Bai Yanzhou walked into the living room and saw Si Xiang standing by the window frame, a cigarette in hand, dressed in a black suit that looked particularly formal.
“Dad.” Bai Yanzhou took his hands out of his pockets. “Wanyou just got off the plane and might be tired. She’s taking a nap.”
Si Xiang turned his head, his deep eyes half-closed. “I heard you dealt with a gambler who was trafficking students today?”
Bai Yanzhou leaned against the square table by the window frame, crossing his arms, his gaze fixed intently on Si Xiang. “Dad, I know you mean well, but could you give me a little room to handle things on my own?”
Si Xiang stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. Bai Yanzhou was at an age of youthful ambition—he acted recklessly, spared no cost, and was eager to prove himself…
His brutality and dictatorial ways would push the Bai family into an abyss.
“With a new administrator taking office, the Bai family will inevitably have to navigate political circles. If you don’t learn to rein in your temper…” Si Xiang left the rest unsaid.
Bai Yanzhou’s expression darkened instantly, his hands clenched into fists, the veins on the back of his hands clearly visible.
He was already capable of handling things independently, yet his parents never trusted him.
The living room fell silent, so quiet that even the maids cleaning dared not make a sound.
Pei Wanyou, wearing a bear-patterned pajama set, her eyes red and brimming with tears, her long black hair draped over her shoulders, spoke softly, “Uncle…”
Bai Yanzhou strode over, his eyes fierce. “Didn’t you say you were tired and needed to rest?” His tone was far from pleasant.
Si Xiang looked at Bai Yanzhou. “You’re in a bad mood, so you take it out on your sister?”
Bai Yanzhou’s chest heaved with frustration. Everything he said or did was wrong in his father’s eyes—he was never good enough.
A loud crash echoed through the room.
A maid, caught off guard, let out a startled cry.
Pei Wanyou frowned and instinctively moved closer to the sofa. Bai Yanzhou had kicked over the coffee table, sending tea and cups crashing to the floor in a chaotic mess.
Si Xiang’s face darkened as he took two steps forward, but Pei Wanyou quickly stopped him. “Uncle, I’ve been traveling for three months and brought back lots of souvenirs for you and Aunt.” She then turned to look at Bai Yanzhou…
With a temper like his, how could she ever trust him with her daughter?
Just as Bai Yanzhou was about to leave, a maid hurried in, carrying a small baby who was wailing loudly. The baby’s face, originally fair, had turned bright red, though no tears fell.
Pei Wanyou’s heart skipped a beat, but she couldn’t show too much urgency, or it would easily arouse suspicion.
Bai Yanzhou casually took the crying baby into his arms, letting the infant rest face-down on his forearm. “Can’t even take care of a child properly!”
The baby’s little legs and arms dangled, its bottom slightly raised. Soon, the crying stopped, and the baby let out a loud burp.
“How… how can you hold a baby like that?” Pei Wanyou’s heart ached. This was the baby she had worked so hard to bring into the world…
Bai Yanzhou’s expression remained stern, the pink-clad infant lying on his arm, soft and milky, forming a stark contrast to him.
“Not tall, but always meddling in everything.” Bai Yanzhou said, gently patting the baby’s back with his large hand.
A baby this age only eats and sleeps. Without enough movement and if they don’t cry or fuss, it’s no wonder they get gassy.
Pei Wanyou puffed her cheeks in anger, but seeing the baby had stopped crying, she bent down slightly. “She’s so beautiful.” No wonder she was the one who gave birth to her.
“Your little aunt is praising your beauty,” Bai Yanzhou said, lowering his deep blue eyes with a hint of sarcasm.
Si Xiang walked over. Though Bai Yanzhou was infuriating, the little granddaughter was exceptionally adorable. “Our Shushu will grow up to be as beautiful as her little aunt.”
Tears welled up in Pei Wanyou’s eyes. She was the baby’s little aunt. If she didn’t take her away, she would never hear the baby call her “Mom.”
“I have something to do tonight, so I won’t be home for dinner,” Bai Yanzhou said, handing the baby to Si Xiang.
Si Xiang suppressed his anger. “Your sister just returned today. You’re not going anywhere. If you dare step out of this door, I’ll break your legs.”
Pei Wanyou averted her gaze, her heart a mix of conflicting emotions. Her parents would never accept her sudden disappearance, and with the Bai family’s influence, where could she possibly run?
“Dad, how old is she? She’s not helpless. Does she need me to babysit her at home?” Bai Yanzhou had nowhere to vent his frustration. When Pei Wanyou was little, she clung to him constantly, and he spent most of his time looking after her.
Si Xiang’s expression darkened. “Try contradicting me again?”
Bai Yanzhou walked over and sat down on the sofa. Seeing the maid cleaning up the shattered teacup fragments, he closed his eyes. He must have been out of his mind back then.
To this day, he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t left at the time.
Pei Wanyou reached out and gently touched Bai Yunshu’s cheek. So soft. Though she hated Bai Yanzhou, his genes were quite good…
“Would you like to hold her?” Si Xiang’s voice softened.
Pei Wanyou shook her head. She didn’t know how to hold a baby. Even after learning for a long time at the hospital, she still couldn’t do it properly. Her hands would tremble, and she’d get unbearably nervous.
Before leaving with Bai Yunshu, Si Xiang glanced at Bai Yanzhou. In his current state, it would be hard to command respect…
Internal strife and external threats—just thinking about it gave him a headache.
“…”
Bai Yanzhou took out his phone and sent a message to Lu Shu’an. He sure ran fast: [Can’t go out tonight. Figure it out yourself.]
Lu Shu’an replied shortly after: [Just stay home and be a dad. Fine wine and beautiful women—I’ll handle them for you.]
He was joking. He didn’t know what went wrong with his ancestors’ genes, but he had no interest in men or women. He didn’t plan on marrying or having children in this lifetime.
Bai Yanzhou leaned back on the sofa, frowning. [With your measly assets, you think you can handle beautiful women…]
Lu Shu’an, of course, wasn’t having it. Just because he didn’t use it didn’t mean it wasn’t good: [I’ll ask Wanyou later. Maybe you’re not even as good as me.]
Bai Yanzhou glanced at Pei Wanyou, who was preening as she combed her hair, making it all frizzy. “Can you go somewhere else to comb your hair? You’re shedding everywhere.”
Pei Wanyou turned her head, holding a kitten-patterned comb. “Sorry, but I’m not obligated to listen to you.”
If Uncle hadn’t been so angry earlier, she would have already tattled on him.
Bai Yanzhou: “…”
“Your mouth is so sharp, yet you got bullied so much you cried for your brother every day,” Bai Yanzhou said, taking out a cigarette, lighting it, and holding it between his lips.
Pei Wanyou couldn’t gain weight, was short-tempered, proud, and had a bit of a sharp tongue. Back in school, she was bullied by other kids every day.
Eight out of ten days, she would rush into Bai Yanzhou’s arms crying as soon as school ended.
Pei Wanyou walked over to the sofa. “Yeah, so how could you bring yourself to do it back then? I begged you so much, but you still wouldn’t let me go.”
Bai Yanzhou exhaled a puff of smoke: “Not a word about what happened earlier?” Before the incident, he had indeed been about to leave, but Pei Wanyou had grabbed hold of him.
“So tell me, what do we do now? I can’t keep pretending to be Shushu’s aunt forever,” Pei Wanyou said, sitting on the carpet with her legs hugged to her chest, her face buried in her knees.
Only after the maids had left the reception room did she dare to speak.
Bai Yanzhou crossed his legs naturally, his polished leather shoes swaying slightly: “What else?”
“How about this: we leave the old mansion, you do your thing, and I raise my baby,” Pei Wanyou turned her head, looking at Bai Yanzhou with hopeful eyes.
Bai Yanzhou flicked the ash from his cigarette: “Mom and Dad won’t just ignore their granddaughter.”
“I shouldn’t have called you in the first place,” Pei Wanyou muttered. At the time, she had been in a weakened state, and the hospital insisted on having a family member sign the forms. She had no choice but to contact Bai Yanzhou.
Bai Yanzhou nudged Pei Wanyou gently with the tip of his shoe: “Sit on the sofa, not just anywhere. Have some manners.”
Clearly, he was used to playing the role of an older brother, and lecturing came naturally to him.
“Uncle, Brother Bai kicked me!” Pei Wanyou shouted loudly.
Bai Yanzhou quickly covered her mouth, his voice lowered to a whisper: “Is that all you’ve got?”
Si Xiang stood under a tree, watching the birdcage hanging from a branch. Hearing Pei Wanyou’s loud shout, his eyes softened, and he smiled faintly.
These two siblings had been bickering and playing around since they were young. At first, he had worried they wouldn’t get along, but once, when Pei Wanyou fell down the stairs, Bai Yanzhou stayed by her bedside day and night…
Blood runs thicker than water. After all, they were siblings—let them bicker however they wanted.
Before dinner, Bai Miaomiao hurried back.
“Wanyou!” Bai Miaomiao called out even before she entered the room. In her heart, Pei Wanyou was no different from her own child.
Pei Wanyou, who had been sitting on the sofa watching TV, happily ran to the door as soon as she heard the voice. As the door opened, she threw herself into Bai Miaomiao’s arms: “Auntie, it’s been three months since I last saw you. I missed you so much.”
Bai Miaomiao looked at Pei Wanyou: “Why have you lost so much weight?”
Pei Wanyou had actually gained weight after giving birth, but in Bai Miaomiao’s eyes, she looked thinner.
“She’s practically a little piglet with how much she eats, and you say she’s lost weight?” Bai Yanzhou had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He was now sitting in the living room, drinking tea.
Bai Miaomiao shot him a glare: “Little foreigner, shut up.” Her mother was Eastern, and she herself had half Eastern blood, but who would have thought Bai Yanzhou would take entirely after his father.
“Pfft—”
Pei Wanyou couldn’t help but laugh. Bai Yanzhou, with his golden hair, holding a teacup, his sharp features and soft facial lines—if only his personality were a little better, he’d be perfect.
Indeed, when God opens a window, He closes a door.
The family gathered happily together. Although Bai Miaomiao was incredibly busy, she still made time to watch a movie with Pei Wanyou.
The Bai family estate had a conference room, a banquet hall, an outdoor swimming pool, and a massive home theater. Bai Miaomiao held Pei Wanyou’s hand as they walked along the cobblestone path.
“Wanyou, it’s not that Auntie wants to restrict your freedom, but it’s just not safe right now. During the three months you were traveling, your mother and I were worried sick. From now on, you can’t just go out so casually,” Bai Miaomiao said, stopping in her tracks.
Pei Wanyou nestled against Bai Miaomiao’s shoulder in a coquettish manner. “Auntie is the best. I’ll definitely tell you before going out in the future.” At that time, she was over five months pregnant, her belly already showing. Just after finishing her exams, she went into hiding.
Forget about traveling—she didn’t even dare step out of the hotel door. “…Bored for three months, she could only find some fun online.”
“Your uncle and I are too busy. If anything happens at home, you can talk to your brother. You know how he is—his mouth is sharp, but he’s actually the most protective of family.” Bai Miaomiao had an important meeting to attend and would be going abroad for a while.
Pei Wanyou obediently agreed, thinking to herself, “Asking Bai Yanzhou for help? Better not.”
But reality hit her faster than expected…
That night, Pei Wanyou suddenly developed a high fever, but she didn’t dare call for help. If she saw a doctor, her secret would be exposed.
Bai Yanzhou was in the study, attending an online meeting.
“Brother Bai.” Pei Wanyou’s cheeks were burning with fever, her dark hair sticking to her face, and her pajamas soaked with sweat.
Bai Yanzhou said “sorry” and stood up.
“What’s wrong?” As he spoke, he reached out and touched Pei Wanyou’s forehead—it was scorching hot.
Pei Wanyou leaned her forehead against Bai Yanzhou, her cherry-red lips trembling slightly. Her face flushed even redder, out of embarrassment…
Bai Yanzhou glanced down at her. “Are you an idiot? You’re drinking formula milk, yet you let the doctor clear your ducts and massage you?”
“I didn’t know. The doctor said it’s good for the baby…” Pei Wanyou was in pain, feverish, and worst of all, couldn’t see a doctor.
Bai Yanzhou scooped her up in his arms. “After you register at school tomorrow, I’ll pick you up for an injection. You don’t need to breastfeed the baby.”
You can’t even take care of yourself properly, yet you’re thinking about feeding a child…
“I’m scared of injections…” Pei Wanyou whispered.
“Shut up.” Bai Yanzhou’s expression darkened. She kept saying she was afraid of injections, yet she dared to give birth on her own—and through a C-section, no less…