Chapter 23: Found a Man Who Has a Child

Tang Xiaohe looked at Ji Yanli for help.

Ji Yanli nodded without hesitation. He was more than willing—he had originally wanted Tang Xiaohe to have dinner with him anyway, and now he had even more justified reason to do so.

“I can cook for Nini.”

Hearing this, Tang Xiaohe hugged Ji Yanli excitedly. “I knew you could handle anything!”

Zhang Wan also smiled: “Thank you so much, Officer Ji, we really appreciate your help!”

Tang Xiaohe and Ji Yanli first went to Zhang Wan’s place, helped pack some daily necessities for Nini, then took Nini back to the Golden Home together.

“I’ll send you all back first. You help get Nini settled and then bring her downstairs directly for dinner.”

Worried about the injury on Tang Xiaohe’s hand, Ji Yanli held Nini with one hand and carried the bag with the other, looking like a devoted dad.

Tang Xiaohe couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if she and Ji Yanli had a child someday. Thinking about that, she burst out laughing.

Ji Yanli didn’t understand what she was thinking this time.

The three of them stepped out of the elevator. Tang Xiaohe went to enter the code on the lock. Before she finished, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

Tang Xiaohe was a bit stunned and only then remembered that Lin Jing had returned today.

Lin Jing greeted Tang Xiaohe while holding Zhaotaohua: “Where have you been? I couldn’t reach you for half the day.”

Before Tang Xiaohe could answer, Lin Jing noticed the thick bandage wrapped around her hand: “What happened? How did you get hurt? When did this happen?”

Zhaotaohua barked excitedly at Ji Yanli, who hadn’t been seen for a long time. Following Zhaotaohua’s gaze, Lin Jing looked from Tang Xiaohe to Ji Yanli holding Nini.

Lin Jing’s mouth twitched. What the heck? Tang Xiaohe, that silly girl, actually found herself a man who already has a child?! And the child is already so big!

Following Lin Jing’s gaze, she looked back and forth between Ji Yanli and Nini, her face showing a mix of disbelief and suppressed frustration.

Tang Xiaohe knew Lin Jing too well and knew she was jumping to conclusions.

She gently pinched Lin Jing’s arm: “This is Ji Yanli, my boyfriend. This is Nini, my roommate’s daughter. My roommate had some trouble at home, so she asked me to help take care of Nini temporarily.”

Tang Xiaohe then raised her injured hand and waved it in front of Lin Jing: “I also got hurt accidentally at my roommate’s place.”

Lin Jing was a bit embarrassed and hadn’t voiced her doubts about the relationship between Ji Yanli and Nini earlier.

She forced a smile and greeted Ji Yanli: “Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you from Xiaohe. Finally meeting you in person.”

Ji Yanli knew how close Tang Xiaohe and Lin Jing were and wanted to leave a good impression, so he nodded politely: “We are neighbors. Maybe we’ve met before, but I didn’t know Miss Lin previously. Please forgive me if I’ve caused any offense.”

“Xiaohe’s hand is injured; she can’t get it wet or carry heavy things. She needs her dressings changed twice a day, so you’ll have to help take care of her,” Ji Yanli paused and added, “If she doesn’t listen or follow the doctor’s orders, feel free to contact me anytime.”

As Ji Yanli explained to Lin Jing, he glanced at Tang Xiaohe.

Tang Xiaohe felt a chill down her neck from his half-warning, half-threat gaze.

She had originally thought changing the dressings was too much trouble and since it wasn’t a serious injury, she could just take off the bandage and rest a few days.

But after that warning, she gave up and decided to obediently let Lin Jing change the dressings.

Lin Jing confidently assured Ji Yanli, “Don’t worry, if she’s disobedient, I’ll notify you immediately.”

Lin Jing pulled Tang Xiaohe inside. Nini politely said goodbye to Ji Yanli: “Goodbye, Uncle!”

Ji Yanli smiled to himself, wondering why Tang Xiaohe was “Xiaohe sister” but to him, she was “Uncle.”

Lin Jing and Tang Xiaohe helped get Nini’s bed ready—more accurately, Lin Jing did the work while Tang Xiaohe just stood by giving orders.

“Oh my, your hand’s hurt this badly, just standing still is already a huge help to me!”

Nini played in the living room with Zhaocaifu, while Zhaotaohua quietly squatted next to Lin Jing.

“That little girl is so pitiful,” Lin Jing whispered, afraid Nini might hear.

“Exactly,” Tang Xiaohe agreed deeply. Nini was only six years old but had long witnessed her father beating her mother. Kids are smart—though she might not fully understand what divorce means, she knows her mother is all she will have in the future.

“You’ve been on a business trip so long, how did it go? Did the project get finished?” Tang Xiaohe and Lin Jing worked in different fields, so they rarely asked about each other’s work. This was the first time Lin Jing had been away for so long, so Tang Xiaohe was a bit curious.

Lin Jing paused folding clothes and sighed softly: “It was finished a long time ago.”

“Then why did you stay in Beicheng so long?”

Lin Jing didn’t answer immediately, but a blush slowly rose on her ears.

“Oh~ it must be because of a love affair!”