Pei Wanyou thought it over, then got up and walked out of the main house with her phone. She decided to confirm with Bai Yanzhou first—otherwise, if he really got angry, it would be terrifying.
Bai Yanzhou leaned back in his chair, lazily sipping tea. Shushu was already asleep in the crib, while Lu Shu’an sat nearby. Liu Yanxing sat across from him, smoking a cigarette. The three of them were discussing plans for the West District over the next two years.
“Brother, can I discuss something with you?” Pei Wanyou said as she stepped down the stairs and walked up to Bai Yanzhou. “I want to go out for a meal with my friends.”
With so many people around, he probably wouldn’t reject her like he had before, right?
Bai Yanzhou set down his teacup and glanced at her. He hated having to repeat himself the most. “No. Have you finished your homework for today?”
Pei Wanyou was actually quite thin-skinned. After being rejected, her cheeks flushed slightly. “Then… can you come with me?”
“Do you think I have time?” Bai Yanzhou raised his eyes as he spoke. The words of the psychologist echoed in his mind, and he frowned. “Finish your homework first, then we’ll talk.”
Hearing Bai Yanzhou’s tone soften, Pei Wanyou was overjoyed. “Then I’ll go do my homework first and discuss it with you later.” With that, she ran back in her slippers, making a “tap-tap” sound.
“If you don’t have time, I do. I’ll go with her.” Liu Yanxing perked up at this. He’d change his schedule as soon as he got back tonight.
Lu Shu’an fiddled with the cigarette box. He had perfectly avoided inheriting his father’s trait of having three thousand schemes up his sleeve—he had no intention of picking it up at all.
Bai Yanzhou picked up his teacup and blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface. “Perfect timing. The orphanage in the West District needs expansion. Since you’re free tomorrow, go take care of it.”
See? He walked right into the line of fire.
Liu Yanxing choked. He looked at Bai Yanzhou. “No, that’s not what I meant. I meant—”
“It’s settled.” Bai Yanzhou took a cigarette from the box, completely ignoring Liu Yanxing’s tearful expression.
Lu Shu’an handed him a lighter. “I really envy him…” Before he could finish the words “unlike me,” Bai Yanzhou spoke slowly.
“If you envy him, you can go with him.” Bai Yanzhou blew out a puff of smoke. He had originally planned to go himself tomorrow, but it was just as well for the two of them to go.
Lu Shu’an cursed with a laugh and leaned back in his chair. If you wanted to accompany Pei Wanyou to the gathering, why not just say so? Why go around in such a big circle?
“Speaking of which, your way of disciplining isn’t right. If you tie a bird’s wings, it won’t encounter danger, but it also won’t be able to fly, right?” Lu Shu’an glanced toward the main house. Wanyou wasn’t a child anymore—it was time to let go appropriately.
Without experiencing some storms, she could never fly high or far. Bai Yanzhou wanted Pei Wanyou to grow, yet he kept her under his wing. She couldn’t even fly, let alone shoulder responsibilities or take on major roles.
Bai Yanzhou blew out another puff of smoke. “Avoiding danger can also lead to growth.”
“Just telling her isn’t enough. You have to let her try things herself. Otherwise, if you keep doing this, she’ll run into big trouble sooner or later.” Lu Shu’an wasn’t trying to scare Bai Yanzhou. If he kept protecting her like this, not even letting her stumble, how would she ever learn what danger was?
“Shushu is still so young. Isn’t it a bit early for you two to be discussing this?” Liu Yanxing glanced at Bai Yunshu in the crib. How old was she, and they were already talking about letting her face danger?
She couldn’t even roll over yet—what danger could there be?
Lu Shu’an raised his hand and patted Liu Yanxing’s shoulder: “If it really doesn’t work, why don’t we go to a hospital and get your brain checked?”
“Go to hell. If your dick can’t get hard, shouldn’t you be the one getting checked instead of worrying about me?” Liu Yanxing’s voice wasn’t exactly soft.
Bai Yanzhou lowered his gaze and extended the hand holding his cigarette.
“Holy shit, how old are you, grabbing someone’s junk?” Lu Shu’an immediately stood up.
Bai Yanzhou held the cigarette between his lips: “Hold him down.”
Liu Yanxing perked up at that.
Just then, Pei Wanyou poked her head out, her face full of anticipation: “Who found a bird’s nest?” How come she didn’t know there was a bird’s nest in the tree?
“…”
Bai Yanzhou stubbed out his cigarette and walked toward the main room: “Finished your homework?”
Pei Wanyou pouted. There was so much classwork. Weren’t they all saying that things get better once you go to university? What’s so good about it?
“I’ll watch you do it.” Bai Yanzhou said as he sat on the edge of the bed. His black suit looked somewhat out of place against the pink bedding.
Pei Wanyou disliked Bai Yanzhou, but she wanted to act cute to bargain for permission to go to tomorrow’s gathering. So she stretched out her fair, delicate fingers and pinched his clothes: “Brother, just let me go. From childhood till now, Lulu is my only friend.”
Bai Yanzhou glanced at the fingers on his shoulder: “Is this how you negotiate with me?”
Pei Wanyou hesitated for a moment, then silently sat on the floor and hugged Bai Yanzhou’s leg: “Just let me go, okay? Please…” For her only friend, she was going all out.
“Fine.” Bai Yanzhou shifted his long leg: “Get up.” Who taught her to do this?
Hearing Bai Yanzhou agree, Pei Wanyou was as happy as a butterfly that had just gathered honey: “Brother, you’re simply the best!”
Bai Yanzhou rested his elbow on his leg and reached out to pinch Pei Wanyou’s soft, tender cheek: “I’m the best? Explain carefully.”
Pei Wanyou sat on the carpet, her face pinched out of shape. She looked at Bai Yanzhou with pleading eyes: “Um… it’s just… um…”
He was a complete jerk, making her praise him now. She was at a loss for words.
“Hmm?” Bai Yanzhou raised an eyebrow, looking at Pei Wanyou with a threatening gaze. Did she really think he was some irredeemable villain in her heart?
Pei Wanyou licked her delicate lips, her throat feeling a bit dry: “It’s just… um… ah! No, I’m afraid it might thunder and rain tomorrow!”
Bai Yanzhou’s gaze fell on Pei Wanyou’s rosy lips. Usually, her mouth was so quick, but now she was afraid of being struck by lightning for praising him?
“If you can’t praise me, you’re not going tomorrow.” Bai Yanzhou said, releasing his grip and crossing his long legs.
Pei Wanyou rubbed her cheek: “The way you put it… your goodness can’t just be spoken, right? It has to be felt in the heart…” No, if it really doesn’t work, maybe she just won’t go.
Bai Yanzhou’s expression changed slightly: “Do your homework.”
Pei Wanyou stood up, walked to the round table, and started doing her homework, occasionally glancing at Bai Yanzhou.
Why did Alma have marks all over her neck, while he was completely clean…
Bai Yanzhou stood up. Just as he was about to adjust his pants, Pei Wanyou turned her head and looked.
The two locked eyes for a few seconds. Pei Wanyou’s ears quickly turned red. That size was fine in sweatpants, but in suit pants, it was way too obvious.
It was like a tree had fallen across the road.
Bai Yanzhou walked out and drank a few cups of iced tea outside.
Lu Shu’an whistled.
Liu Yanxing was squatting by the crib, looking at Shushu. “I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but this child looks a bit like her aunt.”
After all, Bai Yanzhou and Pei Wanyou weren’t biological siblings…
Hearing this, Bai Yanzhou’s expression darkened. When Shushu was first born, she was all wrinkled, but babies grow quickly. When she opened her eyes, she looked just like Pei Wanyou did as a child.
Shushu would grow up sooner or later. If things continued like this, it would be impossible to keep it hidden.
He had to make plans early, especially recently. He absolutely couldn’t let Shushu appear in the public eye—the voting was about to begin.
If news of his relationship with her got out, his credibility would plummet. The team leaders who already didn’t think highly of him would be even less likely to vote for him.
If he didn’t take over the position, his parents would have to keep carrying the burden. The doctor said his mother’s health was already very poor…
Bai Yanzhou looked at Shushu, who was chewing on her hand. This mother and daughter—one was more troublesome than the other.
After dinner, Lu Shu’an and Liu Yanxing left the Bai residence.
Pei Wanyou sat on the bed in the main room, holding Shushu. The baby had been crying a lot lately. According to the maid, drinking formula could cause gas…
She bit her lip, feeling inexplicably ashamed. She was just too embarrassed to breastfeed the baby…
Just as she made up her mind, the door opened.
Bai Yanzhou never knocked. Seeing this scene, he quickly turned around. “Pei Wanyou, why aren’t you dead from stupidity?”
Pei Wanyou blushed all the way to her neck. She stammered for a long time. “Shushu cries every day, so I… I thought maybe… it’s because of the formula.”
She didn’t say it was the maid’s suggestion.
Bai Yanzhou stood where he was, waiting for Pei Wanyou to put her clothes back on before turning around. “Didn’t you take the medicine I told you to take?”
She went to school like this every day. If someone bumped into her, she’d be in so much pain it would feel like half her life was gone!
“After we argued, I… I don’t know where I put the medicine,” Pei Wanyou muttered softly. Bai Yanzhou was strict and had no time to buy more. She looked it up online, but it was useless anyway.
Now Bai Yanzhou finally understood why she had been in such a bad mood…
“Whether it’s formula or something else, babies will have gas,” Bai Yanzhou said as he took Shushu into his arms. If he didn’t explain clearly, she would definitely blame herself and be unable to sleep at night, thinking Shushu cried because she wasn’t breastfeeding.
Pei Wanyou tugged at Bai Yanzhou’s sleeve. “Alright, stop talking.” Her face felt like it was on fire.
Bai Yanzhou also knew it wasn’t appropriate to continue this topic.
As soon as Shushu touched it, there was nothing left. No wonder she was fussy—she kicked her little legs and wailed loudly…
Pei Wanyou watched with a pained heart. Ever since giving birth, she didn’t know what was wrong with her, but every time she heard a baby cry, her heart ached.
No matter how they tried to soothe her, Shushu just kicked and cried.
Bai Yanzhou took a deep breath. “Let her cry a little. It’s just crying.”
“No… Why don’t you cry yourself…” Pei Wanyou reached out and took Shushu back. “Just go outside.”
“Nonsense.” Bai Yanzhou naturally didn’t agree with Pei Wanyou’s suggestion. In fact, he even felt a strange emotion stirring inside him.
Shushu cried loudly, so Bai Yanzhou had the maid prepare formula.
But the little girl had quite a temper. She protested with both hands and feet, refusing to drink, her little face red from crying.
Bai Yanzhou had no intention of indulging her.
Pei Wanyou held Shushu, tears welling in her eyes. “I know you don’t like the baby I gave birth to, but she’s crying like this. Can’t you just go outside?”
“I…” Which eye did she see that he didn’t like Shushu?
In the end, Bai Yanzhou was very firm in his stance: if she wouldn’t drink the formula, then she would go hungry.
Pei Wanyou wiped away her tears—what kind of mother was she even being? She was nothing…
Bai Yanzhou carried Shushu back to the side room. Once she got picky about feeding, she would never drink formula again, and who would suffer then?
Pei Wanyou was already in a bad mood until she received a message from Jiang Lu…
Jiang Lu: [Sweetie, pick one—these places are all close to the school.]
Her senior had planned to choose a location farther away so they could go out and have fun after the meal, but Pei Wanyou had refused. She couldn’t go far and could only stay near the school.
Pei Wanyou chose a self-service barbecue restaurant. It was the closest to the school, had a great environment, and even had private barbecue courtyards.
Jiang Lu: [Sweetie, I really have made quite a few new friends lately, but you’ll always be number one in my heart!]
Pei Wanyou smiled as she read the message. Jiang Lu was her only friend, but she couldn’t stop her from making many, many more friends…
By evening, Bai Yanzhou brought a new box of medicine: “Take two pills after every meal. And let me say this one last time: Shushu isn’t crying because of the formula.”
“That still doesn’t change the fact that I’m a failure as a mother.” Pei Wanyou put down her phone and looked at Bai Yanzhou. “I really want to know—when she cries like that, don’t you feel heartbroken?”
Bai Yanzhou walked out, slamming the door heavily behind him. Her meaning couldn’t have been clearer—she still resented him for not caring about Shushu.
Pei Wanyou lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. It wasn’t until dawn began to break that she gradually felt drowsy.
She had a nightmare.
In the dream, Bai Yanzhou was holding Shushu and threw her to the ground. She woke up instantly, her heart racing uncontrollably…
Pei Wanyou had fallen asleep in class for two days in a row, and the professor was very displeased, demanding to meet her parents.
Jiang Lu had been waiting for her outside. Seeing her come out of the office, she whispered comfortingly, “It’s okay. The professor is just too old-fashioned and inflexible.”
Pei Wanyou muddled through the day, still thinking about how to tell Bai Yanzhou about the “parent meeting” request.
Forget it—she wouldn’t mention it for now. Otherwise, he would definitely cancel her gathering.
But what Pei Wanyou didn’t expect was that Brady would be at the off-campus social gathering. He was wearing athletic clothes, holding a cigarette, and smiled slightly when he saw her.
What was this toad doing here?
Bai Yanzhou was originally supposed to accompany Pei Wanyou to the gathering, but he had an impromptu meeting and would arrive later.
Pei Wanyou sent Bai Yanzhou a message: [Brother, where are you?]
She had already told Jiang Lu that her brother would be coming along.
“Forget it, my brother has something to do and can’t come right away.” Pei Wanyou finished speaking and followed behind Jiang Lu. “Let’s not wait for him.”