Sister Wang froze. "You're leaving now?"
"Yes. Sorry for the trouble, but could you handle the discharge paperwork for me in a bit?"
Su Xiajing nursed the baby in her arms while messaging her manager on WeChat.
[Zhang, could you come over to my apartment tonight?]
[And sorry to trouble you again, but could you find me a lawyer?]
Zhang Zhang: [Didn't you just have your baby? Why are you going home so soon?]
[What do you need a lawyer for? Is it urgent?]
[A divorce.]
[?]
They hadn't been at the hospital long, and much of what they'd brought hadn't even been unpacked. Sister Wang soon finished packing.
Su Xiajing handed the now-full Tang Tang to Ms. Wang and took her clothes into the bathroom, where she changed into a clean outfit with the helper's assistance.
When she came out, the hospital room was much livelier.
"Honey, I'm back."
Tang Beichen hurried in, looking travel-worn. He tossed his jacket onto the couch, came over, and wrapped Su Xiajing in his arms, kissing her. "Thank you for everything you've been through."
The baby's due date was actually ten days away. He hadn't been running the company long, and many matters required his personal attention. He'd planned to take leave after this business trip to be there for the birth, but the baby had arrived early, forcing him to fly home overnight.
After more than ten hours on a plane, he'd come straight to the hospital without even stopping for a sip of water.
Seeing the dark circles beneath his eyes and the exhaustion written all over his face, Su Xiajing couldn't help softening.
"It wasn't too bad..."
Su Xiajing had meant to offer a few words of comfort, but when she looked up, she saw her stepsister, Su Chuchu, coming in behind her father and stepmother, Wei Shufen.
Remembering her daughter's words, Su Xiajing felt a wave of nausea. Her expression darkened, and she discreetly pushed Tang Beichen away.
"As long as you realize how hard it's been for me."
Tang Beichen: ?
"Yes, yes. Just get some proper rest now. Leave the baby to me."
Tang Beichen eagerly followed her, carefully supporting her. "Lie down first. Don't move around. If you need anything, just tell me."
"That's right, Xiajing. You're still very weak. It's best to lie down and rest. Leave anything you need to the helpers," Wei Shufen advised in the knowing tone of someone who'd been through it herself.
Su Jiansen smiled at his daughter. "Exactly. Xiajing, you need to get plenty of rest."
Su Chuchu stood dutifully beside her parents. "Congratulations, sis."
Su Xiajing remained expressionless. "Mm."
With her family suddenly here, insisting on leaving right away would only make things more complicated and troublesome. Su Xiajing had no choice but to lie back down in the hospital bed.
"Where's the baby?"
After carefully helping her lie down, Tang Beichen finally remembered his daughter. "Where's our Tangtang? Let Daddy have a look."
Sister Wang brought the baby over.
Tang Beichen cautiously reached out as though touching something fragile. His fingers hovered above her cheek, but he didn't dare lower them.
She's so tiny, so delicate. Will she break if I touch her?
Tang Tang also had her eyes open, studying him curiously.
Dad really was handsome when he was young. No wonder my beautiful mommy fell for him.
Tang Beichen went rigid, his eyes widening as he stared at Tang Tang in stunned disbelief.
Who?
Who was speaking as though she were his daughter?
Why does Dad look so dazed?
Has he gone stupid?
Tang Beichen: "..."
There were eight people in the room. He knew the voices of seven of them very well. Only this unfamiliar voice, which claimed to be his daughter, was one he'd never heard before.
Could that voice really be coming from his daughter?
I'm not sure. Should I test it again?
Tang Beichen's mischievous hand moved toward his daughter's cheek.
He intended to give it a gentle pinch and see how she reacted.
"Have you washed your hands?"
Just as his fingertips were about to touch her face, Su Xiajing spoke up. "You just came in from outside. You're covered in germs. You're not touching our daughter until you've washed your hands!"
Tang Tang: Exactly! I'm a fragile little baby right now. Are you trying to kill me, touching me without washing your hands?
My beautiful mommy really is the thoughtful one. I love Mommy.
Su Xiajing's lips curved upward in delight.
As a first-time mother, she'd just earned her daughter's approval-and a declaration of love. She was thrilled.
Tang Beichen: "..."
He'd been so eager to hold his daughter, and then so startled by suddenly hearing her thoughts, that he hadn't gotten around to it.
"I... I'll go wash them right now."
Holding up his hands like a child who'd done something wrong, Tang Beichen obediently went to wash them in the bathroom.
"I want to hold my granddaughter too."
Su Jiansen went with him to wash his hands.
Tang Tang felt deeply moved.
You really can't judge a book by its cover. If I hadn't seen it myself, who would've thought a man who seemed so devoted would cheat on my mom just over a year later, after losing me, when she was at her lowest and needed someone beside her most?
People's hearts really do change. You can't trust someone unconditionally and commit your whole life to him just because he's rich, handsome, and affectionate for a while. I really hope Mom opens her eyes and comes to her senses instead of letting my deadbeat dad's act blind her.
Just as Tang Beichen reached the bathroom door, his foot slipped on the level floor, and he nearly slammed headfirst into the doorframe.
Lose you? Why?
And, sweetheart, your dad has lived twenty-eight years and only ever fallen in love with your mom!
Don't go spreading rumors!
"What happened?" Su Xiajing asked quietly.
"Nothing... I must be too tired. I wasn't watching my step." Tang Beichen hurriedly grabbed the doorframe to steady himself.
"Already so weak at your age. How are you going to look after your wife and daughter?"
Su Jiansen gave him a cold glance and walked past him with his hands behind his back.
Tang Beichen: "..."
Once she was lying in bed, Su Xiajing took Tang Tang from Ms. Wang.
Wei Shufen took out the gift they'd brought and opened the box. Inside were a Longevity Lock and a pair of gold bracelets.
She took out the Longevity Lock and held it in front of Tang Tang. "Your grandpa had this custom-made for you. Do you like it, Little Candy?"
If Grandpa gave it to me, it must be solid pure gold.
Of course I like it!
"Oh, it looks like Little Candy loves it."
Seeing Tang Tang reach her little hands toward the Longevity Lock, Wei Shufen looked surprised. She put it back into the box. "Our Little Candy is so clever. Your other grandparents are sure to adore you too. You're going to be the Tang Family's little princess."
Tang Tang: *...*
Seriously, is there something wrong with your head?
You know I like it, and you're still taking the Longevity Lock away?
That's the gold my grandpa gave me. If you're so jealous, go ask your own grandpa for some!
Su Xiajing: "..."
She hadn't expected her daughter to be such a little money-lover.
The baby already knew how to guard her wealth right after birth. Su Xiajing wasn't sure whether she should be pleased.
"Give it to me."
Su Xiajing took the Longevity Lock and put it around her daughter's neck, with a layer of clothing between it and her skin.
Tang Tang hurriedly weighed it in her tiny hand.
It really is solid.
It's worth a lot.
As long as I keep wearing this Longevity Lock, even if I get thrown away and separated from my beautiful mommy, I can sell it for money and make life a little better before I die.
My beautiful mommy is so good to me. I love you.
It would be even better if she'd put the bracelets on me too.
Her adoptive parents didn't earn much, and they had two children to support. Although they hadn't gone hungry or cold, their life certainly couldn't be called comfortable. This gold could improve life for the whole family to some extent.
It would be even better if she could be thrown away a little later and save up a bit more.
Su Xiajing: "..."
What on earth had this child been through to make her keep assuming she would be thrown away?
Have I not been doing enough?
"Give me the bracelets too."
Su Xiajing held out her hand and asked Wei Shufen for the gold bracelets, then slipped one onto each of Tang Tang's wrists.
"Ah, ah..."
Tang Tang happily kicked her little legs to show she liked them.
Gold, gold! I love gold! I love my beautiful mommy!
Su Xiajing: "..."
Am I ranked below gold now?
Tang Beichen: "..."
Am I worth less than gold now?
Before you continue