Chapter 97

Seeing the baby dinosaur looking at her with those big expectant eyes, Grandma Huo truly couldn’t bring herself to say no. She reached out and gently pinched his little cheek. An’an merely frowned and didn’t struggle.

“Want to come along and watch the commotion?”

The baby dinosaur nodded seriously at first, then quickly shook his head once he realized what she meant.

He just wanted to be with Grandma—not to watch a show.

“If you don’t want to go, then forget it.”

His reply was to wrap his little arms around her arm. An’an clung to her with both arms and legs, determined to latch onto her entirely.

Seeing how persistent he was, Grandma Huo couldn’t bring herself to refuse again. Rubbing her forehead helplessly, she reminded him, “If you’re coming with me, you’d better behave. If you don’t, I’ll leave you behind.”

His fluffy little head rubbed against Grandma like he was solemnly promising to be a good boy.

“Then I’ll take An’an with me.”

Bai Yiyi didn’t feel comfortable leaving Huo Haozhan with him, but she did trust Grandma Huo. She went upstairs and packed the essentials they usually brought when taking An’an out, handed the backpack to the assistant accompanying Grandma.

All along the way, An’an was buzzing with excitement, wiggling in his seat like a happy little caterpillar.

Grandma Huo sat in the back seat, staring out the window. The phone screen still showed the address Su Xiaoyu had sent.

Ever since Huo Haozhan and Su Xiaoyu had each married someone else, Grandma Huo hadn’t had much private contact with Su Xiaoyu, even though she had practically raised her.

Later, when she found out Su Xiaoyu wasn’t living a happy life, she used her own connections to arrange for others to help her out when needed, out of sentiment for having watched her grow up.

Unexpectedly, that one act of kindness nearly affected her son and daughter-in-law’s relationship, and it made her little grandson—who she was holding now—unrecognized by his own father for so long.

Grandma Huo had always known she wasn’t exactly a model mother, and she never denied it.

But being flawed didn’t mean she didn’t love her child.

Feeling bored with no one paying him attention, the baby dinosaur started entertaining himself—stretching out his fingers, letting sunlight fall onto his palm, and then clenching his fist tightly.

Grandma Huo nearly laughed out loud when she saw that. As she fought to suppress her smile, An’an suddenly extended his clenched fist toward her.

“Hm?”

Obviously, An’an wanted to gift the sunlight he had just “caught” to Grandma. Watching him try to hide his pride while still offering it up made her heart melt.

Say what you will, but in terms of the experience of raising a child—this little dummy was far more satisfying than raising her son ever was.

Once he confirmed Grandma was watching, An’an opened his hand, stared at his now-empty palm for a long moment, eyes widening in disbelief.

Just as he was about to cry in disappointment, Grandma Huo reached out and opened her palm in a sunbeam that streamed through the car window, gently nudging the baby dinosaur’s shoulder.

An’an glanced at her first, then looked at her palm as she indicated—and saw a streak of sunlight.

“Waa~ow!”

He clapped his hands in delight and leaned over to give Grandma a big kiss before she could react.

Normally, Grandma Huo was a neat freak and quite reserved. Anyone else trying something like that, she’d be seriously offended.

But now, looking into An’an’s eyes filled with pure affection, she only reached out and gave his chubby cheek a gentle squeeze.

They were just about to pass under an overpass. Afraid that An’an would start crying again, she made a show of releasing the sunlight in her hand like a little bird, right in front of him.

This kind of “goodbye” was perfect for a child too young to understand. An’an even waved at the window and said farewell to the light.

Before long, they arrived at the teahouse they had agreed upon. Grandma Huo preferred traditional Chinese aesthetics, and most of the places she frequented were like that.

Her assistant had already reserved a private room on the third floor in advance.

After entering the teahouse, Grandma Huo could feel An’an’s little hands clinging tightly to her clothes. His eyes were practically glued to the decorative water feature in the center.

The design mimicked a small bridge over flowing water. Real water ran through it, and gentle mist rose up, giving it a dreamy feel.

But An’an wasn’t paying attention to any of that. What caught his eye was the big old turtle inside.

Clinging tightly to Grandma, his gaze never strayed for a second. Seeing him like that, she carried him closer.

The turtle was sprawled out lazily. There were also several red koi fish and smaller turtles swimming around. One turtle had even climbed onto the big one’s shell to bask in the sun—it looked incredibly chill.

After watching with An’an for a while, they finally went upstairs. In the private room, Su Xiaoyu had been waiting a long time and had brought her son with her.

Nian Nian was about the same age as An’an—only born two days apart.

Now that the two kids were side by side, the difference was stark.

An’an was clean, well-fed, and wore high-quality clothes. One look and it was obvious he was well taken care of.

Meanwhile, Nian Nian’s clothes were a bit too small. His sleeves didn’t even cover his wrists properly.

He sat quietly, eyes wary of the newcomers, clearly not used to strangers.

Grandma Huo had prepared a lot of harsh words before coming here. But upon seeing Su Xiaoyu and Nian Nian like this, she suddenly found it hard to say them.

A server brought over a tea set. Su Xiaoyu, who had once learned to brew tea just to win Grandma Huo’s favor, smoothly took over.

“Auntie Huo, I haven’t done this in years. I might be a bit rusty—I’m not sure if it still tastes the same.”

The server also brought out some snacks, picking soft and sweet ones suitable for children.

As the treats were laid out, An’an stole a glance at Grandma’s face, hoping to sneak one while she wasn’t looking.

But the moment his hand reached out, Grandma Huo grabbed it firmly in her palm. Wide-eyed, he quickly withdrew it and pretended nothing happened.

Kids around one year old can usually eat some cake and snacks—but not An’an.

Due to his premature birth and a serious illness, his development lagged behind other children. He had only just started on solid food, so desserts were off-limits.

After brewing the tea, Su Xiaoyu poured a cup for Grandma Huo, smiling lightly as she asked, “Auntie Huo, did you ask me here today for something specific? If so, you could’ve just called me—I would’ve come with Nian Nian right away.”

Grandma Huo took a sip. The tea was good, but she didn’t like it.

“There is something I want to talk to you about. Haozhan is married now, and you’ve been married once too. It’s not appropriate to go on like before. Don’t you think so, Xiaoyu?”

Su Xiaoyu’s expression changed immediately. Forcing a smile, she tried to play dumb.

“Auntie Huo, what do you mean by that? Did I do something wrong?”

Grandma Huo was never the patient type. Not even with Su Xiaoyu, whom she had watched grow up.

Yes, she had helped raise her—but that didn’t mean she owed her anything.

Seeing Su Xiaoyu pretend not to understand, Grandma Huo simply laid things out.

“Xiaoyu, I did joke once about making you my daughter-in-law.”

Su Xiaoyu’s face flushed red, and she turned her head with a smile that was just a bit too stiff. Though it should have been a good thing for her to hear, it only made her more uneasy.

“But that was when Haozhan wasn’t in a relationship, let alone married. Now that Haozhan is married and even has a child, treating those words as a joke is better for both you and us.”

Back when Huo Haozhan hadn’t started dating, Grandma Huo genuinely liked Su Xiaoyu.

After all, she had a good relationship with Su Xiaoyu’s mother, and the two families’ children had grown up together. There was no need to worry about future conflicts.

But all her satisfaction with Su Xiaoyu was based on the premise that her son was still single.

It wouldn’t make sense for her, as a mother, to want to tear down her son’s home after he’s already married and has a child, instead of wishing him well.

“Auntie Huo, but you clearly said before that I was the one you were satisfied with. Bai Yiyi just popped up out of nowhere—what right does she have to steal everything I worked so hard to gain?”

Su Xiaoyu’s eyes were red, filled with dissatisfaction. Grandma Huo frowned as she saw the once well-behaved girl from her memories reduced to this state. Holding An’an in her arms, she stood up, ready to leave.

“I was satisfied with you, but Haozhan doesn’t like you. He’s my son, not my puppet.”

“If back then, you and Haozhan were already together, and Bai Yiyi came in and interfered with your relationship, I wouldn’t even wait for you to speak—I’d personally deal with Haozhan.”

But the truth was, when Bai Yiyi and Haozhan got together, both of them were single.

No matter how you look at it, Su Xiaoyu was just a childhood friend. Saying she was “robbed” is far too dramatic.

“Xiaoyu, I came to see you today for this very matter. If you can come around, that would be for the best. Don’t let all the years of goodwill between our families go to waste.”

“And… since you’re already divorced, it’s time to move on. Don’t keep looking back.”

“If you’ve got the time and energy, you should focus more on taking care of your child.”

Grandma Huo wasn’t one to nag, but seeing little Niannian since she arrived—she couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity. No wonder Haozhan had been so concerned about the child before.

So thin and frail, with bones showing on his arms, and mentally he didn’t seem well either.

If he were someone else’s child, Grandma Huo would never bear to walk away. She’d probably want to take him home for a few days to care for him.

But because his mother was Su Xiaoyu, even if that thought existed, it couldn’t be acted upon. The less entanglement between their families, the better.

When Grandma Huo carried An’an downstairs, she found that he was still staring at the turtle. She called over a teahouse staff member and asked if they could take one home.

She was a long-time customer here. It was just a turtle—after asking their superior, the staff quickly agreed.

An’an understood their conversation. When he heard they were going to scoop up a turtle for him, he happily waved his little hands in the air.

“Which one do you like?”

Grandma Huo leaned over the pond. They were all grass turtles, well taken care of.

An’an pointed almost without hesitation at the biggest turtle, then gave his grandma a kiss and kept squirming like a happy little caterpillar.

Not only was Grandma Huo stunned—even the staff member who came to help scoop the turtle was frozen in place.

Good heavens, they were going to gift the kid a small turtle, and now he wanted to take their veteran companion?!

Everyone was stunned, except An’an, who was still joyfully waving his hands and feet, ready to greet his big turtle.

He looked so excited that Grandma Huo couldn’t bear to let that light fade from his eyes. She had no choice but to ask:

“If you want to take that big turtle…”

For a small turtle, the manager could decide. But for that massive mascot of the store, they had to ask the owner.

Grandma Huo glanced at her watch. It was nearly her afternoon tea time, and having her schedule disrupted made her anxious.

Judging by the staff member’s reaction, this clearly wasn’t going to be resolved quickly. No way she’d get home by her planned time.

An’an also seemed to realize this was a major decision. He cozied up to Grandma, kissing and hugging her, wrapping his arms around her neck, nuzzling sweetly.

Grandma Huo rolled her eyes in exasperation. At her age, carrying An’an for so long was tiring, so she simply took him to sit on the side and rest.

She had her assistant bring out the things they’d prepared in advance. After making the milk and handing over the bottle, she helped tidy his slightly messy clothes as An’an happily drank, satisfied with his big gulps.

Once Grandma sat down, An’an seemed to sense he had secured his turtle and didn’t act up. Instead, he stayed close and affectionate.

He wanted the large turtle displayed in the lobby?

Such a ridiculous request—the shop owner had never heard anything like it.

But it wasn’t impossible. It’s just that they had raised that turtle for many years. It had been there since they opened the shop, and they’d grown attached.

If it were anyone else, the owner would’ve refused outright. But this request came from their long-time customer, who was also a business partner of their boss behind the scenes.

They had to handle this carefully.

It was the business connection that truly made the owner cautious. If their boss found out he offended a business partner, he could kiss his position goodbye.

“Well, if you really like it, I’ll take the liberty of giving this big turtle to the young master.”

The owner had been thinking the whole way there—after all, they ran a teahouse, not a pet shop. They weren’t in the animal business.

They had originally bought the turtle from a nearby zoo that was closing down. They didn’t want to just dump the animal.

The owner had seen that the turtle was quite large, and since they planned to build a water feature at the entrance, they bought it and raised it in the store.

Selling it had never been the plan, but giving it away as a favor to the Huo family matriarch might be worth it—perhaps it could earn their boss a business advantage in the future.

Hearing that it was free made An’an even happier, as if he couldn’t wait to take the big turtle home.

Grandma Huo gave her assistant a look, who then took out the checkbook. She wrote a six-digit number and handed it to the shop owner.

“I can’t just take something from you for free. The kid at home is a bit playful—I can’t let you suffer a loss. See if this amount is enough?”

The shop owner only glanced briefly before quickly looking away, a smile spreading across his face as he nodded repeatedly.

“Enough, more than enough! Absolutely!”

He had bought the turtle with his own money, and his wife had even scolded him for it, so he never dared take it home. Now, this money—no matter how you look at it—was all his.

And judging by the expression on Grandma Huo’s face, she didn’t seem displeased at all, meaning he hadn’t offended anyone. All that was left was to enjoy this unexpected windfall.

“Please make arrangements to have the turtle delivered to our home.”

“Of course, no problem at all.”

Even after confirming that the turtle would be coming home with them, An’an still kept glancing back as they exited the shop.

If Grandma weren’t holding him in the car, he probably would’ve tried to press against the window for another look.

Grandma Huo, being older, couldn’t handle the strain of child care despite staying fit. She rubbed her sore wrist.

Seeing this, An’an immediately copied her previous gesture and earnestly started massaging her arm.

He was still small and didn’t have much strength, so it didn’t help much. But the fact that he was trying so seriously, with such care, deeply pleased Grandma Huo.

The teahouse wasn’t far from home, and they arrived quickly.

Even though An’an had left with Grandma Huo, Huo Haozhan stayed at home—he was planning to talk things through with Bai Yiyi.

Some misunderstandings, if not properly explained, would always wedge themselves between people—and the longer they stay, the harder they become to pull out.

Bai Yiyi came from a family renowned for medicinal cuisine. Her father had passed on all his skills to her. From their very first meeting, she could tell that her mother-in-law wasn’t in the best of health and had been trying different ways to prepare medicinal dishes to help her recover.

With An’an not around today, she had more time and energy. She spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, busy handling ingredients.

Huo Haozhan simply joined in to help. He took over chopping up some of the more stubborn cuts of meat, temporarily stepping into the chef’s role.

While doing these small tasks, he explained to Bai Yiyi everything that had happened between him and Su Xiaoyu, even digging up quite a bit of evidence.

He thought his sympathy for Nian Nian wasn’t anything over the line. Little did he know that Bai Yiyi was already looking at him with disappointment in her eyes.

Sympathy for Nian Nian? Then why not show some sympathy for his own biological son?

It wasn’t just anyone—it was Su Xiaoyu’s son. Was it really out of concern for Nian Nian, or was it because he was Su Xiaoyu’s child?

That thought flashed quickly through Bai Yiyi’s mind, and her expression immediately turned cold.

“I’ve got other things to do. Don’t get in the way.”

He felt sorry for Nian Nian just because the kid was a little skinny, yet his own son had become mentally impaired due to a high fever caused by an accident!

And that night, if Su Xiaoyu hadn’t called her away, she would’ve noticed An’an’s fever right away—even if it had started late. Instead, they didn’t find out until the next day when his grandmother went to check on him and realized he had been burning up the whole night.

The look in Bai Yiyi’s eyes made Huo Haozhan panic. Instead of leaving, he tried harder to explain everything, hoping to clear things up.

“No matter what, I do hold some responsibility for what happened back then…”

“What are you talking about? What happened? I don’t know anything about it.”

Huo Haozhan hesitated for a moment but still didn’t say it. His silence only deepened Bai Yiyi’s disappointment. She tidied up a bit and left to another side of the house.

Before Huo Haozhan could figure out the right way to explain it to Bai Yiyi, the sound of a car came from outside.

Bai Yiyi instantly dropped everything in her hands and rushed out. Ever since that accident, she became uncontrollably anxious whenever she didn’t see An’an for a while.

This entire afternoon, An’an had gone out with Grandma. Only after confirming that he was safe with her did Bai Yiyi manage to suppress her anxiety.

An’an was carried out of the car by the assistant—his grandmother could barely hold him anymore. When he saw his mom, he excitedly reached out his little arms, and Bai Yiyi quickly took him into her arms.

“Ya~”

“Were you well-behaved while out with Grandma?”

“Ah!”

The little dinosaur earnestly nodded his head, fully convinced that he was the most well-behaved child in the world.

But Grandma rolled her eyes beside them. What kind of kid agrees to behave before leaving, but then insists on bringing home a turtle on the way back?

“Mom, what’s wrong? Did An’an act up?”

Bai Yiyi was a little uneasy at her mother-in-law’s expression. Though she believed her son wasn’t the kind to be difficult, she still felt nervous.

“He didn’t act up, just got his eye on a big turtle at the teahouse.”

Bai Yiyi and Huo Haozhan had both been to that teahouse and seen the big turtle lying in the hall. Hearing this, they were stunned for a moment before they processed it.

“What do you mean?”

“Tell the maid to clean out the pond. Move the arowanas to the other side. The big turtle needs the space.”

She actually bought it?

Both of them had assumed An’an had thrown a fit for the turtle, and that Grandma had somehow managed to coax him back without giving in. But judging from her tone, she really had bought the giant turtle—and was even clearing out space by moving the arowanas?

An’an clapped his little hands in joy, and the sharp sound snapped Bai Yiyi back to reality.

She looked at the maids busy at work, then at the carefree, grinning An’an in her arms, and couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

Seriously, she had no idea how to even begin addressing this situation.

That turtle was huge—about twice the size of An’an.

Other families bring home kittens or puppies, all cute and easy to walk on a leash. But An’an? He brings home a turtle that’s bigger than himself?

And now that it’s here, how to raise it was a whole new headache.

After spending a tiring afternoon outside, Grandma headed into the living room, clearly intending to rest. That left Bai Yiyi and Huo Haozhan standing face to face.

Well, them and the little dinosaur clapping away in her arms.

Soon, staff from the teahouse arrived with a small truck, delivering the massive turtle. They even threw in a few smaller turtles that used to bask on the big turtle’s shell.

Bai Yiyi glanced at the turtle—almost as tall as she was—and wordlessly stuffed An’an into Huo Haozhan’s arms. He looked up at her in surprise.

Before he could ask anything, Bai Yiyi cut him off:

“You handle things here. I’m going to make dinner for Mom.”

An’an didn’t fuss about switching arms. As long as he could see his big turtle, he didn’t care who was holding him.

With everyone else gone, Huo Haozhan was left standing there with An’an, having no choice but to face the situation head-on.

This turtle was clearly old, and at first glance, it seemed rather docile.

The maids soon cleared out the largest pond. The displaced arowanas, not small by any means, were shoved into a smaller tank, looking somewhat aggrieved.

The smaller turtles were placed with the big one, just like they had been at the teahouse.

The teahouse manager had personally delivered the turtle, even listing out its favorite foods. After giving the turtle a long look, he left.

Aside from wanting to clear up the misunderstanding with Bai Yiyi, Huo Haozhan had also planned to spend time with An’an today.

He remembered the manager saying the turtle liked apples, so he had the maids bring over a plate of apple slices. Sitting by the pond with An’an in his lap, he held the plate in one hand.

“Feed the turtle.”

He demonstrated by tossing a piece into the water.

The turtle, which had been lying there calmly, immediately gobbled it up. An’an’s eyes lit up and he excitedly copied his father, throwing apple chunks into the pond.

Huo Haozhan watched his son’s hair glow in the sunlight, smelled the sweet scent of milk on him, and felt his little body wiggle with joy like a squirmy caterpillar.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that maybe—just maybe—he was pretty blessed. At the very least, he had everything he wanted right here.

After feeding the big turtle, Huo Haozhan asked the maid to bring food for the smaller turtles too.

An’an was having the time of his life. When he was done, he clapped his little hands, then hesitated—unsure whether they were clean.

After a brief pause, he decisively wiped them on Huo Haozhan’s several-thousand-dollar jacket.

A vein visibly pulsed on Huo Haozhan’s forehead at the move, but An’an’s chubby face was full of concentration. To him, Dad’s jacket was nothing more than a not-very-effective cleaning rag!

As dusk fell, the sun slowly sank, and fiery clouds stretched across the sky, breathtakingly beautiful.

An’an gaped in awe, mouth wide open. A floral scent drifted past on the breeze, brushing his nose.

The little dinosaur stared at the sunset, filled with wonder, while Huo Haozhan’s gaze was locked on his son.

He hadn’t really taken care of a child before, so he didn’t understand much about it. At first, he thought looking after a kid would be just as Su Xiaoyu had described—tedious, boring, and annoying.

But after experiencing it for himself, he realized reality was the complete opposite of what she said.

Watching the little guy, who looked a bit like him, curiously taking in the world around him was, in itself, a fascinating thing.

An’an was very interested in watching the sunset. Like a little dinosaur, quiet and obedient, he didn’t fuss at all. Huo Haozhan didn’t rush him, just stayed by his side to enjoy the view together.

The atmosphere was so perfect, even the breeze felt gentle and tender.

Only when Bai Yiyi called them in for dinner, having prepared both the main meal and An’an’s baby food, did An’an finally turn his gaze away.

Huo Haozhan had always been physically fit, so he could easily pick An’an up with one hand. When he noticed the kid was wiping his hands on his clothes, he even managed to spare a hand to swat his bottom.

An’an’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Before Huo Haozhan even had time to react, big fat tears began streaming down.

“What happened?”

Seeing An’an cry, Bai Yiyi quickly set the bowl of baby food aside, took him into her arms, and gently wiped away his tears.

“I have no idea either.”

He had been perfectly fine just a few minutes ago outside. Why did he burst into tears the moment they got home? Huo Haozhan genuinely felt wronged—but no matter what explanation he gave, it didn’t seem like it would matter in the face of those tearful little eyes.

Just then, Grandma Huo came downstairs. The moment she saw what was happening, she frowned and scolded coldly:

“Look at you—what kind of father are you? I took him out for half a day and he didn’t cry once. You’ve only been with him for how long?”

She didn’t spell it out, but Huo Haozhan could tell she was calling him useless.

Meanwhile, Bai Yiyi had already taken An’an aside and was feeding him. Every spoonful of fruit puree came with a tiny sob, and the poor little expression on his face made even Huo Haozhan start to doubt whether he had done something terribly wrong.

At dinner, Grandma Huo kept a frosty expression. It was obvious who she was unhappy with, especially after what had just happened.

That night, after his bath, An’an changed into a cartoon tiger onesie. It was fuzzy and warm, making him look incredibly adorable.

Bai Yiyi had picked out all these clothes herself from the mall. The quality was excellent, and the details were well made—especially the tail, which looked very realistic.

An’an had loved pulling on the tail of his dinosaur onesie, but now that it had been replaced by a thinner tiger tail, he was clearly a little unhappy, pouting the whole time.

“Time to sleep, An’an. How about Mommy tells you a bedtime story tonight?”

Bai Yiyi’s voice was warm and gentle. She gave him a soft kiss after speaking, and An’an’s eyes sparkled as he let out a giggle, all his earlier grumpiness forgotten.

Just as Huo Haozhan leaned in to give An’an a kiss, the little one lifted his hand to block his mouth.

The gesture made Huo Haozhan freeze.

After confirming his dad wasn’t going to sneak in a kiss, An’an casually wiped his hand on Huo Haozhan’s clothes again and then tucked it under his blanket for safekeeping.

While Bai Yiyi read the bedtime story, Huo Haozhan sat beside them, gently patting the blanket to soothe An’an to sleep.

When An’an’s breathing became soft and steady, Bai Yiyi quietly turned off the lights and stepped out into the hallway. It was only then that Huo Haozhan finally asked, carefully:

“Why do I feel like… An’an doesn’t really like me?”

Maybe he should be more honest with himself—drop the “feel like” entirely.

The only reason An’an warmed up to him at all that afternoon was because of the novelty of the big turtle. After that, he was full of disdain, as if Huo Haozhan were some unwelcome presence.

“You’re not home often. An’an’s starting to develop a sense of familiarity with people.”

Bai Yiyi had always been gentle and soft-tempered, but so much had happened lately that it was hard for her to treat Huo Haozhan the same way she used to.

He hadn’t thought much of it before, but now that he was aware of the shift, the realization stung. He wanted to make up for it, but had no idea where to start.

“I promise I’ll come home more from now on.”

She had heard this same promise not too long ago—but it hadn’t even lasted a week before he was once again running around for Su Xiaoyu’s sake.

Bai Yiyi hadn’t minded suffering on her own. It was a road she had chosen, and she was prepared to see it through to the end. No regrets.

But ever since An’an was dragged into it and ended up with a fever that left him mentally impaired, Bai Yiyi had started harboring resentment toward Huo Haozhan. And his “explanation” in the kitchen that afternoon had only made it worse.

“This is your home too. Come back if you want. I’m going to bed.”

Huo Haozhan didn’t know how to fix things between them. All he could do was silently follow behind her, lost in thought.

When they reached the bedroom door, it was slammed shut before he could step in—right in his face.

Unwilling to give up, he tried the doorknob only to find it had been locked from the inside. After standing there for a moment, he had no choice but to head to the study.

The next day, Huo Haozhan returned to the company. Work had been piling up lately, and he couldn’t afford to stay home.

Once he left, it felt like the dark cloud looming over the house lifted instantly. Everything became noticeably more relaxed.

The one good thing his last return home had achieved was that Bai Yiyi finally figured out what made Grandma Huo lose her temper. Since then, she had adjusted their routines to match her mother-in-law’s habits, and the two women had gotten along smoothly ever since.

An’an was approaching his first birthday, and it was about time for him to start learning how to walk. Even when being held, he’d kick his legs in the air as if practicing his walking posture.

He used to only want Mommy to hold him, but now Grandma had become another favorite.

Grandma Huo couldn’t be anywhere near An’an’s line of sight—otherwise, he’d wave excitedly the moment he saw her.

If she really had a heart of stone, she might have been able to resist. But every time she saw that happy little face, she just couldn’t help herself and would scoop him right up.

When An’an was in her arms, flashing his toothless pink gums in a wide grin, her heart melted completely.

Because of An’an’s developmental delays, Bai Yiyi had to be extra cautious in everything she did.

Even though he had reached the age to start walking, she didn’t dare let him do it on his own just yet. She first consulted a doctor, and only after confirming that it was safe did she begin letting him try a few steps on a soft carpet.

Bai Yiyi and Grandma Huo took turns supporting him, holding his hands while encouraging him to stand.

At first, An’an didn’t even realize what they were trying to do—he was just happy that Mommy and Grandma were playing with him together.

After walking only a couple of steps with Mommy’s help, he couldn’t help bouncing a little.

“Hey, you haven’t learned to walk yet!”

Bai Yiyi quickly held him steady, worried he might fall, while Grandma Huo watched with nervous eyes too.

At her age, Grandma Huo should’ve been out enjoying herself—shopping, arranging flowers, doing whatever brought her peace and joy.

But ever since she softened once and helped Bai Yiyi out, not only had the little one stuck to her, but even the grown-ups began depending on her for everything.

Her once-leisurely life was gone for good.

Take teaching An’an to walk, for example—Bai Yiyi firmly insisted she couldn’t do it alone, so what choice did Grandma Huo have but to pitch in?

Under Mommy’s guidance, An’an patiently took one step after another. Even if he lost balance or fell, it didn’t matter—the thick carpet kept him safe from pain.

At first, An An was very cautious. After all, all those times he kicked his legs in the air before were just unconscious reactions—he hadn’t even realized he was doing it.

But as he slowly noticed that he was actually doing okay walking, and that both Mommy and Grandma were watching him closely, the proud little guy couldn’t help but try to run a few steps to show off.

The first couple of steps went fine, but after that, he lost his balance and landed squarely on his bottom, completely dazing himself.

He sat there stunned for two seconds, then opened his mouth and burst into loud sobs.

It didn’t really hurt, but he just couldn’t help feeling sorry for himself. With his head buried in Mommy’s arms and his little hand holding Grandma’s, his tiny body trembled with every sniffle—it was the picture of pure grievance.

……

With An An’s first birthday approaching, and since neither his birth nor his one-month milestone had been properly celebrated, Grandma Huo decided to throw a grand birthday banquet. She began planning several days in advance, writing invitations and inviting a large number of guests.

On the day of the birthday banquet, Huo Haozhan cleared his entire work schedule and stood beside Bai Yiyi in a well-tailored suit.
Today, Bai Yiyi was wearing a champagne-colored gown. The color set off her fair skin beautifully, and her temperament was elegant and gentle—like a pure white jasmine blossom.

Most of the guests had already arrived, and the next part of the event was the “Zhuazhou” ceremony.

Both Huo Haozhan’s family and Bai Yiyi’s hometown placed great importance on Zhuazhou, the traditional first birthday ritual. Grandma Huo had carefully prepared a variety of items for the ceremony, all to ensure good fortune for little An An.

Just then, Huo Haozhan received a phone call. After listening to the contents, a trace of panic appeared on his face. Without a second thought, he was about to head out.

Bai Yiyi instinctively stepped in front of him and asked,
“The Zhuazhou ceremony is about to begin. Where do you think you’re going?”

“Yiyi, something happened with Xiaoyu. I have to go. You and Mom are here—everything will be fine.”

She had tolerated a lot of things in the past, but today was An An’s Zhuazhou ceremony. Yet Huo Haozhan’s heart was still with Su Xiaoyu. Bai Yiyi truly couldn’t take it anymore.

“Huo Haozhan, what is wrong with you? I dare you to try stepping out that door today!”

Little An An, sitting in his stroller, had already clenched his tiny hands into fists. Judging by the way he was baring his teeth, he clearly wanted to come over and punch Huo Haozhan.

“Yiyi, I have my reasons. Let me explain when I come back, okay?”

“Then explain now.”

After a long inner struggle, Huo Haozhan finally opened his mouth and said,
“Alright. I’ll tell you.”