Chapter 13 13 Hmph, she called for "Mama," not "Mom."
A long silence followed.
Xi Xi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, blinking her eyes back and forth. Then she sighed, rested her chin on her hand, and began to eat the dessert in big bites.
Pei Yiyan was also a little uneasy while waiting. After considering it carefully for a while, he took the initiative to break the silence.
He leaned in and whispered, "Don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts or questions."
As soon as she spoke, Meng Zhiyao nervously pursed her lips.
He was getting anxious, and Meng Zhiyao felt she should calm him down first. She took a sip of water to moisten her throat and looked at him cautiously:
Does anyone else know about this?
"Which one are you referring to?" Pei Yiyan raised an eyebrow slightly. "My relationship with Xixi, or your relationship with Xixi?"
That's what he said, but in reality, he was already certain about her relationship with the child.
Meng Zhi stammered, "Can I ask everyone if I want to?"
"Including you, only the three of us know."
Fortunately, it's not too late, and there's still a chance to plan ahead.
Meng Zhiyao loosened her grip on the blanket slightly as she continued racking her brains for a solution.
Pei Yiyan was very satisfied with her reaction. He had been worried that she would overreact or treat him like a harassing lunatic, sending him to jail three times.
After all, most normal people would find it hard to believe such a thing, but she was able to remain calm and rational.
Based on this, Pei Yiyan's impression of Meng Zhiyao was refreshed.
He confidently revealed his next plan: "If you have no objections, I hope you and Xixi can get a paternity test done as soon as possible. Finding out the truth is urgent. When is a convenient day for you?"
Upon hearing the words "paternity test," Meng Zhi's fingertips trembled slightly.
"Is it absolutely necessary to do this?"
She thought carefully before uttering each word, afraid that something she said might upset him and worsen his condition.
With so many people in the store and others present, she couldn't afford to take the risk.
"Of course we'll do it," Pei Yiyan said, leaving no room for argument.
On second thought, considering the other person's physical condition was not suitable for travel and exertion, his tone softened: "Just one trip, it'll be quick."
"Blood doesn't have to be drawn; hair samples are fine too."
Meng Zhi blinked her long, butterfly-like eyelashes, revealing no flaw on her face.
She was torn between playing along with his act and righteously rejecting him.
After thinking it over, she awkwardly brushed a stray hair behind her ear, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and responded to him tactfully:
"Pei Yiyan, I've never been in a relationship, never."
She received so many love letters that she filled a drawer, but she never opened a single one, nor did she ever respond to anyone or give anyone hope.
Meng Zhi murmured to herself, "Will he understand if I do this?"
"Hmm, what a coincidence." Pei Yiyan said expressionlessly, "I don't have any either."
"???"
Meng Zhi looked up in surprise.
In my line of sight are two faces, one large and one small, seemingly copied and pasted together, yet with completely opposite expressions.
The larger one:
The smaller one: \(o)/
Meng Zhiyao:
Pei Yiyan didn't really want to continue the topic because he himself was still confused, not knowing where the child came from or where it was going, and how to explain it to the other person.
Moreover, if his judgment is correct and his daughter hasn't mistaken her mother, Meng Zhiyao will probably be just as clueless as him, both being unlucky souls caught in the crossfire of fate.
Fueled by resentment, Pei Yiyan snapped irritably, "I'm not talking to you anymore. When are you free?"
Meng Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously opened her mouth: "Tomorrow."
Since it's Monday tomorrow and there won't be many people around, Pei Yiyan nodded: "Shall we meet here then?"
Meng Zhi shook her head and gave a weak "hmm".
In the end, she chose him, not someone else. Having someone she knew around to watch over her was better than him randomly grabbing someone on the street to do a paternity test.
Having finished their conversation, Pei Yiyan didn't want to take up any more of Meng Zhiyao's time, so he took Xixi's hand and got up to say goodbye.
It doesn't snow in Pingshui, but the winters are damp and cold, and sometimes it's windy and rainy. The weather is unpredictable, so it's better to go back early for peace of mind.
Xixi looked back every few steps with reluctance, and she didn't say a word to her mother!
Her mother no longer called her "baby" like before, nor did she give her sweet, soft hugs and kisses.
The little ginseng spirit pouted in resentment, feeling more and more aggrieved and heartbroken the more it thought about it.
Suddenly, she unexpectedly broke free from her father's hand, ran to Meng Zhiyao, and blurted out:
"Mommy! Mmm!"
In the quiet coffee shop, the little girl's loud voice acted as a pause button, silencing the slightly noisy background noise and drawing surprised glances from all around.
Recalling the uproar at Jiamu High School about students having sex and a girl getting pregnant unexpectedly, the way everyone looked at them suddenly became meaningful.
Meng Zhi shook her head awkwardly, wishing she could find a hole in the ground.
Pei Yiyan covered Xixi's mouth with his large hand, his face stern, and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Have you forgotten what you promised me?"
Xi Xi shook her head. Of course she hadn't forgotten, otherwise she would have rushed into her mother's arms long ago.
Pei Yiyan picked up the little girl like a chick and carried her out the door. He turned around, looked down at her with a sinister gaze, and questioned her:
"What were you doing just now?"
Dad's fierce gaze didn't intimidate the little girl. Xixi straightened her neck and replied defiantly, though not entirely convinced:
"Xixi didn't call me 'Mommy,' she called me 'Mama,' so she didn't break her promise!"
"?"
"This tiny thing can already be so clever. It's quite adept at word games," Pei Yiyan said, laughing in exasperation.
He put one hand on his hip, ready to teach her a lesson, when a slender figure suddenly blocked his view.
Pei Yiyan's eyelids twitched.
"It's okay, it's just a misunderstanding."
Ignoring her nervousness, Meng Zhi bravely followed, protecting Xi Xi behind her.
Bravely facing Pei Yiyan, who was in a state of anger, she said, "I'm not angry, I don't mind."
Pei Yiyan raised his dark, deep eyes slightly, concealing a fleeting look of surprise.
Meng Zhi's heart pounded. She subtly pinched her palm to steady herself, forcing herself not to back down.
She could tell that the other person wasn't really angry. Although their expression was frightening, their eyes were calm and clear, unlike the gloomy and gloomy look on Yin Xuetian's face.
It is speculated that he was just putting on an act to scare the child, while she was simply standing up out of instinct to protect the weak.
As expected, Pei Yiyan showed no displeasure at being interfered with.
Instead, he simply said, "I'm sorry, the child is ignorant, please forgive him."
Meng Zhiyao knew she had made the right bet, and couldn't help but feel happy. She smiled and said, "No need to apologize, thank you for buying me coffee."
Pei Yiyan remained silent for a while before speaking again: "What foods do you have dietary restrictions?"
He was nearly 1.9 meters tall, and Meng Zhiyao was 25 centimeters shorter than him, so she had to strain her neck to look at him.
Their eyes met, and Meng Zhi stammered, "What?"
Because of the distance, I sometimes mishear things.
"It's nothing." Pei Yiyan's furrowed brows slowly relaxed as he said to himself, "I'll go back and check."
The still somewhat immature young boy and girl whispered among themselves, each lost in their own thoughts, while the little dumpling who brought this scene together seemed oblivious to the situation.
Xi Xi tilted her little head up, wanting to but not daring to get close to Meng Zhiyao, and looked her over carefully from head to toe.
My mother's face is so small, her wrists are so thin, and her skin is so pale.
My mother is so much thinner than she was twenty years ago. She looks like she could be blown away by the wind. She must not have had enough to eat in the past twenty years.
Xi Xi rubbed her nose sadly.
The little ginseng spirit was saddened for three seconds, then suddenly an idea came to her. She grinned and plucked a hair from her head, shook her head, and poked Meng Zhi with her soft little hand.
Meng Zhi shook her head and looked back.
Xi Xi smiled and tucked the precious strand of hair into her hand.
"Mommy, I'll use Xixi's hair as a talisman for you. You can smell it when you're not feeling well, it's very effective! You must not lose it, remember to keep it with you at all times."
A single hair from a ginseng spirit baby is a ginseng root, which can not only ward off evil and bring good fortune, but also be used as a talisman and a life-saving medicine for those who are terminally ill.
If you experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, headache, or fever, just smell this and the symptoms will immediately disappear. There are no side effects, and it's far superior to any painkiller.
Xi Xi was determined to save her mother, but what she saw as ginseng roots was just a useless strand of hair in the eyes of others.
The child was very attentive, and his clear, bright eyes were full of anticipation.
Meng Zhiyao was just starting to feel dazed from the little girl's cry of "Mama," and as she lowered her head to gently brush the strand of hair in her palm that was lighter than a feather, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
Her eyes shone with a gentle light as she solemnly placed the gift into her pocket in front of Xixi.
He knelt down and thanked him earnestly: "Okay, I'll accept it. Thank you, little friend."
Little Xixi bravely sniffed, "It's okay. Mommy doesn't know me yet, but once she does, she'll be Mommy's precious baby again."
"You're welcome," she said, standing tall and introducing herself confidently. "Mommy, my name is Xixi, you can call me Little Darling."
Meng Zhiyao couldn't help but laugh.
Her social circle is limited, and most of the children in her family are as shy and introverted as she is. There are very few children as outgoing, enthusiastic, and proactive as Xixi.
To be fair, Xi Xi doesn't seem like the kind of daughter that Pei Yiyan, with his aloof and cold personality, could have.
The girl's fair and gentle face exuded tranquility and tenderness: "Xixi, you can also call me Sister Meng."
Xixi's cries for Mengzhi and her shaking of her mother's name while squeezing through a loophole are an uncontrollable result of her overflowing longing; deep down, she's an obedient baby.
After living with Pei Yiyan for half a month, she understood why Sister Mushroom and Aunt Flower said that when they came down the mountain...
The parents of today are not the same as the Tree Spirit Father and the Heartbreak Grass Mother of the past.
They are the remnants of their parents' souls left in the world after their deaths. They must cultivate themselves in the human realm for a hundred years before they can return to their rightful place and reunite with their mother in the mountains.
Under Meng Zhiyao's soft but always distant gaze, the three-hundred-year-old ginseng spirit had no choice but to accept this fact.
She no longer insists on calling her "Mama," and sensibly respects her mother's wishes, so as not to cause her any trouble or distress.
Xi Xi suppressed the bitterness in her heart, quickly composed herself, and waved goodbye to Meng Zhi with a smile.
She then went home with Pei Yiyan without saying a word.
When Xixi got home, she didn't turn on the TV to watch her favorite Paw Patrol. Instead, she sat sullenly by the bay window, her back to everyone, looking lonely, desolate, and deep.
Pei Yiyan fiddled with the computer for ten minutes, then picked up his water cup, got up, and went to the water dispenser, glancing quickly at the small figure there out of the corner of his eye.
Her face was stinking worse than a rock in a cesspool. He hadn't even held her accountable for what happened earlier, yet she still got angry. She's been spoiled rotten.
Pei Yiyan leaned back, scoffing disdainfully. Did they expect him to be as humble and subservient as a grandson and coax him? Dream on!
The new dad coldly looked away, tilted his head back, gulped down water with unprecedentedly loud swallowing sounds, roughly put down the water glass, and started banging on the keyboard.
The constant noise was so loud that it would have been enough to get someone kicked out of a public place.
The little dumpling by the bay window shook its little tufts of hair, slowly turned its body, and looked straight at Pei Yiyan.
"dad."
This time, the "Dad" wasn't as energetic and affectionate as usual; there was a noticeable lethargy and hesitation.
Something's wrong. Is he sick? Pei Yiyan immediately looked up, his brows furrowed tightly.
What are you doing?
"Dad, I want to tell you a secret, but I'm afraid you'll be scared."
Xi Xi fidgeted with her little hands in front of her chest, it was hard to tell whether she was more shy or restless, she seemed to want to say something but couldn't.
Pei Yiyan couldn't bring himself to act like a caring and loving father, so he bluntly uttered a single word: "Speak."
Xi Xi: "Then can you promise not to run away and not to tell anyone?"
Accustomed to her daughter's carefree and unpredictable nature, Pei Yiyan was unsettled by her sudden timidity and lack of confidence, her heart pounding with anxiety.
Did she blow up a latrine or rob a bank?
"I promise, you can tell me."
"That's right," Xixi said timidly, biting her nails, "Xixi's true identity is a little mountain demon, Daddy, are you scared?"
She was a little embarrassed but also a little proud: "Well, it's the kind of thing that can transform. I can turn into a giant ginseng."
After saying that, Xixi waited expectantly for Pei Yiyan's reply.
Pei Yiyan, who was prepared to clean up his daughter's mess, ended up giving her a huge smear:
He rubbed his temples, relieved: "Gone? Is this the secret you wanted to tell me?"
"Mmm!" Xixi nodded vigorously. "This is Xixi's biggest secret. Dad, you have to keep it a secret for Xixi and don't tell Mom yet."
Her parents don't know she's a little monster, and she's worried they'll be scared away by her identity, even though they won't know unless she tells them.
But she didn't want to hide it from them. Her parents were her closest family in the world, how could she hide it from her relatives?
Good monsters don't lie!
So she planned that after reuniting with her mother, she would transform in front of her parents to show them her invincible, powerful, and domineering true form.
Now, let's give Dad a heads-up.
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