Mommy's heart would ache

Besides, the old man of the Tang Family had done something so heartless to her daughter-namely, her. Pretty Mommy had already shown consideration for her scumbag dad, Great-Grandma, and the rest of the Tang Family by not confronting him and making a scene in public.

And now she was supposed to use her status as the Tang Family's daughter-in-law to gain advantages...

Tang Tang put herself in her mother's shoes. If someone asked her to do that, she would definitely blow up.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Tang Tang stopped drinking her milk and hurriedly apologized, reaching up with her little hand to stroke Su Xiajing's face in a gesture of goodwill.

"I'm sorry, Pretty Mommy. I didn't consider your feelings."

"I apologize. Will you forgive me this once? I won't do it again."

"If you don't like it, we won't go downstairs. We'll stay up here and sneak down at dinnertime. Once we've eaten, we'll go home."

Su Xiajing froze.

She had said those things only to help her daughter understand her thoughts, not to make her apologize.

With her daughter repeatedly stroking her and apologizing, Su Xiajing was at a loss instead.

What... was she supposed to do?

She had not even graduated from being a novice mother, yet she already had to jump ahead to having heart-to-heart talks with her daughter as a friend-and her daughter did not even know she could hear her thoughts.

How could she act naturally without letting her daughter discover that she could hear her inner voice?

It was too big a leap. Su Xiajing genuinely panicked, yet her daughter's willingness to put herself in her shoes and respect her wishes made her so happy she wanted to scream and cry.

So many emotions surged through her that she truly did not know what to do.

"I'm fine."

Su Xiajing caught her daughter's little hand and pressed it against her forehead, lowering her head to hide her overflowing emotions. Her voice choked up despite herself.

"Mommy's precious baby is so thoughtful. Mommy is so happy."

Tang Tang was at a loss too.

She had never experienced such intense emotion between a mother and daughter.

In her previous lives, her adoptive parents had been busy working every day. Earning enough to support her and her older brother had exhausted all their energy, leaving them no time to tend to other feelings.

Their family repeated much the same routine every day, and that had continued for ten lifetimes.

Tang Tang had grown used to quiet, uneventful affection that went unspoken.

This was her first encounter with feelings so intense and openly expressed.

Even though Pretty Mommy said she was merely happy that Tang Tang was touching her affectionately.

It was still something she was not used to.

Fortunately, she was still a tiny baby. Even if she felt something, it would hardly show, and she did not need to say anything.

Tang Tang let Su Xiajing hold her little hand and be moved, not daring to stir.

"Do you like this?"

"If you like me being thoughtful, I'll try hard to be good to you and considerate of you from now on."

"Don't be afraid after the divorce. You'll still have me. I'll stay with you and be a good baby who won't make you worry or break your heart."

"It's fine if you want to start a new relationship too. As long as he isn't ugly and has a good character, I'll support you!"

"It's fine if you want to get married too. I won't object."

Su Xiajing was speechless.

Why had this child suddenly started thinking so far ahead?

"Oh, you. How is our Tangtang so understanding?"

Su Xiajing helplessly released her daughter's hand and tapped her tiny nose. "You're still a child. Being carefree, willful, and acting spoiled is a child's privilege. You don't need to be so thoughtful."

"Otherwise, Mommy's heart will ache."

"...That might be a little difficult."

"After all, I'm not really a tiny baby. Even if this little baby's body often affects me and makes me act like one without meaning to, my soul isn't a baby's."

"Besides... I really don't know how to be willful or act spoiled."

*"..."*

Su Xiajing's heart clenched, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

She scooped Tang Tang out of the stroller and buried her face against her.

My daughter, my poor daughter.

Tang Tang was utterly bewildered.

What happened?

Why does it feel like Pretty Mommy is crying?

She wanted to wriggle free and see for herself, but a tiny baby's strength was far too limited. She could only flail a few times.

Knock, knock-

Someone knocked on the bedroom door.

A moment later, the door opened a crack from outside, and Tang Xianqi asked softly, "Auntie, is Tangtang awake?"

"She is."

Su Xiajing quickly wiped away her tears, adjusted Tang Tang in her arms, and picked up the bottle again to feed her. "She just woke up. She's still drinking her milk."

"Come on in."

The door swung fully open, and the little ones who had been cautiously hiding behind Tang Xianqi swarmed inside.

"I told you little Tangtang was awake!"

Taking advantage of his long legs, Tang Jian was the first to dash over.

"Yes, yes, Jian, you're so amazing."

"Let's play with our little sister!"

"Oh, little Tangtang has a mark on this cheek. It's so cute!"

"Seriously, Yiyi? Even that counts as cute?"

"What do you know, Jian? It is cute!"

"Her cheeks are all rosy. She's so pretty."

In no time, Su Xiajing was surrounded by little kids.

The twins had short legs, and by the time they arrived, there was no room left for them.

The older boys and girls in front were so tall that they could not see their little sister even on tiptoe.

Tang Youzhen grabbed the nearby Tang Ziyang's clothes and tried to climb up him.

"Little sister! Xiao Zhen wants to see little sister too!"

Tang Ziyang stumbled under his tugging, then simply stepped out and gave his spot to his younger brother.

"Go ahead."

Tang Youzhen happily squeezed in.

Tang Youhao stood to the side and watched for a while, then decisively turned to find his eldest brother.

"Big Brother."

He stretched out his short little arms, asking to be picked up.

Tang Xianqi was speechless.

You want me to carry you?

Tang Youhao stared at him without blinking, his arms still outstretched. "Pick me up. See little sister."

For a twelve-year-old, lifting a chubby three-year-old was a strain, but still doable.

Tang Xianqi bent down and picked him up.

Without exerting any effort, Tang Youhao got his wish and saw his little sister.

Tang Tang was speechless.

"This little chub actually knows how to find free labor to carry him and get the best spot!"

"He looks like he can barely get a word out, but he's surprisingly clever."

"At least he's smarter than the crybaby chub."

"No wonder the crybaby always gets beaten until he cries. With that little brain of his, he's no match for the scaredy-cat."

"Wait, that's not right."

"Tang Youhao in his twenties had a completely different personality. Am I remembering something wrong?"

"That nasty old man did call him a coward several times before, so I should have it right."

"Or did I get it wrong because I spent too little time back with the Tang Family?"

Otherwise, she really could not connect that scaredy-cat in his twenties with the clever, grudge-holding, even slightly scheming little chub before her-though she should not use that word for a little child, he really had shown that potential last time at her eldest uncle's house.