The next day at noon, A Lei picked up Xiao Yu's mother and her family. It was the end of the year and the company was too busy, so the eldest son had to stay behind to oversee things. Therefore, only Xiao Yu's mother, stepfather, and their sixteen-year-old daughter came together.

Qin Xiaoyu had guessed what her stepfather looked like. Hearing her mother repeatedly say he was ugly, she figured his features couldn't be too handsome.

Seeing the real person, I realized my mother wasn't exaggerating at all. Her features were truly ugly: small eyes, a flat nose, a large nose tip, and a wide mouth that seemed to eat from all directions.

But no one who sees him will find him unpleasant; on the contrary, they will find him pleasing to the eye and approachable. His eyes, though small, are very bright and have a pure and honest gaze that inspires trust and warmth.

Furthermore, the mother was not only biased, but also blind.

Qin Xiaoyu heard her mother say that she had a sixteen-year-old sister named Fu Ying who looked exactly like her, but when she saw her in person, she was shocked.

How are they exactly the same? They're clearly taken from her father's face, but this child is just as chubby and thick-skinned, making it hard to dislike her.

Fu Di and Qin Xiaoyu look very similar, like siblings.

Commander Zhou was chatting happily with Xiaoyu's stepfather when he noticed he was using a cane and asked, "Brother, what's wrong with your leg?"

"I've had gout for many years, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"You have gout, so you can't eat seafood. Old woman, keep an eye on the dishes for tonight, see if there's anything your father-in-law can eat. And don't drink any alcohol either." Commander Zhou hurriedly started making arrangements.

"My brother-in-law will be here in a little while. He'll take a look at you and get some medicine. He's very good at treating illnesses."

“My dad is a fertility god,” Lisheng said proudly from the side.

The Fu family was stunned. How could this be a gynecology department?

"My brother-in-law is a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, a general practitioner, he can cure anything," Qin Xiaoyu quickly explained, and everyone laughed.

Xiaoyu's mom stayed upstairs watching the child from the moment she arrived until dinner time.

"This child is so well raised, sister, you've gone to so much trouble." Xiaoyu's mother sat down next to Zhou Xing's mother.

"I'm not tired. Xiaoyu is really making things easy for me. Xiaoyue gave birth to three at once, and she almost killed me." Zhou Xing's mother said, glaring at Zhou Yue.

"I'm saving you trouble, having three at once. Whether it's one sheep or two, it's all the same. They'll grow up quickly. Just you wait and see, Xiaoyu is laying eggs like crazy, one this year, one next year. You'll be working your butt off." Zhou Yue retorted.

"You're the one who lays eggs!" Qin Xiaoyu was so angry that she was about to hit Zhou Yue through Zhou Xing's mother.

"How old are you? Go away and make a scene, the children are watching." Zhou Xing's mother angrily pushed them away.

"Is Fu Di still leaving?" Qin Xiaoyu found herself getting along better and better with this younger brother and began to consider asking him to stay and help her.

“He’s not interested in the family business, so let him be,” Little Fish’s mother sighed.

“I don’t like architecture, really, I have absolutely no interest in it,” Fu Di shook his head.

"What about fashion? Are you interested in fashion?" Qin Xiaoyu asked, seizing the opportunity.

"Fashion, that's alright. I'm interested in fashion, but I'm not limited to just clothing." Fu Di has learned a lot outside and has a high standard.

“I don’t just want to limit myself to fashion. To build a big brand, I want to drive the entire surrounding industry, such as bags, shoes, and jewelry.”

“That’s great, let’s talk about it sometime.” Fu Di’s eyes lit up.

Qin Xiaoyu knew that this was settled.

"Sure, you can stay and help your older sister. It's better to be in China than abroad; you only see each other once a year." The stepfather was quite easily satisfied.

That evening, Qi Si arranged for him to go directly to his hotel; he had no choice but to go.

Xiaoyu's mother was worried that too many people would tire Zhou Xing's mother and Qin Xiaoyu, so she left early the next morning. Fu Di went back to celebrate the Spring Festival first, promising Qin Xiaoyu that he would come back to report immediately after the Spring Festival.

"Xiaoyu, you're amazing! You're recruiting people everywhere. This kid is great. I like him too. He's clean-cut and knows how to dress. He has great taste." Zhou Yue was also very fond of Fu Di and praised him highly.

Like father, like son; Qin Xiaoyu felt a lump in her throat whenever she thought of the missing Qin Xiaoye. She was the one who raised her, and now she was in this state. If they really came looking for her, it would be a real problem.

When Fu Yongnian left, he took several doses of medicine prescribed by Deng Jianyan. He has been taking them since he got home and recently called to say that he is getting better and will come over again after the New Year.

Qin Xiaoyu wished her mother could be here every day, but out of consideration for her mother's family back home and her younger sister's upcoming college entrance exams, she had too many things to leave behind and didn't dare to force her. Now that Uncle Fu himself said he would come over, she was naturally overjoyed.

These past few days, Qin Xiaoyu had been paying close attention to the sounds downstairs. Whenever the doorbell rang, she would urge the door to open quickly. A Lei assumed she wanted her mother to come back and really wanted to go and pick her up for her; he was getting anxious just watching her.

The doorbell rang at a leisurely pace that day, and A Lei jogged over just as the sound stopped.

He opened the door, and there stood a travel-worn Miranda.

“I actually found it, it’s really not easy. I didn’t come for the New Year. Xiaoyu said she wanted me to see your children. She kept insisting, so I could only squeeze in some time to come. I had no choice.” Miranda kept explaining the reason for her visit, complaining as usual, but one thing was certain: she came, and that explained everything.

A Lei understood; this was the news Qin Xiaoyu had been waiting for—a surprise for him.

“I’m so glad you came,” Are muttered, his voice barely audible. Miranda immediately fell silent.

Because Qin Xiaoyu gave birth, Zhou Xing's mother stayed here, and with Zhou Yue also taking care of her, the place seemed rather crowded. Although Miranda was unwilling, she had no choice but to move into Mrs. Fang's house.

The thought of the two of them eating at the same table made Qin Xiaoyu overjoyed.

"You always have that mischievous smile, what's on your mind?" A Lei leaned closer to look at her expression.

Strangely enough, ever since she cried so hard last time, her milk supply has improved and she has a lot of milk, and her complexion has also improved a lot.

It was Deng Jianyan who solved the mystery. In fact, Qin Xiaoyu had teetered on the brink of postpartum depression after giving birth.

Although A Lei and Zhou Xing's mother have always taken good care of her, she still can't adapt to the role of a mother.

Children abandoned at a young age share a common trait: they will never experience a sense of security throughout their lives. As psychologist Alfred Adler said, some people spend their entire lives healing from their childhood, while others use their childhood to heal their entire lives.

Unfortunately, Qin Xiaoyu was the former.

They need a lifetime to heal the wounds of their childhood.

Qin Xiaoyu was no exception; no matter how strong she was, there was still a vulnerable little girl inside her. She hadn't grown up being held in her mother's arms, and she didn't know how to love her own child.

When Hanhan and her younger sister came to live with her, they had already left infancy. Hanhan was very sensible and was her healer, Qin Xiaoyu. That's why Jiajia brought her the anxiety and unease of becoming a mother for the first time.

At that time, Deng Jianyan prescribed her medication not to induce lactation, but to regulate her endocrine system. He was also unsure how far she would go down the path of depression.

Her mother's appearance was just in time, pulling her back to reality. This was something the medication couldn't control; Qin Xiaoyu was lucky, I suppose.