Chapter 58 Part 2

Chi Qingchuan: “She said she couldn’t handle him.”

Chi Nuan: “…”

Chi Nuan removed her scarf and placed it on her lap. “It’s not three minutes or thirty minutes to L City from here. Round trip takes over six hours.”

Chi Qingchuan caught her meaning. “Nuannuan, no matter what, she’s still Little Wutong’s mom. Can we try to be more understanding toward her?”

Chi Nuan said no more and turned to gaze out the window.

She learned later that Yue Yun had become the third wife of that real estate developer. The developer was generous; she hadn’t lacked materially in the two-plus years with him. With ample startup funds, she and some friends from the modeling circle quickly established her own studio. After splitting with the developer, she moved to L City for bigger opportunities.

Undoubtedly, life after the divorce had gotten better for Yue Yun.

They arrived in L City in the evening. Chi Qingchuan pulled up outside Yue Yun’s neighborhood, where Yue Yun waited, holding Little Wutong’s hand.

Chi Nuan and Chi Qingchuan got out together.

Yue Yun was dressed impeccably from head to toe. Little Wutong wore a fluffy panda-shaped coral fleece onesie, his long lashes damp with moisture, sniffling occasionally. Upon seeing the Chi siblings, he didn’t dare speak loudly and just pursed his lips: “Daddy, Auntie Mommy.”

“Every time I ask if Little Wutong is being good, you say he is, but this is how good he is? He doesn’t eat properly, doesn’t sleep well, ignores me nine out of ten times I talk to him. Where are his manners? His discipline? …Chi Qingchuan, I know you’re busy with work and Nuannuan’s away at school, but you have to raise Little Wutong properly!” Yue Yun unleashed a tirade at Chi Qingchuan as he approached.

Little Wutong was never like this at home. Chi Qingchuan looked at him, but Little Wutong avoided his father’s gaze and lowered his head.

It seemed Yue Yun had lectured him plenty before this.

Still upset, Yue Yun shoved the large bag she carried at Chi Qingchuan. “Clothes, shoes, snacks, toys for him inside, plus a New Year’s red envelope. Take it all.”

Chi Qingchuan took the bag and said, “Chi Zheng, say goodbye to Mommy.”

Little Wutong: “Goodbye, Mommy.”

Yue Yun glanced at Chi Qingchuan, then at Little Wutong, her arched brows furrowing. Finally, she softened her tone, placed her hands on Little Wutong’s shoulders, and said, “Mommy scolds you for your own good. Can you be more obedient next time you come? Mommy misses you every day, but you make Mommy so sad like this, okay?”

Little Wutong sniffled. “Got it, Mommy.”

Chi Qingchuan led Little Wutong to the car. Chi Nuan opened the back door, and Little Wutong climbed in with her. As soon as the door closed, he burrowed into Chi Nuan’s arms. “Auntie Mommy.”

Chi Nuan held him, patting his back. “Did you miss me?”

Little Wutong: “Missed you so much.”

The car started moving. Chi Qingchuan glanced in the rearview mirror at Chi Nuan and Little Wutong huddled together and sighed.

New Year came in the blink of an eye.

On the second day of the New Year, Chi Nuan met up with Xu Dan and the others for food and chat. They listened to Du Min vent about Zhou Damao—they attended universities in the same city, got together in the second semester of freshman year, and their daily routine was nothing but bickering. Du Min often fumed with anger at him.

“So, when exactly did you two click?” Zhao Jingjing asked.

Du Min: “I only agreed because he chased me relentlessly, okay? As for him… He said around that New Year’s Eve event, he suddenly realized he had feelings for me. Hah, as if I’d believe that.”

“That New Year’s Eve!” Xu Dan sat up straight. “So memorable! Snowing, Gu Ningzi getting out of the car—ah, even thinking back now makes my heart race.”

“…”

The name “Gu Ningzi” brought reminiscent expressions to everyone’s faces. Zhao Jingjing asked, “Any news on Gu Ningzi afterward?”

Xu Dan and Du Min both shook their heads. Chi Nuan took a sip of juice, sour enough to make her grimace. She forced it down her throat and said, “Nope.”

After the gathering, Chi Nuan picked up a birthday cake and took the bus home.

Downstairs, she bumped into Granny from the ground floor. Granny’s eyesight had worsened these past two years. Chi Nuan approached and greeted her for the New Year before Granny recognized her. “Oh, Little Nuan Nuan from the Chi family. You’ve grown so much.”

“Yeah.”

Chi Nuan went upstairs but suddenly turned back. “Granny, a few years ago, also on the second day of New Year, a girl came down with me and greeted you. Do you remember her?”

Granny said, “Who?”

Then added, “Granny’s old now; can’t remember things.”

Chi Nuan slowly climbed the stairs, opened the door, and went in. Chi Qingchuan was in the kitchen prepping dinner veggies, with Little Wutong on his back, whimpering and crying.

Chi Nuan went over and lifted him off Chi Qingchuan’s back. “Why are you crying?”

Little Wutong held up his finger for Chi Nuan to see; it was bandaged with a plaster, blood seeping at the edges. Chi Qingchuan said, “He sneaked a knife to cut an orange and sliced his finger.”

Little Wutong collapsed into Chi Nuan’s arms crying. “It’s Auntie Mommy’s birthday. I wanted to cut an orange for Auntie Mommy. Auntie Mommy would be so happy seeing it when she comes back.”

Chi Nuan led Little Wutong out of the kitchen, but after two or three steps, tears rolled down her cheeks in big drops.

“It doesn’t hurt, Auntie Mommy. Little Wutong doesn’t hurt. Little Wutong won’t cry, and Auntie Mommy won’t cry either… Waaah.”

Chi Nuan choked back a sob, hurriedly wiped away her tears, nodded repeatedly at Little Wutong, and said, “Okay, no crying. None of us will cry.”

…Four years.

Gu Ningzi, tomorrow was what day?