Chapter 12.12 I'm not sick, and she's your daughter too.
Meng Zhiyao, who just turned eighteen, plans to travel to Japan. She heard that the deer in Nara are the incarnations of gods, and that making a wish to them can bring the gods' favor.
She had no other wish than to live a few more years.
In the past two years, her health has deteriorated, and she has needed to take leave more and more frequently. Every time she comes back from a medical check-up, her parents cry secretly behind her back.
Meng Zhiyao didn't ask for details. She knew her body condition; she probably wouldn't live past twenty.
From a young age, she knew that she was different from other children and gradually accepted this fact, so she had a very calm attitude towards death.
Her life was as short as youth, and she inevitably had many regrets, such as never seeing the boy she secretly loved again after the college entrance examination next June.
bite.
Pei: [Meng Zhiyao, I have something I want to tell you in person. Is tomorrow a convenient time for you?]
Upon receiving the WeChat message, Meng Zhi was stunned. She logged out and logged back in twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things, and then her eyes visibly brightened.
Stay calm and avoid significant emotional fluctuations.
Meng Zhi closed her eyes, took two deep breaths, controlled the slight trembling in her fingertips, and prepared herself with the seriousness of someone doing a math problem, replying slowly and deliberately:
[Is it convenient? Is there anything you'd like to tell me? \(o)/]
No, it seems like the joy is too obvious. Let's cut some more.
Yes, that's convenient.
Wow, she's so aloof! Won't he think she's hard to talk to? o(╥﹏╥)o
"Okay, tomorrow will be convenient."
After struggling to send a reply, Meng Zhiyao still gripped her phone tightly, her eyes glued to the chat window.
The other party is entering
Meng Zhi glanced at the time; less than a minute had passed since she replied to the message.
An image involuntarily appeared before my eyes: a cool and aloof young man leaning back in his seat, one long arm draped over the back of the chair, his long legs casually crossed, nonchalantly fiddling with his phone.
Meng Zhi swayed and her breathing became slightly labored, her face flushed.
Where do you live? I'll find a place close to your home to talk.
Meng Zhiyao sent her address, and five minutes later the other party replied with the address of a coffee shop.
See you here tomorrow at 10 AM?
The coffee shop was right across from her apartment building. Meng Zhi raised an eyebrow; it was indeed very close.
【OK. 】
Once she put down her phone and her dopamine-fueled brain cooled down, Meng Zhiyao suddenly realized that she had agreed without any hesitation or doubt.
It seemed like she was too eager and lacked restraint.
But then she thought, what could Pei Yiyan possibly need to say to her in person? Their relationship didn't seem that deep.
(⊙o⊙)
Was her account hacked? Could the person who asked her out be a scammer?
Having received anti-fraud education, Meng Zhi felt a little uneasy. After thinking it over, she bit her lip and decided to take a gamble and go to the appointment tomorrow.
The first step went more smoothly than Pei Yiyan had anticipated. He slowly put down his phone, relaxed his brows, and leaned back.
Xixi, ever observant, ran over and asked, "Dad, have you contacted Mom yet?"
The little girl is quite clever; even when she's playing by herself, she doesn't forget to keep half her attention on her dad.
Pei Yiyan: "Okay, see you tomorrow morning."
"Yay! That's great!"
Xi Xi jumped three feet high with joy, her little tuft of hair twitching and shaking, eager to tell everyone: "I can see my mom tomorrow! Dad, you're amazing!"
So happy, Pei Yiyan flicked the little girl's forehead: "Don't get carried away, remember what you promised me."
"Oh, you can rest assured that Xixi will handle things well."
Ha, so young yet so cunning.
With anticipation of seeing her mother soon, Xixi slept soundly without making a fuss that night, and fell into a deep sleep as soon as she was covered with the blanket.
I got up before dawn, rolled around in bed, and giggled to myself.
Pei Yiyan was so disturbed by her that he lay on the bed like a pancake, pulling the blanket over his head.
As dawn broke, the little girl scrambled off the bed, her fair, round feet stepping onto the carpet as she skipped off to the toilet.
Xi Xi stood on the sink, slowly brushing her teeth and washing her face, combing her hair gently with her special little comb.
Finally, she changed into her prettiest little clothes and woke Pei Yiyan up so he could braid her hair.
"Dad, stop sleeping in! Get up and get dressed!"
"Men dress up for those they love, and Mom loves it when Dad looks handsome!"
Pei Yiyan turned over in frustration, his back to her.
Xi Xi pouted, huffed, and climbed onto the bed, her little hands sliding under the covers: "Daddy!"
!
Pei Yiyan shivered from the cold; it felt like there was an ice block stuck to his waist.
He grabbed his daughter's mischievous little hand, squinting at her with annoyance: "Murdering your own father?"
Xi Xi, looking fearless, stuck out her tongue with a grin and said, "Who told you to stay in bed? Humph."
"Stop messing around." Pei Yiyan was really sleepy. He had been busy until midnight last night and just wanted to sleep a little longer.
However, the little girl with the leaky coat didn't understand her father's suffering at all.
"Dad, time for breakfast."
"Eat yarn."
"Xixi is hungry."
Pei Yiyan pulled his phone out from under his pillow and glanced at it. It was 8:30 in the morning, and the outdoor temperature was 7°C.
He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and lazily opened the food delivery app: "Choose whatever you want to eat."
Contrary to her usual behavior, Xi Xi refused to order takeout and insisted on dragging Pei Yiyan out.
Pei Yiyan was annoyed. He had never been a good-tempered person, and he was especially grumpy when he woke up.
He tolerated the little girl again and again only because she was his own daughter. If it were any other human cub, he would have thrown her out the door long ago.
"Dad, don't sleep in! Get up and braid Xixi's hair into a pretty little braid."
"Today I'm meeting my mom, and I'm going to dress up nicely. Mom will definitely be very surprised."
The child valued his first meeting with Meng Zhiyao very much.
It just so happens that Aunt Liu is off today, so there's no one to braid her hair.
Pei Yiyan's anger subsided.
He sat up slightly, covered Xixi's two icy little hands with his large hands, and half-closed his eyes: "Your hands are so cold, did you play in the water?"
"I didn't play." The little girl's eyes darted left and right. "I'll just change into my little dress later."
Aunt Huahua made her a little floral dress, which she washed yesterday. She was wearing ordinary clothes, which weren't very effective at keeping warm.
"You're lying through your teeth. Go change your clothes before you go out."
If you don't keep an eye on the children for even a second, you're giving them a chance to cause trouble.
After Pei Yiyan finished complaining with a blank face, he resignedly threw off the covers and got out of bed. After a quick wash, the father and daughter went out.
The child had a small appetite, but ate a variety of things. After a stroll through the morning market, Pei Yiyan had at least four or five bags in her hands.
Rice noodle rolls, tea eggs, tofu pudding, pan-fried buns, egg pancakes, and soy milk—the father and daughter had a variety of breakfasts, most of which ended up in Pei Yiyan's stomach.
I've been raising my child for half a month, and while the child hasn't gained weight, he has.
Pei Yiyan couldn't stand becoming a couch potato, so he bought a pair of barbells online and started working out as soon as they arrived.
"Dad, don't eat anymore."
"Dad, stop right now, leave some breakfast for Mom!"
The young faces and innocent calls drew the attention of the diners in the restaurant.
"Shut up."
Fearing the little girl might say something surprising again, Pei Yiyan abandoned his usual laziness and rushed through the shop as if he had pressed the accelerator, then pulled her out of the store.
The two, one big and one small, strolled leisurely down the street to digest their food. As they passed a flower shop, Xixi suddenly had a bright idea and pointed at the shop, exclaiming happily, "Daddy, let's give Mommy a bouquet of flowers! Mommy loves flowers the most!"
Pei Yiyan glanced at it, then picked up the child and strode forward.
Once they reached a secluded spot, he put down the wailing baby, lowered his gaze, and spoke in a slightly somber voice:
“We can’t be sure if she’s your mother right now. Even if she really is, it’s none of my business. I’m not her husband, so I have no obligation to send her flowers and make her happy.”
"Don't associate me with the father you imagine."
Xi Xi blinked, her lips moving as she tried to explain, "No, that's not it."
Pei Yiyan had no interest in listening to her innocent, childlike words. He turned around and coldly told her to follow.
Xi Xi stood there blankly, staring at the tall figure's back and muttering unhappily, "Don't regret this, Daddy. I'll wait and see Mommy spank you."
Then he lifted his short legs and hobbled to catch up, one leg to the left and one leg to the right.
It takes about half an hour to get from Pei Yiyan's house to the coffee shop near Meng Zhiyao's house. The father and daughter arrived at the coffee shop ten minutes early.
Before long, a pretty figure walked gracefully towards them from afar. The slender girl wore a light pink sweater and an apricot-colored knitted long skirt. Her slightly curled black hair was fluffy and soft.
Her face, unadorned, was pure and gentle, and her eyes and brows exuded the scholarly air unique to women from the Jiangnan water towns.
Without needing a waiter to guide him, Pei Yiyan, with his outstanding appearance, is always the most dazzling and eye-catching one in the crowd.
Meng Zhiyao walked straight towards Pei Yiyan. When the little girl who had been hidden next to him was revealed, Meng Zhiyao paused.
A fleeting look of surprise and curiosity crossed his eyes.
She was both relieved that the other person's account hadn't been hacked and surprised that Pei Yiyan had brought a little girl with him to the appointment.
However, she didn't mind; the young girl was perfect for breaking the awkwardness of the two of them meeting alone.
When Xixi saw Meng Zhiyao, she couldn't hold back her tears. However, remembering her promise to her father, she didn't cry out and clenched her little fists to suppress the urge to rush into her mother's arms.
As soon as her mother came in, she could tell that her mother was very weak; her life was ravaged by illness, with only a few withered yellow leaves remaining, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Once all the leaves fall, the mother will die.
My mother's health was worse than that of any adult she had ever met.
The little ginseng spirit bit her lip, gazing at Meng Zhiyao with eyes full of heartache, tears streaming down her face.
Pei Yiyan frowned slightly, said nothing, and handed her a tissue.
The little girl clutched the tissue, and her tears flowed even more profusely.
Meng Zhiyao slowly sat down, and although she was confused for a moment, her worried gaze naturally fell on Xixi: "Is she your sister?"
"No." Pei Yiyan skipped over the topic and basic pleasantries, asking casually, "What would you like to drink?"
"No need, I'll just have water."
Meng Zhiyao's voice was very gentle, and her lips were round and full, like an alluring pink peach.
She dressed up carefully before going out, putting together an outfit and applying lip gloss to cover her pale lips, making her look healthier.
She thought Pei Yiyan shouldn't be able to tell that she was wearing lip gloss, so why was he staring at her?
Meng Zhi lowered her eyelids uneasily, avoiding his ambiguous yet overly forceful gaze.
Pei Yiyan suddenly asked, "Can't you drink coffee?"
Caffeine increases the heart's oxygen consumption, so people like her with serious heart disease should avoid coffee altogether.
It was his oversight; he was only thinking about finding a quiet place to talk.
Meng Zhi shook her head and breathed a small sigh of relief, then smiled and said, "It's okay."
It was cold outside, and moving around to different places would be even worse for her. Pei Yiyan said in a low voice, "I'm sorry."
Meng Zhi shook her head repeatedly, her face slightly red, and said it was okay.
Xi Xi watched anxiously from the side, wondering why her father wasn't getting to the point yet. It was driving her crazy.
"The reason I asked you out is actually because of something special." Pei Yiyan loosened his collar uncomfortably. "Let me make it clear beforehand, I'm not sick, I'm mentally sound."
His meticulous patching made Meng Zhiyao instinctively feel that something was amiss, and she became increasingly curious about what he would say.
She sat upright, waiting for him to continue.
Pei Yiyan tilted his head back, took a sip of coffee, wiped the coffee stains from the corner of his mouth, and placed his large hand over Xixi's head.
"She might be your daughter."
"A swift and decisive victory," Pei Yiyan said, like a hero forced to join the Liangshan bandits, defiant and unwavering, "I will fight to the death without batting an eye."
“Xixi is my daughter. I have done a paternity test with her and confirmed that we are father and daughter. She has been looking for her mother for the past two weeks.”
“She saw your photo on WeChat Moments yesterday and recognized you as her mother.”
"So, the reason I asked you out today is to ask if you would be willing to do a paternity test with Xixi? Of course, I will cover the cost."
Meng Zhi shook her head:
The air was quiet.
What did she hear? Meng Zhiyao looked dazed, her eyes unfocused, her fingertips silently digging into her palm.
He is sick.
What should I do? Should I make a phone call?
Meng Zhi's eyelashes trembled as she glanced at Pei Yiyan before quickly lowering her eyes.
She couldn't make a decision right now. Meng Zhi shook her head, her mind a mess. Was the reason he took leave recently because he was sick?
It must be very painful to suffer from mental illness at such a young age. The fact that he always prefers to be alone is probably because he is afraid of being discovered to be abnormal.
Meng Zhiyao felt a lump in her throat as she stumbled upon Pei Yiyan's 'secret'.
Feeling completely lost, how could she persuade him to seek medical attention and cooperate with the treatment? Would someone as headstrong as him be willing to listen to her advice?
Time passed slowly, and Pei Yiyan patiently waited for the other party's reply.
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