C40 I Feel like a Mother!

"I'll go to work," Soong Ruanruan said, giving Ji Yu a glance and a shake of her head, signaling that he needn't speak on her behalf.

The mood suddenly chilled.

Then, the sound of boiling water erupted from the kettle, causing Soong Ruanruan to look towards the kitchen with a hint of puzzlement.

If she wasn't mistaken, there were several packets of brown sugar ginger tea beside the kettle, which she recalled purchasing earlier.

Who wanted to drink brown sugar ginger tea?

An An Ke didn't like its sweet taste, and Dear Sui probably wasn't interested either. Could it be... it was prepared for her?

A flicker of realization crossed Soong Ruanruan's mind as she turned her gaze to Fu Jingchuan.

Was it him?

He had indeed lingered in the kitchen during the meal, but she had assumed he was just getting water.

No, that couldn't be right. Did this man truly care about her? He probably hadn't even noticed her menstrual cramps.

Yet, who else would have taken out the brown sugar ginger tea and boiled water?

This small detail sent Soong Ruanruan's thoughts spiraling until Ji Yu set a steaming cup of brown sugar water beside her, saying, "Drink it while it's hot."

Her heart felt a touch of warmth.

After all, the one who truly cared for her was Mr. Yu.

"Fu Sui, time to go home!" Fu Jingchuan commanded in a deep voice, a barely detectable harshness in his eyes.

The little guy emerged from the bedroom, and though he seemed reluctant, he bid farewell to everyone in the room.

In the silent car, Fu Sui stole glances at his dad.

Fu Jingchuan rested with his eyes closed, unable to shake off an unusual restlessness.

Fu Sui, finding his father's mood both odd and intriguing, couldn't resist asking, "Dad, are you mad?"

The question prompted Fu Jingchuan to open his eyes abruptly.

Mad?

Who was there to be mad at?

Fu Jingchuan's gaze softened, the ripple of irritation in his heart fading away, his voice returning to its usual calm.

"Why do you like Soong Ling?"

There had been other psychiatrists before, but the little guy had been resistant, uncooperative, and only seemed to get worse with treatment. Continuing forcefully had proven pointless.

Soong Ling was the only one who could gain the child's trust upon their first meeting.

Fu Sui pondered deeply for a moment before looking up with a grave expression. "It's like... the feeling of a mother."

A dark glint passed through Fu Jingchuan's deep-set eyes.

If she wasn't the one, his son wouldn't have this unexplainable sense of reliance on her. But if she was, how could he account for her every action, including her appearance?

Soong Ling... you had better be just Soong Ling!

Inside the Soong family estate —

"Feifei, how can you be so disobedient? Do you think you can afford to provoke the Fu family?"

Soong's father's voice, weathered with age, echoed in the living room. Though he was scolding, there was little force behind his words, only a series of helpless sighs.

Soong Feifei lounged on the sofa, her eyes brimming with scorn. "That woman isn't even part of the Fu family. What's there to fear? I was just unlucky this time, getting caught on video. Next time..."

"Next time?" Soong's father cut her off, his anger palpable. "That psychologist managed to have the hospital defend her. Clearly, she's no ordinary person."

Soong Feifei scoffed dismissively, her lips curling with indifference.

The fact that such an unattractive woman could garner attention only fueled her resentment!

"What's the use of talking about it now? Get the PR team on it, pronto! And you haven't transferred the money you promised; I have nothing to spend!"

Her daughter showed not a hint of contrition, which only intensified Soong's father's irritation. He glanced at his wife, Zhou Chenghui, sitting beside him, and bit back his words.

He feared his wife's disapproval.

"Enough, Feifei, don't be upset. She's just a doctor. Can she really ascend to greatness?" Zhou Chenghui, Soong's mother, chuckled softly. "Soong Ling just wants an apology, right? Then give her one."

"Mom! How can you side with that woman?"

"Hear me out," Zhou Chenghui said, lifting her cup of tea leisurely as she began to outline her plan to her daughter.

Soong's father was listening in and tried to intervene, "Isn't this inappropriate...?"

Zhou Chenghui shot him a cold look, "What's inappropriate about it? If you weren't so ineffectual, our daughter wouldn't have to endure such embarrassment. She's a star, yet now she has to apologize to a nobody. Tsk, the Soong family really has fallen from grace!"

His wife's relentless complaints left Soong's father speechless.

...

The next morning, it took Soong Ruanruan quite a while to get ready due to her injured legs, which were quite inconvenient, especially since she would soon need Ji Yu's assistance.

"Mam, big brother's here~" An An peered out the window down to the street below and suddenly exclaimed.

Soong Ruanruan approached the window skeptically and spotted a familiar black sedan parked outside.

It couldn't be that Dear Sui was here to see An An at this hour, could it?

With a mix of curiosity and doubt, she grabbed her crutches and hobbled downstairs. When she saw the car door swing open, there was Fu Sui, gazing out at her expectantly, clearly signaling for her to come aboard.

"Brother, I'll go with you to the hospital," An An chimed in, sticking close to her mother with her adorable little face beaming.

A spark of delight flickered in Fu Sui's eyes.

"Dear Sui, did you come to pick me up?" Soong Ruanruan asked her son, unable to resist teasing him given his earnest demeanor.

To her surprise, Fu Jingchuan's detached voice cut in from the front passenger seat, "Get in."

The conspicuous sedan was drawing too much attention parked in front of the apartment building. After a brief hesitation, Soong Ruanruan, with her daughter in tow, climbed into the vehicle and called Ji Yu to let him know he didn't need to come for them.

Through a brief conversation with her son, Soong Ruanruan learned that indeed, Dear Sui had intended to pick her up. The unexpected part was Fu Jingchuan's willingness to share the ride, something she hadn't anticipated.

"Dear Sui, you're so thoughtful~"

Soong Ruanruan affectionately caressed her son's smooth cheek, nearly planting a kiss on it but restrained herself due to the presence of another.

"Brother, will you come to pick us up every day?" An An asked, her voice filled with excitement.

Fu Sui hesitated briefly before giving a firm nod.

"Yay!" An An clapped her little hands and craned her neck to look at the seat ahead, remembering to offer a polite greeting, "Mr. Fu, Uncle Driver, good morning!"

Reflected in the rearview mirror was the affectionate scene in the backseat. Fu Jingchuan's frown was almost imperceptible, but upon hearing the little girl's greeting, he involuntarily softened his expression.

"An."

Zhou Chi, who was at the wheel, was taken aback. The CEO had actually responded to the little girl.

"Ahem, good morning. Though, you can call me Uncle Zhou." Caught off guard but not forgetting to reply, Zhou Chi couldn't resist adding a few more words for such a tender child.

"Okay, Uncle Zhou!" An An blinked her doe eyes, indicating she'd remember his name.

Zhou Chi felt a warmth in his heart hearing the child's sweet voice and found himself glancing back at the rearview mirror more than once.

Was it his imagination? On closer inspection, he sensed a familiarity.

No, it wasn't just familiarity; it was unmistakably a hint of the CEO's presence!