"He's still busy with work. You'll be able to see him in a few more days,"
Little Xingxing sat up, his face lighting up. "That's great! Then we can be together again, right?"
Susu nodded. "From now on, Mom and Dad will be with you as you grow up. Our family of three will be together forever, never to be separated again."
Little Xingxing's eyes sparkled. "Mom, is that true?"
Susu's heart ached at the child's insecurity. She tapped his little nose. "Of course, it's true. But Mom and Dad can't be with you every single moment. Dad has his work, and Mom also has to work hard, not too far behind Dad."
Little Xingxing stood on the bed, looking like a little adult. "I know Dad is amazing. He manages a very, very big company! And Mom is the best designer, she can make so many beautiful clothes."
Susu laughed at his exaggerated gestures. "Who told you all that?"
"Nan Yi said it, and Xiao Mei said it too. They said you are both very capable people, which is why you're always so busy. I'm a little man, I can't cry just because you're busy with work."
Susu gave him a thumbs-up. "That's right, my darling understands everything."
No wonder Little Xingxing hadn't cried when she first saw him yesterday; it was thanks to Ya Nan's teaching. She hadn't expected Ya Nan, who always seemed so frivolous, to be so good at comforting children.
"Breakfast is ready! Young Madam, Young Master, come out quickly." Xiao Mei, who had overheard their conversation outside the door, knew Susu was awake.
Susu got out of bed and picked up Little Xingxing. "Let's go for breakfast. After we eat, Aunt Nan and I will take you out to play."
She had slept for almost a full day and night, her energy restored, and she felt refreshed. Thinking about returning to Lancheng the next day, she still couldn't stop worrying about Tian Yi in the hospital.
After breakfast, she and Ya Nan took Little Xingxing for a walk in a nearby park.
There were many children in the park, and Little Xingxing quickly found playmates, joining a group of children.
Susu and Ya Nan sat on a park bench, watching Little Xingxing play happily.
"You're quite good at teaching children. You've changed his habit of crying whenever he sees me after not seeing me for a while," Susu said with a smile.
Ya Nan gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Is that what you call teaching? I'm just helping him understand that adult life isn't easy. You were always reluctant to teach him these things before, weren't you?"
"I always felt he was too young to know too many adult matters."
"Children nowadays are very smart. If you don't tell them, do you think they won't find out? It's better to let them understand a little than to let them be filled with fear."
"You have a point."
Ya Nan smiled wryly. "This is also from my own childhood experience. My mother tried her best to protect me, even when she was in that state, and didn't want me to know about my father's affairs outside. But did I really not know? The hushed whispers of neighbors, those strange glances, the debt collectors showing up at our door... I was so confused and terrified..."
Susu gently squeezed her hand. "I understand. Thank you for taking such good care of Little Xingxing during this time."
"By the way, were you taken away by Yang Sijie then? What happened to you, Qin Tian Yi, and Su Kangxi abroad, and how did you all return safely?" Ya Nan pushed aside thoughts of her own childhood and asked the question that had been bothering her.
"Didn't Kangxi tell you?" Susu asked, surprised. Since Kangxi had called her to the hospital, hadn't he told her these things?
Ya Nan pouted. "Don't mention him. When he contacted me, he just said you were sick and hospitalized, and asked me to come to the hospital to take care of you. He didn't say anything else."
This Kangxi was truly a blockhead. Since he was using her as an excuse to contact Ya Nan, why didn't he take it a step further? What a wasted opportunity.
Susu had to tell Ya Nan herself. "It wasn't Yang Sijie who came to find me personally, but his assistant, Mark. I was afraid they would harm you, so I went with him directly. Later, abroad, Yang Sijie received the punishment he deserved. It was truly a blessing in disguise that Tian Yi, Kangxi, and I were able to return safely. Kangxi was the most in danger at that time; he almost died at Yang Sijie's hands."
She deliberately exaggerated Kangxi's danger to observe Ya Nan's reaction.
Ya Nan's expression turned anxious. "Did he get injured? I saw that he seemed fine, but you and Qin Tian Yi ended up in the hospital."
Susu smiled. "He only had some superficial wounds, but the internal injuries were the most serious."
"What internal injuries? Did Yang Sijie give him some kind of poison?" Ya Nan asked, her heart clenching.
Seeing her anxious look, Susu smiled. "He was poisoned by you. You're the one who needs to cure this internal injury. When are you going to make a move? Stop being so harsh on him."
Ya Nan understood, realizing Susu was teasing her. She blushed and said indignantly, "Susu, I'm just worried that you both suffered a lot to deal with Yang Sijie. Why are you dragging me and him into this again? What kind of move do I need to make? Doesn't he realize it himself?"
"My dear aunt, you know him better than I do. With his dense, straightforward personality, do you think he'll figure it out on his own? If not, I advise you to find someone else you like."
"Alright, alright, I get it. Let's not talk about him. Look how happy Little Xingxing is playing." Ya Nan intentionally avoided the topic, looking at the children playing with Little Xingxing.
A parent had bought a bubble machine for their child. The child ran around happily, letting the bubbles fly, while other children chased after him, laughing and running.
Ya Nan wasn't unaware of how to make Su Kangxi understand her feelings; she just had her reservations.
She wasn't sure if they could reconcile and be together as before.
There was already a chasm of love and hate between them, separated by too many people and events. Would he be able to treat her well for a lifetime?
Seeing her still lost in thought, Susu figured that the rift between her and Kangxi would need time to heal. She changed the subject. "By the way, how is business at the fashion store here? Were you able to manage it all by yourself when I was away?"
"Your previous designs are still in vogue, and business is good. If I couldn't manage, I would have hired people. I've hired two people to help at the store." Ya Nan was now full of confidence in the fashion store.
"You're even managing people now. That's great." Susu could sense that Ya Nan's life was on the right track, no longer aimlessly drifting as before.
"I'll show you the account books later. I've deposited all the profits into your account without missing a penny," Ya Nan said with a sense of accomplishment.
She had never known what she was good at or what she could do since she was young. Doing business with Susu in fashion this time made her feel useful for the first time, able to support herself with her own abilities.