Chapter 14

At first, Pei Hanying felt somewhat unaccustomed to holding Ning Song’s hand.
Only after they had walked some distance did she gradually become used to it.

Holding the little girl’s hand as they walked home, she said:
“Ning Song, don’t listen to anything he said just now.”

She paused before saying lightly:
“From now on, no one will bully you anymore.”

Those words carried immense weight.
Although they were both only a few years old, they both understood that fulfilling such a promise wouldn’t be easy.

Yet no matter how difficult it would be, Pei Hanying still made that promise.
Perhaps from the moment she first met Ning Song, she had been destined to soften toward her. Even after resisting it hundreds and thousands of times inwardly, she had ultimately failed.

She had already brought Ning Song home and cared for her for several days. After watching her gradually become a soft and adorable child under proper care, Pei Hanying truly couldn’t stand by coldly and watch her be bullied again.

Since that was the case, claiming Ning Song as one of her own and protecting her within her territory wouldn’t be too difficult.
She had never been this softhearted toward anyone before. Ning Song alone was the exception.

Pei Hanying thought that perhaps Ning Song’s experiences resembled her own in her previous life, which was why she was willing to break her boundaries for her again and again.
But ultimately, it was because Ning Song was simply too well-behaved.

In the past, aside from flowers and plants, Pei Hanying had never managed to keep any living thing alive.
Now that she was the Pei family’s young miss, raising one person shouldn’t be a problem.

After thinking everything through, Pei Hanying squeezed Ning Song’s hand again.
The [read the original at bailiantales.com]little girl’s hand was tiny. Although it had little flesh, it was still quite soft.

“Did you hear me?”

Only after hearing the voice beside her did Ning Song emerge from her daze.
She looked at Pei Hanying. The expression on her face was no different from usual, giving no indication that she had just made such a solemn promise.

Ning Song knew how difficult it would be to fulfill that promise.
But she couldn’t determine whether Pei Hanying had spoken casually or truly meant it.

Ning Song couldn’t figure it out.
In the end, under Pei Hanying’s gaze, she merely nodded gently and smiled naturally. “I heard you. Thank you, Yingying.”

Pei Hanying nodded reservedly and brought her home.
Only after they returned did she release the little girl’s hand. After lunch, she called Pei Yuan and told her what had happened that day.

After hearing the entire story, Pei Yuan asked, “Were you or Xiao Song hurt?”
Only after Pei Hanying answered in the negative did she continue, “Have you thought this through? Pei Hanying, Ning Song is a person, not a kitten or puppy. If you want to take her in and raise her, you must be responsible for her—not for one year or two, but for many years.”

Pei Hanying had already prepared herself for this possibility, but upon hearing those words, she still hesitated.
She pressed her lips together. After a long moment, she finally said quietly, “Mommy, let me think about it properly.”

Pei Yuan said only what was necessary. She respected Pei Hanying’s decision and knew her daughter had her own ideas.
She merely said, “I’ll send someone to deal with Ning Cheng. Rest properly at home, and don’t catch a chill when you go outside.”

Mother and daughter chatted briefly before ending the call.
Ning Song was taking an afternoon nap in her room. The instant Pei Hanying hung up, she collapsed limply onto the sofa, looking utterly drained.

She puffed out her cheeks slightly before releasing a [unauthorized copy]heavy sigh.
Pei Yuan wasn’t wrong. If she truly decided to bring Ning Song into the Pei family, she would have to take responsibility for her for at least another decade.

Ning Song might appear obedient now, but no one knew what she would become after growing up.
At the thought, Pei Hanying couldn’t help sighing again.
But Ning Song happened to be the villain who would turn dark in the original novel.
Should she trust Ning Song or the original plot?

Lying facedown on the bed, Pei Hanying felt a little dead inside.
Perhaps she should raise her for now and see how things went?

Considering Ning Song’s health, it would probably take some time for her to recover completely.
She could decide after spending more time with her.

Once she had made that decision, Pei Hanying stopped agonizing over it.
She sprang up and went to Ning Song’s room to check on her.

The little girl was sleeping soundly. Her sleeping face was peaceful, her long lashes lowered, and her entire face soft and adorable.
Watching Ning Song sleep so peacefully made Pei Hanying feel somewhat sleepy too.

Should she go upstairs to sleep or sleep here in Ning Song’s room?
Pei Hanying debated the question for only a second before immediately reaching an answer.

She thought with complete justification that they had already slept together twice, so what was wrong with doing it a few more times?
It wasn’t easy to encounter a beautiful child who was clean and well-mannered.
Pei Hanying removed her outer clothes and slipped beneath the covers.

She initially left some distance between herself and Ning Song. After a while, however, Pei Hanying thought about it and moved closer, discovering that Ning Song’s hands and feet were indeed still icy.
Pei Hanying wrapped her arms around her, closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

By the time they woke, it was already past three.
After each drinking a bottle of warm milk, Pei Hanying brought Ning Song to her treasured greenhouse.

The temperature inside the greenhouse was comfortable, and the flowers bloomed brilliantly.
Seeing Ning Song stand at the [read the original at bailiantales.com]entrance with her lips parted slightly in amazement, Pei Hanying felt rather proud. She moved closer and asked with a bright smile:
“I grew all of these myself. Aren’t I amazing?”

Ning Song looked at her and nodded earnestly.
“Yingying is the most amazing.”

The corners of Pei Hanying’s lips lifted, clearly pleased by the praise.
Yet she still said reservedly, “I’m only all right. Growing these isn’t that difficult.”

Ning Song insisted, “Yingying is amazing.”
Looking at the earnest expression on her soft white face, Pei Hanying couldn’t suppress her smile.

She curved her lips, pinched Ning Song’s cheek, and asked:
“Ning Song, why are you so adorable?”

Hearing her words, Ning Song’s cheeks gradually flushed crimson beneath Pei Hanying’s gaze.
Her lashes fluttered softly before lowering to conceal the embarrassment in her eyes. She wanted to say something, but her mouth seemed to have been glued shut.

Yingying had called her adorable…
This was the first time Ning Song had heard someone she liked call her adorable.
Even her heartbeat spiraled beyond her control, as though countless butterflies had emerged inside her and were about to burst through her chest.

Several seconds later, Ning Song replied in a very quiet voice:
“I’m not that adorable.”

Pei Hanying looked at her flushed cheeks, tilted her head, and smiled as she imitated Ning Song’s tone from earlier.
“But Kitty is adorable.”

Ning Song’s ears burned as she muttered softly, “No.”

Pei Hanying watered the camellia beside her. After the droplets soaked into the soil, she feigned surprise and said:
“I said Kitty was adorable. I wasn’t talking about you.”

Ning Song pressed her lips together, released them, and lightly glared at Pei Hanying.
“But I’m Kitty.”
She still remembered that this was what Pei Hanying had called her on the day she brought her home.
Although she didn’t understand why, since she clearly had neither ears nor a tail and couldn’t meow.

Pei Hanying readily went along with her. “All right, then.”
“Kitty is adorable.”

She was still calling her adorable.
Ning Song fell silent and crouched in the corner to pull the weeds growing in a flowerpot, resembling a little mushroom that had been bullied.

Pei Hanying nearly failed to suppress her laughter.