicheng's countless students.

After starting high school, she hadn't slacked off just because life had grown easier. No longer needing a part-time job gave her more time to study. Studying was exhausting, and sometimes a chemistry problem frustrated her so much that she secretly wiped away tears.

But she would 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 down 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 arrangement and sat beside Xie Liuzheng.

The mood at the table was pleasant. Duan Xing always managed to bring up topics everyone found interesting without making it obvious, and he left no one out.

Xie Zhiyu casually put some vegetables and seafood on Shen Baili's plate. Used to it by now, she kept her head down and ate.

Shen Wan and Xie Chengyue saw it, but they were used to it too.

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

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

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

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

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

She looked toward Xie Chengyue. He was drinking soup, and 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 hurt her nephew after all the care he had shown her.

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

"Or just talk," she added.

Xie Zhiyu caught on almost at once. "You know 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... be too upset."

"Sang Ya isn't worth it."

Her attempt at comfort was stiff. Xie Liuzheng—or rather, the whole Xie Family—wasn't used to tender moments. They had all been raised to excel, but none of them was good at expressing affection to family.

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