Good Baby C44

Chapter 44 (End of Arc)

An An sat in Hu Shuli’s arms. She could clearly see her own reflection in her son’s eyes, as well as the concern in his gaze.

“A little bit.”

An An was stunned for a long time. Just as Hu Shuli started regretting bringing up this topic, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her neck and leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the cheek.

“Mama, you’ve worked so hard.”

“I don’t want a little sister anymore. I just want Mama.”

Hu Shuli lowered her head and kissed his soft, chubby cheek, smiling as she replied,

“It’s not hard at all. As long as I have An An, I’m very happy. It’s all worth it.”

In this little one’s heart, she seemed to always be the most important person. He had been so determined to have a little sister before, but the moment he heard it would cause her pain, he immediately backed down. Being held so dearly and loved so wholeheartedly—how could she not be moved?

Hu Shuli was an only child, but she had heard from friends with siblings about the unfair distribution of parental attention when they were young, how they had felt so wronged before they fully understood the situation.

She couldn’t bear for her little one to go through the same thing, so she had never even considered having a second child.

Miles handed An An a tissue. An An carefully took it and wiped his mama’s tears clean, being extra cautious to avoid smudging her makeup.

“Your little grand-uncle didn’t dislike you. It’s just that the baby was very, very tiny. If you want to hold her next time, Mama will help you, okay?”

An An gently shook his head and murmured softly,

“That baby’s mama went through so much pain to give birth to her. I don’t want to hold her anymore. I’m still just a little kid—what if I can’t hold her properly?”

“That’s okay too. How about we go abroad to visit Grandma during the holiday? She said the roses in the estate she gave you are blooming. I’d love to taste some rose jam made by you, An An.”

Under Miles’ guidance, even though An An was still young, he had already learned to make many kinds of food on his own. Being needed by his mama made him very happy. He squinted his eyes, patted his little chest, and lifted his chin proudly.

“I’ll make lots and lots for Mama!”

“Thank you, An An.”

“No need to thank me~”

Maybe it was because An An had brought this up today, but Hu Shuli found herself overwhelmed with emotions. Her mind was filled with memories of An An growing up little by little.

From a tiny pink bundle to a child who could now run and jump.

An An had always been well-behaved by nature, and with Miles’ careful teaching, he had turned out even better. Every time Hu Shuli spoke to him, he would answer her seriously, sentence by sentence.

And if he was busy at the time, he would always put down whatever he was doing and run over, never letting her feel ignored.

At that moment, An An was gently smoothing a cat’s fur. His fair, slender fingers rested on the back of a British Shorthair. Sensing his mama’s gaze, he quickly lifted his head and flashed her a bright, sunny smile.

Even though the three of them were each doing their own thing, the atmosphere remained warm and cozy.

—

As An An continued to grow, he graduated from kindergarten and moved on to elementary school. He had many extracurricular interests, especially in musical instruments.

Both Hu Shuli and Miles fully respected their child’s hobbies. They didn’t see them as distractions and even hired the best teachers to come and teach him at home.

When his grandmother overseas saw a video of him playing the piano, she specially arranged for the best piano to be shipped to their home.

That afternoon, after finishing his homework, An An sat in the living room waiting for his mama to return. He was holding a little kitten in his arms while a dog lay nearby on the carpet, sleeping so comfortably that it let out soft snores.

Because of something that had happened at school today, An An was feeling a little conflicted.

Whenever he couldn’t understand something, he would instinctively turn to his parents, hoping to find the answers from them.

As soon as Hu Shuli returned home and saw him, she immediately sensed that something was on his mind. Placing her bag aside, she walked over and sat next to him, asking gently,

“Did something happen?”

An An put the kitten down and, just like when he was younger, tilted his head and leaned against his mama, lowering his eyes to hide the confusion within them.

“Mama, my best friend got scolded by his mom.”

“Oh? Why? Was there a reason?”

Hu Shuli rarely used scolding or punishment to get An An to behave. She preferred to patiently ask questions and understand the situation before taking action.

She also knew that in their country, many parents used scolding and even physical discipline to get their children to listen. Perhaps they were too exhausted in other areas of life, leaving them with little patience for their kids.

“He said that when he grows up, he wants to collect garbage and turn waste into treasure. I think that’s such a cool dream! But his mom hit him. Today, I could still see the handprint on his face. He was really sad.”

After hearing the reason, Hu Shuli was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

After thinking for a few seconds, she could only comfort An An, telling him that every mother has a different way of raising their child, and she promised that she would never become that kind of mother.

“Maybe your friend’s mama hopes he will have bigger ambitions.”

But this explanation only made An An more confused.

He pouted as he leaned back against the soft sofa, rubbing his hair absentmindedly. His neatly trimmed bowl cut was soon a complete mess.

Hu Shuli reached out and wrapped her arm around his small shoulders, gently helping him smooth out his messy hair.

Her soft, warm fingertips seemed to have a magical touch. As she tidied his hair, she also calmed his restless thoughts.

“Mama, isn’t turning waste into treasure a great ambition?”

An An didn’t understand.

Why did every dream these days need to fit into a set standard?

“Of course! But in your friend’s mom’s eyes, it doesn’t count. Everyone sees the world differently. I think that dream is really cool, just like you do.”

An’an was feeling a little down today. He looked up at his mother and softly asked,

“What if I want to collect trash when I grow up?”

“Hmm… Do you need Mom to buy you a garbage truck? But remember, you have to get a driver’s license before you can hit the road.”

“Then I want to be a street sweeper when I grow up!”

Hu Shuli saw that An’an was upset and trying to argue with her out of frustration. The smile in her eyes deepened as she replied,

“Then starting now, you need to break your habit of sleeping in.”

The weather had been cold lately, and every morning, it took a long time to wake An’an up for school.

Hearing this, An’an immediately wilted like an eggplant hit by frost. He grabbed the cat and rubbed its head in frustration, mumbling softly,

“Forget it, I won’t sweep the streets. I can’t wake up that early.”

By the time he said this, the inexplicable emotions in his heart had already been soothed by his mother. He quickly switched topics to an upcoming competition at school, and Hu Shuli naturally followed along with his conversation.

After all, that wasn’t her child, and she had no place to interfere in someone else’s parenting methods.

Wanting their children to succeed was common among parents, but Hu Shuli was different. She believed that every little wish An’an had was worth cherishing.

Their family had the means to ensure An’an could always be free to do what he loved, and she couldn’t bear to see her son experience the pain of rejection.

Sitting cross-legged on the couch in his school uniform, An’an’s baby fat still hadn’t faded.

The peacefully sleeping cat got annoyed by all the head rubbing and gave him a little kick in warning. An’an, who knew this cat’s temper well, understood that if he didn’t stop, the claws would come out next.

Getting kicked made An’an a bit angry, and like before, he puffed out his cheeks like a little pufferfish.

Hu Shuli quietly took out her phone and snapped a picture. To her, every moment of An’an’s growth was worth preserving, something to look back on in the future.

It was then that Miles walked in. As soon as he entered, he ran over to An’an and planted a big kiss on his chubby cheek.

“Dad! Stop being so affectionate!”

“No way, my son is too cute! Let me kiss the other side too.”

An’an kept a straight face, trying to look serious as his dad kissed him again. But no matter how hard he tried, he was still too young to look intimidating.

The more he tried to act stern, the cuter he looked—making it impossible not to tease him even more.

After a while, An’an started getting annoyed by all the kisses. Suddenly, he thought about how the cat had kicked him earlier. If he were the cat and Dad was this annoying, he’d kick him too!

That night, before bed, Miles heard about An’an’s friend’s mother scolding him. He suggested that An’an and his friend try talking to her properly at home.

Many misunderstandings and grievances come from a lack of communication—maybe, after talking things through, it wouldn’t be as bad as they imagined.

“But his mom hit him.”

Miles didn’t understand why some parents would resort to physical punishment to educate their children. In his mind, that was something used to train animals, not raise kids.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to admit his own ignorance to An’an.

“This is a complicated issue, and even Dad doesn’t have an answer. But once you find out, can you tell me too?”

“Of course! I’ll remember this!”

Even though he didn’t get an answer, An’an wasn’t sad at all. Instead, he started looking forward to figuring it out and showing off his knowledge to his dad later.

“Good. Thank you, An’an.”

…

The older An’an got, the more he understood just how fortunate he was to be raised in such a family. No matter how “impractical” his hobbies seemed, they were always respected.

Whether it was his parents, his grandmother, or his grandparents, no one ever forced him onto a path they thought was “right.”

He loved music, had a natural talent for it, and told his mother that he wanted to become a singer when he grew up.

He had expected some resistance, but to his surprise, his mom only reminded him,

“Just don’t forget to save me a free ticket. I want the best seat in the house—I’ll be there with a lightstick, cheering you on as your first fan.”

The sense of accomplishment from raising a child herself filled Hu Shuli with satisfaction, especially during An’an’s first high school anniversary celebration.

Though she wasn’t there in person, she could watch the live stream as An’an stood on stage with his guitar, performing a song he had written himself.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt, his neatly combed hair framed his youthful face, full of collagen and vibrant with energy.

The sunlight hit his face, and his beautiful voice, amplified by the speakers, carried far. His long, slender fingers plucked at the guitar strings with ease.

On that stage, he stood alone, yet it seemed as if he were glowing.

Hu Shuli could already predict how many girls would fall for her son after this performance.

“Miles, did we forget to teach An’an how to properly handle young love?”

At the mention of this, Hu Shuli felt a headache coming on. She gave An’an so much freedom because she loved him and wanted him to grow up happy.

But when it came to guiding him through things like romance, she was completely clueless. She had no idea how to even start the conversation.

“Leave that to me,” Miles said without hesitation, taking full responsibility for the issue.

He watched as the wind ruffled An’an’s hair on the screen. As An’an finished his performance and took a bow, the audience erupted into cheers.

“Ah, youth is wonderful,” Miles sighed.

That little boy who once had to jump up just to hit him had now grown into a handsome young man.

Time had left its mark on Miles and Hu Shuli, but their son—he was just getting started.

“I have a feeling An’an has never even thought about it,” Miles added with a chuckle.

Based on Miles’ understanding of An’An, even during middle school, when teenagers typically start appreciating the opposite sex, An’An had no such thoughts—he was completely oblivious.

Once, when a female classmate handed him a bottle of water, he thought she was selling it and had noticed he was thirsty. After politely declining, he was even worried she would come back asking for money.

When Miles heard this from An’An, he laughed for a long time and even shared the story with An’An’s grandparents. He repeatedly told them not to let An’An find out about it.

“Even if he hasn’t thought about it, kids still need proper education. Let’s go look at some books together later.”

In Hu Shuli’s eyes, An’An had always been a little kid. But today, she saw firsthand how much he had grown—no longer the small child who always followed her around.

“Alright.”

She put her work aside for now and sat with Miles in the study, going through a variety of books carefully. They wanted to be well-prepared for the next time An’An came home so they could discuss the topic with him scientifically and gradually.

—

On Sunday, when An’An came home, he was surprised to see both his parents there. Normally, both of them were complete workaholics, and even on public holidays, they might not always be home together.

This unusual situation made An’An wonder if something strange had happened.

“What’s wrong, Mom? Dad? Did something happen?”

An’An casually tossed his school bag onto the couch. Since he hadn’t packed it properly, a few pink envelopes slipped out.

Hu Shuli instinctively picked one up and glanced at it. An’An followed her gaze and looked puzzled—he was sure those weren’t his.

“Did someone put their stuff in my bag by mistake? That’s weird. People should take better care of their own things.”

Seeing An’An’s utterly confused expression, Hu Shuli now fully believed what Miles had told her before—An’An was completely clueless and wasn’t even thinking in that direction.

“An’An, maybe these letters were written for you?”

The pink envelopes were delicately designed, and when held close, they even carried a faint fragrance. The sender had clearly put a lot of effort into them.

“For me?”

An’An, still sitting on the couch, looked even more puzzled. Miles walked out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of neatly sliced fruit, and placed it in front of An’An.

An’An grabbed a fork, stuffed a juicy piece of fruit into his mouth, and chewed while asking:

“Why write letters? If someone really needed to talk to me, couldn’t they just call or text?”

After saying this, he seemed to find his own reasoning quite sound and even nodded slightly in approval of himself.

“That person is kind of weird. They could’ve just added me on WeChat and talked there.”

“They put the letter in my school bag? If I wanted to reply, would I have to sneak it back in?”

Hu Shuli found her son’s lack of romantic awareness amusing yet endearing. After all, how many teenage girls would have the courage to confess their feelings directly?

“Just keep the letters safe, okay? Don’t throw them away.”

“Can I return them to the sender?”

An’An was someone who loved tidiness. Every so often, he would get rid of things he didn’t need, either by donating them or throwing them away.

To him, these letters were just useless clutter taking up space. If he kept them, he’d be stressed about where to store them.

His solution wasn’t unreasonable, but Hu Shuli didn’t think it was the right approach.

If she were a high school girl who had carefully prepared a love letter, only to have it returned, she would definitely be heartbroken for a long time. She might even lose confidence in herself and keep doubting her self-worth.

“How about letting Mom keep them for you? I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

An’An didn’t seem to care much about the whole situation. To him, those love letters weren’t nearly as interesting as the plate of fruit in front of him.

Miles, always attentive to small details, had cut each piece into cute animal shapes, adding a bit of charm and romance to everyday life.

Hu Shuli felt a little disappointed that all the books she had read overnight were completely unnecessary. At the same time, she was relieved—it was actually a good thing. At this stage in his life, An’An should focus on studying, and there was no need to rush anything else.

She had been too impatient in the past, which was how Song Yushu came into the picture. If she had been more patient, maybe the first person she met would have been Miles instead.

“Alright.”

An’An opened his school bag and started sorting through it. As it turned out, there were quite a few pink envelopes. He organized them and handed them all over.

When he noticed a heart drawn on one of the envelopes, he paused for a moment before finally realizing what was going on.

“Mom, these are love letters?”

Until now, An’An had never thought such a thing would happen to him. His hand, frozen mid-air, hesitated for a moment before he passed all the letters to his mother.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Aren’t you curious to see if any of them are from a girl you like?”

An’An might have been a bit slow in this area, but he wasn’t stupid. He understood that behind those pink envelopes was a piece of someone’s youthful feelings.

“Mom, I don’t have a girl I like.”

“Really? Don’t worry, I’m a very open-minded mom. Even if you did, it’d be totally fine.”

Seeing his mother’s eager, gossip-loving expression, An’An rubbed his temples and replied helplessly:

“Really, I don’t.”

“Alright then.”

Hu Shuli carefully stored the letters in a drawer in the study. She didn’t support early romance, but she also didn’t believe in dismissing others’ feelings lightly.

That night, as An’An sat on the balcony playing games, he suddenly heard a knock on his door.

He casually called out, “It’s open,” and soon, his father walked in.

Just as a game round ended, An’An set his phone aside. He knew that Miles had come to ask about the same topic again.

There were already a few couples in his class, but An’An had never once entertained such thoughts—almost as if he was naturally missing that part of his emotional wiring.

An’an spoke his thoughts truthfully, and after listening, Miles didn’t show any surprise. Instead, he patiently explained to An’an that it might be due to his age.

As he grew older, his perspective might change. After all, what people seek at different stages of life varies.

“Dad, but what if I never change? Then what?”

As An’an spoke, he clenched his hands nervously. It took a great deal of courage for him to confide in his father.

With age, he gradually realized just how strange the system that only appeared in his mind was. He had a vague suspicion that what the system had once shown him was everything his mother would have experienced had he not arrived.

Beyond his own lack of emotional needs, An’an also understood one thing very clearly—he could not develop romantic feelings for people in the mission worlds.

Miles, who had previously thought this matter was no big deal, found himself hearing An’an express his thoughts so directly for the first time. He fell into deep contemplation. Seeing An’an’s nervous expression, he took a deep breath, suppressing all the chaotic emotions in his heart, striving to remain calm and rational.

“This is a bit sudden. I hope you understand that I need some time to process it, alright?”

“Mm.”

Before confessing this to his father, An’an had already prepared himself to be scolded harshly. The fact that his dad didn’t yell at him was already a pleasant surprise.

Miles had personally raised An’an from a small bundle to the young man he was now, and their bond ran deep.

He had thought he could calmly accept any unexpected situation, but now that it was truly happening, he still felt a stunned sense of being caught off guard.

As he reflected, though, he realized that the signs had been there all along.

“An’an, first of all, if you choose this way of life, we will respect your decision, as long as it makes you happy.”

“As for your mom, don’t tell her just yet. Let me handle it, okay?”

Miles figured that if he himself was already this shocked, Hu Shuli would have an even harder time accepting it.

An’an’s eyes widened, like a cat whose head had just been bopped by its owner. As his mind gradually cleared, he asked in disbelief,

“You’re not against it? You’re not going to scold me?”

“No. I believe you must have thought this through carefully before making your decision. You must have gathered a lot of courage to choose to live alone, didn’t you?”

Miles’ voice was calm and steady, carrying a reassuring warmth.

“As your father, it’s my duty to stand by your side. I can’t let you feel like, on top of fighting against societal expectations, you also have to fight against your own family.”

At a time when his child felt lost, Miles believed that, as a father, he should firmly hold An’an’s hand and guide him toward the path he wished to take—not drag him backward.

An’an fell silent for a long time. Ever since he began to realize how strange the system was, he had been repeatedly recalling his past life’s memories.

He had done a lot for his mother in this life. Most of the time, it was children who caused their mothers worry, but he had done his best. Yet, the one who had done even better was Miles.

“I suddenly feel so lucky to be your and Mom’s son in this life.”

An’an sighed sincerely. His parents had given him endless support, allowing him to know that no matter what choices he made, they would always be behind him.

“It’s an honor to hear you say that.”

Miles and An’an talked late into the night. It was only when it got too late that he urged An’an to rest. After coaxing his son, he still had to go back and soothe his wife.

This wasn’t something he could tell Hu Shuli outright. So Miles decided to take a more subtle approach—letting her gradually notice the signs and accept it bit by bit.

An’an loved singing. He got into the country’s top arts university, and after graduating, aside from regular performances, his greatest passion was charity work.

He was incredibly smart. In his senior year, he passed the civil service exam through sheer effort.

Old Mr. Hu strongly supported his grandson’s endeavors. Under Hu Shuli’s management, their company had thrived for years, giving them ample resources to support everything An’an wanted to do.

As An’an matured, his worldview became more complete, and he saw more clearly how ignorant and backward the place his mother once lived in had been.

Back then, he had been too young to do anything. So he chose to act once he grew up, helping those who were just like his mother once was.

He helped build roads and schools in remote mountain areas, guiding children out of poverty step by step. As long as they had good grades, they would receive monthly subsidies, ensuring they had the means to continue their education.

After Hu Shuli retired, she handed the company over to an agent and joined Miles and An’an in these efforts. Together, they watched as those areas were rebuilt and improved bit by bit due to their work.

Their charity work was recognized multiple times by the government, even earning them a feature on national television.

An’an’s achievements in this life were not necessarily grand, but when he left this world, the merit he accumulated was so immense that it was impossible to ignore. Even the souls of Miles, Hu Shuli, and a few of their relatives carried golden light because of it.

Barring any unexpected events, in their next lives, they would be born into good families and live peaceful, smooth lives.

Inside the system space, the system stared at the sleeping soul within the glowing sphere. It was originally just an entity made of data, incapable of emotions—yet, for the first time, it experienced the feeling of heartache.

Hu Shuli had been given a second chance at life. Miles had found love. Old Mr. Hu had witnessed a harmonious family and enjoyed his later years in peace. Even Huo Si had made a different choice thanks to An’an’s warning, preserving his family’s future.

The merit from all of An’an’s charity work stayed behind, benefiting those closest to him, ensuring they would have good lives even in their next reincarnations.

Only An’an had nothing.

In the end, he wouldn’t even be able to retain his memories.

When he opened his eyes again, he would still believe he was just a child awakening from a muddled, dreamlike existence.

The system stayed by An’an’s side, unsure how long it had been waiting, until it finally saw An’an open his eyes. His clear, innocent eyes curiously scanned his surroundings, and his soft, childlike voice carried a hint of nervousness due to fear.

“Where is this?”

“This is the system space. Host, welcome. I am the system bound to you. In the time ahead, you will be carrying out missions with me.”

An’an nodded in half-understanding. Before he could ask another question, the system preemptively answered:

“The mission is to save parents who have been let down by their children. In the mission world, you will have a father or mother who loves you deeply and will live a happy life.”

Any wariness An’an had disappeared upon hearing this, and he eagerly stood up.

“Alright! When do we start?”

“Please prepare yourself. The mission is about to begin.”

Originally, the system was supposed to send An’an to a difficult mission world where he would struggle, but it found itself reluctant to do so. The early conditions there would surely make its little one go hungry and thin. In the end, it decided to go against its programming and push that mission world further down the list.

During the teleportation, the blinding white light was too intense, and An’an instinctively covered his eyes with his hands. When the feeling of weightlessness passed, he opened his eyes and curiously examined his surroundings.

He was inside a car, sitting there alone with no one paying attention to him.

An’an curiously turned to look at the woman sitting beside him. Her expression was cold, and her gaze upon him was complicated, filled with emotions he couldn’t quite decipher.

He was highly sensitive to people’s emotions, and realizing that this person didn’t seem to like him, he obediently sat still, placing his hands neatly on his knees. Occasionally, when sitting still became too boring, he would glance at the scenery outside the window, watching it rush past.

This was a bustling, vibrant metropolis, with cars filling the streets. They had been in the car for a long, long time, and eventually, An’an’s stomach started growling from hunger.

Sensing that the woman next to him didn’t seem fond of him, he didn’t dare to voice any requests. Instead, he covered his stomach with his hands, as if that could lessen his hunger.

Eventually, sleepiness overcame him, and he simply closed his eyes.

The cold woman, noticing that he had fallen asleep, picked up a jacket and placed it over him.

As he slept, An’an looked especially well-behaved, his small hands still resting on his knees. The woman clenched the edge of the jacket, a flicker of struggle appearing in her eyes.

Just then, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen before answering.

“Hello? Yes, I understand. I’m really sorry. I’ll make sure to pay the fee within the week. Thank you, thank you—I really appreciate it.”

She deliberately lowered her voice, as if afraid of waking up the sleeping An’an.

An’an slept all the way into the next day. Before fully waking, he drowsily felt someone turning him over and over as if flipping a pancake. The “pancake” opened his eyes and rubbed them with his hands.

“Hmm…”

The woman’s movements became gentler upon seeing him wake up, but since she wasn’t used to taking care of children, she inevitably tugged a little too hard while dressing him.

“Ow…”

An’an’s arm was pulled too roughly, and his eyes welled up with tears as he softly cried out in pain. The woman gritted her teeth and tugged her hair in frustration. Her eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, and the child’s voice seemed to be the final straw that broke her.

“Ow, ow, ow—what do you expect me to do?! If you’re willing to go without clothes, then fine, I won’t bother with you anymore!”

Her outburst startled An’an, leaving him frozen in place. It took him a long moment to recover before he hesitantly reached out and gently wiped her tears with the back of his hand. In a small voice, he said:

“Don’t be mad. I put on myself.”

After speaking, An’an carefully examined his clothes, slowly figuring out how to dress himself. Once he buttoned his shirt, he patted her shoulder.

“Not mad.”

The woman, who had been staring blankly, finally came back to her senses. She reached out and pulled An’an into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face as she repeatedly whispered apologies into his ear.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… Mommy didn’t mean to yell at you. Baby, I’m so sorry…”

“It’s okay.”

An’an hugged her back, gently patting her on the back and even rubbing his head lightly against her.

But rather than soothing her, the child’s obedient and considerate actions shattered her defenses completely, making her cry even harder, her sobs filled with despair and helplessness.

Seeing her in such distress, An’an wasn’t sure how to comfort her. He could only pat her back gently and, after some thought, leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“Don’t cry.”

The more he comforted her, the harder she cried. In the end, her grief was so overwhelming that she seemed on the verge of passing out.

Su Ling, realizing she couldn’t go on like this, carried An’an to the sofa, sat down, and took deep breaths to steady herself.

An’an carefully pulled out a tissue and wiped her tears. Su Ling stared at his serious little face, and the emotions she had just managed to suppress surged again, a deep ache settling in her chest.

She knew she had failed this child. Apart from giving birth to him, she had never truly raised him. And now, she was about to use him to save her mother.

Su Ling hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in a long time. Ever since her mother was diagnosed with late-stage cancer, she had spent all her savings on medical bills, yet it was still not enough.

She had borrowed money from every friend and relative she could, but hospitals were bottomless pits—no matter how much she paid, it was never enough.

Every time she saw her mother lying in a hospital bed, writhing in pain, guilt threatened to swallow her whole.

Only in moments like these did she truly realize how powerless she was.

No matter how dire things became, Su Ling couldn’t bring herself to let her mother go.

Exhausted beyond words, she lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.

An’an carefully wriggled out of her arms, then toddled over to the hotel room to fetch a blanket. With unsteady steps, he returned and gently covered her with it.

When An An finished what he was doing and sat down on a single-seater sofa, a voice he was very familiar with suddenly rang in his mind.

“Beep. Host, do you confirm receiving the storyline now?”

“Hmm?”

A look of confusion flashed across An An’s small face. Storyline? What was that?

The system guessed that An An probably had no idea what it was talking about, so just like in the last world, it transformed the original storyline of this world into a series of images, playing them scene by scene before An An’s eyes.

In this world, Su Ling and An An’s father had been college sweethearts. However, during graduation season, they broke up amicably due to differing life goals. Su Ling returned to her hometown, ready to start working, only to discover that she was pregnant.

At the time, she couldn’t bear to terminate the pregnancy. Moreover, since the pregnancy was already far along, it would have posed significant risks to her health, so she chose to give birth to the child.

Her mother agreed to let her keep the baby on one condition: after the child turned one, Su Ling had to leave home to work elsewhere and was not allowed to stay in their small hometown.

Thus, the child—An An—was raised by his grandmother until he was two years old. However, before his third birthday, his grandmother suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Su Ling immediately returned from the big city.

Despite using up all her savings and borrowing a substantial amount of money, she still couldn’t afford the expensive medical bills.

Just when she felt completely hopeless, someone suddenly contacted her, offering her a deal: she was to publicly reveal her identity along with her son, and in exchange, she would receive five million yuan once the plan succeeded.

It turned out that Su Ling’s former lover had since entered the entertainment industry and become a hugely popular idol. Celebrities like him were typically bound by contracts that strictly prohibited them from dating during their peak career years.

Gu Chen had not dated anyone since entering the entertainment industry. He was well aware of what his fame depended on, so he had signed that contract without hesitation.

However, just when he was at the height of his career, a scandal broke—someone exposed that he had an illegitimate child.

At a press conference, the child’s mother accused him of abandoning his pregnant girlfriend, completely ignoring her for three years, and never once paying a cent in child support.

She even presented intimate photos from their college years as evidence. On top of that, An An’s face bore a 60% resemblance to Gu Chen.

The scandal hit him hard, causing countless fans to abandon him and even turn against him, plunging his career into rock bottom.

An An was taken back by Gu Chen, who already had depression. After suffering such a devastating career blow, his depression worsened.

His manager, eager to squeeze the last bit of value out of him, tricked him into joining a parenting reality show, using him to boost a newcomer’s debut.

On the show, Gu Chen and An An—this unfamiliar father-son pair—became nothing more than a contrast to the real stars. The more harmonious the main protagonist’s father-son interactions were, the harsher the criticisms against Gu Chen became.

Later, Gu Chen’s father took him back. Despite everything, he never blamed the child. Instead, he sold off all his assets and moved abroad, hoping to provide a healthier environment for An An to grow up in.

Unfortunately, throughout An An’s childhood, people around him constantly told him that his separation from his mother was due to his father’s domineering interference.

Because of his father’s obstruction, he never even got to see his grandmother—the one who raised him until he was three—one last time before she passed away.

In his rebellious phase, the original host of this body deliberately defied his father—dying his hair red, getting a tongue piercing, covering his body in tattoos, and ultimately being lured into drug use.

Seeing his son fall to such a tragic state, Gu Chen—already deeply depressed—chose to end both their lives together.

An An’s head was still spinning after watching this part, but the system didn’t give him any time to process it. Instead, it immediately dumped information from the protagonist’s perspective into his mind.

The father-son duo used as a contrast in the reality show—Yu Honghui and his son—were actually the protagonists of this world. Yu Honghui was a reborn individual who retained memories of his past life. He knew exactly which variety show scripts would go viral.

In his past life, those opportunities had all gone to Gu Chen. But after his rebirth, Yu Honghui seized the chance to snatch up a few key resources, making Gu Chen his number one enemy.

Although he refused to admit it, deep down, he always felt like a thief who had stolen everything from Gu Chen.

Unless Gu Chen disappeared completely, he would never be at ease, always haunted by the fear that Gu Chen would return one day to reclaim what was his.

When Yu Honghui discovered that Gu Chen had no idea he had a son, he decided to use the child to utterly destroy Gu Chen’s career, forcing him out of the entertainment industry.

Having lived through his previous life, Yu Honghui knew that Gu Chen was a man with a strong sense of responsibility. Even if this child ruined his career, he would still take care of him simply because he was his father.

In his past life, Yu Honghui had watched an interview where Gu Chen admitted to having severe depression and using acting as a form of self-therapy.

So, Yu Honghui went a step further—sending people abroad to lead Gu Chen’s son astray, making him watch helplessly as his child was ruined under his care, until he finally broke and took his own life.

When the news of Gu Chen’s death reached him, Yu Honghui stood on the award stage, accepting the Best Actor trophy that Gu Chen had originally won in their past life.

In his acceptance speech, he thanked the director for recognizing his talent, the production team for their hard work, and the scriptwriter for crafting such an excellent, well-written role.

And in his heart, he gave a fleeting moment of thanks to the now-deceased Gu Chen.

Still dazed and confused, An An saw in his mind how Yu Honghui, holding the trophy that should have belonged to Gu Chen, visited his grave and said, “Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Furious, An An clenched his tiny fists, itching to rush over and punch him twice—no, make that a few kicks too.

“Host, your mission in this world is to help your father overcome his depression.”

The system made it clear that the primary mission target was Gu Chen, not Su Ling.

As for Su Ling, the system refrained from making judgments about her. It wasn’t wrong for her to try to save her mother—she simply used methods that were hard to justify.

She might have considered that after dragging Gu Chen’s career down with her and An An, Gu Chen might take out his anger on the child. A young boy like him could suffer greatly.

But she had no better choice. If she didn’t do it, her mother would die. In such a dilemma, the one suffering the most was undoubtedly her.

The system understood this logic, but it couldn’t help but feel more protective of An An. Looking at things from the child’s perspective, it was hard to sympathize with Su Ling.

“Mm…”

An An sat cross-legged on the sofa, thinking for a long time but failing to come up with a plan. Eventually, he unknowingly fell asleep.

When he woke up and opened his eyes, he saw that the small blanket he had originally covered his mother with was now draped over him instead.

After a night’s sleep, Su Ling’s condition had improved somewhat. With the little money she had left, she bought a bowl of porridge.

The hotel they were staying in had been arranged by that mysterious person. It was expensive—just one night’s stay cost as much as a full day of hospital expenses for her mother. But at least the environment and security were good, so she felt reassured leaving An An there.

The sound of the door opening as she returned with the porridge woke An An. More importantly, his stomach was growling so badly that before he even opened his eyes, his nose twitched at the smell of food.

“You must be hungry. I’m sorry, baby.”

Su Ling hadn’t eaten all day yesterday—she had been too overwhelmed to even think about food. She had never taken care of this child before, and after several sleepless days, her mind felt like it was on the verge of exploding.

Now, hearing An An’s stomach growling nonstop, she finally realized how terribly she had been handling things.

“Mommy, did you eat?”

“Mm.”

Su Ling nodded slightly. When she bought the porridge, she had also bought two mantou for herself to fill her stomach.

Right now, she was so tight on money that she wished she could split every coin in half. The only one she was willing to spend on was An An.

An An held the spoon himself, scooping up the porridge, puffing out his cheeks to blow on it before carefully taking a bite. Seeing how obedient he was, Su Ling let out a sigh of relief.

Just then, her phone rang again.

Seeing the familiar number, Su Ling instinctively tightened her grip on the phone. She sat there, her breathing uneven.

It didn’t feel like a ringtone—it felt like a death knell.

After a long pause, she finally stood up and walked out onto the balcony.

“The press conference is scheduled for tomorrow? Where is the location? The money will be transferred to my account afterward? Okay, don’t worry.”

After agreeing to this, Su Ling felt as if all the strength in her body had been completely drained. She forced herself to walk to the sofa and sit down.

At that moment, the hotel front desk called, saying that someone had delivered a package for her. Su Ling could more or less guess what it was. She stood up to go get it, but An An reached out and tugged at the corner of her shirt.

“Mama, I want to play a game.”

Su Ling wasn’t in the mood to think too much. She left her phone behind and took her room key before heading out.

She was overwhelmed with guilt toward this child. Right now, whatever An An wanted, she would give it to him without hesitation.

After the door closed, An An started calling for the system in his mind. Once the system responded, he asked:

“What’s my dad’s phone number? The one where he can actually answer the call.”

“One moment.”

The system did have a function to look up such information. However, under normal circumstances, if the system and the host didn’t have a good relationship, it wouldn’t proactively help.

An An listened as the system read out the string of numbers. He held the phone in his small hands for a long while before pursing his lips and saying:

“I can’t read…”

Bringing this up, An An wasn’t sure if he was angry at himself for being too slow or just embarrassed. His fair little face turned red.

Following the system’s guidance, An An successfully dialed the number.

…

On set, Gu Chen had just finished filming his final scene and was changing out of his costume, preparing to remove his makeup. Holding his phone, he was scrolling through the comments under his own Weibo post when an unfamiliar call suddenly popped up on the screen.

Very few people had his private number, so Gu Chen answered without much thought. As soon as the call connected, a young boy’s soft, childlike voice came through the phone.

“Hello? Are you my daddy, Gu Chen?”