This...
Xiu Mei hesitated whether she remembered it correctly or if she was just thinking about it too much. ââ
She watched the two men climb inside the car and drove away disappearing from her sight after they turned to a corner.
Walking back with uneasy strides back to the living room, Xiu Mei continued pondering whether she could really trust her hazy memory. She scratched her chin while thinking.
That man.... somehow, he looked like one of the people she saw when she was kidnapped ten years ago.
When she saw that gold teeth and his strange walking style, Xiu Mei briefly recalled that she saw someone with the same features as that from one of the people who blocked them before they got kidnapped.
But because it happened a long time ago, and she also subconsciously tried to erase her memories from that day, she wasnât entirely sure whether she could trust her memories or not.
Besides, the fact that the older man was probably one of Lu Chenâs subordinates made her hesitate even more.
....A guy like that wouldnât be working as Lu Chenâs subordinate, isnât he?
She walked back to the living room and saw King sprawled on the floor beside Lucia. Their huge bodies almost blocking the door to the garden. Xiu Mei didnât mind that they stepped inside the mansion, since only her, Lu Chen, and little Qiang would be living in here. There will be no employees that will become nervous and get scared from their presence inside the mansion.
Xiu Mei brushed Kingâs fur and after making sure that he was doing better, she entered the kitchen and started preparing for her and Lu Qiangâs lunch.
She continued contemplating on the previous issue while prepping for lunch.
Hmm....
On the file case, she read regarding that night, there wasnât any list of people who were caught at the scene. And she doesnât even remember all the faces whom she has seen that night as well. Even trying to remember it now, she does feel a bit better now when recalling her traumatic memory but she is still uncomfortable in remembering it nonetheless.
Xiu Mei wondered if her uncle will let her see the list of people they caught that night ah....
Lunch came and Lu Qiang returned home to take an hour of lunch and rest combined. After telling him about Kingâs condition, Lu Qiang ran over to the lionâs side and comforted him while worrying over his pet. The lion licked the kidâs palm as if telling Lu Qiang that heâs fine.
Aside from the bickering father and son that morning and King getting injured, the rest of the day passed by quietly for Xiu Mei.
At night, Lu Chen hasnât come yet so Xiu Mei and Lu Qiang ate dinner first. She stared at her son who was serving her so happily by clipping some meat and vegetables into her bowl.
Xiu Mei immediately remembered that she and Lu Chen hadnât properly explained to him about her pregnancy. Observing Lu Qiangâs actions since yesterday, Xiu Mei was very sure that the little kid definitely heard their conversation yesterday morning.
She grabbed her chopsticks and clipped a slice of meat then dropped it onto her sonâs bowl.
"Bao Bei(Baby), do you want to have a little brother or sister?" She carefully asked. Her sonâs actions towards her since yesterday were all positive and it seems like he was welcoming the idea of having a little sibling quite well, but Xiu Mei still wanted to hear it from his mouth by asking him directly.
She knew that in some households, the first child doesnât always welcome their little siblings. And their current family setup was actually pretty complicated.
Lu Chen and Xiu Mei are pretty much little Qiangâs parents, but the reality is that Lu Qiang was Lu Chenâs nephew and Xiu Mei adopted him as her son.
She was worried that Lu Qiang may be thinking that once she gives birth to the baby inside her tummy, Lu Qiang might get nervous and think too much like them loving their biological child more than him.
It was a normal thought of a child, like Lu Qiang, having siblings at his age. Thankfully, he wasnât a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e child, so Xiu Mei was comforted that there was a higher possibility that he wouldnât think that kind of thought.
Still, only by communicating with Lu Qiang directly would she really be assured that Lu Qiang wouldnât feel bothered about trivial things like them not loving or paying attention to him anymore because Lu Chen and her now have their own biological child.
The moment she married Lu Chen, no, probably even way before that, she was already prepared to become Lu Qiangâs mother even if they hadnât married. The empty look in his eyes was something she couldnât forget, and at that time, all she wanted was to erase that depression in him.
She wanted him to be happy and grow up full of love and care by a mother and father. So Xiu Mei always spoiled and pampered him while also teaching him how to be a better person, a better man when he grows up. She didnât want him to cage himself on the thought that he has no biological parents anymore.
Honestly, aside from considering their current situation, she didnât want to get pregnant this early yet because she wanted to devote her time to little Qiang for a couple of years more. She is still young, and Lu Chenâs not that old either, so it would be fine if they decide to have a child together a few years later but well, who would have thought a bud would suddenly grow inside her surprising the both of them.
It was so sudden, that she even didnât get to prepare herself nor Lu Qiang about it. Xiu Mei quietly wondered about their sonâs true thoughts on the pregnancy and becoming the elder brother of this little one inside her.
Lu Qiangâs chopsticks moving mid-air halted. It seems like he was still thinking about how to answer her because he was quiet and staring at the bowl for a few seconds before turning to her with a gentle smile plastered on his little face.
"En! I want to be a great older brother to my younger brother or sister in the future." His words sounded true and sincere so Xiu Mei continued.
She stretched out her hand and ruffled her hair. She pulled her chair and scooted over closer to her side then continued, "Our little baby will surely be the best brother in the whole world!"
Lu Qiang stopped for a second again before looking at her, "Then Iâm not a little baby anymore. Because Iâm an older brother."
"...."
Xiu Mei was speechless for a second. Well, he..... has a point about that.
"So you donât want to be Mommyâs little baby because youâre a big brother now?" She pouted and pulled an act of being heartbroken and lonely because he doesnât want to be called her little baby anymore.
Lu Qiang pulled his motherâs sleeve and immediately replied in panic, "No! I mean, Iâm also fine with staying being mommyâs baby even after sheâs born," He pointed at her tummy, "but what if she gets jealous because she is the baby but Iâm still mommyâs little baby?"
Xiu Mei almost laughed. Lu Qiang was truly changing and becoming more like children of his age, asking a.d.u.l.ts those kinds of innocent questions that may sound naive for a.d.u.l.ts.
"Iâm sure she wouldnât be. After all, sheâll be too busy being spoiled by her big brother than get jealous with you, isnât it?"
The little kidâs face changed as if he only realized that now. "Ah!"
She pulled him closer for a hug when Lu Qiang stopped her before she could properly embrace him.
"Why? Donât you want to hug mommy anymore?"
Lu Qiang immediately denied it. "No! But Iâm afraid my little sibling would be squished if we hug."
"....Oh."
This time, Xiu Mei didnât stop herself from laughing.
My little Qiang is really cute ah!
After laughing for a minute, she calmed herself down and smoothed her sonâs hair, and explained to him, "Our little baby shouldnât worry ah. Your little brother or sister will not be squished if we hug even if my stomach is already round and big. Besides, Iâm pretty sheâll want you to always hug her when she grows bigger in my stomach."
Then she grabbed his left hand, "Do you want to touch mommyâs tummy? Itâs still flat though."
Lu Qiangâs eyes sparkled. "Can I?"
"Of course!" She guided his hand to her stomach and carefully reminded him, "Just donât press too much."
When Lu Qiang laid his hand on his motherâs flat stomach while thinking that a baby was growing in there, he found it magical and mysterious how a living being could grow in his motherâs small belly. Even if he already researched about it last night and how small his little sibling is at the moment, he felt excited, curious and happy to witness his momâs belly grow little by little until it expands like a ball.