{It’s as if their three years together never existed 1}

The words of her father struck like a bolt from the blue.

Shen Qiyue had never been as nervous as she was at this moment. The little girl’s wide eyes were filled with visible anxiety, and she kept rubbing her fingers. “Dad, you’re joking, right?”

Shen Qiyue’s dislike for the answer wasn’t just because she didn’t want to have any involvement with Qian Xu, but more importantly—

Before this, she had already promised her mother, who she hadn’t known for long but shared a strong blood bond with.

Now, her father had ruthlessly shattered her fantasies.

Shen Qi spoke in a deep voice, “Do you think I’m joking with you?”

This made Shen Qiyue feel completely humiliated in front of her mother. She felt uncomfortable, but if she got off the car right now, she would know nothing about the meeting between her father and Qian Xu.

If she missed this, and Qian Xu took advantage of her absence to rise to power, Shen Qiyue wouldn’t be able to accept such an outcome.

No, all she ever wanted was her biological mother.

So, she really couldn’t miss this occasion.

Otherwise, the only one left was Shen Qinian, who was notoriously indecisive. He’d follow whichever way the wind blew, and could easily be swayed by Qian Xu in just a few words. He was already so quiet, how could she expect him to stand up for their mother?

No matter what, Shen Xiyue had to follow along.

Shen Qiyue instantly wiped the distressed look off her face. “Of course, I’ll go with Dad.”

“Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I last saw Aunt Qian Xu,” Shen Qiyue said with a bright smile, with no trace of the shadow of nearly being kicked out of the car. It was as if the hostility and resistance towards Qian Xu had never existed. She spoke to Qian Xu as though they were close friends, “Well, isn’t this great? We can finally meet again.”

Shen Qi could easily see through his daughter’s true intentions. He didn’t mind that there were others present, and bluntly exposed her, “Put away your little schemes.”

But Shen Qi also believed that his daughter wasn’t foolish enough to give herself away.

The only reason he brought all his children was to show his greatest possible welcome in his own way. To him, the roles of his children hadn’t changed much. Their parent-child relationship was far from intimate, and in formal settings, Shen Qiyue and Shen Qinian were more like lucky charms, a token gesture of his insignificant sincerity.

The business vehicle sped down the highway once again.

“When you’re not required to speak,” he reminded coldly as they neared the airport, rising slowly from his automatic seat, “don’t say anything, understand?”

…

“I’ve landed safely.”

The moment Qian Xu arrived at Jiangcheng Airport, she reported her safe arrival to Yan Li, who was in the U.S.

However, Yan Li’s voice didn’t relax but instead became more tense. She warned repeatedly, “You must resist temptation. Don’t be fooled by a few sweet words and repeat your past mistakes. They might be planning to use you again…”

Yan Li spoke in a hurry, almost blurting out her thoughts, but she managed to hold back just in time.

However, how could Qian Xu not understand the message her friend was trying to convey? Even those outside the main story could clearly see the role she played in this relationship.

“I know, you’re worried I’ll end up being someone’s nanny again.”

When the term “nanny” came out of Qian Xu’s mouth, devoid of any emotion, even Yan Li had to express brief surprise.

Qian Xu treated the situation as though she were an outsider, but Yan Li, who had known her for so many years, understood how deeply that title had wounded her.

“Well, while I’m away, you take care of yourself,” Yan Li said in a muffled voice, “I’ll finish up and return home as soon as possible.”

“Alright.”

Though Qian Xu didn’t reject her friend’s concern, she hoped that by the time Yan Li returned, she would have already dealt with these trivial matters herself—

And she also hoped this family wouldn’t waste too much of her time.

No matter how much Qian Xu loathed them, she had never imagined that her reunion with them would come so soon. The very people who had unceremoniously exploited and abandoned her were now waiting with impeccable manners at the brightly lit airport. Almost every traveler passing through the airport couldn’t ignore the family waiting outside the terminal.