Chapter 71 Then I don't want you anymore either...

When Tuantuan was born, she was a wrinkled little bundle. Jiang Shiyuan was already somewhat dazed after giving birth, and when she saw the ugly Tuantuan, her heart sank and she burst into tears.

Since becoming pregnant, she has become not only physically sensitive, but also extremely emotionally sensitive. She was not a person who liked to cry, but now she cries for no reason.

The doctors said the delivery went smoothly because Jiang Shiyuan had taken good care of her body and the team was very professional in delivering the baby, so there was no tearing during the process and she didn't experience too much pain after giving birth.

But Huo Lan was still frightened by Jiang Shiyuan's crying and coaxed her like a child.

He didn't call her Tuantuan Baby, he just kept calling her Good Baby.

Tuantuan was a boy. His first cry after birth was loud and clear, adding a touch of vitality to the spring in Huo Garden.

In just a few days, Tuantuan's small body stretched out.

His eyes were as clear as water grapes, and his eyelashes were long and thick. His appearance was so exquisite that Jiang Shiyuan wanted to hug and kiss him every day.

Tuantuan was the first child of the Huo family in this generation. She was pampered and cared for from birth, so Jiang Shiyuan didn't have to put in too much effort.

In the last few days, Huo Lan stayed by her and Tuantuan's side almost every step of the way.

When Tuantuan cried at night, he would always wake up earlier than her, gently picking her up and comforting her, afraid of disturbing Jiang Shiyuan, who was a light sleeper.

He learned to change diapers, make formula, and burp the baby. His movements went from clumsy and unfamiliar at first to skillful and smooth later on, and he gradually adapted to the new role of father.

The news of her admission to Peking University was announced before she gave birth, and she will be able to enter her dream university in September to study her favorite field.

So during her postpartum period, Jiang Shiyuan worked hard to eat, rest and recover every day. She smiled more and more, while Huo Lan became more and more silent.

Sometimes he would just sit in the distance, holding Tuantuan, and quietly watch her for a very long time.

As Jiang Shiyuan sipped her pork rib and corn soup, she noticed Huo Lan staring at her blankly. She unconsciously touched her cheek. "Is...is there something dirty inside?"

Huo Lan snapped out of his daze, shook his head, and found that Tuantuan in his arms had already fallen asleep.

“I may not have as much time to take care of Tuantuan in the future…” Huo Lan hesitated, looking at Jiang Shiyuan with a hint of sadness in his eyes, “He may have to spend most of his time with the nanny and Shi Teng in the future.”

Jiang Shiyuan stirred the soup in her bowl. These past few days, she had been avoiding a very important question.

She is Tuantuan's mother, and whether she leaves or stays, this is a relationship she can never sever.

In other words, Huo Lan achieved his goal.

He's awful.

But what could she say? She could only nod in agreement and avoid his question.

Even after Tuantuan was born, and even though she was very reluctant to part with this lovely little life that shared her bloodline, she would not abandon her original decision.

Huo Lan hadn't asked Jiang Shiyuan to stay by his side for a long time, because every time he received the answer, it was a refusal, and it was the same now.

He saw Jiang Shiyuan's mood improve day by day, a happiness he hadn't seen in a long time. He couldn't understand why leaving him could make her so relaxed and happy, but he decided to return the happiness he had taken from her.

So he wasn't too bothered by Jiang Shiyuan's reaction, and went upstairs to put Tuantuan, who had already been put to sleep, back into the nursery.

He knew that the time for her to leave him was drawing ever closer.

Huo Lan started having trouble sleeping every night. He had to hold Jiang Shiyuan in his arms every day and make sure she was still by his side before he could fall into a light sleep.

But his dreams were always filled with scenes of her resolutely leaving him, so real that he would wake up from each dream with a cold sweat on his forehead.

Now, every time he wakes up from a nightmare, he can still hold her beside him and sigh, "Thank goodness." But what will he do in the future?

He dared not think about it anymore.

When Jiang Shiyuan finished her postpartum confinement, Xu Feixuan came to visit her at Lingdang Xiaozhu.

Actually, she came on the day of delivery, but she was afraid that Huo Lan would be unhappy again, so she just waited outside the Bell Pavilion from a distance. She only felt relieved after hearing the servants say that Jiang Shiyuan had given birth and then returned to her own courtyard.

During her visit, she happened to see Huo Lan and Jiang Shiyuan playing with Tuantuan in the courtyard.

The handbell toy made a crisp sound, and Tuantuan opened her big, dark eyes, kicking her little hands and feet wildly, making babbling sounds.

The warm spring sun shone on the family of three, creating a heartwarming scene that seemed almost unreal.

Xu Feixuan's usually serious face showed a hint of emotion. She stood not far away and watched for a while before clearing her throat and approaching with her usual demeanor.

When Huo Lan saw her, for the first time ever, he didn't immediately turn cold. Instead, he simply put Tuantuan back into the cradle.

Xu Feixuan's expression relaxed a little, knowing that Huo Lan had tacitly allowed her to visit.

When Jiang Shiyuan saw Xu Feixuan, he put down the bell in his hand, stood up and greeted her.

"Mrs."

Xu Feixuan frowned slightly and corrected Jiang Shiyuan's form of address, "It's been so long, how come you still haven't learned the manners?"

She paused, her expression slightly unnatural, and said, "You have to call me Mom, understand?"

This was the first time Xu Feixuan had taken the initiative to correct her way of addressing her. Jiang Shiyuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded, but didn't say "Mom".

Xu Feixuan did not pursue the matter further, and her gaze fell on Tuantuan in the cradle, her eyes softening instantly.

“Our Tuantuan is so beautiful.” Xu Feixuan walked closer to the cradle, bent down, and gently touched Tuantuan’s fair cheek with her finger. “Their eyes and eyebrows do resemble Xiao Lan’s.”

Xu Feixuan looked up at Jiang Shiyuan and said, "Your mouth is just like yours, it's a perfect combination of the two of you."

Huo Lan's lips curled slightly, and he tightened his grip on Jiang Shiyuan's shoulder, saying nothing but secretly delighted.

Seeing that the two had a harmonious relationship and had a child, Xu Feixuan felt very at ease and asked the servant who came with her to take out two exquisite wooden boxes from her bag.

She first opened one of the longer boxes and pushed it towards Jiang Shiyuan. Inside was an exquisitely crafted gold hairpin with a phoenix holding a pearl and tassels, which was quite heavy.

Xu Feixuan maintained her composure, but her attitude softened as she showed concern for Jiang Shiyuan, saying, "I've been through it all myself, and I know how hard childbirth is, and how much harder postpartum recovery is. Although you don't lack gold or silver jewelry, this is my way of showing my appreciation to my daughter-in-law."

Before Jiang Shiyuan could answer, Xu Feixuan continued, "Your wedding should be held as soon as possible. You need to start preparing now. If you wait until Tuantuan is all grown up before holding the wedding or don't hold it at all, wouldn't outsiders laugh at our Huo family?"

Upon hearing the word "wedding," Jiang Shiyuan instinctively wanted to clarify, but Huo Lan squeezed her hand.

He looked at her with a faint smile and said to Xu Feixuan, "It will be taken care of, no rush."

Seeing Xu Feixuan's happy expression, Jiang Shiyuan didn't continue to explain, and then saw Xu Feixuan start arranging her future schedule again.

"And then there's Tuantuan's 100-day celebration, that has to be a grand affair too." Xu Feixuan's eyes gleamed with rare enthusiasm as she began to speak at length, "We absolutely must invite all the important figures in Wancheng to celebrate Tuantuan's 100th day..."

After explaining the arrangements for the 100-day celebration, the servant opened another wooden box. Inside was a jade safety buckle with excellent clarity, along with a small gold lock and a pair of gold bracelets engraved with the character "福" (fortune).

Xu Feixuan smiled and said, "It's for Tuantuan, to keep him safe and sound."

Xu Feixuan watched Tuantuan in the courtyard for a while longer, until Tuantuan fell asleep, before reluctantly leaving Huo Garden.

Jiang Shiyuan picked Tuantuan up from the cradle and quietly led him back to the nursery.

The moment the door closed, Huo Lan's tall body suddenly leaned over and pulled her into his arms.

He was much taller than her, and he always had to bend down slightly when he stood up to hug her, but he didn't this time.

Her toes were slightly off the ground, and he pressed her tightly into his arms, feeling her full weight, making her unable to move.

"Huo Lan, you're hugging me too tightly... I can't breathe..." Jiang Shiyuan's arms were held tightly in his embrace and she couldn't move them. She could only symbolically shake her legs slightly.

“Shi Yuan…” Huo Lan didn’t put her down. “Why are you so light? What if you don’t eat well after we go out? Being any lighter won’t be good…”

"No, I'll eat properly. Please put me down first."

Jiang Shiyuan struggled slightly, and it took a long time before Huo Lan relaxed his strength.

Once her feet were back on the ground, her heart, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally calmed down. Jiang Shiyuan walked towards the bedroom, somewhat sullen, saying, "You're not allowed to hug me like that again!"

Completely powerless to resist, she was entirely under Huo Lan's control.

Huo Lan followed behind her, his eyes filled with undisguised coldness.

His voice was so soft that Jiang Shiyuan didn't hear it at all.

He said, "Will there be a future?"

That evening, Jiang Shiyuan unusually hugged Huo Lan and kissed him for a long time.

She kissed him until his eyes were blurry with tears, and he trembled uncontrollably, yet he dared not ask for anything in return.

"Good night, Huo Lan."

Jiang Shiyuan turned off the desk lamp and sighed.

In the early hours of the morning, she opened her eyes in bed, tiptoed out of bed, and took out her suitcase, which she had already packed, from the guest room on the first floor.

Apart from some personal documents and everyday clothes, she didn't take anything from the third floor of Bell Pavilion.

Huo Lan had already transferred enough money to her account to ensure her a worry-free life, so she couldn't be greedy anymore.

Cheng Yan's car was parked on the main road not far from Lingdang Xiaozhu. She frequently visited Huo Garden and had long been on bad terms with the guards. When she entered Huo Garden late at night, they would only assume that she was there to accompany Jiang Shiyuan and would easily let her pass.

By the next morning at the latest, or even earlier, Huo Lan would know about her sudden departure, so there would be no need for her to go through the trouble of hiding her whereabouts anymore.

After getting into the car, Jiang Shiyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't turn around to look at the receding Huo Garden through the car window, nor did she even say a final goodbye.

She looked ahead, watching them exit the towering gates of Huo Garden, and saw the narrow road ahead widen, the wind seeming to blow more freely in her ears.

What should have been an extremely pleasant feeling brought a pang of anxiety because of being away from Huo Lan and Tuan Tuan.

"I suddenly miss Tuantuan a little." Jiang Shiyuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly said, only to realize that her eyes were getting wet. "Why is this happening?"

Cheng Yan didn't slow down the car; she simply asked, "Should we turn back?"

"No." Jiang Shiyuan touched her chest, the familiar feeling of breast engorgement washing over her again, a physiological reaction brought on by childbirth. "I don't want to be a caged canary anymore, and no one can stop me."

"Um."

Cheng Yan's eyes were filled with a smile. She knew that this reluctance was only for a moment, but that Jiang Shiyuan would become brighter and brighter in the future.

"You are free."

*

After Jiang Shiyuan left the master bedroom, Huo Lan opened his eyes.

He watched her tiptoeing figure echo in the Bell Pavilion, and saw her leave the courtyard without even turning her head back.

She could have said goodbye to him properly and formally, but she chose to leave him in this way, resolutely.

Huo Lan's eyes were bloodshot with anger, but he still restrained the urge to go downstairs and drag her back.

He returned to the nursery alone and looked at Tuantuan, who was still sleeping soundly in the cradle. His heart ached terribly. Tuantuan had no idea that he would never see his mother again.

"How cruel."

Huo Lan slumped weakly to the ground. The baby crawling mat on the floor was something he and she had chosen and pieced together together.

"Then I don't want you anymore..."

"And don't let Tuantuan call you 'Mom'..."

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Author's Note: Okay, the following chapters are completely free of angst~

The journey of winning back his wife while raising a child begins!