Chapter 2 – The Three-Year-Old Autistic Baby

◎ That aunt scolding and hitting you was absolutely not your fault. ◎

Pei Wenyu hobbled down to the first floor, with Xue Huiyu drifting silently behind him.

There were no other servants along the way… In the living room, Zheng Huiwen had already set out dinner.

It was a simple meal—three dishes and a soup.

She watched as Pei Wenyu sat down and quietly began eating. As if used to the routine, she spoke up: “President Pei, the young master got scared by the sirens again. I just coaxed him and he’s asleep now.”

Hearing Zheng Huiwen lie so effortlessly, Xue Huiyu, who was listening from the side, felt her hair bristle in fury.

“Coaxed”? Holding him down on the floor, covering his mouth, and injecting him—was that your idea of coaxing? What a blatant lie!

She had thought Pei Wenyu would at least notice something was off—maybe ask even one more question. But he didn’t even lift his eyelids, just gave a disinterested “Mm,” completely distracted.

The soft spot Xue Huiyu had briefly felt for Pei Wenyu vanished in an instant. She ground her teeth and was ready to beat him up again!

From what she’d just seen, her son might have mania? Or perhaps autism?

And to make the screaming, hysterical Pei Yuqi quiet down, the injection Zheng Huiwen gave him was probably a sedative!

Sedatives affect the central nervous system. A dose or two in the right amount might not be an issue—but what if Zheng Huiwen had been drugging the child since three years ago because he was too active as a baby?

Long-term use could cause serious harm—not just to the nervous system or building drug dependency, but also severe damage to the liver!

When she remembered the first time she saw Pei Yuqi—shrinking lifelessly into a corner, gnawing on his fingernails—Xue Huiyu’s heart ached so much she wanted nothing more than to beat Zheng Huiwen to death!

She was furious that Pei Wenyu didn’t care about his son—and even angrier at herself for having hired such a nanny in the first place!

But what could she do, even if she was furious! She had already died three years ago. As a spirit with no physical body, there was absolutely nothing she could do.

No longer wanting to look at the infuriating Pei Wenyu and Zheng Huiwen, Xue Huiyu floated up to the second floor, to her son’s bedroom.

It was strange—this child she had always thought of as a burden during pregnancy, yet at this moment, seeing Pei Yuqi’s pale little face lying there on the bed, she unexpectedly felt a bitter sorrow and deep pity.

He was too thin.

At three and a half years old, he was still so small—barely the size of a two- or three-year-old…

A child without a mother is like a weed… How unfortunate must this child have been to end up being born into her womb?

He never received her love, nor his father’s love—only abuse at the hands of a cruel nanny.

If she were still alive, she would never have let any of this happen!

Would she really, though…?

Thinking about how she’d barely held him after he was born, Xue Huiyu froze.

She had so many resentments toward the child back then, but looking back now, did she really hate or despise him?

No… she didn’t. She had just been afraid—afraid of her life changing, afraid of the huge difference between expectation and reality…

Her unstable emotions were the result of a mix of psychological, physiological, and hormonal factors. Subconsciously, she denied herself, convinced that the child was an obstacle to her career success—and so, she avoided him.

Xue Huiyu didn’t understand why it took her until now to realize this… Had she truly lost all reason due to postpartum depression back then?

No wonder Pei Wenyu had kept suggesting she see a psychologist…

Sitting beside the bed in silent regret, Xue Huiyu gently reached out and, despite knowing she couldn’t touch anything, couldn’t stop herself from “stroking” her son’s thin little face.

“I’m sorry… I couldn’t give you a happy home…”

“That aunt hit you and yelled at you—not because you were bad, not because you were annoying… It was because she was a bad person, a bad aunt…”

Just then, the child’s eyelashes fluttered lightly.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Xue Huiyu found herself locked in a gaze—his big eyes meeting hers.

Then, as if startled, his pupils widened briefly before he swiftly shut his eyes again.

Xue Huiyu: “???”

“You can see me?” Xue Huiyu stammered in disbelief. “You really can see me?”

But Pei Yuqi didn’t respond. Instead, he turned over and lay with his back facing her.

“So I was wrong after all… How could you possibly see me.”

Looking dejectedly at his tiny back, Xue Huiyu murmured, “Even if you saw me, you probably wouldn’t even know who I am…”

“Pei Yuqi, I’m your… mom.”

The word “mom” left Xue Huiyu’s lips for the first time.

Her heart felt tight, as if a string had been pulled—she had never expected that being a mother could feel like this.

“I wonder if Pei Wenyu ever mentioned me to you… If he did, it was probably only to talk about how I abandoned you right after giving birth…”

Xue Huiyu let out a bitter smile. “Now that I see how you’re living, I really regret not treating you better back then.”

“I’m sorry… I never fulfilled even the most basic responsibilities of being a mother…”

Xue Huiyu was genuinely filled with remorse. Whether it was sympathy or guilt, she was finally regretful—but in this world, there is no medicine for regret.

What she didn’t know was that, after she left, Pei Yuqi peeked his little head out from under the blanket.

After leaving his room, Xue Huiyu wandered through the other parts of the house.

Although she had died three years ago, her bedroom and the dance studio remained completely untouched.

Everything was spotless and tidy—it looked like someone had been cleaning regularly.

The rest of the house had been redecorated in dull shades of black, white, and gray.

What was going through Pei Wenyu’s mind? Was cleaning the room more important than raising the child?

Xue Huiyu floated up to the third floor, heading toward the one room she hadn’t visited—Pei Wenyu’s bedroom.

In the year and a half of their marriage, she could count on one hand the number of times she’d stepped into his room.

They had always respected each other’s space, strictly keeping to their own private realms—that had been part of their prenuptial agreement. Neither had ever broken it.

Until she got pregnant, and Pei Wenyu began entering her room under the excuse of “taking care of her.” That had seriously annoyed her.

Now, stepping into Pei Wenyu’s bedroom again after so long, she found it decorated in nothing but black and white.

The layout was dull, the vibe cold and distant.

Despite having lived here for years, the room was so clean and orderly that it felt devoid of any trace of life.

The most striking thing in the room was a black, foldable wheelchair leaning against the wall.

It was noticeably worn—not something that had only been used once or twice.

It seemed that after the car accident, Pei Wenyu had spent a long time relying on that wheelchair. His leg injury must’ve been more serious than she imagined. And the fact that it hadn’t healed after three years… did that mean it never would?

Her thoughts were a mess when she suddenly heard the sound of a cane tapping against the floor, accompanied by slow, heavy footsteps.

Pei Wenyu entered the room and laid down on the bed, covering his eyes with the back of his hand.

Not wanting to share the same space with him, Xue Huiyu quietly left and floated back to Pei Yuqi’s room.

Her beautiful little boy was awake and sitting on the floor building with blocks.

“My son is so smart!”

Startled, Pei Yuqi’s hand trembled, and the blocks he’d built came crashing down like fragile paper.

But he didn’t cry or get upset. He simply began rebuilding with quiet focus.

Xue Huiyu, sensing something was off, chattered by his side. But Pei Yuqi didn’t show even a hint of a reaction this time.

He finished building a beautiful castle, and Xue Huiyu, who had watched the entire time, clapped proudly with a happy smile on her face.

But Pei Yuqi, expressionless, suddenly raised his hand and knocked the entire castle down in an instant.

The building blocks that flew through Xue Huiyu’s ghostly body left her frozen in place.

This little kid may be young, but he sure has a temper.

Pei Yuqi’s pupils widened slightly when he noticed the direction the blocks had flown through—right where she stood. As they clattered to the ground, his pale little lips pressed into a thin line.

He picked up more blocks and threw them on the floor in frustration. Xue Huiyu circled around him in concern, not understanding what had set him off again. Was it really mania?

All the noise naturally attracted Zheng Huiwen’s attention from upstairs.

She pushed the door open, and Xue Huiyu, fearful she was about to inject Pei Yuqi again, watched anxiously—only to see her set a plate down on the table and frown slightly.
“Time to eat.”

Pei Yuqi stopped throwing blocks and obediently sat at the table to eat.

Xue Huiyu breathed a sigh of relief—until she saw him take only a few bites before putting down his chopsticks with a frown.

Why isn’t he eating properly? He’s already so skinny. A few bites won’t be enough to keep him healthy!

With the heart of a worried mother, Xue Huiyu began to mutter:

“Is the food not good? Why are you eating so little? You’re still growing—you need to eat more to get stronger… Look at your dad, he’s 190 cm tall, and I’m 170. As our son, you can’t grow up to be a tiny little bean sprout!”

“These green veggies look nice and fresh—eat a bit more, okay?”

“And that sweet and sour pork smells amazing… That was my favorite dish. Too bad I can’t eat it anymore…”

Just as Pei Yuqi put his chopsticks down, Zheng Huiwen reached to take his plate—but surprisingly, Pei Yuqi reached out and held onto it.

He didn’t say a word, but when he looked up at her with dark, unreadable eyes, Zheng Huiwen suddenly felt suffocated under his gaze. Then she saw him lower his head and start eating again—carefully picking up some greens and sweet and sour pork, chewing in small bites.

He’s eating more than usual today…

Zheng Huiwen didn’t think much of it, but on the side, Xue Huiyu was practically cheering.

“Yes, yes, eat more! Eat lots and grow chubby! Mommy loves you!”

“Cough, cough…” Pei Yuqi suddenly started choking.

The choking made him stop eating altogether. Xue Huiyu was disappointed—her skinny little boy really needed to eat more meat.

Soon after, Zheng Huiwen returned—this time with a glass of milk.

Milk right after dinner? Xue Huiyu frowned. That’s hard to digest for a kid.

At least wait half an hour… That way the nutrients could be absorbed properly.

What is this, a race? Or just ticking off tasks?

She muttered with irritation. Pei Yuqi hesitated, but then picked up the glass.

Zheng Huiwen didn’t leave right away. She urged him a bit, then watched him slowly finish the milk before finally taking the glass and leaving.

After she left, Pei Yuqi picked up a picture book and quietly began reading. Xue Huiyu floated over, smiling:
“What a good boy, reading by yourself~ Let Mommy see, what story are you reading~”

It was an illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales. He was looking at Little Red Riding Hood.

But five minutes later, Xue Huiyu noticed he was still staring at the same page. She gave him a curious glance—only to see that he had dozed off, his head slumped onto the desk.

So sleepy already? Not interested in reading?

Xue Huiyu sighed in disappointment. She’d thought her little boy might have a talent for books. Then she just stared at his side profile, lost in thought.

His delicate features and long lashes cast fan-shaped shadows on his cheeks. Sleeping, Pei Yuqi looked just like a little angel who had fallen to earth.

He really was their child—he’d inherited all the best genes from her and Pei Wenyu.

But his complexion was far too pale. If only he could put on a little weight… His cheeks, which should’ve had baby fat, were completely flat. Children should be chubby and healthy.

Just as she was thinking that, Xue Huiyu snapped back to reality.
Now wasn’t the time to just sit and stare. She anxiously stomped her foot.
“Wake up! Don’t sleep on the desk—you’ll catch a cold! It’s bad for your neck too…”

But Pei Yuqi didn’t move—like he had passed out completely.

As she called out again, Zheng Huiwen re-entered the room.

So soon? She just left—why come back so quickly?

Thinking of that glass of milk, Xue Huiyu felt a wave of dread.

Sure enough, when Zheng Huiwen saw Pei Yuqi asleep at the desk, she didn’t try to wake him. As if it were routine, she picked him up, undressed his outer clothes, tucked him into bed, and pulled the covers over him.

That’s it? He’s just going to sleep like that??? No bath? No brushing teeth?

Realizing something really was wrong with that milk, Xue Huiyu was furious again—so angry she felt like exploding.

She bolted up to the third floor and shouted at Pei Wenyu:

“Sedatives! Sleeping meds! Is this how you let people care for your son? Even if he’s noisy, you can’t do this! What are you, dead? Lying there like a corpse! If you don’t get up, I swear I’ll rise from the grave and slap you into next week!”

Xue Huiyu didn’t just yell—she acted. Even though she couldn’t touch him, she still straddled him in rage and started punching that infuriating face of his.

And just as she threw a mean right hook—

Pei Wenyu suddenly said her name.

“Xue Huiyu…”

Xue Huiyu jumped off the bed in shock and backed into the wall in terror.
“You… you can see me?”

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Author’s Note:

Just a quiet reminder: The adults think the kid is autistic, but he’s actually not. The real diagnosis will be revealed later.

Also, to explain the female lead’s emotional shift—her son is the original novel’s villain who turns dark after losing both parents. Think of the female lead as a background character from the original story who’s now awakened to her role.

She used to be hysterical and irrational due to postpartum depression, but now that she’s died, calmed down, and escaped the original plotline, her mindset is changing.