MGASC -Chapter 29 Let Go First, the Baby Will Be Short of Oxygen

Zhang Qiao finally let go after confirming that Lin Jin hadn’t been hurt. “Forget it, no need for compensation,” she said.

The guesthouse manager replied, “Thank you for your understanding. May I ask—did you have prior experience managing a hotel? You seem to have quite a bit of insight.”

Zhang Qiao shook her head. “I haven’t! But that doesn’t stop me from giving you some advice!”

She turned and walked off, holding the hands of the three children.

Along the way, Lin Jin cuddled closely against her. “Aunt Qiao, I was wrong before. I spoke badly about you and was really mean to you. Even if the bad lady hit me, I deserved it. I’m sorry, Aunt Qiao. I won’t get angry at you anymore. Please don’t be mad at me, okay? Okay? Okay?”

Lin Jin was like a little koala, gently nudging her waist with his soft little head.

Zhang Qiao looked down at the small black head and those innocent, sincere eyes. All her anger melted into a puddle.

“I’m not angry.”

“Really? Aunt Qiao, you’re not lying to me, right?”

“Of course not.”

Zhang Qiao felt a complicated mix of emotions—this scene had left her a little embarrassed.

It wasn’t entirely Lin Tianyue’s fault for not trusting her.

The three kids were still dressed in tattered clothes. Walking outside, people looked down on them. Those who didn’t know the truth would assume that she, as the stepmother, was incompetent. They wouldn’t understand that she had only just arrived here a few days ago.

Last time, she had bought them some fabric to make clothes, but before she could even take measurements, the stomach flu incident happened.

What a coincidence!

She opened the door and let the three kids in.

Lin Xun, Lin Ran, and Lin Jin had never stayed in such a nice house. Their eyes widened in awe as they stepped inside.

“Wow, Aunt Qiao, these sheets are so clean!”

“The windows don’t have a speck of dust.”

“There’s even a bathroom! And it’s so clean!”

“Aunt Qiao, can I sleep in this bed? It’s so soft!”

To them, it was like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden. What seemed ordinary to Zhang Qiao appeared luxurious to their eyes.

By contrast, Zhou Xiaoxiao, who was also a child, was used to this environment and took it for granted. Zhang Qiao felt even more heartache.

She quickly handed out the milk candies and peach cookies she had bought yesterday. “Not bad here, right? Actually, it’s just okay. Don’t worry—if we work hard together, our home will be ten times better than this!”

Ptooey!

Zhang Qiao mentally scolded herself—why did she say “our home”?

She instructed them, “These peach cookies are good, try them now. Keep the milk candies for later. I also have some fruit, but since your stomachs are still weak, I’ll save it for you to eat later.”

Her affectionate tone, bright smile, confident words about the future, and the handful of peach cookies made the three children deeply moved.

These days, peach cookies were hard to come by, as were milk candies.

When they were adopted by Lin Tianyue, just having a home, food, and a bed was already enough to make them want to cry with happiness. But now, not only did they have food, they got delicious peach cookies, and Aunt Qiao’s confident promise of a future ten times better—this was like living in paradise.

They couldn’t imagine how wonderful that life would be.

Lin Xun hadn’t said anything yet, but Lin Ran wiped the wet corner of his eyes with his sleeve.

Zhang Qiao’s heart tightened. “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Or are you afraid to eat these…thinking I poisoned the cookies? Don’t worry, there’s no poison! I’m not that capable.”

“Waaah…”

Lin Ran couldn’t hold back and clung to Zhang Qiao, smearing his tears and snot on her. “Aunt Qiao, why don’t you just come home with us? We won’t get mad at you anymore.”

Lin Xun didn’t cry but had a lump in his throat, staring at Zhang Qiao as if waiting for her reply.

Lin Jin, however, had already recovered from his earlier discomfort and was stuffing peach cookies into his mouth. “Aunt Qiao, you’re number one in my heart now! Oh my god, these cookies are so delicious!”

No matter how tough a young girl Zhang Qiao was, she couldn’t withstand children’s tears.

“All right, Lin Ran, let go. Otherwise, the baby in Aunt Qiao’s belly might get short of oxygen.”

Hearing the word “baby,” Lin Ran immediately stepped back a few paces, tears still on his lashes, looking terrified. “The baby…really might get short of oxygen?”

Zhang Qiao smiled. “Not anymore.”

“That’s good, that’s good. Dad said the baby in Aunt Qiao’s belly is very delicate. Our whole family must protect him/her.”

Zhang Qiao: Yes, yes, yes—this man only ever thinks about the child. Divorce or not, the kid is always the excuse. In the end, I’m just a baby-making tool!

After a long pause, Lin Xun finally asked, “When will you go back?”

Zhang Qiao’s chest tightened. She noticed Lin Xun was holding a mesh bag. “Hey, what’s in this?”

Lin Xun silently put the bag on the table and opened it.

He was much like Lin Tianyue in temperament—mature, composed, few words but straightforward.

Lin Ran hurried over to show her: “Aunt Qiao, did you eat lunch? We brought dumplings for you. They’re still warm. Do you want some?”

Lin Xun handed her the chopsticks. “Actually… Dad asked us to bring these. He didn’t want you or the baby in your belly to go hungry.”

Lin Ran gave his brother a look: “Dad said it’s mainly because he’s worried you’ll go hungry.”

“Really? He actually said that?”

Zhang Qiao didn’t believe it for a second.

Lin Xun’s face turned red as he forced the chopsticks into her hands. “Yes. Eat quickly before they get cold.”

Zhang Qiao was indeed hungry. She tried a warm dumpling—it was beef and scallion. In this era, no fake meat, no tricks. Beef was real beef.

The filling was solid and savory; she ate three in one go.

She wanted to ask if they wanted some, but remembering their stomachs weren’t fully recovered yet, she continued eating on her own.

A whole box of dumplings left her full.

The three children munched happily on peach cookies. Seeing Lin Xun eating so carefully, Zhang Qiao realized he was reluctant to finish them, so she took the entire box over. “Eat freely, we have more.”

“Wow, so many!”

Lin Ran’s eyes sparkled. Zhang Qiao divided the cookies, giving each of them one piece. “Today, just eat two pieces. Wait until you’re fully recovered for more.”

She had learned her lesson: even delicious treats must be rationed for them.

The kids’ stomachs were weak and undernourished; too much oil or sugar could cause problems. Previously, with cold watermelon and large buns at night, she could easily have been partly at fault.

But it was her first time being a stepmother. She had never even dated, let alone had kids. Of course, she didn’t have much experience raising them and just wanted to give them the best.

So, blaming her was wrong.

Yelling at her was even worse!