"Buzz buzz~"
The phone rang at that moment. Normanice glanced at it indifferently, answered it, and continued walking without missing a step.
"Sir, will you personally present the awards to the young master and young miss?"
The event was about to begin, and Principal Chen Hui called to confirm some "details." He didn’t dare assume anything—the sir had never made a public appearance before.
Hearing this, Normanice felt even more guilty.
After calming down, he had thought it over and realized something was off. He immediately ordered an investigation into the details of Xuan Mohan’s lover. After verifying with Elder Jian, he confirmed that the current Jian You was none other than Lan Qianqian, the one Xuan Mohan had always loved.
Following this lead, he soon learned about his daughter’s life growing up. For two days, he was so heartbroken that he couldn’t eat or sleep.
For a moment, he even wanted to escape—he couldn’t bear the thought that his precious treasure had endured such hardship elsewhere.
A dilapidated house, never enough to eat or wear, suffering from cold and hunger…
The only comfort was perhaps the person who had already passed away. She had brought joy and warmth to his Duoduo.
Yesterday, he and Qianya visited her grave, thanking her for taking care of Duoduo all those years and for letting her know that the world could still be warm. They also thanked her for giving them such an outstanding daughter.
Yesterday, Qianya cried uncontrollably…
Sigh~
Just thinking about it made Normanice’s heart ache with sorrow.
He owed Duoduo too much—bringing her into the world but not raising her…
"I… will attend."
From now on, he would make up for everything, bit by bit.
......
The empty playground gradually filled with people, but no one had yet appeared on the stage.
Jian You casually glanced around. She had intended to find a seat at the back, but when she saw her name on the front row, she had no choice but to take the seat at the very front.
After sitting down, she looked around again. It seemed her seat was the only one fully stocked with snacks and drinks?
After a moment’s thought, she realized who must have arranged it. Perhaps… she could even read deeper into it…
Jian You pursed her lips and picked up the single piece of candy placed at the very front. Though exquisitely made, the packaging was overly cute—like something meant for a little girl. And it was the only one…
She had just unwrapped it and put it in her mouth when a parent sat down beside her. However… the person was very young, and judging by their demeanor, they didn’t seem ordinary…
Jian You quietly raised her guard, though she showed nothing on the surface.
The young man beside her seemed to sense her wariness—or perhaps he had guessed it—because he was the first to speak.
"Hello, I’m Mu Jingxuan, a… brother of Xuan Mohan."
Afraid the young woman would tense up, he introduced himself through his connection to Xuan Mohan…
Sure enough, he saw her relax slightly.
Mu Jingxuan smiled bitterly. The name "Xuan Mohan" seemed to hold more weight in her heart than anything else. Even the slightest connection to him could make her drop her defenses instantly.
Did she… love that man so much?
At this thought, Mu Jingxuan hesitated for a long time. Finally, as the initial proceedings concluded, he slowly pulled out a delicate, palm-sized box from his pocket.
He gently rubbed it with his fingertips before forcing himself to look away. He feared that if he stared at it for even a second longer, he wouldn’t be able to go through with his decision.
"This… is something a very beautiful girl I met as a child lost. I never got the chance to return it to her. At some point, I started feeling that it suited you, so… I’m giving this hairpin to you now…"
Jian You stared speechlessly at the pink hairpin adorned with blue diamonds. This was clearly a child’s accessory—how was it suited to her?
She was about to refuse, but when she saw the man’s complicated yet sincere gaze, she swallowed her words.
"Thank you."
Silently, she took the wooden box from his palm and tucked it into her pocket. Thankfully, her outfit today had pockets—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to carry it.
However… the craftsmanship seemed handmade…
Though exquisitely detailed, Jian You could detect slight imperfections.
She glanced at the man again, but he had already turned his attention to the stage, leaving her no choice but to suppress her thoughts.
Now it was time for the student speeches. Jian You had assumed the older students would go first, but instead… three adorable little children walked out.
"......"
Was this the organizer’s idea, or… the sir’s?
Either way, Jian You was thoroughly unimpressed. She checked her watch—two hours had passed, and there was still no sign of progress…
She looked up at the stage again. Principal Chen Hui sat in the center seat, while… the sir sat at the very edge, seemingly uninterested in speaking.
When it came time to award the children, Chen Hui gave a brief speech before Normanice gracefully rose to his feet. The vice-principal, seated beside him, stood as well.
Two high-ranking figures sitting at the edge—everyone else kept their heads down the entire time…
Sigh~
Finally, they left. Whoever arranged the seating deserved a medal…
The two stopped at the front as the awards were brought up by the staff. The vice-principal took them and handed them to the refined man beside him.
No one needed to point it out—it was obvious to all that the three little ones were receiving far more lavish prizes than the others. Aside from the official certificates, there were also numerous expensive items, though only those in the know could tell their true value.
The parents in the audience couldn’t help but feel envious, but no one could deny how brilliant the children were. Despite being in kindergarten, they already knew more than many of the older students…
Normanice showered them with endless praise, as if compliments cost nothing, before turning his gaze to the most prominent seat in the audience.
"Next, we invite the outstanding mother of these children to share a few words. Let’s give them our warmest applause…"
Hearing this, the principal and vice-principal silently began clapping first. The sir’s blatant favoritism was truly…
Perfect!
After all, their young master and young miss were so outstanding, surpassing all their peers.
They had no reservations, but Jian You, who stood up calmly, was utterly speechless. The children were outstanding—why drag her into it? This was making her blush…
Below the stage, Mu Jingxuan clenched his fists as he watched Jian You walk away…
Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the venue, a man in a staff uniform raised a gun, his eyes locked on the scene…
Jian You walked slowly up the stairs, step by step, toward the nearly two-meter-high stage under the spotlight.
The parents in the audience watched with admiration as the woman, bathed in radiance, took the stage.
Only one person frowned the entire time.
"Next, we’ll take a group photo, and then our outstanding mother will share her thoughts…"
Normanice’s eyes were fixed only on his precious daughter, unable to look away.
"Click~"
The photographer quickly snapped the photo, after which the three children exited the stage in an orderly manner.
However, before leaving, Lan Lexuan grabbed Jian You’s delicate hand, his eyes filled with unconcealed worry. His small action nearly shattered Jian You’s composure.
Though his voice was soft and hoarse, she still heard him clearly.
"Mommy… Lexuan will wait for you."