Lin Xichen frowned. He shifted his gaze from the piano to his sister.
He shook his head exasperatedly as if he didn’t know what to do about that sister of his.
“I am truly worried about your future,” said Lin Xichen. She thinks she’s smart just because she memorized the Goose poem? That kind of low-level intelligence worries me.
“See, daddy? Xichen is looking down on me again,” complained Lin Ruixi while pouting her lips. She was hugging Zong Jinghao’s neck at the time.
Lin Ruixi was wearing an adorable dress and a pair of white socks. Because it was summer and it was getting hot, the material of her dress was soft and silky to counteract the heat. She had a ponytail on, and she looked upset as she sat on Zong Jinghao’s lap with her hands wrapped around his neck. Lin Ruixi looked like she wouldn’t let go until Zong Jinghao gave her a satisfactory reply.
Zong Jinghao chuckled. He couldn’t say no to his daughter, so he asked, “Alright, tell me what you want me to do. I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“Did your brother look down on you again?” asked Lin Xinyan as she stood by the stairs and stared at her daughter.
That kid’s getting more and more spoiled. Lin Xinyan walked down the stairs, and Zong Jinghao set his daughter down on the sofa before hurrying over to Lin Xinyan to help her. Lin Xinyan refused his offer. “There’s no need for that. I’m getting better already,” said Lin Xinyan. She had her hand on his arms when she reminded him, “You can’t keep spoiling her like that, or she will get used to it.”
“It’s fine, she’s still a kid,” replied Zong Jinghao. He thought that daughters were different from sons and that it was alright for girls to be a little spoiled.
He could afford to spoil his daughter, anyway, and he loved doing so.
Lin Xinyan glared at him. She didn’t agree with him. “That is how someone gets spoiled. It starts when they’re young. She’s about to start elementary school, and there will be many kids in her new school. Conflicts will inevitably arise. What’s she going to do then? Complain to her teachers every day? Then come home and continue complaining to us? Will that be good for her?”
Lin Xinyan wanted her kids to grow up instead of remaining as immature as a baby.
“Isn’t it right for her to complain if she is wronged?” refuted Zong Jinghao, who thought that Lin Xinyan was exaggerating, “Besides, it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t go to school. I can afford to pay for all of her expenses for the rest of her life.”
Lin Xinyan was speechless as she stared at Zong Jinghao. She frowned and pointed out, “And what happens when you grow old? Who’s going to spoil her then?”
Zong Jinghao was stumped.
“Mommy’s right,” chimed Lin Xichen. His baby sister had always like to act spoiled, but as she grew up, she became a bellyacher too. She especially liked to whine in front of Cheng Yuxiu and Zong Jinghao.
Lin Ruixi was sitting on the sofa, and she seemed to know that the discussion was not benefitting her now. Her big, round eyes blinked as sadness filled her heart. “Mommy is so mean. Now that you have a tiny baby in you, you don’t want me anymore,” protested Lin Ruixi.
After that, she jumped down from the sofa and head into the kitchen while calling out, “Grandmother, grandmother, I want to go home. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
Cheng Yuxiu and Aunt Yu were busy preparing dinner at the time, so Cheng Yuxiu still had her apron on. When she heard the kid calling out to her, she turned to the kid who soon hugged her leg. Lin Ruixi said, “Grandmother, let’s go home. Mommy only wants the baby in her tummy and Xichen. She doesn’t want me anymore, so I don’t want to stay here either.”
Lin Ruixi had been terrified ever since she learned that Lin Xinyan was pregnant with another baby. She was worried that her parents would abandon her for the baby.
When Zong Jinghao set her down on the sofa to go to Lin Xinyan, Lin Ruixi felt like she was abandoned because it seemed like her daddy cared more about the baby in her mommy’s tummy.
Lin Ruixi felt wronged, and her eyes reddened as tears welled up in them. It only took a while before Lin Ruixi’s tears rolled down her cheeks.
Cheng Yuxiu washed her hands and was about to pick Lin Ruixi up when Zong Jinghao walked over. He never even glanced at Cheng Yuxiu. He simply said, “I got her.”
However, Lin Ruixi refused to let Cheng Yuxiu’s leg go and insisted, “I don’t wanna. I want grandmother.”
“Maybe I should hold her for a while,” suggested Cheng Yuxiu, who couldn’t bear to watch her granddaughter bawling like that. The child’s pink cheeks were puffy from her crying.
Zong Jinghao didn’t reply. He simply pried Lin Ruixi’s arms away from Cheng Yuxiu before taking the kid out of the kitchen. Lin Ruixi kept struggling and crying, “I want grandmother, I want grandmother.”
Cheng Yuxiu’s heart ached upon that sight, so she followed along. She watched as Zong Jinghao carried Lin Ruixi into the study room. She didn’t dare to tell Zong Jinghao to put the kid down, so she turned to Lin Xinyan instead and said, “She’s still young, she’s only acting up because she’s worried about being neglected after the new baby comes along…”
Lin Xinyan pursed her lips. She was surprised by what Lin Ruixi said earlier as well. Lin Xinyan didn’t realize that Lin Ruixi thought she would be abandoned once the new baby came.
“I know. I’ll go check on her later,” replied Lin Xinyan before she sat down and rested on the sofa. Lin Ruixi was still mad at that moment, so it was better if Lin Xinyan waited a while before going in.
Cheng Yuxiu nodded in agreement.
Inside the study room.
Lin Ruixi bawled like there was no tomorrow, but Zong Jinghao didn’t comfort her. He simply held her and let her cry it all out.
After a while, Lin Ruixi became exhausted from all the crying. She ended up sobbing quietly as her tiny shoulders trembled.
Only then did Zong Jinghao wipe her tears off. His movements were gentle as he brushed his fingers against the side of his daughter’s eyes. Zong Jinghao asked, “You don’t like the baby in mommy’s tummy?”
Lin Ruixi had her head down as she fidgeted with her fingers without saying a word.
“Are you worried that the new baby will steal all of mommy’s and daddy’s love for you?” asked Zong Jinghao again as he sat his daughter up straight, so she was forced to look into his eyes.
Lin Ruixi lowered her gaze. Traces of tears were still hanging on the little girl’s long eyelashes as she remained silent.
Zong Jinghao hugged his daughter tightly while stroking her tiny back with his large palm. He promised, “You are mommy and daddy’s daughter, so we will never stop loving you. I will always want to give you the best of everything.”
“Really?” asked Lin Ruixi as she tilted her head up.
Zong Jinghao kissed his daughter’s cheek and replied, “Of course.”
“But what if mommy gives birth to a baby girl? You’ll love her more, won’t you?” asked Lin Ruixi. Even thinking about the possibility of having a baby sister got Lin Ruixi’s heart to break. Her eyes started reddening once more.
“Why would I love your baby sister more? Aren’t you my daughter as well?” cooed Zong Jinghao patiently.
“But you acted like you care more about the baby in mommy’s tummy earlier,” insisted Lin Ruixi, who still didn’t buy a word her dad said.
“I care about your mommy, so naturally, I care about the baby in her tummy as well. And do you know why I was being so careful with mommy?”
Lin Ruixi sniffled and asked, “Why?”
“Because the baby is still very, very tiny, and if mommy and daddy aren’t careful, the baby might leave us at any moment.”
“Leave? Where will the baby go?” asked Lin Ruixi as she blinked. She didn’t know what leave meant just yet.
“I meant the baby won’t come to this world. We won’t be able to meet the baby, and the baby won’t meet us either.”
Lin Ruixi got lost in her thought. She seemed to understand what her father said.
Just then, Lin Xinyan opened the door and walked in. Lin Ruixi buried her face in Zong Jinghao’s chest when she saw her mother walking in. The little girl refused to look at her mother.
Lin Xinyan walked over and held her daughter’s hand. Lin Ruixi wanted to pull her arm back, but Lin Xinyan’s hold was tight, and Lin Ruixi couldn’t break free.
Lin Ruixi’s eyes reddened once more.
Lin Xinyan placed her daughter’s hand on her tummy and explained, “Ruixi, you used to be in mommy’s tummy, too.”
Lin Ruixi clenched her fist because she didn’t want to touch the baby.
“Did you know? You and Xichen weren’t welcomed when you were both babies.”
Lin Ruixi cried upon hearing that. She didn’t make much noise, but she sobbed quietly in Zong Jinghao’s arms.
“Despite all that, both of you are still my treasures. I only feel alive after having the two of you. I didn’t know what my purpose in life was until I had the two of you. My world turned bright and colorful because you and your brother are here…”
