"Mummy, I'm sorry. I've caused you trouble," Xu An'an said in a milky voice.
Xu Qingqing just smiled. "It's normal for kids to make mistakes. Making mistakes isn't scary. As long as you can correct them, you're a good kid."
"An'an loves mummy the most. When we catch that big bad brother, An'an will spank his butt until it blooms," Xu An'an said, waving her little pink fist with a fierce look on her face. A sly glint flashed through her eyes.
"Mummy will take you to grandpa and grandma's to eat delicious food." Then Xu Qingqing picked up Xu An'an and they walked towards home.
It had been five years since she left the Xu family. She wondered how her parents were doing now.
When the car stopped in front of the Xu family's house, Xu Qingqing looked at the familiar villa. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Qingqing..." Mrs. Xu was just about to go out when she saw her daughter standing at the door.
"Mom, I'm back." Xu Qingqing held An'an's hand and rushed over to hug her mother.
The two hugged and cried. It was not until they separated that Mrs. Xu noticed the little one beside them. She opened her mouth in disbelief.
"Qingqing, this is..."
"An'an, quickly call grandma."
"Grandma." Xu An'an called sweetly.
Although Mrs. Xu was a bit shocked by this sudden news, seeing such a cute granddaughter, her heart melted instantly. She didn't care to ask anything and just pulled the two of them into the house.
"Come on, Old Xu, Qingqing is back." Mrs. Xu shouted excitedly before even entering the hall.
Mr. Xu was wearing a pair of reading glasses and playing with the fish in the fish tank. Hearing what Mrs. Xu said, he didn't react for a moment and stood there stunned.
"You old man, didn't you hear me? Qingqing is back." Mrs. Xu beamed with joy, her eyes almost narrowing into slits.
"Look, your dad is so happy to see you back that he's gone silly. Tell mom what you want to eat later. I'll go cook for you." With that, Mrs. Xu was about to head towards the kitchen.
"Don't go." Mr. Xu threw the tool in his hand on the ground. His body trembled slightly and he roared.
Xu Qingqing looked at her parents. Her eyes couldn't help but get wet. She had been so young and naive back then. She left for five years. When she came back, both of the old people had gray hair. She could feel that her father had aged a lot.
"What are you doing? Qingqing finally came back. What kind of temper are you throwing?" As Mrs. Xu spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
They only had Xu Qingqing as their daughter in this lifetime. Five years ago, she just left without saying a word to the family. She didn't even call in these years. They almost thought she was no longer in this world.
"We don't have this daughter anymore." Mr. Xu stared at Xu Qingqing for a long time, then walked into the room without looking back.
"Dad, I'm sorry. I was wrong." Xu Qingqing knelt on the ground with a thud.
Her parents had raised her up. Not only did she fail to fulfill her filial duties, but she also made them worry a lot. It was reasonable for her father to be angry.
"Dad, your daughter really knows she's wrong. Please forgive your daughter." Xu Qingqing looked at her parents. Guilty tears slid down her face.
"Qingqing, what are you doing? You know your dad is just like this."
Mrs. Xu quickly ran over to help Xu Qingqing up from the ground. "You old fool. You've been looking forward to your daughter coming back every day at home. Every time you hear the slightest sound outside, you immediately get up to see if it's her. Now that she's standing right in front of you, are you still going to drive her away?"
For a moment, the three of them were at a stalemate and the atmosphere became awkward. Mrs. Xu looked at little An'an beside her and immediately pulled her over. "Baby, quickly call grandpa."
Xu An'an was always smart. She immediately got the point. She let go of Xu Qingqing's hand and ran over to hold Mr. Xu. "Grandpa, don't be angry. Mom is disobedient. I'll beat her up for you."
Mr. Xu wiped away a tear. Looking down at Xu An'an, the anger in his heart disappeared instantly. He picked her up.
"My good granddaughter." Mr. Xu looked towards the door as if he was still waiting for someone, but there was no one else coming in.
"Dad, this is my daughter. Her name is Xu An'an." Xu Qingqing couldn't help but smile when she saw how much her father liked An'an.
In the past, in foreign countries, when An'an and Yiyi went to school, she was the only one left in the big house. It had been a long time since she saw such a lively family.
Hearing An'an's surname and waiting for so long without seeing the child's father, Mr. Xu frowned instantly. "An'an, where's your dad?"
"I don't have a dad. I only have mom." Xu An'an looked at Mr. Xu innocently and answered.
Hearing her answer, Mrs. Xu and Mr. Xu didn't know how to ask further. They didn't know what their daughter had experienced in these five years.
"Alright, alright. They must be tired. I'll go cook first."
Mrs. Xu broke the deadlock. Xu Qingqing took An'an to take a comfortable hot bath. Just then, the food was ready.
At the dinner table, Mr. Xu looked solemn. He didn't pick up his chopsticks. After a long time, he finally opened his mouth and asked, "Qingqing, I shouldn't have asked about your business. Why did you only think of coming back after so long?"
"Grandpa, it's because big brother is back," Xu An'an answered while eating.
"An'an, didn't mom tell you not to talk while eating?"
Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu were both stunned. An'an's words meant that they had another grandson.
Calculating the time, that grandson shouldn't be very old. How could he come back by himself?
"Dad, Mom, I'll handle this myself." Xu Qingqing didn't want her parents to worry about her anymore, so she didn't want to tell them that Yiyi had run away from home and come back alone.
"Xu Qingqing, do you think we're old and can't control you anymore, so you can do whatever you want?" Mr. Xu slapped his chopsticks on the table.
His daughter had too many secrets this time when she came back.
"Dad, it's not what you think. Please listen to my explanation." Xu Qingqing knew she couldn't hide this from her parents and decided to come clean.
"Five years ago, I left by myself because I was pregnant. As for who the child's father is, I don't want to say or mention it. I gave birth to An'an and Yiyi..."
"And Yiyi?" The old people cared about the children the most. Mrs. Xu heard Yiyi's name and immediately asked anxiously.
"Big brother ran away from home, so mom brought me back to look for him." Xu An'an answered with an innocent face.
Hearing Xu An'an's answer, the two old people were immediately on edge. Such a young child running back alone from abroad was so dangerous. What if he met a bad person?
"You... you child. What should I say about you? You're already so old and a mother. How could you let such a young child run out alone? You really are..."