Gu Huixin stared at her daughter. “It’s already so late. It’s not proper for you to stay here.”
Now, she finally had confirmation that Bai Yinning and these men were not on good terms. Otherwise, they would not have been so calm, especially upon knowing that he had been kidnapped.
“Mom, I wouldn’t be able to sleep even if I go back now. I’m too worried about Yinning.” While Zhou Chunchun did not know what Lin Xinyan had felt toward Bai Yinning, she knew that the other woman would not wish him any harm.
“Chunchun,” Gu Huixin pleaded. Knowing that her daughter was rather innocent in nature, Gu Huixin was worried that she would be bullied if she remained.
“Mom, go home.” Taking in the determined expression on Zhou Chunchun’s face, Gu Huixin had no choice but to acquiesce to her words. “I’ll come over tomorrow morning to fetch you.”
“Okay,” Zhou Chunchun immediately agreed.
Zong Jinghao’s brows furrowed. It was evident that he felt rather reluctant to let Zhou Chunchun stay the night. He did not want her to take up more of Lin Xinyan’s time. “It’s very late so both of you should go. I’ll hand the man over to you tomorrow.”
“Please tell Xinyan that I want to meet her.” She knew that he did not want her to stay there. However, her worry for Bai Yinning was trumping her apprehension at offending Zong Jinghao. There was no way that she could leave if Lin Xinyan were able to truly help her.
“Chunchun-” Gu Huixin started in exasperation.
Zhou Chunchun cut her off, “Mom, leave me alone.”
“Are you stupid? Can’t you see that he doesn’t want you here?” Annoyed at her daughter’s stubbornness, the words slipped out before Gu Huixin could stop them. She instantly regretted opening her mouth.
“Chunchun, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
“It’s fine. It’s just the truth anyway.” Tears gathered in Zhou Chunchun’s eyes as sadness swelled within her. Truthfully, she would not have minded it if anyone else had said that. Nonetheless, coming from her own mother, it really hurt.
Abruptly, a voice called out, “Come in then.”
It was Lin Xinyan. She had been standing at the door and she had overheard the entire conversation.
Zhou Chunchun’s head whipped around and she spotted Lin Xinyan watching her. She jogged over to stand before Lin Xinyan and wiped at the tears trickling down her face. Plastering a smile on her face, she urged, “Xinyan, I’m sorry to disturb you when it’s already so late. It’s just… I’m so worried about Yinning that I can’t sleep. I don’t have any friends to talk to either…”
Lin Xinyan knew that the other woman had a pure and simple soul. Thus, she snagged Zhou Chunchun’s hand and reassured her, “It’s fine. We’re friends, aren’t we? I’ll look after you.”
With that said, she focused her attention on Gu Huixin, who was standing nearby watching her daughter with blatant worry. Although their first meeting had been less than pleasant, she was willing to forgive the older woman for Zhou Chunchun’s sake. Thinking on it further, she could understand that Gu Huixin was simply concerned for her daughter.
All parents only want the best for their children.
“I’ll take care of her,” she promised Gu Huixin.
The older woman nodded. “Thank you. I’d like to apologize for what I’ve done previously.”
“I’ve already forgotten about that. Chunchun will be fine here. Don’t worry.”
Gu Huixin thanked Lin Xinyan again, reassured by the younger woman’s sincere attitude. Turning to her daughter, she uttered, “Chunchun, I’ll be going then.”
Zhou Chunchun nodded and answered, “Okay. I’ll get back home myself in the morning.”
Gu Huixin was speechless at Zhou Chunchun’s words. How is she going to hail a taxi here?
As if sensing her thoughts, Lin Xinyan piped up, “I’ll have the chauffeur send her back.”
“Thanks,” Gu Huixin expressed gratefully.
Lin Xinyan dragged Zhou Chunchun into the house with a gentle smile. Qin Ya was sitting on the couch in the living room so Lin Xinyan recounted what had happened to her.
“Tell Mr. Zong that he can release that man.” Qin Ya did not want to make things difficult for everyone. She also refused to allow Lin Xinyan to continue owing Bai Yinning a favor. After all, all of them were aware of Bai Yinning’s feelings toward Lin Xinyan.
Lin Xinyan stated, “He’ll deal with this matter, don’t worry. Come, let me take you back to your room.”
“Xinyan, let me help you! You’re pregnant and you shouldn’t be overexerting yourself.” Zhou Chunchun had noticed the bandages on Qin Ya’s legs and feet. Hence, she reached out to grab the injured woman’s arm to support her.
Qin Ya glanced over at Lin Xinyan, her expression evident in asking who the other woman was.
Lin Xinyan introduced, “She’s Bai Yinning’s new wife, Zhou Chunchun. She’s a sweet woman.”
Qin Ya nodded in agreement. “She does look like a good woman.”
She looks very innocent.
Upon returning to Qin Ya’s room, Lin Xinyan poured her a glass of water. “It’s time to take your medicine.”
Qin Ya accepted the glass and popped the pills into her mouth. “Alright, you guys don’t have to stay here. I’m going to sleep.”
“Holler if you need me.”
“As if I would dare shout for you! I’m scared that Mr. Zong will murder me. I’ll call for Aunt Yu or that new maid.” Qin Ya pursed her lips and continued, “Your husband loves you so much that anyone who even looks at you wrong will probably suffer his wrath. I’m most definitely not going to order you around like a servant.”
In response, Lin Xinyan glared at her. “Go to sleep. You’re always running your mouth! You’re exactly like Su Zhan!”
The moment Su Zhan’s name left her lips, Qin Ya’s expression chilled. “I’m sleeping.”
Tucking Qin Ya under the sheets, Lin Xinyan muttered an apology, “I didn’t mean to bring him up.”
“I know. You should rest early too. I don’t want my godson to be too tired.” Qin Ya was not actually angry. She was just deeply unhappy at hearing Su Zhan’s name.
Grinning, Lin Xinyan made a sound of acknowledgment.
She waited till Zhou Chunchun had exited the room before she shut the door. “Have you eaten your dinner yet?”
Zhou Chunchun shook her head. “No. I couldn’t eat with Yinning gone.”
“You need to eat so that you can have the energy to wait for him. There’s still some food here. Eat something.” Lin Xinyan shouted for Aunt Yu, “Please bring me a clean plate.”
Aunt Yu came out with the requested plate and lamented, “It was so rare for everyone to come together to have dinner. It is such a pity that it was interrupted. Look at all these leftover food!”
Zhou Chunchun bowed her head in guilt, murmuring, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. Aunt Yu didn’t mean to accuse you,” Lin Xinyan comforted. Truthfully, Aunt Yu was not actually targeting Zhou Chunchun specifically. She was merely expressing her regrets over the ruined dinner.
Pushing Zhou Chunchun into a seat, Lin Xinyan took some vegetables for her. “Eat something or Bai Yinning would be upset. He wouldn’t have wanted you to starve yourself.”
Zhou Chunchun acted obediently to her orders.
She did not want Bai Yinning to worry or be upset on her behalf. It was already bad enough that he was unable to be with the person he loved.
“Xinyan, Yinning loves you, doesn’t he?”
Lin Xinyan tensed up as she tried to explain, “Chunchun-”
“Xinyan,” Zhou Chunchun interrupted her. Raising her head, she locked gazes with Lin Xinyan and uttered, “You don’t have to explain; I understand. I don’t hate you, you know. You’re beautiful, smart, and kind. It’s normal that he would like you. However, he’s already promised me that he would try to get over you and learn to love me. I really want to become the woman that puts a shine in his eyes and a smile on his face.”
Lin Xinyan fell silent, unsure of what to say to that. She could merely stare back at the other woman, mutely.
“Xinyan, I don’t have any siblings. Is it alright if I treat you as my sister in the future?” Zhou Chunchun lowered her eyes shamefully. “I don’t have any friends because I’m not very smart. You and Yinning were the only ones who had never scorned me for it.”
Lin Xinyan reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind the younger woman’s ear. “You’re very kind and smart too. Nobody will scorn you for that. You wanna know something? I like you a lot. What anybody else thinks is unimportant. Remember, you’re supposed to live your life the way you want it to be. There’s only one you in the entire world so what you say or do is your business, not anyone else’s. What’s most important is that you’re happy. Think about this- would anyone be able to replace you if you were to fall sick one day?”
Zhou Chunchun shook her head. “No.”
“Exactly! It’s not worth it to be hurt by what others say. Nobody will be able to feel it no matter how much you hurt. That’s why no matter what they say, you need to focus on living your own life.”
Zhou Chunchun stared at Lin Xinyan. Mom used to tell me to think before I speak. She also advised me not to speak if I was unsure whether I should, lest others laugh at the stupid things I say. I must always appear to be prim and proper. I must never do anything that would humiliate myself.
Yet, Lin Xinyan was telling her to be herself.
She found herself agreeing with Lin Xinyan. She could not allow others to dictate how she lived her life.
After all, I’m the only one who’ll suffer if I am unhappy. Nobody will know. Nobody can bear it for me either.
Thus, she nodded her head fervently. “I understand now, Xinyan. Thank you so much!” She tossed her arms around Lin Xinyan and hugged her tightly.
Lin Xinyan patted her back comfortingly. “Don’t worry. Bai Yinning will be fine.”
“Yeah.” Zhou Chunchun nodded.
Time flew by as the two women chatted. Lin Xinyan spent quite a while counseling the younger woman, trying to allay her fears.
Eventually, it got too late to continue their talk.
Since they had a new maid now, they did not have any empty rooms available on the first floor. Lin Xinyan had Zong Jinghao carry the two kids upstairs into the master bedroom. Zhou Chunchun would stay the night in the kids’ room.
The children were so deeply asleep that they did not even stir when Zong Jinghao picked them up.
Exhausted, Lin Xinyan settled down beside the children. She did not even have the energy to take a shower.
Zong Jinghao came over with a basin full of hot water. “C’mon, at least wash your feet before you sleep.”
Sitting up, Lin Xinyan placed her feet into the water. She questioned, “Are you going to release that man?”
Zong Jinghao crouched down to wash her feet for her. Her legs were slender and pale, leading her to have a pair of small feet. He rubbed her soles before moving on to massage her calves. “Are your legs swollen?”
Lin Xinyan felt her legs and replied, “No.”
“The books I’ve read tell me that pregnant women get swollen feet easily.”
“That only happens around the seventh or eighth month.”
Zong Jinghao had a surprised look on his face. “Oh, is that so?”
She kicked him. “Hey, I see what you’ve done there! Don’t try and change the subject. Are you going to release the man?”
It was only then that she realized that he had deliberately diverted her attention away from the topic. It was clear that he did not want to talk about Bai Yinning.
He swiftly grabbed the foot that had swung out at him. “You’re probably wondering why I hate Bai Yinning so much, right? I’m really tempted to let Gu Bei kill him, you know. At least then he won’t appear in front of me again. It’ll certainly save me the trouble of having to deal with him.”
