Chapter 84 Will You Not Want Me?
Ya Ya really liked Wu Chen. When they left, she even chased after him. I don't know what Wu Chen said to her while he was holding her, but she obediently stayed at the gate and watched him leave.
Shen Yuming was a little anxious. She looked at the silent Ya Ya and didn't know how to get along with her. She just wanted to be good to her, but she didn't know how to handle this kindness.
My eyes start to redden every time I meet my daughter's gaze.
Shen Yuzhu sent her to the kitchen, and that made her feel a little better.
She had barely left when Shen Yuzhu clearly sensed that Ya Ya had suddenly relaxed.
Children get to know each other quickly; while the two sisters were in the kitchen, they could hear voices coming from the main room.
Shen Yuming sniffed the air, sighed, and added two handfuls of firewood to the stove.
"Sister, the child is back. Things will get better with time. Don't worry."
“I just feel sorry for her, little sister. Look how thin Yaya is. Just thinking about all the suffering she has endured over the years is all because of that beast Zhang Li. I just want to tear him apart.”
Shen Yuzhu put the noodles into the pot and put the lid on.
Zhang Li's life at the sanatorium was not good. The old man who took care of him knew that his family did not care about him and that he was from a rural village. He would beat and scold him and did not take good care of him. I heard that he had bedsores all over his body.
Who knew I'd have a few more good years to live?
"Sister, after dinner, boil some hot water for Yaya to take a bath and change her into clean clothes. Let the child rest well. There will be plenty of time in the future. She can feel that her mother is good to her."
"Oh, yes, yes, I was so confused that I forgot about that."
It's not that I forgot; it's that concern clouded my judgment. My eyes were glued to the child, leaving no room for anything else.
At the dinner table, each person had a bowl of spinach and egg noodles, along with a dish of crispy fried fish and stir-fried cabbage with pork.
When Ya Ya saw the huge pile of white noodles in front of her, her eyes widened in surprise, but since she had just arrived, she didn't dare to say anything.
Shen Yuming kept piling food onto her plate, and she dared not eat too much, nor did she dare not eat at all.
Her little mouth was stuffed full, and she kept her head down, shoveling noodles into her mouth.
"Alright, sis, Yaya just got back. Eating too much is bad for her stomach. Just eat in moderation. I'll cook some millet porridge for her every day; it's good for her stomach."
"Yes, yes, I know. I'll add some brown sugar and red dates. We have them at home. I'll make it tonight. Yaya, Mom and Auntie have boiled some water for you. You can take a good bath and change into clean clothes later. Mom has prepared everything for you, okay!"
Ya Ya flinched, but dared not disobey, and nodded timidly.
Shen Yuming and Shen Yuzhu exchanged a glance, their smiles momentarily fading.
It wasn't until they took off the child's clothes that they realized why Yaya was so timid. Her back, arms, stomach, and buttocks were covered in bruises, from being pinched or hit. There were also two scabs on her shoulders, like she had been whipped.
Shen Yuming trembled all over as he watched, and ran out in a panic. Soon after, a suppressed, muffled cry erupted from the courtyard.
Ya Ya hugged her arms in fear, her innocent big eyes looking at Shen Yuzhu with unease.
"Good child, don't be afraid. Your mother loves you. Auntie will wash you. Let's wash your hair first. Auntie has some nice-smelling soap here. From now on, with Auntie and Mommy here, no one will dare to bully you anymore, be good."
Ya Ya pursed her lips, and after a long while, she finally looked up at Shen Yuzhu.
"Will...will you not want me anymore?"
"What?"
“I eat very little, but I can work and do laundry. Uncle Wu said this is my home, please don’t abandon me.”
Shen Yuzhu choked up for a moment as she listened to the child's words, her throat dry and unable to make a sound.
She turned her head and swallowed hard, trying to suppress her tears.
She forced a smile and looked at her, "No, this is your home, Yaya. We are all your family. We will never abandon you. You don't need to do laundry or chores. You will live with your older brother and sister. When you grow up a bit, you can go to school. Your aunt and mom will take care of everything, okay!"
Ya Ya could feel that they were really good to her. Her older brother and sister gave her candy and comic books. For lunch, she ate white noodles, eggs, and meat. The eggs and meat were so delicious!
She had never eaten so well before.
My mother felt so sorry for me when she looked at me.
My aunt is so gentle.
She felt like she was dreaming.
No.
She wouldn't even dare to dream of such a thing. Before, her parents would always throw her clothes and diapers. If she didn't wash them clean, she couldn't eat or go inside. It was so cold, and she longed for her parents to hug her.
But every time, I get beaten and scolded.
She had such a happy half-day; if it was a dream, she wouldn't want to wake up at all.
After Shen Yuzhu washed her hair and gently rubbed her body, Shen Yuming came in after she dried her off. She smiled again and helped Yaya put on the autumn clothes, cotton-padded jacket and trousers that had been prepared on the kang.
I took a dry cloth and dried her hair little by little.
I gently applied the face cream to her face, hands, and feet, then put on thick socks and new cotton shoes.
Looking at the beautifully dressed doll, she gently patted the child's head.
"My darling daughter, she's so beautiful!"
Ya Ya was a little shy from the compliment and didn't avoid being touched.
Shen Yuzhu didn't go home that night; she stayed with them.
The next day, Aunt Qian came with a basket, bringing eggs and brown sugar to check on the children. Not long after she left, Guo Rou and Sun Fenglan also arrived with gifts.
Throughout the morning, almost every household in the village and surrounding area that had heard that Ya Ya was back came over.
Whether they were carrying anything or not, they said plenty of auspicious words.
Ya Ya went from being timid and afraid at the beginning to being able to greet people with a smile later on.
Whether Shen Yuming was doing something or talking to people, his eyes never left his daughter.
Of course, not everyone who came had good intentions. A few who were on good terms with Granny Zhang had loose tongues and said some unpleasant things, which Shen Yuzhu retorted.
Generally speaking, the child has just returned, so even if they chat a bit, they won't cause a scene.
The noisy day passed, and Shen Yuzhu returned home.
When she left, she took all the children with her. On the way, she explained to Ya Ya why they didn't live together. The little girl seemed confused. She and Qian Cheng held hands.
Perhaps because they are twins, the brother and sister get along the best. Even if they don't talk, they sometimes laugh silly when they are together.
Shen Yuzhu went to the kitchen and soon brought them a plate of fries and hot corn porridge.
Thinking that Zhou Congsheng wouldn't be here for a while, she took advantage of the fact that children are easy to fool and quickly selected some dishes to take out of the space and heat them up, so that she wouldn't have trouble explaining later.
"Auntie, Auntie, someone is knocking on the door."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
