Returning Home (Part 1)

The moment Qin Xiu stepped out the door, everyone's eyes locked onto her face.

Wasn't it just hitting her child a few times? It wasn't like she beat her to death. What mother didn't hit her children when angry? Yet she had become famous throughout the factory because of this? Originally, Qin Xiu had regretted hitting her too hard, but now she only felt wronged, bitter, and furious! Indeed, a non-biological child could never be close to one's heart. That Ban Xia—she would beat her to death sooner or later!

As soon as Qin Xiu left, an old lady in the back hugged Xiaolong and wailed, "Why was my daughter taken away by the police?"

Many people found this old lady familiar. Someone said, "Isn't that the old lady who sells labor insurance? Could she be Qin Xiu's mother?"

Hu Jie snorted coldly. "The daughter is a warehouse manager in the factory, and the mother sells social insurance outside. Is this how Deputy Secretary Shen manages his household? And yet everyone still thinks he's a good man. Hmph!"

Just then, her husband, Jin Chuan, arrived, so she shut her mouth. Jin Chuan was the deputy factory director. Seeing the workers gathered and gossiping, he immediately said, "Why aren't you all going home to rest? What are you gossiping for?"

Since the deputy director had spoken, the crowd quickly dispersed. Jin Chuan turned to ask Hu Jie, "Where is Qin Xiu's child? Who is looking after her?"

Today was also the first time Hu Jie learned that Qin Xiu had originally been a mistress who climbed her way up to become the legal wife, and had even had a child before marriage. Coupled with the fact that her husband was always suppressed by Shen Sibao at work, she was planning to find someone to gossip with and dig up Qin Xiu's dark history. But when she turned around, she was also stunned. "Where is Ban Xia? Where did that poor little girl go?"

...

By this time, Ban Xia had gotten her wish and was at Gu Fadian's house. She sat on the spacious, soft leather sofa, hugging a warm feather duster, sitting there quietly.

In the kitchen, the three boys were clattering about. This was the first time Gu Fadian was hosting a guest, so naturally, he had to find some food first. As he prepared to cook instant noodles, Qi Kai said, "Boss Fadian, adults say instant noodles have no nutritional value and are bad for your health. Why don't we let her eat some watermelon instead?"

Gu Fadian paused. "The watermelon has been sitting out for two days. She'll get diarrhea if she eats it."

Jin Shuai said, "I've got it! I'll feed her steamed buns. My mom says steamed buns are nutritious... Wait, no, Boss Fadian, why are the steamed buns at your house so hard?" He tapped the bun against a plate, producing a clacking sound.

Gu Fadian replied, "They've been drying by the window for half a month. How could they not be hard?"

"Then what should we feed her?" Qi Kai asked.