Bonds

However, the awkward atmosphere didn’t last long before Chen Qin broke it with a smile. "Yuyou, do you know how babies are made?"

"I know… a little," Bai Yuyou replied after a moment of thought.

Though she had some understanding, detailed information seemed impossible to find online for some reason.

She had once asked Tang Keke about it, but Tang Keke had only stammered before finally admitting she wasn’t entirely sure either.

"You’ll understand when you’re older," Chen Qin said, gently pinching the girl’s soft cheek before dropping the subject.

To both Ye Shuang and Chen Qin, Bai Yuyou was still just a child.

Or perhaps, Chen Qin didn’t truly see her as a rival or love interest—treating her more like a younger sister to be cared for.

Before long, Ye Shuang returned with a silver medal.

His sluggish steps made it clear he was exhausted, looking completely drained, as if half his energy had been squeezed out of him.

"Hmm?" Spotting Chen Qin, Ye Shuang seemed surprised. "Chen Qin, what are you doing here?"

"Can’t I come?"

"Of course you can." Ye Shuang smiled. Even though Chen Qin insisted she wasn’t his girlfriend, he was always happy to see her.

"Don’t you have work to handle at your company?"

"I’m the boss—I can take a break if I want," Chen Qin said sweetly, acting as if work didn’t matter. In truth, she had been quite busy lately. She wasn’t sure if it was due to her old knife wound, but her abdomen still ached from time to time.

"A break is fine, but resting in bed would be better," Ye Shuang said before pausing and adding with a wry smile,

"That drone, though…"

"Don’t do that again," he sighed. He had nearly died of embarrassment on the spot.

Chen Qin giggled. "But it was custom-made, just for you."

"That’s not the issue…"

Ye Shuang didn’t even want to imagine the humiliation if people had realized the drone was named after him. Running under so many eyes would’ve felt like streaking.

He then turned to Bai Yuyou and ruffled her hair. "Did you cheer for me earlier?"

Bai Yuyou nodded obediently. "Mhm."

"Super loud!" Tang Keke chimed in before curiously asking, "But even though Yuyou was shouting so loudly, are you sure you actually heard her?"

It had been pretty noisy at the time.

"Well… I think I heard it, but maybe not?" Ye Shuang mused. "Maybe… it’s just the power of bonds."

"What kind of chuuni line is that?"

"Uh…"

……

Meanwhile.

"Oi~ old man, I watched the whole thing. Now give me my allowance." Over at the announcer’s podium, the short-haired girl, An Shiyu, held out her hand to Anshi Yilang.

Anshi Yilang eyed her palm and said,

"Didn’t you go to the bathroom halfway through? That doesn’t count as watching the whole thing."

An Shiyu immediately gave him a look of disgust. "What kind of grandfather forces his granddaughter to hold it in? You’re the worst…"

"Tch. Fine, I won’t talk to you anymore." She clicked her tongue and turned away.

"W-Wait, I never said I wouldn’t give it to you!"

"Too late. I’m unhappy now, so my allowance gets a critical hit bonus—double or nothing," An Shiyu declared.

"Cough… Fine, double it is." The doting grandfather handed over his bank card but couldn’t resist asking, "So, how was your grandpa’s performance today?"

An Shiyu took the card and gave him a deadpan stare. "You nearly lost. Do you really want me to expose you?"

Anshi Yilang bristled.

"Nonsense! I won the gold medal, didn’t I?!"

"Only because that uncle went easy on you to save face for the chairman of Yinshan Academy," An Shiyu drawled.

"Bull!" Anshi Yilang slammed the table like a petulant child. "That kid came charging in yelling about bonds and dreams and youth—I just got startled, that’s all!"

An Shiyu raised an eyebrow but just waved the card. "Whatever you say. Later."

"Where are you going, my dear little fish?"

"Hungry. Taking someone out for a feast."

"yOyOyOyOyOyOyO Take grandpa with you—"

Time flew, and the first day of the sports festival came to an end. As the students dispersed, the grounds were left littered with trash.

Under the glow of the setting sun, a figure finally arrived in a hurry.

"Huff…" It was a middle-aged woman, her hair slightly disheveled as if she had rushed over, her breathing uneven.

Aunt Xian looked around, confirming she was in the right place, before pulling out her phone to call Bai Yuyou.

"……"

"……"

The call didn’t go through. Staring at her phone, Aunt Xian fell silent.

Her finger hovered over the dial button again, but she quickly canceled it.

"Sigh…"

Just then, a petite girl walked past, carrying a large bag filled with bottles and cans.

"Ah! Excuse me, miss." Aunt Xian called out.

"Huh? Oh, hello." Tao Xiaotao hadn’t expected to be stopped. Seeing the well-dressed woman, she asked shyly, "C-Can I help you?"

"Was there a sports festival held here today?"

"Yes, but it’s already over," Tao Xiaotao said. "Though this is just one of the venues. The academy is huge, so the festival is split across multiple locations."

"This one was for grades four through seven."

She added, "I’m new here myself, so I’m not sure about the other venues."

"I see… so it’s over." Aunt Xian’s gaze fell on the bag in the girl’s hands.

"Are you in charge of cleaning here?"

"Ah?" Tao Xiaotao tightened her grip on the bag, embarrassed. "I-I just pick up cans here."

"I get it—you’re handling the cleanup, right?" Aunt Xian smiled faintly, though her expression dimmed.

"Too late…"

Tao Xiaotao studied her, unsure why she looked so upset.

"Are… you feeling unwell?" she asked.

"No, it’s just… I promised my daughter I’d come watch her compete, but something came up, and I got delayed until now." Aunt Xian gave a bitter smile. "Since it’s not the first time, I don’t even have the nerve to call her anymore."

Watching her, Tao Xiaotao couldn’t help but think…

So this is what it looks like when a mother feels guilty for breaking a promise…

Her own mother would just glare, demand money, and if she didn’t have any, beat and curse her, saying she shouldn’t have been born in the first place…