Five years later.
In a blink of an eye, five years passed.
Five years is neither long nor short, but it is enough to change many things.
For example, Qi Zaozao's long hair has been cut short into medium-short hair. Time has not left too many traces on her face, but she looks much more mature and stable than five years ago.
The sky is blue.
Kindergarten in the city.
"Mommy—"
A small figure ran into Qi Zaozao's arms. Her brows and eyes became much softer, and she picked up the small figure.
The little girl looked about four or five years old, fair and clean, with a pair of eyes as big as Qi Zaozao's, but with extremely delicate facial features. At this moment, he looked at Qi Zaozao with a smile, and then kissed her on the face.
"Is Xiaoxuanxuan well behaved in school?"
"He's very well behaved. The teacher said he would give him a red flower, but Xuanxuan refused because he thought it was a bit childish."
Qi Zao Zao burst out laughing, "How old are you? So childish?"
"Mommy, tomorrow is Saturday, and we agreed to take Xuanxuan to the amusement park. Adults can't go back on their words."
Qi Zao Zao pinched Qi Luoxuan's nose and said, "You little brat, you remember this incident so clearly!"
Xiao Xuanxuan raised his chin and said, "Even if he's a little devil, he's still Mommy's son!"
Qi Zaozao's smile deepened.
“What a coincidence!”
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out. Qi Zao Zao looked up and saw a man in his late twenties walking towards them with a little boy who was a little older than Xuanxuan.
It’s Liu Chen.
Qi Zaozao's brows furrowed slightly, but she recovered immediately.
"What a coincidence! Uncle is also here to pick up Liu Li, so we bump into each other!"
"Xuan Xuan."
Xiao Xuanxuan stuck out his tongue.
"You're so annoying!" Liu Li, the little boy Liu Chen was holding, said suddenly.
Xiao Xuanxuan turned his head away and didn't look at him.
Liu Chen's face was a little embarrassed, but it didn't stop him from wanting to get close to Qi Zaozao. He smiled and said, "Miss Qi, today is Friday. Let's go out for dinner together. Liu Li has been clamoring to go to the theme restaurant on Mingcheng Street. Can you bring Xuanxuan with you?"
"No, I have something to do later." Qi Zao Zao politely refused, but Xiao Xuanxuan was a little tempted.
But, if mommy says she won’t go, then she won’t go. Don’t be tempted!
"Thank you for your kindness, uncle. Xuanxuan and Mommy have things to do!"
The little boy Liu Li on the side pouted, "I don't like you two coming too!"
Liu Chen was embarrassed again. "I just heard that you guys are going to the amusement park tomorrow. I happen to be free. How about I take Liu Li with me?"
Qi Zao Zao hadn't spoken yet, Xuan Xuan suddenly said, "Uncle, you heard wrong, Mommy and I have an appointment to go to the amusement park together next Saturday, and we are going to Aunt Wei's place tomorrow."
"Is that so? Did I hear it wrong?" Liu Chen touched his nose.
Qi Zao Zao wanted to laugh in her heart, but she held it back. "Well, it's like this, Mr. Liu, you heard it wrong. If it's okay, I'll leave first."
Liu Chen wanted to say something, but was stopped by Liu Li, "Dad, I don't like her being my mommy. I don't want to be a brother to Qi Luoxuan. I don't want that!"
Qi Zao Zao had already heard this and continued walking without stopping. As for Xiao Xuanxuan, he made a face and pursed his lips and whispered, "If you don't want to, then I don't want to either. Who wants to be your brother?"
After saying that, he whispered into Qi Zaozao's ear, "Mommy, you must not date Uncle Liu, okay? Otherwise, I will go and bully Liu Li!"
Qi Zao Zao raised her eyebrows, "Are you threatening your mommy?"
The little guy looked up and said, "Is that so? Children don't understand what a threat is."
Qi Zao Zao gently patted Xuan Xuan's butt.
Qi Luoxuan and Liu Li are both in the senior class of the kindergarten, but Liu Li is a few months older than Qi Luoxuan. The two do not get along well and often quarrel. When Liu Li cannot win an argument with Qi Luoxuan, he starts to beat him. The kindergarten staff is helpless and tells Qi Zaozao and Liu Chen about this, which is how Qi Zaozao and Liu Chen got to know each other.
Qi Zaozao is a single mother, and Liu Chen is divorced. The two of them have been in contact with each other because of their two children. Liu Chen developed a good impression of Qi Zaozao and wanted to find an opportunity to meet her several times.
"Mommy, actually I don't want to go to the theme restaurant at all." Xiao Xuanxuan suddenly said while holding Qi Zaozao's hand and shaking the schoolbag on his back.
Qi Zaozao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This little kid was just mischievous and not honest at all.
"Okay, okay, Mommy knows you don't want to go at all, so Mommy won't take you!"
When Xiao Xuanxuan heard this, he stopped walking, "That won't do, Mommy, you can't spoil the child too much. That's what they say on TV, it will spoil the child, so Mommy, you can't give in to me, the more Xuanxuan doesn't want to go, the more Mommy will take Xiao Xuanxuan with you, yes, that's it!"
Xiao Xuanxuan finished speaking without even taking a breath.
Qi Zao Zao's mouth twitched, and she gently grabbed Xiao Xuanxuan's ear, "Don't I know your little tricks?!"
Xiao Xuanxuan knew that Qi Zao Zao had not used any harsh force, so he continued to laugh and hugged Qi Zao Zao's thighs, "Mommy, can I take Xuanxuan with me during the Mid-Autumn Festival? There should be benefits at that time, right?"
The little guy is also very sensible and won’t cling to adults like other children.
When Qi Zaozao first arrived in the city of Hongcheng, she didn't have much money, so she gave most of her money to Qi Lexue. She also refused to take the money given to her by Ji Chengen. Life was a bit difficult with the child, and it wasn't until the past two years that things got better. Xuanxuan also knew how hard she worked, and he had been very sensible since he was a child.
This is also what makes her happy.
The idea of going to the amusement park had been discussed two months ago, but Qi Zaozao was a bit busy, plus the rent for half a year had to be paid at the time, so the matter had been put on hold until now. It was Qi Zaozao who brought it up.
Qi squatted down early and kissed the little guy on the cheek, "Okay, okay, Mommy will consider it."
Xiao Xuanxuan's eyes were curved with a smile. When he smiled, he looked a lot like Pei Yifei's smile. Pei Yifei didn't smile often, but he was very generous to her. He smiled especially a lot during that period. After leaving, Xiao Xuanxuan grew up slowly. Every time Qi Zao saw the little guy smile like that, he was a little dazed.
"Mommy, you're daydreaming again!"
Qi came back to his senses early, smiled, took Xiaoxuanxuan's hand, and walked towards the bus stop.
Qi had just arrived home when he received a call from Shen Xiaofei.
"Woman, have you forgotten what I told you? Tomorrow is my sister's wedding, you wouldn't have forgotten it, would you? I informed you a month ago."
Qi Zao Zao was ashamed, she really had forgotten.
She also said that this was notified a month ago.
Qi Zao Zao was speechless, and Shen Xiaofei shouted loudly inside: "I will never forgive you. You didn't even call me. You must have forgotten. And, how long do you want to hide? He didn't come to find you. Won't you come back to City A to see me? You don't plan to come tomorrow either? No, you have to catch the evening bus, otherwise you will be late tomorrow."
"... ..."
Shen Xiaofei kept chattering, "I have been going to Hongcheng to see you and Xiaoxuanxuan for the past five years. You are so heartless. You really hurt my heart. You even forgot my wedding. What can I say to you?!"
"Before, you said you would meet Pei Yifei when you went to City A, but City A is so big, and he didn't come to see you. You overestimated his feelings for you. Hey, hey, why are you silent? Uh, well, you know I'm a straightforward person—"
Qi Zao Zao smiled, "No, it's my fault, it's my fault. I'll follow your instructions and take the bus to your place in the evening, okay?"
"real?"
"real!"
"That's fine, I'll ask my man to pick you up when we're almost there!"
“Puff—”
"By the way, Xiaoxuanxuan, would you like to come with us?"
"No."
After hanging up the phone, Qi Zaozao's smile slowly faded. It had been five years. Maybe, as Shen Xiaofei said, she really overestimated Pei Yifei's feelings for her. From the time she left City A and later started contacting Shen Xiaofei and Qi Lexue, she knew that Pei Yifei had never come to see her from the beginning.
Let her go.
At first she was reluctant to return to City A, always a little worried, but now five years have passed, and maybe it's really like Shen Xiaofei said, there is nothing left.
What’s past is past.
"Mommy, aren't we going to the amusement park tomorrow?" Xiao Xuanxuan was a little disappointed when he heard what Qi Zaozao said.
Qi Zao Zao pulled Xiao Xuan Xuan over and said, "Your Aunt Shen is getting married tomorrow, so Mommy is very sorry, but Mommy will try to come back tomorrow night, okay? Then I'll take you there on the weekend?"
"real?!"
"Well, but Mommy can't guarantee it."
"Okay then, I'll forgive you for now, but Mommy will definitely try her best."
Qi smiled early.
Aunt Wei is Qi Zaozao's landlord. She lost her husband in middle age and her son is abroad, so she stays at home. She takes good care of Qi Zaozao on weekdays and likes Xiao Xuanxuan very much. This time when she goes back to City A, Xuanxuan will have to trouble her.
"Sister Wei, I'm really sorry to bother you at this last minute. I have something urgent to do and need to rush to City A."
"It's okay, it's okay. I'm very happy to let Xuanxuan sleep with me for a night. Go ahead, go ahead, and be careful!"
"You have to listen to Aunt Wei, okay? Mommy will call you before she comes back."
"Okay, Mommy, you go ahead. I'll be with Aunt Wei and I'll listen to her."
"Look, Xuanxuan is so smart." Aunt Wei couldn't close her mouth because of laughing.
Qi caught the last train early and went to City A, the city she had not visited for five years.
It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel anything. When she heard that Pei Yifei didn't come to see her, she was still disappointed, but it was her own fault.
It has been five years now, and we can say that we are strangers now.
She has a new life of her own, living in another city with her son, while he is still the young and promising CEO of City A, a business genius. (To be continued)