"Hmm..." Lin Xihe responded softly, but avoided Ji Zhuo's gaze.
She dared not look at him, afraid that if she looked at him even once more, the hesitation and reluctance in her heart would prevent her from taking that step with conviction.
Ji Zhuo took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice calm, his gaze still gently fixed on Tang Bao, and asked softly, "When do you plan to leave?"
"About twenty days," Lin Xihe said softly.
Upon hearing this, Ji Zhuo paused slightly in his playful teasing of Tang Bao. He didn't know if he would ever see them again, and he felt that the empty space in his heart was now even more hollow, as if it had been torn apart.
He lowered his head and kissed Tang Bao deeply on the forehead, suppressing the bitterness in his heart, his voice choked with emotion: "Then... let's go back."
After saying that, Ji Zhuo gently handed Tang Bao back to Lin Xihe.
Tang Bao seemed to sense something, and her little hands gripped Ji Zhuo's sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.
Ji Zhuo's fingers trembled slightly as he gently pried open her little hand and coaxed softly, "Good girl, Tang Bao, come with Mommy."
Tang Bao's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up, and her voice trembled with sobs: "Daddy..."
Ji Zhuo felt as if something was gripping his heart tightly, the pain almost suffocating him. He suppressed his emotions, gently patted Tang Bao's back, his voice tender yet choked with sobs: "Don't cry, Tang Bao, Daddy will miss you."
Lin Xihe took Tang Bao and held her tightly in her arms. Tang Bao, however, was still struggling, wanting to return to Ji Zhuo's embrace.
Lin Xihe felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on her heart, so heavy that she could hardly take a step. She turned and walked out of the courtyard, each step filled with endless sorrow and reluctance.
Chu Yunni walked to Ji Zhuo's side and sighed softly: "Zhuo'er, let go. They... will leave eventually."
Ji Zhuo didn't answer, but clenched his fists tightly. He knew that he could no longer keep them.
Back at the Lin residence, Tang Bao still called out "Daddy" from time to time. No matter who tried to amuse her, she wouldn't laugh and would occasionally cry for a while. Lin Xihe felt as if her heart was being torn apart when she saw Tang Bao like this, and tears streamed down her face again and again.
Even as she went to bed that night, Tangbao was still crying and fussing, calling out in a hoarse voice, "Daddy... Daddy..."
“Miss, you usually can stay away from Lord Ji, but I don’t know what’s wrong with you today, you’re crying like this…” Ling Shuang was sweating profusely and stood helplessly to the side.
Although Ji Zhuo was often away from home, he would always visit Tang Bao whenever he returned from outside the capital, no matter how late it was. Tang Bao had never cried so heartbreakingly before, as if she knew what this separation meant.
"She probably realized it too, that we're going to separate this time." Lin Xihe wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice choked with sobs. Seeing her child crying so heartbrokenly broke her heart as well.
“But the little girl’s voice is hoarse from crying. What will happen if she keeps crying like this… Miss, since we’re still in the capital, could you please ask Lord Ji to come and take a look?” Ling Shuang asked cautiously, her tone tentative.
Upon hearing the words "Lord Ji," Tang Bao sobbed and cried out, "I want Daddy... I want Daddy..."
Lin Xihe felt a pang of sorrow as she looked at Tang Bao's red, tear-stained face. She couldn't bear to see Tang Bao cry like that, and was hesitating whether to agree when a soft knock came at the door.
The person who came was Mu Ruoyan.
Normally, Mu Ruoyan never knocked on the door, but today he saw several figures reflected in the candlelight through the window screen, guessing that there might be other people inside. If the wet nurse was feeding the child, it would be impolite to barge in, so he knocked on the door, which was unusual for him.
Ling Xue hurried to open the door and, upon seeing Mu Ruoyan, immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Young Master Mu."
Lin Xihe wasn't surprised and simply replied, "You're here. Have a seat for a while."
As soon as Mu Ruoyan finished dealing with matters in the palace, he would rush over immediately. Lin Xihe was already used to his arrival and felt no unease.
However, Mu Ruoyan did not sit down as instructed, but instead went straight to Lin Xihe, who was holding Tang Bao. This was his first time meeting Tang Bao, and he had specially chosen a luminous pearl as a gift to win the little baby's favor.
However, when he got closer, he found that Tang Bao's fair little face was covered with tears, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her voice was a little hoarse.
Mu Ruoyan frowned slightly and asked softly, "Why is she crying?"
Lin Xihe sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness: "She got used to staying at the Ji residence and is having some trouble adjusting since coming back. She kept crying and looking for A-Zhuo." She didn't hide anything from Mu Ruoyan, after all, Tang Bao's crying had already said it all.
At this moment, Tangbao is just tired from crying and is taking a short rest. She will start crying again soon.
"Just like you." Mu Ruoyan glanced at Lin Xihe with dissatisfaction. The mother and daughter were the same; they liked Ji Zhuo. What was so good about Ji Zhuo? He didn't have as much power as her, nor as much cunning, nor as good-looking as her.
However, looking at the adorable little dumpling, Mu Ruoyan still reached out and gently pinched Tang Bao's face.
Unexpectedly, Tangbao's emotions, which had just calmed down, collapsed instantly, and she burst into tears again.
Mu Ruoyan panicked and stammered, "This...this is too much! I only touched her once."
Lin Xihe glared at him helplessly: "You really are something!"
"Daddy... I want Daddy..." Tang Bao started crying and calling for her father again, her voice hoarse and heartbreaking.
Looking at Lin Xihe's angry yet helpless expression, Mu Ruoyan felt a pang of annoyance. He had originally thought Tang Bao would like the luminous pearl he had brought, so he took out the crystal-clear pearl from the brocade box, trying to cheer her up. However, Tang Bao showed no interest in the luminous pearl and continued to cry her heart out, repeatedly calling out "Daddy."
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