Chapter 37

Mr. Hu knew that Lili didn’t want anyone to see her in a vulnerable state, so he kept that matter well hidden. Even the servants employed in the villa had no idea about the truth.

They all thought, just as Mr. Hu had said, that the child’s father had already passed away and that Hu Shuli was now raising the child alone.

At first, the butler didn’t want to bother with it. But when the security at the entrance of the villa complex reported that the man could accurately state some of Hu Shuli’s personal information—even mentioning the young master’s birthdate—he grew concerned that the man might actually be telling the truth. That was why he had come to inform Mr. Hu.

The moment Mr. Hu heard those words, his expression darkened. Back then, he had only been focused on his daughter’s anger and had forgotten to take revenge on her behalf. Now, this man had the audacity to show up at their doorstep?

“Where is he now? Lili, come with me and take a look. Let’s see if it’s really that man.”

“Mm…”

Mr. Hu had the nanny take An’an away first, so the little one wouldn’t be frightened by whatever might happen next.

Little An’an kicked his legs furiously, trying in vain to follow. But the nanny carried him over to the kitten instead. This time, however, even the kitten couldn’t cheer him up like before.

Not understanding what was happening, An’an suddenly felt just as abandoned as the kitten, which curled up in the corner of its cage and let out an innocent meow when its owner looked over.

At the villa complex entrance, the security guards had driven Song Yushu and his mother over. As they stood in the villa’s living room, Song Yushu kept glancing around, assessing the décor.

From the first moment he met Hu Shuli, he had been able to tell that she came from an extraordinary background. Worried about unforeseen variables, he had made sure she got pregnant first.

Most women are softhearted, especially when it comes to innocent children. No matter how unwilling they are, they often convince themselves to compromise.

Song Yushu had deliberately taken advantage of that kindness, intending to trap Hu Shuli with him for life and use her family’s influence to propel himself to success.

But things had deviated slightly from his plan. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have pushed Hu Shuli so hard. He should have waited until the child was a little older, until he had built a bond with him, before coming back here.

That way, even if Mr. Hu disapproved of him, he wouldn’t make things too difficult for the sake of his grandson.

Song Yushu knew that the current situation was not in his favor. But since things had already happened, he could only try his best to salvage them.

He understood that his priority now was to coax Hu Shuli. As long as she stood on his side, dealing with her father would be much easier.

When conflicts arise between parents and children, it is usually the parents who end up compromising.

“Shuli, I’ve been looking for you all these days. Do you know how worried I’ve been? The child is still so young, yet you took him away like that…”

As soon as Hu Shuli appeared, Song Yushu hurried forward, trying to take her hand.

But before he could touch her, Mr. Hu swung the cane the butler had just brought him, striking Song Yushu’s arm with a sharp thwack.

“You dare lay a hand on my daughter? Try it again, and I’ll have your hand chopped off.”

Hearing this, Song Yushu’s mother became anxious. She stepped in front of her son, placed her hands on her hips, and demanded,

“Do you have any sense of morality? Do you even respect the law? You—you’re deliberately harming others! I can sue you for this!”

The memory of that slop-like food in the hospital—the insulated container with just a few pieces of chicken neck and chicken breast—was still crystal clear in Mr. Hu’s mind.

With an eerily gentle smile, he replied, “I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen. But… do you have any evidence to prove anything?”

Song Yushu had studied law, so he understood that they were at a disadvantage here. Shooting a reassuring look at his mother, he shifted his focus back to Hu Shuli and softened his tone.

“Shuli, my mom and I have been searching for you for so long. She only spoke out of worry.”

“I know our family’s financial situation isn’t great, and I can’t give you the life you deserve. So I won’t hold you back.”

As he spoke, a bitter smile appeared on his lips. He shook his head helplessly and continued,

“I didn’t come here with any other intentions. I just wanted to see that you’re safe—that’s enough for me.”

After saying this, he stepped a little closer to Hu Shuli and pleaded humbly,

“Shuli, I’m the child’s biological father. My mother is his biological grandmother. Since he was born, we’ve barely had a chance to see him. Please, just let us meet him once—just once, okay?”

By now, Song Yushu’s mother had caught on to his plan. She no longer put on a sour face like before.

“Lili, Yushu is right. I’m getting old, and who knows how much longer I have left? I’ve been longing to see my grandson—it’s only natural. That’s our family’s child. I would never harm him.”

When Hu Shuli met Song Yushu’s gaze, her firm resolve began to waver.

Because she cared too much, she couldn’t stop overthinking. She wondered if she was being selfish by making decisions on An’an’s behalf without his knowledge. She feared that one day, An’an might resent her for keeping him away from this part of his past.

Before she could respond, Mr. Hu struck his cane against the floor with a loud thud. His face held a smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he said,

“If you’re so eager to die, no one’s stopping you. But what does our Hu family’s child have to do with you?”

After spending all this time with An’an—personally raising him from a frail little thing to the bright, lively child he was now—Mr. Hu genuinely loved and cherished him.

More than that, he had seen all kinds of people in his life. He saw right through their little scheme.

The type of person he despised most was someone who used a child to coerce a mother into submission!

“Lili, go check on An’an.”

There were some things Mr. Hu didn’t want to say in front of his daughter. So he wanted her to leave first.

Some things were inconvenient for Mr. Hu to say in front of his daughter, so he wanted her to leave first.

Song Yushu knew very well that if Hu Shuli left, there would be no turning back in this matter. Before she could walk away, he quickly sidestepped the others and grabbed her wrist, gazing at her with deep emotion as he pleaded,

“Shuli, I know I was wrong. Just let me see An’an, okay? I don’t want to take him away from you—I just want to see him as his father. I beg you.”

The moment they made physical contact, Hu Shuli’s firm stance softened at his words. She turned her head and looked at her father with pleading eyes.

“Dad… why don’t we just let them see him? Just for a moment.”

Seeing his daughter like this, Mr. Hu became even angrier. He turned his head away and said coldly,

“Do whatever you want.”

Before they even reached the floor where An’an was, the system had already triggered an alarm.

In the original plot, Hu Shuli was a crucial character. She was gentle and graceful in the early stages, and if not for the child, she wouldn’t have fallen out with Song Yushu.

In these old-school domineering CEO storylines, all exceptional women seemed to lose themselves and fall madly in love with the male lead.

The power of the plot was pulling Hu Shuli back toward its original direction, despite her struggle to break free.

But within this quagmire of fate, An’an was the only hope that could pull her out.

“An’an, in a moment, your dad will come over. You mustn’t let him take your mom away, understand?”

“Yiya?”

Hearing the familiar voice in his mind, An’an curiously looked left and right. Not seeing anyone speaking, his big eyes flickered with confusion.

Seeing his clueless little face, the system decided to be ruthless and directly threatened,

“If you like Daddy, you won’t have Mommy anymore.”

This time, An’an understood. His eyes instantly welled up with tears in fear.

Just then, the door opened from the outside, and Hu Shuli entered with Song Yushu and his mother.

Madam Song glanced at the baby in the nanny’s arms—white, chubby, and adorably delicate. An’an could easily win over anyone’s affection. Initially, Madam Song had just used him as an excuse, but now, seeing him in person, she genuinely grew fond of him.

“Oh dear, why is my little grandson crying? Did he hear his daddy’s voice and miss him?”

“It’s been months since we last saw him. Of course, our little grandson must be missing his daddy. Don’t cry, don’t cry, Daddy’s here.”

Because of what the system had just said, An’an now instinctively disliked hearing that word. His tiny face scrunched up like a little old man in distaste.

After speaking, Madam Song didn’t forget to glance at Hu Shuli and sighed,

“Shuli, see? I told you this child was perfectly healthy. Just look at him now—growing up just fine.”

Mr. Hu, who wasn’t at ease letting them near An’an, also stepped inside at this point. He happened to see his little grandson’s disdainful expression. Before he could even comfort him, he heard that remark, which instantly made his grip on his cane tighten in anger.

What did she mean by ‘the child was healthy all along’? Were the private pediatricians and professional childcare experts in their family just for show?

Madam Song reached out and took An’an from the nanny’s arms, then held him up toward Song Yushu with a smile.

“Look, this is Daddy. My little grandson must have missed his Daddy, huh?”

Song Yushu lowered his head, intending to give the child a kiss. But before he could get close, An’an clenched his tiny fist and punched him hard in the eye.

Even after the punch, he kept grabbing at Song Yushu’s hair and nose, his tiny nails scratching deep enough to leave bleeding marks on his face.

The more An’an played, the more excited he got, using all his strength. He scratched and laughed gleefully, like a proud little rooster.

In the end, Song Yushu had to step back, covering his eye. An’an, unable to reach him anymore, waved his small hands in the air, then pouted and looked pitifully at Hu Shuli, as if saying, Mommy, look at him!

Standing at the door, Mr. Hu, who had been worried a moment ago, now struggled to hold back his laughter.

Just this morning, he had been bragging to an old friend about how gentle his grandson was. That friend, whose face still bore scabs from being scratched by his own grandson, had come over to discuss business.

Back then, Mr. Hu had put on a helpless expression and said, “Our An’an is just too good—he never scratches people. Even when he’s mad, the most he does is stomp his little feet in the air.”

Now, seeing the scene before him, he realized—his grandson could scratch. And when he did, his little hands packed quite a punch.

Initially, Madam Song had liked this good-looking little grandson, thinking he was so cute that he brought her pride. But to her, the most important person was still her own son.

Seeing Song Yushu step back, she instinctively reached out and smacked An’an’s tiny hands twice, scolding him with a stern face,

“You can’t hit people or scratch! If you do it again, I’ll chop your little hands off!”

An’an, who had just been looking at his mom with tearful eyes, froze after being hit. Then, he suddenly burst into loud wails, his small mouth opening wide as he cried at the top of his lungs.

Huge teardrops rolled down his face as he sobbed, reaching out toward Hu Shuli with his tiny arms. The sight made her heart ache. She quickly took An’an back into her arms.

Ever since An’an came into her life, she had never once laid a hand on him. Even when he made mistakes, she knew he didn’t understand and always patiently guided him.

Madam Song hadn’t held back just now, and An’an’s chubby little hand had already turned slightly red.

An’an wrapped his little arms tightly around his mother’s neck, crying so hard his tiny body trembled. Soon, Hu Shuli felt a damp patch on her shoulder from his tears.

She gently patted An An’s back while soothing him, suppressing her anger and speaking in a soft voice:

“An An is still young.”

Song’s mother felt sorry for her son, but Hu Shuli also felt sorry for her own son. In her heart, she even started to resent Song Yushu.

An An was already a bit wary of strangers. It had taken the nanny and babysitter at home several days to get him accustomed to them, yet as soon as they met him, they hugged him and suddenly got right up in his face. Was it really such a big deal that the little guy got scared and lashed out?

Even if he was still young, wasn’t a child allowed to have a bit of a temper?

As An An’s father, couldn’t Song Yushu be a little more tolerant of his own son?

“Young what? Children need to be taught from an early age! Don’t deliberately spoil him into being unruly! If you won’t teach him, I will!”

Song’s mother saw the scratch marks on her son’s face, and her heart ached, making her even angrier. She gritted her teeth and scolded:

“If you ask me, he needs a good beating so he learns his lesson and won’t dare do this again!”

“Enough! If you don’t like An An, there was no need for you to come here. You come to my house just to discipline my son? Who gave you that right?”

Even the most gentle person has a temper when they are provoked. Hu Shuli, furious, turned and left with her son in her arms. By the time Song Yushu chased after her, he only caught a glimpse of the elevator doors closing.

Now that the person he could control was gone, even Old Master Hu couldn’t be bothered to say a single unnecessary word to them. He simply ordered the butler to see them out.

Hu Shuli took An An to the upstairs balcony, sitting with him on a swinging chair, holding him close and gently patting his back.

When his crying gradually stopped, his little body was still trembling slightly, showing just how hard he had cried before.

“An An, it’s not right to scratch people, do you understand?”

Once she was sure An An had stopped crying, Hu Shuli patiently started to explain things to him. No matter who it was, scratching someone wasn’t right.

Just after stopping his sobs, An An seemed to understand her words. He looked at his mother, and tears welled up in his eyes again. Seeing this, Hu Shuli’s heart ached, and she quickly lowered her head to kiss his cheek.

“Alright, alright, I won’t scold you anymore. I won’t scold you. My little An An was wronged today. Does your hand hurt from being hit?”

“Ya~”

“Next time, don’t scratch people, okay?”

“Mm…”

His little mouth quivered, but before the tears could spill out, Hu Shuli kissed him again. Seeing his tiny body still shaking from crying so hard, she couldn’t bring herself to say another word.

An An buried his face in his mother’s embrace, refusing to come out no matter what she said. He even curled up his legs, looking like a little ball of grievance.

After Old Master Hu had driven the others out, he finally came upstairs. Seeing his daughter coaxing An An, he walked over and gently patted An An’s shoulder, saying:

“Let Grandpa have a look, alright?”

An An hesitated, twisting his little head. His face still bore traces of his earlier crying, and his slightly swollen red eyes made Old Master Hu’s heart ache terribly.

At this moment, An An reached out his hands toward his grandpa. Old Master Hu immediately picked him up and patted his back while comforting him, all the while cursing under his breath.

“An An is still so young, yet they already hit him. If he were a little older, would they use a stick? My poor little treasure.”

“Good thing you’re staying with Grandpa. Otherwise, who knows how much you would have suffered?”

Old Master Hu deliberately said this for Hu Shuli to hear. He had noticed earlier that she still had a bit of softness in her heart toward that man. Fortunately, she wasn’t so blinded by love that she disregarded An An.

In Grandpa’s arms, An An responded in his small, tearful voice to every sentence Old Master Hu said, as if echoing his grievances.

To put it simply, in the storyline, Hu Shuli was an undeniable love-struck fool. However, compared to those who were purely blinded by love, she at least knew she couldn’t let it affect others.

The moment something involved the people she cared about, no matter how much she loved Song Yushu, it was impossible for her to have no complaints.

“Let Grandpa see, is this little hand swollen?”

An An obediently held out his tiny hand. His skin was so delicate that even now, there were still visible marks. Old Master Hu held his little hand and showed it to his daughter.

“Look at this. How could she have hit him so hard?”

An An sniffled and moved his hand toward his mother again. He didn’t understand what Grandpa was saying, but he instinctively knew how to act pitiful to make his mother feel sorry for him.

Hu Shuli stared at An An’s fair, tender little hand for a long time. In the end, she murmured a barely audible apology.

This matter wasn’t over yet.

That night, when the nanny was changing An An’s diaper, she unexpectedly found that his body was burning hot. Alarmed, she immediately called their private doctor.

The commotion woke both Old Master Hu and Hu Shuli. An An’s little face was already flushed with fever. While examining him, the private doctor asked if he had cried for a long time during the day.

Hu Shuli, afraid of missing any details, quickly answered that An An had cried for at least half an hour, to the point of exhaustion.

“He might not be able to take the medicine easily, and this situation is a bit complicated.”

A three-month-old baby having a fever at night required caution when prescribing medication. The private doctor recommended taking An An to the hospital for a thorough examination. Old Master Hu immediately instructed the butler to prepare the car.

Earlier that day, Song’s mother had confidently claimed that An An’s health was perfectly fine. Yet now, An An had fallen ill overnight, as if refuting her words.

By the time they had finished dealing with everything, dawn was already breaking.

Although they could have left An An in the nanny’s care, neither Hu Shuli nor Old Master Hu felt at ease.

Moreover, a sick and uncomfortable An An was unusually clingy—he had to be held by Hu Shuli to keep from crying, making it impossible for them to leave him.

Hu Shuli, exhausted and sleep-deprived, stared at An An’s pale face, feeling an overwhelming wave of regret.

She shouldn’t have let them in.

She shouldn’t have let them see An An.

By mid-morning, they returned home with the medicine prescribed by the hospital.

An An hadn’t slept, but he was no longer his usual lively self. Like a withered autumn eggplant, he lay quietly in his mother’s arms, unusually silent.

Hu Shuli felt a bit flustered seeing him in this state and deliberately tried to cheer him up. An An only gave a slight smile in response.

On the way back, Hu Shuli couldn’t help but think about what the doctor had specifically instructed. For babies just over three months old, taking medicine was generally not recommended. Their kidneys had not yet fully developed, and since all medicine carries some toxicity, it could place an additional burden on their bodies.

Moreover, An An was born prematurely and was not as healthy as other children, so extra caution was necessary.

After they arrived home, the nanny took An An upstairs to sleep. Meanwhile, Mr. Hu brought Hu Shuli into the study, intending to have a serious talk with his daughter about the issue at hand.

“Li Li, Dad knows that maybe you still can’t let go of him. But could it be that it’s not love? Maybe it’s just that you invested so much in him back then that you feel unwilling to accept how things turned out now?”

Hearing this, Hu Shuli’s face burned. Every sacrifice her father spoke of was tied to his pain. It was only after becoming a mother herself that she truly understood what her father had gone through.

“Dad doesn’t want to interfere too much in your personal life, but you have to believe me—my thoughts are actually very simple. I just want you to be happy.”

Recently, Mr. Hu had figured out some ways to better communicate with his daughter. The key was to go along with her emotions rather than push against them.

In many cases, misunderstandings arose not because of the child’s true intentions but due to poor communication, leading to conflict and rash decisions.

“Dad, I understand. I promise, I won’t contact them again for now. If they come over again saying they want to see An An… just have security stop them.”

Hu Shuli was truly frightened this time. It was only after the doctor’s explanation that she realized how excessive crying could have long-term effects on a baby. She couldn’t even imagine what she would do if she lost An An due to these unforeseen incidents.

She couldn’t gamble with her child’s health, nor was she sure that Song Yushu and his mother truly cared for An An the way she did.

“Li Li, I fully support you finding new love. I don’t want to see you trapped in this relationship forever. But life is long, and no one can guarantee that feelings won’t change.”

“Besides your own feelings, you also need to consider whether a man is responsible and reliable.”

Mr. Hu regretted that he had never taught his daughter about relationships before. He had wanted to prevent her from marrying too young, so he hadn’t thought it necessary at the time.

But this one oversight had almost led to disaster.

Hu Shuli trusted her father deeply. After hearing his words, she felt as if a fog had lifted from her mind.

“Dad, I won’t go out for a while. I want to stay home and take good care of An An.”

“That child truly adores you. I keep thinking that yesterday, he was standing up for you. You may not take it seriously, but children can actually sense their mother’s emotions even while in the womb. When you’re sad, they feel it too.”

Back when Mr. Hu’s wife was pregnant, he had taken the time to learn about these things. When his wife was carrying Li Li, he had been extra careful not to upset her in any way.

“Really?”

Hu Shuli had never heard of such a thing before. She had thought that An An had only scratched Song Yushu because he was startled when the man suddenly approached him.

But after hearing her father’s explanation, it made more sense that An An had done it on purpose. If he had been standing up for her, then it was no wonder he had looked so aggrieved when she had tried to scold him.

“Li Li, don’t think that just because a child is still young, their feelings don’t matter. Sadness is real, and even if they don’t remember it later, it still affects them.”

Mr. Hu truly doted on his grandson, and he also believed that such a family was not a suitable place for either his daughter or An An.

For the sake of both his daughter’s future happiness and his grandson’s well-being, the farther they stayed away, the better.

“I understand, Dad. I heard you were thinking of expanding overseas? Without a leader there, wouldn’t it be difficult? Outsiders can never be as trustworthy as family.”

Hu Shuli had never been a sheltered princess. She was raised as an heir, a queen in the making. Now that she had pulled herself out of her emotions, she began thinking strategically.

She no longer wanted to dwell on the past. At the very least, until she was sure she had completely let go of Song Yushu, the best course of action was to distance herself.

There were some things she couldn’t tell her father. When she had seen Song Yushu again, for a fleeting moment, she had felt as if all the qualities that had once drawn her to him had returned. She had fallen for him all over again.

She didn’t know how to rid herself of these feelings, but she knew that staying away was the best solution.

“I trust your uncles to handle the domestic company affairs, but expanding overseas with just you alone? That won’t do.”

The moment Mr. Hu realized what his daughter was thinking, he immediately wanted to go with her. No matter where she went, he couldn’t bear to let her go alone.

There was another reason as well—An An was still young, and he was quite fond of his grandson. He couldn’t bear to be separated from him.

“Dad, I just feel… like this is such a cowardly way to handle things.”

Hu Shuli pressed her hands against her forehead, struggling to make sense of her emotions. She was in a painful state of internal conflict.

Mr. Hu walked over and gently patted her back, letting her lean on his shoulder.

“Li Li, it’s okay if you can’t let go right now. Who says you have to move on immediately? It’s okay. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

Letting go of a relationship always took time. Mr. Hu had no intention of forcing her.

After all, Li Li was still young. She had room to make mistakes and learn. As long as he could keep that man and his mother from harming her again, it didn’t matter what decisions she made.

“Dad, aren’t you going to scold me a little?”

Hu Shuli felt that she was being pathetic. Song Yushu had come to their home turf, and if she wanted revenge, there were plenty of ways she could do it.

But she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. She even felt like a coward, choosing to run away from this place instead. She was afraid of everything related to Song Yushu.

Every time she encountered him, it was as if something inside her became completely off-kilter.

“Why would I scold you, silly child? I feel even more heartbroken for you.”

Mr. Hu gently patted her on the back. A few days ago, he had contacted some of her maternal uncles, and from the master they invited, he had learned that Song Yushu’s fate was indeed peculiar. Most women who got close to him would be attracted to him, and there was no known way to counter it.

That master even suggested that if possible, Hu Shuli should simply accept him. As his first woman, she would undoubtedly enjoy a life of luxury in the future.

Mr. Hu had left with a dark face in fury at that moment. His daughter could live in comfort without relying on Song Yushu. The Hu family had such vast wealth that even if Lili wanted to throw money away, it wouldn’t matter.

With him as her father, why would she need to depend on someone else? Later, it was only thanks to her uncles smoothing things over that the situation didn’t escalate. Though they didn’t agree with the master’s words either, they didn’t want to offend him.

Her family’s understanding and support only deepened Hu Shuli’s guilt. She closed her eyes, exhausted.

…

Hu Shuli initially thought that bringing An An to the hospital for medicine would be enough, but she hadn’t expected that getting him to take the medicine would be such a challenge.

The medicine was too bitter, and he refused to swallow it. No matter how much the nanny fed him, he would spit it all out, struggling as he did so. A good portion of the medicine ended up on his clothes, leaving him looking utterly disheveled.

The nanny was highly experienced in childcare, but no matter what tricks she tried, An An simply wouldn’t cooperate. The moment he smelled the medicine, he would clamp his mouth shut.

They didn’t dare to pinch his nose and force-feed him either. A child’s body was too delicate, and they couldn’t afford to take risks.

By the time Hu Shuli arrived, An An’s throat was already hoarse from crying. But when he saw his mother, it was as if he had spotted his savior. He stretched out his little hands, asking for a hug.

He clung tightly to his mother’s arm, sobbing softly, making it impossible for Hu Shuli to even bring up the medicine.

“Is there any other way to get him to take it?”

“We’ve tried everything. The moment he smells it, he refuses.”

Hu Shuli looked down at An An after hearing this. He puffed out his cheeks, looking a little defiant.

“What should we do?”

An An had always been well-behaved. He had never been this difficult before. Since all of this had started because of her decision to bring them here, Hu Shuli felt immensely guilty.

“An An, can you be a good boy? If you drink the medicine, Mommy will take you to see the flowers.”

An An buried his head in her arms, covering his ears as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

“If you don’t take the medicine, how will you get better? Be good, An An. Just one sip, and Mommy will give you a kiss, okay?”

An An didn’t understand a single word of her complicated reasoning. Instead, hearing his mother’s familiar voice lulled him to sleep.

At first, Hu Shuli didn’t notice anything strange, but when she realized that the little one had gone completely still, she leaned in nervously—his breathing was steady, and he was already fast asleep.

The nanny brought over a fresh dose of medicine, suggesting they try feeding him while he was asleep, as he hadn’t taken a single sip yet.

“Is it very bitter?”

Hu Shuli sniffed it and thought it didn’t smell too bad, though she had no idea how it tasted.

“The medicine isn’t bitter. An An just doesn’t want to drink it. The moment he smells it, he refuses.”

As she spoke, the nanny scooped up a spoonful and brought it near An An’s face. Even in his sleep, he instinctively turned his head away in refusal.

The childcare expert gently pinched his nose, and as An An gasped for air, his mouth opened slightly with a soft “ah.”

The nanny quickly seized the opportunity, feeding him one spoonful after another. Nestled in his mother’s familiar embrace, An An was completely defenseless, subconsciously swallowing the medicine as it went down.

By the time he realized what had happened, he was already awake, his big, confused eyes darting around.

At that moment, Hu Shuli leaned down and kissed his cheek. Right after, she caught the scent of the medicine on him and exaggeratedly scrunched her nose in mock disgust.

“Yuck?”

An An’s attention was successfully diverted. Mimicking his mother, he took a good sniff of himself, then furrowed his tiny brows. He clung to his mother’s clothes, not quite sure how to express his feelings.

After giving him a bath and changing him into clean clothes, they took him for a walk in the garden downstairs.

Even then, he still seemed listless. His once bright, clear eyes appeared clouded, lacking their usual vibrance.

It took about half a month before he fully recovered.

By then, the little kitten had also gotten used to its new environment. After confirming that it was gentle and had no aggressive tendencies, the nanny carried it into An An’s playroom.

Before letting the kitten play with him, they had given it a thorough cleaning inside and out, paying special attention to scrubbing its paws. The entire kitten smelled fresh and clean.

Lying there holding a rattle drum, An An’s attention immediately shifted to the kitten the moment it appeared. As he observed the kitten, the kitten also observed him.

For a long time, they just stared at each other, big eyes meeting big eyes. Finally, the little kitten cautiously approached An An.

An An reached out and gently stroked its fur. The kitten didn’t resist; instead, it rubbed its head against him.

Their first day together went well. That evening, An An drank half a bottle more of milk than usual, and the kitten was rewarded with a can of cat food.

After getting familiar with each other, the little kitten noticed that An An seemed quite lazy, so it naturally accompanied him in being lazy as well. The cradle bed, which initially only belonged to An An, now had an additional one beside it for the cat.

On this day, after An An woke up from his nap, the nanny changed his diaper and then left him on the carpet to play on his own. The little kitten, which had been napping nearby, opened its eyes and jumped to his side as soon as he entered.

The kitten had just woken up, so it naturally rolled over and stretched lazily. Seeing this, An An seemed to ponder something. After a minute, he imitated the kitten’s movements, placing his hands on the ground and trying his best to flip himself over.

“Yiya”