After the pleasure, Gu Susu nestled in Qin Tianyi's embrace, feeling his mood improve.
She tentatively spoke, "After the new year, I want to go out and work. Little Star is in kindergarten, and you're busy every day. I don't want to be idle at home alone."
"Have you found a job?" he asked, his chin rubbing her head.
"Not yet."
"Then go back to Mishang as a designer."
Gu Susu hadn't expected him to say that. She simply said "oh," but inwardly, she didn't want to work under his watchful eye.
"What, you're unwilling? Isn't being a fashion designer the most suitable job for you?" Qin Tianyi asked with an irrefutable tone. "Do you want to find another job?"
"No, of course, I'm willing to do design."
"Then it's settled."
Gu Susu had nothing to refute. She thought that at least he agreed to let her work, not confining her like a canary in a cage.
By the time they ate breakfast, the sun was already high in the sky. It was New Year's Eve last night, and Little Star had also slept late and woken up late.
As soon as he came downstairs and saw Qin Tianyi sitting at the dining table, he immediately rushed over and threw himself onto his legs, asking, "Where did Daddy go last night? Why didn't you come back to watch fireworks with me? Daddy isn't going to leave me and Mommy, is he?"
Little Star's personality had become much more cheerful and lively now, but the past shadows still affected him occasionally. At such a young age, he was prone to insecurity.
"Daddy had something to do last night. By the time I got back, you were already asleep. Shall I accompany you to set off fireworks tonight?" Qin Tianyi said, picking him up, placing him on his lap, and kissing his little face. "I won't leave you."
Gu Susu watched from the side, feeling a pang of guilt. Little Star had suffered so much with her since birth. As a mother, she hadn't given her child a complete family and had often made him live in fear.
Looking at Qin Tianyi feeding the child breakfast, she could tell that Qin Tianyi genuinely liked children. He was usually such a cold person, but every time he was with Little Star, he was as gentle and patient as a loving father. Even if he were pretending, he couldn't fake this.
It was just a pity that Little Star wasn't his biological child. If he were, she could have entrusted Little Star to him with peace of mind and stopped him from suffering with her.
"Open your mouth." Qin Tianyi suddenly brought the spoon he was feeding Little Star to Gu Susu's lips. "See, Daddy likes you and Mommy, so he's feeding you a bite, and then feeding Mommy a bite."
Gu Susu had been lost in thought and hadn't heard Little Star asking Qin Tianyi again, "Daddy, you said you won't leave me, and you won't leave Mommy, right?"
Qin Tianyi, to alleviate Little Star's worries, was now pretending to be affectionate with Gu Susu.
Gu Susu snapped back to reality, mechanically opened her mouth, and ate the spoonful of oatmeal and milk he fed her, smiling at Little Star.
Little Star happily grabbed Gu Susu's hand and said, "Mommy and Daddy aren't fighting anymore, that's great! I want our family to be together forever!"
Qin Tianyi and Gu Susu were both stunned. They hadn't expected Little Star to know they had been in a cold war. This child was more sensible and intelligent than they had imagined.
"When did we fight?" Qin Tianyi asked, playfully pinching his little nose without admitting it.
Little Star tilted his face up and said with conviction, "We didn't? But the children in my class said that when parents don't talk, it's another way of fighting, called... called a cold war."
Qin Tianyi couldn't help but laugh. "You little fellow, how do you know everything? Amazing..."
Before he could finish speaking, his phone on the dining table rang. Seeing that it was from the Lancheng Prison, his expression turned serious.
Gu Susu quickly took Little Star from Qin Tianyi's arms and said, "Daddy has important business to attend to. Come eat breakfast with Mommy."
As soon as she spoke, Gu Susu realized she had also called Qin Tianyi "Daddy" along with Little Star. Had she also mentally accepted Qin Tianyi as Little Star's father?
Qin Tianyi, however, didn't notice what she said. After answering the phone, the other party said something, and he abruptly stood up, ready to leave.
"Xiao Lin, drive me to the hospital immediately."
Xiao Lin hurriedly grabbed the car keys and went out with him.
Gu Susu's heart sank when she heard him say he was going to the hospital, wondering who had fallen ill and was admitted.
Little Star jumped off the chair and chased to the main entrance, shouting at the already started car, "Daddy, remember to come back tonight to set off fireworks with me!"
Qin Tianyi sat in the car, his expression grave as he held his forehead, unsure if he had heard Little Star's words.
Gu Susu pulled Little Star back from chasing the car and said, "He has something important to do. If he can't come back tonight, Mommy will accompany you."
Little Star nodded understandingly but continued to stare in the direction the car had driven away.
Gu Susu took his hand to distract him and said, "Come on, Mommy will accompany you to look at picture books."
After dinner, Little Star, holding a box of fireworks that hadn't been fully set off the previous night, sat in the garden waiting for Qin Tianyi to return.
Gu Susu couldn't help but sigh. Looking at Qin Tianyi's expression when he left this morning, something major must have happened, and he probably wouldn't be able to accompany Little Star tonight.
But who exactly had been admitted to the hospital that made Qin Tianyi so anxious? Could it be Xiao Anjing?
She shouldn't have cared and didn't have the right to inquire about Qin Tianyi's affairs, but she couldn't help but search for Xiao Anjing's contact information on her phone.
"Hello, may I ask who Qin Tianyi went to the hospital to see today? Do you know?"
After sending the message, she kept staring at the phone screen, wondering if Xiao Anjing would reply.
However, after more than ten minutes, Xiao Anjing hadn't replied. She looked helplessly at Little Star, who was still waiting in the garden.
This child was also stubborn and persistent. She had told him that Qin Tianyi couldn't accompany him to set off fireworks tonight, but he refused to believe it, insisting that his father was a man of his word.
As the night grew later, the cold in the garden intensified, but Little Star stubbornly guarded the box of fireworks and continued to wait.
Aunt Chen and Xiao Mei had both gone to the garden to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen, firmly believing that Qin Tianyi would return to set off fireworks with him.
Although Gu Susu was also worried, seeing that Aunt Chen and Xiao Mei had already tried to persuade him, she didn't immediately go to the garden to persuade him, thinking it would be best for him to figure it out himself.
Xiao Anjing suddenly replied to her message, "Qin Yangye had an accident in prison and is being rushed to the hospital."
Gu Susu was stunned to see this reply. First, the Qin family's old madam passed away, and now Qin Tianyi's father, Qin Yangye, had also had an accident.
If Qin Yangye were to have any fatal complications, then Qin Tianyi's closest relatives would all be gone. Was this the outcome he wanted?
To avenge his mother, Xiao Yongmei, he had lost two more relatives. Even if he got his revenge, how much satisfaction or happiness would he feel?
Gu Susu knew that Qin Tianyi wouldn't be back tonight. She got up and walked to the garden, came to Little Star's side, and stroked his head, saying, "How about Mommy accompanies you to set off fireworks? We had fun setting off fireworks together last night."
Little Star hugged the box containing the fireworks and shook his head. "Mommy, let's wait for Daddy to come back. We'll set off fireworks together. He should be back soon."