Chapter 6 The Young Widow

Wen Zhi stood there blankly, the conversation between the two echoing in her mind.

The father and son...

Raising a child alone is not easy...

Him?

Wen Zhi slowly turned her head and met the gaze of Xiao Tang, who was also looking confused.

Does this little dumpling look like his?

Although they do look very alike, their relatives and friends all say that Xiaotang looks exactly like him when he was a child, almost like a miniature version of him.

Even so, you can't treat Xiaotang as his child, right?

He's still a college student in the prime of his youth, how could he possibly have given birth to such a little thing?

Wen Zhi stretched out her fingers and silently calculated the age difference between herself and Xiao Tang.

Okay, it really can.

But why would Song Juelan have such a misunderstanding?

Wen Zhi wrinkled her nose slightly, still unable to figure it out.

Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice that the two people had turned around and taken notice of him.

"Mr. Wen?" A deep, magnetic voice came from beside me.

Wen Zhi was startled by the sudden sound, and her hand holding Xiao Tang trembled, but was immediately supported by a large hand with distinct knuckles.

The hand still carried a slight chill from the water, with long, slender fingers and a broad palm, gently holding his forearm.

He looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes, in the depths of which lay a barely perceptible worry.

On the other side, Zhu Zhenghao was looking at him with a frustrated and nervous expression, wanting to come over and talk to him but hesitating.

Wen Zhi was still a little confused about the two people's reactions until she remembered their conversation.

—It was just the father and son living together.

So, in Song Juelan's mind, he was still a single father who had a child out of wedlock?

Wen Zhi clenched her fist, feeling it was necessary to clarify these misunderstandings.

This is absolutely devastating!

"I'm fine." Wen Zhi steadied herself, the words to clarify her situation already on the tip of her tongue, but then she inexplicably changed her mind, "Um... what did you mean when you said that Coach Song only took on one student?"

Song Juelan's expression became slightly unnatural, and she subconsciously avoided those clear eyes, not knowing where her guilty conscience came from.

Looking down, he realized that his hand was still resting on Wen Zhi's forearm, the delicate and soft skin against his palm appearing even whiter against his skin tone, like a tender lotus root.

He immediately let go, and then unconsciously clenched his fist as his palm touched Wen Zhi's. He felt a burning heat in the spot where his palm had touched her.

Zhu Zhenghao saw the tall figure standing silently in front of Wen Zhi with his head down, and shook his head inwardly.

Even if you're not good with words, you can't stay silent at a time like this. I wonder how much Wen Zhi overheard. What if she misunderstands and thinks they're trying to scam money from a single father?

Zhu Zhenghao quickly stepped forward and explained with a smile on Song Juelan's behalf: "It's like this, Coach Song is just a part-time worker here. He doesn't have many hours on the job, enough to train only one student. He just happened to think that Xiaotang got along with him, so he only took her as his student."

Regardless of what Wen Zhi just heard, this explanation is relatively easy to accept and won't make anyone feel embarrassed.

Wen Zhi raised her eyelashes and quickly glanced at Song Juelan's face.

He knew Zhu Zhenghao wasn't telling the truth. He had clearly heard Song Juelan say that it was because he saw how difficult it was for him to take care of the child alone.

Looking back now, Song Juelan's behavior on the day she came to the swimming pool to register was a bit strange; she seemed to know little about the course.

Later, he suggested adding her on WeChat, and Song Juelan hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

It turns out that Song Juelan only agreed to teach Xiaotang basic courses out of sympathy.

If we told Song Juelan at this time that he was actually Xiaotang's brother, and that he didn't have the tragic past they thought, but was just a somewhat pitiful college student.

Then, Song Juelan would definitely withdraw his sympathy without hesitation and, incidentally, suggest they get a different coach.

Wen Zhi thought about the two-month-long swimming lessons, and then about the next two months when she wouldn't be able to see any handsome faces and muscles.

After a moment's consideration, he suddenly realized that his innocence wasn't so important.

She swallowed the words of clarification, lowered her head, and her long, fair neck revealed a hint of fragility.

His voice was lower, and his emotions were unreadable: "So that's how it is."

Song Juelan frowned slightly, but did not deny Zhu Zhenghao's words.

Wen Zhi no longer lingered on this dangerous topic, remembering the real purpose of her return.

"By the way, Xiaotang's swimming cap seems to be missing. Have you seen it?"

Zhu Zhenghao breathed a sigh of relief and immediately replied, "Is it that yellow swimming cap with Peppa Pig on it? It was floating in the pool just now, and I pulled it out."

Xiao Tang, who was being held by Wen Zhi, immediately nodded vigorously and confirmed in her childish voice, "It's Peppa Pig!"

Zhu Zhenghao smiled and patted the little head: "Okay, I'll go get it for you."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the lockers.

Wen Zhi had been holding Xiao Tang for too long, and her arms were sore and weak that she could no longer hold the little bundle of joy in her arms. She slid down a few centimeters.

Unexpectedly, even this small action was noticed by Song Juelan, who was standing next to her.

"Let me do it." Song Juelan extended her hand to Wen Zhi.

He had just come out of the water, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt that was casually thrown on. The wet fabric clung to his taut muscles, highlighting their defined contours.

Before Wen Zhi could react, Xiao Tang leaned to the side and naturally wrapped her arms around Song Juelan's neck, climbing all over him with her hands and feet.

Song Juelan clearly hadn't held a child much before, and his movements as he caught Xiao Tang were somewhat awkward, but he still held her steadily.

Xiao Tang gripped Song Juelan's collar, rested her head on his broader shoulder, and comfortably squinted her eyes.

Wen Zhi didn't expect Xiao Tang to move so quickly, climbing onto Song Jue Lan in the blink of an eye. She could only thank her.

The thought that Song Juelan had been so kind to them out of pity made him feel a little guilty.

But then he thought that after the course ended in two months, he and Song Juelan would never see each other again, so there was no need to explain so clearly.

Besides, he had never told Song Juelan that he was a single father; it was all just Song Juelan's guess.

When Zhu Zhenghao came over with his swimming cap, he saw Song Juelan holding the little dumpling in her arms, while Wen Zhi was watching the two of them with an indescribable look. The scene was strangely harmonious.

It's like a family of three.

He was startled by his own association and quickly shook his head to get the absurd idea out of his mind.

Zhu Zhenghao strode over and handed the swimming cap in his hand to Xiaotang: "Is this it?"

"Mmm!" Xiao Tang took the swimming cap, gave him a sweet smile, and said in a clear voice, "Thank you, Uncle."

Zhu Zhenghao: "..."

Why is Song Juelan the older brother, while he is the uncle?

After receiving the swimming cap, Wen Zhi didn't linger there. She said goodbye to the two of them and left with Xiao Tang.

Even he himself didn't notice that his steps were somewhat hurried.

As Wen Zhi stepped out of the swimming pool, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense back relaxed.

Although he had only spent two months with Song Juelan, he always felt that this matter was not so easy to get away with.

After all, there is a big difference between a college student who has never been in a relationship and a single father who has a child out of wedlock.

He wasn't confident he could keep it from Song Juelan.

If Song Juelan finds out the truth halfway through, he will definitely be angry.

Wen Zhi hesitated, then lowered her head and glanced at Xiao Tang beside her.

Should we let Xiaotang help him keep this a secret from Song Juelan?

The moment the idea popped into his head, he shook his head frantically in his mind.

He cannot teach children to lie.

Although Xiaotang is very smart and will cooperate with him well, isn't this leading the child astray?

He wouldn't let Xiaotang learn to lie over something so trivial.

A gentle breeze brushed against her cheek, bringing a touch of coolness, and Wen Zhi's mind gradually calmed down.

He habitually touched his fair chin, pondered for a moment, and decided not to mention it to Xiaotang.

If Xiaotang accidentally lets something slip to Song Juelan someday, he'll explain and apologize to Song Juelan properly.

Of course, it would be even better if we could successfully keep it a secret for these two months.

It's one thing to be open-minded, but it's still a bit hard for Wen Zhi to accept that she has always been seen as a single father by others.

He returned home with a heavy heart, had little appetite for dinner, and was even somewhat distracted while playing games with his roommates.

Although his technique was about the same whether he was distracted or not, others still noticed that something was wrong with his mood.

Instead of immediately starting another game, her roommate Fang Wenxiu asked with concern over the game's voice chat, "Xiao Zhi, what happened?"

Wen Zhi rested her chin on her hand, clicking the mouse randomly on the screen, and sent a bunch of random emojis in the team chat: "No..."

Just as he was trying to get away with it, he suddenly remembered that the people who had first teased him about being a single father were his two other roommates.

He sat up straight, pursed his lips, and called out his two roommates' names into the microphone, asking, "Do you really think I look like a single father?"

Ding Mingjun and He Jin, who were called out, were stunned for a moment, and their survival instincts kicked in.

"Actually... it doesn't seem like it. You look as young as a high school student. You don't look like someone who has children."

“That’s right, and you look like…a very studious person, how could you possibly be involved in premarital pregnancy?” He Jin swallowed back the words “very well-behaved” and used a flattering description to praise Wen Zhi.

Wen Zhi's expression softened slightly, clearly pleased with her two roommates' coaxing.

“But how should I put it, you have a certain aura about you—” Ding Mingjun recalled a time when Wen Zhi brought her younger brother to the dormitory to play.

Although Wenzhi gets along normally with her younger brother, she is a person with low energy. She gets tired after taking care of the child for only five minutes, and her beautiful eyes are always filled with a faint weariness.

In addition, there is its inherent fragility.

And that overly beautiful face.

He Jin also thought of that time and tried to describe it: "Hmm... I can't quite put my finger on it, it's kind of like—"

There was a moment of silence in the team voice chat, then Ding Mingjun and He Jin's fearless, unanimous voices rang out.

"—The young widow."

Wen Zhi: "..."

A note from the author:

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Thank you for the nutrient solution, little angel!

8 bottles of "Zhi Xing Yi"; 77 bottles of "Zao Dian Shui"; 5 bottles of "Yi Lou Ting Yu"; 4 bottles of "Sweet and Enjoyable, Not Abusive" (Don't kill me); 2 bottles of "Wen Wei Yan" and "Don't Cry"; 1 bottle of "Ming Yue Bao Chao Liang Mei Po De"; 1 bottle of "Wo Shi 1 Wo Shi 1 Wo Shi 1"; 1 bottle of "Playing Too Many Games"; 1 bottle of "Cheng Zi"; 1 bottle of "Gulu Gulu"; 1 bottle of "Yu Ni Mochi"; 1 bottle of "Meng Li Jian".