Chapter 24: 24. Picking Up and Dropping Off the Children for School

Inside Huo Zhiyuan Villa, Huo Zhiyuan was pacing back and forth in the living room at this moment, appearing quite unsettled.

It was not until Lin Meizhi arrived with Meng Zixuan that she calmed down slightly.

"Sister Lin, Xuanxuan, you're here." Huo Zhiyuan hurried forward to welcome them.

Zhao Jingyu was very perceptive; after helping to pour tea, she left so as not to disturb their conversation and reminiscing.

Lin Meizhi knew that Huo Zhiyuan had been waiting for some news, so she didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "The two people from that day are indeed Zhang Ran's son and daughter."

As soon as these words left her lips, Huo Zhiyuan's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and her eyes dimmed.

Lin Meizhi quickly said, "I told you not to be anxious; things aren't as bad as you think."

Although Lin Meizhi also admired Yu Qingwan, in terms of relationships, her bond with Huo Zhiyuan was the closest, and she didn't even know Yu Qingwan.

Subsequently, Lin Meizhi told the whole story completely, without the slightest concealment.

When Huo Zhiyuan finished listening to Lin Meizhi's account, she didn't know what kind of mood she should be in.

Happy?

The man she had loved for thirty years had long since had children.

Sad?

If Zhang Ran hadn't met with an accident back then, then she, Huo Zhiyuan, would truly have had no chance at all.

Therefore, Huo Zhiyuan actually felt a sliver of relief at this moment, relief that Zhang Ran had met with an accident twenty-eight years ago.

Although she knew that such an emotion was wrong, Huo Zhiyuan had no way to hide her inner thoughts.

"But don't be happy too soon. I can tell that Zhang Ran truly loves Yu Qingwan very much, and Yu Qingwan has sacrificed so much for him; how difficult would it be to forget her?"

"What's more, while it has been twenty-eight years for us, and many things can fade with time, don't forget that for Zhang Ran, it was only a single instant." Although she felt a bit heartless, Lin Meizhi still had to say what needed to be said, otherwise she feared Huo Zhiyuan would sink deeper and deeper.

Huo Zhiyuan was no longer the little girl she once was; although she remained just as naive when facing issues regarding Zhang Ran, that did not mean she couldn't think things through.

Meng Zixuan had been silent on the side; in truth, she still didn't understand why both Huo Zhiyuan and her own mother had been so infatuated with Zhang Ran back then, to the point that Huo Zhiyuan had waited for him for twenty-eight years.

She had also observed Zhang Ran carefully over the past two days and only felt that, aside from having a decent temperament and giving people a calm, unflappable feeling, there was nothing else to him. How could he make her idol so obsessed?

Perhaps there were things she hadn't discovered yet, Meng Zixuan thought.

In the evening, when Lin Meizhi was preparing to leave, she suddenly said to Meng Zixuan, "Xuanxuan, didn't you want to learn from your Auntie Huo? Stay by her side for a while and see if you can learn a thing or two."

Upon hearing this, Meng Zixuan immediately looked at Huo Zhiyuan with anticipation; she truly admired Huo Zhiyuan, or rather, many girls admired Huo Zhiyuan.

"Of course you can. With Xuanxuan keeping me company, I'll have someone to talk to," Huo Zhiyuan said with a smile.

It was already five o'clock when Zhang Ran returned home with the two little ones; Liu Lu and Zhang Sicheng had not yet returned.

At this time, Taotao cried out that he was hungry, and although Susu kept a straight little face, her meaning was also clear: she was hungry too.

Zhang Ran thought for a moment and decided to prepare something himself; although his skills weren't exactly great, at the very least, it was edible.

When Zhang Sicheng and Liu Lu returned, they smelled the aroma of food. They were slightly stunned for a moment, then saw Taotao and Susu eating at the table, and quite heartily at that.

This really wasn't because Zhang Ran's cooking was that good, but because the two little ones were truly hungry.

"You're back. Just in time, the dishes have just been served. Wash your hands and eat," Zhang Ran said with a smile as he brought out the last plate.

Liu Lu hurriedly wanted to step forward to help serve the dishes, but was stopped by Zhang Ran. "It's the last plate. You've been at work all day and must be tired; sit down and eat."

Zhang Sicheng and Liu Lu sat down to eat, suddenly feeling that this seemed quite nice.

After the meal, Liu Lu noticed the toys piled in the corner and was momentarily stunned. "Why did you buy them so many toys?"

They had only given Zhang Ran one thousand yuan that morning; surely he hadn't spent it all on toys for the children?

Zhang Ran laughed: "I didn't buy them; Meng He and the others sent them. It's a gift from elders to the children, it's fine."

Hearing Zhang Ran say this, and thinking of Meng He's recreational vehicle, Liu Lu didn't say anything more.

She didn't actually mean to blame Zhang Ran; it was just a reflexive reaction from being used to living frugally.

Zhang Siyan didn't come over until nine o'clock in the evening. She played with Susu for a while before leaving, and she had no intention of taking Susu with her.

Firstly, she truly had no time to take care of Susu right now, and secondly, both she and Zhang Sicheng had realized that without the children there, their interactions would be a bit awkward.

Furthermore, regardless of anything else, Zhang Ran was Susu and Taotao's grandfather, and this was the perfect time to build their relationship.

In the evening, Zhang Ran played with the two little ones, and then they all went to rest.

The next morning, Zhang Ran looked at the busy Zhang Sicheng and his wife and said, "From now on, I will be the one to take Taotao and Susu to school."

Liu Lu was immediately moved; if someone could help with the school run, she and Zhang Sicheng could be much more relaxed and feel much more at ease.

Most of the time in the past, she had been the one to take Zhang Xiaotao to school, but sometimes when both husband and wife were too busy, they could only let Zhang Xiaotao return on his own.

Although they were worried about this, there was no other way; they simply couldn't get away.

Now that they had Zhang Ran, they didn't need to worry.

"Then I'll trouble you," Liu Lu said after thinking for a moment.

"It's no trouble, you two go to work and mind your own business," Zhang Ran said.

Afterward, he didn't let the two of them go; both Zhang Xiaotao and Susu could find their own schools, so they just pointed the way and Zhang Ran took them.

Zhang Xiaotao's school was very close, a ten-minute walk, so it didn't take much time, but Susu's kindergarten was quite far away.

Although Susu's grandparents didn't care for their granddaughter, regardless, even if just for the sake of appearances, the kindergarten they sent her to was a decent one, with tuition costing nearly twenty thousand a year.

"Grandpa, you have to come pick me up when school ends this afternoon," Zhang Xiaotao said expectantly.

In just over a day, the little fellow Zhang Xiaotao had already developed a very good relationship with his grandfather.

"Don't worry, when school is out, Grandpa will come to pick you up," Zhang Ran said, ruffling the little one's hair.

Hearing his grandfather's promise, Zhang Xiaotao ran inside in high spirits.

Next was taking Susu to school. Holding Susu's little hand, they got into a taxi. Along the way, Zhang Ran often talked to Susu; although the little one didn't have much of a reaction, one could tell from her perked-up little ears that she was actually listening very intently.