Chapter 11: Love Should Be Passionate and Unrestrained

Could it be that Chen Bo took Kai Kai away? Apart from Chen Bo, none of Li Tiantian’s family knew that Kai Kai was in this nursery, and the nursery staff would never hand Kai Kai over to a stranger. She could only hope that Chen Bo had taken Kai Kai! Li Tian’er anxiously flagged down a minivan and hurried back to Chen Bo’s villa, her heart in turmoil.

She unlocked the gate and entered the courtyard. Looking up, she saw darkness inside the villa—no one was home. Her last hope shattered; a wave of dizziness swept over her, her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed. Of course, Chen Bo was at home looking after his injured father; how could he have time for Kai Kai? Kai Kai must have been picked up by someone impersonating a parent. No, she had to call the police!

Li Tian’er forced herself to stand, her vision blurring as tears welled up without her realizing it. In just these three short days, she was startled by how deeply she had come to care for Li Tiantian’s son. At this moment, only one thought filled her mind—she had to find Kai Kai.

Just then, the sound of a car engine approached from outside the gate. Realizing Chen Bo was back, Li Tian’er wiped her eyes and rushed to the entrance, opening the gate. Chen Bo’s BMW slowed to a halt right in front of her.

“Where’s Kai Kai?” she demanded, opening the car door and immediately glancing toward the back seat.

“The moment the nursery opened, I went over and, not seeing you, took Kai Kai with me. You must have been terrified—I should have let you know beforehand. It’s all my fault,” Chen Bo turned to look at Li Tian’er, and seeing the mixed emotions on her face, he thought she resembled a pear blossom after the rain—delicate, luminous, yet strangely aloof and unapproachable.

He stared at her in a daze, regretful for his impulsiveness today. If his sudden revelation of the truth led Li Tian’er to resent him forever, he would be filled with remorse. He ought to wait—wait until they had spent more time together, grown closer, and their feelings deepened. Only then should he reveal the story from years ago and fulfill his wish…

He regretted hastily deciding, after his mother’s phone call last night, to thrust Li Tiantian into his family’s midst.

“Kai Kai, Kai Kai…”

Spotting Kai Kai sitting in the child seat, waving and calling “Mama,” Li Tian’er finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Not bothering to blame Chen Bo for picking up Kai Kai without warning, she opened the back door and lifted Kai Kai out. Holding him felt like recovering a lost treasure. Her eyes blurred again, her voice trembling with emotion.

Chen Bo parked the car in the courtyard and returned to invite Li Tian’er inside.

“After picking up Kai Kai, I stopped by my third aunt’s house. She’ll be over soon,” he explained, but Li Tian’er didn’t hear a word. Her attention was completely focused on Kai Kai’s face.

Kai Kai babbled as if in conversation with Li Tian’er, his clear gaze quietly studying her, as if wanting to etch his mother’s features into his mind.

“Was Kai Kai well-behaved today? Did he enjoy his lunch?” she asked.

As if understanding, Kai Kai’s little face broke into an adorable smile. He reached up, touched Li Tian’er’s cheek with his tiny hand, and pressed his soft lips to her face.

Looking at such a precious child, Li Tian’er’s heart melted. When Chen Bo tried to take Kai Kai from her arms, she evaded his hands and walked straight inside.

Estimating that Kai Kai must be hungry, Li Tian’er prepared to make him some rice porridge, but Chen Bo stopped her, taking the rice sieve from her hands.

“I mentioned my third aunt would be here soon. From now on, she’ll help with meals and look after Kai Kai, including picking him up and dropping him off. You’ll come work at my company—I happen to need an assistant.”

With a reliable person to care for Kai Kai, she could devote herself to the fruit wholesale business. But what did Chen Bo mean by asking her to work at his company? Did he pity her for not finding a job?

Li Tiantian had taken over her mother’s position at the Dongling Garment Factory right after high school. With her education and experience, how could she be suited to assist a mining boss? Chen Bo had graduated from college and was assigned as a technician at a mining company, then rode the wave of reform to become the owner of a mining corporation. He could hire any assistant he wished—why her, with only a high school diploma?

Something was amiss; she needed to probe further.

Li Tian’er remained silent, signaling her refusal.

But Chen Bo mistook her silence for tacit agreement.

“My third aunt’s husband works out of town, and her two sons are away at university. She’s alone at home and is happy to help us, says it’s a good way to pass the time and stave off loneliness. She loves children and will surely adore Kai Kai. If you’re ever unhappy with anything she does, just let me know,” he said.

Li Tian’er felt as if he were giving instructions to the lady of the house; she had no words in response.

Under another’s roof, one must learn to bow their head.

In both life and business, one must learn to gauge the situation. For now, she would set aside Chen Bo’s presumptuousness; there would be time enough to settle accounts with him later.

“Do you think I made another unilateral decision, without consulting you?” Chen Bo scrutinized Li Tian’er’s face.

Her expression was calm and unreadable, giving nothing away—not even dislike.

The most frightening relationship between people is indifference.

He yearned for love that was either passionate or heart-wrenching, never for a woman in his arms to be as bland as lukewarm water.

He often recalled that night, when Li Tiantian, deeply asleep, had not reacted to his touch… He still felt regret. Their first time together should not have happened that way.

They both fell silent for a moment, only Kai Kai on the sofa babbling at the Smurfs on the television.

Chen Bo’s third aunt arrived, bringing a tableful of dishes from home.

“Chen Bo calls me Third Aunt, so you should too. I’m not very particular, so don’t stand on ceremony. These dishes were meant for Chen Bo’s birthday, but with all the trouble today… I just took them home, cooked them, and brought them over. He’ll enjoy them more this way.”

“This child is so adorable—just looking at him makes me happy. If he were my grandson, I’d be overjoyed.”

Third Aunt scooped up some milk cake for Kai Kai, watching him eat with delight and murmuring praise.

“Chen Bo, are you thirty-one or thirty-two today? I can never remember,” she squinted, trying to calculate.

“Third Aunt, I’m six years older than Tiantian, nowhere near thirty-two yet,” Chen Bo replied with a bashful laugh, glancing at Li Tian’er.

“Ah, my memory! Truly muddled. People age so quickly after retirement, it’s not good to stop thinking,” Third Aunt laughed, slapping her leg.

After finishing his milk cake, Kai Kai grew sleepy, his little head tilting to one side, eyes opening and closing as he struggled against sleep.

Li Tian’er set down her chopsticks and carried Kai Kai upstairs to rest.

When she came back down, she overheard Third Aunt asking Chen Bo, “Ah, this child isn’t yours? You gave your mother and all of us quite a scare today. So she’s the little girl from the old Li family in the front yard, back when you lived in the old house. She’s grown up so much—I wouldn’t have recognized her.”