NOVEL NEXT Chapter 596. The Understanding Daughter
“Hurry up, hurry up, it’s almost six o’clock!”
“Shu Jun got out of school at four thirty…”
Even though I had a lot of fun in the hot spring and the pillows in the booth were comfortable, as we were about to go home, Ning Chu couldn’t help but feel anxious, staring eagerly out the car window at the passing streets.
My mother had already picked up my daughter, and she was likely having dinner now. But according to her, our daughter wasn’t in a good mood and kept crying for her.
“Don’t rush. If you go any faster, you’ll be speeding.”
Wen Yang’s personality is rather laid-back, and he drove even slower, not turning his head as he spoke, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Ning Chu knew she shouldn’t be anxious while driving, but when it comes to her daughter, the pangs of worry were impossible to suppress.
“It’s all Lily’s fault! I wanted to leave ages ago, but she just had to keep chatting.”
“Right, right, did you remember to bring the little gift from Lily?”
“I did… Should I bring a gift too? Otherwise, our daughter might think we really just left her to play all day.”
“Isn’t that so?”
Ning Chu furrowed her brow, hesitatingly nodding: “Well, yes…”
But isn’t this just to accommodate our daughter’s feelings?
Before long, Wen Yang drove the car into the old neighborhood in the city center.
As soon as the car stopped, Ning Chu couldn’t wait to get out, hurrying towards the elevator and bouncing on her feet, eyes glued to the shrinking numbers on the display.
“Quick! The elevator is here!”
Wen Yang tossed the car keys and strolled slowly into the building.
“How come it feels like you don’t care about our daughter at all?” Ning Chu shot him a glare, but it was playful and cute.
“You care too much. What could possibly happen to Shu Jun in her grandma’s house?”
“It’s the first time we’ve been apart for so long… It’s almost been a whole day.”
Ning Chu lowered her head, mumbling: “I know I might be a bit too anxious, but I can’t help it; if I don’t see her, I get uneasy.”
Wen Yang patted his wife’s little head.
“It’s fine, in a few years Ning Chu won’t care so much, just like when our daughter cried, she was anxious back then, and now she can handle it calmly when Shu Jun throws a fit.”
Even when our daughter throws a tantrum desperately wanting something, she can stay cool and just sit down to play on her phone while watching the show.
In the past, she could hardly even imagine having such a scene.
Taking the elevator upstairs, they arrived at her mother’s door.
Ning Chu lightly knocked twice on the door, and footsteps could be heard approaching quickly from inside.
The door swung open, and a pair of big round eyes peeked through the crack, cautiously looking out. Upon seeing Ning Chu and Wen Yang, their daughter shouted with glee.
“Dad!”
She pushed the door wide open and rushed forward, skipping over Ning Chu to hug Wen Yang’s leg.
“…”
Ning Chu suddenly realized that all her anxious feelings had gone to waste.
“Mom!” Their daughter grabbed her little pinky, pouting, “Where did you and Dad go? Did you sneak off to play without me?”
Seeing her daughter’s wronged expression, Ning Chu felt all the unfairness in her heart dissipate. She smiled and squatted down, tenderly replying, “We went to buy you a gift~”
“It’s your first day in kindergarten~ This is a music box from Aunt Lily, isn’t it pretty?”
She pulled a crystal ball from her bag and placed it in her daughter’s hands: “I also got you a super big teddy bear, it’s in the car. I’ll unwrap it for you when we get back.”
“Oh!”
Her daughter excitedly hugged the crystal ball and shouted with joy.
I have to say, children can be easily pleased~
“What should you say for the gifts Mommy got you?” Wen Yang reminded from behind.
“Thank you, Mommy!”
“Come in for dinner, why are you still chatting by the door?”
Their mother’s voice came urging from inside, and the three finally took off their shoes and entered.
Seeing her family smiling widely, their mother chuckled: “Your daughter is just like you, loves to run around barefoot.”
Ning Chu silently turned back and pulled out a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet.
These days, the house often feels so empty. Ning Chu got married, Ning Yuan also got married, and even though they all live nearby, they only meet once or twice a week at most. Hei Dou is in college and is only around during the holidays.
This left their mother almost a solitary person, alone in the house all day.
“Mom~ What a hassle~ Shu Jun didn’t cause too much trouble, right?”
The family gathered around the dinner table as Ning Chu smilingly asked her mother.
“A little trouble is good; otherwise, it’d be really boring for me being all alone at home.” Their mother sighed dramatically, “It only takes half an hour to drive over from your place, yet you never bring my granddaughter to see me.”
“Well, Shu Jun just started school, and there’s a whole bunch of things to do.”
Wen Yang chimed in: “The company just got off the ground; I’m really busy.”
The couple always found excuses, and their mother rolled her eyes: “I’m thinking of going to live with your uncle.”
“Isn’t that nice? You’ve been married for so long; you should have been living together ages ago, and it would be good for each other.”
“It’s too far from him; let’s consider it later.”
As their mother spoke, she picked up the bowl in front of her granddaughter.
“Mom, don’t feed Shu Jun; she’s getting old enough!”
“She’s only a little over three years old; do you want me to keep feeding her until she’s four or five before she’s willing to eat by herself?”
Ning Chu’s brows couldn’t help but furrow; this was why she didn’t want her mother helping to take care of the kids, even though it was exhausting doing it herself.
“She’s already in kindergarten; the teachers at school won’t feed her.”
She gave her husband a glance, and Wen Yang immediately affirmed: “Mom, let Shu Jun eat by herself; she doesn’t need to be fed at home.”
Their mother didn’t respond, just put down the bowl: “What if she doesn’t eat?”
“Let her go hungry; is she going to starve herself to death?”
Ning Chu was particularly firm on this matter; she definitely didn’t want to raise a little emperor.
“Just don’t worry about these things.” She changed the subject, turning to her daughter, “Shu Jun, did you have fun on your first day at kindergarten?”
“Fun!”
“Did you miss Mommy and Daddy?”
“A little?”
“……”
Their mother chuckled: “When I went to pick her up, she was hugging the teacher’s leg tightly and wouldn’t leave.”
Ning Chu didn’t know whether to be happy or sad, she pursed her lips and asked, “Do you want to go to kindergarten again tomorrow?”
But her daughter shook her head vigorously.
Wen Yang was taken aback, pressing further: “Wasn’t kindergarten fun? Why don’t you want to go?”
“If I leave, Daddy will bully Mommy.”
Their mother immediately tensed up, questioning Wen Yang: “What did you do to Ning Chu?!”
“???”
Both parents were a bit confused but soon recalled what happened last night.
Ning Chu’s face turned red as a tomato, and Wen Yang awkwardly scratched his nose.
Their daughter, in a protective fury for her mom, exclaimed: “I wasn’t home for just a day, and Mommy hurt her foot!”
Wen Yang helplessly explained to his daughter: “Ask your mom when I’ve ever bullied her! Last night I was really helping your mom practice yoga.”
“Today I accidentally sprained my foot…” Ning Chu covered her face and added, even complimenting, “She really understands things, all ready to protect Mommy~”
“Oh~” Their daughter blinked, seemingly understanding yet not.
Their mother quickly caught on and couldn’t stop giggling, covering her mouth.