Crab meat was delicious, and Wen Tingxue ate two large hairy crabs in one go.
Yu Wenli peeled four, giving two to his father and mother.
Wen Tingxue realized that he wasn't inconsiderate, he just cared more about those he was close to. He knew what his mother liked and what his father enjoyed.
As for others, perhaps he truly didn't pay much attention.
Wen Tingxue wasn't sure, but she could feel Yu Wenli's attentiveness towards her.
This was because he always slowed down when peeling crabs for her.
Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him to fish.
He was teaching her.
Wen Tingxue didn't let his effort go to waste; she quickly learned and even peeled one for her parents.
She originally intended to peel one for him as a thank you, but he said he didn't like crabs, so she had to give up.
The meal was very pleasant. When it was time to leave, Wen Tingxue wanted to go to the restroom, but she was too embarrassed to ask.
She didn't want to interrupt her mother's conversation.
Yu Wenli sensed her predicament and, fearing she wouldn't know the way since it was her first time there, asked a waitress to show her.
As a mother, Yu Xiuxiu only realized her daughter wanted to go to the restroom after she had already left, which made her feel a little disheartened.
She was sitting right next to her daughter, so why didn't she tell her?
She felt like a worse mother than a child.
"I have to say, Wenli is quite good at taking care of people."
Yu Xiuxiu discovered for the first time that Yu Wenli was a warm man. He had always been aloof and not very talkative before.
Madam Yu said with a smile, "He doesn't usually take care of people. It's only your little girl who is so likable that even my own son favors her."
She had lost count of how many girls her son had made cry.
Only Wen Yutou was an exception.
Yu Xiuxiu sighed, glanced at Yu Wenli, and said, "Perhaps Yi Yi is just timid. She grew up with her grandmother and isn't very close to us."
Yu Wenli heard the unspoken meaning in her words, took a shallow sip of his drink, and said, "Auntie Yu, it's not that Yi Yi isn't close to me; she's just not good with words."
Wen Zhongen and Yu Xiuxiu both looked at him simultaneously, their expressions serious.
Yi Yi's birth was ill-timed; they were busy with their careers and couldn't pay attention to her.
So, after she was born, they left her with her grandmother.
Over the years, they had sent a lot of money, not expecting to raise her exceptionally well, just to ensure she wasn't wronged.
But looking back now, this was the biggest mistake they had made.
Her grandmother had spun tales over the phone, but what had happened to the child?
They suspected that the happy scenes they occasionally witnessed were fabricated!
Yu Xiuxiu dared not even imagine what Yi Yi would face after they left.
They had already argued about this before coming.
But what was the point of arguing when things had already come to this? Her grandmother was at fault, but were they blameless?
Children are perceptive; they can sense who is good to them, and this isn't something that blood ties can influence.
Even though she and her father were by her side, she still instinctively relied on Yu Wenli, who understood her better.
This left the couple feeling defeated.
"Then..." Yu Xiuxiu pursed her lips, earnestly seeking advice, "How should we interact with her?"
Wen Zhongen stared intently at Yu Wenli's face, his expression unusually tense.
They had tried to interact with their daughter, but they received very little response.
Even her cousin had to coax her patiently to get a smile from her.
Only Yu Wenli, after less than half a day of interaction, had gained her trust and reliance.
This had never happened before.
After the meal, Yu Wenli felt even more concerned for Wen Tingxue.
She had been raised by her grandmother since childhood, and her parents were constantly busy with their careers. Even after bringing her back, they subconsciously ignored her existence.
This was because, in their years of habit, there was no concept of childcare.
So, when the dishes were served, they would put food on her plate, and that was it.
They didn't carefully consider if she liked it or if she would eat it; they merely went through the motions of taking care.
After all, they hadn't raised her from birth, and it was natural to feel unaccustomed to her sudden presence...
Yu Wenli paused in his thoughts before saying, "Uncle and Auntie, please don't worry. In our short time together, I can feel that Yi Yi loves you very much, but she just doesn't know how to express it. She tends to hide her thoughts and feelings.
"Therefore, you can't wait for her to speak. You need to observe patiently and care for her attentively. As long as she feels your love, she will slowly open up."
He didn't know what she had been through, so he could only offer his thoughts based on his intuition and experience.
A look of guilt flashed across the faces of Yu Father and Yu Mother.
Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhongen nodded thoughtfully.
They repeatedly recalled Yu Wenli's words in their minds.
"Auntie Yu."
Yu Wenli suddenly spoke, breaking the silence in the room.
Everyone looked at him.
After some thought, Yu Wenli decided to say it. He knew she wouldn't bring it up herself.
If they didn't notice, she might get hurt.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but her left hand... has frostbite."
Yu Xiuxiu blinked, disbelief coloring her face. "...Frostbite?"
Yu Wenli nodded.
Although the weather had warmed up, and the injuries on her hand had subsided considerably, he could still see them.
Before, she had mostly used her right hand, so he hadn't noticed until she was peeling crabs, when he saw faint scars on her hand.
Wen Zhongen's face darkened with a frown. He felt even more disappointed with the Wen family.
Were all the money they sent every year being fed to the dogs?!
But he blamed himself even more for not realizing his daughter was being wronged sooner, only seeing his mother's heartlessness after this incident.
Yu Father tried to smooth things over, "I don't think Wen Yutou blames you. Just be more attentive in the future, and she'll feel it. Wenli also didn't grow up with us; he was raised by his maternal grandparents.
"He only came back to us at the age of eight. He was very resistant to us back then, but now he's doing well, isn't he?"
"Yes, yes,"
Yu Mother nodded, "Xiao Wen was very upset with his dad and me back then. He even trashed the house several times. Later, his dad and I slowly got closer, and he accepted us. Wen Yutou is already doing very well."
Yu Wenli listened silently, not speaking, as it was the truth.
Under the gentle guidance of Yu Father and Yu Mother, Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhongen nodded heavily.
No matter what, they couldn't let their daughter suffer any more grievances.
The conversation was cut short when Wen Tingxue returned. Everyone acted as if nothing had happened, smiling and talking to her.
"I see Yi Yi's suitcase isn't very large, so she probably doesn't have many clothes. Since we have some free time this afternoon, why don't we go buy her a few outfits?"
Yu Mother suggested.
Yu Xiuxiu had already had this in mind, and the two of them readily agreed. They didn't need to ask the men's opinions and began discussing shops they liked.
Wen Tingxue was pulled along by them, one on each side, and didn't have a chance to refuse, so she simply accepted their affection.
Yu Wenli walked at the very back, casually replying to messages in a group chat. They were all urging him to hurry over.
Yu Father deliberately lagged a step behind and asked in a low voice, "You're taking good care of Wen Yutou."
He knew his own son well. All the patience and meticulousness he displayed today had surpassed his usual behavior.
Even his usually careless wife had noticed something was off.
However, they both liked Wen Yutou, and they were happy that the two of them got along well.
Yu Wenli put away his phone, his gaze falling on the short-haired girl in front of him. A faint smile touched his lips, and he replied softly, "She's very cute."
"Then why don't you want her to be your sister?" Yu Father raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Yu Wenli turned his head and replied with a strained smile, "A girl as cute as her would be a great asset as my sister, but a complete loss as your daughter."
Yu Father: "..."
Yu Wenli patted his biological father's shoulder and said earnestly, "You two are more suited to raising sons."
With his mother's careless nature and his father's busy schedule, a daughter born into their family would be terribly neglected.
Yu Father: "..."
-
At the hotel entrance.
Yu Xiuxiu arranged for her assistant to take the luggage of the three of them back.
Her daughter's visit was sudden. The couple was supposed to be on a business trip to the neighboring city today. They had rushed back after hearing their daughter had boarded the high-speed train halfway there, and their work had been postponed for two days.
"Xiao Wen, do you have any plans this afternoon? Help pick out a few outfits for Yi Yi; you have good taste."
Yu Mother genuinely liked Wen Tingxue and naturally hoped her son would get along better with her and become closer in the future.
After all, her son was as cold as ice, and he hadn't made any female friends for so long.
It had made her wonder if her son had psychological issues.
Only after taking him for a check-up and being told he was fine did she relax.
While Yu Mother was speaking, Yu Wenli had already sent a message in the group chat saying 'Be there soon,' and the replies were all 'Waiting for you.'