Chapter 20, Part 20

Grandma hadn't seen Ren Yunyou for two months and kept praising her for growing much taller.

“Before, it only reached Grandma’s waist, but now it’s almost up to Grandma’s chest.”

"Really!" Ren Yunyou jumped up and down, wanting to go even higher.

"Xiao Ruan, your Aunt Ren and I went on a trip and bought a few boxes of fruit. You and Xiao Yi can take them back and eat with Yunyun in a little while." Father Ren carried the boxes of cantaloupes and mangoes to the door in case they forgot to take them after they finished eating.

"Thank you, Uncle." Ruan Mianmian quickly helped carry it.

"Can we finish all this food?" Renyi yawned and shook his head as he looked at the heavy cardboard box.

She also remembers one year when her parents went on a trip and brought back a truckload of tangerines. By the end, Ren felt that her face had turned yellow from eating so many tangerines.

“Yunyun is at the age where she is growing and needs to supplement her vitamins.” Mr. Ren patted his lower back. “Besides, even if you don’t eat, Xiao Ruan still does.”

“I see that Xiao Ruan has lost a lot of weight. Eat more later.” Ren’s mother chimed in. “School starts soon and Xiao Yi will be teaching sixth grade. If you don’t have time to cook, come back. Auntie and Uncle will cook your favorite dishes.”

"I will, thank you, Auntie and Uncle."

Listening to their conversation, I felt like crying and threw myself onto the sofa.

School is about to start again.

"What's wrong?" Ruan Mianmian asked her, leaning against the sofa.

"I don't want to go to work." He casually blocked the sunlight streaming in from the balcony with a cushion, his voice muffled.

"But without Mom earning money, Yunyun and I will have no one to take care of us," she said pitifully, lying on the edge of the sofa.

"Go, I'll go right now." Ren Yi pretended to be inspired by these words and immediately got up.

Ruan Mianmian laughed out loud and went around to the other side to pull her along.

He leaned against her without hesitation.

"Otherwise, I'll go back to my tutoring class," Ruan Mianmian said.

"I think you should rest for a while longer." He casually slipped his hand inside her clothes and pinched the little soft flesh left on her waist. "Even my mom can tell you've lost weight."

"We'll go when they're plump and healthy."

"Wouldn't that make me a gigolo living off a woman?"

With difficulty, he reached for the bag on the coffee table, took out the card, and placed it in Ruan Mianmian's hand.

"Come here, I'll take care of you." She leaned back into Ruan Mianmian's arms and lay down comfortably. "If it's not enough, just ask me for more."

"Thank you, sister," Ruan Mianmian replied sweetly.

"I will definitely be the best little dog."

"Really?" Renyi turned to look at her.

I don't know who coaxed her into wearing the collar last night and then tormented her all night.

Not well-behaved at all.

That collar was originally bought arbitrarily to punish Ruan Mianmian, but it ended up being used on her.

"There are still so many things I haven't tried yet." Ruan Mianmian gently bit her earlobe.

"I will definitely make my sister try them all."

*

The days after the start of the school year were not as busy as expected. Several new teachers came to the school, and a young teacher happened to be assigned to their class as the assistant homeroom teacher. She volunteered to do many things.

"Teacher Ren, the security guard said someone is looking for you at the school gate," the new student, Xiao Liu, relayed the message.

"Mom!" Qiao Jianing called out to her from afar as she saw her walk out of the teaching building.

The teachers on the playground pricked up their ears.

Teacher Ren actually has a daughter! And she's already so grown up?!

He could turn around and leave at any moment.

"Auntie, auntie! I was wrong, please don't go!!!"

Oh, it was just a joke.

Disappointed, the onlookers returned to their work.

"What is it?" Renyi's tone was indifferent.

"..."

"I'm leaving if you don't tell me."

"Why are you still so cold to me!" Qiao Jianing surrendered, and then prepared to get to the point.

"Aunt Ruan is coming back."

"She couldn't get in touch with her aunt, so she told my mom."

"It seems like it will arrive this afternoon."

"Did she come back to find Mianmian?" Renyi frowned.

Having just experienced something similar, she immediately became nervous again.

"I think so."

"But after what happened to my dad, my mom was on her guard and asked Aunt Ruan to stay at our house first."

"Okay, now you know."

Qiao Jianing resumed her smiling expression.

"It's up to you to decide whether or not to tell your aunt about this."

Having finally passed the burden to someone else, Qiao Jianing stopped rambling and said she had to go to class before slipping away.

We'll see.

I was troubled by whatever came to mind all afternoon.

Ruan Mianmian appeared at the school gate on time to pick up Ren Yi and Ren Yunyou after school.

She's been resting lately, sometimes going cycling, sometimes to the gym or swimming pool, sometimes to a baking class, and sometimes doing nothing at all, just lying at home all day.

To give orders arbitrarily.

"Do whatever you want."

"Aunt Ren just called to ask us to come home for dinner."

"Yay! Let's go to Grandma's house!"

"Ayi?"

Ren Yi was still lost in thought when Ruan Mianmian called her name again.

"...Okay, let's go."

Ren Yunyou and Ruan Mianmian talked incessantly about what the teacher had taught that day, while Ren Yi walked silently to the side.

The worst-case scenario is simply a repeat of what happened a few months ago.

As long as I don't have to be separated from Mianmian anymore, that's fine.

Ren Yunyou took his mother's hand and stepped out of the elevator, then ran ahead to knock on the door.

"Mianmian." Renyi prepared herself, intending to tell her about her mother's return.

"What's wrong?"

"Qiao Jianing came to see me today and said..."

"Mom, we have guests at Grandma's house."

The person who opened the door was a middle-aged woman whom Ren Yunyou had never seen before. She took a half step back and turned to look at her mother and mommy.

Ruan Mianmian quickened her pace and walked to the door, then suddenly fell silent.

"Mianmian, Mom has come to see you." The middle-aged woman walked over excitedly.

"Aunt Ruan." Ren Yi walked up to Ruan Mianmian without leaving a trace.

"Xiao Yi has grown so beautiful!" the middle-aged woman exclaimed. She turned around and waved to the living room, "Quick, Wan Ying, come and call her."

A little girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old, walked over timidly.

Hello, sister.