"Okay, my dear granddaughter, we will definitely come home as soon as possible. You must be a good girl!" The old woman's voice came from the other end of the phone, slightly trembling and choked with emotion, as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment.
Meanwhile, the little girl obediently replied, "Okay, Grandpa! I will be very good. You and Grandma should take care of yourselves in the hospital." Her innocent voice was full of concern and expectation.
The grandfather and grandson chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up the phone.
When Su Niannian saw that Nannan had finished her call, she lit the candles on the birthday cake, picked up the flower wreath that Xibao had made herself, and put it on Nannan's head. Everyone sang a birthday song for Nannan together.
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you; happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you; Happy birthday, happy birthday, Happy birthday to you.
As the song began, a happy and sweet smile appeared on Nannan's face.
After everyone finished singing the birthday song, Nannan put her hands together and silently made a wish.
Her first wish was for her grandmother to recover and return home soon, and for her grandfather to be healthy; her second wish was for her parents to come back to visit her, so that the family could be reunited; her third wish was for everyone present to have all their wishes fulfilled and live a happy life.
Nannan is so sensible, so sensible it's heartbreaking. She made three wishes, all for her family and friends, none of which were directly related to her.
After she made her wish, she blew out the candles amidst everyone's blessings.
Then it was time to cut the cake. Nannan raised her little head, looked at Su Niannian with earnest eyes, and pleaded softly, "Auntie, can you cut the cake with me?"
In the past, her mother would always cut the cake with her on her birthday. Now that her mother isn't around, she's worried that she won't cut it well, which has hurt her confidence. She especially hopes that Su Niannian can cut the cake with her.
Because Su Niannian gave her the feeling of being as kind and gentle as a mother, in Nannan's heart, she had already recognized Su Niannian as her mother.
Su Niannian noticed her worry and embarrassment, gave her a reassuring look, and replied with a smile, "Okay! I'd be happy to cut the cake with the birthday girl." With that, she stood up from her seat and walked over to Nannan.
She hugged the little girl's small body from behind, held her little hands in her own, and asked softly, "Are you ready? If you are, let's start making the first cut!"
Nannan felt a warm and sweet feeling in her heart. She nodded gently and replied with a smile, "Yes, I'm ready."
"One, two, three, start!" Su Niannian shouted a slogan, then she and Nannan took the knife and slashed hard at the cake, chanting, "Cut from head to tail, smooth sailing; cut from left to right, health and longevity; the moment the chopsticks touch the ground, happiness and joy!"
The two of them cut the cake into several small pieces. The first piece with strawberries was given to the birthday girl. Then, according to seniority, a piece of cake was left for the girl's grandparents, and then a piece was given to each of Su's father, mother, and uncle.
When it was Su Niannian and Xibao's turn, it was Nannan who cut the food herself and handed it to them.
In Nannan's words, the mother and son mean different things to her, and she wants to do something for them herself to be happy.
The entire meal was very harmonious, and the whole process was filmed and sent to the grandparents who were in the hospital and couldn't go home to celebrate their granddaughter's birthday, so they could share in their granddaughter's joy.
After everyone had finished eating, Xibao took Nannan out to play, with Su's mother and father accompanying them the whole time, while Su Niannian and her uncle stayed behind to clean up the mess.
Su Niannian and her uncle first cleared all the bowls and chopsticks from the table into the kitchen. Su Niannian was responsible for washing the dishes, while her uncle was responsible for cleaning the stove and sweeping the floor.
Su Niannian recalled seeing Nannan sitting alone outside the door crying and calling for her mother. She couldn't help but ask the elder in front of her, "Uncle, aren't Nannan's parents in Kyoto? Why didn't they come back to celebrate the child's birthday?"
While cleaning the stove, the uncle recounted: "Nannan's parents divorced a year ago due to incompatibility. At that time, her mother did not want her and instead gave her to her father."
Later, her father quickly remarried. It is said that this stepmother did not like the little girl very much. At best, she would find fault with her, and at worst, she would beat and scold her.
Her father was busy working to earn money, and because he was a second-time remarried woman with a child in tow, he turned a blind eye to her stepmother's behavior. The little girl lived with her father for about half a year and suffered a lot of grievances.
Later, her stepmother became pregnant and no longer wanted to raise Xiaonannan, so Xiaonannan's father sent her to live with his parents. The elderly couple raised her and never came back to see Xiaonannan again.
"What about her mother? Doesn't she come to see the child either?" Su Niannian asked again.
"Her mother left Kyoto for some reason. According to Nannan's grandfather, she got married and said she didn't want to bring up the sad past again, so she hasn't come to see the child since."
Upon hearing about Nannan's tragic experience and her parents' actions, Su Niannian said indignantly, "How could they be so irresponsible? Nannan is so cute and sensible, and they just abandon her like that. It's just too much."
The uncle said bitterly, "That's right! The children are innocent, and they can't even shoulder the most basic responsibilities and obligations of being parents! They are not worthy of being parents, let alone being human beings."
As if remembering something, he continued before Su Niannian could react, "Fortunately, our Xibao won't have to live like Xiaonannan in the future, and you and President Si won't get divorced."
Children whose parents divorce not only lose the love of both parents, but also suffer significant emotional damage, becoming insecure, timid, and weak, which can negatively impact their healthy development.
Looking at his beloved niece, the uncle said earnestly, "Niannian, you must remember that since you chose to give birth to this child, you must take responsibility for him and shoulder the responsibility and obligation of raising him."
When Su Niannian heard that Xiao Nannan's life had been very miserable since her parents' divorce, she couldn't help but think of Xi Bao's life a year later, and began to worry about her son.
She and Si Lijue had a marriage of convenience, and they would divorce a year later. According to the agreement, Xibao would be given to Si Lijue, and she wouldn't be able to take her with her.
If he were to divorce and remarry like Nannan's father, would Si Lijue's second wife treat Xibao well? Would she beat or scold Xibao?
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