Divorce Is An Absolute Must! - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Heartache

◎I just really wanted to hug you.◎

“If she wants to buy books, she can buy books. What’s the problem?” Li Lan said as a matter of course. “Buying books isn’t against the law. It’s a good deed.”

If that was all Zhao Yun wanted to talk about, Li Lan felt it wasn’t worth worrying about. “It’s just a hundred pounds of books. It’s not a hundred pounds of cigarettes and alcohol. If she likes it, I can buy her another hundred pounds. Buy one, get one free.”

Zhao Yun’s eyelid twitched at Li Lan’s lavish attitude. “I’m not finished yet.”

Zhu Qing said anxiously, “Then hurry up and finish. Why stop in the middle? Are you trying to leave us in suspense?”

Zhao Yun: …

“The child who borrowed the books didn’t want to return them, so she framed Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao is quite clever and didn’t try to defend herself. She attacked back directly, saying the other child was a thief who stole other people’s books. She said that borrowed books must be returned, and only a thief doesn’t return books. The other child got angry at what Xiao Bao said and started a fight with her.”

Zhu Qing clapped. “Nice comeback!”

As expected of a child she had taken care of. There was only one secret to a kids’ fight: you win if you can talk your way out of it!

Zhao Yun and Li Lan both looked at Zhu Qing. Zhu Qing’s cheering motion froze in mid-air. She quickly composed herself and said seriously, “How could they fight?”

Xiao Bao shrunk her head and said indignantly, “She hit me first.”

Li Lan frowned, and her tone was stern. “Did you win?”

Xiao Bao nodded.

Zhao Yun said, “She kicked the other child in the chest. The child was kicked away before she could even get close.”

Li Lan’s serious expression immediately softened, and she nodded in satisfaction. “That’s good.”

That’s good? How is that good?!

Zhao Yun was speechless for a while. “I see.” She finally understood where Yan Xiaobao’s mischievous behavior came from.

Li Lan looked at Zhao Yun, her expression confused. “That’s it? It’s just a kids’ scuffle. Xiao Bao was in the right and wasn’t at a disadvantage. What’s the problem?”

Li Lan was clearly only concerned with whether Xiao Bao had won the fight. Zhu Qing was more normal. She said with worry, “Is the other child okay?”

Zhao Yun looked at Zhu Qing with satisfaction. “We took them to the hospital to get checked out, and there were no problems. But the other child’s parents were a bit difficult, but I’ve already handled it.”

Zhu Qing said gratefully, “Thank you, Teacher Zhao.”

After saying that, Zhu Qing also gave her a look that was full of the same confusion: Is there anything else?

“Are you not concerned about why Xiao Bao wanted to give the books to the welfare center?!” Zhao Yun was shocked.

Zhu Qing touched her chin. “An act of kindness?”

Li Lan said indifferently, “It doesn’t matter.”

Zhao Yun was on the verge of a breakdown and said in disbelief, “How did a five-year-old child get in touch with the welfare center? The children in the welfare center are orphans, disabled, and many have mental health problems. Did Xiao Bao meet them by chance or was she influenced by someone else? Has anyone been approaching Xiao Bao? Are you not worried about what those people want to do to Xiao Bao?”

Li Lan stood up directly. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

Zhu Qing also stood up, refilled Zhao Yun’s tea, and soothed her. “Don’t get so worked up. Of course, we’re worried. But have you asked Xiao Bao about this?”

Zhao Yun said in a frustrated voice, “If I had gotten an answer from her, I wouldn’t have come to you! Xiao Bao won’t say anything!”

“Then you see,” Zhu Qing said, spreading her hands. “Xiao Bao has her own little secrets and doesn’t want to share them. We, as adults, shouldn’t panic first.”

Zhao Yun stopped talking. She looked very angry, with an expression that said, “I’m going to see how ridiculous you two can be.” This made Zhu Qing feel a little guilty.

Zhu Qing cleared her throat, pulled Xiao Bao in front of her, and said gently, “What’s going on?”

Xiao Bao pursed her lips, refusing to speak.

Zhu Qing maintained her usual gentle tone. “Buying books isn’t wrong, and Xiao Bao didn’t do anything wrong. I know you just want to help them, and you’re doing a good thing. Mom and I won’t stop you. What we’re worried about is your safety. You’re only five years old, and you can easily get hurt. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

At first, Zhu Qing didn’t think it was a big deal, but after hearing Zhao Yun talk about it, she felt that they did need to be more careful. Xiao Bao’s attention to the welfare center must have a cause. A child’s business isn’t a small thing, and it needed to be looked at carefully.

Xiao Bao lowered her head and counted her toes, still not saying a word.

Zhu Qing’s throat was dry from talking. Just as she was about to take a sip of water, a cup of water was handed to her mouth.

Li Lan put the water in her hand and held her shoulders with both hands, making her stand up.

Then, Li Lan’s gentle expression changed.

“Yanqiu,” Li Lan stood in front of Xiao Bao, her head slightly bowed, and said expressionlessly, “I’m counting to three.”

Li Lan’s expression at that moment was like a gloomy sky in the rainy season. It was covered with dark clouds and was very ominous. Her tone was also full of a heavy threat, like a final ultimatum.

Zhu Qing suspected that Li Lan was about to get physical.

She quickly looked at Zhao Yun, but Zhao Yun looked calm and wasn’t worried at all.

Zhu Qing had to move forward a little, paying close attention to their interaction. With Xiao Bao’s stubbornness, Li Lan had already run out of patience. Wouldn’t their conflict escalate?

Li Lan said, “One.”

Xiao Bao’s body tensed up.

Li Lan: “Two.”

Xiao Bao clenched her fists tightly.

Li Lan watched her for two seconds, then nodded. “Okay, when I finish counting, I’m taking Zhu Qing away.”

Zhu Qing: Huh?

What did that have to do with her?

Xiao Bao immediately said loudly, “Don’t take Zhu Zhu away!”

“She’s been worried about you this whole time. Can’t you see?” Li Lan said in a cold voice. “You’re treating what she’s saying like air. In that case, there’s no need for us to live together anymore.”

“I’m not treating it like air! Mom, don’t take Zhu Zhu away!”

Xiao Bao was so anxious that she stomped her feet. Her face was flushed, like a ruffled hedgehog, and her breathing was so rapid that it looked like she was about to cry.

But she stubbornly held back, as if she was determined not to cry in front of Li Lan. Her face was beet red as she looked at Zhu Qing, and her voice was filled with a repressed sadness. “Zhu Zhu, don’t leave.”

Zhu Qing’s heart melted completely. How could she hold a grudge against Xiao Bao? Just as she was about to say that she wouldn’t leave, she caught a glimpse of Li Lan’s eyes.

Zhu Qing slowly stopped her movements and didn’t respond to Xiao Bao.

Xiao Bao was truly anxious now. Tears were welling up in her eyes, about to fall.

Li Lan narrowed her eyes and watched for two seconds, then suddenly asked, “Did you promise someone you wouldn’t tell?”

Xiao Bao pursed her lips and, after a few seconds, said in a muffled voice, “Mm.”

“Was that person a child or an adult?” Li Lan pressed on.

Xiao Bao said in a low voice, “A child.”

Li Lan continued, “You met them while you were playing in the back of the kindergarten?”

Xiao Bao’s eyes confirmed it.

“I understand,” Li Lan nodded calmly and looked at Zhao Yun. “She’s safe.”

Zhao Yun had been watching for a long time. Li Lan had finally gotten Xiao Bao to talk, but she had stopped asking after getting a little bit of information. Was that considered safe?

“Yan Xiaobao, have I not told you that you need to tell me when you make friends?” Zhao Yun said anxiously. “Especially the children from the welfare center. They don’t have adults to take care of them, and they can barely take care of themselves. They always get into a lot of trouble. Why would you want to be friends with them?”

Zhu Qing felt that Zhao Yun’s values were a little skewed and couldn’t help but speak up. “You don’t need to say it like that. They’re all just children. How many bad people can there be?”

“Ms. Zhu must have lived in a relatively stable environment for a long time, so she doesn’t know much about this,” Zhao Yun was very serious this time. She insisted, word for word, “Children from the welfare center are very different from normal children. This isn’t a negative or positive statement, it’s just an objective fact.”

Zhu Qing frowned, about to refute her, but Li Lan interrupted her.

“Teacher Zhao, I know your concerns, and I will resolve this issue,” Li Lan said in a deep voice. “I will give you an answer tomorrow.”

The worried look on Zhao Yun’s face didn’t fade, but she still stood up and nodded to the two parents. “Okay, then I’ll come pick up Xiao Bao tomorrow morning.”

The mute Xiao Bao finally spoke to Zhao Yun. She said softly, “See you tomorrow, Teacher.”

Zhao Yun sighed and said gently, “See you tomorrow.”

That night, Li Lan helped Xiao Bao wash up and get ready for bed. Xiao Bao was overwhelmed by the unexpected attention and was a little dazed while brushing her teeth. The electric toothbrush hit her chin a few times, and Li Lan couldn’t stand it, so she ended up brushing her teeth for her.

When Xiao Bao lay in bed, Zhu Qing was also there. Together with Li Lan, they read her a storybook. Xiao Bao held a finger from each of them, and it took a while for her to fall asleep out of excitement.

It was already ten o’clock at night.

Zhu Qing closed the door to Xiao Bao’s room and tiptoed to Li Lan’s side. “She’s finally asleep.”

Li Lan smiled at her and said softly, “Thank you. She used to have very good sleep quality and would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She’s probably just too excited today.”

Zhu Qing was a little scared. She said in a low voice, “You were so scary when you were questioning her. Xiao Bao almost cried.”

Li Lan tilted her head in confusion. “Was I?”

Zhu Qing nodded in quick succession. “Yes, you were.”

Li Lan reflected for two seconds, but still felt that she hadn’t said anything harsh. “I wasn’t.”

Zhu Qing gave her a look of condemnation. Li Lan avoided her gaze, walked to the sofa, sat down, and patted the spot next to her. “Come sit here.”

Zhu Qing walked over and asked curiously, “How are you going to solve this problem? Xiao Bao just wants to help her friends as much as she can, and it’s just a book donation. It doesn’t seem like a big problem.”

Xiao Bao had accidentally met the children from the welfare center and become good friends with them. When she found out they didn’t have any books, she used her own money to buy books for them. No matter how you looked at it, it was just an innocent and beautiful friendship between children. Zhu Qing didn’t understand why Zhao Yun was acting as if it were a major crisis.

Even though Xiao Bao was young, she had her own social life, and they shouldn’t interfere too much.

Li Lan’s silence this time was longer than before. It was so long that all the emotions on her face disappeared, leaving a controlled heaviness in the lamplight of the night.

It was as if she had a lot of experiences, a lot of past, and a lot of insights, but due to various reasons, she could only condense them into a few brief replies.

“The birth rate in society has been declining for a few years now.”

Li Lan started with a societal context. Zhu Qing was stunned and quickly sat up straight to listen carefully.

“Healthy children in welfare centers are adopted quickly. In big cities, many foreigners also come to adopt. They’re more willing to adopt children who have genetic illnesses that aren’t very serious, like cleft palates or thalassemia.”

Zhu Qing listened quietly, her eyes fixed on Li Lan.

Li Lan paused, her expression lost in thought.

“The remaining children mostly have obvious physical problems. One teacher takes care of dozens of children, and the rule they follow is that you can’t comfort a child who’s crying. They only receive a minimal and diluted amount of attention.”

A look of heartache flashed in Zhu Qing’s eyes. She remembered that Li Lan was an orphan.

Li Lan’s tone was very cold. “They awaken to the animalistic nature of competition among peers very early on. They’re very good at reading people’s expressions and are completely different from children raised in normal families. They look like little adults. Innocence and naivete are the most irrational things in a welfare center. There’s no soil for childhood innocence there. Some people become gloomy, some become resilient, some become small and insignificant, but most of them just live silently and will eventually leave silently.”

Li Lan took a soft breath and turned to look at Zhu Qing. “The danger of Xiao Bao being friends with them is that human nature is selectively presented. It’s complex and ever-changing. Xiao Bao’s existence itself represents normalcy and privilege. Zhao Yun is afraid that someone will be jealous of Xiao Bao, afraid that someone will take advantage of Xiao Bao, and even more afraid that they will genuinely be friends with Xiao Bao at first, only to become resentful when they realize how different their lives are. So, Zhao Yun believes that these friendships shouldn’t exist in the first place.”

As Li Lan narrated, a series of images unfolded in Zhu Qing’s mind.

Children in dirty clothes, their faces flashing with hope, followed by the disappointment of that hope being crushed. After countless disappointments piled up, their young faces were left with only numbness, dullness, coldness, and suppression.

It was a heavy, sticky air. You would feel a deep sense of powerlessness if you tried to reach out and pull someone out.

Zhu Qing was speechless for a moment.

Li Lan didn’t want to lecture Zhu Qing. She had just picked and chosen to explain things clearly. Seeing that Zhu Qing was moved, she had achieved her goal. She stood up, her hand hovering in the air for two seconds, and then gently landed on Zhu Qing’s head, ruffling her fluffy hair. “Don’t think about it anymore. I’ll go to the kindergarten tomorrow. It’s a small matter, so you don’t have to worry. Go to bed.”

Her tone was very casual and relaxed, as if the person who had just been speaking with a heavy and repressed air was just a fleeting illusion.

Zhu Qing said softly, “I’m not going.”

Li Lan smiled. A hint of helplessness and affection appeared in her eyes. “Be a good girl.”

Her lover was a sentimental person who had a clear sense of right and wrong. People like that lived very purely, and Li Lan liked Zhu Qing’s purity. But Zhu Qing was also someone who couldn’t stand even a speck of dirt in her eyes. The slightest negative thing would bother her, so Li Lan didn’t want her to know too much about certain things.

Zhu Qing looked up, meeting Li Lan’s eyes without blinking.

She saw Li Lan’s beautiful and delicate eyes, and she saw the controlled and gentle emotions within them. She suddenly reached out and hugged Li Lan’s waist.

She buried her head deeply in Li Lan’s arms, embracing her tightly in a bold manner.

Li Lan was extremely surprised. She stood there, her hands raised in confusion, and it took her a while to come back to her senses from Zhu Qing’s tightening embrace. Her voice was shaky. “What’s wrong?”

Was she too harsh, making Zhu Qing feel overwhelmed?

Li Lan suddenly didn’t know what to do.

She was happy about Zhu Qing’s主动 closeness, but she was more worried about Zhu Qing’s unusual state.

Li Lan moved her arms and comforted her softly. “Zhu Qing, what’s wrong? Are you scared? It’s okay, you can talk to me if something’s wrong…”

Zhu Qing tightened her embrace again stubbornly. Her cheek rubbed against Li Lan’s soft abdomen, and her voice was muffled but calm and gentle.

“Don’t move.”

“…I just suddenly wanted to hug you.”