Chapter 221: Being a Stay‑At‑Home Dad, Keeping My Daughter Close!

That's not the issue.

Mainly because I'm a single woman and have to consider my reputation.

Shen Qingru looked at Mengmeng in his arms, her expression slightly solemn, and said, "If it gets out that I have a child here, I'm finished."

Your place is a secluded little courtyard with no neighbors nearby, so what's there to fear.

Xu Yuexin reassured.

A child can't stay inside all day, right?

If acquaintances see a child coming and going here, I won't be able to explain.

Aunt Shen spread her hands and said, "Of course, rest assured; since I promised to let her stay here for a while, I won't back out."

Thank you, I know your effort and risk.

Xu Yuexin nodded.

Then, he smiled and looked down at the child, "Quickly thank her."

Ya, ya…

Mengmeng waved her little chubby paws, opened her mouth and mumbled.

Everyone was amused by her.

She's very cute.

Aunt Shen smiled, "Let me hold her."

Xu Yuexin quickly handed Mengmeng to Aunt Shen.

Such an obedient child.

Xu Yuexin said to Aunt Shen.

Before he finished speaking, Mengmeng cooperatively closed her eyes and fell asleep again, One Second to Sleep.

Shen Qingru found it very interesting.

The moment she entered someone's arms and fell asleep, it further improved her impression of Mengmeng.

…

After placing Mengmeng at Shen Qingru's home, Xu Yuexin visited her every few days to see the child.

The remaining time was spent negotiating novel publication with various Magazine Offices.

Now, novel publication no longer meant just money for Xu Yuexin.

He wants, in this era when cultural enterprises are flourishing, to make his works influential.

And publishing is the best way to expand influence.

A good book isn't printed just once; repeated printings continually strengthen its presence in the public mind, achieving true timeless freshness.

"500,000 copies, 2,000,000 copies, 1,500,000 copies…"

After completing a round of publishing negotiations, Xu Yuexin made a quick tally and found that up to now his works had been printed a total of 10,000,000 copies.

That is certainly a milestone worth commemorating.

When Xu Yuexin visited Shen Qingru's home to see her and the child, he mentioned this.

Hearing Xu Yuexin, Shen Qingru immediately recalled that she had previously bought one of his books.

"I bought a copy of 'Ming Dynasty 1566' in July and I'm reading it now,"

"The writing is indeed good."

"You mention 'Ming', I spent a lot of time writing that book."

"I heard the publisher say the response was good; it's quite popular among history readers."

"Hmm, your range is broad; you can write any genre."

Shen Qingru admired, "I hope Mengmeng can inherit your talent."

"Ha, she certainly doesn't know she's still so small, yet you place great expectations on her."

Xu Yuexin said cheerfully.

"Master, the child is awake."

At that moment, Huizi, holding the swaddled Mengmeng, walked out of the bedroom and asked, "Would you like to talk with her for a while?"

"Give it to me to hold."

Xu Yuexin carefully took his daughter from Huizi's hands and began to amuse her.

"Call dad."

Xu Yuexin tickled his daughter's pink, translucent little face with his finger, saying.

"Ya, ha, ha…"

The daughter actually obeyed his command and made a sound.

"She's really learning to speak."

Shen Qingru was the first to exclaim in surprise, "Usually a child needs at least three months to start speaking; she's learning at two months?"

"That's not the case."

Xu Yuexin, delighted, tickled his daughter's face again, "Good, call dad—dad."

"Ha, ha…"

The daughter again emitted an indistinct syllable.

And this unusually encouraged Xu Yuexin.

"Dad—dad, right, call with me…"

"Dad—dad."

Xu Yuexin said patiently.

Even if the daughter never shouted it from start to finish, he still delighted in it endlessly.

Shen Qingru watched from beside, found it very amusing, and began to persuade her.

"The child is so young yet can learn by imitation; already clever."

"You don't need to be too anxious; she'll definitely learn to speak earlier than most children."

"Of course not, she looks like me; how could she not be smart?"

At the mention of this, Xu Yuexin's tail lifted up again.

Stop teaching the child to shout "dad"; just talk to her.

"Your mother is in Tokyo."

"The house you now live in is called a Four-Courtyard House…"

Even though the child still doesn't understand what adults say, nor can she learn by imitation, we still must persist in communicating with her.

Because this can promote the child's brain cell development and the growth of language functions.

Right now is the period when the child's brain neurons grow the fastest; each day she generates countless new neurons.

At this time, exposing her to more new information from the outside can help make her a bit smarter.

"Remember, the thing hanging in the sky outside is called the sun."

"At night, it becomes the moon…"

Xu Yuexin talked with Mengmeng for a long time, ending only when she fell asleep.

"I'm leaving; Aunt Shen, please help watch her later."

"Of course, mainly Huizi will handle it."

Xu Yuexin placed the child in Huizi's arms and explained to Aunt Shen.

"Hmm, don't worry, I'll try to watch over her whenever I have time."

Aunt Shen replied with a relaxed assent.

During this period, Aunt Shen grew to like Mengmeng more and more, and her life gained a lot of fun because of her.

The initial resistance has completely vanished.

After returning home from Aunt Shen, Xu Yuexin called Mei Naizi and told her about Mengmeng's situation.

Mei Naizi, upon hearing that Mengmeng was being well cared for and learning to speak, became immensely happy.

"I think it won't be long before she learns to shout 'dad'."

"She'll also learn to shout 'mom'."

"Hmm, thank you for taking care of her; I'll come to see the child within half a month."

"Alright, has the issue on the Watanabe family side been resolved?"

"Resolved; after I see the child this time, I'll bring her back to Tokyo."

"…"

Hearing Mei Naizi's words, Xu Yuexin remained silent.

If Mengmeng were taken away, he would truly be reluctant to let go.

Mei Naizi noticed his silence and shifted the topic: "When I get there, I'll tell you how we dealt with the remaining forces of the Watanabe family."

"Alright, let me know before you come."

Xu Yuexin agreed.

After the call ended, Xu Yuexin still felt gloomy inside.

His beloved daughter being about to be taken away made him feel unable to accept it.

He wanted to keep his daughter.

"Hmm, when Mei Naizi comes, we'll discuss it then."

Xu Yuexin planned.

A few days later, Mei Naizi called again, saying she would arrive in Jingcheng tomorrow.

"The 9 o'clock flight, right? I'll meet you at the airport hall."

Xu Yuexin said, "Then we'll look after the child together."

"Okay, I also miss Mengmeng a lot."

Mei Naizi said affectionately over the phone.

Early the next morning, Xu Yuexin took a car to Capital International Airport and began waiting at the entrance.

After a long while, a group of hurried figures appeared inside the hall, walking toward the exit.

Xu Yuexin hurried forward and saw Mei Naizi briskly moving forward escorted by several female Bodyguards.

"Darling."

Seeing Xu Yuexin, Mei Naizi quickened her steps, her high heels clacking as she ran over.

"Is the place where the child is staying far from here?"

Having just reached Xu Yuexin, she asked impatiently.

"Not very far; we'll take a taxi there."

"Hmm."

Mei Naizi nodded at him, then briefly gave the female Bodyguards some instructions in Japanese.

"Hi."

The Bodyguards answered in unison, drawing sideways glances from other passing travelers.

Mei Naizi paid no heed to others' stares, and together with Xu Yuexin strode out of the airport hall, heading toward the nearby Dispatch Point under his lead.

At the Dispatch Point, Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi took one vehicle, while the Bodyguards split into two cars, each heading in different directions.

Mengmeng is being fostered in someone else's home, right?

After getting into the car, Mei Naizi asked Xu Yuexin.

That's right, but you don't need to worry; the family she's fostered with is very reliable and treats her well.

I know you wouldn't let our daughter suffer.

Mei Naizi, after listening, smiled reassuringly and said, "By the way, how is her milk‑drinking situation now?"

Completely normal, about 700 ml of formula a day.

She also sleeps well at night, basically never cries.

That's good. The child hasn't been sick, right?

She hasn't had a single illness; she adapts well to the local climate.

At this point, Xu Yuexin felt quite relaxed and said, "It also can't be without Huizi's care."

Yes… back when we were in Tokyo, we were a team of maids collectively caring for Mengmeng.

Now that it's just Huizi alone, she must be working hard.

Mei Naizi said with some emotion.

After a moment, the taxi carrying Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi stopped at the gate of Shen Qingru's second courtyard.

Mengmeng is staying with that family.

This household has only one female head, called Aunt Shen.

Xu Yuexin paused at this point, looked at Mei Naizi, and said, "Hmm, you saw her in Xiangjiang, and at the time you mistakenly thought she was my wife."

Oh… I see.

Mei Naizi suddenly understood.

"Aunt Shen, please open the door."

Having finished the instructions, Xu Yuexin knocked on the courtyard gate.

From inside came Huizi's response: "Aunt Shen has gone to school."

"Please wait a moment, master."

"Alright, Mei Naizi is coming."

"That's really great."

Huizi's voice came from inside the gate, and soon she walked into the courtyard holding Mengmeng and opened the main door.

"Master, Huizi has been looking forward to your arrival."

She held the child and, with utmost respect, performed a kneeling bow to Mei Naizi.

"You don't need to do that when holding the child."

Mei Naizi's gaze fixed entirely on her daughter, and her eyes instantly reddened.

When Huizi handed Mengmeng over, she gently held the child close to her chest, with tears welling in her eyes.

"Ya, ya…"

At this moment, Mengmeng seemed to sense her mother's agitation, stretched out her little paw and patted her arm, as if comforting her not to cry.

"Look how wonderful the daughter is; she's not even three months old and already comforts you."

Xu Yuexin said with a smile.

"Hmm…"

Mei Naizi wiped away a tear, and her longing gaze fixed on her daughter's pink little face.

"Go inside and speak, don't let the child be exposed to the wind."

Xu Yuexin said at this point.

Mei Naizi had many things she wanted to say to the child, and he also had many things to say to Mei Naizi.

After entering the house, Mengmeng was to sleep again. Huizi held her on the living‑room sofa, coaxing her to sleep, while Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi sat nearby speaking softly.

"I don't know why, but I feel the child has become more beautiful."

Mei Naizi looked at the sleeping Mengmeng, her gaze full of affection, and asked, "What do you think?"

"I think so too; the longer she grows, the prettier she becomes."

"Especially the eyes, they miss you more and more."

"Ha…"

Hearing Xu Yuexin say that, Mei Naizi laughed happily.

Then she, again focusing on the child's recent life, asked many questions.

Such as how many times a day she drinks milk, how much formula remains, how many hours the child sleeps each day, and so on.

In short, she devoted herself entirely to the child and ignored everything else.

Xu Yuexin answered Mei Naizi's questions one by one; any he couldn't answer was answered by Huizi.

"Hmm… she has indeed been doing well during this period."

Hearing the two answers, Mei Naizi said satisfactorily.

Then she thought of a new question.

"By the way, does the lady of this house—the elegant woman I once met—dislike us keeping the child here?"

Aunt Shen now likes Mengmeng a lot and sometimes holds the child herself.

"We should thank her properly."

Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi said.

"Hmm, I've already planned how to thank her."

"A high‑end apartment in Tokyo Bay—would that be enough?"

"Hmm, that's enough."

Xu Yuexin nodded.

"Squeak…"

As the two were talking, the front‑courtyard gate was opened by someone.

It must be Aunt Shen returning.

Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi hurried to their feet and went to the doorway to welcome her.

Without exaggeration, Aunt Shen truly is their benefactor this time.

"Aunt Shen."

Xu Yuexin, from a short distance away, called out, "The child's mother has arrived."

Mei Naizi quickened her steps forward, took Shen Qingru's hand, and said, "Hello, Ms. Shen, I am the child's mother, Mei Naizi."

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter these past days."

"I really have caused you trouble."

Mei Naizi's tone was extremely grateful and enthusiastic, leaving Shen Qingru momentarily at a loss.

So it turned out that Xu Yuexin had fathered a child with the woman before them…

"Mainly because the little child is pitiful."

Shen Qingru hesitated briefly, her expression not natural as she said, "Xiao Xu sent her over again, I can't refuse."

Thinking that the woman before her had once shared an intimate bond with Xu Yuexin made Shen Qingru feel very awkward, not knowing how to face her.

"In any case, everything depends on your compassion."

Mei Naizi saw Shen Qingru's discomfort, so she briefly said, and walked with her toward the Zhongyuan Guogong Mansion Main Hall.

Xu Yuexin smiled throughout, saying nothing.

What else could he say? With the two women meeting, anything he said now would be inappropriate.

"Ms. Shen, I want to thank you sincerely."

When the three, dividing host and guest, sat down in the Main Hall, Mei Naizi said earnestly, "I hope you won't refuse."

"Forget it, no need."

Shen Qingru waved her hand, feeling a tangled mess inside.

As a lady from a prestigious family, she would never accept such a token of gratitude.

At the same time she found it strange how Xu Yuexin and Mei Naizi could remain so composed at a moment like this.

One could only say they are indeed thick‑skinned! "Aunt Shen, just accept it."

At this moment, the usually silent Xu Yuexin finally spoke, "This is what you deserve."

"I said no need."

Shen Qingru said irritably, glaring at Xu Yuexin with displeasure.

Xu Yuexin shrank his neck and fell silent.

This time, Aunt Shen was truly displeased.

……

After Mei Naizi left, Xu Yuexin stood up, poured a cup of tea for Aunt Shen, and attentively presented it before her.

"Have a cup of tea; you haven't had a sip since arriving home."

"I'm not thirsty."

Aunt Shen said coldly.

"Hey."

Xu Yuexin took a chair and sat beside Aunt Shen, pulling her delicate hand, "I reflect; this matter is my fault."

"You never did it right from start to finish."

Shen Qingru said with a stern face.

"That's what they say, but she's at the door; I can't just keep her outside, can I?"

"You could sit outside with her."

Shen Qingru gave Xu Yuexin no chance to dodge, "Instead of inviting her inside."

"She came from afar…"

"Master, Ms. Shen, the child has woken up."

At this moment, Huizi emerged from the room holding the child, and said to the two.

Shen Qingru finally shifted her gaze from Xu Yuexin to Mengmeng.

"She seems to be able to say a few words now."

Huizi placed Mengmeng beside the two, then lowered her head, smiling, and said to her, "Good girl, call dad."

"Pa, pa…"

Mengmeng opened her eyes naively, uttering a murmuring sound.

"Ah, so good."

Xu Yuexin took his daughter from her hands and asked, "Have you missed dad these past few days?"

"Ah, ah…"

Mengmeng, after listening, waved her little hand and shouted an incomprehensible sound.

"Good…"

Shen Qingru also leaned in, looking gently at Mengmeng.

Seeing such a cute child, Shen Qingru had already let go of the earlier displeasure, focusing all her attention on her.

"Ha, ha…"

Seeing Shen Qingru, Mengmeng excitedly raised her little chubby paw and waved it toward her.

"She wants to shake hands with you."

Xu Yuexin looked up and said to Shen Qingru.

Shen Qingru nodded, smiling as she grasped Mengmeng's small hand.

Adults are a bit annoying, but children are truly endearing.

"Ya, ya…"

Mengmeng shouted even louder, and smiled as she looked at Shen Qingru.

"Hello there, little girl."

"Hehe…"

Mengmeng smiled even more happily, her tiny hand moving nonstop in Shen Qingru's palm.

Huh…

Thank you, daughter; the crisis is resolved.

Xu Yuexin let out a long sigh and said.

With a cute daughter being coaxed here, Aunt Shen won't be angry for a while.

……

That evening, Xu Yuexin went to Xin Qiao Hotel to find Mei Naizi.

Inside the room, their conversation constantly revolved around Mengmeng, eventually turning to the question of where the child would go.

"The group still has matters to handle; I'll be returning the day after tomorrow."

"Then I'll bring her back to Tokyo."

Mei Naizi replied.

"Leave her with me; keeping the child by my side is better for her development."

"Moreover, I won't reside long‑term in Tokyo in the future, but you might end up living long‑term in Jingcheng."

"So, whatever you say, keeping her here is the best choice."

"Better for her growth? Why do you say that?"

"Also, why do you think I'll someday live long‑term in Jingcheng?"

Mei Naizi questioned.

Her desire to keep the child by her side is no less than Xu Yuexin's, and she feels Xu Yuexin's reasons lack any basis.

"Ahem. I know you love the child dearly, but you shoulder a massive corporation; even if you wanted to devote all your energy to the child, reality won't allow it."

"As for why I said you might later live long‑term in Jingcheng, the reason is simple."

"Our mainland is undergoing reform and opening‑up; the degree of foreign openness of cities will continuously increase, and more and more foreign capital will come to invest."

"I believe that, in time, you'll become interested in this market and consider making it an investment destination."

Xu Yuexin spoke slowly, his gaze steadfastly fixed on Mei Naizi.

Mei Naizi's eyes flickered away, avoiding immediate eye contact with Xu Yuexin.

As Xu Yuexin said, Mei Naizi, being the head of the conglomerate, must devote a great deal of time to running the company.

Sometimes, she even spends two or three consecutive months away from home, shuttling around the globe.

That means that even if she wishes to look after the child, she cannot be with Mengmeng day and night.

Nevertheless, Mei Naizi remains unrelenting.

"I have the most professional infant‑care team at my disposal, with over thirty experienced staff members each assigned specific duties to look after her."

"This is more beneficial for the child's development."

"Even thirty infant‑care experts can't match the importance of parental companionship."

Xu Yuexin said calmly, neither hurried nor sluggish.

"……"

Mei Naizi was left speechless by his words, her eyes flickering slightly.

She wavered.

Seeing Mei Naizi at a loss for words, Xu Yuexin thought to himself.

He felt he should give Mei Naizi some room for compromise.

"How about this: I won't insist on keeping the child here forever."

Xu Yuexin took Mei Naizi's hand calmly and said, "Let her stay with me until she's two; after she turns two, we'll discuss what to do."

"I'll think it over."

Mei Naizi sighed and said.

Seeing Mei Naizi show signs of compromise, Xu Yuexin did not press further.

The two continued discussing the child's daily life until late night.

"By the way, you just said the mainland's degree of opening to the outside will keep increasing; are you confident about that?"

Finally, with a seeking attitude, Mei Naizi asked Xu Yuexin.

"One hundred percent confidence."

Xu Yuexin affirmed, "You must come to invest then."

"Seize this once‑in‑a‑millennium opportunity."

Mei Naizi nodded, beginning to contemplate Xu Yuexin's words…

……

Two days later, Mei Naizi, according to the itinerary, booked a ticket and is about to return to Tokyo.

Xu Yuexin, holding Mengmeng, went with Huizi to the Capital International Airport to see her off.

At the moment of parting, Mei Naizi was especially reluctant, clutching the child to her chest and refusing to let go, her eyes filled with tears.

"mua, mua..."

Especially when Mengmeng uttered indistinct syllables, Mei Naizi almost burst into tears.

"I will bring the child to Tokyo to see you in the future."

Xu Yuexin stood beside Mei Naizi, patted her shoulder and comforted her.

Mei Naizi, eyes watery, nodded, and the female Bodyguard beside her quickly handed her a tissue.

Mei Naizi didn't take the tissue, turned her head toward Xu Yuexin and said, "Hmm, you must come often."

"Hmm, I'll come over as soon as I have time."

Xu Yuexin wrapped his arm around Mei Naizi's shoulder and made a promise.

It was one of his few sincere commitments to a woman.

Soon, the flight began boarding after ticket checks; Mei Naizi glanced at the gate and ordered the female Bodyguard to rebook the next flight.

She wanted to stay a bit longer with her daughter.

"Ma... Ma."

Just as Mei Naizi finished giving the order, Mengmeng shouted two somewhat vague syllables.

Everyone present, including Xu Yuexin, was stunned.

The child actually called out 'mom'! (End of chapter)