Shen Nian'an came home from school to find the entire villa empty and quiet, which suddenly made her a bit unhappy.
She hadn't minded when Mama wasn't there before—playing alone was fine too. But now she suddenly couldn't feel happy, missing Mama a little. Although that Aunt Shi always had a mean mouth, even arguing was more interesting than being alone.
An'an propped her chin up and sat daydreaming in the garden for a while. Unable to sit still anymore, she ran back to her room on her little short legs to find her tablet.
She decided to call Mama.
The video call rang a few times before being quickly answered.
Sure enough, Mama was still thinking of her—answering the phone so quickly. Shen Nian'an immediately brightened up.
She struck what she thought was her cutest pose and flashed a big smile at the screen: "Mama, I miss you..."
Halfway through speaking, her little face immediately fell. The screen flashed, revealing an annoying face.
Shen Nian'an asked unhappily: "Why is it you? Where's my mama?"
"Oh, you little spy finished school?"
"I'm not a little spy, you bad person! Give the phone back to Mama, I want to find my mama."
"I won't give it to you. What can you do about it?"
Shi Qiubai deliberately teased her, smiling as she made a funny face.
Shen Nian'an puffed up like a pufferfish, but there was nothing she could do through the phone. She could only angrily shout: "Answering someone else's phone without permission is rude, don't you know?"
"Oh my, little Shen Nian'an has become such a polite good child. There's hope for you yet."
"You're annoying! I hate you so much!"
Children have such limited vocabulary that she could only fiercely repeat "annoying" to try to strengthen her momentum.
Seeing the little one's face red with anger, Shi Qiubai was afraid she might accidentally make her cry again, so she stopped teasing and called toward the kitchen with the phone.
"Sister, your precious baby is calling."
Shen Xiaoyu was cooking in the kitchen and immediately turned off the range hood to take the phone.
As soon as she saw Shen Xiaoyu, Shen Nian'an immediately brightened up: "Mama, are you cooking? What delicious food are you making?"
Shen Xiaoyu smiled: "Braised beef with potatoes. Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. Mommy isn't home yet. Mommy is so busy, I don't know when she'll be back. Aunt Wang is cooking, but I don't want to eat Aunt Wang's cooking. I want to eat Mama's cooking."
Shen Nian'an chattered on: "Mama, I made a new friend today. Her name is Tiantian. Today the fat boy in class pulled Tiantian's hair, and I bravely helped her. She said she wants to be my best friend from now on."
"An'an is amazing!"
Shen Xiaoyu's generous praise made her blush.
Remembering Mommy's earlier instructions, she quickly asked: "Mama, are you free? Let's go out and play together this weekend."
Shen Xiaoyu choked.
Thinking of Su Huan's visit today, she could firmly refuse Su Huan, but facing An'an's expectant expression, she found it somewhat difficult to speak.
Sensing trouble, Shi Qiubai nearby quickly leaned over and said: "Your mama is going to travel with me and doesn't have time."
Shen Nian'an's face immediately fell: "Mama, you're going out to play with her instead of me. Don't you love me anymore?"
This question really left Shen Xiaoyu at a loss for how to answer, afraid of accidentally hurting her young heart. She was currently successfully transforming the little brat into a little angel—she couldn't let all her efforts go to waste.
Shen Xiaoyu patiently explained: "An'an, Mama already promised Aunt Shi first. When Mama comes back, I'll take you out to play, okay?"
"No! You don't love me anymore... You're actually going out with this bad woman. I don't like you anymore, I'll never like you again..."
By the end, her emotions collapsed and she started crying, tears falling pitter-patter. Even though she kept saying "I'll never like you again," she stubbornly kept watching Shen Xiaoyu in the video, refusing to hang up.
That stubborn look was exactly like Su Huan, as if carved from the same mold.
Shen Xiaoyu felt a headache coming on.
After so many days together, she had developed feelings for the child. She could only helplessly coax: "An'an, what did Mama tell you? Children can't be unreasonable. Come on, don't cry, okay? Be good."
But the little one was truly heartbroken and aggrieved, sobbing with her shoulders shaking. Her beautiful face was covered with snot and tears, yet she didn't forget to apologize through her tears:
"Mama... I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to. I don't want to cry either, but I feel so sad."
At the end, she burst into loud sobs, like a heartbroken crystal doll.
Even Shi Qiubai on the side felt some sympathy, saying helplessly: "Alright, alright, stop crying. I give up. You can come with us, okay?"
Shen Nian'an's eyes immediately lit up: "Really? Where are we going to play?"
Good grief, that was quite a quick change of expression.
Shi Qiubai felt deeply deceived and said irritably: "To the beach!"
"Oh oh, that's great! We can play in the sand and build castles. Mommy builds really big and beautiful castles."
Shi Qiubai immediately became alert: "Don't even dream about it. Your mommy definitely can't come."
"Mommy can't come?" Shen Nian'an looked at Shen Xiaoyu hopefully.
Shen Xiaoyu nodded: "Right, Mama already promised to go with your Aunt Shi, so your mommy can't come."
"Oh."
Shen Nian'an deflated and didn't continue making a fuss.
Her little brain was already starting to understand some things. She roughly knew that Mama could only be one person's wife and could only go out and play with one person she liked. Although she wanted Mama and Mommy to be together, Mama seemed to like that Aunt Shi more.
Sigh, poor Mommy. Why didn't Mama like her?
Shen Nian'an hung her head, really unable to figure out this complicated problem.
Just then, Aunt Wang called her for dinner. She could only reluctantly say: "Mama, I'm going to eat. Goodbye."
After hanging up the video, Shen Nian'an quietly went to eat. The long table was filled with delicious dishes, but she was all alone.
Aunt Wang said Mommy had called to say she wouldn't be home for dinner tonight.
Sigh, she suddenly seemed to understand Mama a little. Mommy was always not coming home—she didn't like it, so Mama probably wouldn't like a wife who didn't love coming home either.
After dinner, the little one fell into deep contemplation again.
She really wanted to go play with Mama, but leaving Mommy alone at home didn't seem right either. She was so troubled that she rolled around on the bed, unable to sleep.
When Su Huan came home from working late at 11 PM, she quietly pushed open the door, afraid of disturbing her daughter.
But as soon as she entered, the children's room door opened, and Shen Nian'an was holding her strawberry bear, looking at her with big eyes.
"Mommy, you're back."
Su Huan crouched down and rubbed her little head: "An'an, why aren't you asleep so late?"
"Mommy, I can't sleep."
"What's wrong?"
She hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell Mommy about this difficult problem.
Thinking of being treated coldly by Shen Xiaoyu during the day, Su Huan couldn't help but feel a hidden ache in her heart. She forced down her discomfort and said gently: "Does An'an want to go?"
Shen Nian'an struggled for a moment, then said quietly: "An'an wants to go, but I can't bear to leave Mommy either. But that bad auntie won't agree to bring Mommy along. She wants to monopolize Mama and even said she wants to be my stepmother."
"What?" These words suddenly raised Su Huan's alertness, and she couldn't help but raise her voice: "When did Shi Qiubai say these things to you? What else did she say?"
Shen Nian'an thought seriously, tilting her head: "She also said that if I agreed to let her be my stepmother, then I'd have three mamas to love me, and she'd have a little sister with Mama. Hmph, does she think I'm that easy to fool? I don't want a little sister—she'd compete with me for Mama's attention."
Children speak without thinking, but these words sounded like thunder from a clear sky to Su Huan.
She knew Shi Qiubai had feelings for Shen Xiaoyu, but she hadn't expected them to develop so quickly. Thinking of hearing the two discussing swimwear with laughter outside the door today, Su Huan couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
If Shi Qiubai took advantage of their trip to make something happen, with Xiaoyu's soft-hearted nature, she would definitely be easily manipulated by Shi Qiubai. Then what would become of her?
Just thinking about it made Su Huan feel like she was going crazy.
But her daughter was still in front of her, so she could only suppress her anger and first coax An'an to sleep.
An'an obediently lay back on the bed. After closing the children's room door, Su Huan's expression suddenly turned grim.
Returning to the bedroom, almost as soon as she closed the door, she impatiently took out her phone and called Shen Xiaoyu.
Su Huan hadn't thought of what to say yet, but her mind now had only one thought—she must prevent Shen Xiaoyu and Shi Qiubai from going on this trip.
The phone rang for a long time with no answer, until it prompted that the phone was turned off.
Su Huan gripped her phone tightly, her expression growing increasingly ugly.
She couldn't help but start thinking wildly: Why wasn't Xiaoyu answering her calls? Was she with Shi Qiubai now?
What were they doing?
This thought nearly drove Su Huan crazy. Like a caged beast, she paced back and forth in her room.
Time seemed to pass as long as a century, and Su Huan finally couldn't bear it anymore.
She dialed Shi Qiubai's number.
The phone was answered quickly. The awakened Shi Qiubai shouted impatiently: "Su Huan, are you crazy? What are you calling for in the middle of the night?"
"Where's Xiaoyu?"
"Are you crazy? If you're looking for Sister, call her yourself..."
Halfway through, she suddenly stopped and deliberately drew out her tone: "Sister is sleeping next to me. She doesn't want to deal with you. Stop calling, or I'll block you."
Su Huan trembled with anger, gritting her teeth: "I don't believe it."
"Believe it or not."
Shi Qiubai hung up directly after speaking.
Su Huan felt her blood flowing backward, her heart seemingly gripped by an invisible force and hurting terribly.
Her eyes immediately reddened. Reason told her that Shen Xiaoyu wasn't such a casual person, but her mind couldn't help conjuring countless images. Had they really...
Once this absurd thought emerged, it couldn't be shaken off. Su Huan felt she could barely breathe, an unprecedented fear enveloping her entire body.
She desperately shook her head, trying to pull herself out of this chaotic emotion.
But the harder she tried, the clearer her mind became. As if possessed, she hugged her head and curled up sitting on the cold floor, repeating the same action over and over.
"No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Su Huan screamed and frantically smashed her phone to the floor. The screen shattered instantly.
She stared vacantly out the window. Not far away, streetlights illuminated the entire city. She seemed to have fallen into some kind of hallucination, seeing Shen Xiaoyu giving her a cold smile.
That smile filled Su Huan with fear.
Hearing the commotion, Butler Wang came to knock on the door: "Miss Su, what's wrong?"
Hearing Butler Wang's voice, Su Huan suddenly snapped back to reality. Her eyes were already red and swollen, with tear tracks on her cheeks.
Su Huan wiped the tears from her face and said hoarsely: "I'm fine. Go rest."
Butler Wang hesitated for a while but finally turned and left.
Su Huan recovered for a moment, then opened the door, went to the wine cabinet, took a wine glass, and returned to the bedroom.
She opened the red wine, slowly pouring the crimson liquid into the glass, gently swirling it, then drinking it all in one gulp.
One glass, two glasses, three glasses...
Su Huan quickly finished one bottle of red wine, then swayed to get two more bottles, repeating the same behavior.
Her movements began to stiffen. When she raised the glass to her lips, she accidentally spilled some.
"Xiaoyu... Xiaoyu..."
Su Huan murmured continuously, staring unblinkingly at the red liquid in the glass, as if seeing the shadow she longed for within it.
She didn't dare blink, as if afraid that in the next second, Shen Xiaoyu would disappear from her sight.
The alcohol irritated her stomach, a burning sensation making her shiver involuntarily. The intense pain almost made her unable to stand. Su Huan staggered, struggling to support herself against the wall to keep her body upright.
"Xiaoyu..." She lowered her head, tears sliding down her cheeks onto the carpet, wetting a patch.
Su Huan endured the pain, trying to reach for the phone she had thrown on the floor. The screen was cracked, but the touch function still worked.
She tremblingly unlocked it, trying several times before succeeding, then dialed that number she thought about constantly, knowing she wouldn't answer but still unable to help hoping.
The phone rang once, then again.
Su Huan gripped the phone tightly, waiting for the automated message from the other end. She painfully closed her eyes, not noticing that the call had been connected.
"Xiaoyu, I'm sorry."
"I know I was wrong. Please don't treat me like this."
"Xiaoyu, please, don't leave me, please..."
Shen Xiaoyu answered the phone and hadn't had time to say anything when she heard Su Huan's slurred, tearful voice from the other end.
She couldn't help but be stunned, asking in surprise: "Su Huan, what are you going crazy about now?"
"Xiaoyu, I really know I was wrong." Su Huan's voice was full of drunkenness, humbly pleading: "Don't be with Shi Qiubai, please."
"Su Huan!"
"Xiaoyu, don't... be with her..." As Su Huan spoke, her stomach convulsed, her vision went black, and she fainted.
Hearing that Su Huan had been drinking and then suddenly hearing no sound, Shen Xiaoyu frantically called: "Su Huan, Su Huan?"
"What's wrong with you? Su Huan?"
Shen Xiaoyu called several times, but there was no response from the other end. She was immediately both angry and anxious.
She didn't have the phone number for Su Huan's house, but afraid something had really happened to her, she had no choice but to video call Shen Nian'an.
Fortunately, Shen Nian'an answered quickly, frowning and asking confusedly: "Mama, why are you calling at this time?"
Shen Xiaoyu said urgently: "An'an, go quickly and check on your mommy."
"What's wrong with Mommy?"
Seeing Shen Xiaoyu's tense expression, Shen Nian'an was startled and quickly jumped out of bed and rushed to Su Huan's room.
Pushing open the door, a pungent smell of alcohol hit her. Shen Nian'an frowned unhappily.
She looked for Mommy on the bed and saw the usually omnipotent Mommy curled up on the bed, pale-faced with disheveled hair.
Shen Nian'an panicked, so frightened that she dropped the tablet and climbed onto the bed crying: "Mommy! Mommy, what's wrong? Wake up!"
But no matter how long she called, the person on the bed didn't respond, as if unconscious. Shen Nian'an was completely terrified, crying and shouting: "Someone help! Aunt Wang, come quickly! Mommy... Mommy won't wake up or talk."
The shouting quickly brought Butler Wang, who was also shocked to see Su Huan on the bed and immediately called for a doctor.
Afraid Shen Nian'an would be scared, Butler Wang quickly lifted her from the bed, repeatedly comforting: "Don't be afraid, An'an don't be afraid. Miss will be fine."
Shen Nian'an was so frightened she was in a daze, crying and trying to hug the unconscious Su Huan on the bed, but Butler Wang firmly held her back.
Only then did she remember to pick up the tablet from the floor. Shen Xiaoyu on the other end hadn't hung up and heard all the chaos, seeing An'an's tear-stained face and almost confirming that something had happened to Su Huan.
"An'an, what happened?"
Shen Nian'an sobbed: "Mommy... Mommy is lying on the bed, not talking. I called but she won't answer. Mama, I'm so scared!"
"Don't be afraid. Mama is coming to find you right now."
Shen Xiaoyu didn't dare hang up the video and immediately left the house.
Butler Wang on the other end had already called the private doctor, and after simple treatment, Su Huan was sent to the hospital.
When Shen Xiaoyu arrived at the hospital, Su Huan had already been taken into the emergency room.
On a chair outside the emergency room sat Shen Nian'an's small body, eyes full of tears, with Butler Wang carefully comforting her nearby.
Seeing Shen Xiaoyu enter, the little girl immediately rushed into her arms, going from quiet sobbing to wailing.
Butler Wang came over, looking at Shen Nian'an with heartache: "Miss Shen, please comfort An'an. She's been crying ever since Miss Su went into the emergency room. Her eyes are almost swollen from crying."
Shen Xiaoyu held Shen Nian'an in her arms, gently patting her: "Good girl, An'an don't cry. Mommy will be fine. Mama is here."
"Really?"
"Yes, Mama promises."
Under her comfort, Shen Nian'an finally temporarily stopped crying, lying quietly in Shen Xiaoyu's arms, but her eyes never left the emergency room.
She knew Mommy had just been pushed inside, and she wanted to wait for Mommy to come out.
"Butler Wang, what happened?"
Butler Wang explained helplessly: "Miss Su's stomach has never been good. She even had surgery for stomach ulcers before. This time I don't know what happened—she was drinking alone in her room for who knows how long in the middle of the night. If An'an hadn't discovered it early, I'm afraid..."
The rest was understood.
Shen Xiaoyu couldn't help but frown deeply, vaguely feeling this incident should be related to her going on a trip with Shi Qiubai.
She knew Su Huan's thoughts—nothing more than wanting to get back together, even using their daughter to create opportunities for them to spend time together. And drinking like this was more like her thinking she was being deeply romantic by drowning her sorrows in love, resulting in drinking herself into the hospital with a perforated stomach.
Moving?
Shen Xiaoyu just found it ridiculous. An'an in her arms had curled into a small ball, just fallen asleep, but even in her dreams she was trembling, as if trapped in some nightmare.
Suddenly a wave of anger surged in Shen Xiaoyu's heart. How could there be such a selfish person in this world, gambling with her own body to try to emotionally blackmail her into softening, not even caring if it would harm her own daughter or leave her traumatized.
She couldn't help but think maliciously that it would be better if such a selfish person just died. She could raise An'an alone just fine.
But this thought only flashed through her mind. For some reason, her heart suddenly felt stuffy and uncomfortable, as if fine needles were pricking her heart.
Heartache?
She could only attribute this strange emotion to the original's instinctive reaction. After all, the two had been entangled for so long that there were bound to be some feelings.
Shen Xiaoyu felt very helpless, wondering what sins she had committed to have to clean up such a mess.
Fortunately, after more than two hours of emergency treatment, Su Huan finally turned the corner and was wheeled out of the emergency room to a hospital room.
The VIP room was a suite. Shen Xiaoyu carried the sleeping An'an into the small bedroom, wanting to put her on the bed for a good sleep.
But the movement of putting her down still woke An'an, who grabbed Shen Xiaoyu's sleeve and called: "Mama, don't go. An'an is scared."
Shen Xiaoyu touched her head, gently comforting: "Sleep. Mama won't leave. Mama will stay here with you."
Only then did Shen Nian'an let go, burrowing into her arms and falling into a deep sleep.
Shen Xiaoyu, who had been busy for so long, was also extremely tired. She just lay sideways on the bed, half-holding An'an and falling asleep together.
The next day, Shen Xiaoyu was awakened by Shi Qiubai's phone call. She answered in confusion, and immediately heard Shi Qiubai's anxious voice: "Sister, where did you go?"
Only then did Shen Xiaoyu realize a night had passed. She carefully withdrew her hand from An'an's arms, walked out the door, and said quietly: "It's nothing. I'll be back in a while."
Shi Qiubai was still not reassured and asked again: "When will Sister come back? I want to make breakfast for you."
"I might be back late. Don't wait for me to eat."
Shi Qiubai nodded reluctantly: "Okay, then Sister, please be safe."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Shen Xiaoyu returned to the ward to check on An'an. As soon as she entered, she saw Su Huan was already awake.
She was still on an IV drip, half-sitting up, her pale cheeks bearing a sickly flush, looking weak and powerless as she looked at Shen Xiaoyu with joy: "Xiaoyu, thank you."
"No need to thank me."
Shen Xiaoyu approached and looked at her, her cold tone making Su Huan freeze for a moment.
She lowered her eyes: "You still won't forgive me, will you?"
Slap—
Shen Xiaoyu finally couldn't bear it anymore and gave her a hard slap.
Five red fingerprints immediately appeared on Su Huan's fair face. She tilted her head, smiling bitterly: "Xiaoyu, if this can make you feel better, I don't mind if you hit me a few more times."
Looking at her self-righteously affectionate appearance, Shen Xiaoyu felt an inexplicable anger rising in her heart. She gritted her teeth: "This slap was on behalf of An'an."
Su Huan was stunned.
Shen Xiaoyu said angrily: "Do you know how scared An'an was last night? How long she cried holding me? She was even trembling in her dreams! Just because of your own disappointment, An'an had to worry and be frightened along with you. Su Huan, how can you be so selfish!"
Upon hearing this, Su Huan's eyes flashed with guilt and panic: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I really wasn't thinking at the time..."
Shen Xiaoyu interrupted her, saying sternly: "Is saying sorry enough? An'an is only five years old. How could you bear to do this? When you were drinking, why didn't you think about the consequences?"
Su Huan hung her head and said nothing.
Shen Xiaoyu continued scolding: "Do you even deserve to be human?"
Su Huan suddenly looked up at Shen Xiaoyu: "I..."
Shen Xiaoyu waved her hand impatiently, interrupting: "Forget it. I'll wake An'an up first to let her see you, then take her away."
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyu turned to leave. Su Huan frantically got up and grabbed her, holding her waist tightly.
She felt that if Shen Xiaoyu left this time, she would lose her forever.
She apologized frantically: "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu. I was really too upset at the time. I didn't expect it would turn out like this. I promise it will never happen again. Please forgive me."
Shen Xiaoyu frowned and forcefully pried her hands away: "Let go!"
Su Huan gripped her tightly, pleading: "Xiaoyu, don't abandon me, please, I..."
Shen Xiaoyu said coldly: "No..."
Just as she opened her mouth, Su Huan desperately kissed her lips, as if this could stop those words that caused her excruciating pain from being spoken.
Shen Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment, as if something flashed through her mind, yet seemed like nothing at all. It wasn't until her lips were bitten painfully that she reacted, frantically trying to push Su Huan away.
However, Su Huan held on very tightly and couldn't be broken free from. Like a drowning person grasping a lifeline, in the mingling of lips and teeth, only one thought remained—never let her go!
She closed her eyes, desperately absorbing Shen Xiaoyu's scent.
"Sis—Sister! What are you doing?!"
Shi Qiubai's gritted voice was accompanied by the system's prompt: [Corruption value +100%, current corruption value: 100]
Shen Xiaoyu's vision went black. Looking back, Shi Qiubai was standing at the door with tears streaming down her face.