"Mom, do you like Dad?" Wen Yan'an, curled up in Fang Miaomiao's arms, asked, tilting his head up to look at her.
"Yes, I do," Fang Miaomiao said, her eyes glued to the comic book in Wen Yan'an's hands. "Don't just stare, turn the page."
Wen Yan'an immediately flipped to the next page.
"Mom."
"Yes?"
Wen Yan'an hesitated for a long time before asking, "Then do you like me?"
Fang Miaomiao froze. She looked down at the little one in her arms. "Why do you ask?"
Wen Yan'an pursed his lips and said nothing.
Fang Miaomiao rubbed her forehead. She remembered.
In the novel, little Wen Yan'an had always lacked a sense of security. In the beginning, she had only wanted to coexist peacefully with the little boy.
She hadn't expected that a series of events would later disrupt this balance.
Oh dear, could it be that An'an thought she would fight with him for his dad?
This thought made Fang Miaomiao's heart skip a beat.
Seeing Fang Miaomiao's silence, Wen Yan'an pulled away from her embrace.
"An'an, I'm sorry."
So, she only liked him because of his dad, right?
Hearing the apology, Wen Yan'an's body trembled.
Fang Miaomiao was shocked and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, An'an, for confessing to your dad without your permission. I, I should have asked you."
"It's okay, Mom. Can you give me a little bit of your love for Dad?" Wen Yan'an said in a very quiet voice, his head lowered.
Fang Miaomiao still heard him.
"Why just a little bit? Little An'an calls me Mom, and he's so good to me. Why only a little bit?"
She became a mother without any pain, and what's more, An'an was so obedient and thoughtful.
In her past life, she had loved looking at dolls, perhaps because she had always wanted a child who would listen to her.
She hadn't expected that the wish buried deep in her heart in her past life would be realized in this life.
Seeing his silence, Fang Miaomiao knew the little one had misunderstood.
She pulled Wen Yan'an to face her and sat down. "Little An'an, could you please look at me? Thank you."
Wen Yan'an obediently looked up.
As expected, he was crying.
Tears welled up in his eyes but didn't fall.
He cried so silently, his eyes red like a rabbit's.
Fang Miaomiao felt like laughing, but it seemed a bit immoral to laugh right now.
Never mind, she would comfort him first and then laugh.
"An'an, why do you think I don't like you?"
"On TV, they say that with a stepmother, you have a stepfather. If Mom has Dad, she definitely won't like me anymore."
Whenever there were many people at the Yu Yuan estate, those people would secretly say that if Dad had another woman, he would have other children, and then Dad wouldn't like him anymore.
He could bear it if Dad didn't like him, but he didn't want Mom to not like him.
Did Mom liking Dad now mean that Mom would only like Dad from now on and not him?
Fang Miaomiao paused, then raised her hand and patted Wen Yan'an's head. "An'an, can I tell you a secret?"
"What?" Wen Yan'an asked, trying hard to hide his disappointment.
"Actually, Mom likes little An'an even more."
Wen Yan'an looked at Fang Miaomiao, whose eyes seemed to be shining, and asked in a hoarse voice, not daring to believe it, "What did you just say?"
"I like An'an more," Fang Miaomiao said with a smile. "An'an, you're so cute, obedient, and smart. Anyone who sees you would like you."
"I'm quiet and don't talk much."
"Geniuses are often lonely. Besides, don't you have me now?" Fang Miaomiao raised an eyebrow. "Or, do you think your mom talks too much and you don't like it?"
"No, never."
He was already happy that Mom was willing to talk to him. How could he dislike it?
Fang Miaomiao stepped forward and hugged Wen Yan'an. "Little An'an, you're truly excellent."
When she was An'an's age, she didn't even know which hillside she was running on. Her grandmother used to say she was like a wild monkey, running around all day.
"Mom," Wen Yan'an curled up obediently in Fang Miaomiao's arms. "An'an likes you very much too."
Fang Miaomiao affectionately tapped Wen Yan'an's nose. "Don't think such nonsense anymore, okay?"
She had spent so much effort today.
"Okay," Wen Yan'an nodded obediently. "Then Mom, who do you like more, me or Dad?"
Fang Miaomiao: "..."
Why would a child ask such a deadly question?
But facing An'an, Fang Miaomiao showed a smile with all eight teeth and answered with great certainty, "Does that even need to be asked? Of course, it's An'an. An'an is the most important in my heart."
After her persistent efforts, she had finally managed to pacify the jealous child. To prevent him from asking any more terrifying questions, she decisively said, "Alright, play by yourself. Your mom needs to make dinner."
"Okay."
Sighing with relief, she left the bedroom.
Seeing Wen Zhiyan sitting in the living room, she almost jumped out of her skin. Then, a strange sense of guilt washed over her. "You, why are you here?"
"Thinking, waiting for you."
"What?" Fang Miaomiao didn't quite react.
"Miaomiao."
His intense gaze made Fang Miaomiao feel like she was being roasted on a fire. "Uh, I'll make dinner. What do you want to eat?"
"Whatever Miaomiao makes, I'll eat. I'm not picky."
Fang Miaomiao nodded vaguely and scurried into the kitchen.
Help, why does the atmosphere feel so awkward after the confession?
Fang Miaomiao shook her head vigorously, casting aside these strange emotions before starting to cook seriously.
She made home-style dishes, three dishes and one soup.
Dinner concluded with Wen Zhiyan's constant praise and Wen Yan'an's frequent exclamations of "Great!"
"Miaomiao, Dad wants us to come home when we have time?"
"What's up?"
"About my car accident."
Fang Miaomiao's expression turned serious. "Was your car accident intentional?"
"Miaomiao is so smart."
"Have they found out?"
Wen Zhiyan shook his head. "I tried, but they couldn't find anything, so I handed it over to the police."
However, this matter wasn't over.
Fang Miaomiao nodded, then comforted him, "It's okay, it's okay. Bad things have passed. When misfortune ends, good fortune begins."
After all, in the novels she read, the disasters that befell Wen Zhiyan and Wen Yan'an were self-inflicted; there weren't many other misfortunes.
"But, you should still be careful in the future. Who knows if those bad people will try something again."
"Okay, thank you for your concern, Miaomiao."
The doting tone made Fang Miaomiao rub her nose and decisively change the subject. "When are you planning to go back to the Yu Yuan estate?"
Wen Zhiyan's gaze darkened. "No rush."
Fang Miaomiao didn't understand these things either, so she nodded. "Alright, then you should rest early. I'm going back to my room."
Wen Zhiyan thought of something, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. "Okay."
Night.
Wen Zhiyan opened his eyes and watched Miaomiao skillfully open the door, close it, and get into his bed.
She clung to him tightly like an octopus.
That feeling.
It was painful yet pleasurable.
Wen Zhiyan took a deep breath and affectionately touched Fang Miaomiao's head. "Miaomiao, goodnight."