She couldn't think of any other reasons.
Looking at the woman sitting across from him, Jiang MingYuan felt slightly better. He believed that her decision would be in his favor
Sure enough, when Cheng Huan looked up a while later, she looked much calmer than she did before.
She returned the DNA report back to him, parted her lips, and said in a low voice that it was up to him.
That meant she was no longer against it.
Jiang MingYuan let out a sigh of relief and was somewhat happy. He stood up and extended his invitation. "The view in their yard is quite good as well. Would you like to take a look at it?"
"No, that's alright." Cheng Huan wasn't exactly fond of this man who'd be competing with her for the attention of her son in the near future. She walked toward the exit as she said to him, "I am going to take off now. I have other matters to attend to."
Speaking of matters to attend to, Cheng Huan suddenly recalled the incident about the payment for demolition that she meant to ask but was distracted by him and had forgotten.
Cheng Huan stopped in her steps and turned around again to look at the man. "Have you given me money? Over the demolition compensation?"
Jiang MingYuan was stunned a little. He hadn't expected her to bring that up. He paused for a little and, before he could speak, Cheng Huan asked again, "And that storefront. Were you behind that?"
She had already had an idea and it'd be too insincere to deny it at that point, thought Jiang MingYuan. He nodded and said, "You have done too much on your own already."
For some inexplicable reasons, Cheng Huan felt relieved when she saw his nod.
She pursed her lips and said, "You and I are not related and I shouldn't have taken your money. But I have already spent a portion of it and won't be able to pay you back right away. See if you will be okay if I repay you in installments."
"You don't need to repay me." In Jiang MingYuan's mind, it made perfect sense for him to spend money on the mother of his child. "Consider it child support."
"That's way too much for child support."
"It's fine." Jiang MingYuan had forgotten all about it had Cheng Huan not brought it up. He said to her, "As XingXing's father, it's my responsibility to pay child support."
"I will deposit money into your account monthly from now on. Let me know if you need more," he said.
"It really isn't necessary..."
"It's alright. You can accept it." Having already made up his mind on his end, Jiang MingYuan had no intention to continue with this discussion. He said to Cheng Huan, "Let me give you a ride back?"
Was it really true that rich people look at thing differently? He would just hand over several million yuan to her just like that? She felt that she was about to give in to all the money!
She wavered for a little and finally resisted the temptation and said, "XingXing is XingXing. I am me. The money wasn't spent on XingXing so I will pay you back."
Walking behind Jiang MingYuan, Cheng Huan shared with him her decision of repaying him. Jiang MingYuan did not comment on it. He said to her after they had reached her destination, "Ping'an Village was going to be demolished regardless. Every family there received a lump sum. You weren't the only one. I merely moved the timeline up was all. You don't need to feel that you owe me anything."
Having said that. He bid Cheng Huan farewell and rolled up the car window.
***
Even though Jiang MingYuan said that he wanted to get to know his child better, but Cheng Huan hadn't heard from him again. She had paid particular attention every time she dropped XingXing of at school but never noticed any suspicious car around them.
That went on until Friday and Cheng Huan received a call out of the blue.
It was from a number that she didn't recognize. Cheng Huan has an idea when she picked up the phone. A melodious male voice came from the other end.
"Hi, Miss Cheng. This is Jiang MingYuan."
Sure enough.
Cheng Huan didn't even want to ask where he got her phone number from. She told him that she was doing fine and then asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Jiang?"
"I am wondering if you are available tomorrow." Looking at the information in hand, he was relaxed. "If you are available, let's take XingXing to the amusement park tomorrow."
That wasn't a bad idea. All kids like amusement parks. XingXing would be very happy going out for some fun. He had never been to the amusement park before.
Cheng Huan felt a bit guilty when she thought about it. Even the instant father was more thoughtful than she was. So she agreed with alacrity. "Sure. Where are we going?"
"I have it all planned out already. I will come and pick you two up tomorrow morning." Having said that, Jiang MingYuan told her that he had other matters to attend to and hung up the phone.
That night, Cheng Huan told XingXing about going to the amusement park the next day. Just as she had expected, the little kiddo was ecstatic.
"But it's not just the two of us tomorrow. There will be another uncle there as well." Cheng Huan leaned down and said to her. "Do you still remember him? It's the uncle who taught you how to play with the Rubik's cube."
"I do remember." XingXing nodded. Then he asked her, "Mom, why are we bringing uncle with us? Doesn't he have a mom?"
Cheng Huan, "..."
Of course he did. His mom was your grandmother at that.
Cheng Huan grumbled to herself but ignored the little kiddo. She rubbed him on his head and sent him to bed.
XingXing was so excited that he couldn't fall asleep at all. All night long he rolled around in bed and finally stopped after Cheng Huan smacked him a couple times on his bottom before he quieted down, curled up under the blanket and went to sleep.
They went to bed so late that the mother and son duo didn't wake up till 8:30 AM the next morning.
Yesterday Jiang MingYuan only said he'd come and pick them up in the morning but didn't say what time. Cheng Huan wasn't in any rush. She took her time in getting ready before she started preparing breakfast.
Jiang MingYuan arrived before breakfast was ready and rang the doorbell.
The doorbell only rang once before XingXing rang to open the door. He paused a little when he saw the person outside. "Uncle?"
"Mmm." Jiang MingYuan pinched his son's little face and walked inside. He had just taken a step when he saw Cheng Huan with bowls and plates in her hands.
Cheng Huan was perplexed when she saw him as well. "You are here so early. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Of course Jiang MingYuan had already eaten. He woke up at 6 AM, worked out for two hours, and came after he had breakfast.
"Oh okay. Then wait for us." Cheng Huan felt a bit awkward. He was, after all, a stranger to her. She looked away and put the stuff that was in her hands onto the table before she called out to XingXing. "Come over here and start eating."
XingXing responded with a "Oh." He walked over to his designated chair and, just when he was about to climb up to it, Jiang MingYuan had reached out and picked up him and placed him on his chair.
