Chapter 490 Xiang Xiang
“You could go and visit the orphanage again, and if there’s a kid who catches your eye, you could always adopt another one.” Chu Jiang did not have any objections, for-besides Song Wan’s persistence—he also wanted to adopt one more child. Just like what Chu Lui said, it was just another child; they could always afford the costs. If it could make his wife happier and smile frequently, the extra costs would be worth it.
“I understand, Dad.” Chu Lui stood up. He prepared to rest. The shoulder injury was torturing him, and that man had said that resting more might lead to recovery faster. Chu Lui obviously wanted to recover faster, for the tasks that were waiting for him in the company were already piling up. If he did not have good health, then how could he earn more money, how could he support such a huge company, and how could he take care of the livelihoods of so many employees?
Furthermore, Song Wan brought Chu Xiang to the shopping mall to buy stuff. She carried multiple shopping bags, buying things for Chu Xiang, and obviously not even looking at the price tag. As long as she liked it, she would make a purchase.
“Oh, Yijun, it’s you?”
Song Wan was slightly shocked, for she didn’t expect to see anyone familiar here.
Indeed, what a coincidence. Shen Yijun smiled at Song Wan, but it was lacking the sense of familiarity like before. She was ashamed to meet her daughter, much less anyone from the Chu family.
“This child is…” She saw Song Wan continuously holding onto a girl’s hand, whose age seemed to be similar to Rainy. Furthermore, there were so many things, presumably all bought for the child. Then, this should be a child of the Chu family or their relatives? She didn’t hear of anything previously.
“This child…” Song Wan lifted Chu Xiang and carried her as if showing her off to Shen Yijun, “This is the grandchild I adopted from the orphanage. I was wis.h.i.+ng for a grandchild like mad, but I didn’t know when our Ah Lui would give me one. Since I felt some kind of connection with this child, I adopted her. I’m a grandmother now.” Speaking of which, she started to laugh, not hiding her liking for Chu Xiang.
Shen Yijun calmly listened and looked. “The child is pretty. I have other things to settle, you guys go on.” She didn’t say much, turning away and walking a different direction from Song Wan.
She wondered who the blind one was, for their own grandchild was just nearby; but they never showered her with love before. Rainy was her granddaughter, much prettier than that kid from an unknown background.
However, the Chu family could adopt as many as they want. This was better and prevented them from having any ideas on her granddaughter. Ruoxin was always lonely and had no one to rely on, and as her mother, she didn’t do much for her. Since Ruoxin wanted her to keep it a secret, she would.
Song Wan sighed, for she also knew that her relations.h.i.+p between Shen Yijun and herself was dwindling. It would probably be so for the two families in the future.
“Let’s go, Xiang Xiang. Granny will bring you to buy clothes.” Song Wan lowered her head and pecked Chu Xiang. She gathered her energy and brought her granddaughter about to buy things. She wanted to pour all her yearnings for a grandchild for the past few years into giving everything to Chu Xiang.
“Okay,” Chu Xiang obediently agreed. Her red cheeks recently increased in size, and she was changing clothes one after another, behaving like a rich little missy.
Song Wan continued to buy many things for Chu Xiang: the clothes, toys, snacks, and more could fill an entire car. Back at home, there were piles and piles of things, making Chu Jiang feel unbearable.
The wife that he had spent a lifetime with, after gaining a granddaughter, didn’t want him anymore.
He felt bitter, for he saw his wife catering to all the needs of his granddaughter, while he didn’t have anything at all. Life was tough.
“Why do I have to come, too?” Chu Jiang was sitting on the sofa. He was getting ready to go fis.h.i.+ng with a few of his old friends, but before he even stepped out of the house, he was already dragged here by Song Wan.
“If not you, then who?” Song Wan glared at Chu Jiang. “Ah Lui is at the office so obviously I didn’t want him to come over, but you? Your granddaughter is obviously more important than your fish. Furthermore, every time you go out to fish, how many can you even bring back? You don’t even eat them when you do fish some. You just throw it away.”
Chu Jiang was harshly rebuked. This fis.h.i.+ng activity was not for the purpose of eating the fish, for it was said that the process itself is better than the fish. He wanted to enjoy the process of fis.h.i.+ng and not to catch some fish to eat.
However, Song Wan was right. As a grandfather—no matter what, he should have been there. Although it can be said that it was a ‘cheap’ granddaughter, her surname now was ‘Chu’, which was the same as a biological granddaughter. Furthermore, Song Wan liked children so much, he could just adopt a ‘love me, love my dog’ att.i.tude and take care of Chu Xiang.
Song Wan sent Chu Xiang to the best kindergarten in the area. Chu Xiang was almost five years old, but before she was five, she was always at the orphanage. She had never attended school so she had to start with the youngest grade. Regardless, Chu Xiang looked so malnourished that she fitted in well with the others.
Song Wan also donated a huge sum of money to the kindergarten for its construction funds so that her granddaughter could receive better care here. With the money, the teachers and even the director had to give more attention to this newly-recognized member of the Chu family. The child was adopted, but with the amount of care that Song Wan gave to her, even if a biological granddaughter appeared in the future, it was perceivable that this adoptee would still have a special place in Song Wan’s heart.
“Go and play with the other kids.” Song Wan patted Chu Xiang’s cheeks. She still had to speak to the director. Let the kids go and play themselves, for the child couldn’t stay at home all day; and she had to have her own s.p.a.ce and friends.
“Okay, Grandma, Xiang Xiang understands,” Chu Xiang agreed in a baby voice. That obedient look made Song Wan fall in love with her more.
The teacher held onto Chu Xiang’s hand and brought her into the cla.s.sroom. It was designed with many interesting elements for children, with the chairs and tables all painted with a fresh coat of cartoonish colors. There were a few children inside, playing with each other.
“Children!”
The teacher clapped her hands, speaking chirpily to the cla.s.s, “Today, we have a new friend in cla.s.s. Her name is Xiang Xiang. What do you all have to say to Xiang Xiang?”
The children stood up and said in unison.
“Welcome, Xiang Xiang!”
Following which they imitated the teacher, clapping their small hands to welcome their new cla.s.smate.