She adjusted her collar as she spoke, opened the door, took Xiao Xingxing's hand, and said, "Shall I go cook some noodles for you? What kind do you want?"
"Xiaoxiao likes tomato and egg noodles," Xiao Xingxing said.
Seeing that his hands and face were clean, Susu asked again, "Have you two tidied up the room?"
"Mm, we're almost done," Xiao Xingxing replied, letting go of her hand and running back into the room to find Xiaoxiao.
Seeing Susu leave with Xiao Xingxing, Tianyi had no choice but to suppress the fire in his heart and reluctantly returned to his room to wait for Susu.
...
After An Jing sent Xiaoxiao to Tianyi's house, he rushed to two children's hospitals but couldn't find Lan Yu and her daughter.
Standing at the entrance of the hospital, he had no idea which hospital to try next. Her phone was still off, and he couldn't reach the nanny either.
Thinking that something might have happened to Xiao Ningyu, he couldn't help but regret not going to the hospital to find them immediately.
His only hope was to contact the customer service of the housekeeping company that had hired the nanny, hoping they could help him reach her.
He sat in the car, searching for nearby hospitals on his phone, wondering where to go next, when the nanny finally called him back.
"Mr. Xiao, it's not that I didn't want to answer your call..."
"Where are they, the mother and daughter? What happened to Ningyu?" An Jing asked urgently.
The nanny quickly said, "The child is fine, thankfully her brain wasn't injured. I, the wife, and I are at home..."
Hearing the word "home," An Jing hung up before the nanny could finish and immediately drove home.
Good heavens, how could he not have thought of it? Lan Yu would go home after taking the child to the doctor, and he had been searching in hospitals outside. How foolish!
He rushed home to find Lan Yu closing a large suitcase, with a packed backpack beside it.
"Where are you going?"
Seeing him enter, Lan Yu calmly said, "Since Xiaoxiao is the most important person in your heart, and my child and I are actually superfluous, why don't I move out? You can then hire someone to take good care of Xiaoxiao."
"What nonsense are you talking about? You are both important to me." An Jing grabbed the handle of the suitcase, stopping her from leaving. "Xiaoxiao told me everything that happened today, and she's apologized. She's just a child, why do you have to be so serious with her?"
Lan Yu glared at him angrily, snatched the suitcase back, and said, "Yes, I want to be serious with a child. I'm a wicked adoptive mother! I can't tolerate another child..."
"I know you're not that kind of person. Don't say such things in anger," An Jing interrupted her, trying to coax her with a playful smile. He then forcefully embraced her. "Alright, since Ningyu is fine, don't be angry anymore. Can we just let this matter pass?"
Lan Yu fiercely broke free from him, placing the suitcase between them, and said, "Xiao Anjing! It's passed for you, but it hasn't passed for me! In this house, if Xiaoxiao is here, then my child and I cannot be, and if we are here, Xiaoxiao must not be!"
With that, she loudly called for the nanny to take the child out, preparing to leave the house immediately!
The nanny, holding the child, was in the inner room. Hearing them arguing outside, she cautiously walked out with the child. Upon seeing Xiao Anjing, she immediately lowered her head, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire of their argument.
An Jing hadn't expected Lan Yu's attitude to be so resolute. He couldn't understand why she couldn't tolerate the child and tried to persuade her, "Do we really have to do this? Calm down. I can send Xiaoxiao to a boarding kindergarten, so she'll only need to come back on weekends..."
"Forget it. We've sent her to kindergarten before. But she has a peculiar temperament and always comes back after a few days. No kindergarten will accept her!" Lan Yu didn't believe Xiaoxiao could attend kindergarten properly.
At that time, Xiaoxiao would cry and refuse to go, and An Jing would soften and let her stay at home.
An Jing's temper flared a bit as he said, "You know she has psychological problems, and she's seeing a psychologist now. Once she's better, she can attend kindergarten normally! If this doesn't work and that doesn't work, what exactly do you want?"
"Send her to her biological father," Lan Yu stated her idea. "Her biological father has been found. What are you still doing as an adoptive father? You should send her directly to her biological father..."
An Jing suddenly raised his hand and slapped Lan Yu, saying angrily, "It's such a small matter, why do you have to force Xiaoxiao to go where she doesn't want to go? Can't you let her childhood be happier!"
Lan Yu covered one side of her face, disbelieving that An Jing had actually hit her. She gritted her teeth, holding back tears.
The nanny, holding the child, was stunned. She had never seen this couple argue so fiercely.
In her eyes, they were the most loving couple she had ever worked for.
Lan Yu didn't want to say anything more. She snatched the child from the nanny's arms, dragged her suitcase, and resolutely walked out.
An Jing stared at the hand that had just hit Lan Yu, unable to believe he had resorted to violence.
He, who had always disdained hitting women, had actually hit the woman he loved most.
He just wanted his family to live together harmoniously, but he couldn't balance the relationship between Xiaoxiao and Lan Yu.
Seeing this, the nanny picked up Lan Yu's packed backpack and chased after her, "Madam, you forgot your bag..."
An Jing felt too ashamed to chase after Lan Yu. He slapped himself hard with the hand he had used, grabbed his hair with both hands, and hated himself for being too impulsive. Now it would be even harder to salvage the situation.
...
Zhan Jiayi saw news online that Feng Rou had been framed by Xie Zhendong and locked up in a mental hospital.
Xie Zhendong was a modern-day Chen Shimei, colluding with another woman to harm his wife. It was utterly heinous!
Zhan Jiayi found it hard to believe, but the news was accompanied by a photo of Feng Rou in the mental hospital.
She reread the news, but she knew nothing about it.
When Xie Zhendong returned home that evening, she had many doubts but didn't ask.
It wasn't until after dinner, as Xie Zhendong accompanied her to watch television, that he noticed her absentmindedness and asked, "What's wrong today? Are you feeling unwell? Have you measured your blood pressure?"
"Yes, my blood pressure is normal," Zhan Jiayi said, looking at him and couldn't help but ask, "Did you really lock her up in a mental hospital?"
Xie Zhendong, however, replied without surprise, "Did you see that interview online?"
Zhan Jiayi nodded.
Xie Zhendong put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Don't pay attention to that interview. I've already thought of a way to deal with it. You'll know when you check online tomorrow morning."
Zhan Jiayi leaned into him and said, "So what they said online is true?"
"If I don't lock her up, she'll continue to harm you and the child. I had no choice."
"Does it have to be so ruthless? She's your wife, after all," Zhan Jiayi said uneasily. "I'm already satisfied with how well you treat me."
Xie Zhendong held her tighter and said, "I don't like hearing you say that. You can't be soft-hearted at this time. Who am I doing this for? It's also to give you a formal status."