The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 287. Refusal (9 more updates)

Chapter 287: 287. Refusal (9 more updates)

Pei Yinong glanced at her quirky son, knowing without asking what he must have said. She found it amusing—the little guy had adamantly refused to go to kindergarten, claiming the other kids were too childish and no amount of persuading could change his mind. Just when Pei Yinong felt at a loss and was considering enforcing a stricter policy, Jiang Chenxi arrived. After spending a day out with Little Douding, who knows what was said, but the next day the little guy willingly announced he wanted to go to kindergarten.

Little Douding adapted well to kindergarten life, but developed a minor habit of hiding snacks and taking them to share with friends at kindergarten. Pei Yinong had unearthed snacks from under Little Douding’s pillow more than once.

Little Douding sat on Shen Qinglan’s lap for less than ten minutes before he asked to get down, and quietly sat next to her, playing with a small Rubik’s Cube, his latest toy, a gift from Jiang Chenxi.

After fiddling with it for a while, Little Douding knit his brows into a little wave, "Aunt, do you know how to play with this?"

Shen Qinglan took a look and, after a few twists, she solved it.

Little Douding looked at Shen Qinglan with admiration, "Aunt, you are really amazing. My mommy tried for a long while yesterday and couldn’t do it. She’s so silly. You are as smart as Uncle Jiang."

Pei Yinong: ...I know you like your aunt, but you don’t need to put down your mom.

Pei Yinong felt depressed. Her son’s heart was entirely with someone else. "Qinglan, maybe we can swap kids when the baby in your belly is born?" she said, her tone full of melancholy.

Fu Hengyi, who walked in just then, caught this dialogue and glanced at Little Douding with disdain. The kid was too clingy to his wife; if it were his own son, that would be unbearable.

When Little Douding saw Fu Hengyi, he called out "Uncle," and unexpectedly asked Fu Hengyi to hold him. Fu Hengyi raised an eyebrow and sat down with Little Douding in his arms, the boy wrapping his arms around Fu Hengyi’s neck, "Uncle, long time no see. Did you miss me?"

Fu Hengyi looked down at him, and before he could respond, Little Douding continued, "Uncle, I missed you, but only a little bit."

Fu Hengyi’s eyes softened. Compared to Shen Qinglan, he actually favored children a bit more, of course, as long as they didn’t compete with him for his wife.

Pei Yinong was actually back to see Chu Yunjin, and took the opportunity to visit Shen Qinglan, too, "Qinglan, I brought you some snacks from Lin City. Try them and if you like them, I’ll bring more next time."

When Pei Yinong arrived carrying several bags, Shen Qinglan thought they were gifts for Old Sir Shen and the others but turned out they were for her.

"Thank you, cousin." Shen Qinglan watched Pei Yinong intently, prompting her cousin to look back curiously. "What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head. Although Pei Yinong hid it well, Shen Qinglan could still discern her cousin’s worry from her eyes. However, since she didn’t want to talk about it, Shen Qinglan naturally wouldn’t ask.

Pei Yinong didn’t stay long at the Shen Family’s home; she left without even having a meal. As her car approached the Pei home, she saw Jiang Chenxi waiting there.

"Uncle Jiang!" Little Douding’s face lit up with surprise, struggling to get down from Pei Yinong’s arms.

Pei Yinong set Little Douding down, and he immediately ran to Jiang Chenxi, hugging his legs. "Uncle Jiang, what brings you here?"

Jiang Chenxi picked up Little Douding. "I missed you, so I came."

Upon hearing this, Little Douding’s eyes narrowed into slits with joy, and he planted a kiss on Jiang Chenxi’s cheek, "Uncle Jiang, I missed you too."

Jiang Chenxi smiled, "Uncle has some things to discuss with your mom. Can you go inside first?"

"Okay, but Uncle Jiang, you have to come play with me later."

"Definitely."

Little Douding happily jumped off Jiang Chenxi and ran into the house.

Now alone with Pei Yinong, Jiang Chenxi wore a troubled look. "Why are you here?"

Jiang Chenxi stared at her intently, "If I didn’t come, how long were you planning to avoid me?"

Pei Yinong flicked her hair near her ear, masking her discomfort. "I’m not avoiding you. I’ve just been busy with work."

Jiang Chenxi took a step closer, looking at her. "If you’re not avoiding me, then why aren’t you answering my calls? You don’t reply to my messages either."

"It’s just that work is really hectic, especially with the year-end coming up. I’ve been non-stop."

Jiang Chenxi looked at her helplessly, "Yining, do you really dislike me that much?"

"No, I don’t dislike you," replied Pei Yinong, almost reflexively.

"Then why are you avoiding me? Don’t use work as an excuse."

Pei Yinong paused, unsure of how to respond.

Jiang Chenxi sighed, "Yining, if what I said last time upset you, I’m sorry. You can forget those words, and we can just continue being friends."

During Jiang Chenxi’s birthday meal, which he had invited Pei Yinong to, he confessed his feelings to her, but she had outright rejected him and even started ignoring his calls. If he hadn’t been unable to contact her, Jiang Chenxi wouldn’t have gone to the Pei house to confront her.

"Chenxi, I am grateful for everything you’ve done for me and Haohao, but we really aren’t suited for each other."

"Yining, is it because of Haohao?" Jiang Chenxi asked.

Pei Yinong was silent, which was taken as acknowledgment.

"I can treat Haohao as my own son, and aren’t we getting along well now?" Jiang Chenxi did not think that Little Douding was a barrier between him and Pei Yinong.

Pei Yinong looked up at Jiang Chenxi, his expression serious, "Chenxi, Haohao is one reason, but on the other hand, what we have is just friendship."

Jiang Chenxi’s eyes were filled with hurt, "You don’t like me?"

"Yes." Pei Yinong gave him a definite answer.

Jiang Chenxi’s eyes darkened, so dark that his emotions were unreadable. He stared tightly at Pei Yinong’s face, trying to discern something from it, but ultimately he was disappointed. Wiping his face, he said, "I understand."

Saying so, he was about to get into the car and leave, he paused, then said, "Tell Haohao that I had something come up today and I had to leave early. I’ll come visit him another day."

Pei Yinong watched Jiang Chenxi’s car drive away, her gaze lingering for a long time before she sighed softly and turned to go inside. Little Douding looked behind Pei Yinong, not seeing Jiang Chenxi, "Mommy, where is Uncle Jiang?"

Pei Yinong smiled, "Your Uncle Jiang had something urgent and had to leave early, but he said he will come to visit you another day."

Little Douding seemed unhappy, but he didn’t cry; he just silently walked over to the side and sat down, still holding a Rubik’s cube and fidgeting with it.

Pei Yinong sat down next to her son, stroking his soft fine hair, "Do you really like Uncle Jiang?"

Little Douding, head bowed, heard her words and nodded, "Mm, Uncle Jiang is very nice to me, and to mommy too."

Pei Yinong couldn’t help but laugh, "But, Haohao, Uncle Jiang will have his own life, and he won’t always be around us." She didn’t want her son to rely too much on Jiang Chenxi.

Little Douding looked at his mother, puzzled, "Mommy, why will Uncle Jiang have his own life? Isn’t he supposed to live with us?"

Such a naïve child.

"In the future, your Uncle Jiang will get married to someone else, and then he’ll have his own babies. He can’t always be around us." Pei Yinong patiently explained. Her son, being a very sensitive and stubborn person, could dwell on these issues for a long time if not clearly explained.

"Then why don’t you marry Uncle Jiang, mommy? That way, Uncle Jiang could be my daddy, and he could live with us, right?" Little Douding was even more puzzled. Wasn’t this an easy problem to solve?

"Because mommy doesn’t like your Uncle Jiang in that way, and can’t marry him."

"Uncle Jiang is so nice, mommy, why don’t you like him? I really like him."

Pei Yinong held her forehead, feeling like she had dug herself into a hole. Now how was she supposed to explain the concept of liking to a three-year-old?

After thinking a bit, Pei Yinong said softly, "Mommy and Uncle Jiang are friends, and friends can’t marry each other, okay?"

"Mommy, you are wrong." Little Douding frowned, "Star in our class is my good friend, and when she grows up, I’m going to marry her."

Pei Yinong: ...

Chu Yunjin had been listening to the mother and son’s conversation, and she too felt regret about Pei Yinong and Jiang Chenxi not being together. She had a good impression of Jiang Chenxi, and most importantly, Little Douding was very fond of him, often asking to see him.

Chu Yunjin walked over and picked up Little Douding, "Haohao, this is between your mom and your Uncle Jiang. Whether they get married is up to them, and we can’t decide for them, okay? Come on, grandma will take you for some sweets now."

Little Douding didn’t fully understand what his grandma was saying, but hearing that there were sweets to be had, he temporarily put the matter aside.

Pei Yinong rubbed her temples, feeling emotionally exhausted.

The next afternoon, Pei Yinong returned to Lin City, so when Jiang Chenxi came over, he didn’t see her.

"Uncle Jiang." Little Douding was happy to see him.

Jiang Chenxi smiled slightly, "Haohao, I’m sorry, uncle had to leave early yesterday."

Little Douding shook his head, speaking like a little adult, "Uncle Jiang, I don’t blame you. It must be because my mommy said she doesn’t like you, and that made you sad, right? I was sad for several days when Little Yu Mi in our class said she didn’t like me."

Jiang Chenxi found this amusing hearing such mature words from him. He crouched down to be at eye level with Little Douding, "How did you know mommy doesn’t like me?"

"Because mommy said so yesterday."

Jiang Chenxi’s eyes dimmed slightly.