Chapter 51 - 50: Parent-Child Shoes

"Don’t worry. If anything’s wrong, I’ll come get you right away."

"Okay! Bye-bye, Daddy."

Jun Qingmeng left with Tongtong.

"Turn right... that’s it. Cross the street. There’s a convenience store up ahead that sells ice cream..."

Tongtong gave Jun Qingmeng directions.

Less than ten minutes later.

The two of them arrived back at the apartment.

Jun Qingmeng looked around the apartment curiously.

"Your place is so clean! Oh, and you can even exercise on the balcony."

"It’s all thanks to Daddy. He cleans the house every day. Daddy and I really like having a clean home."

"Yeah, Jiang Liu is so hardworking."

Jun Qingmeng’s opinion of Yang Yixue sank even lower.

’What kind of person gives up a man this amazing? She’s definitely going to regret it someday.’

’Jiang Liu is family-oriented, a good provider, handsome, and a good person.’

’Even in all of Hua Country, he must be the gold standard for a man, right?’

"Come on, Teacher Qingmeng! While Daddy’s away, you should lie down on our bed. It’s super soft."

Tongtong pulled an embarrassed Jun Qingmeng along, introducing her to all her "friends" around the house.

"This is the toilet. I use it every day. But Daddy always insists on peeing standing up, so every time I go to sit down, the seat is wet! It makes me so mad!"

"But don’t boys pee standing up?"

Jun Qingmeng had to suppress a laugh as she looked at the indignant little girl beside her.

"I don’t care! Daddy has to listen to me! I’m going to make him pee sitting down from now on!"

"Well, good luck with that."

"Teacher Qingmeng, you should tell him, too! He’ll definitely listen if you tell him. Please?"

Tongtong hugged Jun Qingmeng’s leg, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"Huh? What would I even say?"

Jun Qingmeng was dumbfounded.

’She imagined herself scowling and pointing a finger at Jiang Liu. ’You’re forbidden from peeing standing up from now on! You will sit down to pee!’’

"Teacher, what are you laughing about? Can you tell me?"

"It’s nothing, Tongtong. Your mom should be here soon, so I’d better get going."

"Okay then."

Jun Qingmeng left and returned to the shop.

"How was it?"

"Delivery complete. I left Tongtong at home."

"Thank you. Sorry to trouble you, Teacher Qingmeng."

"Jiang Liu, you know, we don’t have to be so formal with each other." Jun Qingmeng’s gaze flickered away.

The single office workers queuing outside looked at Jiang Liu, their faces full of envy.

’This is infuriating!’

’Wasn’t life hard enough?’

’Getting exploited by the system all day long, and now we can’t even eat a bun in peace without getting a PDA shoved in our faces.’

’Is life for a single guy really this pathetic?’

Just then, someone’s phone rang, and the ringtone was incredibly loud.

"I can’t seem to hold on to love; I just watch it slip away.

Happy people are everywhere in this world, so why can’t I be one of them...?"

The single guys: ’...You don’t have to love us, but please, don’t twist the knife!’

Jiang Liu was busy and didn’t think much of it, just nodding in response.

When Jun Qingmeng didn’t get the response she wanted, a flash of disappointment crossed her face.

’For someone who’d been single her whole life, voicing such a clear hint had taken all her courage.’

She didn’t say anything else.

She started clearing plates for Jiang Liu without another word.

"Teacher Qingmeng, rest for a bit if you’re tired. The buns are almost sold out, so there’s no rush," Jiang Liu said, concerned.

’He felt a little guilty having her work for him on her day off. But this wasn’t a situation where he could just give her a red envelope or pay her some wages; that would be disrespectful.’

’After all, Jun Qingmeng was here to help, not because she was after his money.’

"It’s fine. I wasn’t doing anything anyway. You focus on your work."

"Alright then. Thanks for your help. I’ll treat you to something good this afternoon."

"The buns are fine! I really like them."

.........

Yang Yixue arrived on the floor of Jiang Liu’s apartment building.

She habitually reached for her key to open the door, then froze.

’Right, this wasn’t her home anymore. After so many years of marriage, she’d gotten used to thinking of home as wherever Jiang Liu was.’

She knocked on the door. "Tongtong? Mommy’s here to see you."

She waited for half a minute, and just as she was growing impatient,

Tongtong timidly opened the door.

Her small hands fidgeted with the hem of her clothes.

Tongtong had originally planned to give Yang Yixue the cold shoulder, but now all she felt was a child’s fear.

Yang Yixue gazed at the little girl before her and found she wasn’t as annoyed as she expected. Since the divorce, she had actually started to miss the little tyke.

She crouched down, a loving expression on her face, and straightened Tongtong’s collar. "Tongtong, have you missed Mommy these past few days?"

"Nope." Tongtong shook her head, clutching her juice box tightly.

"You didn’t?! How could you not miss Mommy!?"

Yang Yixue’s voice suddenly rose.

The motherly expression on her face from a moment ago vanished, replaced by a dark scowl.

Tongtong took a frightened step back.

"What are you afraid of, Tongtong? It’s not like I’m going to eat you. I’m your mother."

Yang Yixue suppressed the rage in her heart and forced a gentle smile onto her face.

Tongtong nodded fearfully.

"Come on. Tell Mommy what you want to play with or what you want to eat."

Yang Yixue pulled Tongtong into the elevator.

"I already ate. I had Daddy’s buns. And I don’t want to play."

"Buns? What’s so good about those? Come on, how about Mommy takes you to the mall first?"

Although Tongtong didn’t want to go, she had no choice but to agree.

"Whatever. You decide."

They went down to the first basement level.

Yang Yixue’s BMW 7-series was parked in a temporary spot.

The two of them got in the car.

Tongtong clumsily buckled her own seatbelt. Yang Yixue made no move to help.

"See Mommy’s car? It’s comfortable, isn’t it? When you’re with your dad, you probably don’t have a car to ride in. You just walk everywhere in the hot sun, right?"

Tongtong replied, displeased, "I’m happy doing anything as long as I’m with Daddy."

"I like walking and I like being in the sun. I don’t like riding in cars."

’There was one thing she didn’t dare say: she liked riding in her dad’s car, not Yang Yixue’s.’

Yang Yixue let out a dry laugh.

Her mood soured even further.

"Come on, Mommy’s taking you shopping at the mall."

The two of them went to the biggest nearby mall, Xinxiang City.

A giant advertising screen displayed a blue liquor bottle.

It was soon eleven o’clock.

Yang Yixue dragged Tongtong all over Xinxiang City.

She bought five coats, three tops, five pairs of pants, and a bunch of other miscellaneous things.

Tongtong didn’t buy a single thing.

She saw plenty of things she liked but didn’t ask for any of them. Especially a pair of matching parent-child shoes that she wanted to get for her and her dad to wear together.

Yang Yixue’s mood improved a little after her shopping spree.

"Tongtong, Mommy’s taking you to get some Western food."

Tongtong’s little feet ached. She nodded unhappily. "Okay, fine."

’She really just wanted to go home and be with her daddy and Teacher Qingmeng.’

The two arrived at the entrance of the Sicilian Restaurant.

A waiter immediately opened the door for them, speaking in broken English.

Yang Yixue walked in, unfazed.

"Tongtong, your father definitely doesn’t have the money to bring you to a place like this, does he? You’ve never eaten this kind of food before, have you?"

Anger flared in Tongtong’s heart. She retorted, "That’s not true! I’m the one who doesn’t want to eat it! My daddy makes plenty of money, and he’ll buy me whatever I want to eat!"