"I won't be back for dinner tonight," Huolan You said while putting on her shoes at the door, looking up at Yin Helian, to which she received a faint "I know."
A touch of discomfort briefly crossed her heart. Usually, the two would either quarrel or occasionally chat peacefully. Although what he said often annoyed her, she had somehow started to get used to this kind of life.
"Mommy, you're not coming back for dinner again? Uncle makes a lot of delicious dishes every night waiting for you," Xiao Xun said with a pout.
Huolan You was taken aback, casting a surprised look at Yin Helian, whose face seemed to have turned red.
"Alright, let's go, Xiao Xun," Yin Helian said, carrying Xiao Xun and heading out the door. He could have nothing, but he couldn't lose his self-respect.
"Lian..." Watching him walk away with the child, Huolan You felt as if something was blocking her heart. Regret, it seemed, was more than just regret. What she had said was indeed too much for a man; he wasn't that bad after all.
On the way to the kindergarten, Yin Helian felt heavy-hearted, only barely able to force a smile in response to whatever Xiao Xun was saying.
"Uncle, are you unhappy because of what mommy said?" Xiao Xun, hanging around his neck, suddenly asked, "I heard what uncle and mommy talked about in the room."
"No, Xiao Xun, don't make wild guesses," Yin Helian said, rubbing her little head.
"Xiao Xun thinks uncle is great. In Xiao Xun's heart, uncle is better than anyone," Xiao Xun said earnestly.
Yin Helian was moved as he looked at the child in his arms. "Why? Uncle is useless, isn't he?"
"No, uncle can cook, uncle can take Xiao Xun to school, and uncle can teach Xiao Xun to do homework," Xiao Xun suddenly lowered her head, "No one has ever done these things for Xiao Xun except mommy. Xiao Xun really hopes uncle can become daddy."
Daddy...
This word made Yin Helian's heart skip a beat. He wasn't a person who liked children, but he really liked Xiao Xun. He couldn't even explain this feeling to himself, "If... when it's only us two, Xiao Xun can call uncle daddy."
"Really? Then daddy, daddy," Xiao Xun happily called out, "Actually, daddy likes mommy, right?"
Yin Helian was shaken again by the child's words.
He liked that fierce and bad-tempered woman?
"Xiao Xun knows daddy likes mommy."
"Alright, what would a child know?" To avoid embarrassment, Yin Helian had to pretend to be angry, "Daddy and your mommy are from two different worlds. How could daddy like your mommy? Moreover, one day when daddy regains his memory, he will leave too. Xiao Xun must not talk nonsense anymore."
Lian's voice seemed to float from far away, but it was clear. Huolan You, who was about to catch up to apologize, abruptly stopped in her tracks.
Like... It seemed she had never thought about this topic between him and her.
But for no reason, it felt as if a thorn had suddenly pricked her heart, and the steps to catch up couldn't move anymore...