Chapter 3

By dinnertime that evening, Pei Yuan and Chao Qing still hadn’t returned.
Pei Hanying guessed they would be working overtime at the company again today. Only a few minutes after the thought occurred to her, sure enough, the smartwatch on her wrist began to vibrate.

After answering, Pei Hanying listened to Pei Yuan apologetically explain that she had to work overtime, then said magnanimously:
“It’s okay, Mommy. I’ll be fine at home with Aunt Feng and the others. Remember to eat on time, Mommy. Yingying will miss you!”

Hearing her daughter’s crisp voice over the phone, some of the weariness faded from Pei Yuan’s expression.
She reminded Pei Hanying several more times to eat properly and go to bed on time before finally ending the call.

Once the screen of her smartwatch went dark, Pei Hanying clambered into her seat on all fours and drawled to Aunt Feng with a precocious air:
“Aunt Feng, it’s just us eating together again today.”

Everything on the table was mild, easily digestible food suitable for children. Pei Hanying put down her chopsticks once she was eighty percent full, then let Xia Ting feed her some fruit. After playing a few educational games, she prepared to wash up and go to bed.

She had been bathing by herself since she was three. Although her short arms and legs made her movements somewhat clumsy, Pei Hanying’s tiny body contained an adult’s soul, so she was far too embarrassed to let anyone help her.2
Only occasionally would she allow Pei Yuan to bathe her.

After taking a piping-hot bath, Pei Hanying wrapped herself in a fluffy pajama robe and sat on a stool, swinging her legs while Xia Ting dried her hair.
The hair dryer blew with a soft whooshing sound. It wasn’t very loud and was actually rather sleep-inducing.
At Pei Hanying’s age, she expended a great deal of energy during the day and needed plenty of sleep. Before nine o’clock, she was already nodding off.

She nearly fell asleep several times, only to sway her head and blearily force her eyes open again.
When her hair was finally dry, Xia Ting said gently beside her ear, “Miss, go sleep in your bed.”

After responding softly, Pei Hanying jumped down from the stool.
The moment her feet touched the floor, the little girl became considerably more awake.

She climbed into bed and yawned, her eyes misty.
After removing her robe, she sank into the light, soft covers. The air conditioner ran quietly, and her entire body was on the verge of sinking into a warm dream.
Looking at Xia Ting as she bent down to tuck her in, Pei Hanying suddenly remembered something. She opened her eyes and said:

“Sister Tingting, I saw a little girl outside the wall today. Can ​stolen content​you have someone check whether she’s still sitting in that corner?”
Xia Ting froze upon hearing this.

But seeing Pei Hanying’s serious expression, she didn’t ask any further questions. After leaving the room, she took out her phone and made a call.
Several minutes later, Xia Ting returned and smiled at Pei Hanying. “Miss, they searched all around the outside of the villa but didn’t find anyone. Don’t worry. It’s so cold and already so late—how could a child possibly still be outside?”

Pei Hanying sighed in relief.
With her worries dispelled, the girl hugged her pillow and quickly fell asleep.

Close to midnight, Pei Yuan and Chao Qing drove home.
After returning, showering, and changing their clothes, the couple went to Pei Hanying’s room together to check on her. Seeing their daughter sleeping soundly, Pei Yuan kissed her forehead before going downstairs to listen to Xia Ting’s report on everything Pei Hanying had done that day.

After listening, Pei Yuan asked Aunt Feng, “Has someone moved into that small house beyond the backyard?”
Aunt Feng nodded, undisguised contempt in her eyes.
“I heard he’s a gambler. I don’t know how he managed to get in here. Apparently, he brought a girl with him too. That poor child.”

Pei Yuan furrowed her brows. After thinking for a moment, she said, “It’s been cold these past few days. Don’t let Yingbao wander outside in the yard too much.”2
Aunt Feng nodded in understanding. Pei Yuan had phrased it tactfully, but she understood perfectly. Children were easily influenced by their surroundings. Such a family had suddenly appeared in Jinhe Garden, and they even lived near the Pei residence. If Pei Hanying happened to encounter them and heard or saw something inappropriate, she would inevitably be led astray.

Pei Hanying slept peacefully in her dreams, naturally unaware of what Pei Yuan and Aunt Feng had discussed.
Children had weak constitutions. After being exposed to the cold like that yesterday, she woke the next morning with a runny nose.

Fortunately, Pei Hanying was usually very active and had always been quite healthy, so it was only a mild cold.
When her parents discovered her constantly sniffling in front of them, they made her drink another cup of cold medicine.

After taking the medicine, Pei Hanying slumped against the sofa and stared weakly at the ceiling, radiating the intense aura of a salted fish despite her tender age.
Even after drinking an entire cup of warm water, the strange taste of the cold medicine still lingered in her mouth.
The little girl puffed out her cheeks, her soft face swelling like an indignant pufferfish.

Pei Hanying thought resentfully that if she had known taking off her down jacket for only a short while would give her a cold, she wouldn’t have given it to that child.
Besides, that jacket had been her favorite from her latest batch of new clothes!

The salted fish on the sofa rolled over. The cold medicine she had swallowed began to take effect, and before long, drowsiness flooded Pei Hanying’s mind. In her daze, she quickly fell asleep.
Children needed plenty of sleep. When she opened her eyes again, a delicious aroma was drifting from the kitchen.

One small hand emerged from the fluffiness to rub her eyes, which still held a [read the original at bailiantales.com]trace of bewilderment in their amber depths.
After a minute or two, her drowsiness gradually faded.

She had originally fallen asleep leaning against the sofa, but now she was lying on it.
The villa had underfloor heating installed, making the interior exceptionally warm, so only a fluffy blanket covered her body.

After jumping down from the sofa and putting on her shoes, Pei Hanying followed the aroma toward the kitchen.
The Pei family had just installed carpeting in November, so her footsteps made almost no sound against it.

Aunt Feng and Aunt Zhang were in the kitchen. Aunt Feng was cooking while Aunt Zhang stood beside her, helping.
As she cracked an egg into a bowl, Aunt Zhang said, “I asked around about that Ning family behind us. They didn’t just move here a few days ago.”
“That man is no good. Not only does he spend all day doing nothing respectable, but he even viciously beats his own biological daughter. There’s barely a patch of uninjured skin left on the child.”

Pei Hanying had just reached the kitchen doorway when she heard this.
She froze slightly, and the bright smile on her face gradually faded.
Was the child they were talking about the one she had met yesterday?
The little girl remained silent and continued listening to their conversation.

As she listened to Aunt Zhang, Aunt Feng poured the beaten egg into the pot and stirred the soup.
She said indifferently, “That’s their family business. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

Realizing she had said too much, Aunt Zhang replied, “I’ll stop. I was only thinking about how our young miss is cherished like a treasure while another family’s little girl isn’t valued at all. The difference is quite stark when you think about it.”
After that, she said nothing more. Only the bubbling sound of the soup remained in the kitchen.

Pei Hanying waited for a minute before putting on a smile and speaking in her usual tone:
“Aunt Feng, Aunt Zhang, what are we having for lunch today?”

Hearing the little girl’s voice, Aunt Feng smiled as well.
“We’re having the meatballs you like, Miss. The food will be ready soon. Have Tingting take you to wash your hands. There’s egg-drop soup too.”

Pei Hanying nodded and cast what she had just overheard from her mind.
Call her coldhearted or lacking in empathy if they wished. In her previous life, Pei Hanying had struggled through society all alone, and the conclusion she had ultimately reached was that one should never meddle in other people’s affairs.

Giving the child curled up in the corner a coat yesterday already counted as an extraordinary burst of kindness from her.
Besides, she was only a child herself. Even if she wanted to do something, her abilities were limited, and she had no capacity to bear the consequences.

Several more days passed. The snow predicted by the weather forecast still hadn’t fallen. Instead, the skies cleared with unusual brightness, and the sunlight felt pleasantly warm against the skin.
Pei Hanying had recovered from her cold and [bailiantales.com]had been cooped up at home for several days. The moment her parents left for work, she immediately ordered someone to take her outside.

Jinhe Garden had a small playground specifically for the children living in the community.
Whenever the weather was pleasant, Pei Hanying liked going there to bask in the sun, though she rarely played with the snot-nosed, grubby little brats.

However, Pei Yuan had specifically instructed them that morning not to let Pei Hanying go outside, so Xia Ting found herself in a difficult position when she heard the request.
The adult and child stared at each other in a silent standoff.
Pei Hanying raised her chin slightly. “We’re going out. If Mommy gets angry, I’ll explain it to her myself.”

She had somehow learned to speak in exactly the same commanding tone Pei Yuan used when assigning tasks to her subordinates at the company.
Despite being a soft and adorable little girl, she carried an air that did not tolerate defiance.

In the end, Xia Ting could only submit to Young Miss Pei’s tyrannical might.
“Then you’ll have to explain it to Madam yourself when the time comes, Miss.”

Only then did Pei Hanying’s eyes curve as she nodded with a cheerful smile.
The faintly oppressive air from moments ago disappeared, and she became adorable again.

Pei Hanying put on a jacket and had Xia Ting comb her long hair before happily heading outside.
Holding Xia Ting’s hand, she looked curiously from side to side.

After only a few days indoors, the plants in Jinhe Garden had noticeably fewer leaves, and many had lost some of their color.
The two walked along a path scattered with fallen leaves toward the playground.

The playground was maintained by dedicated staff every day and washed and disinfected morning and evening.
The weather was exceptionally pleasant today, so many children were at the playground. They were all beautifully dressed, wearing either designer brands or custom-made clothes.

Several little boys who had been digging in the sand immediately pouted upon seeing Pei Hanying, grabbed their shovels, and hid farther back.
At the sight, the corner of Xia Ting’s mouth twitched.

These boys had once thought Pei Hanying was pretty and had ganged up to pull her braids in hopes of attracting her attention.
But Pei Hanying had occasionally attended taekwondo classes since she was three. The moment her scalp stung slightly, the four-year-old girl had simply beaten up four or five boys who were all a head taller than her.
No one knew how such a little girl could possess so much strength.
She hadn’t gone easy on them either. In the end, the boys had all gone home crying, their faces black and blue.

There were surveillance cameras in the playground, and checking the footage revealed that the boys had caused trouble first. Moreover, the Pei family was an elite family no one could afford to offend. No matter [unauthorized copy]how much the parents felt sorry for their children, they could only swallow their grievances.
After that, they almost always took a detour whenever they saw Pei Hanying.

Pei Hanying didn’t notice the children’s reactions. After entering the playground, she had Xia Ting wipe down a swing, then sat on it and began rocking gently.
She disliked remaining in the same kind of environment for too long because it made her feel stifled.
Even though the Pei family’s backyard also had a swing, she still liked coming somewhere farther away for a while.

The lazy sunlight fell over her, warming Pei Hanying’s hair and back. She closed her eyes, enjoying the surroundings that were entirely different from home.
That lasted until a harsh, coarse male voice exploded beside her ears.

“You little bitch! What are you doing all the way out here? Get your ass home and work!”
Pei Hanying frowned, opened her eyes, and looked toward the source of the voice.

A tall man with medium-length hair wore an overly baggy suit and held a bamboo switch in his hand. With a sharp swish, it cut through the stagnant air and struck the girl before him heavily. The girl staggered and nearly fell to her knees.

They weren’t far away, yet Pei Hanying heard no cry of pain.
Her gaze fell on the thinly dressed girl and the vaguely familiar yellowed ends of her hair.

“Get the hell home! This is a place for rich young masters and young ladies. You think a worthless little wretch like you belongs here?!”
The man didn’t stop. The wooden switch struck the girl again and again.

“Waaah!”
“Waaah, Mommy!”
Although the switch wasn’t falling on them, the children in the playground began crying one after another, frightened by the scene. For a moment, everything descended into chaos.
The nannies accompanying the children hurriedly tried to comfort them.

Several people couldn’t stand the sight and hastily shouted:
“How can you hit a child so viciously? Are you even human?!”
“Stop right now, or I’ll call the police!”
……

Hearing them, the man gave a vicious grin and twisted the girl’s ear, forcing her to turn and face everyone in the playground.
He said darkly, “I’m disciplining my own daughter. This is family business. What the fuck does it have to do with any of you?!”

The girl was forced to turn around, but her head remained lowered, leaving her face almost entirely obscured.
Displeased by her timid, cowering manner, the man grabbed her hair and forced her head back, exposing her face to everyone.

Ning Cheng said, “This little bitch is pretty enough. If you really can’t bear watching, then buy her and take her ​stolen content​home as a servant—or let her be a child bride for your young master.”

Upon seeing the face he had forcibly displayed, everyone present fell speechless for a moment.
There was no other reason. The little girl was simply too beautiful. Most children her age merely struck people as cute, but this girl’s beauty was breathtaking at first glance.

Her small face was pale and gaunt, unlike the baby-fat cheeks most children had.
Her features were exquisite, as though meticulously carved. Most striking of all were her jade-green catlike eyes, like a deep pool of rich emerald.
Her curls fell across her cheeks and shoulders, making her look like a living doll.

Abused by her father, breathtakingly beautiful, with rare, intensely green eyes.
Pei Hanying’s body stiffened. The more she thought about it, the more familiar this character description seemed.

She turned toward Xia Ting.
“Sister Tingting, is that man’s surname Ning?”

After receiving an affirmative answer, Pei Hanying closed her eyes in anguish.
No wonder the description seemed so familiar. Wasn’t the little girl being beaten right now Ning Song, the antisocial supervillain from Deep Affection for You?!