Yan Jingheng had scheduled the outing for the afternoon, leaving early in the morning for the office.
But Zhi Lang had been excited since daybreak and couldn’t sit still at home.
Chi Wei had no choice but to take him out for a meal first.
Even so, they arrived half an hour earlier than the agreed time.
As Chi Wei parked the car at the entrance of the amusement park, she spotted a familiar Bentley.
It was Yan Jingheng’s car.
And the owner of the car was currently carrying Qiao Shiyue in his arms, walking side by side with Qiao Mingfei as they emerged from the amusement park.
Qiao Shiyue held a large rabbit plushie in her hands.
A butterfly hair clip adorned her head, her princess dress fluttered in the wind, and her face was lit up with a bright, cheerful smile—she seemed to have had a great time.
They didn’t seem to notice Chi Wei’s presence, chatting and laughing as they approached. Chi Wei overheard Qiao Mingfei saying, “Yueyue, you mustn’t be so mischievous in the future, understand?
Uncle Yan still has to accompany the young master. You can’t always cling to Uncle Yan.”
Yan Jingheng replied, “Sister Fei, she’s still young. Don’t be too strict with her.
Besides, it’s just an extra trip. It’s no big deal.”
“Jingheng, you’re spoiling her. What if she develops a princess complex?” Qiao Mingfei chided playfully.
“So what? Yueyue is our little princess. It’s only natural for her to have a bit of a temper. I…”
His words trailed off abruptly, and Yan Jingheng’s steps halted. He stared blankly at Chi Wei standing before him.
Chi Wei was still holding Yan Zhilang’s hand. The expressions on the mother and son’s faces were strikingly similar—shock, disbelief, anger, a mix of emotions intertwined in a complex web.
Chi Wei had never imagined that by arriving just a little earlier, she would witness such a scene.
Her husband, who had promised to take their son to the amusement park in the afternoon, was now accompanying the nanny’s daughter out of the park.
He didn’t even hesitate to call the nanny’s daughter his little princess.
Then what about Zhi Lang? What did Zhi Lang count as?
A backup option after he finished accompanying Qiao Shiyue?
And what about him and Qiao Mingfei…
Chi Wei had seen clearly how intimately they were joking and playing as they left the amusement park. She could no longer deceive herself into believing that Yan Jingheng and Qiao Mingfei had a purely innocent relationship.
Yan Jingheng bent down and set Qiao Shiyue on the ground.
After a brief moment of distraction, he had regained his composure and asked Chi Wei in his usual gentle tone, “Why did you come so early? The sun is quite strong today. I hope you didn’t get too much sun?”
He knew the sun was strong too, which was why he had taken Qiao Shiyue out in the morning.
But for Zhi Lang, the time was set for the scorching noon.
“Jingheng, aren’t you going to explain?” Chi Wei asked.
Yan Jingheng gave a meaningful glance, signaling Qiao Mingfei to take Qiao Shiyue away first. He said, “Yueyue has never been to an amusement park before. Since I had some free time, I brought her here early to help Zhi Lang figure out which rides are fun.”
As he spoke, he pulled out a handful of brightly colored fruit candies from his pocket and extended them toward Zhi Lang. “Zhi Lang loves candies. I specially prepared these for him earlier.”
His explanation remained perfectly reasonable.
His attitude was as gentle as ever.
But the colorful wrappers of the candies reflected the sunlight, casting a light that no longer held any warmth in Chi Wei’s heart.
He seemed to understand Zhi Lang well, even specifically remembering that Zhi Lang liked candy, yet he forgot that Zhi Lang had developed a cavity just two days ago and had recently visited the dentist, so he couldn’t eat candy lately.
Or perhaps this candy wasn’t bought for Zhi Lang at all.
It was simply an opportunity to present a gift that wasn’t originally intended for him.
Before Chi Wei could speak, Zhi Lang had already reached out and forcefully knocked the candy Yan Jingheng offered out of his hand: "Bad Daddy, you don’t care about me at all. I hate you."
Yan Jingheng’s face darkened, but he still patiently coaxed: "How could Daddy not care about Zhi Lang?
Isn’t Daddy here to take you to the amusement park?"
Zhi Lang pouted: "No, you took Qiao Shiyue first. You only care about her, not me at all."
As he spoke, Zhi Lang began to cry pitifully.
Daddy had already given Qiao Shiyue so many gifts yesterday, but nothing for him. He thought going to the amusement park was a special gift just for him.
Yet he never imagined that this thing he thought was unique was also given to Qiao Shiyue, and she even got it before him.
"Zhi Lang, haven’t I told you that Yueyue doesn’t have a father anymore? She’s very pitiful. You should let her have her way a little, you can’t—"
"Enough. Since Zhi Lang doesn’t want to go to the amusement park anymore, I’ll take him home first," Chi Wei said.
She couldn’t bear to listen to Yan Jingheng’s excuses any longer.
Every time he abandoned her and Zhi Lang for Qiao Mingfei and her son, the excuse of "just repaying a favor" sounded utterly ridiculous.
"Wei Wei, Zhi Lang is young, but why are you indulging him in this tantrum?" Yan Jingheng was somewhat displeased.
He reached out and grabbed Chi Wei’s arm: "Do you also think there’s something between Sister Fei and me?
She’s ten years older than me and practically watched me grow up. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her my second mother. How could I have any inappropriate feelings for her?"
Second mother…
Gratitude for raising him…
Chi Wei had believed this explanation back then, which was why she agreed to let Qiao Mingfei and Qiao Shiyue move into their home.
Now, hearing the same excuse again felt like a silent mockery of her past foolishness.
"Wei Wei, please stop making a fuss, okay? You know you’re the only one in my heart.
Don’t you remember? Back then, to marry you, I almost broke ties with my family. How could there be any doubt about my feelings for you?" Yan Jingheng added.
Chi Wei came from a poor family and had a sick mother.
She and Yan Jingheng first met during her university days when she, as a student representative, gave a speech on stage. Yan Jingheng, a well-known entrepreneur, presented her with a scholarship.
Later, they exchanged contact information and their conversations grew more frequent. Yan Jingheng was gentle, mature, and full of understanding—a fatal attraction for a girl from a single-parent family. She quickly fell in love.
Yan Jingheng invited her to his company’s celebration banquet, and that very night, they became intimate, leading to her pregnancy with Zhi Lang.
At the time, Chi Wei hadn’t graduated yet. Terrified, it was Yan Jingheng who made a grand gesture by proposing to her at her school. He even went against his entire family to marry her, giving her enough sense of security to take the plunge and marry him.
Later, she gave birth to Zhi Lang. The doctor said her health had issues and advised against marital intimacy, but Yan Jingheng raised no objections and treated her as lovingly as before.
He must truly love her to be so patient and tolerant.
Chi Wei had always firmly believed this.
But today, under his deliberate care for Qiao Mingfei and her daughter, this resolve finally wavered.
Chi Wei pushed Yan Jingheng's hand away and, taking Zhi Lang with her, got into the car without looking back.