Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss

"Wang Xiaohong!"

Dayi almost didn’t recognize her. Just a few years without seeing her, and Wang Xiaohong looked like she’d aged over ten years, her face full of weariness. Although she dressed stylishly, she couldn’t hide the aging on her face. Her hairline had receded significantly, clearly from years of worry that almost caused her hair to fall out.

Wang Xiaohong didn’t look great a few years ago, but at least she had a youthful appearance. A few years later, she had completely turned into a weathered middle-aged woman.

"You despicable third party, homewrecker! Panpan, come to mom! Look, mom got you so many clothes and toys today!"

Wang Xiaohong lifted her hand to show Panpan the things she was carrying. Panpan glanced at them, and those buried memories of fear seemed to rush back, making him so anxious that he coughed up again!

Panpan coughed again, and this time not missing, it all went onto Wang Xiaohong. She screamed, and her guise of a kind, motherly figure disappeared completely.

"You annoying—" Wang Xiaohong raised her hand but hadn’t touched Panpan before Dayi grabbed her hand and slapped Wang Xiaohong’s own face with it.

Qian had rarely seen Dayi move so quickly; it all happened in an instant—a reflex from a mother eager to protect her child.

"You’re annoying! Your whole family is annoying! If you curse my son again, I’ll hit you!" Dayi hugged Panpan tightly, unconcerned about the vomit on him rubbing off on her, anxiously patting Panpan’s back. Qian hurried to hand Dayi water to rinse the child’s mouth.

After Dayi’s reprimand, Wang Xiaohong looked at herself with disgust and embarrassment. Seeing Dayi focused on caring for Panpan, she couldn’t help but feel bitter.

"You really act like you’re his real mom? Taking care of someone else’s child makes you happy, does it?"

"Shut up!" Dayi, holding Panpan, couldn’t free her hands, patting her son while arguing with Wang Xiaohong.

Panpan’s background has always been a family secret, a topic never discussed. Especially at this critical phase of forming his personality, Wang Xiaohong coming out with these words is truly reprehensible.

"I refuse to shut up! Come on, everyone come see, this woman took my husband and occupied my son, come and see—ah!"

Wang Xiaohong’s arrogant voice stopped abruptly, her head drenched with water.

Qian grabbed a hose, left by sanitation workers on the roadside greenspace for watering.

Qian released the hose nozzle, a large stream of water drenched Wang Xiaohong, soaking her thoroughly.

"Ah! You two lunatics!" Wang Xiaohong couldn’t dodge; she could only curse.

"Didn’t brush your teeth this morning? Let me rinse them for you!" Qian targeted Wang Xiaohong directly, making her scream and run away.

Qian dropped the hose and flipped Wang Xiaohong off with her middle finger.

"Get lost as far as possible! I’ll deal with you every time I see you!"

In the car, Qian called her brother, informing him of Wang Xiaohong’s location without saying more; her brother understood.

After getting into the car, Panpan presented in a semi-conscious state, lying in Dayi’s arms, constantly murmuring that he is his mom’s son.

Dayi’s heart was breaking with each word.

In his dream, Panpan saw Wang Xiaohong; she kept telling him with a malicious expression that he is a killer’s child, not his parents’ biological child. In the end, Wang Xiaohong’s face twisted and distorted like a vortex, shocking him awake.

"Ah!"

"Baby, don’t move!" Dayi held him down; at this moment, Panpan was lying on the hospital bed, with an IV drip in his little hand.

"Am I dreaming?" Panpan hadn’t heard his mom call him "baby" for a long time.

"It’s not a dream. The doctor says you have gastroenteritis and you’re dehydrated... It’s all mom’s fault for not noticing your abnormality sooner."

"It’s not your fault; the doctor said this flu develops quickly and the incubation period has no noticeable symptoms, so it’s hard to detect. Panpan, is there anything you’d like to eat? Auntie will get it for you," Qian said while peeling fruit nearby.

"There’s nothing I want to eat. I just want to be with mom." Panpan was a precocious child, rarely showing such large emotional fluctuations. Qian and Dayi guessed he must have been scared.

That despicable Wang Xiaohong!

Dayi hated Wang Xiaohong in her heart; this woman nearly made Panpan autistic back then. Now life is going well for the child, and just Wang Xiaohong appearing scared him.

"Mom will always be with you, don’t be afraid."

Dayi took some time to coax her child to sleep; even asleep, he held onto her clothes’ corner, looking heartbreakingly pitiful.

Half an hour later, Second Brother also arrived, having rushed over after getting the news, still in his flight suit.

"How is my son?" Second Brother asked as soon as he entered.

"Just fell asleep. The doctor said he might have to be on IV drips for two days and needs to be hospitalized," Dayi said worriedly.

"Hospitals have many germs; you go home, I’ll take care of him."

"No, my son won’t feel at ease if he doesn’t see me while he’s sick." Dayi found herself unable to leave Panpan in this state.

Seeing the couple about to dispute this matter, Qian intervened in time.

"I arranged for this private room; the floor here only has orthopedic patients, so Dayi shouldn’t be exposed to flu germs here."

Second Brother nodded at Qian, appreciating her thoughtful arrangement.

"You guys take care of Panpan, I’ll head home." Qian gestured to Second Brother, who understood.

"I’ll see you out."

At the hospital gate, confirming Dayi couldn’t hear, Qian informed Second Brother about today’s situation.

"You mean Wang Xiaohong came to find you guys?" Second Brother frowned.

He wondered why his son suddenly fell severely ill—it turns out he encountered Wang Xiaohong.

"Yes, my brother already had people escort her away; she was involved in scheming against my brother and sister-in-law..."

Qian explained the whole situation to Second Brother.

The more Second Brother listened, the darker his face became.

"You guys resolved everything before deciding to tell me?" Second Brother was very displeased, having been kept out of the loop by both his brother and Qian.

"We decided to tell you now because your son is still lying on a hospital bed. I don’t know if Wang Xiaohong approached Panpan before, but judging by his reaction, even if she didn’t, her past behavior towards him has left a shadow."

Qian’s understanding of Second Brother largely came from Minglang’s accounts; Mr. Yu was a man with a cold exterior but a soft heart. Though he had no feelings for Wang Xiaohong, he always remembered Wang Xiaohong’s deceased brother. With this connection, he might not go to extremes.

"Panpan is my son; a few words from her can’t change that." Second Brother didn’t expect Wang Xiaohong to seek out the child.

"Adults may think this, but what about the child? Panpan, as smart as he is, is still just a child; his thinking follows a child’s pattern. You’ve seen your son’s current condition. Going forward, whether you choose to support my brother and me or feel sympathy for Wang Xiaohong is your business. Regardless, Dayi is your wife and Panpan is your son. If you, as the head of the family, aren’t kind to them, don’t blame us relatives for not helping when needed."

With that, Qian no longer hesitated and turned to leave.