B5SB -Chapter 265 Adoption

The next day, after work.

Gu Yihan had just arrived at her home on her bicycle when Zhang Xia came out holding her daughter, Chuncao, by the hand.

“Sister-in-law, the army nursery charges five yuan per month, right?”

Gu Yihan frowned slightly as she looked at Zhang Xia’s pale face and nodded. “Yes.”

“So the tuition for a whole year would be sixty yuan?”

Gu Yihan nodded again, giving a soft “Mm.”

Zhang Xia lowered her head to look at her daughter, hiding behind her, and a hint of heartache flashed across her eyes.

Deputy Battalion Commander Wang’s mother didn’t like her and would often scold her as a “money-losing girl.”

This made her little daughter quiet and shy, always hiding whenever strangers were around.

“Sister-in-law, could Chuncao be in the same class as Haohai?”

“That way, the two kids could keep each other company.”

Gu Yihan glanced at the timid Chuncao and refused: “Haohai is too young and lacks patience. He wouldn’t be able to take care of your Chuncao.”

After saying this, she ignored Zhang Xia and went back into the house. After parking her bicycle, she hurried to feed the chickens.

Once that was done, she quickly went to the kitchen and added firewood to the stove, letting smoke curl up from the chimney to give outsiders the impression that someone was cooking inside.

Then she took out the braised pork and stewed lamb she had cooked extra last night.

Having a space like this was convenient—it meant she didn’t have to rush to prepare dinner every day. Coming home and boiling some water to make it look like she was cooking was enough.

“Xiao Han…”

Su Nian called out loudly at the gate of the Lu family courtyard.

“Coming!”

Gu Yihan called back, grabbed the apron draped on the rack, and tied it on while walking to open the gate.

Seeing Su Nian, she smiled. “Sister Su, what’s the matter? You seem in a hurry.”

Su Nian glanced at Gu Yihan’s apron and her smile faltered. “I wanted to go pick up the kids from the nursery with you.”

Gu Yihan smiled faintly and said, “Sister Su, I’m busy cooking right now and don’t have time to go pick up the kids. You go ahead.”

“Ah… Xiao Han, you work so hard, and after finishing work you still cook for yourself. You’d be better off going to the army canteen like me; it’s much more convenient.”

Gu Yihan smiled at her and casually said, “Sister Su, I just enjoy cooking.”

“Fine, then I’ll have to go by myself.”

With that, Su Nian grabbed Zhou Jianghe, who was waiting at the gate, and headed toward the nursery.

Gu Yihan glanced at the quiet, sullen Zhou Jianghe. Ever since he and Zhou Jun returned from their hometown, there was a gloomy aura about the little boy.

He didn’t speak and did whatever Su Nian told him to.

She had seen several times the hatred in the boy’s eyes when he looked at Su Nian.

Thinking of this, Gu Yihan shivered.

Fortunately, Haohai was several years younger, otherwise, if they played together, she would have to be on high alert all the time.

Half an hour later.

Gu Yihan guessed that Lu Huailin and Haohai were about to return.

She quickly put away the food and placed it on the dining table.

“Mom, Haohai’s back!”

“Our big baby is home?” Gu Yihan smiled and walked over to him.

She bent down and planted a “smack” on his bare forehead.

Lu Huailin looked at his wife’s action and frowned. “Honey, Haohai’s growing up. You can’t keep kissing him like that.”

Haohai wriggled his small body and hugged Gu Yihan’s leg.

In a childish voice, he said, “Mom, the teacher said that kisses make babies.”

“Does that mean there’s a baby in Haohai’s tummy?”

Gu Yihan: “……”

Lu Huailin saw the exasperated look on his wife’s face and couldn’t help but laugh.

He explained, “The girls in Haohai’s class insisted on knowing why boys don’t wet their pants when they stand to pee.”

“The teacher had no choice but to explain the difference between boys and girls.”

Haohai nodded eagerly: “The teacher said kisses and hugs make babies!”

Lu Huailin looked up, saw his wife glaring at him, and quickly fell silent.

He picked up Haohai and explained, “Son, you can only have babies after you turn twenty.”

Haohai hugged Lu Huailin’s neck with both hands and happily said, “Great! Then I don’t have to make babies!”

…

The next day at noon.

On the way to the canteen with Hu Shan, Gu Yihan looked up and saw Cheng Bo storming toward them.

Seeing this, she thought to avoid him and was about to turn away, but Hu Shan tightly grabbed her arm.

“My cousin’s child is smart and adorable. Adopting her under your name is already generous! And you still refuse!”

Cheng Bo’s face turned dark as he glared at Hu Shan and shouted angrily.

“I refuse! I will not adopt anyone else’s child. Even if it’s a beggar’s, I will not adopt your cousin’s child.”

Hu Shan calmly glanced at Cheng Bo and spoke slowly.

Gu Yihan was surprised and looked at Hu Shan—did she already know?

Then Hu Shan took Gu Yihan’s arm and walked past Cheng Bo, ignoring him.

Cheng Bo grabbed Hu Shan’s arm and, looking at Gu Yihan standing nearby, ground his teeth.

“What’s wrong with adopting my cousin’s child? Hu Shan, do you have to oppose me?”

Hu Shan stared ahead, sneering coldly. “I don’t want to raise an ungrateful child.”

With that, she waved her hand, freeing herself from Cheng Bo, linked arms with Gu Yihan, and left without looking back.

Cheng Bo watched Hu Shan’s back, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He murmured, “Hope you find the right one.”

Gu Yihan and Hu Shan walked side by side to the canteen, queuing for food in silence.

It wasn’t until lunch was nearly over that Hu Shan muttered, “Xiao Han, I don’t want to adopt a relative’s child. I’ve taken care of them from diapers to growing up. By the time they can earn money and support a family, they’ll go back to their biological parents. And then, there’ll be nowhere even to cry.”

Gu Yihan was taken aback. She thought Hu Shan might know that Cheng Bo’s cousin was pregnant with Cheng Bo’s child.

“If you don’t like them, who can force you to adopt?”

Hu Shan leaned close to Gu Yihan’s ear and whispered, “I’ve already found a suitable child for adoption.”

“You’ve found one?”

Gu Yihan looked at her in surprise.

Hu Shan nodded happily. “Yes! Ye Qingqing’s parents found an orphan with no father or mother.”

She already had a suitable candidate for adoption and naturally had no interest in Cheng Bo’s cousin’s child.

“How old is the child?” Gu Yihan asked casually.

“A girl, less than five months old.”

She was satisfied—raising a girl only meant giving some dowry later; raising a boy meant passing on family wealth.

That was also why she disliked Cheng Bo’s cousin’s child.

Gu Yihan felt a bad premonition. Could this child actually be Ye Qingqing’s?

She clearly remembered that Ye Qingqing had stayed at Hu Shan’s house for a period of time.

On the way back to the office, Gu Yihan looked at Hu Shan and hinted subtly: “Sister Shan, you should discuss this carefully with uncle and aunt. Have them check the child’s origins. An orphan with no parents might have health issues. That would be a burden for your little family too.”

Hu Shan thought carefully for a moment. Looking at Gu Yihan’s concerned eyes, she knew she had her best interests at heart.

She nodded. “Okay, I’ll have my family check.”

Hearing this, Gu Yihan breathed a sigh of relief. She really couldn’t stand seeing a scumbag reap all the benefits.

If the child introduced by Ye Qingqing’s parents was Cheng Bo’s biological child, he was clearly trying to take advantage of Hu Shan.