Peace of Mind

Wen Lanxin did not want the child to go hungry, so she did not make anything too complicated. She made a simple egg drop soup, throwing in some meatballs they had left over, steamed a plate of pork ribs, and prepared a plate of stir-fried vegetables.

Even though it was just home-cooked food and nothing special, Song Qianming and Song Youhuan felt their appetites whet. Song Qianming had eaten all sorts of delicacies in his previous life, but when the simple egg drop soup filled with meatballs entered his stomach, a rush of warmth suffused him. It touched his soul in a way he had never felt before, almost as if he had longed for it his whole life without knowing what he was missing.

"Slow down." The old lady watched her grandson and great-granddaughter shoveling spoonfuls of soup into their mouths, a loving smile on her lips.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming back?" The old lady chided her grandson. "We would have been more prepared."

"I just found out about Youhuan's existence. How could I have phoned ahead?" Song Qianming replied a little helplessly.

The old man, Gu Honglin, interjected sarcastically, "So you're saying you wouldn't have come home if you hadn't needed to pick up Youhuan, is that it?"

"If you have nothing good to say, then don't say anything," the old lady scolded.

"I'm going out to buy some things for Youhuan," the old man said, standing abruptly.

The old lady shook her head helplessly. "Don't mind your grandfather's harsh words. He's been fretting over what he said to you two years ago. He may not want to admit it, but he's missed you very much."

Song Qianming could feel the sentiment. In his previous life, he had only enjoyed some measure of familial love through his royal brother, who cared deeply for him. Yet, from the moment he stepped into the house, Song Qianming felt nothing but care and concern for him. Life would have been perfect if only his royal brother had transmigrated with him.

"Your grandfather did not want to stay at our old place because there were too many people around. He feared it would inconvenience you since you wanted to enter the entertainment industry. Although our new place here is small, it has decent security, and there aren't as many people around as in our old neighborhood. He bought this place because he hoped you would come back more often to stay," the old lady said softly.

Song Qianming was by no means dumb, and he immediately understood what his grandmother was trying to say.

'Grandma, I was wrong. I'll come back whenever I'm free in the future.' He thought to himself. The two were already so old; how could he feel at ease leaving them to their own devices without checking in on them from time to time?

"What are your plans regarding Huanhuan? Working in the entertainment industry isn't easy, and it won't be a good environment to take care of her. Why don't you leave Huanhuan with us?"

"No," Song Qianming rejected his grandmother's proposal without a second thought. "I've neglected my responsibilities for a long time. From now on, I'm going to take a more hands-on approach. Besides, you and Grandpa are so old. How can I add to both of your worries?"

"You can't possibly bring Huanhuan to work with you. We have over a lifetime of experience raising a child, having cared for you since you were young. We know how to care for a child; at least, you'd be able to focus on your career better. You won't have the energy to raise a child while working in the entertainment industry. Leave Huanhuan with us; we'll take good care of her."

Song Qianming shook his head, Huanhuan pitiful appearance flashing in his mind's eye. "I'm Youhuan's guardian. Don't worry, Grandma. I'll find a way to balance my work schedule. I'm now a father; I won't be as insensible as I was before."

The old lady relented, seeing as her grandson would not give an inch. "Don't force yourself. If you ever find yourself in trouble, let us know. We're here for you."

"I definitely will," Song Qianming replied. While he may not be a prince anymore, he still had the pride of one. How could he let two old folks worry so much about him? He would solve all problems, come what may, and let his daughter live a life befitting a princess.

"I'll be good. I won't cause trouble for you, Daddy," Youhuan suddenly said. She spoke so seriously that, for a moment, she did not seem like a girl of three-and-a-half years.

Song Qianming took a deep breath, meeting his daughter's piercing-eyed stare. "Youhuan, you're my daughter. I'll let you do whatever you want in the future. Even if you land yourself in trouble, Daddy will bail you out. You don't need to be afraid of anything. A child your age should be thinking about food, games, and what you'd like to do for fun; nothing else matters."

His words must have struck a chord because the next thing he knew, Youhuan was bawling her eyes out. "Mommy said I have to be a good girl or no one will like me. Was I not good enough? Is that why Mommy's parents didn't want me? Daddy, please don't abandon me. I'll be good!"

It was hard to imagine such words coming from the mouth of a child barely more than three years old. Song Qianming's heart clenched. Even his grandmother, Wen Lanxin, looked affected by his daughter's words. If anything, Wen Lanxin vowed she would pamper this child as best she could to make up for all the suffering she had endured in her short few years of living.

Song Qianming hugged his daughter tightly. How could he not have seen how much his daughter was suffering? He was a failure of a father!

"I won't. Daddy will never abandon Youhuan. Daddy promises you."

"Really?" Youhuan asked in a quiet sob.

"Really." Song Qianming answered.

Youhuan's tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She did not cry out loud but continued sniffling. Perhaps she was finally beginning to open up after these two days together.

Song Qianming felt like his heart was sliced into ribbons, and his hate for Youhuan's mother grew exponentially. His daughter was still so young. What on earth had her mother been teaching her?

How could she and her family bear to hurt such an innocent child?

Song Qianming rocked his daughter gently in his arms, whispering soothing words in her ear. He repeated his promise over and over again, hoping to instill some measure of calm in her trembling form.

Gu Honglin returned a while later with Youhuan's daily necessities. By then, Youhuan had cried herself to sleep. Yet, it was far from restful, and she continued twisting and turning in the grips of some unseen foe, a nightmare conjured by her overactive mind. Song Qianming stayed by her side, not once leaving his daughter to suffer alone.

"What's going on?" The old man asked in confusion.

A heavy sigh escaped the old lady's lips. "We were all fooled. Huanhuan is having trouble adapting. Let's not disturb them; give them some space."

The old man's face darkened. "Huanhuan's maternal grandparents are no better than the woman they spawned. Since they could not give Huanhuan a happy life, why didn't they say so sooner?"

"What's the use in complaining now? If anything, Qianming is at fault. How could he be so silly as to have unprotected sex with Huanhuan's mother? Now he's a single parent!"

"We don't know what the situation was like back then," the old man said, "It might not be Qianming's fault." The old man remained unconvinced that his grandson was the guilty party.

The old lady glared at him. "Now you're just being contrary! Why can't you say these nice things when your grandson is around?"

"Why do you care?" The old man snorted. "... Has he said what his plans are?"

"Qianming says he wants to be a superstar. He intends to raise Huanhuan while pursuing his career."

"He's still a child who hasn't grown up. How does he intend to do both? Aren't you going to stop him?"

"If he wants to grow, how can I stop him? He's already a father; it's about time he grew some. You old thing, you have a vicious tongue but a soft heart. If you feel strongly against it, then speak to him yourself." The old lady returned to her room, leaving the old man in her wake, staring blankly at her retreating figure.