Chapter 117: Reluctance
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon
“Alright.11
Han Qiao did not go empty-handed. She brought a lot of sugar, rice, and flour. He Cheng had been pampered since he was young. It would be fine if he had someone to accompany him in a different environment, but they could not be careless with his food.
In addition, this child was not shy with strangers. With Sun Ke accompanying him, he should be able to adapt quickly.
When they arrived at Han Xiaohong’s house, Han Xiaohong was sweeping the floor with her child. When she saw them arrive, she was first stunned, then she said happily, “Father, Sister Ah-Qiao.”
“Please, come in!” Han Xiaohong was overjoyed.
Han Xiaohong was momentarily confused when she saw Han Qiao carrying a chubby, jade-like boy doll.
But soon, she guessed that it was Sister Ah Qiao who wanted the child, so she went to show her child to her first.
Since she had to babysit another child again, she could only shout towards the backyard, “Mother, Mother, Father is here.”
Han Xiaohong’s husband’s family name was Zheng. Her father was the village chief and held some power.
She had only been married for two years and had a daughter.
Zheng Zhoushi heard the voice and immediately came over. “Who’s here?”
When she saw her in-law sitting in the hall, Zheng Zhoushi quickly smiled and said, “AiyOj it’s my in-law. Quick, sit down. I’ll go boil some water and make some tea.’1
“Ah-Hong, you stay with them first. I’ll go boil water.”
“Mother, don’t go. I’ll go.” Han Xiaohong immediately grabbed her mother-in-law and handed the child to her. “Mother, let me do it.”
“Alright.” Zheng Zhoushi smiled and sat down.
She quickly said, “Remember to bring some snacks over.”
“Yes!”
Han Xiaohong immediately left.
Zheng Zhoushi had never seen Han Qiao, let alone Sun Ke.
Although she was curious, she did not ask.
She hugged her granddaughter and praised Han Qiao s Sun Ke and He Cheng.
“Mother-in-law, I have a favor to ask.” Uncle Yao said.
“In-law, please speak.”
Uncle Yao pointed at He Cheng.
“Pm thinking of leaving this child with the Zheng family for a month and a half. When the time comes, Xiaohong will take him to Puyi County.”
Although Zheng Zhoushi did not recognize Han Qiao, she knew that Han
Xiaohong had a cousin who remarried after her divorce.
And that they moved to Puyi County.
“If the in-laws ask for a divorce, it will work. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of this child.”
Uncle Yao quickly thanked her. He did not elaborate on He Cheng’s background.
He only said that he was a child from a good family and must be taken care of carefully.
When Village Chief Zheng returned, the two in-laws had more to say.
Han Xiaohong also stayed with He Cheng to get closer to him.
“Sister Ah-Qiao, this child…”
Han Qiao told Han Xiaohong about He Cheng’s background and whispered to her.
“Take good care of this child for me. In the future, he will be close to you. Remember that you have taken care of him for some time.”
“Now that his father has gone out to fight, he might be rich when he comes back.”
“Even without his father, Heng Yi and 1 won’t mistreat you.”
Han Xiaohong burst out laughing. “Sister Ah-Qiao, you’re treating me like an outsider. We sisters don’t have to say such things. You trusted me to send the child here, so don’t worry, 1’11 take good care of him for you.”
Han Qiao handed Han Xiaohong the ten taels of silver that she had prepared.
“Sister…”
Han Xiaohong was very surprised.
“Take it. The child needs food here too.”
Han Xiaohong hesitated for a moment before taking it.
“I’ll take this for now. I ll pay you back with the rest later.”
“Please don’t. Eat it if you need to, use it if you need to. It’s better for the child.
The two children had to eat and drink every day.” Han Qiao advised Han Xiaohong.
Zheng Zhoushi knew how to be polite. She insisted on staying for lunch. The lunch was also very sumptuous. She cooked bacon, killed a chicken, steamed a bowl of egg soup, and boiled pumpkin.
“In-law, in-law, eat, eat. Don’t just stand there.11
Zheng Zhoushi picked up some food for Sun Ke. “Ah-Ke, eat.”
“Thank you, Uncle.” Sun Ke ate the vegetables in small bites.
She would visit Han Qiao from time to time.
The small girl could already feel the imminent parting. She usually had a big and good appetite, but she couldn’t eat anymore.
Han Qiao glanced at her daughter and her mood dropped.
Before they parted, she was already feeling a little uncomfortable.
After the meal, Han Qiao had to return to the city, so she couldn’t stay for long.
She hugged her daughter and walked out.
He Cheng was having a good time, bur he suddenly looked at her and started crying.
“Mother, Mother!” He wailed loudly.
Sun Ke went to coax him, but she couldn’t help but look at the door.
Han Qiao listened to He Cheng’s crying at the door and thought of Sun Ke, whose eyes were red.
She hardened her heart to the carriage.
Uncle Yao drove the carriage to Puyi County.
Han Qiao sat in rhe carriage, feeling more and more uncomfortable.
Why should she send her own child to another family for the sake of another family’s child?
This part of the road was not easy to walk, and Han Qiao felt uncomfortable from the bumps.
“Uncle Yao!”
“What’s wrong?” Uncle Yao quickly asked.
“Pull over, 1 feel uncomfortable.”
Uncle Yao quickly stopped the carriage. After Han Qiao helped him out of the carriage, she stood by the side of the road and vomited.
Uncle Yao watched from the side. “Ah-Qiao, don’t tell me you’re pregnant?”
Han Qiao shook her head.
“That shouldn’t be the case.”
She knew very well whether she was with a child or not.
She looked in the direction of Han Xiaohong’s house. “Uncle Yao, I can t bear to leave her.”
She didn’t have much feelings for He Cheng, but she had feelings for Sun Ke. The images of her calling her Mother in her sweet voice circulated in her mind. “If you can’t bear to leave her, then bring her back. Your house is big, so it’s easy to hide a child.”
“That’s true, but Zhao Huan is sick. I don’t want to be involved with such a person at all. 1 don’t want to keep her child at all, but Heng Yi…”
Han Qiao took a deep breath. “He’s too sentimental and too soft-hearted.”
“If I didn’t ask for this child to stay, and something happened to He Hong, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.”
“But leaving the child behind is also worrying.”
“It’s only right that we bring her well, but it’s all our fault that we don’t bring her well.”
Han Qiao sighed. “Heng Yi saved He Hong, but it’s like he owes him.”
She calmed herself down.
Han Qiao said, “Uncle Yao, let’s go.”
“Where are we going? Go back? Or are you going to pick up the two children?”
Han Qiao thought about it. “Let’s go pick up the children.”
“You’re right. With such a big house and so many people at home, 1 can always hide a child.”
“The main thing is that 1 don’t want to give up Ah -Ke.”
Uncle Yao smiled.
He brought Han Qiao back to pick the kids up.
They had been gone for a while. When they returned, He Cheng was still crying.
Sun Ke’s eyes were red and she did not know how to coax him.
She was only a five-year-old child.
“Mother?”
Sun Ke looked at Han Qiao at the door and blinked in disbelief. She quickly ran over and hugged Han Qiao.
“Mother, why are you back?”
The tears that she had been holding back for a long time gushed out of her eyes.
“I’m here to take you home.”
Sun Ke’s eyes widened.
“What about the younger brother?’1
“I’ll take him back too.”
Sun Ke laughed.
Han Xiaohong was sweating profusely as she hugged He Cheng, who was crying loudly.
When He Cheng saw Han Qiao, he stretched out his hand and called her Mother.
Mother, Mother. “