BXBX NOVEL Chapter 99 - 99: Worry
Shu Pan picked up the new dress and shoes, helping Joy put them on.
The little girl before her had shining eyes, pure and clear like a starry night. Her dark hair was tied up in a little ponytail, bobbing up and down like a swallow in flight. Below her small nose was a tiny mouth, with a slight upturn at the corners.
As she put on the new dress, Joy’s excitement shone through. Her eyes curved like crescent moons, radiating the happiness that came so naturally to her.
Watching her daughter so content, Shu Pan felt a mix of relief and melancholy. She had once believed that simply bringing a child into the world was enough, but she had underestimated the importance of raising them.
“Mommy, do I look pretty?” Joy asked, pulling at the sides of her dress, a happy grin on her face.
“Yes, Joy, you look just like a little princess,” Shu Pan replied, adjusting the slightly oversized dress on her slim frame.
Joy, basking in the compliment, said, “I want to show Grandpa and Grandma.”
“What do you want to show Grandma?” Shu Pan knew that her arrival had already been discovered, but she wanted her mother and daughter to spend some quality time together.
“Grandma, look, Mommy bought me a new dress. Isn’t it pretty?” Joy proudly displayed her new attire.
“Wow, it’s gorgeous! Joy looks like a little angel,” Lu Lifen chimed in, playing along with the act.
“I’ll go show Grandpa then,” Joy announced, fluttering into the house like a little butterfly.
Lu Lifen watched her leave, and then turned to Shu Pan. “Panpan, Joy is almost three years old now. She’ll need to start kindergarten soon. We should be more thrifty with our spending, save some money to send her to kindergarten.”
Shu Pan thought about it. In September, she should have saved up enough for the tuition. “Auntie Lu, I know, I’ve been planning for it. I intend to enroll her in kindergarten in Bin City this September.”
“You’ve got a plan. That’s wonderful. We mustn’t delay her education,” Lu Lifen said with a relieved smile.
“Hurry inside. I’ll prepare something for you to eat. You’ve gotten even thinner. A gust of wind could blow you away,” Lu Lifen expressed her concern.
At her age, Shu Pan should have been enjoying a loving husband and a happy family, not weighed down by all these responsibilities. Lu Lifen sighed, feeling helpless.
“Auntie Lu, don’t you know that dieting is in fashion nowadays? Many people dream of having a figure like mine,” Shu Pan teased, looking at Lu Lifen’s concerned expression.
“You’re the only one who would say that, you little scamp,” Lu Lifen laughed and headed into the kitchen.
“Auntie Lu, I’m craving your famous braised fish,” Shu Pan admitted, her mouth watering.
“Alright, your dad caught two fish yesterday, and they’re still in the bucket,” Lotus Town was never short of fish, and Shu Pan had missed it during her time in Bin City.
Lu Lifen said, happily preparing the meal for Shu Pan.
As Shu Pan thought about it, she realized that home was the warmest place. She suddenly remembered Auntie Lu’s suggestion earlier. She had already made up her mind. She would take Joy to kindergarten in Bin City later.
She didn’t need to worry about running into Gu Shaoting. It had been so long since their divorce, and they had no contact with each other. Even if they did meet, he wouldn’t suspect that Joy was his daughter..