With the new semester officially underway, Ye Li is even busier than usual.

I attend classes during the day, and use my free time to research in the library.

I went to Wan Mingyi's studio early after class in the afternoon.

Many times, I only realize it's already dark outside when my stomach starts growling.

They looked at each other, smiled knowingly, sorted out their work, went downstairs to get something to eat, one went back to the dormitory and the other went home.

There are less than two weeks left until the start of the "Shining You" competition.

In his office on the top floor of the Fu family's building, Fu Yanci was in a good mood.

Even a single line of text in the WeChat chat window seemed to conjure up the image of a girl with her eyes crinkled in a coquettish and affectionate manner. When Fu Yanci looked at the sunset outside the window again, he felt it was exceptionally radiant compared to the previous few days.

The phone rang, and Fu Yanci answered it without hesitation.

On the other end was Tingting, Xiaobao's kindergarten teacher. "Hello Mr. Fu, a lady claiming to be Muzhi's mother has asked to take Muzhi away."

"You let them through?"

The smile on his face vanished completely, and Fu Yanci asked in a cold voice.

"No, no..."

Seemingly startled by the cold questioning over the phone, Teacher Tingting quickly explained, "The kindergarten has registered the people who pick up and drop off the children, and that lady is not on the list. We absolutely cannot let her take Muzhi away. I just wanted to raise this issue with you."

Fu Yanci breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you! I'll be right there!"

Borui International Kindergarten is the best private kindergarten in the eastern part of the city. In addition to top-notch facilities and services, it also has the best security system. Many celebrities living in the capital send their children here.

When Fu Yanci arrived, Xiao Bao had already been taken home by the old housekeeper and driver.

Everyone in the meeting room was there, from the kindergarten principal to the teachers who usually take care of the children.

Teacher Tingting opened the surveillance footage and pointed to the woman on the screen, saying, "That's her. She's come several times already. The first two times, the security guards checked the pick-up and drop-off list and refused her entry. Today she came again, so the security guards reported it to the principal."

Lin Kerou.

Having confirmed his suspicions, Fu Yanci got up and left, only instructing the park staff that no one except the old butler and himself could take Xiaobao away.

After leaving the kindergarten and getting into his car, Fu Yanci dialed Lin Kerou's number with a gloomy expression.

“Dislike of words…”

The phone rang once and was answered. Lin Kerou's voice was hoarse and sad, as if she had been crying for a long time. "Yanci, I know that only if I die will you stop hating me so much. But Yanci, I am Xiaobao's mother. Please, let me see him one last time, okay?"

"You're wrong! Whether you live or die is none of my business! When I took Xiaobao away back then, I said that you would be punished for what you did, and today, this is your retribution!"

"But I am, after all, his mother!!!"

Lin Kerou became agitated. "The diagnosis report, the emails—I sent them to you! Fu Mingzhen died when I was pregnant. After I gave birth, every single one of you wanted to take him away. Fu Yanci, you're a man, of course you wouldn't understand the madness a woman with postpartum depression can descend into..."

"Fu Yanci!"

Lin Kerou took a deep breath. "Ten months of pregnancy, one day of childbirth—you'll never understand the complex emotions a mother experiences when she anticipates a new life amidst endless grief. You're not a woman, you wouldn't understand! But what did I do wrong back then?... He's a piece of my flesh. Even if I really did something wrong, Fu Yanci, are you just going to sentence me to death like this, without even giving me a chance to correct myself?"

"Yan Ci, give me a chance, a chance to make it up to Xiao Bao, okay?"

Lin Kerou asked, seemingly exhausted.

Looking up, the last vestiges of orange-red on the horizon disappeared, and the sky instantly darkened.

Fu Yanci remained silent for a moment, then hung up the phone.

The Maybach drove back to the old house. Fu Yanci walked into the courtyard, her clear voice accompanied by giggles coming from the living room in the distance.

He stopped walking, and the gloom in Fu Yanci's eyes gradually faded.

Lifting the curtain and stepping through the door, I saw Madam Fu, her eyes narrowed into slits with laughter, sitting in the middle of the sofa, with Ye Li and Xiao Bao squeezed between her on either side.

Grandmother was wearing reading glasses and holding a booklet in her hands.

Ye Li spoke with great enthusiasm, while Xiao Bao beside her smiled broadly.

Hearing the sound, the three of them looked up.

Madam Fu smiled, "Dinner's ready, dinner's ready..."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Fu!"

Xiao Bao pursed his lips, snapped the booklet shut, and hid it behind his back, as if it were a secret between the three of them.

Fu Yanci's last bit of anger was gone.

In this vast world, all the people he cared about were right before him.

We ate.

I took a walk with my grandmother.

I also helped Xiaobao with his kindergarten craft project.

After saying goodnight, as Fu Yanci was about to leave, the little guy ran out of the bathroom, pulled a picture book from the bookshelf, stuffed it into his arms, and ran off without looking back.

No matter how you look at it, it seems to exude a bit of embarrassment.

Turning back, she met Ye Li's expectant and curious smile.

"Good night!"

After saying goodnight aloud, Fu Yanci closed the door and led Ye Li to sit on a bench under the eaves.

The picture books brought home from kindergarten.

Although we only attended classes for a week, we could clearly understand what Xiaobao had learned that week by looking through the picture book.

As soon as Fu Yanci opened the booklet, his brows furrowed.

The crooked and messy English ABCs.

There's also the scribbled 3+5=8.

As he flipped through the pages, Fu Yanci's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

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