Chapter 45

Gu Chen’s first reaction was that this was a scam. How could he have a talking son without knowing about it?

Ever since he entered the entertainment industry, he had always kept himself clean, never involved in any scandals, let alone any romantic relationships.

“A kid your age already out scamming people?”

An An wasn’t angry at being doubted; he continued explaining in his soft, childlike voice.

“My mom is Su Ling. I’m three years old.”

The familiar name caught Gu Chen off guard in such an unexpected situation. It took him a moment to recover—he still remembered his college sweetheart.

They had broken up amicably back then. Later, he entered the entertainment industry, and his busy work life left him no time to reminisce, nor had he ever tried to contact her.

If he did the math, they had been apart for nearly four years. If this child was conceived back then, he would indeed be three years old now.

“Do you have any proof?”

Though the possibility existed, Gu Chen still found it absurd. He had never imagined something like this happening to him.

“I don’t have proof. But can you come for me, Daddy? Mommy wants to sell me, and I’m really scared.”

An An’s big eyes rolled as he spoke. Saying “sell” wasn’t exactly wrong—it was just that he was being exchanged for money to pay for Grandma’s medical treatment.

To An An, he was going to be sent to his dad in the end anyway. If he had to be sold, it might as well be to his father—it would save a lot of trouble.

“Sell you? Su Ling is that desperate for money?”

Human trafficking was illegal. The words were already at the tip of Gu Chen’s tongue, but he didn’t say them out loud. Still, there was anger in his eyes.

“Grandma is sick. It costs a lot, a whole lot of money.”

An An explained softly. Gu Chen knew about Su Ling’s family situation—she had been raised by a single mother who had worked hard to bring her up. If this was really the case, it was somewhat understandable.

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Whose phone is this?”

“Mommy’s.”

“When does Su Ling plan to sell you?”

“Tomorrow.”

Even though An An was only three years old, he remembered all the key details of this matter clearly, afraid his dad wouldn’t make it in time to take him home.

“Daddy, can you come get me?”

“If I really am your dad, of course I can. Don’t be scared. I’ll find you as soon as I can.”

Gu Chen’s tone, which had been cold and hard at first, gradually softened without him realizing it—like he was afraid of scaring the child.

“Okay then, bye-bye!”

“Mm.”

Following the system’s instructions, An An poked the screen with his little finger, deleting the call log to ensure there was no trace left behind.

After finishing, he sat obediently on the sofa, waiting for his mom to come back. Su Ling didn’t return until almost half an hour later. As soon as An An heard the door open, he hurried over to greet her.

He reached out his little arms, as if asking for a hug.

Su Ling didn’t refuse. She pulled An An into her embrace, sniffled, and held him close. She had cried earlier, and now she had no more tears left, only a deep, aching pain in her heart.

She had gone to work not long after giving birth. Her mother had taken care of the child all this time. She had thought she wouldn’t have any strong feelings, but now, after just a few short hours together, she already felt reluctant to let go.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault for being useless.”

If she weren’t so powerless, how could she be relying on a child to save her mother’s life?

An An gently wiped her eyes and kissed her cheek.

“It’s okay!”

Su Ling already felt incredibly guilty, and hearing An An’s sweet words now made her nearly drown in it.

She had no other choice—this was the only path in front of her.

She had no more tears left, only the overwhelming sorrow that refused to let her go.

That night, while resting at the hotel, Su Ling couldn’t sleep. She knew Gu Chen’s personality too well. He seemed easygoing on the surface, but in reality, he never let grudges go.

Using this method to send their child to him—she wasn’t sure if he would take out his resentment toward her on the baby.

The more she thought about it, the harder it was to sleep. She sat there, eyes open, like a walking corpse.

Then, the sharp ringtone of her phone shattered the silence, snapping Su Ling back to reality. As she stood up, she staggered slightly. When she saw the caller ID, her heart clenched—a strange number from the capital.

The person behind all this had never contacted her directly. Every time she tried calling back, the number would be disconnected.

Her hands trembled as she swiped to answer. She thought it was finally the mastermind revealing themselves—but instead, a voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, came from the other end.

“Su Ling, long time no see.”

There was a long silence before Su Ling finally moved her chapped lips and asked:

“Gu Chen?”

“Mm. I want to talk to you about the child.”

After hanging up the call, Gu Chen had sat in deep thought for a long time. He knew that if he publicly acknowledged having a child under these circumstances, it would be a huge blow to his career.

The best course of action would be to pretend he knew nothing—act as if he had never received that call from the child.

But after smoking an entire pack of cigarettes on his balcony, he knew he couldn’t do that. His conscience wouldn’t allow it. And if they weren’t lying to him, then this was his biological child.

So, Gu Chen made the call. His career was at its peak, and money wasn’t an issue—he could afford whatever price Su Ling wanted.

“How did you find out?”

Su Ling had never told him about the child. She had completely cut off contact with him. If it weren’t for her mother’s illness, they would never have crossed paths again.

“You don’t need to know that. I’ll be in your city tomorrow morning. Let’s talk in person. I suggest you stop whatever you’re planning. You were always smart in college—I trust you wouldn’t want to land yourself in prison.”

“Especially… with your mother so gravely ill.”

Gu Chen made no effort to conceal his intention to threaten her in that last sentence. He simply couldn’t comprehend how, in this day and age, a mother could still consider selling her own child.

As a college-educated adult, how could she have such a weak sense of the law?

If she were imprisoned for child abandonment and human trafficking, her mother would lose all hope of survival.

Su Ling misunderstood his meaning, thinking he had already found out that someone was planning to target him from behind, attempting to use the child to ruin his career.

She had one week left to make the payment—there was no way she could keep the baby.

Should she follow the instructions of the person who contacted her before, letting Gu Chen be utterly disgraced before sending the child away? Or should she send the child directly to Gu Chen?

Faced with this choice, Su Ling clutched her phone tightly, torn.

There was no lingering attachment from a peaceful breakup. Su Ling wasn’t sure why Gu Chen had come looking for the child now.

Rationally, she knew that as the child’s father, it was normal for him to seek custody or visitation rights once the baby turned three.

But emotionally, she was unwilling to let go. The baby was her only way to save her mother.

She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. She planned to ask Gu Chen if he was willing to lend her some money when she saw him. If she had any other choice, she wouldn’t be considering that path at all.

After the baby woke up, Su Ling took him to a well-known fast-food restaurant for a meal. The fried chicken there was quite good, and An An ate with great satisfaction.

After finishing a drumstick, he noticed that his mother hadn’t eaten anything. With his plastic-gloved hand, he picked up a piece of fried chicken and held it out to Su Ling.

“Mommy, eat.”

“I’m not hungry, I don’t want to eat.”

“But you will get hungry.”

An An insisted, holding his hand up persistently. After a moment of hesitation, Su Ling leaned in and let the baby feed her a drumstick. Watching his serious and focused expression, her eyes reddened again.

The baby she had abandoned in her hometown was an angel—a precious child who deserved to be loved. Unfortunately, she had realized this far too late.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me~”

On the way back, Su Ling held his little hand as they walked together along the sidewalk.

She didn’t know how much longer this baby would remain by her side, so she cherished every single moment.

The system observed An An’s series of actions with curiosity. It had hosted many adult souls before, and those who crossed into a child’s body often struggled to complete their tasks properly.

Having a higher-than-normal intelligence rarely helped—it often raised suspicion that the child was possessed by something unnatural.

Back at the hotel room, An An sat on a chair by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the flashing neon lights outside. The system couldn’t help but ask:

“Host, don’t you resent her? She’s abandoning you, using you as a tool to achieve her goal. To her, you’re nothing more than an item to be traded for money.”

The system admitted that there was some deliberate provocation in its words. In fact, it was entirely intentional.

After all, Su Ling wasn’t the mission target in this world—the less involvement An An had with her, the better.

“Hm? No, I don’t.”

An An blinked innocently. He wasn’t lying—this was truly how he felt.

“Why not? She’s discarding you, using you as a bargaining chip for money. Doesn’t she realize that once she sends you to Gu Chen this way, Gu Chen might resent you?”

The system didn’t understand human emotions, but its data analysis was highly precise.

Ninety-nine percent of people whose careers were ruined because of a child would inevitably resent that child’s existence.

And yet, Su Ling, as a mother, was willing to gamble on that one percent chance—forcing a three-year-old to bear the consequences.

“He won’t.”

An An didn’t know how to explain it to the system, but he was sure—Gu Chen wouldn’t hate him. He also knew that his mother wasn’t intentionally trying to abandon him. He completely understood why she was doing what she was doing.

Seeing how firm An An was, the system chose not to voice any further opinions.

The more time it spent with An An, the more it pitied him. In moments like this, the system couldn’t even tell whether An An was just naturally kind-hearted or if his past experience of being abandoned had made him believe that being given up on was simply normal.

An An sat obediently, watching the city lights. Su Ling brought him some snacks, casually unwrapping them and placing them beside him.

“Thank you, Mommy.”

To An An, anything that wasn’t originally his was a gift—just like now. He hadn’t expected any snacks, but suddenly receiving a few packs made him so happy he could burst.

“No need to thank me, this is what I should do.”

In the past, Su Ling had always thought that well-behaved and polite children like her son were the best—easy to care for, considerate, and never troublesome.

But when she was picking out snacks for An An at the supermarket earlier, she saw a child throwing a tantrum on the floor, refusing to leave until their mother bought a toy.

By comparison, she should have felt satisfied. But instead, thinking about how An An interacted with her, she felt an inexplicable sense of distance between them.

Because she had been absent from his life for so long, never giving him enough companionship, she had no excuse to argue otherwise.

By the time she realized she had been wrong, there was no longer enough time to slowly mend her relationship with An An. The little time they had left could only be spent in this polite but distant manner.

To say she had no regrets—would be a lie.

…

Gu Chen’s manager had been with him since the beginning of his career. Besides their professional partnership, they were also close friends in private.

Gu Chen didn’t hide anything from him and explained everything outright. After listening, the manager lit a cigarette and laid out all the pros and cons.

If Gu Chen truly decided to raise this child, then the path he was currently on would be completely blocked. Worse yet, he would likely face a fierce backlash from his obsessive girlfriend fans.

The deeper the love, the deeper the hate—within the industry, most celebrities who suffer scandals ultimately fear their fans delivering the final blow.

Gu Chen had already considered everything his manager mentioned beforehand. Even after thinking it through, he never once thought of changing his mind.

He couldn’t just stand by and ignore his own child. No matter how successful he became in his career, if he truly abandoned that child, he would never find peace of mind.

“Are you really sure you want to go? Even if it means your career will be ruined?”

Brother Li extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray and stared into Gu Chen’s eyes. He had nurtured Gu Chen’s career from the start, and his current success was also the result of Brother Li’s hard work.

Gu Chen gave a helpless, bitter smile. He had no other choice, but his resolve was unwavering.

“Yes, even if my career is ruined. Look at it this way, Brother Li—you’ve always talked about transitioning my career, haven’t you?”

Brother Li knew Gu Chen was making light of the situation, but he still couldn’t help but knock him on the head and scold him.

“I wanted you to advance your career, not get knocked down and have to climb back up again! Forget it. I know I can’t change your mind once you’ve decided on something. When are you leaving? I’ll push back your schedules.”

“I’ve already asked my assistant to book the tickets. Thank you, Brother Li.”

Hearing this, Brother Li was even more frustrated—he wished he could pry open Gu Chen’s head to see what exactly he was thinking. So he had already made the arrangements ahead of time, meaning that no matter what, Gu Chen was going to see the child. Brother Li’s presence here wouldn’t have changed that decision.

“If that really is your child, I won’t say anything. But once you get there, taking a paternity test isn’t too much to ask, right?”

If it turned out to be Gu Chen’s biological child, then fine—he could take responsibility. But if it wasn’t, then ruining his career over this would be a complete waste.

“Of course.”

Gu Chen had already planned on doing that. For something this serious, caution was necessary.

“Forget it, I’ll go with you. I don’t trust you going alone.”

Brother Li had spent years in the entertainment industry and had seen all kinds of schemes. If the child was really Gu Chen’s, then that was great. But if not, he would need to handle the aftermath properly.

In this industry, rumors spread like wildfire. Just Gu Chen’s presence in that city would be seen as an admission of guilt. If it turned out the child wasn’t his, it wouldn’t even matter—he would still be forced to acknowledge it.

“I had my assistant book a ticket for you as well.”

After saying this, Gu Chen watched as Brother Li’s face changed. He was, of course, angry, but after venting his frustration, he didn’t know what else to say.

All he could do was quickly pack his things, handle Gu Chen’s canceled engagements, and board the flight with him.

Gu Chen had been completely honest with Brother Li about everything—transparency was key in the entertainment industry. If he wasn’t upfront, it would be impossible for his manager to handle the PR properly.

“You’re saying that Miss Su plans to sell the child?”

“That’s what the child told me over the phone.”

Gu Chen wasn’t entirely sure of the details—after all, the information came from a very young child, and its accuracy was uncertain.

“Let’s see the situation for ourselves before making any judgments.”

Brother Li remained skeptical. No matter how clever a child was, they wouldn’t sell for much money. If Su Ling truly needed a large sum for medical treatment, selling a child wouldn’t be enough.

By the time they arrived in the city, it was already late at night. However, Gu Chen was too restless to sleep—he was eager to see the child and immediately called the number again.

Su Ling answered quickly, as if she had been waiting by her phone.

“Hello?”

“I’m here. Where are you? Can we meet?”

Su Ling originally planned to tell him the name of her hotel, but remembering the reason she was staying there, she swallowed the words and instead said,

“An An is still asleep. I’ll take him out for breakfast once he wakes up.”

“Alright. I’ll find a good breakfast place and send you the address.”

“Okay, thank you.”

An An slept until eight in the morning. After waking him up, Su Ling washed him up thoroughly, even carefully fixing his messy hair. She also dressed him in what she considered his best-looking outfit.

The child already resembled Gu Chen—his features were delicate and adorable. But Su Ling still wanted to make him look as cute as possible.

If An An left a good impression during their first meeting, Gu Chen might grow more fond of him.

“Mommy, I look so handsome!”

As Su Ling carried An An past a mirror, he caught sight of himself and couldn’t help but proudly lift his chin. His smug little expression made Su Ling smile instinctively.

This was the first time she had seen An An so lively and playful. But then, another thought crossed her mind, and her smile faded slightly.

“Mm, An An is always handsome.”

Gu Chen had sent her the restaurant address at 4:30 AM. Su Ling had seen the place before—its average price per person was quite high.

Of course, it made sense. Gu Chen was a big celebrity now; there was no way he would mind spending a little money on something like this.

She carried An An inside. It was his first time in such a place, and he curiously looked around.

Being a child, he had no concept of how expensive the place was—he didn’t care at all.

To him, those luxurious decorations weren’t nearly as interesting as the fish swimming in the restaurant’s tank.

Su Ling walked slowly. As soon as she entered, a waiter greeted her, likely because Gu Chen had already made arrangements in advance. The waiter led her directly into a private dining room.

Inside the elevator, An An was still curiously looking around. Su Ling tightened her arms around him slightly.

They had come together this time, but whether they would leave together was uncertain. Just thinking about this made Su Ling feel terrible.

The waiter led her to the door of a private room and thoughtfully opened it for her.

Gu Chen was sitting inside, dressed in low-key casual wear. Beside him was Brother Li, who had been staring at Su Ling ever since she walked in, as if trying to discern something amiss.

After observing Su Ling, his attention shifted to the little one in her arms. As Gu Chen and Brother Li looked at the child, An An also curiously stared at them.

Their eyes met, and both Gu Chen and An An froze.

Brother Li quickly regained his composure. Now that Gu Chen and this child were standing together, there was no need for a paternity test—their resemblance was proof enough of their blood relationship.

“It’s been a long time.”

Su Ling moved her lips and struggled to say those words. She had never imagined that she would see Gu Chen again under such an awkward situation.

She hadn’t had a proper rest for a long time and looked utterly worn out, while Gu Chen, as a top celebrity, was at the peak of his career.

“I hope you’ve been well.”

Gu Chen responded casually, barely paying attention to Su Ling’s current state—his eyes were entirely focused on the little one in her arms.

“Are you my dad?”

As soon as An An spoke, Gu Chen was certain—this was the baby who had called him before.

“Yes, I am.”

Gu Chen stood up and walked over to Su Ling, bending down to meet An An’s gaze. The little one seemed smart and was undeniably adorable. It was hard to imagine anyone looking into his big, bright eyes and not softening.

An An wriggled in Su Ling’s arms, wanting to get down. Although reluctant, Su Ling let him go.

“You’re really my dad?”

“Yes, really.”

Gu Chen picked him up and carried him over to a mirror in the private room, pointing at their reflections.

“Look, don’t we look alike? If we do, that means we’re father and son.”

“A little. You’re better looking than me.”

An An nodded seriously, affirming his own judgment while staring at Gu Chen with admiration. He hoped that when he grew up, he could look just as handsome.

Brother Li finally snapped out of his shock. The little boy already bore a six-point resemblance to Gu Chen. If he grew up well, he would definitely be even more handsome than his father.

Having spent so many years in the entertainment industry, Brother Li had seen countless idols whose careers crumbled just because of a relationship. Before coming here with Gu Chen, he had already prepared himself for the possibility that they might have to start over from scratch.

But now, looking at An An, he found himself thinking absentmindedly—maybe in the future, when An An grew up, he could take him under his wing. With his relationship with Gu Chen, becoming An An’s manager wouldn’t be difficult.

Gu Chen slowly recovered from his shock and excitement and carried An An back to the dining table.

When Brother Li heard An An’s stomach growl, he instructed Gu Chen to put on his mask and cap, then left the room to ask the waitstaff to serve their pre-ordered meal.

With only the three of them left in the private room, Su Ling bit her lip. She knew what she was about to bring up was a bit much, but she still said it.

“I am willing to voluntarily give up custody and visitation rights.”

Gu Chen had already considered signing such an agreement with Su Ling before coming. Ever since entering the entertainment industry, he had no emotional needs and had no intention of reconciling with her just because of the child. He believed she felt the same way.

So, there shouldn’t be too many entanglements between them. The best approach was to clarify everything from the beginning—one of them would raise the child, while the other would not interfere.

He had been thinking about how to bring this up without sounding too heartless, but she had taken the initiative to say it first.

“Hmm… what are your terms?”

Gu Chen already had a number in mind—the maximum he was willing to offer.

Although he had been completely unaware of the baby’s existence and his career might suffer because of this child, he did not resent Su Ling for it.

Instead, he recalled the courses he had taken in the past, which detailed the risks women face during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as potential complications afterward.

Even after a smooth delivery, there could be countless lingering health issues.

Understanding this well, Gu Chen felt some guilt toward Su Ling. And since she was being so cooperative, following exactly what he wanted, he even considered increasing his offer slightly.

An An reached out to hug his father’s arm and whispered in a tiny voice:

“Can you give a little more?”

Seeing An An being so affectionate with Gu Chen upon their first meeting, Su Ling couldn’t say she had no feelings about it.

On one hand, she felt a bit heartbroken. On the other, she was relieved. Since they were getting along well now, An An should be able to live a good life with Gu Chen.

Gu Chen, who had been deep in thought, was pulled back by the little one’s voice. Seeing the expectant look in An An’s eyes, he reached out and gently pinched his nose.

Did this little guy even understand that right now, his parents were negotiating a price to “buy” him?

As the subject of this transaction, the little one seemed completely willing—even trying his best to raise his own price.

Gu Chen sighed inwardly but didn’t say anything. He simply nodded slightly and replied in a low voice.

“Okay.”

Seeing Gu Chen again made Su Ling firm up her previously wavering thoughts. He wasn’t as disgusted with An An as she had feared—on the contrary, he seemed to like him.

If possible, she still hoped that An An wouldn’t suffer in the future.

As long as Gu Chen was willing to lend her some money to help her through this difficult period, that would be enough. Once her mother recovered, she would work hard to repay every cent.

Su Ling took a deep breath, suppressing the embarrassment in her heart. She was thin-skinned, but ever since her mother had been hospitalized, she had been forced to do countless things she had never imagined herself capable of.

“You can hire a professional lawyer to draft a contract. I voluntarily give up custody and visitation rights for the child. From now on, I won’t appear in the baby’s life, won’t disturb you, and won’t use the fact that the baby was once with me to do anything inappropriate.”

Su Ling slowly laid out her plans. These were precisely Gu Chen’s previous concerns. After patiently listening to her, he repeated his earlier question.

“And what are your conditions?”

“Loan me one million yuan. I’ll write an IOU and pay it back gradually. I’m sorry—my mother’s hospitalization requires medical expenses, and I desperately need this money.”

She had already exhausted all possible avenues for borrowing money. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so desperate as to consider using the child.

“A loan?”

Gu Chen was momentarily stunned by that word. He had assumed Su Ling had brought the child to him to demand money outright. He had mentally prepared himself to offer ten million yuan.

Recently, he had made an investment, leaving him with limited liquid funds. Even if he borrowed some from a friend, the most he could gather in the short term was around ten million.

“Yes, a loan. I can write an IOU and pay it back within ten years.”

Su Ling was fully aware of her current capabilities. She did not make any promises she couldn’t fulfill just to secure the money faster.

Her sincerity made Gu Chen reevaluate her.

He placed his hand on the table and tapped it rhythmically. After about three minutes, he finally spoke.

“First of all, I had no knowledge of this baby’s birth. I didn’t fulfill my responsibilities as a father, and for that, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve worked hard raising him alone all these years. The toughest phase of childcare is already behind you, and I sincerely thank you for that.”

“The conditions you proposed are very appealing—and exactly what I hoped for. If you’re willing to sign such a contract and cooperate with me in completing all the necessary legal procedures…”

At this point, Gu Chen took a deep breath. An An was watching him curiously and expectantly.

Facing his son for the first time, Gu Chen felt he couldn’t embarrass himself.

“I will sign a voluntary gift contract and give you six million yuan after taxes.”

That was all the funds he could currently access. If the situation weren’t so urgent, he wouldn’t have wanted to borrow money from his friends.

“A gift?”

“Yes. Consider it payment for your nutrition expenses during pregnancy, emotional distress, and the years of effort you put into raising him. Calling it a ‘gift’ might not be entirely accurate—this is what you rightfully deserve.”

An An remembered what Uncle System had told him—the other man had only offered his mother five million yuan, and it wasn’t clear whether that was before or after taxes.

He carefully counted on his fingers. After confirming that six million was indeed more than five million, he tilted his head up and kissed his father on the chin.

Gu Chen, in the middle of negotiating with Su Ling, was suddenly kissed by his son. He looked down and saw the little boy squinting his eyes in happiness.

It was undeniably adorable. So obedient that it softened his heart.

But then he realized—was An An happy because the price he had offered for Su Ling was satisfactory?

The moment that thought crossed his mind, his emotions instantly deflated.

Then again, it was understandable. After all, the boy had been raised by her.

“My mom’s medical expenses only require around one million.”

“I remember your English was quite good back in university. If possible, would you be willing to temporarily settle abroad until An An reaches adulthood? I can arrange all the necessary paperwork, housing, and employment for you.”

Gu Chen held An An’s chubby little hand. An An, being mischievous, lightly tickled his palm with his tiny fingers. The tingling sensation was unfamiliar.

Gu Chen had only specified the period until An An reached adulthood. Once he was grown, whether he wanted to see Su Ling or not would be entirely up to him. Gu Chen had no intention of interfering.

“Okay.”

Su Ling had initially wanted to refuse, but after hearing this, she agreed. If she were to settle abroad, she would need money.

“Once we finish this meal, I’ll have my assistant and manager draft the contract as soon as possible.”

“Mm.”

At that moment, the manager had the waiter bring in their pre-ordered dishes. Steam rose from the freshly prepared breakfast, and the aroma of food filled the air.

Su Ling hadn’t had a proper meal in a long time. Her stomach growled at the smell.

An An, upon seeing a bowl of small wontons placed before him, took a deep breath, savoring the scent, then swallowed hard.

Gu Chen had no experience taking care of children. Every action he took was slightly clumsy. He scooped up a wonton, blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it to An An’s lips, reminding him to be careful of the heat.

An An tested it with his upper lip first. Confirming that it wasn’t too hot, he eagerly took a bite—only to be scalded by the filling inside, causing him to grimace in pain.

Su Ling sat across from them, watching their interaction. The food smelled delicious, but she had lost her appetite. She forced herself to eat a little.

After finishing the meal, Gu Chen carried An An to the doorway. He paused, turned his head, and glanced at Su Ling.

An An lay on his father’s back, waving his tiny hand at his mother.

“Goodbye, Mommy.”