Pei Leyu’s little face was red and tear-streaked as she peeked through the door, looking utterly miserable.
She had had a nightmare.
In her dream, her mother never came back.
Everything that had happened today—it wasn’t real.
The terrifying dream had woken Pei Leyu, and instinctively she wanted to find Zhong Qing to make sure her mother was still there.
Her reddened eyes looked curiously at Pei Yanshen, who was leaning over the bed, and then at Zhong Qing, just woken up, confusion written all over her face.
Zhong Qing first glanced at Pei Yanshen, standing beside her seemingly “out of nowhere,” then turned to her daughter at the door.
As if completely ignoring Pei Yanshen’s tense expression and stiff posture, she reached out her hand.
“Xiao Yu, are you missing Mom?”
Pei Leyu hesitated, then nodded. Meeting Zhong Qing’s expectant gaze, she cautiously climbed into her arms, kicking her little feet to get onto the bed.
Zhong Qing held Pei Leyu in one arm, soothing her, while her gaze casually flicked toward the door.
A small figure peeked out from the darkness, hiding by the doorframe, watching her and Pei Leyu with complex eyes.
“Xiao An, come join us. Xiao Yu is with Mom—if Dad has no one, he’ll feel sad.”
Pei Leyan was startled by the sudden call.
He had only realized upon returning that Zhong Qing had left snacks in the room for him and Xiao Yu.
Although he had misunderstood her this time, did she really think that snacks alone could win over him and Xiao Yu?
After hesitating for a bit, Pei Leyan eventually shuffled over.
…He was only worried that Dad would be sad, not because he was timid like Xiao Yu!
Zhong Qing arranged the two children in the middle of the bed and finally looked at the tall figure still stiffly standing at the side—without mentioning Pei Yanshen’s odd behavior.
Her meaning was clear.
You can’t let the kids see you sleeping on the floor.
At least in front of the children, they had to maintain the appearance of normal parents.
Pei Yanshen eventually got onto the bed.
As if to prove Zhong Qing’s words true, Pei Leyan immediately snuggled close to Pei Yanshen.
With the two children in the middle, each parent holding one child, they finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Zhong Qing woke up at the sound of the wake-up call.
The other side of the bed was already empty—Pei Leyan had quietly gotten up to prepare for kindergarten.
Previously, Pei Leyan usually went to kindergarten on his own.
Only when Pei Yanshen wasn’t busy would he personally take him.
But this mother, Zhong Qing, seemed completely absent.
Pei Yanshen went to work; she continued sleeping.
Pei Leyan left for school; she still slept.
Pei Leyu was crying from hunger; she rolled over, covering her ears to continue sleeping.
Clearing her throat, Zhong Qing said, “Xiao An, shall Mom take you to kindergarten?”
Pei Leyan froze, not looking at her. “No need. I can go myself.”
Without waiting for a response, he dashed out the door.
Watching his small figure leave, Zhong Qing sighed.
The road of raising children was going to be long and hard.
After breakfast, Zhong Qing eagerly took the seeds into her space.
She had been curious about planting since the train ride and now finally had the chance to try. She didn’t waste a moment.
Fortunately, the space’s functions were convenient and powerful.
Carrying the seeds to the field, she triggered the planting prompt automatically.
This was perfect for someone like Zhong Qing, who had practically no prior experience.
She also discovered that watering in the space used the spring water automatically.
Thinking of the spring water’s benefits, she grew curious.
Would the soil in this space be different from ordinary soil?
Deciding to save the remaining seeds, she thought to experiment later.
Although she had no dedicated garden, the empty space between apartment buildings could be cultivated as small vegetable plots.
There was a small patch right by their door, though previously Zhong Qing had never cared to use it. She just blocked it to prevent others from taking it.
Now, she could try planting there.
But real planting would require help from outside.
When Pei’s parents heard Zhong Qing wanted to try growing vegetables, they were genuinely surprised.
“Growing vegetables isn’t easy, Xiao Qing. Are you sure you want to try? Maybe you should think it over.”
Zhong Qing nodded. “I know. I’m not afraid of being laughed at. I know my limits. I just want to try planting a little here by the door, to pass the time. Besides, I have you to help.”
Pei’s mother looked at Zhong Qing affectionately.
Northwestern China wasn’t like Shanghai; Zhong Qing had often complained about how boring it was here.
Now that she was willing to find something new to do, how could her mother not support her?
In practice, it wasn’t as hard as Zhong Qing imagined, perhaps because she wasn’t planting much, and her parents helped.
Zhong Qing specifically switched the water for the vegetables to the space’s spring water and even replaced the household water with it.
Although Pei Leyu couldn’t speak yet, she squatted nearby, watching curiously the entire time.
Upstairs, Sister Xiao heard the noise and came out. Seeing Zhong Qing planting, she sneered sarcastically:
“Zhong Qing, vegetables don’t grow just by planting them!”
Because living on the second floor made it harder to find suitable ground, Xiao Qiaofang had long been envious of the plot Zhong Qing was using.
Previously, Zhong Qing and Xiao Qiaofang had quarreled over it. Xiao had even scolded her for “hogging the land without doing anything.”
Zhong Qing straightened up and smiled: “No need to worry, Sister Xiao. I just never had time to manage it before—leaving it fallow was the real waste. Whether it grows well or not is our business.”
Though there was no officially designated vegetable garden, everyone knew that whoever had space in front of their house could use it.
Even if Zhong Qing had never planted before, the plot legally belonged to her family.
Xiao Qiaofang snorted coldly and muttered, “No time? Clearly just lazy.”
What could a pampered young lady like Zhong Qing grow? It was just a passing fancy. If it all died, the land would be wasted.
But thinking of her husband’s instructions, Xiao Qiaofang held back from continuing the argument.
Everyone in the apartment complex held some status in the airport. Getting involved with someone like Zhong Qing, with her background and faults, would only bring trouble.
Anyway, Captain Pei would divorce this annoying woman. Then the land would belong to them anyway.
…
At the airport, Yu Xingze glanced at the low-pressure aura around Pei Yanshen and cautiously asked, “Did you quarrel with your wife?”
Yesterday’s misunderstanding over selling the children had caused a stir; even at the airport, many had heard about it.
Pei Yanshen remained silent, frowning.
Yu Xingze hesitated a moment, then said, “There’s something I’m not sure whether I should say…”
Pei Yanshen furrowed his brows. “Say it.”
Yu Xingze then recounted everything he had overheard at the state-run hotel yesterday, leaving nothing out.