Chapter 42

Chu Jiayun took excellent care of Xinxin and educated her well; Yu Sui had no worries about that. From the Netherlands to Licheng, the more contact she had, the more she admired Chu Jiayun’s dedication and capability. Even though Yu Sui was trying her best to catch up, she was still a far cry from Chu Jiayun in many aspects of childcare.

But precisely because of Xinxin, their shared child, Yu Sui and Chu Jiayun were firmly bound together. Yu Sui knew Chu Jiayun’s original intention for going to the base under a disguise, but it puzzled her why Chu Jiayun hadn’t retaliated against her after learning the truth.

During this reunion, Chu Jiayun’s entire focus was on Xinxin, as if she had forgotten that Yu Sui was an SS-class Alpha. This made Yu Sui feel it was necessary to get to know Chu Jiayun all over again.

What kind of person was her daughter’s biological mother? She would have to deal with this woman frequently for a long time to come. Yu Sui couldn’t pretend she didn’t know or didn’t remember.

Furthermore, back at her apartment that summer, was Chu Jiayun’s initiative her true desire or part of her disguise? Yu Sui picked through the long-buried details of her memory bit by bit, finding Chu Jiayun’s behavior contradictory and baffling.

However, none of this hindered her bonding with Xinxin. Children really do rely on intuition; if you treat them with sincerity, they will feel it. Although Xinxin’s feelings had been hurt before, Auntie Yu’s practical actions proved she still loved her very much, so the child opened up a spot for her in her heart once again.

The weather was great this weekend, though slightly warm. The adults could wear short sleeves, but Xinxin still wore a thin jacket. Chu Jiayun drove while Yu Sui sat in the back chatting with Xinxin. Yu Sui hadn’t had time to properly explore this city yet; all her time was spent looking for work resources and mooching meals at Chu Jiayun’s house.

Shortly after getting out of the car, Xinxin complained about the heat and wanted to take off her jacket. Chu Jiayun disagreed: “There will be air conditioning soon and it will be cold. Xinxin, hold on a little longer.”

Perhaps because Auntie Yu was there, Xinxin knew she had an ally, so she was a bit more willful than usual, tugging at her little jacket: “But Mom, I’m already sweating.”

Chu Jiayun gently wiped some sweat with a tissue but still didn’t allow her to take it off.

Yu Sui couldn’t bear it and suggested to Chu Jiayun: “How about taking it off for a bit, and putting it back on if it gets cold inside?”

Xinxin was delighted to hear this and gripped Yu Sui’s hand tighter.

Chu Jiayun remained unmoved: “We are very close to the entrance, and there’s a strong vent right there. She likes going to the indoor pavilion first, and the temperature there is kept very low year-round. By the time she feels cold, it’ll be too late.”

This was clearly the voice of experience. Yu Sui figured Chu Jiayun must have been caught out before with bad consequences, otherwise, she wouldn’t have the heart to watch her daughter sweat without letting her take the jacket off.

She could only coax Xinxin with a smile: “Mom has a point. If Xinxin catches a cold and gets sick, it will be even more uncomfortable, and you won’t be able to go out and play tomorrow.”

Xinxin was excited: “We can keep playing tomorrow?”

Usually, on weekends, Chu Jiayun could only take Xinxin out for one day. The other day she needed to visit her comatose sister in the hospital and then handle some studio work.

So for Xinxin, the opportunity to go out and play on the weekend was only one day.

Chu Jiayun looked at Yu Sui, her eyes signaling that she shouldn’t use such words to trick the child. Yu Sui countered: “I’ll take her out tomorrow; you do your work.”

Chu Jiayun was clearly uneasy about leaving her daughter alone with her, not because she worried about Yu Sui having bad intentions, but because she doubted her childcare abilities and her knowledge of the city.

However, Yu Sui seemed to read her mind: “We’ll just play in the neighborhood; nothing will happen.”

By then, they had reached the entrance. Just as Chu Jiayun said, the wind at the entrance was very strong. Even the hair of the two adults was visibly blown up, let alone a three-year-old’s resistance.

Yu Sui carried Xinxin and walked through quickly, using her shoulder to block the wind for her. Passing through the corridor, they entered the indoor pavilion, which mostly housed reptiles.

Chu Jiayun’s insistence had been right. It felt like about 20°C inside; while it was sunny outside, it was cool and breezy in here. [Read on BaiLianTales]Yu Sui wrapped Xinxin’s jacket tightly around her.

“Xinxin isn’t hot now, right?”

Xinxin’s attention was already captured by the little animals behind the glass. She didn’t have the energy to deal with Auntie Yu. Out of politeness, she squeezed out a few words: “Not hot.”

As an Alpha, Yu Sui was physically superior, so Xinxin was mostly carried by her. Wherever she pointed, Yu Sui took her. Chu Jiayun followed them, carrying Xinxin’s pink water bottle on her wrist, occasionally feeding her water.

Yu Sui didn’t feel tired, but there was sweat on her forehead. She turned her head to wipe it, but it was inconvenient while holding Xinxin. Chu Jiayun offered to take the child: “Let me carry her.”

“It’s fine, I’m not tired.”

Seeing Yu Sui’s persistence, Chu Jiayun didn’t force the issue. Seeing the sweat on Yu Sui’s forehead increase, she waited a while before finally pulling a tissue from her bag and wiping it for her.

Yu Sui was laughing while listening to Xinxin explain the origins of the little green snakes and the stories she had made up, when suddenly a faint scent of rose approached, followed by a soft wet wipe on her forehead—cool and comfortable.

Before she could thank Chu Jiayun, Xinxin proactively took over the job. Her little hand gripped the wipe and dabbed at Yu Sui again and again.

Her forehead wasn’t enough; just like how her mom usually wiped her face, she wiped Yu Sui’s entire face before feeling satisfied, giggling: “Auntie Yu is as good as Xinxin.”

Chu Jiayun couldn’t help but laugh as well, offering help to Yu Sui once more: “Give Xinxin to me. Go touch up your makeup.”

Even light makeup, thin foundation, and no other heavy products couldn’t withstand a child circling a wet wipe over her face several times. Yu Sui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She reluctantly handed Xinxin over: “I’ll be right back. Wait for me.”

Before leaving, she gently pinched Xinxin’s tender cheek: “You little troublemaker.”

Watching Yu Sui’s back, Xinxin covered her mouth with both hands and continued to giggle, until Chu Jiayun seriously pulled them away: “Didn’t I say you can’t touch your mouth with unwashed hands?”

Xinxin stuck out her tongue and obediently put her hands down.

“Xinxin, don’t mess with Auntie Yu.”

Xinxin felt a rare bit of guilt and hugged her mom, whimpering: “I wasn’t messing around.”

Chu Jiayun sighed inwardly. She should have disciplined the child, but Xinxin never acted like this in front of others; even with Bai Jiling, she was mostly well-behaved. She only acted out occasionally in front of Yu Sui, likely because she sensed Yu Sui’s heartfelt indulgence and couldn’t help but test whether she could truly receive Auntie Yu’s unlimited affection.

“Auntie Yu likes you very much, so you should like her too.”

“I do like Auntie Yu.”

“Then don’t wipe her face like that in the future.”

Yu Sui returned just in time to hear Xinxin say she liked her. Her heart instantly melted, and she quickly took the child back into her arms.

After wandering the zoo for most of the day and enthusiastically introducing her favorite panda, Nini, Xinxin fell fast asleep on Yu Sui’s shoulder. Yu Sui and Chu Jiayun discussed it and decided to go home.

“Can I come over for dinner again tonight? Otherwise, I’ll have to order takeout.”

Chu Jiayun drove in silence, not refusing. Occasionally catching the way Yu Sui gazed at Xinxin in the rearview mirror, her heart trembled inexplicably.

The next morning, Yu Sui arrived early. She promised to play with Xinxin at home for a while before taking her to the park downstairs. With the nanny helping out at home, Chu Jiayun wasn’t too worried, but she was still uneasy about Yu Sui taking Xinxin anywhere outside the door.

“I’ll start a video call; you can watch anytime. Will that work?”

Only then did Chu Jiayun feel at ease enough to head out. She only said she was going out for errands and didn’t tell Yu Sui who she was visiting. Xinxin was used to her mom being out for a while on Sunday mornings, so she focused on playing games with Auntie Yu.

Yu Sui looked at Xinxin’s round belly and soft face, unable to get enough. Feeling an urge in her heart, she tested the waters: “Xinxin, who usually stays home with you when Mom isn’t here?”

“Auntie Qian,” Xinxin said, referring to the nanny who usually looked after the house.

“What about Auntie Bai? Does she come often?”

Xinxin was arranging building blocks and just tried her best to think of answers to Yu Sui’s questions, not considering why she was being asked at all.

“Auntie Bai only comes once in a long time.”

Yu Sui felt a bit more at ease. She looked around and saw Auntie Qian busy in the kitchen, then asked Xinxin: “Does Mom have any other good friends? Like Auntie Yu, who often comes over for dinner and takes Xinxin out with Mom.”

Xinxin shook her head: “Mom doesn’t have friends.”

Yu Sui felt a pang in her heart, then heard Xinxin say: “But Mom says Xinxin is her best friend.”

She hadn’t planned on saying it so early, but thinking of how Chu [unauthorized copy]Jiayun and her daughter were practically living in isolation together, Yu Sui felt waves of bitterness and an irrepressible heartache.

“Xinxin, what if Auntie Yu becomes your mom too? Would that be okay?”

Xinxin stopped playing with her blocks. Clearly, this hypothetical stumped her.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I only have one mom.”

When Chu Jiayun returned from the hospital and heard from Xinxin about this difficult and frightening question Yu Sui had asked, her previously open and welcoming attitude finally turned into anger.

She left Xinxin in Auntie Qian’s care and went into the study with Yu Sui.

“We agreed to take things slow. Why did you suddenly say something like that to Xinxin?”

“It’s too hard for you to raise her alone. I want to share the burden.”

“Sharing the burden doesn’t mean you have to snatch away an identity. Do you know this will make Xinxin feel confused and insecure?”

Yu Sui was puzzled. How could having one more person to love her be insecure for a child?

Chu Jiayun suppressed her anger and tried her best to remain [stolen content]calm: “In her world, ‘Mom’ represents the source of all her security and her only reliance. By asking that now, you are undoubtedly implying to her that the identity of ‘Mom’ is replaceable.”

“I… I didn’t think that far ahead. I just feel it’s very hard for you to raise her alone, and I want to help you.”

Chu Jiayun said nothing, but Yu Sui didn’t give up: “But I am her other mother; that is a fact. Sooner or later, I will need a legitimate identity to protect her from the wind and rain.”

Yu Sui paused and became more determined: “I want to be her mother not to take away your identity, but because I want to protect her together with you.”