Chapter 2: 02

After settling the two children, Bai Xiaochu went downstairs to throw out the trash and chatted with Yang Yingyun on the way about Xiao Yue from the welfare home.

“How could I not regret it? I even specially had her eight characters calculated. Sigh, actually, it wasn’t even necessary—she shares the same birthday as Xiao Qiao, so they really have a special connection! But there’s no way around it. Here—” Bai Xiaochu pointed at her throat. “I heard she got sick when she was little, and it ruined her voice. She’s mute for life, and I really don’t have the confidence to take care of her.”

Yang Yingyun could only sigh in regret after hearing this. “Yeah, a child who’s mute will have endless troubles in the future and will definitely get bullied. Your decision is the right one.”

“Mm.”

Bai Xiaochu walked a few steps before adding, “Sigh, but after hearing so much from Dean Li, I felt that child was just too pitiful. She was already abandoned because of her illness, then an old person picked her up and took her home. After the old person passed away, the rest of the family didn’t want to keep raising her and insisted on shoving her to the welfare home. You tell me, how much psychological trauma must that cause a child?”

Yang Yingyun looked down with a smile and glanced at her watch. She patted Bai Xiaochu’s hand. “Alright, alright. Since she has no fate with your family, don’t overthink it. I’m about to be late, so I’m heading off first.”

“Oh, okay. Remember to come back tomorrow morning to pick up your daughter!”

“Got it—”

Yang Yingyun walked away.

In the room, Bai Kou sat on the edge of the bed with her feet still not reaching the floor, but she hugged her arms in front of her chest and glared at the person occupying her desk and doing homework, her face as angry as an adult’s.

“I already said I’m breaking off our friendship, so why did you come to my house!”

She was four years younger than Yang Wanxi and had just graduated from kindergarten, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back her temper.

The elementary schooler Yang Wanxi glanced faintly at Bai Kou, said nothing, and leisurely flipped to the next page of her Chinese workbook. She really didn’t know what this kid was mad about. Everything she said that day was the truth.

Bai Kou’s sister was dead—she had heard Bai Xiaochu say it herself.

And their newly adopted puppy really was called Doudou. She liked Bai Kou’s nickname and had named it herself.

Seeing that Yang Wanxi ignored her, Bai Kou got even angrier. She pushed off the blanket and jumped down from the bed.

“Yang Wanxi! Yang Wanxi!”

“Speak if you have something to say, little brat.” Yang Wanxi turned her chair, rested her left hand on the desk, and sat calm and composed, looking very much like the big sister.

“…” Bai Kou ground her teeth in anger and glanced to the right. She simply scooped all the snacks that Bai Xiaochu had given them before leaving into her arms. “I’m not sharing our family’s stuff with you anymore!” After saying this viciously, she stomped off in her little slippers.

In response, Yang Wanxi said, “Bai Kou, close the door for me. I need to do homework.”

Bang!

The door slammed shut heavily.

Bai Xiaochu had just taken out her key when she heard the sound from inside the house. She thought, what happened now? She twisted the door open.

She saw Bai Kou slinking past like a little thief.

“Bai Kou, stop right there.”

Bai Xiaochu entered, changed her shoes, and glanced at the tightly shut room door. “Why did you take out all the snacks? How can you be so selfish? Take them to your sister—”

She didn’t finish saying “go back” when her PHS rang. She took out the PHS, looked at it, and added while turning away to answer the call, “and give them back to your sister.”

“Hello? Dean Li?”

Bai Xiaochu still had to make a trip to the welfare home.

But Bai Kou absolutely refused to stay home with Yang Wanxi. She hugged her mother’s leg and was about to burst into dramatic tears. Though Bai Xiaochu could tell the kid was acting, there was no helping it.

She could only knock on the room door. “Little Xi.”

Yang Wanxi immediately turned her head to look at her, her crescent eyes curving up as she asked very politely, “Auntie, do you need something from me?”

Bai Xiaochu thought, look at this well-behaved girl.

Then she looked down at Bai Kou, who was still clinging to her leg.

“Oh, I’m going out with your sister for a bit. Stay home and do your homework peacefully. We’ll be back soon. If you’re hungry or thirsty, there’s food and drinks in the house—help yourself.”

Yang Wanxi nodded obediently. “Okay, Auntie.”

This time at the welfare home, Bai Kou didn’t want to stay downstairs. She wanted to go up and see the sister who didn’t speak. Her little hand tugged at Bai Xiaochu and wouldn’t let go.

“Mommy, Mommy, just let me go up. I promise I won’t cause trouble.”

Bai Kou planned this in her heart: anyway, she only promised not to cause trouble—she didn’t say she wouldn’t go play with others.

In a bit, while her mom chatted with Dean Li, she would sneak out and wander around the building to say hi to Sister Xiao Yue.

On the way up the stairs, Bai Xiaochu kept instructing Bai Kou nonstop. “Later, you have to sit obediently for me. Don’t wander around Dean Li’s office, got it?”

“Got it.” Bai Kou replied crisply, thinking, not in the office—I can just wander around outside.

Bai Kou had been walking along while trying hard to recall what Sister Xiao Yue looked like, but the moment they pushed open the office door—

Her eyes lit up!

She spoke up before any of the adults present and shouted happily, “Sister Xiao Yue!”

Dean Li was surprised. “Oh my, Sister Bai, does your daughter know Xiao Yue?”

Bai Xiaochu was rather embarrassed and pulled back Bai Kou, who was automatically trying to move forward. “She’s very familiar with strangers.”

“I’m not that familiar with stran—mmph.” Her little mouth was covered.

As for the “Xiao Yue” whom Bai Kou had called out, she had now changed into a white T-shirt printed with the welfare home’s red logo. Only her hair was the same as last time, tied into a bun with a few stray strands falling over her forehead and behind her ears, gleaming golden in the sunlight.

Hearing Bai Kou call her, her face showed no change in expression.

That morning, a group of adults and two children sat in the office for nearly half an hour.

Bai Kou kept staring at Xiao Yue curiously the whole time, while Xiao Yue kept her head down, not looking at anyone.

In the end, Bai Xiaochu still didn’t agree. She said tactfully, “Alright, and you’ve worked hard too. I’ll think about this at home. If I feel it’s suitable, I’ll contact you then.”

At dinner, the welfare home cafeteria served food.

Xiao Yue, who had just entered the welfare home and knew nothing, was brought along by Dean Li.

A colleague carried a bowl of soup and sat down across from Dean Li.

She glanced at the silent Xiao Yue and cleared her throat. “Ahem, Sister Li, I think, uh—” She waited for Dean Li to look up, then pointed her chin at Xiao Yue. “This matter is definitely a bust. ‘Contact you later’ just means it’s over, right?”

Dean Li sighed silently without responding.

“Actually, yeah. Raising a kid these days is hard enough—who wants to take on one who can’t speak?”

Dean Li set down her chopsticks. “What are you saying? The child can hear you.”

“Oh? She can hear?” The woman’s face reddened. She reached out and patted Xiao Yue’s head. “Sorry about that, Xiao Yue.”

Xiao Yue kept her face down and shook her head.

“But, Dean Li, the funding from the city has already been cut recently. If it’s found out we took in a child who has family, what then?”

“Just deal with it.” Dean Li said, “Don’t worry. Xiao Yue is much better off than other kids. She’s just mute—she’ll definitely find a family that can accept her.”

“Hey, didn’t you listen carefully to Sister Bai? She wouldn’t even mind a child with leg problems but couldn’t accept that this kid is mute…”

“Enough, enough, enough.” Dean Li waved her hand. “I said the child can understand. Go drink your soup somewhere else.”

After helping wash the dishes, Bai Kou turned off the faucet and jumped down from the little stool.

As she passed Yang Wanxi, who was carrying fruit to wash, she deliberately “hmph”ed very obviously without even glancing sideways and walked out of the kitchen.

Bai Xiaochu sat on the sofa, holding an information form in her hand, looking troubled.

Bai Kou kicked off her slippers and slowly climbed over to Bai Xiaochu’s arm.

She still couldn’t read, but her eyes were sharp and immediately recognized the photo on the form.

“Sister Xiao Yue.” Her chubby fingertip poked it.

“You recognized her again?” At this, Bai Xiaochu was puzzled. “When exactly did you two get so close? How come I didn’t know?”

Bai Kou felt praised and lifted her chin. “I’m not telling you. Anyway, I have lots of friends.”

Bai Xiaochu: “Do you like her then?”

“Like.”

“Why?”

“She talks little.”

“You like her because she talks little?”

“I talk a lot. If she talks little, then later it can all be me talking. How fun is that.”

Bai Xiaochu couldn’t see the “fun” in that.

She asked again: “But what if this sister can never talk to you for her whole life?”

Bai Kou covered her mouth with both hands, her big eyes blinking. “She’s that awesome?!”

“…” Fine, whatever. Why did I even think to ask Bai Kou?

Better wait until Yang Yingyun comes back tomorrow and ask her.

Yang Yingyun was a nurse at the city hospital, decisive and efficient. When she gave Bai Kou an injection, it was one prick and done—her mouth hadn’t even opened before her butt already hurt.

Faced with Bai Xiaochu’s hesitation, she took Yang Wanxi’s schoolbag. “If you’ve changed your mind, just go take another look. Who knows how advanced technology will get in the future. Mainly, you still need to see what that kid’s personality is like and if she gets along with your Bai Kou.”

“Personality-wise, she’s quiet.” Bai Xiaochu mused. “Bai Kou, is there anyone in this world she doesn’t get along with?”

“There is.”

Yang Yingyun pointed at her daughter in front of her and said softly, “Isn’t there one right here?”

They took the initiative to visit the welfare home again.

Bai Xiaochu carried two baskets of fruit, and Bai Kou hugged a bag of Wang Wang snack packs.

The adults chatted a few sentences and intentionally let Bai Kou and Xiao Yue spend some time alone first to see how they got along, so they sent the two children to the activity room next door.

The door was left ajar.

“This is gummy candy, my favorite. This is little steamed bun candy, sweet and crispy, though I don’t like it that much.”

Bai Kou stood by the little stool and pulled snacks one bag at a time from the big gift pack to introduce to Xiao Yue. “Which one do you want to eat first? I recommend this one.” She pointed at the gummy candy with some bias.

Xiao Yue didn’t look at her. Her eyes stayed fixed on that sliver of door gap.

Through the door gap, figures occasionally swayed as someone said, “Yeah, Xiao Yue is a very sensible child with excellent grades. She just finished her fifth-grade final exams—all perfect scores.”

“Oh, that’s impressive… Hey, that Chen family is really not taking Xiao Yue back?”

“Definitely not. They’ve signed the papers and haven’t come back in days. You can rest assured and take her.”

In those few short sentences, Xiao Yue, who had been calm for so long, suddenly broke down. She pushed away the gummy candy Bai Kou had just opened, her mouth scrunched up, held back tears, and walked toward the door.

Bai Kou didn’t steady herself and fell backward. Her whole little body tumbled to the floor along with the candy.

“Ouch, my candy!”

She hurriedly picked it up.

Candy that fell on the ground could be eaten after three seconds! She “huffed and puffed” to blow on it, not caring at all about her sore butt, and stuffed all five gummies into her mouth.

It was only with great difficulty that Bai Xiaochu had been moved, but Xiao Yue rushed out crying and hugged Dean Li tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.

Bai Xiaochu bent down to try pulling Xiao Yue’s hand but couldn’t.

Helpless, she stood up and suddenly remembered Bai Kou was still in the activity room. She went around Dean Li and pushed open the door to look.

“…”

Her dear daughter was sitting on the floor, popping gummy candies into her mouth one by one.

“You’re going to ruin your teeth!” In the car, Bai Xiaochu warned Bai Kou. “No more sweets from now on!”

“Nonsense! The doctor auntie said I’m normally changing teeth! I can eat candy! And I brush super clean every day!” Bai Kou’s voice was even louder than Bai Xiaochu’s.

Bai Xiaochu: “The doctor doesn’t count—what Mom says counts!”

Bai Kou huffed and turned her face to the right. “You’re so awesome, why didn’t you bring Sister Xiao Yue home too? And you made her cry.”

“Bai Doudou, can you be reasonable for once! Xiao Yue was playing with you inside, and she cried—whose fault is that?”

Anyway, it wasn’t mine.

The supremely self-assured little Bai Kou’s big eyes spun with black pupils darting around. Maybe Sister Xiao Yue didn’t like pineapple flavor? Yeah, very possible, because…

Pineapple flavor just wasn’t as good as apple flavor!