Chapter 6 Business Trip
When Si Yuming returned, Lin Ke was already lying down.
He turned off the main light and then went to turn off the bathroom light before going to bed.
Lin Ke, with her back to him, asked, "Asleep?"
A deep, pleasant male voice came through the darkness, "Hmm."
"This isn't a solution; let her sleep by herself next time."
"It doesn't matter."
"..." Lin Ke pressed down on her lips and spoke in a measured tone, "What do you mean it's okay? Can you come back every day to coax me?"
After not hearing a reply for a long time, she turned around to see what was going on, but as soon as she turned over, she coincidentally rolled into his arms, his large hands encircling her shoulders. "I'm going to Moscow this weekend."
The cooperation agreement has been drafted, and he will probably have to go on a business trip soon. Lin Ke knew this, but still hummed softly, "See, another business trip."
Si Yuming kissed her hair, his voice softening: "Tired... go to sleep."
Just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard him say, "I was too busy in the past few years, and I had to take care of Xiaotie by myself. It must have been hard for you. Now that things have settled down in Shanghai, I will be able to spend more time with her."
Lin Ke's mind was in turmoil, and she responded listlessly, "Mmm."
Raising a child in such a family is not difficult, strictly speaking. When Si Xiaotie was still young, there was basically a family doctor living in the house. There were as many postpartum nannies and infant care specialists as needed. If she was willing to let go, she could go back to work immediately after her postpartum period.
She couldn't let go of the past. She slowly came to understand the term "postpartum depression." When she couldn't see Si Xiaotie, her heart would become anxious for no reason. In severe cases, she would silently shed tears, and she couldn't eat or sleep.
Her family doctor treated her, and she also got through the most difficult and uncontrollable period on her own.
She could understand his busy schedule and responsibilities, but at that time she probably needed a husband who could always be by her side, wipe away her tears, and accept her emotions.
He has a powerful background, he owns a conglomerate, and he has his own vast world, but she only wants to live an ordinary life, living in a small but cozy house where sunlight shines through the balcony onto her newly bought flowers and her daughter's favorite dolls.
Dad comes home early from get off work to play games and watch TV with his daughter. After dinner, the family goes for a walk. When it's late at night, the couple can share their troubles at work and in life and support each other.
This was a wish she hadn't told Si Xiaotie.
Soon, the man, whose breathing was even and peaceful after a long day, fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Ke gently reached out and hugged his waist, then closed her eyes.
......
The next day, he took Si Xiaotie to school, while Lin Ke went directly to the company.
At 9:00 AM, Shen Wan sent a message on WeChat: "Manager Lin, do you have a Russian visa?"
Lin Ke: [Yes.]
Shen Wan: [Great! You can come with us on Sunday, it'll be about four days, is that okay?]
Lin Ke asked in surprise: "What are President Si's requirements?"
Shen Wan: [I guess so. Originally, they had prepared a translator, but President Si wasn't comfortable with that and wanted to bring our own people.]
After reading the message, she switched to another app and typed: 【What should we do, Xiao Tie, since we're both away on business trips?】
Si Yuming replied quickly, but simply: "She's three and a half years old."
Lin Ke sat there in a daze.
Si Xiaotie is three and a half years old. In these three and a half years, the longest time that the mother and daughter have been apart is ten hours, from going to work to getting off work.
When she was looking for a job, she made it clear to employers that she might not be able to accept long-distance or long-duration business trips because her child was still young, which caused her to encounter setbacks at every turn.
Lin Ke could understand, but the child's father was often away, and she didn't want to leave Si Xiaotie alone any longer, even for just one day.
But... she's three and a half years old, so she needs to get used to being apart from others earlier.
Another message came through the phone: [Send her back to the old house. Si Yun is there.]
Lin Ke considered for two minutes and replied: 【Okay.】
Although Si Xiaotie often bothered Qin Mancheng, which annoyed Si Yun, her sweet words could coax her back in a second, and Si Yun couldn't do anything about it.
To be fair, although Si Yun and I didn't get along well, she really liked Si Xiaotie and never skimped on gifts for him; Si Xiaotie had everything Qin Mancheng had.
If neither she nor Si Yuming are around, sending her to the old house would be the best option.
When I brought this up while giving her a bath that evening, the little girl, completely naked, was playing happily in the bathtub. "Is it a business trip like Daddy's?"
"Yes, Daddy and Mommy will go together for four days. Daddy and Mommy can pick up the baby from Auntie's house on Wednesday night."
Si Xiaotie was very excited, splashing water: "Then I can play with my brother!"
Lin Ke was initially worried that she would be sad, but she had clearly forgotten the scene of this carefree little girl's first day of kindergarten. She couldn't help but smile and say, "When your brother is doing his homework, practicing calligraphy, or playing the piano, Xiao Tie can't disturb him, okay?"
The little boy immediately frowned, "Brother is so busy too. Are all adults this busy?"
Lin Ke laughed again: "Yes, adults are all very busy."
"Then I don't want to grow up."
Lin Ke took a bath towel from the side and laid it on her lap. She picked up the girl, who was smelling nice after the bath, wrapped her up, and gently dried her soft little hair with a towel. "Okay, Xiao Tie, never grow up. You'll always be Mommy's little baby."
"Yes, Xiao Tie will always be a little baby~"
......
On Sunday morning, after dropping Si Xiaotie off at the old house, the little girl forgot about her parents as soon as she saw Qin Mancheng and waved happily, "Bye-bye, Daddy; bye-bye, Mommy."
Then, holding Qin Mancheng's hand, he didn't look back.
Si Yuming spoke to the elegant woman with a shawl draped over her shoulders at the door, "Sister, could you please trouble you and brother-in-law?"
Lin Ke also said, "Thank you for your hard work, sister."
Si Yun simply nodded. "Go ahead."
Once in the car, Lin Ke lowered the window and looked out at the now empty gate.
Si Yuming followed her gaze, then looked at the woman's tense jaw and tightly clenched lips, and gently comforted her, "It's only four days, it'll be over soon."
Lin Ke sniffed and rolled up the car window.
As soon as Si Xiaotie entered the room, he let loose and ran around for a while before shouting, "Brother, let's play a game!"
Qin Mancheng shook her head seriously, "No, I still need to practice the piano."
"Then I'll practice with you!"
The little boy frowned deeply as he recalled the last time his sister accompanied him to practice the piano.
Si Xiaotie was curious about everything. When he saw Si Xiaotie playing the piano, he wanted to play too. Then he sat down on the chair and randomly pressed the keys with both hands, making a lot of noise.
When she got tired of playing, she would sit on the carpet and play with Lego, talking to herself as she played, and humming little songs she had heard from somewhere from time to time.
He couldn't concentrate at all, and when he finally couldn't help but turn around, the little girl was already asleep in the middle of the Lego set, sprawled out, smacking her lips, and holding a Lego toy that she didn't know what it was made of.
So he could no longer practice the piano; he could only find a blanket to cover her up before quietly leaving the house.
So Qin Mancheng looked at her mother who had followed her in.
He has to practice piano for two hours every Sunday, otherwise his mother will be unhappy.
As if understanding his plea for help, his mother patted his younger sister and said, "Xiao Tie, play by yourself first. Your brother needs to practice the piano now."
Si Xiaotie finally remembered his mother's instructions and obediently replied, "Okay then, Xiaotie can play by himself~"
Qin Mancheng breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to the music room.
The music room was well soundproofed, and the house was usually quiet when he practiced. But today, with Si Xiaotie there, her cheerful laughter could be heard from outside every now and then.
Qin Mancheng thought that she was probably watching Animal World again, or she was playing games by herself.
A while later, a strong aroma of egg tarts wafted into the room.
The aunt must have baked egg tarts especially for her.
His mother usually doesn't let him eat these things; his aunt only bakes egg tarts and fries when Si Xiaotie comes over.
Qin Mancheng withdrew her gaze from the doorway, encouraging herself in her heart: practice a little longer, a little longer and I'll be able to go out and play with my sister.
It will take two hours to arrive.
Qin Mancheng jumped off the chair and ran out the door.
But my sister isn't in the living room anymore.
The aunt said she was in the backyard, so he went through the kitchen to the backyard.
His backyard is extremely large, with a garden, a swimming pool, and a lawn.
Qin Mancheng searched around and finally found her sister in the flowerbed.
The little girl was squatting on the ground, doing something, her bottom sticking up and down.
He approached gently: "Little Tie?"
She didn't hear him. Qin Mancheng walked closer until she saw what she was holding in her hand, and was so frightened that she took three or four steps back.
Si Xiaotie finally heard his brother's voice, turned his head, held up a small earthworm that was still wriggling in his hand, and laughed so hard his eyes disappeared. "Brother, look! It's an earthworm!"
Qin Mancheng stepped back, her eyes wide, her voice trembling as she spoke, "Throw it away quickly."
"Why?" The little girl looked at the earthworm in her hand, tilted her head, and said, "The TV host said that earthworms are good helpers for the land. With them, farmers can grow better vegetables and rice."
"..." Qin Mancheng turned around and ran away quickly.
Si Xiaotie didn't understand, so he pouted and talked to the earthworm: "Baby earthworm, you're a little dirty. I can't keep you, Mommy doesn't like dirt."
She put the earthworm back on the ground and touched it again. "Take good care of yourself at your brother's house. I'll come to see you again."
The earthworm crawled away, the little girl stood up, looked down at her dirty little hands, and then ran to the sink next to her to wash them.
But the sink was too high for her to reach. She stood on tiptoe and stretched out her arms, but still couldn't reach it. She could only shout for help, "Brother!"
Qin Mancheng, who was hiding at the back door, heard her shout and, fearing something had happened to her, peeked out with a mix of worry and fear.
I was relieved when I saw her tiptoeing to reach the faucet and no longer holding the earthworm.
He went over to get her some hot water and said sternly, "Xiao Tie, you can't play with earthworms."
"Oh~" Si Xiaotie rubbed his little hands together, cleaned them, turned his face and grinned, "Brother, are you afraid of earthworms?"
Qin Mancheng's face instantly turned red, and she turned off the tap and hurriedly walked back, shouting, "I didn't!"
"Brother, wait for me!" The little girl swayed as she hurried to catch up.
Qin Mancheng thought her younger sister was the most amazing sister in the world. She was not afraid of anything, had no worries, and could find new things to play with every day.
Grandma Chen gave her a bath, and she didn't know what to do in it, just chattering away.
At nine o'clock in the evening, the house finally became quiet.
Qin Mancheng also took a shower and lay in bed. His mother said he had to go to sleep before 9:30, so he turned off the light and prepared to fall asleep.
But I couldn't fall asleep even after lying down for a long time.
Tomorrow is Monday, and he has to go to school. He doesn't like school; he wishes he could be like his little sister...
A little while later, there was a knock on the door.
"Brother..." she said in a muffled, very soft voice.
It's my younger sister!
Qin Mancheng immediately got out of bed to open the door, and saw a little figure hugging a pillow at the door. The white lace princess nightgown made her look extremely beautiful, but at this moment she was pouting and looking at him with a wronged expression, "Brother, can Xiaotie sleep with you?"
Qin Mancheng subconsciously replied, "No, you're a girl and I'm a boy."
Si Xiaotie sniffed, on the verge of tears, "But I can't sleep."
Qin Mancheng quickly figured it out, "Xiao Tie, do you miss your mother?"
The moment the girl heard her mother's name, her large, grape-like eyes instantly filled with tears, her long eyelashes becoming wet. "Waaah, brother..."
Her small shoulders shrugged as she tried to wipe her tears with the back of her chubby hands, but she couldn't get them clean. Her face was covered in tears and snot, glistening under the light.
Without hesitation, Qin Mancheng took her younger sister into the house, found her smartwatch, dialed her aunt's number, and then ran out to find her mother.
......
At 9:30 p.m. local time, it was dusk in Moscow, with the sky ablaze with the glow of sunset.
The project team had just gotten off the plane and boarded the minibus to the hotel. Lin Ke sat in the last two rows. After the bus had driven smoothly, she took out her phone to check the time, hesitating whether to call Si Yun, since this was usually Si Xiaotie's sleeping time.
Aunt Chen went with her. Before she started kindergarten, Aunt Chen took care of her. I don't think there will be much of a problem getting her to sleep at night.
But this was the first time the little girl hadn't spent the night with her mother, and even she herself felt a little sad.
Lin Ke glanced at her colleagues, some excitedly reading travel guides, others squinting from exhaustion, and then looked at the man in the first row resting with his eyes closed. Oh well, they probably still had about twenty minutes to get to the hotel, no rush.
But not long after, the phone rang first, and the caller ID showed Qin Mancheng.
The call was made using Qin Mancheng's smartwatch, which meant that Si Xiaotie was on the other end. Lin Ke didn't have time to think too much and quickly answered the call.
The moment the receiver touched her ear, the heartbreaking sound of crying on the other end made her heart clench. Lin Ke covered her mouth and whispered, "Baby, Mommy's here."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Si Xiaotie could no longer hold back. He burst into tears, speaking haltingly, "Waaah, Mommy, I miss you so much... Please come back... Don't go on business trips... Hiccup... Please come back..."
Lin Ke felt bad, but gently comforted him, "Mommy will be back soon, Xiao Tie, don't be afraid."
"No, no, I want my mommy..."
"Sweetie, shall Mommy put you to sleep?"
"Waaaah, no..."
The little girl cried and refused, throwing a tantrum for the first time.
A colleague looked over, and Lin Ke looked up to meet the gaze of the man in the front row.
After a three or four-second eye contact, she lowered her head and continued talking to her daughter, "Mommy has come to a very beautiful place, baby, do you want to see it?"
"No, no, I want my mom!"
She was about to say something when Si Yun took the phone, saying, "Okay, I'll comfort her. You two go about your business, it's alright."
Lin Ke finally calmed down a bit. "Thank you, sister. Can I give her some milk?"
"Know."
The call has ended.
Lin Ke gripped her phone tightly, the sound of her daughter crying echoing in her ears, making it difficult to breathe.
Si Xiaotie is only three and a half years old. Now she has to sleep alone. When she wakes up, she can't see her mother. How can she not be scared?
Lin Ke felt regretful. Why did she make a three-and-a-half-year-old child suffer things she shouldn't have to?
Shen Wan, who was standing next to her, asked, "Manager Lin, so you already have a child?"
The colleague in the front row also turned around, "I really can't tell, I always thought you were single, Manager Lin."
Lin Ke suppressed her worry and put on a smile: "That was my daughter just now."
Shen Wan: "Are you still too young? Do you miss your mom?"
"A little over three years old."
Shen Wan: "It's normal, don't worry."
"Um."
Another girl standing in the aisle asked curiously, "Manager Lin, you're so outstanding, what does your husband do?"
"..." Lin Ke glanced ahead discreetly and replied awkwardly, "Just an ordinary person."
The minibus was small, so your voice couldn't be heard at all.
The man's shoulder twitched, but he didn't seem to react.
The girl didn't believe her: "A really ordinary person?"
Lin Ke replied helplessly, "Really, he..."
She casually replied, "He's just a teacher."
When he's serious, he can be as intimidating as a teacher.
Especially when I was a child.
The girl continued, "Manager Lin, you probably don't know this, but quite a few male colleagues in our company are interested in you. If they knew you were pregnant, they'd probably be heartbroken."
A male colleague jokingly followed up on this, saying, "Manager Lin, how's your relationship with your husband? If you're thinking about getting a divorce, can I get a 'love number' first?"
Shen Wan reached out and hit him, "Are you trying to die?"
Hahahahahaha.
Lin Ke didn't dare to look away, and gave an awkward smile.
A note from the author:
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