Chapter 3: Responsibility
After dinner, Nian Nian sat on the sofa and heartily watched animated cartoons. Chen Xi took this chance to talk about the past with aunty Zhang.
“Not
long after you left, Ying Ying realized that she was pregnant and had
especially found me just for this 的matter.”
While
recalling, aunty Zhang heavily said, “Ying Ying was born from a rich family and
has never been through any hardships. After you left, a pregnant lady was left
all alone, even living became a problem. Hence, when Nian Nian was about to be
born, I decided to move here so that it’s more convenient to take care of
them.”
Chen
Xi was silent.
He
could definitely picture that scene.
Day
by day, a woman saw her stomach getting bigger and bigger, yet there was no by
her side to rely on. Simple daily stuffs such as grocery shopping, cooking,
doing the laundry and cleaning were extremely difficult for a pregnant lady.”
Before
the child was born, she became a single mother. Who would have known how she
felt at that point in time?
The
more Chen Xi thought about it, the more his heart ached. Suddenly, his heart
was filled with a sense of stuffiness that could not be released.
“…When
Nian Nian was born, the household expenditure increased. Seeing that money kept
on flowing out everyday, she became extremely worried. Hence, she went out to
find a job and worked till exhaustion every single day.
Saying
up till here, aunty Zhang suddenly glance at Chen Xi. She then sighed and said,
“To tell you the truth, during the time she went to work, so many cars were
parked outside the apartment. All of them were guys that were chasing after
her, some even started a fight while trying to come in, causing several
complains coming from the neighbours.”
“Actually,
I saw that anyone of them is better than you, leaving behind an orphan and a
widow. If she could marry one of them, her’s and Nian Nian’s life would turn
for the better. That’s why I advised her to consider it multiple times…”
“However,
that girl was extremely stubborn, she got angry every time I brought it up.
I’ve no idea what she sees i you, who breaks people’s heart, and leaving her to
suffer alone.”
Upon
hearing it, Chen Xi could only bitterly laugh.
He
worked till late at night on that fateful day. When he was running home, it
started raining extremely heavily and out of a sudden, he was struck by a
lightning and fainted.
When
he woke up, he was already in the Tian Xuan world that was hundreds of millions
miles away. This was the world of cultivation that the legends spoke of.
When
Chen Xi thought about if after a while, the distance between Earth and 已经Tian Xuan world was
several galaxies away, and how powerful could the might of a lightning be?
It
was impossible that the lightning caused him to instantly travel through the
stellars as his body felt quite itch due to the “w陈曦忽然觉得这两个eak” current.
不禁有些百感交集。The real reason might be due to a
secret ancient treasure being activated by the lightning and coincidentally
affected him who was running in the rain…
The
more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it got. He quickly shook his head
and concentrated on aunty Zhang’s recount.
“…When
Nian Nian was around 1 years old, Ying Ying suddenly told me that she wasgoing
to find you and entrust Nian Nian to me.”
“Although
I was her family’s maid in the past, I’ve witnessed Ying Ying growing up and to
put it bluntly, I’ve long seen Ying Ying as my daughter. Naturally, her
daughter is my granddaughter, so i promised her.”
“Find
me?”
“En,
and after that, I’ve never seen her ever again.”
“Did
she go home? Aunty Zhang, can you tell me where her house is? I will go find
her.”
Chen
Xi started to panic.
They
were together for 5 years. However in that 5 years, she had never once
mentioned about her family nor where her family is at. Everytime Chen Xi
inquire her about it, she would be slightly unhappy. Hence, Chen Xi did dare to
continue to ask after that.
“I
can’t tell you.”
Aunty
Zhang shook her head and sigh, “Before she left, she said that if you came back
and she is not back yet, then you don’t have to go and find her, what more
going to her house as it is impossible for her to go home…”
“Why?”
Chen Xi could not comprehend some of it.
“Aye,
stop asking. Anyways, her family matters are very complicated, I can’t tell
you.”
Aunty
Zhang glanced at Chen Xi, she felt that leaving it like this too perfunctory
and explained, “Moreover, based on her temperament, she would definitely bring
Nian Nian home if she decided to go home. However, Nian Nian was almost 4 now
and she has yet to return, so i think that she might still be looking for you.”
“Find
me? What will she use to find me…” Chen Xi gave a wry smile and shook his head.
At
this time, one episode of cartoon just ended and the little kiddo excitedly
threw herself onto Chen Xi’s chest, interrupting the conversation.
“Let’s
not talk about Ying Ying for now. The matter with this little kiddo is the most
urgent.”
When
aunty Zhang saw that the little kiddo and her father were much more intimate
than before, she said with gratification, “I planned to wait until the New Year
celebration to bring Nian Nian home if you guys were not back by then…My
granddaughter has grown quite a fair bit and my son and daughter-in-law are so
busy working that they have no time to take care of the child, hence, I wanted
to go back and raise the child…”
When
he heard it, Chen could not help but glance at the lively and cute little kiddo
in his arms. He then solemnly said, “Luckily you were her all these years, I am
eternally grateful. This kindness, I will forever remember it.”
If
not for aunty Zhang, Chen Xi did not dare to think what kind of life would his
wife be living.
Such
a huge favour, how could a simple thank you be enough to repay it.
“You
don’t have to say all these, no matter what, Ying Ying could be considered as
my half daughter. Since she entrusted Nian Nian to me, I will of course treat
the child nicely. However, since you are back, Nian Nian should then be under
your care. It’s about time for me to go home to see my granddaughter.”
After
that, aunty Zhang took a look at Nian Nian, as if she could not bear to leave
Nian Nian.
This
time, when the kiddo heard her words, she immediately jumped down from Chen
Xi’s body and ran to aunty Zhang’s side. She instantly wept and whimpered while
hugging aunty Zhang’s legs, “Grandma don’t go…”
“Good
girl, grandma won’t go, grandma will stay accompany you.”
Aunty
Zhang smiled while rubbing Nian Nian’s head, her eyes contained wisps of
longingness.
Even
a few years of daily interactions could develop deep feelings between pets,
what more about an innocent and cute child.
After
calming down the kiddo, aunty Zhang carried her and earnestly said, “I won’t
ask where have you been all these years, but based on your appearance, it must
not have been good…”
“Around
there, anyways, it’s hard to explain…”
Chen
Xi nodded his head, in his heart, he could vaguely guess what aunty Zhang was
about to say.
“Actually,
I don’t really want to pass the child to you because I’m anxious. But you are,
after all, her father and as an outsider, I can’t intrude too much. Therefore,
I hope that we can leave the past incidents to the past, and hope that you can
understand one thing…”
Saying
up till here, aunt Zhang paused before looking at Chen Xi and seriously said,
“You are a father, I hope that you can perceive what this word ‘responsibility’
means and not be like 5 years ago, alright?”
Responsibility.
Suddenly,
Chen Xi felt that this word was a bit heavy.
For
a short while, his heart was filled with mixed feelings.