Chapter 20
That night.
In the luxurious, brightly lit living room, a plainly dressed couple sat on the sofa, quietly sizing everything up.
After hearing their introduction, Li Huan kept his gaze fixed on the two strangers and remained silent for a long time.
The pair claimed to be Yu Youshan’s younger male cousin and his wife. After receiving word that Yu Youshan temporarily could not return to Hai City, they had specially come to take Yu Chen away.
Beside the sitting room, He Zhen was also eavesdropping with Yu Chen in tow. Stretching his head forward, he desperately observed the couple. A child’s sharp intuition told him they were not good people.
Ever since hearing that relatives had come to take him away, Yu Chen’s little face had been full of unease. He was so afraid of being taken away. If that happened, he would never see Li Huan and He Zhen again.
“Brother Shan is working overseas. He was worried about troubling you, so he specially called me and asked me to take Yu Chen home.” The man speaking was called Yu Senda. He looked to be around thirty, seemed honest enough, and spoke in an unhurried way.
Yu Senda’s wife, Xu Ru, looked much sharper. She gave Li Huan a polite nod. “Brother Li, thank you so much for all the trouble you’ve gone through during this time. To be honest with you, Cousin Brother didn’t leave the country through proper channels, so he won’t be able to come back anytime soon. How much have you spent taking care of Chenchen these days? I’ll pay you back.”
Li Huan did not even glance at the woman as she pulled out her wallet. He continued examining them. “If Yu Youshan wanted you to take the child away, why didn’t he call me himself?”
The moment Yu Senda heard that, he hurriedly pulled Yu Chen’s household registration booklet and a photo album from his pocket. “I really am Yu Youshan’s younger male cousin. Before he and Chenchen came to work for the He family, they’d been wandering on the streets all along. I was the one who took him in at the very end. If you don’t believe me, call Chenchen out. The patch on the pocket of his floral cotton jacket was even sewn on by his auntie!”
Half believing and half doubting, Li Huan took the materials from him.
Just as Yu Senda had said, he really was Yu Youshan’s cousin. There were plenty of photos of the two of them together from childhood to adulthood. There was even one family gathering photo taken when Yu Chen had just been born.
Back when Li Huan had asked someone to help handle Yu Chen’s kindergarten registration, it had been extremely difficult because they did not have the household registration booklet.
He had not expected it to be in Yu Chen’s cousin-uncle’s house all along.
“There are text messages here that Cousin Brother sent me, telling me to bring Chenchen home today. If you’re worried, you can take a look.” Yu Senda looked around at the furnishings in the living room. “Logically speaking, the conditions here really are better than ours. But we’re Chenchen’s relatives after all. His father would feel more at ease too.”
Li Huan stared at the messages for a moment. After confirming that the sender really was Yu Youshan’s phone number, he used his own phone to call Yu Youshan.
If what Yu Senda said was true, then Yu Youshan had probably already been smuggled overseas and was now doing illegal labor. But the phone rang for a long time, beep beep beep, until it automatically hung up with no answer.
“If you’re the child’s family, then why didn’t Youshan entrust him to you back then?”
Li Huan spoke very softly when he said this, afraid Yu Chen might hear. The night before Yu Youshan left, the two of them had still been drinking together. Yu Youshan had cried drunkenly at the table to him about Yu Chen having no one to care for him, and then the very next day he had left.
If Yu Youshan had really had some other option, there was no way he would have thrown four-year-old Yu Chen here.
Yu Senda replied, “A while ago, we went to the neighboring city to work at a breakfast stall rented near my mother-in-law’s place, so we weren’t in this city. If you don’t believe me, you can go check the rental records at my place.”
Li Huan frowned slightly. “Then why did you come back?”
Yu Senda sighed. “Business at the little shop wasn’t good. It only stayed open for two months before the storefront was transferred. After Cousin Brother found out, he arranged for us to come here and take Chenchen.”
“Chenchen!” Xu Ru happened to spot Yu Chen’s little head peeking out and quickly stood up. “Come here! Auntie is taking you home!”
Yu Chen shifted his little feet and hurriedly hid farther back, using He Zhen as a shield. He Zhen stared at the woman warily, wrapping Yu Chen in his arms. His fierce little face made it obvious he had absolutely no intention of letting anyone take him.
“Chenchen, come here.” Li Huan looked to be in a terrible mood, his expression growing more and more dim. At last, Yu Chen ran over too, braced both hands on Li Huan’s knees, and obediently buried his little head in Li Huan’s arms.
“Are these your uncle and auntie?” Li Huan smoothed down the silly little tuft of hair on Yu Chen’s head, his expression gradually turning desolate.
Yu Chen did not lie. He answered obediently, “Yes.”
“Did you live with them before?”
“Mm.”
Li Huan’s heart sank. Protecting Yu Chen in his arms, he said, “Since Youshan left the child here before he went away, then let me continue taking care of him. You both are busy with work, and looking after a child takes time and effort. As for me, I’m all alone, my financial conditions are better, and you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. How about it?”
Yu Senda looked at his wife, and Xu Ru immediately piled on a smile. “Brother Li, it’s obvious you have a good relationship with the child. But since Cousin Brother asked us to take Chenchen in and look after him, no matter what, we should at least bring him home to stay for a few days. Otherwise it would make it seem as though we weren’t willing. During these few days, you can also try contacting Cousin Brother. If he agrees to keep troubling you, then we’ll send the child back. Would that be all right?”
For Li Huan, that really was a relatively good way to resolve things. But Li Huan was unwilling to let Yu Chen go even for a single day. Holding the chubby little baby tightly in his arms, he lowered his eyes and said nothing.
“You’re not allowed to take him away!” He Zhen stepped forward, his face fierce in that soft baby way. “He’s very happy here and doesn’t want to go with you! And we still have to go to kindergarten!”
Xu Ru looked at the little boy before her and smiled gently. “Auntie knows you like your little brother. We’ll just take him home for a few days, and then we’ll bring him right back for you, all right?”
“No! Way!” He Zhen refused to back down at all. Angrily, he turned to the bodyguards at the door. “If you dare take him away, I’m calling the bodyguards!”
Xu Ru’s pupils widened at once, and she looked fearfully toward Li Huan. “Well… what do you think about this?”
Holding Yu Chen close, Li Huan patted He Zhen on the shoulder. “Young Master, don’t be anxious first.”
But He Zhen kept his little face cold, standing in front of Yu Chen protectively and not allowing anyone else to come near.
“Chenchen, tell Uncle—do you want to go?” Li Huan lowered his head and kissed the back of Yu Chen’s little hand, his eyes full of reluctance.
Yu Senda hurriedly cut in, “Chenchen! Your older brother is still waiting for you. Come home with Cousin Uncle, all right?”
Yu Chen sniffled. Stretching out his short little hands with effort, he held Li Huan’s face. “Uncle, I don’t want to go.”
Li Huan smiled faintly and gathered Yu Chen into his arms. “You both saw it yourselves. Chenchen doesn’t want to go.”
Yu Senda grew anxious and quickly said, “Brother Li, we have to respect the guardian’s opinion, right? I’m his relative after all. Looking after him is only proper and legitimate. If I really ignore this child and leave him to be raised in a stranger’s house, then when Youshan comes back, how am I supposed to explain that?”
Those words—whether it was the phrase stranger or the phrase proper and legitimate—stabbed directly into Li Huan’s heart.
His aged face was full of exhaustion. Pressing his pale lips together, he rested his chin on Yu Chen’s little head, silently expressing his refusal.
In truth, from beginning to end, Yu Youshan had never officially entrusted Yu Chen to him.
Now that Yu Chen’s cousin-uncle and auntie had come to take him away, he had no right to stop them.
But he selfishly wanted to struggle one last time.
Xu Ru was steadier than Yu Senda, and she compromised. “How about this? We’ll take Chenchen back for three days, and then we’ll bring him back to you this weekend. That way we can also answer to Cousin Brother. During these few days, you do your best to contact Cousin Brother, all right?”
This time, Li Huan had no reason left to refuse. No matter how unwilling he was, Chenchen was still someone else’s child in the end. After thinking for a moment, he lowered his head and asked the little treasure in his arms, “Would three days be okay?”
Yu Chen pouted. Though he still did not want to in his heart, he still muttered sullenly, “Uncle has to come get me, okay?” If he did not go stay there for a few days, then if Cousin Uncle and Auntie bullied Uncle Li Huan, that would be bad.
Anyway, according to the plot in the book, he was destined to be adopted by Uncle Li Huan. In the end, they would be reunited.
“Uncle promises you.” Li Huan stroked Yu Chen’s little head and wrote down both of their ID numbers and basic information. “If your identities check out, then tomorrow I’ll personally take Chenchen over. This Saturday, at the same time, I’ll go pick him up.”
Yu Senda immediately nodded. “No problem.”
After the two of them left, He Zhen angrily dragged Yu Chen toward the bedroom. He was walking so fast that no matter how desperately Yu Chen scurried with his little feet, he still could not keep up.
“Boss, slow down.”
Yu Chen’s soft baby voice was full of that pre-separation grievance.
Suddenly—
He Zhen stopped.
He pulled Yu Chen into a fierce hug and said domineeringly, “Yu Chenchen, I don’t want to let you go with them!”
Held tightly in He Zhen’s arms, Yu Chen’s little face turned bright red from the heat. Though he was unwilling too, he still did his best to comfort He Zhen. “Boss, I’ll be back in just three days!”
To soothe He Zhen’s bad mood, Yu Chen obediently rested his chubby little face against the hollow of He Zhen’s neck and rubbed against him softly.
“Not even three days! They’re not your parents, so how could they possibly treat you well!”
This time, He Zhen refused to listen to reason at all. After rushing into the bedroom with Yu Chen in his arms, he locked the door with a heavy click. He had a terrible feeling that that couple were super villains, plotting something against Yu Chen. If he let Yu Chen go, then Yu Chen would never be able to play with him again.
“You’re sleeping with me tonight! Tomorrow, none of them are getting in! If they dare snatch you away, I’ll send the fiercest bodyguards to throw them out!”
Still filled with righteous indignation, He Zhen sat on the sofa holding Yu Chen. Before he knew it, his stubborn eyes had turned red, but unwilling to let Yu Chen see, he lowered his head awkwardly to hide it.
Sitting on He Zhen’s lap, Yu Chen clutched tightly at He Zhen’s sleeve with his little hands, his bright watery eyes faintly stirred.
So his boss really loved him this much.
Leaning against He Zhen’s arm, Yu Chen said in a thin little voice, “Boss, don’t cry. I’ll be back very soon!”
“I’m not crying!” He Zhen lifted the silly little Yu Chen up and plopped him onto the bed. After checking the bedroom door again and again to make sure it was locked, he climbed under the blanket and wrapped both little arms tightly around Yu Chen. “Sleep!”
Pouting, Yu Chen said, “But I haven’t taken off my clothes yet.”
He Zhen gave a light huff and, in the blink of an eye, stripped Yu Chen down until only a pair of white little underpants remained, then turned off the bedroom light completely.
It was still early for sleep, and Yu Chen had plenty of energy left. Not the slightest bit sleepy, he rubbed his chubby little feet back and forth under the blanket, plunged into He Zhen’s arms, and rolled around out of boredom.
He knew three days were very short. Eat one small cake each day, and after eating three cakes, he could come back.
Besides, since his boss was clearly so unable to part with him, crying a little was understandable too!
Little friend Yu Chen thought optimistically like that. Only after tiring himself out did he find a comfortable corner in He Zhen’s arms and wiggle his little butt over into place.
Today’s He Zhen was especially patient.
Even though Yu Chen was causing so much trouble, he did not say a word.
Near midnight, long, even breathing finally filled the room.
At that moment, sweaty-faced He Zhen quietly opened his eyes.
After resting for a while, he moved the chubby little foot in front of his face away and adjusted Yu Chen’s sleeping position.
He had just had a nightmare.
In the dream, Yu Chen had been taken away by those bad people. They abused him and did not give him food, starving him until he was all skin and bones.
When he saw Yu Chen again, Yu Chen was tiny and thin, with injuries all over his body.
All the way until the sky began to pale, he remained half-awake and half-asleep, clutching Yu Chen’s hand, terrified that Li Huan would quietly send Yu Chen away the moment he stopped paying attention.
…
At dawn, He Zhen woke up on the bed. The very first thing he did was search for Yu Chen’s figure.
He reached out with his palm.
The place beside him was empty.
Cold…
Cold…
He Zhen did not even have time to put on shoes. Wearing only his pajamas, he rushed out.
In the dining room, that familiar baby chair was empty too.
The servants coming and going all urged him to hurry and put on clothes.
He Zhen was terrified. Nimbly dodging all the adults trying to catch him, he combined three steps into two and ran out of the main house.
Yesterday’s dream had been too real.
He was so afraid he would never see Yu Chen again.
At that moment, Li Huan appeared in time, blocked his path, and crouched down to soothe him gently. “Why are you out so early in the morning without clothes or shoes on?”
With red eyes, He Zhen’s whole body was freezing. “Where is Yu Chenchen?”
Li Huan hesitated for a moment, as if suppressing some deep emotion, then said warmly, “I already took him to his cousin-uncle and auntie’s place. This weekend, we’ll go pick him up together, all right?”
Stubbornly, He Zhen shoved Li Huan’s arm away. Letting his chilled, red little hands hang down, he walked forward one step at a time.
“I’m going to find him!”
“They’re bad people!”
As he walked, He Zhen suddenly crouched down. The heart-wrenching sound of his crying made all the servants chasing after him lower their heads in silence.
Li Huan frowned, and his reddened eyes slowly dropped as well.
Last night, he had asked someone to investigate. There was indeed nothing wrong with that couple. Their identities were genuine.
But at the same time, he had also asked someone to look into Yu Youshan’s whereabouts overseas and still had no concrete news.
And these were only Yu Chen’s cousin-uncle and auntie.
If one day Yu Youshan came back and wanted to take Yu Chen away, he would have absolutely no position and no right to refuse.
In his pocket was the little yellow duck Yu Chen had played with in the bath. He squeezed it with his hand and became more and more afraid of the day Yu Chen truly left.
At the same time, inside a small flat in the urban village, Yu Senda handed the snacks Li Huan had packed for Yu Chen over to his own son, while quietly whispering with his wife out of Yu Chen’s earshot.
“I didn’t expect Li Huan to be such a nuisance! He almost ruined our plan! The kid isn’t even his. Why does he care so much?”
“It’s fine. Didn’t I manage to stall him for now? Good thing your cousin brother left in such a hurry back then and forgot Yu Chen’s papers at our house. I’ve already bought tomorrow’s train tickets. We’ll leave tonight.”
“Mm. Once we have the money, where can’t we go? Why should we still work this hard!” Yu Senda toyed with the three sets of warm pajamas Li Huan had prepared for Yu Chen and muttered, “The material’s pretty good. Let our Er’Dan wear them.”
