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

After leaving the stage, Wen Li followed Qin Zhiyuan from backstage.

The bright light reflected off the floor, making Wen Li's eyes a little blurry. She thought she could see Ba ​​Ba in the passageway too—

Huh? I'm not seeing things, it really is!

The Duan family had all arrived. Duan Hetong walked at the front, his gaze sweeping over the crowd to make sure the little guy was alright before turning his attention to the elders beside him.

Qin Zhiyuan stood there, expressionless, watching the family walking towards her.

The first one I looked at was the one walking at the very back.

Duan Yuanzhou.

Ten years. Or even more decades. Memories are hazy and unclear, yet they flow like water.

The two looked at each other across the corridor, then quickly looked away as if nothing had happened.

The event organizer hurried over, beaming, "Ms. Qin, thank you so much for coming today!"

He extended his hand warmly to Qin Zhiyuan, then turned to Duan Hetong: "By the way, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Duan Hetong, the president of Duan Group, one of the organizers, and also the father of the little guest next to you."

"Mr. Duan, this is Ambassador Qin."

After he finished speaking, he waited for the two of them to shake hands, exchange pleasantries, and say a few polite words.

One is a highly respected senior, and the other is a promising young man; they are the perfect matchmakers.

However, the two remained motionless and silent, seemingly letting the silence fall flat.

The person in charge was both puzzled and embarrassed: "Um... this... this must be the first time you two have met... right?"

Towards the end, even he himself wasn't sure.

Could it be that there's some old grudge?

Good heavens, if that's really the case, then what he just did was a terrible thing!

Qin Zhiyuan finally spoke calmly: "The first time? It should have been the day he was born."

She paused, then her tone became slightly reproachful: "You brat, didn't you even say a word to me?"

The person in charge, other staff members, and even the parents who came to pick up their children from backstage were all stunned.

Huh? What does that mean?

Duan Hetong finally took a step forward, half helpless and half indulgent, and gently hugged her: "Mom."

--What?!?!

It shocked everyone for a whole year!

The person in charge's expression changed from confusion to disbelief. He subconsciously took a half step back, his gaze shifting back and forth between Qin Zhiyuan and Duan Hetong.

An ambassador stationed abroad and a group president—are they mother and son?!

After enjoying the amusing scene that left everyone speechless, Duan Shimi went over and took Qin Zhiyuan's arm, saying affectionately, "Mom, I saw a really pretty bracelet the other day, I'll take you to try it on later!"

Qin Zhiyuan was clearly closer to her only daughter: "Alright, alright, I see you've taken a liking to her, so you want me to pay?"

Of the three children, only Duan Xianchen remained outside the crowd, refusing to step forward.

He glanced at Qin Zhiyuan, then at Duan Hetong, unable to put on a suitable expression.

After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out a single syllable: "...Mom."

They refused to say anything else, as if they were just completing a task.

Xiao Wenli stood to the side, her head spinning.

Baba calls her "Mom," and Gugu and Uncle also call her "Mom."

The rocking horse sang, "Dad and Mom are called..."

grandmother!

The milk ball was wide open, big enough to fit a large strawberry.

It turns out that when I told myself to "call her Grandma," she really was my grandma!

Qin Zhiyuan's gaze was already on her: "Your name is Wen Li."

This is not a question, but a statement.

The milk ball nodded blankly.

Qin Zhiyuan snorted: "With a new little thing in the house, no one asked for my opinion first."

The girl twisted her skirt, unsure how to respond.

She was a little uneasy: Grandma seemed unhappy, had Li Bao done something wrong?

Qin Zhiyuan looked her up and down, glancing at her cherry-like hair, then at her creamy dress, and finally at her delicate, beautiful face.

Then he added the second half of the sentence: "...She is quite cute."

Her tone remained calm, not at all like she was truly angry. Xiao Wenli breathed a sigh of relief.

Duan Xianchen tightened his jaw, his voice hoarse and bitter: "Ten years..."

The person in charge had already realized that something was wrong; this was now a family matter, so they left with the other staff, young guests, and parents.

Now, only a few members of the Duan family remain in the backstage corridor.

Duan Xianchen had to take a breath before he could finish speaking: "I thought you had long forgotten about this family."

Qin Zhiyuan's lips moved: "Chenchen..."

Duan Xianchen refused to listen any longer, and without saying another word, turned and left.

Wen Li felt uneasy. Whether it was her mother and stepfather, her stepfather and Aunt Bai, or later her father and grandfather, she had always been afraid of adults arguing.

She looked in the direction her uncle had left, feeling very sad.

It looked to the uncle as if all the other children had received a piece of cake, except for him.

She looked up at Duan Hetong and took his hand.

Duan Hetong patted the top of her head: "It's okay, Uncle will go get the car and wait for us."

Qin Zhiyuan didn't chase after him, but watched the figure disappear at the end of the passage before turning her attention back to Wen Li.

"Have all the adoption procedures been completed?"

Duan Hetong replied, "Yes."

"Is it just you as a guardian, or is it the whole family?"

"My personal one."

Qin Zhiyuan then asked some more trivial questions, such as Wen Li's basic information, what she likes to eat, whether she sleeps alone or with a nanny, and how her medical check-up went...

She acted like an ordinary grandmother meeting her granddaughter for the first time, and also like a diplomat making a business trip to comfort children.

She talked to her granddaughter, her son, and her daughter.

He simply ignored Duan Yuanzhou completely. The latter was the same.

The two were clearly so close that they were only a few steps apart, yet it felt as if they were separated by the long river of time.

Parallel lines that go too far apart will never intersect again.

The little one was secretly watching.

He would actually look at Grandma when he saw Grandpa, but when Grandma turned her head away, he would pretend to study the paintings on the wall.

I noticed that Grandma was also paying attention to Grandpa. When she talked to Gugu, her eyes would drift towards Grandpa out of the corner of her eye.

The little one didn't understand.

When they were in the white house, she always looked at Huihui like that, wanting to play with him.

Grandpa and Grandma, do you also want to play together? Then why aren't they talking to each other?

People gradually arrived backstage, and the Duan family walked out.

There were steps at the entrance, not very high, but they were still somewhat difficult for Duan Yuanzhou, who needed to use a cane.

Qin Zhiyuan and Duan Hetong were walking at the front. They had already gone down several steps when they suddenly stopped.

She didn't even turn around, but simply instructed naturally, "Mimi, go and help your father."

After saying this, she continued forward, as if she hadn't been the one who spoke just now.

Duan Shimi was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but lower her head and laugh: Mom still cares about Dad at all.

The old man didn't say anything, but he usually wouldn't allow anyone to help him, yet he didn't refuse Duan Shimi.

Both drivers had already brought out their cars and were waiting. Qin Zhiyuan had no intention of going to the old house, so she walked towards her car.

Wen Li was a little reluctant, and after hesitating for a long time, she finally asked Duan Hetong, "Why...why isn't Grandma coming home with us?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but in the empty, quiet parking lot, it was clear enough for everyone present to hear.

The adults didn't know how to answer.

The little girl's family has always been broken, but in her innocent mind, a family should be together.

I didn't know her before, but now I've finally met Grandma. Why do we have to separate again?

How should I tell her?

The adult world is full of helplessness. Even family members who were once closely attached to each other can scatter to the ends of the earth like pieces of a puzzle.

Finally, Qin Zhiyuan spoke up: "Grandma still has work to do, she'll come see you again later."

As soon as she finished speaking, the driver opened the car door.

The little one suddenly let go of the adult's hand, ran over hurriedly, and raised her little hand high: "Grandma!"

Qin Zhiyuan turned around.

The little girl had taken off her star badge at some point and handed it to Qin Zhiyuan: "For Grandma!"

Qin Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised: the badges were proof of being little guests, and they were also very attractive, so the children cherished them.

How could you bear to give this little guy to yourself?

That's what she thought, and that's what she asked.

The little bundle of milk said earnestly, "Because Grandma has magic."

"...What?"

"When Grandma speaks, everyone has to listen—that's amazing!" The little one clenched her fists, rested them on her chin, and her big eyes sparkled brighter than the stars. "Pear Baby, I admire Grandma!"

For the first time, Ms. Qin, a seasoned veteran who was always composed in any situation, showed a moment of bewilderment in front of others.

She placed the little star in her palm and chuckled softly, "Little thing, you really know how to sneak into people's hearts."

Upon hearing this, Duan Yuanzhou recalled that when Wen Li first came to the Duan family, she asked him for hawthorn cake, and he had the same idea.

Even though she was determined to ignore this little burden, who could resist her charm?

The Qin Zhiyuan of today, in both his words and expressions, is exactly the same as he was back then.

The affection between husband and wife had long since faded, yet this unspoken understanding had inexplicably remained—it was truly infuriating.

-

On the way back, Xiao Wenli was still pondering.

Grandma, Grandma and Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle.

The adults' complicated emotions were like a ball of yarn, not only messy and tangled, but also made her heart feel like a kitten, unable to resist scratching it.

She couldn't help but quietly ask Duan Yuanzhou, "Grandpa, did you and Grandma have a fight?"

Duan Yuanzhou remained silent at first.

The carriage was very quiet; you couldn't even feel the vibrations of the tires rolling over the ground.

After a long while, the old man finally said in a gruff voice, "Go away, little kid, don't ask."

But he reached into his pocket and touched a pocket watch.

The watch cover opens and closes repeatedly, as if one could discern some unspoken secrets between the silent metal surfaces.

Wen Li, with her sharp eyes, recognized it as the pocket watch she had helped her grandfather find with the little mole.

At the time, she didn't know who gave it to her. Now it seems it was her grandmother.

Grandpa treasures this watch. So he must treasure Grandma a lot too.

If you like someone so much, why pretend to dislike them and deliberately ignore them?

Adults are really strange.

Duan Yuanzhou put away his pocket watch and fell silent. Outside the car window, the streetlights flickered, and the night was gentle.

In another car some distance away, a subordinate asked, "Should we put it in the trunk?"

Qin Zhiyuan shook her head: "I'll take it myself."

Then he put the star into his inner pocket.