Seeing her feign weakness, with tears almost streaming down her face, he felt as if his strength had drained away. The anger he felt upon entering and seeing her with Su Kangxi transformed into helplessness. He couldn't understand why he would be soft-hearted towards such a woman, but he found himself nodding involuntarily.
Gu Susu quickly said, "You agreed, so when will you take me out of the hospital? Today? Or perhaps today."
"Tomorrow. Even if you're eager to see the child, there's no need to rush for one day." Qin Tianyi felt a surge of anger again. After all, everything seemed more important to Gu Susu than him. What exactly did he represent in her eyes?
...
Gu Susu only stayed in the hospital for one day.
The next day, Qin Tianyi, true to his word, came to the hospital and took her back to the seaside villa.
As they alighted from the car, the driver took out a prepared foldable wheelchair and unfolded it. Qin Tianyi then carried her onto the wheelchair and said, "While you're recovering, if you need anything, just ask Chen Ma or Xiao Mei to help you."
Gu Susu only remembered a Chen Ma in the seaside villa, but she didn't recall anyone named Xiao Ai. She asked, "Who is Xiao Mei?"
"She's a girl Chen Ma brought back from her hometown to help out here." Qin Tianyi then introduced the driver to her, saying, "This is Xiao Lin, our dedicated driver. You can ask him whenever you need to go out."
"Madam, hello," Xiao Lin greeted her with a smile.
"Hello," Gu Susu was unaccustomed to being addressed this way, but then she thought about her status here. It only made sense to be addressed with a title.
She also found it strange that the seaside villa seemed to have many more people. Did Qin Tianyi often live here now, rather than at the Qin family mansion?
But this was not something she should be concerned about, nor was she interested. She quickly asked, "Where is Xiao Xingxing? I don't see anyone around him."
The driver, Xiao Lin, replied, "Young master is likely playing with Xiao Mei in the garden behind us."
Hearing Xiao Lin refer to Xiao Xingxing as "Young Master," Gu Susu couldn't help but look at Qin Tianyi. Had he not clarified Xiao Xingxing's identity to the people here?
Qin Tianyi directly avoided her gaze and said, "I'll push you to the garden behind us."
In front of Xiao Lin, Gu Susu didn't say much, only nodding, eager to see Xiao Xingxing.
They walked through the villa and arrived at the garden behind it. Gu Susu could hear Xiao Xingxing's happy laughter from afar. She saw him running and playing with a girl in a maid's uniform, exhibiting the innocence and joy that children should have.
"I'll go call him over," Qin Tianyi said, releasing the armrests of her wheelchair.
Gu Susu quickly stopped him, "Don't. Let him play for a while. I'm happy just watching him."
"As you wish. I have some matters to attend to. Later, you can ask Xiao Mei or Chen Ma to push you back to your room." Qin Tianyi said this as he left the garden and went straight upstairs to the study.
Gu Susu's eyes, however, remained fixed on Xiao Xingxing. Seeing him play so freely and unrestrainedly finally put her mind at ease.
Although Qin Tianyi had brought Xiao Xingxing back without her consent, he hadn't locked him up like the Ai family had done two years ago. Instead, he allowed him freedom of movement, and there was a young and lively Xiao Mei to accompany him.
"Young Madam, the Young Master has finally found you."
Unaware that Chen Ma had approached, Gu Susu turned her head at the sound and smiled at Chen Ma, saying, "Yes, have you been well these past two years?"
"I've been getting by, but it's one year worse than the last. Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought my relative's child from home to help." As Chen Ma spoke, she also looked towards Xiao Mei and Xiao Xingxing.
Gu Susu then took a closer look at this girl, Xiao Mei. She had a round face, naturally rosy cheeks, and an air of simple rustic charm, much like Gu Susu herself when she first arrived in the big city.
"This girl looks good, quite simple, and she gets along well with Xiao Xingxing."
Chen Ma smiled and said, "Don't let her age fool you, she's eighteen but still like a child. However, she's diligent and efficient at her tasks, which helps me a lot."
"She's truly at the age of a blooming flower," Gu Susu said with a smile.
Chen Ma's smile faded, and she asked with a serious expression, "Young Madam, when did you conceive the Young Master's child? Judging by the child's age, you must have known each other at least five years ago?"
Gu Susu didn't know how to explain to Chen Ma, so she just smiled. This was something Qin Tianyi would have to explain.
She hadn't expected that after bringing Xiao Xingxing back, Qin Tianyi hadn't made things clear to Chen Ma.
Seeing that Gu Susu was unwilling to say more, Chen Ma didn't press further. She looked at Xiao Xingxing playing and said, "Young Master looks exactly like the Young Master did when he was little."
Gu Susu pursed her lips and smiled, thinking Chen Ma was flattering her, and didn't take it to heart.
When Xiao Xingxing and Xiao Mei were happily playing, he suddenly saw Gu Susu on the other side of the garden. He shouted "Mama!" and immediately ran towards her.
Gu Susu, also smiling brightly, opened her arms. He threw himself into her embrace, "Mama, when did you get here? You said you'd come find us right away, why are you only here today?"
"When you and Uncle left, you didn't bring anything. I had to pack a lot of things at home before I could come find you."
"Mama, not Uncle, he's Dad, he's Dad," Xiao Xingxing looked up at her with wide eyes and said.
Gu Susu wanted to say he shouldn't call him Dad, but with Chen Ma present, she could only give a noncommittal smile and change the subject, asking, "Are you getting used to it here? Do you miss Mama?"
"I miss you, I miss you so much." Xiao Xingxing buried his head in her lap and acted spoiled, "Everyone here is very good to me. Chen Ma cooks a lot of delicious food for me, and Xiao Mei plays with me every day. Mama, I like it here."
Gu Susu touched his head and nodded, saying, "It's good that you like it. We'll probably be staying here for a while."
"Young Madam, where else are you going?" Chen Ma, sensing something amiss, immediately asked.
Gu Susu then realized she had spoken incorrectly and quickly corrected herself, "I'm not going anywhere else. I was just casually talking to the child."
"That's good, that's good. With you accompanying the Young Master, I'll go make dinner." Chen Ma said this and called Xiao Mei, then left the garden.
Xiao Xingxing hopped around Gu Susu, asking, "Mama, why do they all call me Young Master? Is Dad a rich tycoon?"
Seeing that no one was around, Gu Susu quickly corrected him, "I told you that Uncle is not Dad. I will find a way to take you away from here."
Tears welled up in Xiao Xingxing's dark eyes. He asked disbelievingly, "Mama, I want a Dad. He is Dad, he is Dad!"
"You child, why aren't you listening? If you keep this up, Mama will get angry!" Gu Susu anxiously wanted him to understand that Qin Tianyi was not his father, but why had he so inexplicably decided this?
Xiao Xingxing had never seen Gu Susu get angry at him like this. He burst into tears, "Other children have dads, why don't I? I want... I want a Dad..."
"Then do you still want Mama? You don't want Mama anymore? Do you want to be separated from Mama forever?" Gu Susu grabbed him and asked.
He cried even louder, "I want both... I want Dad... and I want Mama..."
Gu Susu said with a hardened heart, "You can only choose one!"
"What are you doing? Why did you make him cry like this?" Qin Tianyi appeared behind her at some point. He immediately picked up the crying Xiao Xingxing and comforted him.
Qin Tianyi had been in the study handling company matters and was drawn by Xiao Xingxing's crying. He happened to overhear Gu Susu sternly telling the child that he could only choose one.