"I'm outside."
"What are you doing outside? Don't you know you still have a performance later!"
Bai Qingzhu couldn't help but feel nauseous. It wasn't that she disrespected them; she simply couldn't enjoy herself.
"Miaomiao just called me, looking for me. I won't keep you company here anymore, I'm heading back now."
Mention of Miaomiao turned Dongfang Ling into an instant fangirl, "Did that little girl mention me?"
Bai Qingzhu felt a chill, unsure if having such a best friend was good or bad. If it weren't for her insistence, Dongfang Ling would probably have brought the child along too.
"She did mention you, asked me to send her regards."
"No need for that, come on, you're staying at my place tonight."
Bai Qingzhu was so startled she jolted, "No need, no need. Since you're here, just enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me. We've just returned to Royal City, haven't even gotten over the jet lag yet. We'll come to see you later."
"You're really something, you know. I have so many houses at my disposal, and yet you choose to rent one. If people find out, they'll think I'm such a stingy best friend."
Bai Qingzhu hugged her arm with a cheery smile, "All right, don't be mad. When we have time, you can come with me to buy a house, okay?"
"Sure!"
Fortunately, Dongfang Ling didn't insist anymore, which was a relief for her.
When she got home, she saw Miaomiao playing with the nanny, Anqi.
The moment she saw her, a smile bloomed on her tender little face, and she ran towards her quickly:
"Mommy, you're back!"
Bai Qingzhu crouched down and hugged her tightly.
"I thought Mommy was going to play a little longer before coming back!"
They say children from single-parent families grow up fast, and it's true. Miaomiao had always been more sensible than any other child.
She had asked about her father before, but after a few inquiries that clearly made her very unhappy, she stopped asking.
Bai Qingzhu was still heartbroken; after all, she was just a child.
"Where did you and Auntie Anqi go to play when Mommy wasn't here?"
She gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. This little girl had a stunning appearance, with long, thick curly eyelashes over a pair of dark, black eyes, a tiny nose, perfect lips, and naturally curly hair, plus delicate skin that seemed almost fragile. She looked just like a doll.
The moment she was born, Bai Qingzhu was completely charmed by her adorable and rosy features.
But it was clear, this child only resembled her in smile and charisma, not so much in the features. She knew she must look like that man.
That night, she hadn't known who the man was, just that she had been plied with too much alcohol, and in a daze, had ended up in the room with a man and something happened between them.
When she woke up later, the man was nowhere to be seen. She thought she'd gone into the wrong room, but when she checked, it definitely was hers.
She wanted to call the police, but without any evidence, the matter ended up unresolved.
She never imagined that from just that one time, she would get pregnant and didn't find out until she was in country M.
Upon arriving in country M, things were tough for her, especially with a child in tow; naturally, she considered terminating the pregnancy a few times. But in the end, she chose to keep the baby.
But now, on reflection, she didn't regret it at all, not even a little. Even if it meant becoming a mother early, everything was worth it.
"We went to Naughty Castle. It was so much fun. There were slides, trampolines, and so many entertainment facilities, just like an amusement park."