If there is one thing that young children fear the most, then it would be taking shots; Ah Sha began to sob the moment she saw the needle. "Mommy, no butt poking! I don't want!" Ah Sha cried as she attempted to climb her way up Xin Qing's body.
"Err... Will this turn her into superwoman or something?" Zhang Mi asked out of the blue.
Chen Huan rolled her eyes at Zhang Mi. "How's something like that even possible? This thing can repair genetic defects and then vastly activate all dormant neurons inside the human brain. It will stimulate the subject's brain capacity."
...
Zhang Mi stared at Chen Huan with wide eyes. "Um... Can you speak a human language?"
"In simple terms, this injection will allow Ah Sha's brain to reach its full potential."
Dazed, Xin Qing pointed at Xunxun. "Just like Xunxun with an IQ of 180?"
"Oh, no! That won't happen." Chen Huan shook her head. "The alteration of Xunxun's genes had begun as early as the embryo stage. This injection can only be taken once. The specific effects on little Ah Sha will still depend on her future nurturing and growth."
"But then she will definitely be smarter than you," Chen Huan said. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "I'm not saying that you're not smart. I'm saying that you're normal!"
Xin Qing cut her off. "I get it."
"Then hurry up and give her the shot! Come on!" Zhang Mi prompted excitedly. Zhang Mi thought that things would definitely turn out well for Ah Sha since Xunxun would be there to nurture Ah Sha's growth. Zhang Mi took Ah Sha from Xin Qing, and removed Ah Sha's pants. Xunxun's face turned beet red as he silently turned his body away.
"Wa..." Ah Sha started to cry again. "Don't want needles. Ah Sha isn't sick."
Chen Huan smiled at Ah Sha. "Granny was just kidding with you just now. I won't be poking Ah Sha's butt at all." Chen Huan pulled up Ah Sha's pants and picked her up. Chen Huan took out a beautiful hairclip from her pocket and handed it to Ah Sha. "Do you like it?" she asked.
That had instantly diverted Ah Sha's attention. Ah Sha took the hairclip happily and then tried to put it on her hair. After that, she felt a sting in her arm, though the sensation was gone before she could cry. Chen Huan put the syringe away. "All done! Let's see how much Ah Sha can improve in the future!"
"Hehe!" Zhang Mi approached Chen Huan with an obsequious look on her face. "Chen Huan, um, do you think you can give me a shot too?"
Chen Huan laughed. "Sure."
Zhang Mi was just about to cheer when Chen Huan went on. "There's an 80% chance of mental retardation if an adult takes the shot. Still want to try?"
"No, thanks. I'm good with the way I am now." Zhang Mi sat down expressionlessly though her eyes kept looking Ah Sha up and down.
Feeling abashed, Xin Qing thanked Chen Huan. "This drug must be expensive and rare! And yet you used it on Ah Sha just like that."
"You don't have to feel bad about it. This is a wedding gift!" Chen Huan said gleefully. "Ah Sha will be family from now on. We must give her the best we have to offer.
Xin Qing glanced towards Ah Sha, who was now having fun trading kisses with Xunxun. Deep down, Xin Qing was muttering thousands of apologies to her daughter. "Little girl, do you know that you've literally been sold?" Xin Qing thought sadly.
"I'm here today to, first of all, check out my future daughter-in-law, and secondly, to ask you for a favor. I need you to look after Xunxun for me." This time, it was Chen Huan's turn to look abashed. "I wonder if it's okay for Xunxun to move into your place?"
"Please. Is it even possible for me to say no after my daughter has been given a dose of one of the greatest inventions of humanity just now?" Xin Qing thought incredulously.
"Of course it's okay!" Xin Qing said. After that, her tone was a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Although... Why won't he be staying with you?"
Chen Huan brought her face closer to Xin Qing's ear. "Here's the thing. Whenever I enter a lab, it would be months before I come out. During this time, Xunxun will always be alone at home with our bodyguard. Well, I think that such a lifestyle is disadvantageous to his development. Since we're about to become a family anyway, I feel that it's safe to have him stay with you!"
Xunxun did not give face to his mother at all. "Mommy, you're running away again. You just find it troublesome to have me around," Xunxun said, calling his mother out for her actions.
"Running away?" Zhang Mi felt a surge of excitement. "Are there terrorists coming for your research findings? Are you refusing to give in to their demands, so now you're going into hiding?"
Chen Huan glared at Xunxun. "That brat is even scarier than a bunch of terrorists, okay?"
That brat? Xin Qing was starting to see a little bit of what was going on here. Xin Qing silenced Zhang Mi who was about to ask more questions. "No problem!" said Xin Qing. "I'll look after Xunxun."
Chen Huan quickly summoned the bodyguard who had been standing at the doorway. "Hurry up. Bring Xunxun's stuff inside!"
"So they came prepared," Xin Qing thought, letting out two chuckles. Before she left, Chen Huan took Xin Qing's blood sample. Apparently, Chen Huan wanted to analyze Xin Qing's blood to see if she could find a cure for Xin Qing's condition. Although Xin Qing found Boss Wan's entire family to be a weird and amusing bunch, she could tell that they were genuinely nice to Ying Qingcang and herself. She felt deeply moved and touched to have such a group of friends on their side.
Back inside the house, Xunxun was trying to help Ah Sha put on the hairclip that his mommy had given her. When he saw Xin Qing reentering the house, he said, "Aunt Qing, you must make sure that Ah Sha wears this hairclip every day, do you understand?"
Xin Qing found the boy's stern demeanor highly amusing. She nodded. "I understand. It's another one of your family's wedding gifts, right? I'll make sure that she wears it all the time!"
Xunxun gave her a glance. He knew that Xin Qing must have misunderstood him, though he did not bother to clarify. After all, she would find out the true purpose of that hairclip in the future if the opportunity presented itself...
Xin Qing tidied up the bedroom facing Ah Sha's for Xunxun to sleep in. As she prepared the room, Ah Sha insisted on having Brother Xunxun sleep inside her own room. Of course, Xin Qing shot down Ah Sha's request strictly. However, Xin Qing had underestimated the resourcefulness of young kids without even knowing it, well, that was until one day she caught Xunxun snuggling with Ah Sha in her bedroom as they slept. That was when she found out that Xunxun had been sneaking into Ah Sha's room every day where they would fall asleep in each others' arms.
"I don't think there's any need for you to worry," Zhang Mi said. She knew that Xin Qing had yet to decide whether to return to China. "Even if you and Ying Qingcang had divorced, from a legal perspective, he is still Ah Sha's father. Surely it's reasonable for a child to want to see her father! When the time comes, you can still choose not to go. I mean, you're okay with handing Ah Sha over to Ying Qingcang for one day, right? She must want to spend time with her daddy. You must think of the child's feelings, too."
After endless and repeated hesitation as well as vacillating between her decisions, Xin Qing decided to return in the end. She called Young Master Shen and informed him of her decision.
"So, what do you think?" Young Master Shen asked Ying Qingcang, who responded by tossing a bunch of keys to him.
Young Master Shen glanced at the key. "Hey! Isn't that the keys to my house? Why the hell are you taking them out?"
"I paid for the renovations."
Young Master Shen stared at him. "So?"
"Let Xin Qing and the kids stay there."
Young Master Shen did a face palm. "Aren't you worried that they might run into Tang Shuang?"
"If they run to each other, then so be it. It's your house after all." Ying Qingcang paused in thought. "Your house is in Zone 2. If they take the junction on the north side, there's very little chance for them to run into each other anyway." Ying Qingcang knew about Xin Qing's strong disinclination to see Tang Shuang. He did not want to make things uncomfortable for Xin Qing as well.
"Yeah, well, I'm heading back to check out my house. God knows what you've done with it," Young Master Shen mumbled as he walked out.
Ying Qingcang threw another remark at him. "It's not like you're marrying anytime soon, and you're not even staying there. What I did with it doesn't concern you one bit."
"It's still my house!" Young Master Shen shot him a glare.
Ying Qingcang waved him off. "I never said it isn't yours."
Xin Qing arrived in China three days before Chinese New Year.
Young Master Shen and Ah Che went to the airport to pick them up. When they both arrived, they were surprised to find a lot of reporters already there.
"What the heck is going on?" Zhang Mi asked Young Master Shen loudly as she stepped in front of Xin Qing to shield Xin Qing with her own body. Everywhere, there were voices of reporters as well as camera flashes.
Young Master Shen was holding Ah Sha in his arms. "Beats me," Young Master Shen said with a scowl.
It took them a great deal of effort, but they made it out of the airport and quickly climbed into the car before speeding off. Xin Qing took Ah Sha back into her arms. She noticed the tensed look on Ah Sha's face. "Ah Sha?" she asked worriedly.
"Mommy, why are they taking pictures of us?" One of Ah Sha's hand was clenched tightly on Xin Qing's blouse. It was obvious that Ah Sha had been rattled by what happened.
Xin Qing had no idea how to explain it to her. Xunxun reached out his hands to Ah Sha. Ah Sha tilted her body and dove straight into his waiting arms.
"Ah Sha will understand it when you are older. Right now, how about we compete to see who can finish a tangram puzzle faster?"
Ah Sha clapped her hands. "Okay!"
Young Master Shen appraised Xunxun for a long time. "Tsk, tsk. You're way cuter than your father!" he commented.
"That's because I take after my mommy," Xunxun said matter-of-factly. After that, he added, "And it is true that you look way prettier than a woman."
Young Master Shen's eyes widened in a glare. Not cute at all!
"Ah Che, where are we going?" Xin Qing noticed that the car was taking the route to Ying's residence.
Young Master Shen waved a hand. "Don't worry. You'll be staying at my place." Then he glanced at Zhang Mi. "Good thing I renovated it on a whim before. Otherwise, you guys will really end up staying at a hotel."
When Zhang Mi was done with the nickel tour, she patted Young Master Shen's shoulder. "Didn't know you have such unique tastes. You've turned the house into a place meant for women."
Because it was intended for the use of women in the first place...
Of course, Young Master Shen could not tell her that. In Zhang Mi's eyes, Ying Qingcang was still a cheating bastard. None of them intended to tell Zhang Mi the truth as well; she would not be able to keep her mouth shut.
That night, Tang Shuang saw Xin Qing on the news, which had her feeling queasy all over. In the end, she called Ying Qingcang.
"Why aren't you coming back yet?"
"I'm already at the door," Ying Qingcang answered her blandly. "Is there something you need?"
Tang Shuang quickly hung up and went to open the door. Seeing that he was really there, she felt relieved. "Did you know about Xin Qing's return?" she asked, following Ying Qingcang upstairs. She released a bitter laugh the moment that question left her lips. "Of course you did. Young Master Shen was the one who picked her up at the airport."
"You want her to stay away from home and spend Chinese New Year all by herself overseas?" Ying Qingcang retorted.
Tang Shuang pursed her lips. "I didn't mean it that way." She stomped her feet. "I have something to discuss with you."
"Talk. I'm listening."
"Do you still remember my stipulation? When are you planning to... to sleep with me?" Tang Shuang threw out the question. She knew that if she did not make the first move, Ying Qingcang would never touch her.
An eerie silence pervaded the house. It was so quiet that their breathing were the only audible sounds in the entire house. After what seemed like forever, she heard Ying Qingcang's answer: "Let's do it on the night of the thirtieth, then!" He glanced at Tang Shuang. "But before that, you have to prepare the medicine for next month."
"Of course!" Tang Shuang agreed with a smile.
The next day, Young Master Shen arrived at Ying Qingcang's office and found him standing in front of the French window, staring off into space.
"What's the matter with you?"
Ying Qingcang gave him a glance and then shook his head. "Nothing."
"Oh, okay," Young Master Shen said with a cryptic look in his eyes. Then, he slowly walked towards Ying Qingcang. "I, however, have something to ask you," Young Master Shen said. All of a sudden, Young Master Shen raised his hand and held Ying Qingcang by the throat. "Who the hell are you?"