Chapter 25
Lin Ke didn’t know how things had somehow developed in this direction.
Si Yuming had thrown the question back at her.
He said there was no rush and that she could take her time thinking about it.
Afterward, everything appeared normal. They still embraced each other to sleep after showering, and the next morning he still helped feed Si Xiaotie breakfast before preparing to take her to school. Nothing about him seemed different.
But Lin Ke hadn’t slept at all the entire night.
She kept thinking about how to give him a proper answer.
The father and daughter put on their shoes and grabbed the little backpack before heading out. Si Xiaotie kissed her goodbye, and without needing any reminder, the man leaned over and kissed her too, naturally saying goodbye.
Si Xiaotie looked back and forth between her parents, then grinned at Lin Ke.
“Mommy, you have to be happy too.”
Lin Ke smiled and patted her cheek. “Got it, baby.”
At eight-thirty, they arrived at kindergarten.
Si Xiaotie held Teacher Bai’s hand and waved goodbye to her father.
“Daddy, you have to be happy too.”
Daddy nodded and said okay.
The little girl followed Teacher Bai inside, but after walking a few steps she turned around again. Daddy was still standing there, so she immediately flashed him another bright smile.
When she looked back the third time, Daddy was finally gone.
After all the children arrived, it was breakfast time.
Back when Yuan Yuan was still there, Si Xiaotie used to cling to Yuan Yuan and chatter nonstop. After Yuan Yuan transferred schools, her new chatter partner became Gu Yiyi.
But today, Gu Yiyi noticed that Si Xiaotie seemed unhappy.
She looked gloomy, lying motionless on the table.
After thinking for a while, he picked up his favorite steamed bun, hopped down from his chair, and walked over to her.
“Xiaotie, here, you can eat this!”
Si Xiaotie pouted and turned her face the other way against the table.
Gu Yiyi simply walked around to the other side.
She turned again.
He followed again.
This time he pressed down on her shoulder so she couldn’t move anymore.
“Xiaotie, are you unhappy?”
The little girl looked aggrieved, her mouth flattening sadly.
“My mommy and daddy fought. This morning they didn’t talk to each other.”
Daddy had secretly looked at Mommy several times, and Mommy had secretly looked at Daddy several times too. Both of them had looked serious, just like Teacher Bai’s grumpy face whenever the children misbehaved.
Si Xiaotie didn’t understand what was happening, but if Mommy and Daddy were unhappy, then she was unhappy too.
“Huh?” Gu Yiyi scooted onto the empty stool beside her. “Are they getting divorced?”
“What’s divorce?”
“Mmm…” Gu Yiyi scratched the back of his head. “Divorce means separating? Like how Yuan Yuan left us?”
“I don’t really know either.”
“If people fight, will they divorce?”
“I don’t know. But whenever my mom fights with my dad, she always says she wants a divorce.”
“Then did your mommy and daddy divorce?”
“Not yet.”
Si Xiaotie didn’t really understand what divorce meant, but hearing all this somehow made her even sadder.
“Gu Yiyi, I don’t want my mommy and daddy to separate. I want them to stay with me forever.”
“Mm, then your mommy and daddy can’t keep fighting. They need to make up.”
“Right!” The little girl sat upright and stared at him seriously. “Gu Yiyi.”
Suddenly, Si Xiaotie came up with an idea.
……
At four-thirty, Lin Ke went to pick up her daughter from kindergarten.
Usually energetic and lively, the little girl looked listless today. She even walked unsteadily. Lin Ke immediately picked her up, and Si Xiaotie softly slumped against her shoulder.
Her tiny voice sounded weak.
“Mommy… do I have a cold?”
Judging by how she looked, probably yes.
But she’d clearly been dressed warmly before leaving this morning. How had she suddenly caught a cold?
Lin Ke touched her forehead. The temperature still felt normal.
“Is Xiaotie not feeling well?”
“A little bit.”
“Let’s go home first.”
“Mmm…”
After arriving home, the little girl became even more sluggish.
Lin Ke changed her clothes and carried her into bed.
Si Xiaotie struggled to open one eye halfway.
“Mommy… do I have a cold?”
Thinking she was scared, Lin Ke comforted her gently.
“It’s okay, baby. If you caught a cold, then we’ll just rest.”
“Mmm…” Si Xiaotie grabbed her hand, her soft little voice warm and sweet. “Where’s Daddy?”
“Daddy’s still at work.”
“Then when’s he coming back?”
Lin Ke glanced at the clock and couldn’t give a definite answer.
“Mommy doesn’t know either. Daddy will come home after work.”
“Okay… Mommy, I want water.”
“Alright, Mommy will get some for you.”
As soon as Mommy left the room, Si Xiaotie dragged her heavy little body over to find the tablet.
Mommy had taught her how to video call Daddy using it.
Her tiny fingers poked around for quite a while before she finally managed to call him.
Daddy answered almost instantly.
There were lots of uncles and aunties around him on the other side, but Si Xiaotie couldn’t care less anymore.
Two tears rolled down her face.
“Daddy… I have a cold… don’t feel good… come back quickly…”
The man’s voice tightened immediately.
“Where’s Mommy?”
“…Don’t feel good… dizzy…”
“Is Grandma Chen there?”
“Wuwuwu Daddy, I miss you.”
“Daddy’s coming back right now.”
“Mhm!”
She heard Mommy approaching with the water outside the door, so the little girl quickly jabbed the red button to hang up, then shoved the tablet messily under the blanket before lying back down.
This time, Si Xiaotie had genuinely caught a cold.
Not long after lying down, she started sneezing and sniffling nonstop. When Lin Ke checked her temperature, she’d even developed a mild fever.
Afraid it might be the flu, Lin Ke called Teacher Bai.
Teacher Bai sounded puzzled.
“How did she catch a cold? It was cold today, so the kindergarten didn’t arrange any outdoor activities. At nap time all the children were properly covered with blankets too.”
“Teacher Bai, have any other children in kindergarten caught fevers or colds recently?”
“No.”
“I understand now. Then I’ll ask for leave for her tomorrow. Sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s okay, no problem.”
After ending the call, Lin Ke lowered her head and looked at the little figure whining softly on the bed.
The moment their eyes met, Si Xiaotie immediately yanked the blanket over her head.
Two or three seconds later, a pair of watery bright eyes peeked back out.
“Mommy…”
Lin Ke poked her forehead lightly.
“I’ll settle accounts with you after you recover.”
Si Xiaotie immediately grinned while sneezing at the same time.
“Daddy… achoo… has Daddy come back yet?”
“Not yet. Do you miss him that much?”
“Mhm. Mommy, call Daddy~”
“Alright.”
Lin Ke walked out of the room just as Aunt Chen approached, holding something in her hand.
“Keke, I sent Sir’s clothes for dry cleaning today. This was inside his pocket. I think it’s probably important, so you should keep it.”
The moment Lin Ke saw what lay in Aunt Chen’s palm, she froze.
It was a slightly faded peace charm.
The embroidered “Ke” in the bottom right corner instantly reminded her that she had sewn it herself years ago.
Lin Ke picked it up to confirm.
It really was hers.
“How does he have this?”
Aunt Chen replied, “I’m not sure. It was inside the inner pocket of his suit jacket.”
After Aunt Chen left to continue cooking dinner, Lin Ke stood there silently for a while, slowly sorting through her thoughts.
So all those things he said last night…
Could they have something to do with this charm?
At that moment, the sound of the door unlocking came from the entrance.
Lin Ke quickly slipped the charm into her pocket.
The man hurried inside anxiously. The moment he saw her, he paused briefly.
“You’re home?”
“Yes.”
Si Yuming didn’t think much about it and immediately asked, “How’s Xiaotie?”
“She caught a cold and has a low fever. She’s resting now.”
“I’ll go see her.”
Pushing open the children’s room door, he found the little girl still awake, looking at him pitifully.
“Daddy.”
He sat beside the bed and touched her forehead first.
She really did have a fever now, and her cheeks were slightly flushed too.
Si Yuming pinched her cheek and pretended to look stern.
“Did you secretly take off your clothes again?”
“No way.”
“Then how did you catch a cold?”
“Well…” Si Xiaotie blinked and grabbed his sleeve. “Daddy, I’m hungry.”
“Then let’s eat.”
Once Daddy came home, Lin Ke no longer had to worry about much.
Feeding the child and coaxing her all became his responsibility.
But this little girl really wasn’t easy to deal with.
After dinner, she insisted that both Mommy and Daddy sleep with her. So the husband and wife ended up squeezed onto her one-and-a-half-meter bed, one on each side of her.
The temperature outside was freezing now, and tiny snowflakes had even started drifting down.
Lin Ke tucked the blanket around her carefully.
“Alright, sleep now. After a good night’s rest, you’ll feel better tomorrow.”
Si Xiaotie looked from Mommy to Daddy and finally relaxed, lying down happily.
Her flushed little face broke into a smile.
“Daddy, tell a story.”
Si Yuming glanced at his daughter, then at his wife, before turning to pick up a science book from the bedside table.
“Brachiosaurus lived during the Late Jurassic period. Fossils were mainly discovered in North America and Africa. Its body length was approximately twenty-two to twenty-six meters, and its height could reach twelve to fifteen meters…”
Si Xiaotie interrupted him immediately.
“How long is twenty-two meters?”
“……” Si Yuming thought for a moment. “About as long as two buses.”
The little girl’s eyes widened in shock, huge and shining black like grapes.
“Even bigger than baby Stegosaurus!”
“Yes.” Si Yuming continued reading. “Brachiosaurus was herbivorous and mainly ate leaves from tall conifer trees, cycads, and ginkgo trees…”
As he read, he noticed Si Xiaotie quietly playing with his hand.
A minute later, the little girl grabbed both adults’ hands and placed them together.
The husband and wife both looked up at the same time, met each other’s eyes briefly, then looked back down at the “sick” little girl happily playing with their hands.
Both smiled helplessly.
Lin Ke asked, “Baby, what are you doing?”
Suddenly, Si Xiaotie thought of another brilliant idea.
“Mommy, let’s play the kissing game!”
“??”
The little girl tilted her face upward and loudly kissed her mother on the cheek. Then she turned toward Daddy and giggled mischievously.
“Now it’s Daddy’s turn to kiss Mommy!”
Si Yuming had no idea what his daughter was trying to do, but figured it was probably just some random game. So he leaned over and kissed Lin Ke.
“You have to kiss lips~”
Lin Ke burst into laughter. “Si Lezhen!”
Si Xiaotie looked perfectly serious. “Kids kiss cheeks. Mommies and daddies have to kiss lips.”
“……”
Si Yuming chuckled softly before leaning over again and lightly kissing his wife on the lips, pulling away after only a brief touch.
“Now it’s Mommy’s turn!”
Lin Ke had no choice but to kiss Si Yuming too.
Satisfied at last, Si Xiaotie hugged both her parents happily.
“Daddy, keep telling the story~”
Si Yuming continued reading.
This time the little girl stopped causing trouble and listened obediently.
The man’s voice was gentle and soothing.
Before long, Si Xiaotie grew sleepy. Lin Ke had closed her eyes too, her breathing gradually evening out beneath the soft storytelling voice.
Seven or eight minutes later, Si Yuming lowered the science book and looked at the sleeping mother and daughter.
At that moment, the two of them looked like they’d been carved from the same mold.
The same long eyelashes.
The same straight nose bridge.
The same puffed-up cheeks and jawline.
Exactly alike.
He quietly watched them for a while before gently pulling Si Xiaotie out of her mother’s arms and covering her properly with the blanket.
Then he got out of bed, walked around to the other side, and picked Lin Ke up.
She hadn’t been sleeping deeply. The moment he lifted her, she woke up.
Their eyes met silently.
Outside, the snowfall had grown heavier, while the sound of the man’s footsteps remained steady and powerful.
Once they returned to the bedroom, Lin Ke finally stopped him.
“Si Yuming.”
She pulled the peace charm from the bedside drawer and held it up.
“What’s this?”
The man stopped beside the bed.
Even after seeing the charm, his expression remained fairly calm. He lifted his eyelids slightly, waiting for her next sentence.
“You took this from Meng Jing’s place?”
“Yes.”
“So that’s why you said all those things last night? That’s why you asked if I had feelings for you?” Lin Ke laughed softly. “Did you think I liked Meng Jing?”
He didn’t answer.
His lips merely pressed tightly together.
Lin Ke found the whole thing utterly ridiculous.
But at the same time, thanks to this charm, the veil that had long covered their relationship had finally been lifted.
She had been deeply surprised by everything he’d said the previous night, so she’d spent the entire day seriously thinking about it.
It had already been over three months since his return in September.
Compared to before, life during these three months had changed drastically.
He had returned to the family and become a good father.
Every single day, Si Xiaotie grew happier and happier.
The husband and wife also seemed to be gradually growing closer.
They could discuss things together now.
They could even touch emotions they’d never dared approach before.
The examples of Zhang Man and Si Yun had taught her that men were generally unreliable. Maybe leaving him would allow her to find someone better—but there was a much greater chance she’d simply end up meeting another terrible man.
And then there was Manman…
She used to think too ideally. She’d believed she and Si Yuming could divorce peacefully, and that this way the damage to Si Xiaotie wouldn’t be too severe.
But reality had taught her that damage was still damage. There was no such thing as “small” or “large.”
More importantly, her own heart seemed to have gradually matured too.
She was no longer obsessed with the past.
Now she could finally see the future clearly.
What she already possessed was far luckier than what most people had.
So regardless of whether his feelings began from love or responsibility, as long as he was willing to continue walking forward with her, she was willing to explore more possibilities together with him too.
As for the agreement…
She believed they would eventually find a proper solution.
Holding the charm tightly in her palm, Lin Ke spoke seriously.
“This charm wasn’t for Meng Jing. It was mine.”
“When I was in university, we met a few times. After learning about my major, he lent me several professional books. I tucked the charm inside one of the books and forgot to take it back later. Around graduation, while packing my things, I happened to run into him at school, so I returned the books.”
“Si Yuming, if Aunt Chen hadn’t found this charm, would you already have convicted me in your heart? Do you really think I’m the kind of person who could love someone else while marrying you and having children with you?”
Lin Ke continued looking directly into his eyes.
“In the blink of an eye, we’ve already been married for five years. But between us, it still feels like we’re strangers.”
“Especially after Xiaotie was born. Do you know where the problem was? We spent too much time apart. We weren’t close. We didn’t communicate or share anything. You treated me like your wife, but never like your lover.”
“Of course, I was wrong too…” Lin Ke bit her lower lip softly. “Before you came back in September, I really did think about divorce. I felt like it didn’t matter whether you were there or not. I thought I could raise our daughter by myself. Maybe after divorce, Xiaotie and I would actually live happier lives.”
Si Yuming didn’t let her continue.
He stepped forward and tightly pulled her into his arms, holding her firmly against his chest.
His voice was low and steady.
“I’m sorry.”
Lin Ke rested against his shoulder, breathing in the familiar sweet scent of his milk-scented body wash as she slowly closed her eyes.
At last, a crack had finally been torn open between them.
“Lin Ke,” he said quietly, “let’s start over.”