Looking at the harmonious scene before him, Bai Ying subconsciously asked, "I wonder where Bai Ying is now? Is she doing well?"
As soon as he said it, he felt a pang of discomfort.
If they had found Bai Ying sooner, the child wouldn't have had to stand outside the noodle shop on his birthday, watching other parents celebrate their children's birthdays with envy, while he could only silently swallow his disappointment.
He blamed himself again and again: he should have discovered Bai Ying's existence sooner, he should have found her sooner, and given her the care and warmth she deserved! But why did they gradually stop searching later?
However, Bai Ying never expected that when Zhou Ying heard Bai Ying's name, her gaze would instinctively sweep towards Bai Di beside her, and her face would suddenly darken, her tone carrying an unusual sternness and urgency: "Bai Ying, what nonsense are you talking about? Can't you see Xiao Di is standing right here? Don't mention that name again!"
To protect Bai Di's fragile heart, Zhou Ying had long ago secretly resolved never to let anyone mention her background to Bai Di. She feared that Bai Di would misunderstand, thinking that they adopted her merely to fill the void left by the loss of Bai Ying and to alleviate their inner pain, misinterpreting that they were treating her as a substitute for Bai Ying.
Xiao Di is Xiao Di, a one-of-a-kind Xiao Di.
In Zhou Ying's heart, all the love she had once poured into Bai Ying had long since been transferred to Bai Di without reservation.
She regarded Bai Di as her whole life, and could not tolerate Bai Di being harmed in the slightest, nor could she bear to see her shed even a single tear.
When Bai Di learned that she wasn't his biological daughter, she locked herself in her room, her cries heart-wrenching. That scene seemed still vivid in her mind. Zhou Ying quietly stood guard outside the door, tears silently streaming down her face, weeping alongside Bai Di. From then on, Bai Ying became the deepest, most painful memory for Bai Di, and a taboo subject that Zhou Ying guarded closely, never allowing anyone to mention her in front of Bai Di.
At this moment, Bai Ying suddenly brought up Bai Ying, and Zhou Ying's emotions instantly spiraled out of control. She was eager to nip this potentially harmful topic in the bud.
Bai Yanfeng, who was originally excitedly preparing to give Bai Di a gift, froze instantly when his father mentioned Bai Ying. His tone was tinged with resentment: "Dad, I'm in a hurry to give Xiao Di a gift. Please don't bring up these spoilsport things, okay?"
After saying that, he frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. He glanced at Bai Di cautiously, as if afraid that she would be affected in the slightest.
Looking at his wife and son's reactions, Bai Ying opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but found his throat blocked, unable to utter a word. He gazed at his familiar yet unfamiliar family, a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.
But he still tried to say, "Perhaps Bai Ying isn't far from us. She might be somewhere, waiting for us to find her with great anticipation. As long as we put our hearts into it, with our abilities, we'll definitely find her quickly." A glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ying's already tense nerves were instantly ignited, and her impatience surged forth like a burst dam: "Don't I want to find Xiao Ying? Do you think I haven't thought about her all these years? But in this vast sea of people, who can say for sure where Xiao Ying is!" Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with exhaustion and helplessness.
Seeing that Bai Ying was about to speak again, Zhou Ying shouted loudly, almost in despair:
"Alright! Can you please stop talking! Today is Xiaodi's birthday, it's an important day for her. Can't you just focus on Xiaodi? If you keep going like this, Xiaodi will really be unhappy!"
Bai Ying was struck dumb, frozen in place. He stared in disbelief at Zhou Ying, who was now vehemently agitated. Her sharp words were like blades piercing his heart. He never imagined that his wife, who had once anxiously searched for Bai Ying alongside him, would now be so resistant to discussing the matter.
Prior to this, Bai Ying had never seriously examined whether there was anything wrong with his attitude towards Bai Ying.
Bai Di was a little girl whom he and Zhou Ying had raised with utmost care and affection, and they had poured a lot of effort into raising her.
He himself wished he could give her the very best of everything.
So when Bai Ying suddenly found herself and appeared in front of them, his first reaction was not happiness that his daughter had been found.
Instead, there was a hint of resentment.
Why did Bai Ying have to come back at this time? Xiao Di wasn't mentally prepared yet; wouldn't it have been better if she came back later?
At that time, he never imagined what kind of hardships Bai Ying had endured all these years alone...
He never imagined that during those long and lonely years, Bai Ying often shed tears silently in the dead of night because of loneliness; that she called out her parents' names countless times in her dreams, hoping to receive a response; or that she could only helplessly bear the hardships of life and the bullying of others alone.
At that time, his mind was entirely focused on Bai Di.
Bai Di fainted from the shock of Bai Ying's return. At that moment, just like Zhou Ying now, all he could think about was how Xiao Di was doing.
Will she be sad? Will she be heartbroken?
Why did Bai Ying come back at this time? She provoked Xiao Di!
But he didn't notice Bai Ying's feelings at all.
But now, he suddenly felt uncomfortable, an indescribable discomfort that almost enveloped his entire being.
He didn't know how he had become like this.
Xiao Di is indeed his daughter.
But isn't Bai Ying the same?
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