PCMWF Chapter 137

Wang Shilan thought about it. Children did bump into things easily. With their delicate skin, even a small injury looked serious. In the end, she didn’t blame Du Ze. She just told Niu Niu seriously to walk more slowly. Seeing that Niu Niu’s knee had healed, Wang Shilan tucked her daughter in, kissed her forehead, and got up to leave. Her hand was gently held by Niu Niu, who had woken up at some point.

Wang Shilan felt guilty for waking her. She patted her back. “Niu Niu, be good. Go to sleep.”

But Niu Niu shook her head, her eyes still hazy with sleep. She called out to her mother in a soft, milky voice.

Wang Shilan lay down beside her to comfort her. “Mommy’s here.”

Niu Niu snuggled into her mother’s warm embrace.

“Mom, I missed you so much. Why did you come back so late?”

Niu Niu was shy and only talked more in front of her mother. Wang Shilan had been too busy lately. By the time she came home, Niu Niu was already asleep.

She felt guilty. She held Niu Niu and said, “Mom won’t be as busy for the next few days. How about I spend every day with you?”

Niu Niu lifted her face, her eyes shining. “Really?”

“Of course. Mommy never lies.”

Niu Niu was overjoyed. She clung to Wang Shilan, refusing to let her leave. Wang Shilan took off her shoes and lay down on the bed, covering herself and Niu Niu with the blanket. After an unknown amount of time, as Wang Shilan was about to fall asleep holding her soft daughter, she heard Niu Niu’s voice, almost like a dream.

“Mom, can you also be a substitute parent?”

Niu Niu was thinking of how Uncle Shen had been a substitute parent. She wondered if the person accompanying her on the show could be her mom.

Wang Shilan’s eyes snapped open. “Is Daddy not being good to you?”

Why else would Niu Niu have such an idea?

Niu Niu didn’t answer. She clutched her mother’s collar and whispered, “Aunt Hua Zhao said my hair is very pretty.”

Wang Shilan took a moment to figure out who “Aunt Hua Zhao” was. She realized it was the new guest on the variety show.

She “Mm” -ed in agreement. “Niu Niu’s hair is very pretty, like a little princess’s. How about Mommy takes you to the mall tomorrow to buy a little crown?”

Niu Niu nodded. She wanted to tell her mom that Daddy didn’t like her long hair and had said he would cut it off. The little girl couldn’t bring herself to say she disliked her dad, but Aunt Hua Zhao had told her she could tell her mom anything. Her mom would always support her. Her mom was the person who loved her most in the world.

“Daddy… Daddy said he wanted to cut Niu Niu’s hair.” Niu Niu gathered her courage and told her mom the truth.

It was her first time saying something bad about her dad in front of her mom. Her voice was a little rushed, and Wang Shilan could feel Niu Niu’s little chest heaving. She was shocked. She couldn’t imagine that the humble, gentle man before her would tell Niu Niu to cut off her precious long hair.

“Mom, can you tell Daddy that Niu Niu will learn to wash her own hair slowly? Can he not cut Niu Niu’s hair?”

Wang Shilan’s body stiffened. Her voice trembled: “Your dad makes you wash your own hair?”

Niu Niu nodded. “Daddy said Niu Niu is a big girl now and should do her own things.”

Wang Shilan’s head was buzzing. As a single mother, entering a new marriage took a lot of courage. At home, the two nannies mainly took care of Niu Niu. She remembered telling Niu Niu not to let her dad bathe her. But making Niu Niu wash her own hair? Wasn’t that too much? Wang Shilan sat up, locked the children’s room door, and held Niu Niu close, gently coaxing her to tell her everything.

Niu Niu’s memory wasn’t perfect. In her impression, her dad had been good to her. But people who wear masks for years eventually show their true colors. The Du Ze Niu Niu described was a stranger to Wang Shilan. Not only was he not considerate, but he would even yell at Niu Niu. Wang Shilan’s mind was in turmoil. She held Niu Niu tightly, whispering to her to sleep. Within minutes, Niu Niu was fast asleep.

Wang Shilan couldn’t sleep for a long time. She didn’t doubt Niu Niu’s words, but she still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Du Ze was just stressed from taking care of a child alone. Every parent reaches their breaking point sometimes. But no matter how angry he was, he shouldn’t neglect Niu Niu. And making her wash her own hair? Her phone on the bedside table buzzed. Wang Shilan picked it up. It was a message from Du Ze, affectionate and in his usual tone.

He called her “honey,” asked if she’d seen Niu Niu, and said he couldn’t sleep without her. In the past, Wang Shilan would have found Du Ze thoughtful and attentive. She would have checked on Niu Niu and gone back to him. But tonight, she didn’t reply. She turned off her phone and lay down beside Niu Niu. When Du Ze came down the next morning, Wang Shilan and Niu Niu were already dressed. The nanny was packing Niu Niu’s things for their outing.

Du Ze intentionally coughed twice as he came down the stairs. Wang Shilan looked up, her eyes cold. She averted her gaze as if she hadn’t seen him. She had never been a very smiley person. All her patience and tenderness were reserved for Niu Niu. Du Ze knew this well. Wang Shilan wasn’t one of those gentle, romantic women. Her life was filled with work. She had no sense of romance and a cold personality.

He composed himself, put on a smile, and said, “Honey, are you taking Niu Niu out today?”

Niu Niu was sitting at the table, drinking milk. When she heard Du Ze’s voice, she looked over timidly.

“Yes. I’m taking Niu Niu to the mall,” Wang Shilan said coolly.

Du Ze walked over, took the things from the nanny, put them in the backpack, and zipped it up.

“I don’t have anything going on today. I’ll come with you.”

Niu Niu paused in her drinking, her little brow furrowing.

Wang Shilan took the bag from Du Ze’s hand. “I’ll just take Niu Niu. Don’t you have an interview today?”

Du Ze had only been asking casually. He didn’t actually have the patience to accompany a child shopping. He was just putting on a show.

“Alright then. Don’t tire yourself out. I’ll cook dinner tonight. It’s been a while since you’ve tasted my cooking.”

Wang Shilan looked at him deeply, trying to see deception and pretense in the man’s eyes. His gaze was clear and direct, his face wearing a smile. Maybe it was Niu Niu’s words from last night, but her suspicion of Du Ze had grown from a speck of dust, fermented overnight, and expanded into a tangible dark mass.

Wang Shilan looked away. “Don’t wait for us.”

She turned and took Niu Niu’s hand, and the two of them quickly disappeared from Du Ze’s sight. Wang Shilan knew Du Ze was watching her. She didn’t look back. She only wondered: did Du Ze just not like Niu Niu? But every time he looked at her, the love in his eyes seemed so intense.

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