After Agreeing to Go on a Parenting Show With My Omega Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 93

It will only be recorded up to here.

That day, Yu Luo was just walking home at a leisurely pace.

When she unintentionally glanced at a flower shop’s grand opening advertisement posted on the roadside, a thought struck her, and she decided to go pick out a bouquet for Qi Song.

She walked straight along the street, then made a turn.

Just before entering the hutong¹ where the flower shop was located, her gaze paused, unconsciously drawn to a little girl sitting by the side of the road.

It was already late autumn, and a biting wind swept the withered yellow leaves on the street. The little girl was wearing only a thin, dirty shirt, and her hair was a mess, as if she had been wandering for a long time.

From the side, her little face was red from the cold, and her right hand clutched a piece of dry bread.

A boy walked by and stopped.

The little girl looked up, tilted her head, and offered the bread out a little, her voice soft and sweet, “Do you want a taste?”

The boy took the bread, then threw it forcefully on the ground.

As the little girl stared in astonishment, he made a face, “You little vagrant, you’re so dirty and messy, who would want your bread.”

After speaking, he was about to leave smugly, but found he couldn’t move—

Someone had firmly grabbed him by the back of his collar.

He looked up in alarm and saw a woman wearing a face mask, revealing a pair of exceedingly beautiful yet cold eyes. Her commanding tone was just like this bleak, late autumn:

“Bow and apologize to her.”

Perhaps it was the woman’s noble air, or maybe her aura was too powerful, but the little boy hesitated for a moment. Finally, trembling and with red eyes, he unwillingly bent over and apologized to the little girl. He then had no choice but to pick up the bread and throw it into a nearby trash can.

Only then did Yu Luo let him go.

Her lips under the mask were pressed tightly together.

One day, more than a decade ago, it had been a similarly cold season. A young her had been squatting alone by the road, wanting to share her bread with a passing homeless child, only to have it snatched away with a grin.

Now, this little girl’s experience was similar to her own.

She didn’t understand why there were always so many people in this world who could so casually and cruelly trample on the kindness of others.

It was also because of this similarity that she couldn’t help but stop and stand up for the little girl.

The little girl was looking up at her.

Unlike her dirty skin and clothes, her large, round eyes were like gems, exceptionally bright and clear.

After a moment of silent eye contact, Yu Luo felt more and more that the little girl’s gaze was clear and pure, possessing an innocence and pitiableness that was unaware of the ways of the world.

A soft spot in her heart gave way.

She was a person who held a deep wariness of the world. Yet, at this moment, she couldn’t muster a single trace of vigilance toward the little girl, only an inexplicable, fated sense of closeness.

A cold wind blew, and the thinly clad little girl shivered, her eyes welling up with a watery sheen from the cold.

Yu Luo felt as if her own heart trembled because of it.

Before she knew it, she had quickly taken off her own coat and draped it over the little girl’s dirty shirt.

The little girl showed no resistance, only saying softly, “Tha… thank you.”

Yu Luo’s gaze shifted downward and she suddenly noticed faint bloodstains on the girl’s left arm, and no hand was visible coming out of the sleeve.

Her pupils shrank instantly, and her heart tightened.

“What happened here?”

Her hand reached out and then stopped. She asked cautiously, “May I take a look?”

The little girl shook her head.

“You’ll be scared,” she said softly, her small body huddling inside Yu Luo’s coat, hiding her left arm.

Only a small, pale face smudged with grime and a pair of large, round eyes were visible.

Like a baby bird hiding under its mother’s wing.

A subtle tenderness grew in Yu Luo’s heart.

“I won’t be scared,” she said gently. “If you don’t want me to look, how about I take you to the hospital? The wound needs to be treated properly, otherwise it could be very dangerous if it gets infected.”

The little girl’s eyes dimmed as she looked at her.

She lowered her gaze, and beneath her long, thick, dark lashes, a hint of sadness unbefitting her age appeared in her eyes.

“The wound will heal quickly. I’m used to it.”

Yu Luo immediately realized that this little homeless girl must have been constantly bullied, and was often injured and bleeding.

Her gaze fell on the dark red bloodstains on the girl’s left arm, and her heart ached.

Normally, a child like this would be very wary, gradually developing a beast-like aggressiveness for self-protection.

But when facing Yu Luo, the little girl was always obedient, answering every question with a soft and sweet voice.

She was timid, like an animal in its shell cautiously extending its feelers.

“I don’t want to go to the police station, and I don’t want to go to the hospital…” the little girl said slowly. “Everyone says I’m a monster and they want to capture me. I ran away.”

“I really am a monster, so you shouldn’t get too close to me.”

“You’ll be scared…” The little girl sniffled, her nose red from the cold, and repeated those words again.

It was very contradictory. She clearly had a pure naivety, yet when she said such things, she carried a touch of world-weary melancholy.

Yu Luo knew it was because she had started wandering at too young an age.

However, even while melancholically insisting she was a monster, the little girl later got up obediently and let her hold her right hand.

The small, cold, red, and dry hand was still a bit muddy as it was wrapped tightly in the woman’s warm, soft palm.

The little girl pursed her lips, looking up at Yu Luo without blinking.

Yu Luo wore a mask, but the eyes she revealed held a vast tolerance and gentleness as she looked down and smiled lightly at her.

She took the little girl into the bakery across the street.

Just as they entered, she saw a certain type of bread on the shelf, the same as the one the little girl had been holding earlier.

Except this one was obviously fresher and softer.

The little girl’s hand curled in her palm, and she said anxiously, “I… I didn’t steal it.”

“I found it,” she said, her bright eyes fixed on Yu Luo, as if terrified of being misunderstood.

“I believe you. Relax, don’t be afraid.” Yu Luo squeezed her hand. “I just brought you here to pick out some bread you like.”

But in the end, the little girl couldn’t choose. Standing in the heated bakery, she looked at the exquisite and expensive pastries on the shelves, always showing a sense of awkwardness and unease.

Yu Luo had no choice but to guess her preferences based on her expressions as she looked at different types of bread, and bought a few.

“Where do you usually live?” Yu Luo asked as they came out of the bakery.

In such cold weather, she must have a place to stay. Otherwise, a child so small could easily freeze to death.

The little girl looked at her, somewhat embarrassed.

Just as Yu Luo’s heart softened and she was about to apologetically retract the question, the little girl suddenly started walking, silently leading her to that place—

They walked into the hutong, past the lush and vibrant flower shop Yu Luo had originally planned to visit, made two turns, and arrived at a neglected, dead-end corner.

An abandoned doghouse, with a tattered, thin blanket inside.

The weather had turned cold, and the owner, worried about the dog, had taken it home to live. But this little girl could only occupy this dirty, smelly doghouse, drawing a little warmth from it.

There were also some mottled bloodstains in the den, likely from when her left arm was recently injured.

Yu Luo was speechless for a long time.

She felt two cool tracks on her cheeks and belatedly realized they were tears, instantly chilled by the cold wind.

She thought she would need to think it over carefully. However, just as she had unhesitatingly brought Qi Song home all those years ago, she now knelt down in front of the little girl, raised her hand, and carefully stroked the top of her fluffy, messy hair. “Do you want to come home with me?”

“My home is very warm and very safe. I won’t let you get hurt again.”

---

Yu Luo knew she had been reckless in bringing the little girl home.

For a homeless child she had just met on the street, whom she knew nothing about, the most appropriate course of action was to take her to the hospital to have her wound dressed, and then to the police station to find her parents.

However, when she saw the little girl’s timid resistance to the hospital and the police station, and heard her say she had been hurt because of them, Yu Luo believed her as a matter of course.

When she was young and called the police, she too had experienced that kind of helpless terror in the face of power.

…Was it merely because she empathized with her?

Yu Luo looked at the little girl before her and suddenly felt that many things in the world couldn’t be explained away with cold logic.

Between people, there simply existed an inexplicable attraction and fate.

When the private doctor came to the house for an examination, the little girl was a bit scared.

Without the slightest aversion to how dirty and smelly she was, Yu Luo held her in her lap and coaxed her softly with gentle words.

Finally, the little girl was willing to let the doctor lift her sleeve.

…Her left forearm had been severed. The sight was shocking.

“How could someone be so cruel?”

Upon leaving, the private doctor said to Yu Luo, “And this little girl is so strong, she didn’t even cry. To have injured muscles and broken bones², that kind of pain is absolutely unbearable for an ordinary person.”

A lump formed in Yu Luo’s throat, and she couldn’t speak.

Just now on the roadside, the little girl had been held by her obediently, talking to her, her eyes full of soft trust, not showing a single moment of pain.

…

Yu Luo finally understood why the little girl insisted she was a monster.

Her constitution was extremely special.

Such a horrific injury had actually healed after a week—and what’s more, even her left forearm and hand had grown back.

Yu Luo and Qi Song didn’t dare to call the private doctor to their home again, worried that the doctor wouldn’t be able to keep this shocking secret.

“S-sorry,” the little girl said, sitting on the bed with her head down. “I scared you.”

“I… I don’t eat people…” Her two small hands twisted anxiously. “And I won’t bring bad luck.”

“If you tell me to leave, I’ll go far, far away immediately,” she promised earnestly, her eyes already shimmering with tears at the sad thought.

But then she heard Yu Luo’s clear, gentle voice, as tender as when they first met:

“It seems you’ve never had a name. We’ll be together for a long, long time, so we should have something to call each other…”

“Are there any words you like?”

The little girl froze for a moment, her mind filled with the phrase “together for a long, long time.”

She wiped her tears haphazardly with her newly grown left hand. Later, she cried so hard that snot pitifully dripped out too.

Yu Luo couldn’t help but laugh³ as she came over to wipe her nose and tears, the tip of her own nose tingling.

She once thought that the parent-child relationship was based on blood ties.

In that instant, she discovered that such a constraint had never existed.

—It could also begin at first sight, in the brief moments of getting to know each other.

---

Ah Ran was a bit slow when eating, walking, and talking. She had once apologized for it self-consciously.

But Yu Luo gave her the nickname “Ah Ran,” and told her in a soft, gentle voice:

“Have you ever heard the phrase ‘the sun rises slowly (rǎnrǎn)’? ‘Rǎn’ means slowly. I always feel it has a kind of comfortable, unhurried yet firm elegance. It’s very warm.”

Because of this, Ah Ran instantly fell in love with the name and also accepted her own slowness.

That day, her injuries had healed, and she was finally able to take a bath.

Yu Luo and Qi Song had given her sponge baths before to do a preliminary cleaning of the grime, but it was never truly clean.

Now, she was placed in a bathtub full of hot water, gripping the edge of the tub a little nervously, feeling apprehensive.

Qi Song produced two small rubber ducks from somewhere. When squeezed lightly, they would make a “squeak” sound.

Her attention was captured.

With the little yellow ducks swimming on the water to keep her company, she began to relax.

Yu Luo squeezed some body wash onto a soft towel, worked it into a dense lather, and gently applied it to Ah Ran’s body, saying softly, “Ah Ran, if you feel uncomfortable, you have to tell me, okay?”

Ah Ran stared at the woman’s thick eyelashes, her lightly pressed lips so close, and felt the careful pressure as Yu Luo earnestly and preciously washed her.

It was a boundless tolerance and gentleness, wider than the sea.

Anyone would want to cry in the face of such a feeling, to stretch their limbs, to relax and expose their belly.

Ah Ran’s mind inexplicably went blank for a moment, and an unfamiliar word slipped out:

“…Mommy?”

The little girl’s soft, sweet voice echoed in the steamy bathroom, and Yu Luo paused, slightly stunned.

Her fingers subconsciously tightened on the towel. Amidst the unspeakable tremor in her heart, she turned and met Qi Song’s eyes.

Qi Song raised a hand to gently wipe away the tears that had unconsciously welled up at the corners of the woman’s eyes, then turned her head and smiled at Ah Ran. “If you call her Mommy, then you’ll have to call me Mama.”

---

Ah Ran got an ID and legally entered into an adoption relationship with Yu Luo and Qi Song.

In her five years in the human world, she had never imagined such a life—

In the morning, Yu Luo would wake her up, dress her in a delicate little dress, and then slowly and methodically comb her hair in front of the mirror.

The teeth of the comb would glide through her hair, gently massaging her scalp, bringing an exceptionally comfortable and relaxing feeling.

Yu Luo often couldn’t resist poking her little cheek and saying with a smile, “Our Ah Ran is so pretty and cute.”

Or she would lower her head to affectionately sniff her and praise how fragrant she was.

Sometimes Ah Ran would get shy and turn to bury herself in Yu Luo’s embrace.

Other times she would say very seriously, “Mommy and Mama are the prettiest!”

They would leave the room together, and Qi Song would already be in the kitchen making breakfast.

There would be the shrimp dumplings⁴ that Yu Luo loved, and the cream of mushroom soup that Ah Ran loved to drink.

She would run and bump into Qi Song’s legs, and Qi Song would bend down to pick her up.

Qi Song would tap the spot between her eyebrows and pretend to be jealous, “Looking so happy, I can tell you’ve already hugged Mommy.”

“I haven’t even gotten a hug from your Mommy today!”

That was right, there was a strange magnetic field between her and Qi Song. Like puppies who love each other but still playfully compete for their owner’s affection.

Ah Ran would smile, revealing a row of neat, white little teeth, and nod proudly, “I hugged Mommy.”

“Hmph, then I don’t want to hug you.”

Qi Song would chuckle and carefully place her back on the ground, patting her head.

“You two childish ghosts.” Yu Luo would walk over, unable to help but laugh, and kiss Qi Song on the lips. “I haven’t forgotten you.”

It was an exceptionally ordinary, cozy morning for a family of three.

Yu Luo and Qi Song would play with toys with Ah Ran, play house, or go to the amusement park to ride the carousel, or go to a family-friendly restaurant for a kids’ meal.

Ah Ran liked to watch Doraemon cartoons in the media room, and her own room was filled with all sorts of Doraemon merchandise that Yu Luo and Qi Song had bought for her.

Ah Ran was a little afraid of other humans, so Yu Luo and Qi Song taught her to read and write themselves.

Occasionally, she would leave for a while.

“I have my own duties. I don’t belong here, I just snuck out to play,” Ah Ran said in a small, soft voice. “I need to go back and stay for a while.”

She was clearly just a child as if carved from powder and sculpted from jade⁵, and her voice was soft and sweet, yet because of the word “duties” in her sentence, she displayed a contradictory maturity.

Yu Luo and Qi Song exchanged a look.

They had long known that Ah Ran was unusual, so they weren’t that surprised. They just suddenly thought of a question:

“Ah Ran, what is your real age?”

It couldn’t be that her body was five, but she was actually a thousand years old, right?

“Five,” Ah Ran blinked innocently. “It has indeed been five years since I gained consciousness.”

Although they were inevitably curious about her true form and duties, Yu Luo and Qi Song never asked, worried it would put Ah Ran in a difficult position.

They only cared about one thing: “Will you be in danger over there?”

“No,” Ah Ran answered softly.

Yu Luo hugged Ah Ran, saying reluctantly, “Then come back soon. Mommy and Mama will miss you.”

“I’m already missing you now,” Ah Ran said, staring at the two of them, her big, watery eyes looking clingy and pitiful.

Yu Luo burst out laughing.

“That’s exactly the same sweet nothings your Mama says,” she said, ruffling Ah Ran’s head teasingly.

Qi Song innocently took a bullet⁶, hugged Ah Ran as well, and joked, “Say something new next time, don’t copy me.”

Separations like this happened many times over the course of more than a year.

Sometimes Ah Ran would only be gone for two or three days, but other times she would be gone for one or two months.

Every time she returned, Yu Luo and Qi Song were, as always, waiting to welcome her.

But that day, something was different—

Yu Luo was pregnant.

---

From the day they decided they wanted a child, Qi Song stopped going to the hospital for Alpha contraceptive injections.

She and Yu Luo engaged in normal marking behavior and waited leisurely for a child to arrive.

They were hopeful, but not anxious, and certainly not forcing fate.

After all, this was an era with extremely low pregnancy rates.

Seeing that there was no activity in her belly for a long time, the two gradually began to feel that they might not be able to have a child, and just decided to take things as they come⁷.

After meeting Ah Ran, their attention was diverted, and they focused on caring for and comforting this scarred child.

However, during a time when Ah Ran had been gone for a while and hadn’t returned, Yu Luo started showing symptoms.

First, it was drowsiness.

She went to bed early and woke up late every day. Sometimes, when Qi Song had finished making lunch, she would simply carry the woman, who was limp from sleep, to the dining room and feed her spoonful by spoonful.

And Yu Luo could even fall asleep in her arms while eating.

Just as Qi Song was feeling that something was wrong and wanted to take Yu Luo to the hospital, that noon, Yu Luo was eating her favorite braised fish in soy sauce when she suddenly frowned.

Then she covered her mouth and rushed into the bathroom.

Qi Song immediately followed, her heart in her throat. She held back Yu Luo’s long hair while patting her back to help her breathe.

That day, they received the pregnancy report.

To suddenly receive this change when they had already given up hope of getting pregnant, a great joy surged forth after the initial surprise—

They would have two beloved daughters in their lives.

But at night, Yu Luo belatedly began to worry, “Shouldn’t we have discussed it with Ah Ran first?”

They were already a family of three; adding a new member should be a discussion for everyone.

Qi Song also felt they should prepare Ah Ran mentally first, so the child wouldn’t feel resistant toward her younger sister.

After all, when Yu Luo had said she wanted a child back then, her own first reaction had been vigilance, worried that it would take away some of Yu Luo’s love for her.

“Don’t worry.” She kissed Yu Luo and comforted her gently, “When Ah Ran comes back, we’ll tell her seriously that we will always love her very much.”

“Right now, you just need to relax completely and have a healthy pregnancy. I will always love you and take good care of you.”

“Mm,” Yu Luo gradually set her mind at ease.

“When will Ah Ran be back…” She gently stroked her abdomen, her lips curling slightly. “She’s going to have a little sister.”

“Yu Feng,” Yu Luo murmured the name of the baby in her belly, then suddenly remembered, “We haven’t given Ah Ran a formal name yet.”

Before, they felt “Ah Ran” was easy and pleasant to say, and Ah Ran herself liked it, so a formal name was optional.

But now that she had a younger sister, to ensure the child’s psychological balance, what the younger sister had, the older sister should have too.

“How about we call her Yu Ran,” Qi Song said. “She really likes the name ‘Ran’ herself, I think it would be better to keep it.”

Yu Luo said, “Our two children can’t both have my surname.”

“Why not? One was born by you, one was picked up by you.” Qi Song raised an eyebrow. “Please, I even want to take Jiejie’s surname. These two kids are really getting off easy.”

“Love brain,” Yu Luo couldn’t help but laugh.

Qi Song kissed her. “What’s wrong with being a love brain? You seem to have a problem with it.”

“No problem… Yu Song.”

They dissolved into playful antics.

---

Aside from some discomfort right after discovering the pregnancy, Yu Luo’s pregnancy was quite comfortable.

Qi Song took care of her meticulously—just as she had treated her before she was pregnant.

Her emotions were sensitive during pregnancy, like being in a heat period every day.

Qi Song was also extremely patient in accompanying and comforting her.

That day, Yu Luo cried pitifully for a while by herself because she didn’t see Qi Song when she woke up. When Qi Song rushed back from the kitchen and held her in her arms, coaxing her softly, she tugged at Qi Song’s collar in embarrassment and choked out, “Am I very annoying during my pregnancy?”

Qi Song lowered her head and pecked her on her wet cheek.

“Nonsense. The way Jiejie is so clingy is incredibly cute.” She said gently and sincerely, “After Taotao is born, can you continue to be this clingy with me?”

Yu Luo’s lips curved up. She hooked her arms around her neck, her long, tear-dampened lashes thick as she gave a slightly shy “mm.”

“How can you be so cute,” Qi Song couldn’t help but praise again, carefully lifting her chin and kissing her gently and lingeringly.

They had been together for so many years, yet her heart still fluttered too much.

As she said this, Yu Luo replied, “Isn’t there something called the seven-year itch⁸? We’ve been together for more than seven years.”

“I think the seven-year itch is just an irresponsible excuse,” Qi Song said seriously. “If you don’t love them anymore, are tired of them, or have fallen for someone else, you can just admit it frankly. You have to blame it on ‘seven years,’ as if the feelings are innocent and time is solely to blame.”

Yu Luo felt that the way she spoke these words, so upright and sincere, made her heart flutter.

She gently stroked Qi Song’s head and closed her eyes with a smile. “Kiss me again.”

…

It was also on this day that Ah Ran returned.

She walked along the street, eager to rush home. She had some change in her pocket, and after counting it, she planned to buy a large bag of roasted chestnuts to take back.

Mommy and Mama both loved to eat them.

The chestnuts were still roasting in the pot. While waiting quietly for them to be ready, she heard the shop assistants chatting about entertainment industry gossip:

“Yu Luo is actually pregnant. I thought she and Qi Song were going to be just the two of them for the rest of their lives.”

“Actually, I thought they were infertile and would adopt a child sooner or later.”

“Sigh, how can an adopted child compare to one you carried yourself? One is ultimately an outsider, who could turn into a white-eyed wolf⁹ after being raised; the other is carried for ten months, connected by flesh and blood. The depth of that bond is completely incomparable.”

“That’s true. If you can get pregnant, who would be willing to adopt?”

“Speaking of which, I’ve seen a family. The AO couple couldn’t get pregnant for a long time, so they adopted a child. Then they actually got pregnant. The adopted child’s situation instantly became awkward. Every time I go to their house, I see that child looking so pitiful and constrained.”

“You can’t even hold a bowl of water level¹⁰ with a pair of twins; you can’t avoid having a favorite. Let alone comparing an adopted child and a biological one…”

The chestnuts were ready, their sweet and rich aroma easily dispelling the late autumn chill.

The shop assistant handed the large bag of chestnuts to Ah Ran and noticed that the little girl, who had been full of excitement just a moment ago, was now pale, the corners of her eyes turning red.

This little girl was as if carved from powder and sculpted from jade, very cute, and the assistant couldn’t help but feel pity.

“What’s wrong, little girl?”

Ah Ran raised her hand to wipe away the tears that were constantly streaming down her cheeks, shook her head, and, sniffling, randomly stuffed the money in her hand to the assistant, grabbed the bag, and turned to leave quickly.

The assistant counted the money and shouted at the little girl’s retreating back, “Little girl, you gave me ten yuan too much!”

---

Ah Ran unlocked the door with her fingerprint and stood in the entryway.

She opened the shoe cabinet to get her slippers, but her gaze fell on a pair of brand-new baby shoes, still in their dust-proof packaging.

They had a peach pattern and were very cute.

The TV in the living room was playing Qi Song’s latest hit drama, completely drowning out the nearly inaudible sounds Ah Ran was making.

Yu Luo was on the phone with Chen-jie, “Yes, her formal name is Yu Feng, and her nickname is Taotao…”

“…Yu Feng?” Ah Ran murmured, a beat too late.

Amidst an unfamiliar bitterness, she felt a ringing in her ears from the tears.

Before she could process it, she couldn’t bear it anymore and turned to leave the house.

“Mommy…” She squatted down on the street, lost.

Since coming to the human world, she had felt many emotions. Hurt, confusion, happiness, bliss.

Now, for the first time, she was experiencing jealousy.

And it was a dangerous demon.

“…My eldest daughter’s formal name is Yu Ran, which is also very nice.”

Ah Ran, who had fled the house, did not hear the rest of Yu Luo’s words.

---

Ah Ran rushed back home late at night.

Yu Luo stood up with Qi Song’s arm, her clear eyes bright and soft, “Ah Ran, you’re back!”

“Mhm.”

Ah Ran was pulled into Yu Luo’s embrace.

The woman held her very tightly; she had truly missed her.

But Ah Ran was too young, too inexperienced in the ways of the world. The first time she was consumed by jealousy, she didn’t know how to cope with or get rid of the feeling.

She just wanted to escape. She just wanted to hold on to the most beautiful memories of the past.

“Ah, you just got back and you have to leave again?”

Hearing her say she had to go again, Yu Luo held onto her, her tone a little disappointed and reluctant.

Beside them, Qi Song’s expression also dimmed. “You were gone for more than two months this time. How long will you be gone next time?”

“I don’t know either,” Ah Ran said, burying her face in Yu Luo’s neck, her voice choked with sobs. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She had clearly tried her best to cry all her tears out before coming home, but now she still couldn’t help but cry.

She was once Mommy and Mama’s most beloved child. Thinking of this, she felt both happy and heartbroken.

Perhaps one day, when she could let go of this, she would come back to be with Yu Luo and Qi Song. At that time, she would be willing to be the unnoticed shadow in the family.

Ah Ran had only been back for a dozen minutes before she left again.

Watching Ah Ran’s retreating figure, Yu Luo felt a hollow panic in her heart.

She was filled with anxiety, as if a piece of her flesh had been carved out.

As if this was the last time she would ever see her in this life.

Waking from a dream at midnight¹¹, she woke up in tears and was held and coaxed by a nervous Qi Song.

“What’s wrong, Jiejie?”

Yu Luo whimpered in her arms, unable to stop her tears for a long time. “I miss Ah Ran so much…”

Qi Song paused, her own eyes turning red.

She gently patted Yu Luo’s back, suppressing the pain in her heart, and said softly, “Ah Ran will come back. She just has her own responsibilities. We’ll wait for her slowly…”

…

---

Taotao was already five months old.

Yu Luo had spread a yoga mat in the living room and was slowly doing stretching exercises.

Qi Song accompanied her at the side, afraid that a careless move might injure her.

After finishing three sets, Yu Luo lay down lazily, her whole body too limp to move.

“Should I carry you to bed?” Qi Song lowered her head and kissed her. “Lying like this is a bit hard.”

Yu Luo’s lashes lifted slightly as she stared at the contours of the woman’s face before her.

Qi Song was no longer the naive and inexperienced girl she was in her teens. Her beautiful features held a mature charm, and she had become more resilient and reliable through experience.

Yet, just like when she was a teenager, she was always considerate in every way, as enthusiastic and ardent as a puppy.

Yu Luo slowly hooked her arm around the back of Qi Song’s neck.

“Five months, I think we can do it?” Her lips pressed against Qi Song’s ear, her breathy voice intimate.

Qi Song froze slightly.

Her gaze moved down, landing on the woman’s flushed cheeks after her workout, and her slightly parted, rosy lips.

Her throat moved unconsciously.

“I’m worried…” Her gaze continued downward. She was clearly aroused, her chest hot, but her mouth was still spouting hesitant words.

Yu Luo saw right through her.

She let out a deliberate, soft gasp, and led Qi Song’s hand downward. “Come inside and worry.”

---

When Taotao was eight months old, Yu Luo’s belly was round and swollen, and walking had become difficult.

Qi Song massaged her limbs every day. Seeing her discomfort, she often couldn’t help but secretly cry from heartache.

Yu Luo caught her once.

“Tsk, you poor thing.” Yu Luo crooked a finger, calling her over, and expertly rubbed her head and scratched her chin.

Lowering her head, she placed a light kiss on the red corner of Qi Song’s eye.

Thinking of something, she smiled gently, “Many years ago, when I was frequently sick, you would also always turn your back and pretend to be busy, but you were actually secretly shedding tears.”

Back then, Qi Song was always worried she would fall ill and never recover.

She herself also felt she would have a short life.

Unexpectedly, more than a decade had passed, and she was still alive and well. Moreover, she had gotten rid of the “Fragrance-Inducing Factor” and was living a healthier, more relaxed life.

However, she gradually discovered that only she was relaxed.

Three times in a row—she woke up in the middle of the night and saw Qi Song staring at her unblinkingly in the moonlight.

Her melancholy and panic were unconcealable.

“I’m fine, I just had a nightmare,” Qi Song would always say.

But she wouldn’t reveal a single word about what the dream was about.

Yu Luo could roughly guess.

It was nothing more than… nothing more than dreaming that she didn’t make it off the hospital bed on the day she gave birth.

Yu Luo didn’t know how to alleviate this emotion in Qi Song. She could only bypass the topic of childbirth and talk more with Qi Song about the future.

For example, whether Taotao and Ah Ran would like each other, whether they would have some cute little squabbles or rely on each other. How they should strike a balance to make both children feel equally loved.

For example, regarding Taotao’s future parent-teacher conferences, Yu Luo bossily and willfully announced that she must attend all of them. At that time, Qi Song couldn’t help but laugh, and Yu Luo clearly saw the relaxed joy in her eyes.

“I won’t fight you for it, you can go to all of them,” Qi Song promised softly.

For example, where they would retire after the children grew up.

“Let’s stay in B City,” Qi Song said. “It’s convenient for you to be a teacher at the theater academy.”

“What a bunch of lucky kids,” she said, referring to Yu Luo’s future students. “To have such an outstanding and gentle teacher.”

Yu Luo smiled, “When you entered the industry back then, I was the one who gave you one-on-one special lessons¹².”

“That’s true,” Qi Song became smug. “Who could be luckier than me.”

…

Amidst these discussions full of anticipation, their spirits grew more buoyant by the day.

Time flew by, and the day of delivery was approaching.

Yu Luo was admitted to the hospital in advance.

Qi Song hadn’t been to a hospital in a long time. Ever since Yu Luo had been in a coma in the hospital for a month, and she had suffered through the torment of waiting, she had developed a particular hatred for hospitals.

There was too much misfortune here.

Smelling the disinfectant, she suddenly began to tremble, and her legs felt weak. The echoes of the nightmares that Yu Luo had soothed away in recent months once again entangled her.

However, she had to be strong and encourage Yu Luo with the most stable and full emotions.

Qi Song glanced at her cold, sweaty palm, wiped it haphazardly with a tissue, and took a deep breath.

Tomorrow was Yu Luo’s due date. Based on Yu Luo’s current condition, she should give birth as scheduled.

“Don’t worry, Teacher Qi.”

The doctor comforted her, “Teacher Yu’s vitals are all very stable and healthy, better than most pregnant women I’ve seen. Tomorrow will definitely go very smoothly.”

Only then did Qi Song realize her own lips were trembling.

She swallowed and nodded with difficulty.

When she returned to the hospital room, she saw Yu Luo reaching out to her with a hint of dependence.

Qi Song walked over in a few steps and took her hand.

“Are you feeling okay?” Qi Song asked softly.

She pushed her acting skills to the limit, suppressing the terror in the bottom of her heart, presenting Yu Luo with only a sense of calm, reliable security.

Yu Luo blinked and smiled relaxedly, “I’m fine.”

“Just a little sleepy…” She let out a soft yawn.

“Go to sleep, I’ll be right here with you,” Qi Song coaxed.

“Mhm.”

Yu Luo slowly closed her eyes.

In that instant, Qi Song’s heart inexplicably clenched.

She rushed to speak before the woman’s eyes closed completely, “Jiejie, I love you very much.”

Yu Luo’s lashes trembled lightly. She opened her eyes and answered her gently, “I love you very much too.”

They looked at each other, smiling through tears, just like the day more than a decade ago when Yu Luo brought Qi Song home.

And this year, she was 27, and she was 31.

…

It will only be recorded up to here.

Only recorded up to here.

The tip of Qi Song’s trembling pen came to an abrupt halt. With too much force, it tore a shocking gash across the paper.

The black ink snaked across the page, smudged by wet tears, the characters blurring.

All the days of the past came to a halt at that moment on that day. The memories that followed could no longer be recalled or recorded.

Qi Song slowly closed the notebook in her hands, as if closing off all the joy and happiness she once had.

She stood up, her lips dry, her eyes holding nothing but a deathly stillness.

It had been almost a year since Yu Luo passed away.

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