Xiao Xi watched with wide eyes as the two people turned their backs on her and soon faded into the darkness of the night, disbelief apparent on her otherwise immature face.
By saying get rid of, they actually meant throwing her away!
Scrunching her little nose, Xiao Xi couldn't help but retch at the stench of the garbage surrounding her.
Xiao Xi was so angry that she ended up swearing a lot of vulgarities yet what came out of her mouth were automatically translated into crisp 'uwaaah! uwaaaaah!' cries which reverberated in the quiet and secluded alley and soon drew the attention of a bespectacled boy in casual clothes who was passing by.
....
Dongfang Yu finished another tiring day of school work and was taking a leisurely walk outside the community after dinner when all of a sudden, he heard the ever increasingly loud cries of a baby.
"Huh? Who brought a baby outside this late into the night?" Dongfang Yu muttered under his breath.
Perhaps struck by a moment of curiosity, Dongfang Yu followed the sound with rapt attention, but the closer he got to the source, the more he felt something was wrong.
Soon, he came in front of a garbage box and was struck by the realization of having come across an abandoned baby.
....
The policewoman inspected the baby and found no clue on the child's identity or origin and sighed.
There were neither birthmarks nor keepsakes and the child's clothing couldn't be counted on either. Nothing but cheap baby clothes made of poor quality fabric that can be bought on roadside stalls for a few yuan per piece.
This came as no surprise to Xiao Xi as, early before she was thrown away, those two people had already changed her into these rough and uncomfortable clothes so as not to leave any loose threads that can be used to track her down.
Dongfang Yu was also silent.
After he calmed down from the shock, he had already thought of this result.
Thinking about it. This incident of throwing and picking up a baby wasn't anything rare.
There are many cases of early teenage pregnancy these days and most of them are unable to take responsibility and end up aborting the child. However, there are also those who dare not take the risks of abortion and choose to give birth to the child normally only to abandon them later on.
There are also those poor patriarchal parents who are earnestly praying for sons and turn up their noses at baby girls. Usually refusing to raise them and automatically deciding to get rid of them, either by selling and giving them to relatives or throwing them away.
"What should we do with the child then?" Dongfang Yu frowned.
The policewoman also had a headache. "We haven't received any reports on missing children these days, so right now, the only thing we can do is to send it to the orphanage."
"Ah! Ahhh!" No way!
Listening to them talk to this point, Xiao Xi expressed her disapproval in an instant despite knowing that they wouldn't necessarily understand her childish cries.
Send her to the orphanage... it was horrifying just thinking about it.
The dirty orphanage back in Xiao kingdom came to mind and Xiao Xi felt alarmed in an instant. Not only was it dirty, it was also the nest of traffickers who are especially involved in the trade of selling children. Although she didn't know if things were the same here, she still didn't want to be sent into such a place.
"Oh look, the baby said she wanted to go." The policewoman cooed.
Xiao Xi "...?" Which ear of yours heard that benwang* agreed?!
Meanwhile, beside them, Dongfang Yu looked quite thoughtful. "Since no one is coming to claim the baby, why don't I just take it back to raise instead?"
"Ah?" Both Xiao Xi and the policewoman were stunned.
Dongfang Yu pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, his charming peach blossom eyes beneath the glasses were stained with a hint of a smile. "I meant adoption. Although the little thing looks somewhat ugly, my parents should like it very much."
Xiao Xi "..!" You're ugly! Your whole family is ugly!
"Ahem!" The policewoman choked. "Young man, your I.D. from earlier stated that you're not even an adult yet and is therefore not eligible for the adoption of the child."
Dongfang Yu gave her an 'are you stupid' look before going to the side and taking out his phone to give his parents a call.
Policewoman "..." So angry!
A few minutes later, Dongfang Yu came back and handed over his phone. "My parents want to talk to you about the adoption."
Dongfang Yu grinned, clearly in a good mood as he went over to tease Xiao Xi.
Xiao Xi looked at his wicked smile, feeling that this guy was up to no good.
Sure enough.
Half an hour later, Dongfang Yu walked out of the police station with floating steps and boarded an inconspicuous black car under the escort of the Chief Police Officer. "Safe travels, Young Master Dongfang and congratulations!"
"Thanks." Dongfang Yu nodded indifferently and signaled the driver to go.
The moment he left the station, Dongfang Yu's aloof expression faded and soon broke out into a big smile. "Xiao* Xi'er, call dad!"
"Ah! Ahh!" Shameless!
How old was this guy? He probably shouldn't even be twelve yet!
Stinky fart child! Dare to call himself her father?!
"So good." Dongfang Yu misunderstood and laughed out loud, clearly pleased, not knowing that he had just been scolded by the cheap little daughter he accidentally picked up while thinking proudly, 'Hmph! That damned rascal, Xiao Yun. Daring to show off his newborn little sister at school earlier. Isn't it just a little sister? He, Dongfang Yu, has a daughter!'
"Young Master, are we going back to the mansion or your apartment."
"Go to the mansion." Dongfang Yu lazily replied. Although he urged his parents to use some means to let him adopt the baby in his name, in fact, he didn't know anything about childcare at all and would still have to rely on his parents to raise it.
___________
Benwang- it is a form of address used by the princes of ancient China to adress themselves.