[Xiaohui Gege’s words? Xiaohui Gege is calm, rational, meticulous, and diligent—he’d be perfect as a doctor!]
[If Xiaohui Gege really becomes a doctor, he’ll definitely be a great one!]
Yue Youxin and Yue Youhui exchanged a glance, both having reached a decision.
Evening
Yue Mingyuan noticed Shen Zhiqiu sitting on the bed, knees hugged to her chest, staring absentmindedly at the moon outside the window. He walked over to her.
Hearing his footsteps, Shen Zhiqiu looked up and whispered, “Is Yaya asleep?”
“Yeah.” Yue Mingyuan stretched his stiff shoulders and sat on the sofa by the window.
After a pause, Shen Zhiqiu said hesitantly, “Mingyuan, I don’t want to invite my family to Yaya’s full-month celebration.”
If they came, they’d surely stir up trouble. She didn’t want such a joyous day ruined by their antics.
“Then we won’t notify them.”
Yue Mingyuan paused before asking, “Zhiqiu, do you have any other thoughts about the celebration?”
“Could we ask Jie to take another photo of Yaya? And maybe a new family portrait of the three of us?” Shen Zhiqiu’s eyes sparkled as she envisioned the future. “I want to take lots of pictures of Yaya—when she grows up, they’ll be precious memories for her and for us.”
“If possible, let’s take the same family portrait every year and hang them all on a wall in our home.”
“Zhiqiu, that’s a wonderful idea.”
Yue Mingyuan couldn’t help but imagine the scene: decades later, the two of them, old and gray, leaning on each other as they stood before that wall, reminiscing over each photo, reliving every beautiful and tender moment.
“Actually, I thought of it when Jie took our first family portrait. But it’s not right to trouble her all the time. You bought a camera, right? When it arrives, could you teach me how to use it?”
“When you’re not home, I can take pictures of Yaya myself. That way, you won’t miss her little milestones while you’re away.”
She remembered how her mother used to take her for annual photos, even when her father scowled, argued, and accused her mother of wasting money. Yet her mother never gave up.
That’s why she’d always loved photography—the way a tiny lens could capture a person’s joys and sorrows felt magical.
When Yue Minghui came to photograph Yaya, it rekindled those memories. Now, she wanted to learn photography herself, to document every step of Yaya’s growth.
“My brother-in-law said his friend has already bought the equipment I asked for. He’s returning to China soon and will bring it with him.”
“I don’t know how to use a camera either. Once we get it, let’s ask Jie to teach us together.”
Shen Zhiqiu nodded emphatically, her eyes curving into happy crescents. “Okay.”
“Zhiqiu, if there’s anything else you’d like to do in the future, tell me. If possible, let’s do it together, alright?”
Yue Mingyuan realized how greedy he’d become lately. It wasn’t enough for Zhiqiu to simply stay by his side—he wanted to create more memories with her, to walk hand in hand toward their shared future.
Shen Zhiqiu froze. She understood the deeper meaning behind his words, and that very understanding left her flustered.
She wanted to ask: Had he stopped loving that other girl? Or was this just for Yaya’s sake—because she was Yaya’s mother, and they ought to grow closer?
The questions teetered on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them all.
Some words were better left unspoken. Life’s rare wisdom—sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
Lately, they’d been getting along well. Yue Mingyuan took excellent care of Yaya, and for now, that mattered more to her than whether he had feelings for her.
When Shen Zhiqiu didn’t respond, Yue Mingyuan’s heart sank. He regretted his impulsiveness and was about to backtrack when she finally spoke:
“Sure. Doing things together would be nice—we can bring Yaya along, too.”
“I don’t expect Yaya to become some prodigy, but I hope she gets to experience as much of life as possible.”
Shen Zhiqiu turned to glance at Yaya, fast asleep in her crib. The little one clutched the jade pendant Huo Jiusi had given her—not because she missed the “little devil,” but because the smooth texture comforted her.
“Woof! Woof! Woof woof!”
A sudden burst of barking erupted outside. Yue Mingyuan frowned and stood to look out the window. “What’s going on?”
Stray dogs were common in the compound, but they rarely barked so frantically.
[Not good, not good! The garage is on fire!]
Yaya flailed her tiny fists. Yue Mingyuan scooped her up, and she blinked sleepily at him before dozing off again.
“I’ll go check it out.” He handed Yaya to Shen Zhiqiu.
“Be careful.”
“Yeah.”
Their home was deep inside the compound, while the garage sat near the center.
Yue Mingyuan drove over, and from a distance, thick black smoke billowed into the sky—a sign of a serious blaze.
A crowd had already gathered to fight the fire, but without proper equipment, their efforts were limited. The fire department had been called, but it would take at least thirty minutes for them to arrive.
For now, the priority was containing the flames and preventing further damage—and rescuing the children trapped inside.
The fire had started when a group of reckless kids sneaked into the garage to “steal” a car. Their clumsy attempts to start the engine caused a malfunction, igniting a fire.
Panicked, they’d tried to douse the flames but accidentally splashed gasoline instead of water, fueling the inferno.
Fortunately, most vehicles were out on missions, leaving only one car in the garage. The on-duty soldiers had acted swiftly: one team moved the car to a safe distance to prevent an explosion, while another rushed in to save the children.
By the time Yue Mingyuan arrived, four kids had already been pulled out.
They sat by the roadside, faces blackened with soot, eyes hollow with terror—too shocked even to cry.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from inside. The soldiers who’d rescued the children whipped around, screaming in unison: “Squad Leader!”
They lunged toward the flames, but the deputy squad leader barked: “Halt!”
Years of discipline froze them in place—but only for a second. Desperation took over.
“Deputy! The squad leader’s still in there! And two more kids!”
“I know! But charging in now is suicide! Stay put!”
With that, the deputy prepared to rush in—but someone was faster…
