Chapter 59 (1/2)

Suddenly, there was the sound of panicked footsteps outside the door, yet, in the end, the footsteps stopped in the hallway.

The only source of light in Cheng Zhiyan’s bedroom was the dimly lit table lamp on his night table. As he held onto Xiaotu, who was crying hysterically, he seemed like a beacon of light in the dark, infinite universe, and she was like a drowning man clutching at a straw.

“Xiaotu…” Cheng Zhiyan could barely conceal the sorrow in his voice. He gently patted her on the back and whispered into her ear, “Cry as much as you want to. It will make you feel better.”

WAH! WAH! WAH! Upon hearing this, Xiaotu howled at the top of her lungs as she wept.

Cheng Zhiyan didn’t say anything. He simply sat on the bed holding her silently, as he gently patted her back.

As the sound of Xiaotu’s wailing finally grew a bit quieter, he caressed her fluffy head, and, with his forehead pressed against her forehead, he said in a tender voice, “Your daddy wasn’t lying to you. He did promise that he would send you off to school and attend the sports meets together with you…”

“But Mommy just said that he wasn’t coming back ever again…” Xiaotu whimpered as she looked at Cheng Zhiyan and sobbed as she repeated her mother’s sentence to him.

“Um…no, before he left, he told me that when he wasn’t by your side, I would be the one to take you to school and attend the sports meets with you. After you grow up, he will return. Then, he will be able to do many more things together with you.” Cheng Zhiyan’s fingers gently brushed away the tears on Xiaotu’s face as he whispered to her.

“What do you mean by many more things?” Xiaotu asked Cheng Zhiyan as she looked up at him with tearful eyes.

“Um…for example, you can cook together and take care of a puppy together. Didn’t you always want to adopt a puppy?”

“But Mommy wouldn’t let me adopt a puppy…”