Chapter 114: Remember to Think of Me Every Day

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Remember to Think of Me Every Day

"And what happened? She’s alive and well, and all lovey-dovey with that man!"

Her words did the trick, leaving Shen Rongdan speechless.

But for the first time, his eyes were filled with utter disappointment in her.

He turned, grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair, and left without another word.

Yao Yuzhen watched the door swing back and forth, and her heart skipped a beat.

’Oh, I won again.’

’It’s just that I was hoping to coax him back, maybe get on his good side.’

’But now?’

’Might as well forget it.’

’Anyway, that boy has a bad memory. He’ll come crawling back in a couple of days.’

"Dongxue, make me a bowl of wontons."

She called out towards the kitchen.

Zhang Dongxue was wiping the stove. Hearing the call, she quickly stopped, shuffled to the doorway, and wrung her hands as she replied softly.

"Madam, if you want wontons now, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit..."

Yao Yuzhen’s face immediately fell.

"Don’t we have any filling in the house?"

She had a small appetite and a sensitive stomach, so she usually preferred soft, easy-to-eat foods.

What she craved most was her small bowl of wontons in the morning.

Zhang Dongxue had long since figured out her habits. In the past, she would always prepare the filling every few days and freeze it.

But this time, Yao Yuzhen had thrown a tantrum and run away from home. She hadn’t been back for days, so Zhang Dongxue figured she wouldn’t be returning anytime soon and hadn’t restocked the filling.

Yao Yuzhen, already fuming from her son’s retort, slammed her hand on the table at these words.

"Are you too good to take my orders now?"

Terrified, Zhang Dongxue waved her hands frantically.

"Madam, that’s not it at all! It’s not! It’s..."

Before she could stammer out a decent excuse, Yao Yuzhen had already crossed her arms and sat down on the sofa.

"Get to it! I’m having my wontons this morning. I’ll just sit here and watch, and we’ll see if you’ll listen to me or not."

Zhang Dongxue nodded hastily.

"I’ll start mincing the filling right away! Right away!"

Once in the kitchen, she grabbed a cleaver and got to work, shaking her head as she chopped.

’This madam and that adopted young miss they brought back... one is more difficult than the other.’

’They’re always pulling a long face. It feels like you’ve done something wrong if you even breathe too loudly.’

She was quick and nimble, and a steaming bowl of wontons was soon served.

Yao Yuzhen spooned up some broth, blew on it, and took a sip.

The broth was clear, savory, and fragrant. The warmth on her tongue instantly eased the tension in her face.

"Keep the filling in stock from now on. Don’t wait until I ask for it to make it fresh."

Her tone was still stiff.

"Yes, of course! I’ll remember!"

Zhang Dongxue’s voice was clear and bright.

"Is Shuangshuang awake upstairs? Go take a look."

She added.

"Right away!"

Zhang Dongxue replied crisply and turned towards the stairs.

Downstairs, Yao Yuzhen slowly ate her wontons.

Sunlight crept in through the window, draping a warm glow over the back of her hand and her shoulders.

She squinted, the corners of her mouth turning up unconsciously as her whole body relaxed.

Zhang Dongxue quickly returned.

"Madam, Miss Shuangshuang is still sleeping."

"Fine. Dish out a bowl and take it up to her."

Yao Yuzhen put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Right away!"

Zhang Dongxue responded at once and headed back to the kitchen.

’It was pointless to take it up, really.’

Shen Shuangshuang was an unbeatable champion of sleeping in.

Forget the aroma of a bowl of wontons—you could bang gongs and beat drums, and she’d sleep right through it.

This was far from the first time something like this had happened.

But Yao Yuzhen always had her take it up, and Zhang Dongxue always complied.

’I just work for a salary. What right do I have to say anything?’

But privately, she couldn’t help but wonder.

’They’ve already found their biological daughter, so why is she still so attentive to the one she raised, Miss Shuangshuang?’

If Shen Zhenwu and the others couldn’t figure it out, there was no way Zhang Dongxue could.

So she kept her mouth shut, busying herself with wiping the floors, washing the dishes, and sweeping. Once her work was done, life went on.

As soon as the family recognition banquet was over, Li Hanchen had to return to Ning City.

Song Yao’s project was in its final stages, so she couldn’t get away to travel with him.

So Li Hanchen could only hold her hand and repeat himself.

"I’ll be back in half a month, guaranteed! And I’ll bring you my entire allowance, down to the last cent."

Shen Songyao smiled and nodded.

"Okay! Remember to think of me every day!"

He gave a low grunt of agreement, sounding a bit muffled and even a little silly.

"Don’t overwork yourself. Rest when you’re tired, don’t push through it."

"I know, I know! Don’t worry!"

She stood on her tiptoes and winked her left eye at him.

Before leaving, he also made a point to pull the elderly couple, Yang Wanqing and Shen Lixin, aside.

"With Song Yao staying here, I’ll have to trouble you both to help look after her."

Yang Wanqing immediately pretended to be angry.

"Oh, what a thing to say! She’s my own granddaughter. It’s only natural for me to take care of her. How could it be a bother?"

She patted her chest.

"You just go and tend to your important business. With Song Yao under my watch, I guarantee she’ll be glowing with health and well-fed!"

"It’s a lot to ask of you both," Li Hanchen said with utmost sincerity.

Yang Wanqing complained good-naturedly.

"Why are you being so formal? We’re family, there’s no need to be a stranger."

"You and Rong Dan drive safely on the road. Don’t cut people off, don’t rush. Get to bed early tonight, don’t stay up late."

Shen Rongdan hadn’t gone back to his own home at all and had spent the night in the west wing of the courtyard house.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, the two of them got in the car and set off.

Just before pulling the car door open, Li Hanchen suddenly stopped. He turned his head and stared at Song Yao for several seconds before speaking.

"Call me anytime if you need anything!"

Song Yao immediately raised her hand, making a telephone shape with her thumb and pinky, and wiggled it at him.

The car door shut with a BANG, and she immediately raised her voice to shout.

"Drive safely! Let me know as soon as you get to Ning City!"

"Okay! Hurry inside, the wind is a bit chilly!"

He replied, his gaze never leaving her.

Song Yao nodded. As she watched the car window slowly roll up, the smile on her face gradually faded.

’Sigh...’

’Now we’re really living apart. My heart feels so empty.’

Li Hanchen saw the corners of her mouth droop in the rearview mirror, and his chest tightened as if something had squeezed it.

Shen Rongdan shot him several sidelong glances.

"What’s wrong? Why the long face?"

Li Hanchen couldn’t bring himself to speak.

When the car turned the corner and Song Yao’s figure disappeared from view, he simply closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat.

"Didn’t sleep well last night."

"Didn’t sleep well? Didn’t you go to bed a little after nine?"

Shen Rongdan was puzzled and turned to stare at him.

Li Hanchen couldn’t be bothered to reply.

’He’d gone to bed, sure, but who could actually sleep knowing they’d be separated from their wife the next day?’

Li Hanchen wasn’t the only one who saw Song Yao’s little pout; Yang Wanqing had seen it clearly too.

She grabbed her granddaughter’s hand, sighing with heartfelt sympathy.

"I’ll have a word with your father later and have him figure out a way to get a transfer back to Beijing."

Song Yao was a little embarrassed.

"Oh, wouldn’t that be inappropriate? Dad is so busy with his work."

Yang Wanqing’s eyes went wide.

"What’s inappropriate about helping family? Your husband is practically a son to him! What’s wrong with giving him a hand?"

"We can’t just let you wander around Beijing all by yourself while you’re pregnant, can we?"

"I..."

Song Yao was about to say that she planned to return to Ning City as soon as her project was finished.

Before the words could leave her mouth, Yang Wanqing cut her off.

"Let you go back there with a big belly to give birth? I’ll be the first to object!"

"Having a baby is no joke! Besides, after the baby’s born, who’s going to help you hold it, feed it, change its diapers? Who’s going to watch over it when it has a fever in the middle of the night? Who’s going to take it to the hospital if its jaundice levels are high?"

Song Yao was stunned, her lips slightly parted, unable to speak.

’Raising a child... a young couple really can’t handle it all on their own.’