A Warm and Cute Strike (GL) - Chapter 19

E-City Airport Terminal

In the midst of the bustling crowd, a man wrapped tightly in a mask and sunglasses wove through the terminal.

At the waiting area, a woman stood up as he approached, her posture slightly stiff and reserved. Beside her sat a girl in a wheelchair. The girl, about seven or eight years old, was exquisitely featured, though her face bore the pale, delicate look of illness. Compared to the anxious woman, the little one was far more composed. She sat quietly, her thin legs wrapped in plaster bandages, cutting a figure that inspired immediate pity in anyone who saw her.

Xiang Nan sighed inwardly as he drew near. “The luggage has been checked in,” he said.

“Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Xiang.”

To avoid paparazzi or unwanted attention, Xiang Nan did not remove his mask or sunglasses. Qin Xinlan didn’t mind; in fact, looking at his guarded attire, she seemed hesitant to speak. She had been following the news regarding the Xiang couple over the last few days, and seeing the media sling mud at them filled her with shame.

If she hadn’t let the secret slip to Chen Yang, allowing him to steal those photos for a scoop, the couple wouldn’t be in this mess—yet here she was, having the “thick skin” to entrust her sister-in-law and niece to them.

“Mr. Xiang, you and your wife… are you both doing okay?” Qin Xinlan asked, head lowered and voice faltering.

“We’re fine, don’t worry.” His relationship with Ye Feifei had become national news thanks to some “outside help,” and Xiang Nan knew there was no way Xinlan hadn’t seen it. “I should thank you for keeping our secret for so long.”

“No need for thanks, really…” Xinlan waved her hands frantically.

“Actually, I’m quite happy about the exposure,” Xiang Nan smiled. “Now we don’t have to hide anymore; we can be open about everything.”

“Really? That… that’s wonderful!” Xinlan felt a wave of relief. Hearing him say that lifted a significant weight from her conscience.

“Mhm. We will take good care of Xuening from now on, rest assured.” Xiang Nan reached down and patted the little girl’s head.

Lost in her own thoughts, Qin Xuening felt the man’s warm hand on her crown. She froze for a moment before instinctively pulling away. Xiang Nan’s hand hovered awkwardly in the air, but being thick-skinned, he simply tucked it back into his pocket naturally.

Qin Xinlan felt embarrassed again. After a long hesitation, she handed Xiang Nan a prepared slip of paper detailing her niece’s likes and dislikes.

“Xiao Ning loves music, just like her father. Sometimes when she practices, she loses track of everything—even going all day without eating or drinking. Please be patient with her, Mr. Xiang.”

Xuening’s heart stirred, and she looked up at her aunt. But when Xiang Nan looked down at her, she hurriedly averted her gaze, earning a raised eyebrow from him.

Xinlan continued her instructions for a while, eventually mentioning that she would wire Su Yuyan and Xuening’s medical and living expenses to his account every month. Xiang Nan just smiled; he didn’t care about the money. As long as his daughter was happy, he could afford to raise ten more children with the fortune he and Ye Feifei had built.

He looked at the aunt and niece and eventually made an excuse to step away, giving them space for a final goodbye.

Once Xiang Nan was gone, Xinlan knelt before Xuening for a final talk.

“Eat well and take care of yourself. Uncle Xiang and Auntie Ye are good people. It’s okay if you don’t like to talk, but don’t ignore them. Get along well with the little sister, okay?”

Xinlan smiled, but only she knew the bitterness in her heart. Once Xuening and Su Yuyan left, she would be truly alone in E-City. She felt a profound sense of loss and uncertainty about how to go on.

Chen Yang hadn’t contacted her since that day. She had packed his things and sent them back to his family, even changing the locks. They were completely finished. Now, her only remaining family was leaving her, too.

Qin Xuening looked down at her aunt’s hands holding her own. The woman’s hands were beautiful, soft and white—a pianist’s hands, unlike in her past life where they had become weathered by years of endless housework. Human hearts are not made of stone; no matter how much she resented the Xinlan of her past life, the woman in front of her now had done no wrong. Since she woke up, her aunt had cared for her tirelessly. Xuening’s frozen heart finally softened just a tiny bit.

The girl took a deep breath and finally looked her aunt in the eye. Xinlan stroked her cheek, her own eyes misting over.

Qin Xuening moved her lips and spoke her first words to the aunt she had once depended on:

“Chen Yang… is no good.”

The girl’s voice was clear and cool, different from how it sounded in memory. Xinlan froze, wondering if she was hallucinating. She stared into her niece’s clear eyes and, for a moment, saw her brother Qin Mo. Suddenly, she reached out and pulled the girl into a tight embrace, sobbing against her small shoulder.

Hearing the suppressed weeping, Xuening hesitated, but feeling the warmth of her aunt, she eventually reached out her small hands to gently return the hug, nuzzling her shoulder almost imperceptibly.

Xiang Nan, returning with the tickets, saw this scene from a distance and stopped, waiting silently. It wasn’t until the intercom announced the flight to A-City that he walked back. By then, Xinlan had regained her composure.

Xiang Nan ignored her reddened eyes and smiled at Xuening—though she couldn’t see it through his mask. “We’re heading out. Take care, Miss Qin.”

“Take care! Safe travels! Call me when you arrive!”

And so, under Xinlan’s longing gaze, Xiang Nan pushed Xuening toward the gate.

Once on the plane, Xiang Nan could clearly sense the child’s tension. This was Xuening’s first time leaving E-City and her first time flying. The trauma of the car accident had wiped her memories of life before age seven, and as a disabled person in her past life, she had been “caged,” never having the chance to leave.

As the plane ascended, she felt the turbulence and gripped her seatbelt tight.

“Scared?” she heard the man beside her ask.

Xuening clenched her fists. She had always hated Xinlan for being weak; how could she let herself be defeated by the same emotion now? She bit her lip, slowly released her grip, and turned to the man, shaking her head slowly but firmly.

By now, Xiang Nan had removed his mask and sunglasses. Looking at the girl’s stubborn eyes, he was suddenly reminded of her father. That fellow had been quite scholarly and weak, but every time Xiang Nan beat him up as a kid, he would give him that exact look.

A very annoying… yet very moving look.

Xiang Nan gave a light smile and pointed to the window. “Look.”

Xuening followed his finger and looked out, her eyes widening. She leaned against the glass. White clouds drifted past, and the towering mountains below grew smaller and smaller. She saw the city where she had lived for two decades—the cage that had imprisoned her for so many years—recede until it vanished completely.

A trace of melancholy touched her heart, but it was quickly replaced by a surge of joy, like a rebirth.

From now on, the sea was wide enough for the fish to leap, and the sky was high enough for the bird to fly. She was free. Her eyes grew brighter, and a joyful smile—pure and beautiful—bloomed on her face in the sunlight.

Xiang Family Villa, A-City

At the same time, another small face was pressed against a window. The girl’s forehead was against the glass, her little nose squashed out of shape, but she didn’t notice. She was staring expectantly at the street outside.

“Nuannuan, come have afternoon tea.” Zhu Lin walked out of the kitchen with a tray.

The temptation of food made Qingnuan straighten up. “Sister Lin, when do you think Daddy will be back?”

“They just got on the plane, it won’t be that fast.” Zhu Lin chuckled. She had lost count of how many times the child had asked. Luckily she had good patience. “Come eat your snacks. By the time you finish and watch a few cartoons, they’ll be home.”

Qingnuan was obedient. She took one last longing look outside before scrambling off the sofa and running to the table.

“Today we have sour plum soup and matcha red bean buns. Try some.” Zhu Lin handed her a cup.

Qingnuan looked at the dark, mysterious liquid and was reminded of bitter traditional medicine. She swallowed hard and looked at Zhu Lin. Seeing her sister’s expectant gaze, she wrinkled her brow and took a sip.

Oh! It’s not bitter, but the taste is… a bit strange.

“Is it good?” Zhu Lin asked.

Qingnuan made a face. If she said it was bad, would Sister Lin be sad? And she couldn’t waste food… Finally, with a look of “suffering,” she nodded seriously.

Zhu Lin almost burst out laughing. She thought Qingnuan was a “meme queen”—so cute you just wanted to hug and kiss her.

“Just eat the buns, Nuannuan. Kids shouldn’t drink too much sour plum soup; just a taste is enough.” Zhu Lin smoothly moved the cup away.

Qingnuan was instantly relieved. She smiled and started munching on the buns. The shift in her expression didn’t escape Zhu Lin, who laughed out loud. If she weren’t afraid of losing her job, she’d have filmed it to make a sticker pack!

Qingnuan finished her tea and went to her room, but she couldn’t focus on cartoons.

“Fishy, when is Daddy coming home…?”

The girl asked every few minutes. The goldfish tried to comfort her at first, but eventually hid in the plants, showing her only its tail.

Finally, at dusk, just as Qingnuan was about to fall asleep, she heard the sound of an engine. She perked up instantly, ran to the balcony, and saw a black car pull up.

Daddy’s home! And… the little brother!

With eyes sparkling, she ran downstairs, stood on her tiptoes to turn the handle, and—clack—opened the front door.