Chapter 81

Before coming to Uncle Xu’s house, Zhiyi’s mother had already taught her how to comfort her little sister—what to say and what to avoid. Despite this preparation, when faced with his little sister’s tear-streaked face, Jiang Sixun still felt utterly helpless.

Noticing that her brother was standing there frozen, Zhiyi paused, wiped her tears, and with one arm hugging her toy car, she reached out her little hand to hold his.

Jiang Sixun racked his brain, desperately trying to figure out what to do.

If he didn’t agree to her, she would cry even harder.

He glanced at Xu Heng, thinking it would be better to brainstorm together than to go it alone.

When it came to racing cars, Xu Heng could talk with confidence, but when it came to soothing a small child, Jiang Sixun was clueless. His experience in that area was virtually non-existent.

Before this little sister had come along, he had never liked such small children. He often lacked the patience to play with Xu Ningwei, leading to countless scoldings for ignoring her.

He was naturally rebellious; the more his parents insisted he play with Xu Ningwei, the less he wanted to. This created a vicious cycle: Xu Ningwei would cry, he would be reprimanded, and then he would ignore her even more, which would only make her cry harder.

As a result, every weekend or school holiday, Xu Ningwei would cry at least ten times a day.

After pondering for a while, Xu Heng had no good solutions either.

He certainly couldn’t tell her that they were in Shanghai and that they weren’t adults who could take her back to Beijing.

He offered her the ice cream. “Aren’t you always saying this is your favorite? Eat this before we go.”

Zhiyi shook her head, her lower lashes glistening with a tear that looked ready to fall. “Thank you, brother, but I don’t want to eat. I want to find my daddy.” As she spoke, the tear rolled down her cheek.

Suddenly, she remembered her father’s words: No matter where she was, she had to behave and not cry.

She was worried that if she cried, her father wouldn’t want her anymore. But with one hand holding the toy car and the other being held by Jiang Sixun, she couldn’t wipe her tears.

She looked to Xu Heng for help. “Brother, can you hold my little car for a moment?”

Xu Heng’s heart leapt with hope, thinking she was about to put down the toy to eat the ice cream. He quickly took it from her.

Zhiyi didn’t take the ice cream; instead, she wiped her face with her little hands and rubbed her eyes vigorously.

“Thank you, brother.” She took the toy car back from Xu Heng.

This was a gift from her brother Jiang Sixun, and she couldn’t lose it.

In this few minutes of back-and-forth, Jiang Sixun suddenly thought of a solution, uncertain if it was a good one, but decided to give it a try.

“It’s cold outside; let’s put on your down jacket first.”

Zhiyi realized she had been foolish; she was about to go outside without wearing a coat, and she would end up freezing like a little snowman.

Jiang Sixun searched around for a while…

In the upstairs room, Jiang Sixun finally found her clothes.

The white down jacket had been worn for three days, adorned with two tiny ears on the hood.

Once she put it on and pulled the hood over her head, she looked like a little snowball.

Jiang Sixun told Xu Heng not to follow him and took his little sister out to the yard.

The butler wasn’t worried about the two kids wandering outside; the large black-and-gold gate was securely locked, and there were security personnel stationed at the entrance. Their every move was under the watchful eyes of the adults.

Jiang Sixun led her to the locked gate, feigning a look of urgency. “The door is locked! We can’t get out. What should we do?”

Zhiyi’s worry peaked, and she nearly cried again. “Right! What do we do, Brother?”

Jiang Sixun crouched down in front of her and whispered, “I’m going to tell you a secret, but you can’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Zhiyi, holding back her tears, nodded eagerly. “I won’t tell anyone, Brother.”

Having listened to the story of the mixed-up squirrel and bunny babies all night, Jiang Sixun said, “Actually, I’m mixed up too. I’m also a squirrel baby.”

Zhiyi gasped, her eyes wide in disbelief.

He leaned in closer and murmured, “I’m your squirrel brother. My mom is He Yi’an, and my dad is Xu Xiangyi.”

So it was true; he really was a mixed-up squirrel baby!

Zhiyi blinked in surprise, momentarily forgetting to cry as she processed his words.

Jiang Sixun continued, “When we came here, we took a plane.”

“Really?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.

“Yep! And to go home, we need to take a plane too. How about this: when I save enough money for a ticket, I’ll take you back home?”

Zhiyi’s face brightened. “Okay! But, Brother, how much does a ticket cost?”

Jiang Sixun wasn’t sure, so he made up a number. “A thousand dollars.”

Zhiyi had never heard of such a large sum of money. “Can we buy a ticket right now? I want to find my daddy!”

Jiang Sixun shrugged. “It’s dark now, and the airport is closed.”

Her eyes filled with tears again as she gazed helplessly at the tightly shut black gate.

The wind howled in the yard. Jiang Sixun stood up, positioned himself in front of Zhiyi to shield her from the cold, and asked, “Can you count? How high can you go?”

Despite her sadness, Zhiyi replied earnestly, “I can count to one hundred.”

“Perfect! Here’s the plan: you count one number each day. Today you count one, tomorrow two. Once you reach one hundred, I’ll have saved enough to buy your ticket home. But you can’t tell Squirrel Daddy and Squirrel Mommy that I’m saving money.”

He extended his pinky finger. “Come on, let’s make a pinky promise.”

In her confusion, Zhiyi clumsily hooked her pinky with his, still sniffling as she whispered, “One hundred.”

“No changing the year,” he said firmly.

As the cold wind whipped around them, Jiang Sixun led Zhiyi back inside.

Feeling hopeless about going home, Zhiyi sniffled. When her tears threatened to spill over, she quickly turned her head and rubbed her face against the sleeve of her down jacket.

“Brother, can you call my daddy and have him come pick me up?”

Jiang Sixun shook his head. “I don’t know your daddy’s phone number.”

He asked, “Do you remember it?”

At that moment, Zhiyi could only think of Xu Xiangyi’s number; her father’s seemed to have slipped her mind entirely.

In the past three months, with all the mix-up over the children, Xu Tongxu had barely found the energy to manage the kids. Exhausted from work, he had little motivation to teach them anything new.

At Zhiyi’s age, children have the strongest memories but also the shortest attention spans. If they don’t repeat and reinforce things frequently, they quickly forget.

On the terrace of the third floor, Xu Xiangyi gazed down at his daughter in the yard, a wave of unexplainable heartache washing over him.

He Yi’an called out, “Don’t let the child see you.”

Even the most sensible three-year-old struggles to cope with emotional upheaval, and adults find it hard to rein in their feelings in such a short time, let alone a child.

With each experience of disappointment and eventual despair, Zhiyi would slowly start to give up on finding her father.

It was an inevitable process; she couldn’t shield the child from this pain.

Xu Xiangyi took the small pillow he had brought from Xu Tongxu’s house and placed it on the bed, hoping the familiar scent would provide his daughter with a bit of comfort.

He and He Yi’an had already packed up most of Ningwei’s things, which had been sent over to Xu Tongxu’s house that day.

When Xu Xiangyi returned from the terrace, he took a moment to gather his thoughts and asked, “We haven’t bought a dress for Zhiyi yet, have we?”

He Yi’an replied, “Not yet. We’ll take her shopping tomorrow and let her pick something out.”

Shopping would help pass the time and temporarily distract them from the pain of parting with Xu Tongxu.

Xu Xiangyi began planning their itinerary for the Spring Festival. They would start by taking Zhiyi shopping for clothes, then spend the next day playing go-karts to let her experience the thrill of racing. On the following day, they would go to the beach to play in the sand.

“If we go to the beach, should we go to Haicheng or the Southern Hemisphere?” he asked, seeking his wife’s opinion.

Without hesitation, He Yi’an replied, “Haicheng. Given Zhiyi’s current state, we should avoid any long, tiring trips since she’s not sleeping or eating well.”

With the holiday schedule packed, Xu Xiangyi hoped that in two weeks, his daughter’s emotions would settle down.

He peeked out onto the terrace again and saw that the yard was empty now.

“I’m going to check on Zhiyi.” He headed downstairs.

After crying twice, Zhiyi had finally run out of tears and was resignedly sitting at the table, eating quietly.

As she licked her ice cream, a flicker of hope ignited within her. If she could just count to one hundred, her brother would buy a plane ticket to take her home, and she would finally see her dad.

Jiang Sixun returned to his room to grab his homework and settled down beside her to work.

“What are you doing, Brother?” Zhiyi asked, tilting her head curiously.

“Doing homework,” he replied.

“You’re amazing, Brother!” she exclaimed.

Jiang Sixun couldn’t quite grasp the child’s perspective; he wondered why simply doing homework earned him such praise. Every time she spoke, he responded: “Thank you.”

As Zhiyi enjoyed her ice cream, Xu Xiangyi came over and scooped her up, placing her on his lap while he helped her hold the ice cream container.

She tilted her little face up, her eyes sparkling. “You’re Xu Xiangyi,” she declared, her dad’s phone number spilling from her lips effortlessly.

Xu Xiangyi chuckled softly; it had become second nature to her.

Lowering his head, he rested it against her tiny forehead. “And can you tell Daddy what your name is?”

After a few moments of realization, she understood that he was Squirrel Daddy and she was Squirrel Baby, with the surname Xu.

Her voice barely a whisper, she said, “Xu Zhiyi.”

“Good girl, Zhiyi.” Xu Xiangyi pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Can you call me ‘Daddy’? Just a little voice will do.”

Zhiyi remained silent, her fingers nervously tracing the handle of her ice cream spoon.

Not wanting to rush her, Xu Xiangyi took the spoon from her hand and fed her some ice cream instead.

Zhiyi felt a weight in her heart; although she didn’t call him Daddy, Squirrel Daddy wasn’t upset at all. He was still so kind, feeding her delicious treats.

Xu Xiangyi gently diverted her attention, keeping her mind off sad thoughts.

“Zhiyi, do you want to go to the mall or the supermarket tomorrow? We can buy you a dress at the mall or snacks at the supermarket.”

Before she could respond, Xu Heng, who was sitting across from them working on his homework, looked up. He had been racing against the clock to finish his assignments before bedtime.

He chimed in, “Dad, why don’t we take little sister to the mall first to buy her a dress and then head to the supermarket for snacks?”

Zhiyi nodded, feeling that her brother’s suggestion made perfect sense.

Xu Xiangyi’s intention behind this was to spark more conversation. Both the mall and supermarket were on the agenda, but spending the entire day at the mall was unrealistic.

To his surprise, he found himself impressed that his son was considering Zhiyi’s feelings and speaking so kindly.

When Ningwei was at home, asking Xu Heng to play with his sister for even ten minutes felt like a luxury. He often ended up making her cry and got scolded for it.

Xu Heng wondered why his father was staring at him so intently, feeling a bit anxious. Surely he could at least say something now?

Xu Xiangyi turned to his son, “Are you going to accompany your sister tomorrow?” He didn’t really expect an enthusiastic response.

“Sure!” Xu Heng replied cheerfully.

This caught Xu Xiangyi off guard. In the past, his son would have found a hundred excuses—he hadn’t finished his reading, his homework wasn’t done, or he had a competition experiment to complete. He always had a laundry list of reasons, busier than Xu Xiangyi himself.

Zhiyi poked Jiang Sixun, who was engrossed in his homework. “Brother, are you going?”

Jiang Sixun turned to her, nodding, “Yes, I’ll go with you.”

“Oh.” A long-awaited smile broke across Zhiyi’s face, though her eyes were still puffy from crying.

Having only let her eat half a box of ice cream, Xu Xiangyi packed it away and carried his daughter upstairs.

“Let’s take a bath and go to bed. Tomorrow, when you wake up, you can go to the mall with your brother to buy pretty dresses.”

Zhiyi asked, “What about the supermarket?”

Xu Xiangyi laughed, “Of course we’ll go to the supermarket too! What do you want to buy?”

“Dolls,” she replied, her face lighting up.

“Alright, let’s buy several dolls!”

Xu Xiangyi told her that there were stores selling dolls in the mall, “We’ll check them all out, okay?”

“Okay!” Zhiyi beamed.

He Yi’an had already prepared the bathwater. Zhiyi’s room hadn’t been renovated in time for the New Year, so they had to make do with a temperature-controlled tub for her bath.

The caregiver observed the well-behaved child and had initially braced herself for a challenging few months ahead, only to realize she had worried unnecessarily. Based on her understanding of children, Zhiyi would quickly adapt to her new home.

She whispered to He Yi’an, “As long as you and Mr. Xu spend enough time with her, she’ll adjust in no time—probably not even needing two weeks.”

He Yi’an couldn’t believe her ears. “So quickly?”

The caregiver was highly sought after and well-compensated, with an impressive résumé in the industry. She added, “Children who lack love can easily feel fulfilled.”

He Yi’an opened her mouth a few times but couldn’t find her voice.

Relief often mingled with sorrow.

Xu Xiangyi carefully removed his daughter’s sweatshirt and handed her to his wife.

Zhiyi felt embarrassed, unsure of what to call He Yi’an. She couldn’t call her “Auntie,” as that felt wrong, yet “Mom” was a word that wouldn’t come out.

“I can wash myself,” she said softly to He Yi’an.

He Yi’an gently ruffled her hair, “Our Zhiyi is so wonderful. But from now on, you’re Squirrel Baby, and I’m Squirrel Mommy. Mommy will help you wash, okay?”

With that, she embraced her new role as a caring mother.

The tone was always one of negotiation.

At first, Zhiyi was afraid of He Yi’an and didn’t dare to get close. But during the flight, He Yi’an had gently coaxed her, speaking softly, hugging her, and feeding her snacks and water. Now, Zhiyi enjoyed spending time with this Squirrel Mommy.

At her age, a child’s memory can sometimes be as fleeting as a fish’s.

While taking a bath, she loved being around He Yi’an. After washing up and drying her soft hair, she lay on the unfamiliar big bed, gazing at the spacious, strange room, forgetting that just moments ago, she had been splashing and laughing in the tub with He Yi’an.

Then, her thoughts drifted back to her father.

Xu Xiangyi came in after his shower, holding a hairdryer.

“Zhiyi, can you help Daddy dry his hair?”

Zhiyi crawled up from the bed, shaking her head. “I can’t.”

“It’s okay, Daddy will teach you.”

Xu Xiangyi plugged in the hairdryer, adjusting it to the right temperature. It was simple—just hold it and point it at his wet hair. There was no need for any special skill.

He explained to his daughter which button turned it on.

Zhiyi nodded, understanding.

Xu Xiangyi sat at the edge of the bed, relieved to find a task that could capture his daughter’s attention.

With a gentle press, cool air began to blow from the dryer. She first tested it against her wrist to check the temperature—safe and cool—before aiming it at Xu Xiangyi’s hair.

Every time Xu Tongxu prepared water for Zhiyi, he had a habit of dropping a few drops onto his wrist to test the temperature. Watching this so often, Zhiyi thought it was necessary to check the temperature before using anything.

Seeing her instinctively check the temperature with her wrist warmed Xu Xiangyi’s heart, filling it with a bittersweet joy.

How lucky was he to have such a charming child?

Worried that Zhiyi might tire from holding the hairdryer, he gently took her hand, effectively holding the dryer for her.

The dryer was set on the lowest setting, and after a while, Xu Xiangyi’s hair was still damp.

He Yi’an stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at the father-daughter duo drying hair. “Look at our Zhiyi! She’s so capable, helping Daddy dry his hair!”

Zhiyi blushed at the praise.

He Yi’an sat on the bed and turned on the prenatal music she had often listened to during her pregnancy. She wondered if a fetus could truly remember anything, and if so, how long and how deeply.

“Let’s give it a try,” she thought.

As the music filled the room, Zhiyi turned her head, curious about where the sound was coming from.

He Yi’an softly explained, “When you were in Mommy’s tummy, you listened to this music every day.” She gently patted her belly.

“You’ve been in here for almost nine months. Do you remember?”

Zhiyi shook her head.

Xu Xiangyi took the hairdryer and motioned for his daughter to come over to her mother.

He Yi’an extended her arms, pulling their daughter from the edge of the bed and inviting her to lie down on her flat stomach. “Listen closely. What sounds do you hear inside?”

Still so young, Zhiyi believed there were real sounds, so she leaned against her mother’s belly, pressing her ear against it in earnest.

“Did you hear anything?”

“No.”

He Yi’an picked up the prepared maternity photos, holding Zhiyi in her arms as they looked at the pictures together. “Let’s see what you looked like when you were in Mommy’s tummy.”

These photos were the only belongings in the house that truly belonged to Zhiyi.

Nestled against her mother, Zhiyi listened to the soft piano music while gazing at the photos, enchanted by her mother’s stories of how mischievous she had been in the womb.

As the stories continued, her eyelids began to droop.

Xu Xiangyi watched as his daughter fought to keep her eyes open, a struggle that was both adorable and heart-wrenching. He held his breath, afraid to disturb her.

Ultimately, sleep won. Five minutes later, she was fast asleep.

He Yi’an gently set her down and pulled a small blanket over her.

With her child peacefully sleeping, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Xu Xiangyi squeezed his wife’s hand tightly, grateful to have made it through the first night of this trying experience.

He Yi’an tenderly stroked Zhiyi’s head, aware that their daughter had cried for at least three hours that evening, thoroughly exhausted from her tears.

The childcare expert had advised leaving a bedside lamp on at night, so if Zhiyi woke up frightened, she could see where she was and who was with her.

If the light disturbed their sleep, they could use sleep masks.

But who needed sleep masks? Both she and her husband were too exhausted to even speak. They fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillows.

Xu Xiangyi slept lightly, and in a half-dream state, he thought he heard the sound of crying.

At first, he believed it was a dream, but the cries became clearer, pulling him from his slumber. The first thing he did upon waking was to check on his daughter.

In the space between him and his wife, the little pillow lay empty, while the blanket was bunched up, forming a small cocoon with Zhiyi’s head tucked inside.

Xu Xiangyi sprang up, “Zhiyi? Zhiyi? What’s wrong?”

He scooped her up into his arms, pulling her from the blankets. “Zhiyi, don’t cry. It’s Daddy.”

Zhiyi was drenched in sweat, tears streaming down her face, unable to stop her sobs.

He Yi’an also woke up, startled. “What’s wrong?”

Xu Xiangyi held their daughter tightly against him. “It’s okay, Daddy’s here.”

Zhiyi wasn’t new to waking up in the middle of the night. Back in their rental apartment, she often found herself alone, waking up in the wee hours, crying herself to sleep from sheer exhaustion.

Just now, when she woke up, she glanced at the figure beside her and suddenly felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. She missed her dad, her mom, her grandparents, and even her older brother.

She knew her mom didn’t want her anymore, but still, she longed to go home.

Finally, her sobs subsided enough for her to speak. With tear-filled eyes, she looked up at Xu Xiangyi. “I’m sorry for waking you and Squirrel Mommy.”

In an instant, tears streamed down Xu Xiangyi’s face as he tightly embraced his daughter.

“No, sweetheart, it’s Daddy who’s sorry. I should have taken better care of you and not let anyone take you away.”

He Yi’an reached for a tissue from the bedside, pulled out a few for herself, and then offered the box to her husband. Their little girl was apologizing, even in her distress.

Zhiyi must have been scolded for crying at night before, and now she instinctively worried about waking anyone up.

Xu Xiangyi wiped away her tears first. “You’re only three years old, a little baby. When a baby wakes up at night, they should call for their mommy and daddy. Do you remember?”

Zhiyi replied softly yet firmly, “But I’m grown up now.”

Xu Xiangyi pondered how to shift her perception. “A bunny baby is grown up at three, but a squirrel baby doesn’t fully grow up until eight. Right now, you’re a squirrel baby, which means Daddy has to hold you until you’re eight. Your brother is nine, and he’s a big kid now. Remember that?”

Zhiyi nodded.

“How old do you have to be to be considered grown up?” he asked again.

“Eight,” she replied confidently.

“So, when you wake up at night, should you call for Daddy to keep you company?”

“Yes.”

Xu Xiangyi gave his daughter a gentle kiss, pulled the blanket around her, and held her close. “Daddy will hold you while you sleep, so don’t be scared.” He turned off the light and added to his wife, “You get some rest. Everything’s fine.”

Zhiyi nestled in her father’s arms, her eyes fluttering shut. In her mind, she repeated to herself that she wouldn’t grow up until she turned eight and that she should call for her mom and dad if she woke up at night.

Meanwhile, He Yi’an glanced at her phone before going to sleep; it was 1:30 AM.

In Beijing at that hour, the Shang family was driving along the road. Xu Ningwei sat in the backseat, crying and demanding to go home and find her parents.

She had cried on and off all afternoon and into the evening. Even though she thought she’d sleep by ten o’clock, her energy was still high, and by eleven-thirty, she showed no signs of tiredness.

Complaints from neighbors led to the property management calling them.

There was nothing for it; they had to take the child outside.

Crying in the middle of the street wouldn’t disturb anyone.

“I want to go home!”

“I…”

“I want my mommy!”

“I want to go home!”

Xiao Meihua felt her head was about to explode. She was both exhausted and in pain, and all her patience had been drained. Finally, she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Xu Ningwei, can you be quiet for once?!”

Xu Ningwei froze in place. No one had ever yelled at her like that before, and she was momentarily stunned.

But the next second, her cries grew even louder.

Shang Tongxu pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the engine, and calmly addressed the situation, “Why are you yelling at a three-year-old? You’ve searched for her for three months, and now that you’ve finally found her…”

Xiao Meihua interrupted her husband, “I didn’t expect her to be this kind of child.”

When they returned home from the mall, it might have been the sight of the rundown rental apartment that unsettled her. Xu Ningwei had cried, refusing to let go of Shang Tongxu, insisting that the place was dirty.

After countless attempts to soothe her, they finally managed to quiet her down. But soon enough, she demanded to find her mother, telling stories about being held by the wrong people. They even bought her a stuffed animal as a distraction, but she tossed the rabbit aside, squinting her eyes and kicking her feet as she cried.

“I don’t know how Xu Xiangyi’and He Yi’an are raising their child, but it’s clearly not working!” Xiao Meihua lamented, utterly frustrated.

Shang Tongxu sighed, “She’s only just over three years old. It’s normal for her to cry after being separated from her parents.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, picking up his daughter from the backseat.

“Don’t cry, Ningwei. Daddy will take you to build a snowman, okay?”

Xu Ningwei retorted, “You’re not my daddy! I don’t want you as my dad!”

“Then how about this: Uncle will make you a magical snowman. This snowman can take us back home.”

At the mention of a magical snowman, Xu Ningwei finally stopped crying.

Xiao Meihua rubbed her temples, grateful for a moment of peace.

As she reflected on the future, it seemed bleak; there wouldn’t be a return to calm times anytime soon. Unconsciously, she thought of Zhiyi, who had never acted out like this. Even her cries were cautious.

After a long two hours of building, the snowman was finally done, but Xu Ningwei couldn’t hold on any longer. She leaned against Shang Tongxu and fell asleep.

…

At six-thirty on a winter morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet.

Xu Xiangyi woke up feeling somewhat refreshed. He carefully turned over and glanced at his daughter, Zhiyi. Her little hands were curled up in front of her, and after he had rocked her to sleep, she hadn’t stirred since.

He reached out, pulling both his wife and daughter into a warm embrace.

Just after seven, the mother and daughter woke up nearly at the same time.

Zhiyi blinked, momentarily confused about where she was.

Xu Xiangyi smiled and asked, “What’s Daddy’s name?”

Zhiyi responded without thinking, her answer flowing out effortlessly.

He was concerned that she might wake up grumpy, so he prepared a handful of cheerful comments to lift her spirits. However, before he could utter a word, he saw Zhiyi sit up from the blankets, patiently waiting for him to help her get dressed.

He kissed her forehead. “Once you’re dressed, we’ll go wake up your brother.”