Yan Xia left behind all the people and things related to Lu Qianzhou and settled down in this place with Lan Mengfan.
Lan Mengfan successfully got into kindergarten, and during her spare time, Yan Xia landed a job at a software company. Companies in New Zealand work at a slow pace. People there value the balance between work and leisure and emphasize teamwork. Compared with the work intensity in China, working here is a breeze.
She was taking care of the child while Fang Jiangyi was busy with his work in China and could only visit her occasionally. But he was very considerate. Every day when he was free, he would remind her to eat on time and dress warmly when it got cold.
The neighbors all assumed that they were a family. Here, Yan Xia got along very well with them.
However, no matter how good the relationship was, people's inquisitive nature couldn't be avoided. Once, she accidentally overheard two neighbors whispering about her and Fang Jiangyi in the yard behind her back.
The female neighbor said, "I think she must be the mistress hidden away by that gentleman. Look at how beautiful she is. She's so young but already has a child, and that gentleman only comes once every one or two months."
But the male neighbor didn't agree with her.
"Absolutely not. They must be a young couple. That gentleman always looks at her so affectionately. Besides, they're both so young."
Yan Xia listened to their conversation silently and couldn't help smiling bitterly.
Since they settled down here, the neighbors had been gossiping about their family and speculating about their relationship in private.
She didn't know if she still had the ability to love and be loved, but she always kept her mouth shut about her relationship with Fang Jiangyi.
Yan Xia was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Fang Jiangyi had promised to come today. Lan Mengfan was playing in the living room by herself. Now that she was eight years old, influenced by the environment, she could speak fluent English. Her personality had also become much more outgoing. Yan Xia often taught her some Chinese and ancient poems, telling her that her father was still in China and that one should never forget their roots.
Before she knew it, she had been hiding in New Zealand for three years. Time really flew by.
In these years, she neither listened to nor cared about anything related to Lu Qianzhou and Shengshi Company.
That was a thorn in her heart. The heartache and pain were unknown to outsiders.
When Fang Jiangyi arrived, Yan Xia had already prepared a table full of Chinese dishes. Actually, she didn't know how to cook many dishes before, but she had a strong learning ability. After trying a recipe twice, she could master the dish well.
To prevent the child from feeling left out or being bullied by her classmates at school, since she started school, Yan Xia had always taught her to call her mom.
Lan Mengfan had now started calling Yan Xia mom. Although Yan Xia always taught Lan Mengfan to call Fang Jiangyi uncle, perhaps because she lacked fatherly love so much, she always liked to call Fang Jiangyi dad.
The chubby little girl had grown much taller and seemed to have become elegant overnight. Under Yan Xia's guidance, she was very well - behaved and sensible.
During dinner, Fang Jiangyi gave the small gift he brought from China to Lan Mengfan, a children's tablet. Lan Mengfan happily held the gift, her eyes curved into a smile.
"Thank you, Dad."
Fang Jiangyi just smiled. "You're welcome."
Seeing that Lan Mengfan had almost finished eating, Yan Xia said, "Mengfan, go and play with your new toy. You have school tomorrow, so you need to go to bed early."
Lan Mengfan nodded obediently. "Okay, Mom."
After the child left the table, Fang Jiangyi withdrew his gaze.
"You sent the child away. Do you have something to tell me?"
He knew her so well that with just one word or one look from her, Fang Jiangyi could guess what Yan Xia meant.
"Brother - in - law." She suddenly used this title that she hadn't used for a long time. "Are you still not going to find a girlfriend?"
Over the years, she had mentioned this issue to Fang Jiangyi many times, intentionally or unintentionally, but he never wanted to listen and was even impatient with this question.
"Why are you bringing this up again..."
"You and I should consider our own futures. We can't keep wasting each other's time. Do you plan to spend your whole life on me?" Yan Xia smiled bitterly. "It's impossible between us, isn't it? I made it very clear from the beginning."
"I made my position clear from the start, too." Fang Jiangyi was firm. His tone wasn't harsh, but there was an imposing air about him. "It's my own business if I'm willing to spend my time on you. You have no right to stop me, and you don't need to feel any guilt."
He knew that Yan Xia always felt indebted to him.
What was there to feel guilty about? On the contrary, he always felt that he owed her. If he hadn't done what he did back then, Yan Xia wouldn't have met Lu Qianzhou while fleeing, wouldn't have been deceived in her feelings, and none of what happened later would have occurred.
He would rather have never fallen in love with her. He would rather she was still the innocent and lively Cheng Yanxia.
"I'll clean up the dishes first." Yan Xia quickly fled the dining room.
She seemed lost in thought. After washing the dishes, she leaned against the window, lost in a daze.
The night view outside the window was very beautiful. Over the years, she had stood in this position and pondered countless times.
Many things were like drinking water; one knew whether it was cold or warm. What others said didn't matter.
Fang Jiangyi also came to another window and stood side by side with her, looking out at the same scenery.
"Do you still plan to go back to China? Or do you plan to stay here forever?" he suddenly asked.
Yan Xia had thought about this question for a long time. Should she stay here or go back to China with Lan Mengfan? Lan Yuzhou's three - year prison sentence was almost up, and he would be released from prison soon. After all, the child was his, and she should return the child to him.
However, Lan Mengfan had lived with her for three years. She wondered if the child would be uncomfortable if she suddenly left and went back to China. Yan Xia was a bit reluctant to part with her.
But if she went back to China, it meant that she would have to face Lu Qianzhou. Even though she had made up her mind to cut off all ties with him. But Fang Jiangyi always told her that until now, Lu Qianzhou had never stopped searching for her.
Was it because he still left her alive and was afraid that she, like a ticking time bomb, was too dangerous, so he wanted to kill her off?
"I don't know." Yan Xia was very distressed. "I can't bear to part with Mengfan, but she doesn't belong to me. I still have to return her to Lan Yuzhou."
Over the years, Yan Xia had stopped keeping short hair and had grown it long. Her long, straight black hair fell over her shoulders. From any angle, she looked like an intellectually charming girl who made one's heart flutter.
She seemed to have had her edges and corners smoothed by life. Now, her personality had become more and more steady, and she was no longer as lively as before.
Fang Jiangyi gave her a heads - up. "Parting is a normal part of life. From the day you adopted her, you should have prepared yourself mentally to send her back."
"I understand the principle, but I still can't bear to part with her." Yan Xia looked back at Lan Mengfan, who was having a great time playing in the living room.
Only children could be so carefree, not knowing what was about to happen to them.
Fang Jiangyi was very considerate. "The decision is yours. Think it over carefully. When you've made up your mind, tell me. I respect your decision."