Chapter 8 A World Apart

Three years later.

Yan Songyu watched Feifei enter the kindergarten with her schoolbag on her back, her little braids bobbing up and down, and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. Her little sunflower should always bloom brightly!

"Mom, remember to pick me up after school!" Feifei stared expectantly at Yan Songyu with her bright, sparkling eyes, looking incredibly cute.

Yan Songyu responded with a bright smile, "Okay, go inside with the teacher."

Zhou Yue watched this scene from behind a tree, tears welling up in her eyes, just like when she used to peek from behind a pillar in the hospital. Even if she could never recognize her daughter in this life, she would not regret it!

Back in the car, Yan Songyu looked at Zhou Yue's overflowing maternal instincts with a sarcastic expression, feeling incredibly pleased. "So, she finally couldn't resist? Ha~"

After that night, Yan Songyu continued to monitor Zhou Yue and her daughter. Zhou Yue was indifferent to Zhou Mu, only ensuring that Zhou Mu wouldn't starve. The clothes she wore were either given by neighbors or picked up from the trash can.

When Zhou Mu was three years old, she was already being ordered to sweep the floor and do housework before she was even as tall as a broom. Beatings and scoldings were commonplace. Neighbors would sometimes try to persuade her, but Zhou Yue continued to do as she pleased.

Zhou Mu, who was already frail, looked even more like a little monkey, appearing to be only two years old, a stark contrast to his previous life.

Yan Songyu wasn't without her moments of weakness; in her previous life, Yan Mu was a daughter she had raised herself and doted on for over twenty years. But when she thought about what Feifei had suffered in her previous life, and the things she had learned from Feifei's research, she couldn't help but feel resentment towards Zhou Mu.

When Zhou Yue got home, she saw the door wide open. Just as she was about to curse, she heard her neighbor Sun Caiying's voice behind her, "Zhou Yue, you're finally back."

"Look at you! If you're going out, you could have taken Xiaomu to my house and looked after her for me. How could you lock a four-year-old child in the house? Look how burned she is."

Zhou Yue turned around and saw the small bundle in Xia Dahai's arms. Zhou Mu's face was covered with dirty tear stains, and what was most shocking was the red and swollen blisters on her feet. "What happened?"

"You're still asking what happened?" Sun Caiying looked at Zhou Yue reproachfully. "You locked the child in the room, and she accidentally broke the thermos and got burned."

"Old Xia pried open your door. Xiao Mu was crying so badly that we were locked out and had no choice but to break in. If you want compensation, come to my house later to collect it," Sun Caiying said to Zhou Yue.

Zhou Yue quickly shook her head, "No need, Sister Sun, thank you for saving Xiao Mu."

Perhaps because she had finally seen her beloved "daughter" today, Zhou Yue softened her heart when she saw the injured Zhou Mu. "Come on, Mu, let Mommy take you home. Let's thank Uncle Xia and Aunt Sun."

Children are naturally drawn to their mothers, especially during vulnerable moments. Zhou Mu wrapped her little arms around Zhou Yue's neck and buried her face in her neck, sobbing softly.

"Sister Sun, I'll bring the medical expenses to you in a bit. Thank you so much for today."

Sun Caiying waved her hand, "No rush, let's take Xiaomu back quickly, we also need to go to Aunt Qian's house to pick up Yangyang."

Yan Songyu received the latest news from Zhou Yue and her daughter at noon. At that time, she had just finished a phone call with Feifei's teacher and learned that Feifei was doing well. Yan Songyu silently threw Zhou Mu's photo into the shredder. This was her fate!

As soon as the kindergarten gate opened, Feifei ran through the group of children to Yan Songyu, "Mommy, I missed you so much!"

Yan Songyu picked up her daughter and kissed her, "mua~ Mommy missed you too. Did you listen to your teacher at school today?"

"Yes!" Feifei pouted. "I was very good! The teacher even gave me a little red flower as a reward because I helped my classmate."

"Really? Our Feifei is so great!" Yan Songyu carried her daughter into the car. "How about you stay with Mommy for a while before going to work? We'll go home together tonight."

Kindergarten lets out at 3 p.m., and Yan Songyu took time out of her busy schedule to pick up her daughter.

"Okay! Can I have a mini ice cream cake?" Feifei tried to get something for herself.

"Okay, Mom has prepared it for you, but we have to keep our word and you can only eat one, otherwise your tummy will hurt."

"Yay! That's great!" Feifei planted a big kiss on Yan Songyu's cheek. "Mommy, I love you!"

Driving, Feng Yu looked in the rearview mirror at the interaction between the mother and daughter and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Wow, it's Uncle Feng! Feifei missed you too!" Feifei is a sweet-talking and affectionate little devil whose smile melts hearts. Everyone who has met her loves her.

"Whose sweetheart is this? She's so good with words." Feng Yu's deep, magnetic voice unconsciously picked up a tone.

Feifei raised her chin, "She's from the Yan family, Ms. Yan Songyu's little sweetheart!"

The laughter and chatter continued all the way, but the moment Yan Songyu pushed open the office door upon returning to the company, the smile that had lasted the entire journey vanished.