Chapter 10

Kong Liqing suddenly came to her senses: she still has a child. How difficult life is, just to ensure the child grows up well. What is there that she cannot endure? She has already endured so much in her previous life, and now enduring once more would only further numb herself. At least she has secured a job; this is the only way she can comfort herself.

This study is located at the corner of this floor and is not particularly large, but it is well designed and planned. Everything is simple and clean, and the furniture inside is not as massive and heavy as in other rooms; most of it features simple lines, making the entire space appear neat and bright.

Kong Liqing looked up at the window; outside, the sun was already blazing, indicating that it was time for lunch. She pulled the child up from the ground and said, "Let's go see if there is anything to eat in the kitchen."

When calling the child to sleep at night, Kong Liqing hesitated for a moment, but ultimately settled the child on the large bed in the master bedroom. She had some evasive thoughts; since that man would not be returning for the time being, everything could wait until it needed to be resolved.

"Mom, may I watch television?" Wan Xiang asked Kong Liqing as he took the milk.

Wan Xiang nodded obediently and said, "Mom, I know." Kong Liqing smiled as she stroked the child's head, taking his hand and walking downstairs.

Kong Liqing hugged her knees with both hands, curling herself into a ball, burying her face in her knees, feeling a deep sense of discomfort and frustration within her

Kong Liqing softened his tone and gently explained: "We are here to have fun, and I will always be with you. If you feel it's not enjoyable anymore, we can go home, alright?"

Turning off the alarm clock, Kong Liqing opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought for a moment as was her habit. Five minutes later, she turned over to get out of bed, and just as she lowered her head and turned to the side, a pair of feet wearing white cotton slippers belonging to a man entered her line of sight, leaving her completely stunned.

"Sure." Kong Liqing agreed, and the child ran away happily

"Mother." A voice filled with confusion came from behind, belonging to Wan Xiang

After taking a shower, Kong Liqing began to pack her luggage. There was no wardrobe in the bedroom, only a small closet separated by a screen in the corner. Kong Liqing walked around the screen and found two rows of clothes neatly hung inside. A glance at the left side revealed that it was all men's clothing, with various styles of suits and casual wear. Next to it was a small shoe cabinet, neatly arranged with different styles of men's shoes on each shelf. The right side had a similar layout, but it was all women's clothing, and the shoe cabinet was also neatly stocked with various women's shoes. Kong Liqing thought about the unopened toiletries in the bathroom, realizing that they were also prepared for her. However, she did not feel particularly valued; she simply thought that Miss Ou was indeed a remarkable woman, attending to her boss's needs with such thoroughness.

Kong Liqing stood there holding the cigarette, realizing that it seemed like only Zhou Yezhang himself smoked. For a moment, she felt that the situation had become somewhat complicated.

As she watched the two elevator doors close before her, Kong Liqing was enveloped by a sense of desolation. The sensation in her palm pulled her back to reality; looking down, she saw Wan Xiang holding her hand, carefully raising his little face to call her: "Mom."

Upon entering the master bedroom, Kong Liqing looked at the luxurious large bed, feeling distressed. If she had previously been avoiding any specific thoughts, then upon seeing the children's room and this large bed, all the issues she was unwilling to confront finally lay bare before her. She threw down the suitcase in her hand and sat down on the floor, gazing at the large bed with a sense of despair.

Kong Liqing held the small body tightly in her arms, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She knew that the child in her embrace would gradually grow up, and one day he would step out of her world. When he grew up, she might have to face a lonely life. Yet, she was always unwilling to let him suffer any grievances. Her own childhood had been ensnared in thorns due to the desires of adults, and how could she bear to let Wanxiang experience the same fate as hers

There are two bedrooms upstairs, the larger one is clearly the master bedroom, while the adjacent room was originally intended as a guest room. However, it now contains several pieces of children's furniture, evidently purchased in haste for Wanxiang. Kong Liqing looked at the children's room and contemplated a question: it seems that she would have to sleep separately from Wanxiang in the future. Since the day she brought Wanxiang to her side, she had always slept with the child. Although she knew that as boys grow older, they need to sleep separately, she felt a bit troubled about how to explain this separation to the child.

Looking at the dazzling array of items in the refrigerator, Kong Liqing was momentarily taken aback. After a brief moment of contemplation, she took out a box of milk and handed it to Wan Xiang, saying, "You drink some milk first, I will prepare the meal shortly."

A child's heart is the most fragile. No matter how gloomy the adults' emotions may be, that feeling should not be transmitted to the child. Kong Liqing knew that Wanxiang might not fully understand the conversation she had with Ou Xingshu just now, but he could keenly sense that she was in a bad mood. She squatted down to meet the child's gaze: "Wanxiang, listen to me carefully. We will be staying here for a while; we are just guests here. I promise that if you are not happy staying here, Mommy will take you away, okay?" Yes, she also has her limits. In this world, her only bottom line is this child. She was someone who had little attachment in this world, but from the moment this child timidly called her "Mommy," she found her ties in this world. It was not for the sake of blood relations, nor for the sake of responsibility, but because this little person wholeheartedly depended on her, trusted her, and loved her.

The house is very large, and as Kong Liqing spoke in the living room, there was a sense of hearing an echo. Taking advantage of Wan Xiang tinkering with the piano downstairs, she carried her luggage upstairs.

Kong Liqing is a kind-hearted young woman. Although her life is fraught with hardships, she still yearns for love. This blatant sexual relationship makes her uncomfortable. Having once been someone else's mistress, this will undoubtedly become a blemish in her future life. Moreover, when Wanxiang grows up, he will eventually understand everything he has experienced. When the child comprehends this, will he understand her as she is today

There is no owner in this house, and Kong Liqing arrived here for the first time in such a capacity, feeling a sense of caution in her heart. She carefully pushed open the door to each room to take a glance, not daring to linger and quickly closed the door behind her as she exited.

Kong Liqing had lived in this house for three months, from July to October, during which she had never seen the owner of the house, nor had anyone come to find her. Although she had done nothing while living here, money was deposited into the bank card that Ou Xingshu had given her every month, and after three months, her card had accumulated a deposit of 150,000.

The child hugged Kong Liqing's neck tightly and whispered, "Mom, I love you." Kong Liqing closed her eyes tightly: this is enough, there is someone in this world who loves you wholeheartedly, even though he is just a child, but that is enough.

In the afternoon, Kong Liqing took Wan Xiang for a stroll nearby, and for dinner, they simply resolved it at KFC with the child. In the evening, they returned and spent some time watching television with the child, thus letting the day pass in this manner

After putting the child to sleep, Kong Liqing took a shower herself. Earlier, while bathing Wan Xiang, Kong Liqing had her eyes opened once again. Not to mention the size and luxurious decor of the master bedroom's bathroom, even the array of bottles and jars was enough to astonish her. Kong Liqing carefully examined the bathing products; although she was not very familiar with cosmetics, she could tell that half of them were for women, and all were unopened and brand new. She thought that they might be prepared for her, but she did not dare to touch them. She simply took a quick shower using a bar of soap to solve the problem. What she did not know was that even the seemingly inconspicuous bar of soap was worth 300 yuan.

The bedroom is covered with a cream-colored long-haired carpet, and there is a trail of footprints leading from the entrance. Kong Liqing looked down at the sneakers on his and Wan Xiang's feet, then turned to the child and advised, "Darling, we are here as guests, so we must be polite and not damage other people's belongings, okay?"

Wan Xiang furrowed his small brows and asked softly, "Will you get married? Will there be children?" As long as the person he relies on the most is by his side, he is not too concerned about changes in the environment; what he truly cares about is the fear that someone might take away his mother's undivided love for him

Kong Liqing turned around with a smile and said, "What’s wrong?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Kong Liqing pushed the child off her body and exclaimed with a big smile: "Let's go on an adventure and see this house; it is much larger than ours"

Zhou Yezhang's appearance was completely unexpected. It was an utterly ordinary morning, and the weather in October had already turned a bit chilly. The cool air blew in through the window that had been left open the night before. Kong Liqing, holding Wan Xiang, woke up on time as usual, driven by her biological clock, her consciousness still in a haze. She reached out from under the blanket, managing to find the bedside table just a second before the alarm clock was about to ring, and with a "pa" sound, she turned off the alarm.

Wan Xiang looked at Kong Liqing, whose eyes were filled with innocence and ignorance; his current intelligence was not sufficient to comprehend the present situation

At first, Kong Liqing lived in this house with a constant sense of fear and tension, always thinking about the transaction with the man, feeling as if a knife was hanging over her head, ready to fall at any moment. However, people possess a certain adaptability; over time, the tightness in her heart became numb. As Zhou Yezhang did not appear for a long time, Kong Liqing gradually relaxed her mood. She had savings and changed Wanxiang to a better kindergarten, and during the National Day holiday, she took him out to play for a few days. Time passed as she slowly let her guard down.

Kong Liqing immediately inhaled sharply, unable to help himself.

The child, seeing his mother's smile, felt at ease and jumped a few steps onto Kong Liqing, saying in a sweet voice: "Mom, I am hungry"

Having packed her luggage and with time still to spare, Kong Liqing noticed the child sleeping soundly on the bed, so she took her notebook to the study, intending to browse the internet for a while

Under the desk in the room, a network cable was found. Kong Liqing crawled under the table to pull out the crystal plug. As she stood up, her eyes happened to meet a cigarette placed right in the center of the table. She plugged the connector into her laptop and, while waiting for it to boot up, picked up the cigarette to take a look. The packaging was green, adorned with a golden eagle design. Sobranie—Kong Liqing's English was quite good; she knew it should be translated as "Sovereign." She had seen this brand of cigarettes online before; this particular type was commonly used by the British royal family. The green-packaged one in her hand was mint-flavored, which is said to be gentle on a woman's throat.

The kitchen downstairs is spacious and tidy, with a floor made of glossy black marble. The long row of countertops is neat and bright, with not a single unsanitary corner in sight. It is exceptionally clean here, devoid of any trace of cooking fumes. Kong Liqing opened the enormous double-door refrigerator in the corner, and to her surprise, it was neatly filled with various fresh ingredients, milk, and fruits.

Kong Liqing ruffled the child's hair and said, "Let's go take a look." She stood up and took the child's hand, walking towards the room where the piano was placed. However, the child shook off her hand and dashed a few steps ahead, running towards the piano first, and the lively spirit finally returned to the child.

This kitchen is well-equipped, containing items that Kong Liqing has never seen before, such as an oven, a dishwasher, various pots of different sizes, a complete set of knives for various purposes, a uniquely designed coffee maker, and beautiful tableware. Kong Liqing feels that her horizons have been broadened, but this is not her home. She always feels restrained and does not dare to touch the items inside. After simply preparing a meal and inviting Wan Xiang to eat, she expends great effort to tidy up the kitchen, wiping away any traces of her use.

Kong Liqing did not disturb the items inside, cleared out a cabinet for undergarments, neatly arranged both his and Wan Xiang's clothes, and then stepped back out.

Kong Liqing did not find the child's words strange; in fact, she could understand the child's feelings. Leaning down to embrace the child, she assured, "I will not get married or have children until you are willing."

The sound of a book closing echoed from the side, and after a moment, a deep voice from the man emerged: "Are you awake?"

The child also smiled, his eyes sparkling, and his little face filled with joy: "Mom, there is a piano here, such a big one."