C36 How Could She Forget?

CHAPTER 36: How Could She Forget?

Only the sound of Lu Yao's breathing occupied the room. She waited for a few minutes as she held her phone, but he did not call back.

Eventually, she gritted her teeth and turned off her phone. She pulled up the quilt before lying down.

For a long while, Lu Yao did not sleep, even after turning the lights off. She was not sure if it was because of the emptiness she suddenly felt in her heart. She tossed and turned, but to no avail.​

Bastard!

After mentally cursing the man a few times, she embraced Tian Tian and closed her eyes before forcing herself to fall asleep.

…

When she woke up the next morning, Mrs. Lu was surprised to see her yawning. "What happened to you?" she asked after some time. "Did you not sleep well last night? Was Tian Tian awake at night and disturbing you?"

Lu Yao ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "She didn't wake up at all. I slept very well, don't worry…"

If it was not for that bastard's call last night and him unceremoniously hanging up on her, she would have definitely slept well.

What was the point of calling her if he didn't want to say anything? Because of that she had been up all night, thinking about him until she finally fell asleep. This morning, she woke up with his face in her head.

Well, she admitted... she did care.

How could she forget a man whom she had loved for three years?

"Your eyes are swollen up and tired. You look like you cut your eyelids in your dreams," Mrs. Lu said brusquely.​

"…"

Lu Yao coughed and returned to her bedroom. "Tian Tian should wake up any time now."

After breakfast, Lu Yao got ready. She put on some light eye makeup. Now she looked less tired and much better. ​

She looked at the time and was about to give Xiang Dongnan a call when he himself rang her up.​

"Hey, Dongnan. Are you here?"

Xiang Dongnan sighed on the other end of the phone. "Lu Yao, I'm sorry, I didn't have the time to tell you. I had to attend to an urgent matter at 5 o'clock and have already left Southern City. I will only be able to come back in the afternoon, but I have already informed the nanny to come over to your place. Could you wait for a bit? Tian Tian can go with her."​

Lu Yao was stunned. "Nanny? You asked the nanny for help?"

She remembered that he said before that he had asked around for a few nannies, but Tian Tian never cooperated with any of them. He had given up on them now, which was why he always took Tian Tian along with him.​

"It's the one who asked for the final pay cheque. I asked her to take care of Tian Tian for half a day."

Before Lu Yao could reply to this, her mother, who had been listening to the conversation on speaker, butted in. "That won't do. The nanny has already resigned. How can you just hand the child over to her like this? If you don't have time, I'll take care of Tian Tian for you. It's not like I have much to do at home."

Lu Yao looked at Tian Tian worriedly. She also felt that the nanny was not a good idea. "Yeah, don't worry, let Mom look after her. You can come in the afternoon to pick her up. Don't bother the nanny."​

Xiang Dongnan was silent for a moment as he hesitated. "Would it be very troublesome for you? Tian Tian doesn't speak. It's not easy looking after her."

Lu Yao remembered that Tian Tian had autism. She did not speak, so it was indeed difficult for others to understand her. Lu Yao frowned, worried that her mother would struggle to take care of her alone. After thinking for a while, she said, "How about this… I'll take her to my office. She can sit in my room. She's very obedient with me. She wouldn't cry or make a fuss. You can come and pick her up from my office in the afternoon."

"But you…" Xiang Dongnan started, still hesitant.​

Lu Yao smiled at the concern in his voice. "Dongnan, don't you worry. I am in a rush. I'll get ready and go to work with Tian Tian. Talk to you later."

Hanging up the phone, she pinched Tian Tian's cheek. Beaming, she said, "Are you ready to go to office with Auntie today?"

Mrs. Lu mother was concerned. "If you take the child along with you to office, won't your boss object?"

Helping Tian Tian into her coat, Lu Yao said calmly, "I'll explain to my colleagues. I won't be able to rest easy if I leave her here. You might find it difficult."

"But you already…" Mrs. Lu glanced at her daughter's stomach.

It was like Lu Yao was handling three children by herself. If something bad were to happen to any of them, Mrs. Lu would not know what to do.

Lu Yao rubbed her abdomen and raised her head, smiling. "I'll be fine. I'll make sure to take care of myself."

…

At Ying Xin Corporation, Lu Yao's colleagues watched as she walked into the office, an adorable child by her side. Their eyes widened in shock.

"Ms. Lu, this... this is your daughter?"

"What an adorable girl! Come, let me give you a hug."

"Ms. Lu, this is the first time you're brought here here! This calls for a treat."​

"…"

Lu Yao looked at the overenthusiastic crowd before her and frowned, speechless for a few moments. She picked up Tian Tian and looked at her colleagues. "Don't scare her. This is Tian Tian. She has autism and is afraid of people. Also, she is not my daughter. She is my friend's child. He doesn't have time today, so I told him I'll take care of her."​

Everyone was surprised, but they quickly regained their composure.

"Oh... Ms. Lu, if you don't have time, we can help you take care of Tian Tian," someone piped in.​

"I have some snacks with me. I'm sure she'll be happy to have them."

"Oh, stop. Don't spoil little kids with your junk food. Ms. Lu, she can watch cartoons on my phone."

Lu Yao was rather speechless.​

What kind of subordinates did she have in her department? They were usually not this eager to do work.​

"All right, you can hang out with her, but don't get too close to her. I won't be responsible if she misbehaves."

After telling them a bit about Tian Tian's likes and dislikes, she brought her to her room.​