Three years later
Z City International Airport.
A well-dressed woman walked out from the VIP channel, dragging a suitcase.
She had a little bun in her arms,
It was early winter in Z City, the weather was slightly cool, and there was a light rain falling from the sky.
Ye Xinluo was worried that the little guy in her arms would catch a cold, so she adjusted the little bun's coat.
Thankfully, she had checked the weather in Z City before departing and prepared a coat in advance.
"That little guy is so cute!"
"Yes, the person holding him must be his mom. She looks just like she's in her early twenties, so young."
"No wonder the son is so adorable. With a mother's looks like that, how could the son not be cute?"
The little guy in her arms lay on Ye Xinluo's shoulder, curiously watching the few people talking softly nearby.
Why are those sisters staring at me?
So strange.
Ye Xinluo held the little guy and walked out of the airport, got into a taxi.
As soon as he got in the car, the little guy clambered over to the window, curiously observing everything outside.
For Jingxi, who grew up in America, everything here was unfamiliar.
From birth until now, this was Ye Xinluo's first time returning to Z City.
"Mommy, is this Z City?"
The little bun's soft and sweetsounding voice piped up. Ye Xinluo turned to look at the little guy leaning against the car window, smiling.
"Mm-hmm."
"Mommy, what's fun here?"
"Are there pretty sisters?"
"Is there a lot of delicious food?"
The little guy pounced on her lap, looking up with an excited face at Ye Xinluo.
Uh...
Ye Xinluo's mouth twitched slightly.
This little guy, always thinking about food wherever he goes.
Truly a little foodie...
Jingxi has a hobby—loving desserts.
And he's the type that would follow a piece of cake anywhere...
Sometimes, Ye Xinluo even wonders whom the little guy inherited his love of sweets from.
She herself doesn't like sweets, could it be inherited from the child's father?
But then, she doesn't even know what the child's father looks like.
How would she know if he likes sweets?
The car arrived at Marine Garden, and Ye Xinluo opened the car door, getting out with one arm holding the little bun and the other dragging the suitcase.
Marine Garden was a property that had been up for sale in Z City for the past two years, controlled by the Beichen Group, and it sold out in less than two days.
This time Ye Xinluo returned to Z City, Gong Shaoyu specifically bought an apartment here for her and her son to live in.
Returning to the apartment, Ye Xinluo placed the suitcase at the entryway.
The apartment had already been cleaned by someone, they just needed to move in.
Turning to the bedroom, she placed the little guy on the bed.
The little guy had already fallen asleep on the way here, Ye Xinluo took off his shoes, pulled the nearby blanket to cover him.
She took out clothes from the suitcase and hung them in the wardrobe, tidying up the room a bit.
Perhaps because of the long hours on the plane, Ye Xinluo yawned.
In the end, she simply stopped unpacking, went to the bathroom to wash her face, changed into casual wear, returned to the bedside, lay next to the little guy, and soon fell asleep.
She was awakened by the ringing of the phone.
Ye Xinluo reached for her phone, but the call had already been hung up.
Looking at the time, it was already after five in the afternoon.
She lifted the blanket and got out of bed, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and pulled the curtain open a crack.
The afternoon sunlight shone through the crack onto Ye Xinluo, she stared at the scenery outside for a while, then smiled.
Z City, I'm back.
The phone on the bedside table vibrated, Ye Xinluo snapped out of her thoughts.
She walked to the bedside table to pick up the phone, glanced at the caller ID on the screen.
Her finger slid across the screen, pressing to answer.
"Hello."
"You've arrived?" came the slightly lazy voice of Gong Shaoyu from the other end.
"Mm-hmm."
"How are you settling in? Where's the little guy? Why didn't I hear his voice?"
Ye Xinluo glanced at the little guy sleeping soundly, afraid to wake him, she picked up the phone and went to the balcony,
"Jingxi is asleep."
Though it was sunny, the early winter afternoon was still somewhat cold, and Ye Xinluo was now standing on the balcony.
She was wearing simple homewear, shivering slightly as the breeze blew.
"Are you outside?"
Gong Shaoyu on the other end noticed her discomfort and asked with some concern.
"I'm on the balcony, a bit cold." Ye Xinluo admitted honestly.
"Go inside to rest, don't catch a cold. I still have some business here, I'll call you when I have time."
"Okay, got it."
They chatted a bit more before hanging up the call.
Ye Xinluo returned to the room, walked to the wardrobe to grab a change of clothes, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
When she came out from the shower, the little guy was still asleep, and Ye Xinluo didn't disturb him as she left the room.
When Jingxi woke up, he instinctively reached for the spot next to him, it was empty and a bit cool, indicating that it had been empty for a while.
He lifted his little head to take a look around.
Hmm, mommy isn't here, where did she go?
Groggily, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, curiously inspecting the room.
Where is this?
Looking at the unfamiliar room, the little guy felt a bit scared, searching everywhere but not seeing Ye Xinluo.
Where did mommy go...
She wouldn't have left Jingxi all alone, would she...
This thought frightened the little guy, his lips trembled.
Tears welled up in his eyes, ready to spill over at any moment...
"Wah, mommy..."
"Boo hoo... mommy..."
Ye Xinluo, who was cooking in the kitchen, heard the little guy's voice coming from the bedroom, turned down the heat, and went to the bedroom.
She opened the door to see the little guy sitting on the bed, crying sadly,
Large tears rolling down like a broken string of pearls.
Ye Xinluo walked to the bedside, reached under the little guy's arms, and picked him up into her embrace.
"What's wrong?"
"Mommy, boo hoo, I thought you didn't want me anymore... boo hoo..."
Seeing Ye Xinluo, the little guy cried even harder, burying himself in her arms and sobbing bitterly.
"Why would that be, Mommy will never not want Jingxi."
Ye Xinluo patted his back, gently comforting him.
"Mommy, please don't leave Jingxi alone, okay."
"Mommy won't leave Jingxi, there, don't cry."
The little guy lay in Ye Xinluo's arms, with his shoulders trembling.
After a while, he finally stopped crying.
He lifted his head, tearful eyes looking at Ye Xinluo "Mommy, were you cooking? I think I smell pumpkin porridge."
Ye Xinluo's eye twitched fiercely.
The little guy, who was gasping with sobs just a moment ago, suddenly stopped crying.
It seems the allure of food is indeed greater...
She placed the little guy on a chair, walked into the kitchen to bring the cooked food to the dining table.
She had purposely made some light porridge with a few mild side dishes.
She served a bowl of porridge in front of Jingxi, handed him a spoon.
"Thank you, mommy" Jingxi took the spoon, scooped up a mouthful of porridge, blew on it, then opened his mouth to eat it.
The little guy was very well-behaved when eating, not like other children who fuss over being fed...
The little guy had been able to eat by himself since he was two, sparing Ye Xinluo any worry at all.