Mommy, don't be afraid, I'll bring you blind boxes and scam you out of a wealthy family to

"The Duan family claims it was a legal adoption, so how come this child still has direct relatives with full civil capacity?"

"Is the Duan Group suspected of child trafficking, restricting the personal freedom of minors, or other similar activities?"

"Besides the photos, do you have any other evidence?"

Questions came one after another, and the sounds of voices, camera shutters, and flashes mingled together from all directions, like an impenetrable net.

Does anyone care about the real answer? Perhaps.

But most of them are just vying for the most explosive moments.

Wen Li was a little bewildered by this sudden and large-scale event.

The little one hugged the tulips and snuggled obediently against her aunt. Just a second ago, she was thinking about when the exhibition would end, but her aunt promised to take her to tell her mommy the good news after she "signed" the papers.

The next second, the world's malice crashed down.

Soon, all sorts of equipment turned their cameras and aimed them at the young child.

Wen Li instinctively shrank into her aunt's arms, but lost her grip and the flower fell to the ground.

On the other side, amidst the crowd, the old woman, supported by the old man, looked utterly heartbroken.

"We only have this one child..."

"After our daughter's accident, what we, as grandparents, worried about most was our young granddaughter. But our son-in-law told us she had been kidnapped!"

"After searching for so long, I finally know where my little pear is..."

The old woman cried as she looked at the camera, her precise portrayal of helplessness and pleading so convincing that even professionally trained actors would have to admit defeat.

However, few people present could tell whether she was acting or genuinely expressing herself.

The wealthy, oppression, and the underprivileged.

Blood relatives, sick mother, orphan girl.

Any one of those words is enough to ignite the entire internet.

"Pear, my darling..."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the old lady tremblingly reached out towards the milk ball.

"Come here, let Grandma take a good look at you..."

His expression was half grief and half pity, what a kind and gentle elder he was.

Someone muttered quietly, "The old lady is so old, we hope she doesn't cry herself into a rage."

"What kind of thing is the Duan family to do, causing families to be separated?"

The little bundle of milk was stunned.

Over the years, neither my maternal grandparents nor I have had as much interaction with her as the breakfast shop owner on the street.

They didn't care when their stepfather beat them; they didn't care when their mother was hospitalized.

Now they've come to see her again and again. Why?

Faced with the old woman's wailing and pleading, Wen Li felt only bewilderment and an instinctive sense of fear.

Seeing that she didn't react, the old woman burst into tears, her voice filled with heart-wrenching sobs: "Li Bao! It's me, your grandma! Don't you remember? We've been looking for you... Has the Duan family brainwashed you?"

The lenses of mobile phones and cameras zoomed in and in again, almost as if they wanted to shove them into the child's face to record this moment that would determine the news value.

Wen Li pursed her lips: "Are you going to take Li Bao away?"

The old man grinned. "Yes, baby, come home with Grandpa!"

Wen Li's eyes darted away, and her voice softened considerably: "Are you going to lock Li Bao in the dark room again?"

The old woman's crying suddenly stopped.

The old man's eyes became even more panicked.

The onlookers thought they had misheard: a dark room? What's going on?

Reporters craned their necks, keenly shifting their cameras to capture the elderly couple's guilty conscience.

Soon, Wen Li made her choice: she wrapped her arms around Duan Shimi's neck, using her body language to tell everyone who she relied on more and which side was better to her.

"Baba will give Pear Pear lots of food, so she won't go hungry, won't have to wash dishes, and can go to kindergarten... Pear Pear will be good and happy..." The little dumpling sniffed. "Are you... are you going to take it away...?"

The innocent words and playful expressions of children are more weighty than any accusation.

She harbored no resentment or questioning; she was simply a child who had only recently acquired a piece of candy, carefully guarding that small amount of sweetness.

The old woman seemed to have been struck where it hurt, and she broke down emotionally: "No...it's not like that! Did the Duan family teach you to say those things? Grandma came to take you home..."

"Answer...?" Wen Li repeated subconsciously.

For her in the past, "going home" meant going back to her mother's side;

Now, "going home" means accumulating points to save Mommy—before that, it meant staying in the Duan family.

So, under the watchful eyes of countless cameras, the little dumpling shook her head gently but firmly.

"That's not right."

She said it solemnly.

"Li Bao, you already have a home."

After saying that, she turned to look for Duan Hetong.

Upon seeing that tall figure, she asked eagerly and expectantly, "Baba, is this Pear's house?"

It was as if he was confirming whether what he said was correct.

These two sentences were like boiling water dripping into a hot oil pan, instantly triggering a storm of comments in the live stream chat:

Were these words spoken voluntarily by the child, or were they coerced?

Anyone with kids knows that at this age, you can't force them to listen to you.

[But as anyone with children knows, kids this age often just say what they dream about. The "little dark room" probably just means that the adults turned off the lights in her room while she was sleeping.]

My maternal grandparents don't seem like bad people.

It feels like there are problems on both sides.

Reporters at the scene kept asking questions, and the bodyguards couldn't stop them.

The crowds in the exhibition hall were almost out of control.

The statue that stood at the center of the visual storm has finally descended to earth.

Duan Hetong walked out from the corner, his coat draped over his arm. His powerful and cold aura made people around him unconsciously make way for him. Like Moses parting the sea, he walked up to Wen Li.

He reached out and gently took the milk ball into his arms, then covered her with his coat, unequivocally blocking all the malicious curiosity.

Everyone was waiting for the tyrant to unleash his fury.

However, standing under the glaring lights, his expression was aloof: "Today is a private exhibition. If there are any irrelevant issues, please follow legal procedures."

After saying this, he picked up the child and turned to leave.

The expected explanations, rebukes, and arguments never materialized.

However, in this era that glorifies "whoever is weak is right" and "whoever cries gets the treat," the more restrained one's response, the more easily it will be seen as a sign of guilt by those with ulterior motives.

"Mr. Duan, does this mean you're acquiescing to the other party's accusations?"

"Mr. Duan, please give the elderly man a direct answer!"

"Master Tong, what exactly happened between you and the child's mother...?"

Well-trained bodyguards formed a human wall to prevent the frenzied crowd from getting close.

Duan Hetong moved with lightning speed, Duan Shimi following behind, and the brother and sister quickly left the exhibition hall, which had become a battleground for public opinion.

The little bundle of milk in my arms remained motionless, like a frightened fawn.

Even after being placed in the Rolls-Royce's special child seat, she still clung to Duan Hetong's coat, softly calling out, "Beep beep..."

Her voice was muffled: "Why do Grandpa and Grandma suddenly want to see Li Bao?"

Duan Hetong gently stroked the back of her head with his large palm, his tone calm and steady as always: "Because they remembered that you are their granddaughter."

Wen Li didn't blink: "What about before?"

Duan Hetong replied, "Before, it was because they hadn't figured it out."

Wen Li nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Looking at the innocent-looking girl with pure eyes, Duan Hetong was willing to shield her from all the malice in the world: "...It's all in the past. Don't be afraid, I'll be here for you from now on."

The little bundle of joy finally smiled again: "Mmm!"

Duan Shimi took a pudding out of the small refrigerator and handed it to Li Bao, saying softly, "What would you like to eat tonight, Li Bao? Auntie will make it for you, okay?"

"Gugu made them, they're all delicious." Wen Li took the dessert, then suddenly remembered something, "Oh dear, the flowers Li Bao made for Gugu are ruined..."

Duan Shimi pinched her little cheek: "It's okay, we'll go buy some more tomorrow, or we can plant them in the garden, okay?"

"Li Bao wants strawberry waffles, lemon pudding, Portuguese egg tarts, and also..."

"Wow, our little pear knows so many varieties!"

"She probably remembered the name of the food."

"We'll buy those flowers too, and we'll buy all the delicious foods with the same name, for our Pear Baby, okay?"

"Okay~~!"

Wen Li obediently held Ba Ba's hand, then couldn't help but look outside one last time at the rapidly receding exhibition hall.

The lights and crowds remain the same.

But she was no longer afraid.

Because she knew that once the car windows were rolled up and the engine started, the turmoil and noise would be shut out from the world.

Here, she felt warm and safe.