Chapter 75

If it had been before, in her moment of frustration, she would have inevitably indulged in wine, women, and song, turning day into night. But at that time, Lin Xu only wanted to cry her heart out, unrestrained.

The daughter she had originally thought she could use to control Shu Qingyou unexpectedly brought her a sense of dependence. Perhaps children really did have a comforting effect.

Lin Xu knew her tear-streaked face looked ugly. She poured mineral water onto a tissue to wipe it clean and apologized to Shu Rong. “Sorry, Mommy lost control.”

“Thank you, Rongrong.”

She hugged this soft, tiny “comfort dog” tightly again. What a poor child—her mother had abandoned her at such a young age.

Shu Rong felt stifled and thought Mommy was acting very strange today. She pouted to show her sadness.

Her little face was flushed from labored breathing, making her look utterly adorable. The more Lin Xu looked, the more heartbroken she felt—like a miniature Shu Qingyou putting on a pitiful act for her.

“I’ll go buy you a little cake. Don’t cry, okay?”

At the mention of cake, Shu Rong perked up a bit, but she was still listless. She started missing Mommy. Mommy made her feel so safe, and she liked Mommy’s scent even more.

She would see Mommy as soon as they got home. With that thought, a smile appeared at the corners of Shu Rong’s mouth.

The next day, the sun rose as usual. The curtains were drawn tightly; without the alarm clock blaring, Lin Xu would have slept until the end of time.

She quickly reached out to turn off the alarm. Shu Rong’s head was buried in the covers, curled up like a little kitten snoring away.

For no reason at all, Lin Xu felt guilty toward her. When they got home yesterday, Shu Rong had played as if nothing was wrong at first. But as time passed and night fell, she grew incredibly anxious.

She clutched her little doll and paced restlessly by the entryway. Every few minutes, her short little legs carried her thumping over to Lin Xu, pointing at the tightly shut door.

Your mommy isn’t coming back, Lin Xu had wanted to tell her the truth several times but ended up lying with kind words instead.

“Mommy’s on a business trip. You know what work is, right? She went to earn money so she can buy you lots of little cakes.”

Shu Rong listened quietly. So cakes required Mommy to work so hard.

When she had amnesia, she had always taken Shu Qingyou’s place in caring for Shu Rong. Now, helping her bathe and change into pajamas felt natural and effortless.

Today, she had arranged to meet Gu Huaiyuan. At eleven in the morning, the two met on time. Gu Huaiyuan was as enchanting as ever.

After they sat down, Lin Xu said nothing, her face terrifyingly gloomy. Gu Huaiyuan was startled, her teasing mood dampened.

But Lin Xu’s daughter was so pretty, dressed in a sky-blue cotton jacket that made her face look especially fair and tender.

“Rongrong, take a look at what you want to eat. Auntie will order for you.” Gu Huaiyuan handed over the tablet, which displayed a variety of delicacies.

Shu Rong had been held by Mommy all morning, feeling an inexplicable grievance. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the food, and she reached out without hesitation.

Just as she was about to tap, a hand blocked her view.

“Rongrong, from now on, you can only have cake once a week.”

Shu Rong was utterly confused. Did Mommy not like her anymore? She blinked, and tears welled up instantly.

Gu Huaiyuan had no experience with children and panicked at the sight. She hurriedly offered a tissue and playfully punched Lin Xu’s arm.

“Watch out, or I’ll tell on you to your wife. Will a little treat bankrupt you?”

Lin Xu shot her a sharp glare and sneered, “If you have the guts, go find her.”

Strange—mentioning that lady didn’t intimidate Lin Xu at all. Seeing Lin Xu’s half-dead expression, Gu Huaiyuan’s gossip fire blazed.

“Did you two fight?”

Lin Xu snatched the tablet, selected some popular dishes without looking up. “No fight.”

“Then why do you look like someone owes you millions?”

“I got dumped.”

Gu Huaiyuan had just soothed Shu Rong when her arm froze. Her first reaction wasn’t sadness or joy, but pure gossip enthusiasm.

“Come on, spill the details. You, getting dumped? A day to celebrate across the land.”

Gu Huaiyuan said it right in front of the victim, but to spare Lin Xu’s face, she deliberately held back on mocking.

Lin Xu rolled her eyes at her. She was just here for the show, without a shred of concern for a friend. But thinking about it, Lin Xu really didn’t have many close confidants.

After briefly explaining the whole story, Gu Huaiyuan’s jaw nearly dropped.

After a moment to recover, she said blankly, “I knew you were scum, but I didn’t expect you’d pull the forced love stunt. You’re impressive.”

Gu Huaiyuan gave a thumbs-up. “Your family’s Omega didn’t call the cops on you. She’s a saint, a white lotus reincarnated.”

Lin Xu didn’t want to hear the barbs in her words. “Can you help me find a way to win her back?”

At that, Gu Huaiyuan straightened up—it was her time to shine. She put on an air of profundity. “Are you asking me for help?”

“…Yes.” Lin Xu lowered her eyes submissively.

Tsk, so humble. Love really could make a proud lunatic bow down, right into the dirt.

“But that doesn’t add up. She’s not the type to abandon a child.”

“So I report Shu Rong’s status to her sister every day.”

Gu Huaiyuan thoughtfully stroked her chin. “I don’t know your lady well, but she seems like a good person—very honest.”

Lin Xu was speechless. “What does that have to do with winning her back?”

What a blockhead. Gu Huaiyuan refused to spill, deliberately teasing her. Watching Lin Xu pace like an ant on a hot pan was hilarious.

She asked why the food wasn’t coming yet. Lin Xu snapped irritably, “How should I know? Want me to go to the kitchen and cheer the chef on?”

“Oh, that would be perfect.”

Lin Xu: “…”

She actually went. And it worked wonders—she called the restaurant owner, an acquaintance, and in less than ten minutes, all the dishes arrived.

Gu Huaiyuan smiled and used the serving chopsticks to put some shrimp into Shu Rong’s bowl. The child was innocent, like a ball being kicked between two mommies.

Since breaking up with Shu Qingyou, aside from water to quench her thirst, Lin Xu barely felt hunger. She forced down a few bites of vegetables and called it done.

Her gaze fixed unblinkingly on Gu Huaiyuan, ruining her appetite completely.

“Fine, fine, it’s not the end of the world.”

Lin Xu agreed it felt like the apocalypse. Shu Qingyou thought life could go on just fine without her.

Living like a walking corpse in a gray world—Lin Xu couldn’t accept that.

Lin Xu looked displeased. “Alright, Miss Gu, in your esteemed opinion, there are plenty of ways, huh.”

Gu Huaiyuan offered just a few words: Sincerity is the ultimate weapon.

Gu Huaiyuan enjoyed the meal immensely. What goes around comes around—Lin Xu was tasting the bitterness of being dumped.

Lin Xu thought Gu Huaiyuan was spouting nonsense. Wasn’t she sincere enough? She’d given Shu Qingyou her bank card PIN, the house, the car—willing to hand over anything.

Not sincere? Ridiculous.

On the way back, Lin Xu’s gloom lingered, and Shu Rong hung her little head too.

Shu Rong was very perceptive. She absorbed everything her teacher said in class. Though they were all three- or four-year-olds, they were starting to develop vague senses of self and knew some classmates didn’t have mommies.

Classmates’ chatter stuck in her mind too.

Some even envied her—Mommy and Momma picked her up every day.

Shu Rong curled up small, picking at her fingers. She glanced out the window, then cautiously at Lin Xu.

Lin Xu freed one hand to pat her daughter’s head. “What’s wrong?”

No response. Oh, right—her daughter still couldn’t speak.

Shu Rong seemed off. Back home, she was still picking at her fingers. Lin Xu pried her hands apart. “Rongrong, do you know something?”

Silence again.

Lin Xu gritted her teeth and said resolutely, “Rongrong, what if you never see your mommy again?”

Shu Rong’s eyes widened in disbelief. Moments later, she headbutted Lin Xu hard. Lin Xu quickly lifted her onto her lap.

“Are you scared? Or don’t you believe me?”

Shu Rong furrowed her brow and kept headbutting persistently. She didn’t know why; she just wanted to butt Mommy.

Lin Xu’s chest had endured countless such assaults from her daughter, but she didn’t stop her—just let her vent.

After a while, Shu Rong’s head started hurting. She stopped, looking all aggrieved.

Lin Xu saw Shu Rong on the verge of tears. She rubbed her mischievous little head, messing up the soft short hair into a bird’s nest.

She laughed for once. “Rongrong, you look like a little stray baby.”

Shu Rong understood the word. Her tummy felt like it was churning with sour water.

Mommy called her a stray. Mommy didn’t want her either.

Thinking of Mommy, she grabbed Lin Xu’s clothes with both hands and wailed loudly.

Lin Xu had heard other kids cry—loud and noisy. But Shu Rong’s cries were milky and soft, like a bullied kitten.

Her heart clenched. She still ached for her daughter. If Shu Qingyou saw this, she’d surely scold her.

“Ma… ma…”

The hand wiping her tears froze. Lin Xu thought she’d hallucinated. She leaned her ear close to her daughter’s mouth.

“Rongrong, did you just talk?”

Shu Rong kept crying uncontrollably, her little nose red and sniffling.

Lin Xu urged her repeatedly until Shu Rong reluctantly repeated “ma.”

Lin Xu was overjoyed. She hurriedly pulled out her phone to record. “Come on, say it again. I’ll send it to your mommy.”

Shu Rong froze. Wasn’t Mommy abandoning her?

Seeing no response, Lin Xu grew anxious—this was a golden chance to reach Shu Qingyou.

“Rongrong, if Mommy hears you call her, she’ll come back soon.”

Lin Xu’s coaxing was unreliable, but how was Shu Rong to know? Hearing Mommy would come home soon, she wiped her runny nose on her arm.

So gross… Lin Xu couldn’t stand it and carried her to the bathroom to clean her face.

A recording wasn’t enough—a short video would be more vivid.

She needed to show Shu Qingyou what she’d missed. At three years old, this was probably Shu Rong’s first words.

Before filming, she had to prepare.

She went to the cabinet and changed Shu Rong into different pajamas, picking the best.

Lin Xu treated Shu Rong like a miracle child. Worthy of her and Shu Qingyou’s genes—a little beauty from the start. She selected a yellow duckling nightgown.

Shu Rong was clueless, a pillow suddenly stuffed into her arms. Lin Xu picked a tearjerker BGM, raised her phone.

“Stand still, okay? Rongrong, come on—say, ‘Mommy.'”