Gu Mian froze!
She instinctively stopped walking and turned toward the source of the voice. Sure enough, she saw Li Tingshen pushing a wheelchair toward the elevator.
Yin Luoxue sat in the wheelchair, gazing at him with tender affection, looking every bit like a young girl in love, her adoration for him written all over her face.
Despite it being midsummer, Gu Mian felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cellar. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she held the documents.
Was the Imperial Capital really this small? Why did they keep appearing before her eyes just when she was trying to escape and let go, stabbing her in the heart over and over again?
Gu Mian closed her eyes, suppressing the stinging pain in her heart. She withdrew her gaze, turned around, and entered the hospital room.
At the elevator entrance, Li Tingshen turned his head and glanced at the empty corridor.
“Tingshen, what’s wrong?” Yin Luoxue asked curiously.
“Nothing,” he replied, retracting his gaze.
“Then hold me, please? My back is sore from sitting,” Yin Luoxue cooed.
“Endure it a little longer. I’ll have the masseuse give you a rub when we get home.”
Yin Luoxue pouted, “No, I want you to hold me…”
Li Tingshen frowned slightly, “This is a public place. If word gets back to Grandma, she won’t be happy.”
Yin Luoxue finally fell silent.
…
When Gu Mian entered the hospital room, she found it empty.
She had just thought about taking a moment to review the documents when a sudden sharp pain struck her waist, as if something had poked her!
“Ah!”
Startled, Gu Mian immediately turned around and saw a little boy, about four or five years old, wearing an Ultraman mask. His left arm was in a cast, and his right hand held a toy sword pointed at her.
Noticing the hospital gown he wore, she quickly understood.
She had assumed the “little ancestor” the nurse mentioned was a difficult elderly patient, but it turned out to be a “little tyrant.”
“Hello there, little one,” Gu Mian crouched down and greeted him with a smile. “I’m your new caregiver, Gu Mian.”
Worried that the little tyrant might impulsively jab her with his sword, she considered keeping a slight distance. But to her surprise, he threw the sword aside and threw himself into her arms.
“Mommy!”
His childish voice, tinged with excitement, echoed through the spacious hospital room, leaving Gu Mian stunned.
Gu Mian gently patted his back, “Little one, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m not your mommy.”
“You are my mommy!” The little boy released her, took off his Ultraman mask, and looked at her with sparkling eyes. “Mommy, Xiaobao missed you so much…”
He had an exceptionally delicate face, with eyes as bright and lively as obsidian.
Perhaps it was because she was pregnant and overflowing with maternal affection, but Gu Mian’s heart instantly softened. She couldn’t resist stroking his adorable little face. “Little Xiaobao, I’m really not your mommy. My name is Gu Mian.”
Xiaobao ignored her words and insisted, “Mommy, I’m hungry.”
Gu Mian sighed, deciding not to correct him for the time being. “Wait a moment.”
She picked up the documents and skimmed through them. They only stated his name was Pei Xiaobao, age five, with the rest detailing his nearly strict personal habits and the caregiver’s workflow.
Gu Mian checked the precautions: severe pollen allergy, but no dietary restrictions.
The VIP room had its own small kitchen. Gu Mian went to cook a bowl of tomato and beef noodles and brought it out.
“It smells so good! Mommy’s cooking is amazing!”
Gu Mian: “……”
“Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Thank you, Mommy.”
Xiaobao ate with great relish.
Gu Mian couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile, wondering if the baby in her womb would be as well-behaved and adorable as him in the future.
The door to the hospital room suddenly opened. Xiaobao looked up and exclaimed excitedly, “Daddy, Mommy is back!”
Gu Mian turned around and saw a young, handsome man in a suit walking in.
Even if Xiaobao hadn’t called him Daddy, Gu Mian could tell they were father and son—their facial features were almost identical, as if carved from the same mold.
Gu Mian quickly stood up to introduce herself, “Hello, Mr. Pei, I’m Xiaobao’s new caregiver, Gu Mian.”
“Hello,” the man smiled warmly. “Pei Jinchuan.”
He glanced at Xiaobao and said, “Xiaobao hasn’t been this happy in a long time. Thank you, Miss Gu.”
Gu Mian hurriedly clarified, “Mr. Pei, please don’t misunderstand—I didn’t teach Xiaobao to call me that.”
“I know,” Pei Jinchuan corrected his son gently, “Xiaobao, this is Auntie Gu Mian, not Mommy. You can’t call her that randomly.”
“No, she is Mommy!” Xiaobao pouted, looking displeased. “Daddy, you can leave. Mommy will stay here with me.”
“…”
“…”
Pei Jinchuan pinched the bridge of his nose apologetically. “I’m sorry, Miss Gu. Xiaobao might need some time to adjust. I hope you don’t mind.”
Gu Mian felt a bit troubled. “Mr. Pei, this is a hospital with people coming and going. If someone overhears, it could easily cause misunderstandings, and Xiaobao’s mother might be upset.”
“Miss Gu, may I have a word with you in private?”
They moved to the small lounge, where Pei Jinchuan explained, “Xiaobao’s mother is no longer with us, which is why he mistakes you for her. Moreover, Xiaobao has bipolar disorder. If we force him to correct himself, I’m afraid he won’t be able to handle it.”
“How could that be?” Gu Mian was shocked. “The records didn’t mention anything about bipolar disorder.”
“I deliberately kept it hidden. I didn’t want Xiaobao to be seen as a patient in others’ eyes.” Pei Jinchuan’s face showed concern. “But when he has an episode, even I can’t control him. We have to administer sedatives to calm him down.”
Gu Mian nodded. “I understand, Mr. Pei. I’ll do my best to take care of Xiaobao’s physical and emotional well-being.”
“Thank you.”
Xiaobao clung to Gu Mian all day and didn’t want her to leave even when her shift ended.
Pei Jinchuan had no choice but to ask Gu Mian to stay until the child fell asleep. In return, her daily wage was increased from two thousand to three thousand.
Gu Mian was more than willing. Earning money was her top priority now, and taking care of Xiaobao wasn’t particularly exhausting—she could handle it without issue.
At 10 p.m., after Xiaobao had fallen asleep, Gu Mian left the hospital.
…
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and Li Tingshen hadn’t contacted Gu Mian.
Gu Mian tried to keep herself busy, leaving early and returning late to care for Xiaobao at the hospital. She would take a shower and fall straight into bed, resisting the urge to think about Li Tingshen.
The nurses admired Gu Mian greatly. Not only had she stayed, but the little troublemaker also called her Mommy.
What kind of magical feat was this?
Could she really be his biological mother?
If so, this family’s looks were simply extraordinary!
At noon, after coaxing Xiaobao to nap, Gu Mian tiptoed out of the room to buy the cake he wanted.
The cake shop required waiting in line, so Gu Mian went to the nurses’ station and asked a nurse to keep an eye on Xiaobao.
“Don’t worry, go ahead. I’ll take good care of him for you.”
Ever since Gu Mian arrived, the little ancestor’s temper had improved significantly, and they were genuinely grateful to her from the bottom of their hearts.
Gu Mian rushed back to the hospital as quickly as she could, but it was already two hours later by the time she arrived.
As she stepped out of the elevator carrying a cake, she heard a familiar voice.
“What’s wrong with you, you brat? This is my newly bought bracelet—do you even have the money to pay for it?”
It was Yin Luoxue.
The voice was coming from the direction of Xiaobao’s hospital room.
Gu Mian’s heart sank, and she hurried toward the room. Sure enough, she saw Yin Luoxue in the corridor outside the room, slapping Xiaobao across the face!
Xiaobao’s eyes turned bloodshot. With a loud cry, he grabbed Yin Luoxue’s hand and bit down hard!
“Ah!” Yin Luoxue yelled angrily, “You brat, how dare you bite me! I’ll beat you to death!”
She pulled her hand back, grabbed Xiaobao, and started hitting him.
Gu Mian immediately rushed forward to stop her. “Stop! Let him go right now!”
“Ah—”
Xiaobao’s emotions spiraled completely out of control. He screamed and tried to hit Yin Luoxue back.
Gu Mian knew it was a bipolar episode!
For the past few days, Xiaobao’s mood had been stable, and he hadn’t had any episodes.
Gu Mian felt both heartbroken and anxious. She held Xiaobao tightly in her arms. “Xiaobao, don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! I’m here—no one can hurt you! Be good, Xiaobao…”
Under her gentle and patient soothing, Xiaobao’s emotions gradually stabilized.
“Gu Mian?” Yin Luoxue asked curiously, “What are you doing here?”
The next moment, she heard the little boy cry out, “Mom, you’re finally back!”
Yin Luoxue froze for a few seconds before she was sure she hadn’t misheard or misseen—the little boy was indeed calling Gu Mian “Mom”!
Xiaobao complained to Gu Mian tearfully, “Mom, she hit me!”
“Don’t be scared, it’s all over now.”
Just as Gu Mian was about to ask what had happened, a deep, icy voice suddenly sounded beside her. “Gu Mian, what did he call you?”