Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Shu Pan followed through with her plan. When the weekend arrived, she packed their belongings and took Joy to Lotus Town.
Joy held her doll, asking questions along the way, clearly enjoying herself.
âMom, are we going to see Grandpa and Grandma? Will we come back to our current home?â Joy asked innocently.
âOf course, weâll come back. You have school, and I have work. You can invite
Grandpa and Grandma to our current home,â Shu Pan replied in a gentle tone.
âOkay, if I donât go back, my kindergarten friends will miss me,â Joy said confidently.
Shu Pan couldnât help but laugh. This childâs self-love knew no bounds.
âBrother Ting, whatâs going on? You sounded like you were in a hurry early in the morning,â He Ming, who rarely had the chance to sleep in on weekends, complained. He had initially been ready to vent his frustration to the other side until he saw it was Gu Shaoting calling. At that moment, he managed to suppress his irritation.
âWhatâs wrong? Not getting enough laid lately? You seem quite agitated,â Gu Shaoting teased him for once.
âGet lost! You think Iâm you?â He Ming hit the nail on the head, knowing that Gu Shaoting had been leading a simple and ascetic life since his divorce from
Shu Pan.
Indeed, on the other end of the phone call, Gu Shaotingâs face darkened upon hearing the truth. Even though He Ming couldnât see his expression, he could guess what was going on in Gu Shaotingâs mind.
âHehe, Brother Ting, just kidding. You havenât told me whatâs going on yet,â He Ming quickly changed the subject, eager to steer clear of any more of Gu Shaotingâs landmines.
âHurry up and get ready. Accompany me on a trip to Lotus Town,â Gu Shaotingâs voice returned to its usual cold tone.
âWhy go to Lotus Town? Is it for an inspection? Isnât everything fine at the resort?â He Ming asked in confusion.
âThereâs something I need to deal with, and I also want to clear my mind. Iâve been feeling quite restless lately,â Gu Shaoting said in a gloomy tone.
âArenât you getting married to Tong Fei? Do you have pre-wedding jitters?â He Ming found it strange that Gu Shaoting didnât seem to have any excitement about being the groom.
Gu Shaoting didnât respond. He simply urged He Ming to get ready quickly.
When they arrived in Lotus Town, it was already noon. They had a meal at a local restaurant and then strolled along a riverbank.
Joy, who had accompanied Shu Pan to the market, couldnât help but be drawn to a stall selling rabbits.
âMom, look, these rabbits are so cute!â Joy played with the rabbits.
âAlright, Joy, weâll only look for a while, and then we have to go back. Otherwise, Grandpa and Grandma will worry,â Shu Pan said, watching her daughterâs enthusiasm and going along with it.
âHe Ming, look over there. Isnât that Shu Pan? Why does this woman look so much like her?â He Ming suddenly pointed to someone not far away.
As soon as Gu Shaoting heard Shu Panâs name, he immediately looked in the direction He Ming was pointing. In the blurry distance, he saw a woman with a slender figure, holding a little girlâs hand, walking in the opposite direction.
Gu Shaoting furrowed his brow slightly. Because they were a bit far away, he couldnât see clearly. He quickened his pace to catch up and take a closer look, but when they reached a bend in the road, he lost sight of them.
He felt a bit frustrated, thinking he had been too slow. However, he was also puzzled. Why was Shu Pan here? Wasnât she working in Bin City? And who was the little girl with her? A friendâs child, perhaps?
âHow was it? Was it Shu pan?â He Ming asked as he caught up.
âIâm not sure. I couldnât see her face clearly,â Gu Shaoting sighed, looking somewhat helpless..