C35 You Can't Force an Emotional Matter

CHAPTER 35: You Can't Force an Emotional Matter

Before Lu Yao could reply to that, Xiang Dongnan turned to look at her and chuckled. "But she likes you a lot."

Lu Yao was startled and felt very uncomfortable. Turning around to look at Tian Tian, she pretended that she did not understand what he meant. "I like her a lot too. I hope she can live like any other child. If it helps her to be around me, then I would gladly spend more time with her."​

"Yao Yao, thank you." Xiang Dongnan looked at her, his eyes smiling.​

Lu Yao smiled back, but rather stiffly. "Dongnan, you don't need to thank me. Didn't we already agree on that? After how much you have gone out of your way to help me, I would gladly help Tian Tian. I sincerely hope that she will be all right. "

Raising a child the right way was so important. No matter the relationship she had with Xiang Dongnan, Lu Yao could not just ignore Tian Tian.​

Xiang Dongnan was still looking at her. He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he just smiled wordlessly.

The two talked for a while longer, but it had gotten late. Xiang Dongnan stood up. "I should head home with Tian Tian. You should go to sleep too."

Lu Yao nodded and stood up as well. "All right, I'll see you two out."​

Xiang Dongnan turned to look at the little girl on the carpet who was still browsing the picture album. "Tian Tian, let's go home."

The girl was staring intently at the pictures. Only after her father called out a few times did she raise her head to look at him. A few seconds later, her large eyes blinked. She slowly shook her head.

Xiang Dongnan was surprised. "You're shaking your head? You don't want to leave?"

Tian Tian looked at him, then turned to look at Lu Yao and nodded.

Xiang Dongnan wanted to laugh but he was too tired. He went to pick her up in his arms. "It's too late now. We should go home. Let Auntie rest. We'll come back another day, hmm?"

Tian Tian shook her head again in his embrace, very unhappy with his words. She pulled at Lu Yao's sleeve with her hand, her lips turning down.​

"Don't cry now..." The man was rather helpless. He rubbed her head and said softly, "If you want to look at the picture book, then let's take it with us. You can see it in the car while I drive."​

Lu Yao smiled and pinched her cheek. "Tian Tian, keep the picture album with you."

Xiang Dongnan nodded at her. "Let's go, otherwise it will get too late. We need to sleep early."

Lu Yao walked the two of them to the door. She looked at Tian Tian's little face on the man's shoulder and was about to wave to her, but the girl's expression suddenly changed. She started crying and tears rolled down her face.

Lu Yao was startled and came to a stop. "Dongnan."

Xiang Dongnan turned Tian Tian around so that she faced him. He frowned. "Tian Tian, what's wrong?"

She did not reply and gave no indication as to what was wrong with her.​

Lu Yao silently watched as the little girl cried. After a while, she couldn't bear it any longer, so she walked over and took Tian Tian from Xiang Dongnan's arms. "Let her stay here. I'll take care of her tonight."

"That won't do. You are pregnant and you have work tomorrow,. You can't take care of her so late at night. Give her to me, I'll coax her out of it."​

Lu Yao patted the little girl's back and smiled at him. "It's no problem. I don't have to do it alone, Mom will help me. She has more experience with children than we do."

Xiang Dongnan rubbed his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This girl…"

Lu Yao raised her eyebrows, saying jokingly, "Are you jealous? Let her stay here for the night. I'll return her to you in the morning."

Tian Tian always followed him around like a shadow. Now, she won't be by his side for a whole night.

Xiang Dongnan shook his head, amused and upset at the same time. "If you like, you can help me watch her every day.

Anyway, sorry for troubling you. I'll come pick her up on my way to work tomorrow morning."

Lu Yao nodded at once. "All right."

"If she keeps crying, call me."

"Okay."

The two of them bid goodbye to teach other before Xiang Dongnan left.

Tian Tian stayed and Mrs. Lu was delighted. The house was more lively with a child around. She didn't say anything, but Lu Yao knew what she was thinking.​

When Lu Yao came out of the bathroom after washing up, she found Tian Tian asleep in Mrs. Lu's arms.

"Oh, this little girl is so cute! It's a pity that she doesn't speak."

Lu Yao stood beside the sofa in her pajamas. She lowered her head to take a look at Tian Tian's sleeping form. She seemed to be deep in thought as she mumbled, "She's still young. She'll be fine."

Mrs. Lu raised her head to look at her seriously. "You should consider being with Xiang Dongnan. He's a good man who lives a good life. He is gentle and considerate. He comes from a good background and his career is thriving. What's more, he knows his priorities."​

Lu Yao was silent for a few moments. Then, she pulled her clothes closer to herself and sat down. She put her head on her mother's shoulder and said softly, "Mom, I'm still thinking about it. But please don't pressurize me into doing anything. You can't force an emotional matter. Don't try and interfere in our relationship."

Mrs. Lu stiffened. She pursed her lips in guilt. "How could I interfere? I just wanted him and his daughter to come over for a meal. He has helped us so many times... we owe him a lot. Besides, feelings can develop. You certainly don't hate him, and he seems to like you a lot."​

Mrs. Lu was convinced that Xiang Dongnan suited her daughter very well. She was afraid that Lu Yao would let go of this golden opportunity and regret it in the future.

Lu Yao looked at her mother and sighed. "I was with Shao Yunchen for three years and nothing changed between us. Shao Yunchen didn't hate me and I liked him quite a lot. If I get divorced again, you'll then ask your daughter to think about marriage for a third time."

Mrs. Lu was speechless.

Wondering if her mother had too much time on her hands to think, Lu Yao didn't say much else. She told her mother to go to bed early and carried Tian Tian to her bedroom.

Just as she was about to turn off her phone before going to sleep, it rang. Not wanting to disturb Tian Tian, she immediately picked up the call to stop the phone from ringing. She did not even see the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Still awake?"

Hearing the familiar male voice, Lu Yao pursed her lips. "Is something the matter?"

It had been about a month since the court trial. She thought that he had finally given up on contacting her again.

Hearing the whisper in her voice, the man on the other side of the phone frowned. "Is this an inconvenient time for you?"

Lu Yao sat up and tucked in a corner of the blanket on Tian Tian's side. She replied in a low and impatient voice, "It's fine, just tell me what it is. It's too late and I need to go to sleep "

Her words forced an unbidden imagery into Shao Yunchen's mind.​

She was about to go to sleep but there was somebody already sleeping next to her, otherwise she would not be whispering. Obviously, she did not want to disturb him... Did that mean she was sleeping in the same bed as him?

Shao Yunchen did not know why there were so many questions in his head, but he did know that they made him feel miserable. His chest felt like it had been stabbed and he suddenly had difficulty breathing properly. It was a foreign sensation to him.​

"Shao Yunchen, are you still there? What exactly do you want?" When Lu Yao realized that there was no response from the other side of the phone, she could not help but frown. She wondered if there was a problem with the signal and looked at the screen. There was nothing amiss.

"Shao Yun—"

She called out his name for the second time, but before she could finish speaking, he hung up the phone.​

Stunned, Lu Yao stared at her phone for a long time in confusion.

Did he call her by mistake?