After Transmigrating As The Mother Of The Pitiful Female Supporting Character in a Campus Novel - Chapter 10

Xiao Nuo was momentarily taken aback by Xia Yaozhou’s words, but she remained calm as she continued to speak with her using blocks. To match the child’s processing speed, Xiao Nuo even deliberately slowed her speech.

Her undergraduate research focused on juvenile delinquency prevention, and it was only during grad school that she began focusing on the practical application of psychology throughout the entire process of juvenile justice.

Xiao Nuo was intrigued by Xia Yaozhou’s behavior.

Most children she had encountered who had suffered childhood abuse were extremely resistant to contact with strangers. In severe cases, they remained distrustful of others even after psychological counseling, spiraling into deep depression; others developed violent tendencies and refused to communicate altogether.

Xia Yaozhou was only three years old, but her current behavior didn’t fit the first category, nor was it close to the second.

Based on Qin Wang’s description, Xiao Nuo was certain that Xia Shibai hadn’t had time to take Xia Yaozhou to a psychiatrist yet.

Compared to a “normal” child, Xia Yaozhou certainly had her differences—for instance, her extreme wariness, her dislike of being directed or controlled, and her strong sense of territoriality. However, these traits weren’t entirely negative. At the very least, compared to children her age, Xia Yaozhou was more focused and methodical in her actions.

Even her answers to questions showed her own internal logic and understanding.

If it weren’t for the background Qin Wang provided and the fact that Yaozhou’s physical growth was clearly behind her peers, Xiao Nuo would find it hard to believe that this way of thinking belonged to an abused child.

Furthermore, Xia Yaozhou possessed an extraordinary level of empathy.

Taking Yaozhou’s history into account, Xiao Nuo slowly formulated questions to ask her, and the answers she received exceeded her expectations. She was truly a type Xiao Nuo had never encountered before.

By the time their chat ended, a “castle” made of blocks sat on the table. Aside from the ones Xiao Nuo had placed randomly, the section Yaozhou was responsible for was organized strictly by color.

As the final block was placed, Xia Yaozhou shifted all her attention to Xiao Nuo. Her expression was more relaxed than when they first met, indicating a growing trust.

“When is my Mommy coming?” Xia Yaozhou sat in her seat, frequently twisting her head to look at the door. Her hands, which had been on the table, slowly dropped to her lap, fingers twisting together in a clear display of anxiety.

Xiao Nuo checked the time and, figuring Qin Wang’s side was finished, stood up and reached out to Xia Yaozhou. “Do you want to walk with me?”

Xia Yaozhou sat on the stool, thought about it, and shook her head. “I can do it myself.”

Rejecting the invitation, Xia Yaozhou first braced her hands on the seat, turned around to press her stomach against it, kicked her legs in the air, and eventually landed on the floor in a half-squat.

She calmly patted down her skirt, hopped twice in her shoes, and tilted her head to stare at Xiao Nuo, as if waiting for her to say something.

Uncertainly, Xiao Nuo replied, “Great job?”

Xia Yaozhou looked at her in confusion, then pointed to the high door handle. “I can’t reach the handle, Xiao Nuo.”

Xiao Nuo: “…”

Thinking about picking up a car, Xia Shibai contacted her personal assistant, Shao Qing, telling her to make an appointment at a 4S dealership—the sooner the car could be picked up, the better. She also requested that the car be outfitted with all the necessary child safety accessories.

Upon receiving the task, Shao Qing immediately pulled some car-savvy colleagues into a group chat to get the job done. As for the people in the chat clamoring for her to share photos of Xia Yaozhou, she ignored them as usual.

She wasn’t particularly interested in children and didn’t understand why everyone at the office had been so obsessed lately, constantly trying to fish for news about Xia Yaozhou from her and Yao Yao.

Yao Yao told her that some people had even started a “Flower Protection Group” for the briefly-seen Xia Yaozhou, pulling every internal string to find out when President Xia would next visit the office and if she’d bring the girl along.

Shao Qing: “?” Don’t these people have work to do?

Little did she know, she would eventually be the one begging and pleading to be let into the Xia Yaozhou corporate fan club.

Shao Qing’s efficiency was well-known. Xia Shibai left the task in her hands, only caring about the end result. With the car settled, Xia Shibai began to consider hiring a nanny to cook.

She was fine with looking after the child, but when it came to cooking, she had zero confidence. She had tried learning from the orphanage director, but the results were so poor in both appearance and taste that she’d given up. After leaving the orphanage, she mostly ate at cafeterias. Even when looking for housing, she prioritized proximity to food. Learning to cook after transmigrating? Definitely not an option.

Finding a reliable live-in cook was now an urgent priority.

As Xia Shibai was lost in thought, she felt a tug on her clothes. Her fitted T-shirt was pulled downward, and looking down, she saw Xia Yaozhou peeking out from behind her chair.

Xia Shibai smiled and ruffled the girl’s soft hair, helping her straighten her skirt.

“Is Mommy’s work done?” Xia Yaozhou leaned most of her weight toward Xia Shibai. She fully trusted that the mother sitting in the chair would protect her; her posture was much more relaxed than when she was alone with Officer Xiao Nuo. She buried half her face against Xia Shibai’s stomach, inhaling the scent of laundry detergent on her mother’s clothes.

She felt instantly enveloped in a familiar, safe atmosphere.

Xia Yaozhou half-squinted and let out a yawn; a second later, she was scooped up into Xia Shibai’s arms.

“It’s done. Let’s go home.”

“Okay…” The child’s energy was spent. Nestled in Xia Shibai’s embrace, she adjusted to a comfortable position and began blinking rapidly. Within moments, she was sound asleep on Xia Shibai’s shoulder.

Officer Xiao Nuo, standing by the door, took in everything from the girl’s entry to her falling asleep. She was mentally organizing what to say to Xia Shibai, but when the woman turned to look at her, she was momentarily stunned by how striking she looked.

Xiao Nuo hadn’t expected Xia Shibai to look so vibrant and refreshed after having a child. No matter how much money is spent on maintenance, the toll of childbirth usually shows. But Xia Shibai showed none of it.

“Hello,” Xia Shibai said to the dazed female officer, nodding toward the door with a light smile. “Thank you for watching Zhouzhou. I hope she wasn’t too much trouble?”

Xiao Nuo quickly stepped aside and shook her head. “Not at all, she was very good.”

“Although she has suffered trauma and is different from ‘normal’ children, I’ve observed that with some effort to build her sense of security and reshape her social interactions, the issues shouldn’t be too large,” Xiao Nuo suggested. “Regarding a treatment plan, we usually suggest not talking about it directly.”

“Because she’s still very young, her memories of the past are short. As time goes on, her current life will fill those gaps. You don’t need to ‘fix’ her too deliberately; just getting her out of that old environment will lead to a slow recovery.”

Hearing this, Xia Shibai thought of the original Yaozhou who could never escape her past. She gently patted the sleeping girl. “Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Excuse me…”

“Xiao Nuo.”

The two women at the meeting room door turned to see Qin Wang, who had taken off his uniform, supporting Liu Tong nearby.

Xiao Nuo looked back. “What is it?”

“Change your clothes, I’ll drive you back,” Qin Wang said, pulling the slipping Liu Tong back up. “I’m taking Liu Tong to the hospital, so I’ll drop you off on the way.”

Qin Wang’s gaze shifted to Xia Shibai. “You should come too. It’s not safe here.”

His implication was clear: Xia Shibai was alone with a child in a busy police station where that hostile mother and son were still present. In the current chaos, no one could keep a special eye on them.

Xia Shibai initially thought about refusing but didn’t want to risk it. Plus, Officer Xiao Nuo was a psychology expert who had already observed Yaozhou; she was far more professional than herself, and Xia Shibai could ask her questions on the way.

Thinking this, she agreed. “I’ll have Old Wu drive back on his own, and I’ll take a taxi later.”

“No need, I’ll drive you.” Qin Wang led them out, unlocked his car, and stuffed Liu Tong—who was breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain—into the passenger seat, buckling his seatbelt.

“Does Officer Qin actually have the time?” Xia Shibai teased lightly. It was such a small station in a remote area, yet everyone seemed run off their feet. While she’d been in the meeting room, she’d seen four different people come in to report telecom scams; the place was a swarm of people and ringing phones. Staying in that environment was enough to wear anyone’s nerves thin.

Qin Wang opened the door for them. “Don’t worry, I’ve officially clocked out this time.”

Definitely won’t be called back to work halfway through.

“Thank you for your hard work.” Xia Shibai suppressed a smile. Thinking of Qin Wang’s desperate attempts to clock out despite his wealthy background, she realized he truly was “serving the people”—work was an equal-opportunity tormentor for everyone.

As they set off, the route became familiar to Xia Shibai. The image of the calm, white-coated Qin Zhijin flickered in her mind. She recalled that Yaozhou was the only thing she’d seen cause an emotional ripple in the doctor; otherwise, she was remarkably reliable and reassuring.

She wondered if Dr. Qin was on shift right now.

Looking at the sleeping Yaozhou in her arms, she thought: Since we’re heading that way anyway, I might as well have Dr. Qin give her a quick check-up.