Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 491 - 356, It’s not your fault, it’s mine (2 more 1)
Shi Nian tried to speak casually, but the tears couldn’t help falling when she thought about the real possibility of the two of them parting like this.
She turned her back, not wanting to face him with tears in her eyes.
Jieyou, who had been watching her mommy with concern, pressed against the window. Even if daddy wanted to take her away, she wouldn’t comply.
So at this moment, seeing her mommy turning away to cry, Jieyou couldn’t stand it. She pushed past her daddy’s obstruction and disregarded the servants’ persuasion, scampering down the stairs.
The small figure dashed into the lights, running straight to Tang Yanqing.
"Police uncle is a bad person!"
The little one, with big sparkling eyes and small fists tightly clenched.
Shi Nian hadn’t expected this, she quickly raised her eyes to glance at the window, seeing Huangfu Huazhang standing there looking over. Through the night, through the curtain, she couldn’t see his expression clearly.
Shi Nian couldn’t care about her tears, hurriedly advancing forward, picking up Jieyou. She asked as calmly as she could: "Why did Jieyou come down? Go upstairs, stay with daddy, alright?"
Jieyou remained unyielding, glaring forcefully at Tang Yanqing over Shi Nian’s shoulder: "You can’t hurt my mommy!"
Perhaps the most wonderful thing in this world is the mother-child bond; even the little ones, just a few years old, will protect their mothers. It’s not only mothers who protect children in this world; children’s desire to protect their mothers might be more direct, purer, and braver.
But this situation made it even harder for Shi Nian to face; her instinct was to hold Jieyou and leave. Tang Yanqing hadn’t yet replied, perhaps still hesitating... Maybe this silence and hesitation itself was an answer?
So please forgive her for feeling timid at this moment, she didn’t want to face him, she wanted to quickly take Jieyou back to the castle.
But just then, behind her came a hoarse voice.
"You say you’re Jieyou, right?"
His voice was hoarse...
He spoke to Jieyou...
And in his voice, there was no anger, no resentment, rather — it was full of softness.
Shi Nian’s footsteps involuntarily halted, her heart pounding fiercely, yet her hands and feet felt even colder.
She hoped, but she also feared.
Then, steady footsteps sounded from behind, neither hurried nor hesitant.
He walked to her side, standing right next to her, lowering his gaze to look at her and Jieyou.
She heard him sigh lightly, followed by a gentle laugh right by her ear: "I finally know what you looked like when you were young."
She trembled.
Jieyou raised her blue eyes at him, not to be outdone: "Yes, my name is Jieyou. Full name Huangfu Jieyou, nickname Youyou!"
The lines children memorize best are often their own names. The full and the nicknames almost become reflexes; whenever asked, they can recite them all at once.
Shi Nian held Jieyou tightly, not daring to look at the person beside her.
He hummed softly: "Is this the name your daddy gave you?"
Jieyou’s aura remained unyielding: "Yes, it’s the name my daddy gave me!"
Tang Yanqing suddenly burst into laughter: "Well, not bad. Go back and tell your daddy, this name is really well-chosen. If it were me, I couldn’t possibly come up with something so nice-sounding."
Upon hearing police uncle praise her name and affirm her daddy, Jieyou finally smiled: "Thank you, uncle."
It seemed as though the two generations reconciled, yet Shi Nian couldn’t relax.
His attitude might only show that he’s not stooping to a child’s level; his comments on the name might just be casual pleasantries... but that doesn’t mean he can accept the reality of her having a daughter. Does it?
But suddenly Tang Yanqing extended his arm, saying by Shi Nian’s ear: "May I hold her?"
He then tilted his head and said to Jieyou: "Police uncle won’t harm little ones, right?"
Jieyou nodded. In the mind of a child, police uncle is a symbol of justice, the most trustworthy person. So Jieyou extended her arms towards Tang Yanqing. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Shi Nian hesitated, but Tang Yanqing had already taken Jieyou’s arms, naturally taking her from Shi Nian’s embrace.
With the barrier gone from her arms, Shi Nian’s gaze could only crash directly with his.
Seeing him appearing relaxed outwardly, yet actually taking a deep, quiet breath, carefully holding Jieyou in his arms. He seemed afraid to hold her in the wrong position, not daring to use force.
He raised his long brows, gazing at Jieyou intently: "Do you want to know what my name is?"
Jieyou earnestly nodded: "I want to know."
He smiled softly: "My surname is Tang, like the beef soup Tang; the name is Yanqing, Yan like the Little Swallow, and Qing..." The first two words were easy to understand, but the last character was harder to explain to a child. He got stuck, racking his brains.
Jieyou widened her eyes: "Langzi Yanqing?"
Tang Yanqing was caught off guard, unable to suppress a chuckle: "How do you know?"
Jieyou explained earnestly, "In China, I have a great-grandfather who listens to story broadcasts every noon when he naps. But he falls asleep while listening, and I couldn’t sleep, so I remembered them."
Though this Yanqing is not the "Langzi Yanqing" from the stories, at least it makes the child remember. Tang Yanqing raised her eyebrows with delight, couldn’t help but glance at Shi Nian with a smile, nodding, "Alright then, I shall be the wanderer."
It’s amazing how much two people, one big and one small, had spoken.
Shi Nian was so nervous her toes curled up in her shoes, unable to gauge what the outcome might be.
Finally, Huangfu Huazhang personally appeared at the door. He approached them but ignored the two of them, reaching out only to Jieyou: "Jieyou, come here to Daddy."
Jieyou turned around without hesitation and went into Huangfu Huazhang’s arms.
Huangfu Huazhang still did not look at the two adults, only holding his little daughter tight, softly saying, "It’s past Jieyou’s bedtime. Let’s go back, take a bath, and sleep. Daddy will continue last night’s story, okay?"
Jieyou hesitated for a moment and looked back at Shi Nian: "Can I have Mommy sleep with me tonight?"
Huangfu Huazhang smiled sadly, "Baby-girl, even before Mommy was here, you could sleep well. Listen to Daddy, no matter who is there or not, don’t disrupt your life, okay?"
Jieyou seemed to understand a little, nodding to make Daddy happy, "Okay, Jieyou will listen to Daddy."
Huangfu Huazhang held Jieyou, walking back to the castle as if the two adults didn’t exist.
Watching the two figures walking away, Shi Nian couldn’t help but turn her head in that direction. But she couldn’t just rush over because Tang Yanqing was standing on the other side.
The two sides, in completely different directions, yet she couldn’t let go of either. If there were only magic to split her into two, each part going a separate way, how wonderful that would be.
Tang Yanqing quietly watched her.
Her body language had already revealed her heart. Her head leaned significantly in that direction, and her toes subconsciously pointed that way too.
Tang Yanqing heard a small, melancholic sigh escape from his heart.
Yet he still arrogantly placed his hands in his pockets, lightly raised his head, "Go on."
.
Shi Nian was stunned, thinking she had misheard, suddenly turning to look at him.
Did he just tell her to "go"?
What did he mean? Was he telling her to go with Huangfu Huazhang and then he would walk away himself, cutting ties for good?
She stared intently into his eyes.
The proud man still stood with his head high, a trace of sorrow he couldn’t hide around him, yet his pride was unwavering.
He met her gaze, his long eyebrows slightly raised, "That’s right, you didn’t hear wrong. I’m telling you to go. I’ll be waiting downstairs for you. Once you’re reassured, I’ll take you away."
"What did you say?" Shi Nian’s heart trembled fiercely, "You said you would wait for me downstairs?"
"Psh..." He laughed, "Of course, I’ll wait for you downstairs. What, did you think I’d fight over Jieyou with you like some kid? I’ve always been thick-skinned, but even so, I can’t bring myself to do that."
"Go on, help Jieyou with her bath or telling a story is fine. Even if you decide to stay with Jieyou tonight, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be downstairs. Whenever you want to leave, you’re welcome to come down."
.
Unexpectedly, Shi Nian’s nose suddenly tingled with emotion.
She took a deep breath, staring intently at him through the dim lights: "Why?"
Why are you willing to do this for me?
Why aren’t you angry?
Why didn’t you turn around and leave proudly?
He placed his hands in his pockets, arrogantly tilted his neck: "You know. Why ask?"
You know how much I love you. You know I’ve said how I would love you.
You know, so why ask?
Tears welled up, crystal-like petals filling her vision.
Shi Nian breathed in deeply, not wanting tears to fall so easily: "You... aren’t mad?"
"Mad?" He laughed, finally unable to resist stepping forward, placing his arms around her shoulders, letting her lean into him.
Little fool, trembling all over, yet still standing firm on her own, unwilling to step into his embrace?
So many years, so many things, you’ve shouldered on your own—that’s your strength, but when have I not shared the blame?
He kissed her gently on the temple, "I’m mad at myself. I’m mad that I couldn’t be by your side then. The fault isn’t yours, it’s mine."
