"My apologies, that was my responsibility," Su Ding said as she got out of the car. She looked at the red Maserati, noticing some paint scraped off its side, but no other damage.
She took out a wad of cash from her pocket, wrote down her number, and handed it over. "This is for the damages. If there are any other issues, feel free to contact me."
The man in sunglasses hadn't expected her to be so straightforward. He let out a cold snort, took the money, and returned to his car.
He respectfully said to the woman in sunglasses in the back seat, "Madam, I apologize for startling you. This is the compensation from that woman earlier."
As he handed over the bills, the woman in sunglasses ignored him and quietly gazed out the window.
Her lips, painted a fiery red, were slightly pursed. Even though her emotions were hidden behind sunglasses, one could sense that her state was somewhat unusual.
"Give me the phone number," the woman in sunglasses said, not taking the money but instead requesting the slip of paper Su Ding had left.
The man in sunglasses looked a bit puzzled but still handed her the slip.
Upon seeing the number and Su Ding's name on the slip, the woman in sunglasses' breathing quickened noticeably. She crumpled the paper into a ball, remaining silent for a long time. xxs壹贰
"Drive," she finally said.
The man in sunglasses dared not say anything and quickly started the car.
The woman in sunglasses, however, looked out the window, watching Su Ding's car gradually disappear in another direction, her eyes filled with an indescribable emotion.
...
Su Ding didn't give the minor accident another thought. Glancing at the time, she told the family driver that she would pick up the children from kindergarten herself.
Outside the kindergarten.
Parents clustered outside, and as the teacher called out a name, a parent would collect their child.
Jin Xiaoxi, Su Xiaorui, and Wang Siwei were lining up inside the campus. They spotted Su Ding, wearing sunglasses and a mask, from a distance and waved excitedly at her.
Suddenly, Wang Siwei saw someone else in the crowd, and the smile on his face vanished.
His eyes stared blankly in another direction.
It wasn't until Su Xiaorui pulled him over to Su Ding that he snapped back to reality, calling out, "Auntie Su Ding."
Su Ding immediately noticed the change in Wang Siwei's mood. She gently stroked his hair and asked, "What's wrong, Siwei? Are you unhappy?"
Jin Xiaoxi and Su Xiaorui then looked at Wang Siwei with confusion.
Under Su Ding's gentle inquiry, Wang Siwei's voice was filled with dejection as he said, "I saw my mother."
Su Ding looked around in surprise.
After Xu Xiufen had entrusted Wang Siwei to her care, Wang Siwei's mother, Xu Rong, had called once, politely thanking her for helping to look after Siwei.
However, she hadn't mentioned when she would pick Wang Siwei up.
Xu Rong's intention was that she was currently dating and it was inconvenient to look after Wang Siwei, fearing her son might be mistreated. But would any mother bear to be separated from her child?
Especially just for a man?
Su Ding couldn't quite understand, but since Xu Rong hadn't proactively asked to take her child back, Su Ding wouldn't force him. Otherwise, Wang Siwei's situation would be very difficult.
"Shall I call your mother?" Su Ding said gently to Wang Siwei and dialed Xu Rong's number.
If Wang Siwei wasn't mistaken, and Xu Rong had come to the kindergarten, she should have called her to say something. Unless she had no intention of picking Wang Siwei up.
But if she wasn't picking Wang Siwei up, what was Xu Rong doing at the kindergarten?
Ring, ring, ring...
A few seconds after the call connected, Xu Rong finally answered. The background noise was very loud, clearly the sounds from outside the kindergarten.
"Xu Rong, did you come to the kindergarten to pick up Siwei?" Su Ding asked directly.
"Ah? No, no," Xu Rong's voice sounded flustered, and she even lowered her tone.
Su Ding frowned. "I'm at the kindergarten entrance, and Siwei said he saw you."
Xu Rong's voice became even quieter, as if she had covered the receiver, and mumbled, "I... I wasn't there. Siwei must have mistaken someone. That... Su Ding, please comfort Siwei for me. I'll pick him up when I have time..."
As she was speaking, next to Su Ding, Su Xiaorui suddenly jumped up.
"Wang Siwei, isn't that your mother!"