Disorder in marriage

"Why did you come here?"

Gu Yunmo was asking Ji Shanmei this question.

"There's a contract that needs your signature. I contacted Assistant Jiang and found out you were hospitalized."

Ji Shanmei said with bright eyes, "President Gu, shall I stay and take care of you for the next few days? That way it will be easier for me to report to you."

Before Gu Yunmo could respond, Yan Zhi took Niannian's hand and walked over.

"Oh, Manager Ji has come to see Yunmo."

Ji Shanmei glared at her unhappily, then reluctantly got out of bed. "Madam, it's been a long time."

Yan Zhi looked at her leg. "Is it feeling better?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint my wife. Mr. Gu took me to the hospital very promptly, and there's nothing wrong with my leg."

Yan Zhi smiled and placed the things she had brought on the table next to her. "Manager Ji, you're too kind. I'm overjoyed that your leg is alright, how could I be disappointed?"

After saying that, she didn't even glance at Ji Shanmei, and even pulled Niannian's hand to bump her aside.

"Niannian, say hello to Uncle Yunmo."

"Hello, Uncle Yunmo."

"Hello there."

Gu Yunmo gently patted her head. In any case, the three of them would be living together from now on, and he hoped that Nian Nian could accept him as soon as possible.

Ji Shanmei asked, "President Gu, where is this girl from? Where are her parents?"

When Niannian heard her parents' voices, she looked like she was about to cry.

Yan Zhi's smile faded slightly. "Manager Ji, is there anything else? If not, please don't disturb the patient's rest any longer."

Ji Shanmei stared at Niannian for a while, but the little girl was timid and dared not look her in the eye.

Yan Zhi sided with her, "Niannian, sit down and chat with Uncle Yunmo. I'll go wash an apple for you."

"Thank you... thank you, Aunt Xiaozhi."

Yan Zhi took a picture book out of Niannian's bag and tossed it to Gu Yunmo without ceremony.

"Read a picture book to Niannian."

Gu Yunmo responded with an "oh".

They were as harmonious as a happy family of three. Ji Shanmei knew she was superfluous, but she still wanted to make her presence felt in front of Gu Yunmo one last time.

"Mr. Gu, I'll be going now. Please take good care of yourself."

Gu Yunmo didn't look at her, and flipped through several pages but couldn't find the words on the picture book.

"Okay, let's go."

Ji Shanmei bit her lip, her high heels clicking loudly as she stormed off.

Yan Zhi went to wash the apples, and Gu Yunmo finally understood that picture books require you to create your own stories based on the pictures.

"Uncle Yunmo..."

"What's wrong?" Gu Yunmo asked considerately, "Do you need to go to the restroom?"

Niannian nervously clenched her thumb and said in a tearful voice, "I miss my mom and dad..."

Gu Yunmo looked at her for a while, then closed the picture book.

"Didn't your parents tell you why you came to Beijing?"

Niannian's tears fell instantly; Gu Yunmo was too fierce when he wasn't speaking.

She felt like she had done something wrong, but she didn't understand what she had done wrong.

She had endured this long, but finally couldn't hold back any longer. With her mouth open and head tilted back, she broke down in tears.

Gu Yunmo was stunned for a moment. He tried to grab a tissue, but it pulled at his wound, and he hissed in pain.

Niannian cried even harder, "Waaah! I want my mommy—I want my mommy—"

Yan Zhi quickly put down the apple and came out to check. "Gu Yunmo! Did you make her cry?"

She picked up Niannian and weighed her tiny body in her arms.

Niannian was also very close to her, hugging her neck and burying her face in her arms to cry.

"Gu Yunmo, what are you doing?"

Gu Yunmo frowned. "I didn't do anything."

"You didn't do anything, why is she crying like this? She was perfectly fine just a moment ago!"

Gu Yunmo was also wronged.

He only asked one question.

After thinking about it, he realized the problem lay in the words "Dad" and "Mom." If he wasn't allowed to mention them, then he wouldn't.

He picked up his phone and asked Niannian, "Do you want to watch cartoons?"

Yan Zhi was speechless. "Is this how you coax a child?"

"Then what can you do to stop her from crying?"

Yan Zhi ignored him, put Niannian down, and pried away Niannian's hand that kept rubbing her eyes.

"Listen to me, Niannian, you have to tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

"I, I..." she stammered, "I miss my parents, Aunt Xiaozhi, I want to go back to Shenzhen."

Yan Zhi said earnestly and with heartache, "Niannian, you've finally come to Beijing. Your aunt and uncle will show you around for a few days first. After you've seen all of Beijing, then you can think about going back to Shenzhen, okay?"

Niannian cried and asked, "Don't Mommy and Daddy want me anymore?"

Yan Zhi was taken aback. "Why would you ask that?"

"That's what my family says. They say my mom will have a little brother soon, and when the little brother arrives, my grandpa will have to give one of the children away. Grandpa doesn't like me, so my mom and dad don't want me either."

Yan Zhi held her shoulders, "Niannian, your parents didn't abandon you."

Niannian asked blankly, "Then why did they send me to the capital?"

Yan Zhi couldn't answer.

Lying on the bed, Gu Yunmo calmly said, "Because you are a good child, your uncle and aunt like you, so they want to adopt you as their daughter."

Niannian then asked, "Then, uncles and aunts, where is your daughter?"

Yan Zhi's throat tightened, and she said with a bitter smile, "Our daughter is gone. If she were still here, I would hope she could be as healthy as Niannian."

"Where is she?"

Yan Zhi pointed upwards, "She's watching us from the sky. But she can't live with us."

Niannian seemed to understand but not quite. "So, Uncle and Aunt want Niannian to come and keep you company in place of your daughter, right?"

Yan Zhi felt a little guilty, so she held Niannian's hand.

"Niannian, Uncle Yunmo and I will not force you to treat us as your parents. We just want you to be able to live with us for a period of time every year."

Yan Zhi told a white lie, "You will still see your parents. I promise, they don't abandon you. It's just that your aunt and uncle like you too much."

Niannian stopped crying and thought about it seriously with her little head.

Perhaps it was because Yan Zhi's words were too sincere, or perhaps it was because she saw that Yan Zhi couldn't be with her daughter, but in any case, she agreed to stay.

Gu Yunmo told her, "Beijing is more fun than Shenzhen. No one will bully you if you stay here. You can go to school and make a lot of good friends. Snacks and toys are all yours."

She kept refuting it, as if trying to prove something: "Shenzhen is great too!"

Gu Yunmo raised an eyebrow. "What's so great about Shenzhen?"

Niannian was sulking and couldn't stand hearing anyone say anything bad about the place where she was born and raised.

"Shenzhen has roast goose, dim sum, the Canton Tower, and so many other delicious foods! There's also a zoo!"

Gu Yunmo scoffed, "Beijing also has a zoo, and I guarantee it's a hundred times more fun than Shenzhen's."

"The zoo in Shenzhen is the most fun!"

Gu Yunmo gradually figured out the tricks to chatting with her.

"You'll see which one is better when you go and take a look."

Niannian looked at Yan Zhi, as if asking if she could go.

Yan Zhi tidied her slightly disheveled braids and said with a smile, "Go! Let's go tomorrow!"