Realizing that her life would no longer be the same as before, Zhao Tang didn't bother to keep up the act.
After all, she was still a child. Even though her heart was as full of holes as a sieve, she still had the common problem of kids - impatience.
When she couldn't get what she wanted, she quickly changed her attitude and didn't even bother to pretend.
"Brother, since Dad doesn't plan to let me go home, I've finally got out. Could you take me home first to get something? I just want the rabbit doll Mom gave me. I can give up everything else."
The mom Zhao Tang referred to this time was her biological mother, not the crazy Mrs. Yu of the Yu family.
Yu Sheng remembered the ragged doll that Zhao Tang had loved since childhood. Eventually, his heart softened and he nodded in agreement.
It was a keepsake left for Zhao Tang by her aunt before she went abroad.
Their family had decided not to let Zhao Tang live in the villa anymore. They would only meet the child's material needs and return her to her aunt when she came back.
They couldn't even deprive Zhao Tang of the chance to miss her mom.
After all, she wasn't a child randomly picked up from outside. Even if she was no longer the adopted daughter of the Yu family, she was still their cousin. With this family connection...
"Alright, I'll take you back to get it."
When Yu Sheng took Zhao Tang home, Nian Nian had just been picked up by Yu Shanhe. They didn't see the little bun at the villa.
Yu Shanhe originally planned to ask his son to pick up Zhao Tang while he picked up Nian Nian. They would set off at the same time and probably arrive at the sanatorium one after another.
But he didn't expect his son to go back home first. However, it wasn't a big problem. It was just about ten minutes late.
Yu Shanhe took Nian Nian to the sanatorium first.
The sanatorium wasn't a mental asylum. Its management and environment were top - notch. There were lush green plants everywhere. The activity courtyard of the sanatorium was decorated beautifully.
All the patients' rooms faced the sun. One could see the beautiful scenery outside by the window. The courtyard was regularly maintained every month, and the decorations were changed from time to time to prevent the patients from getting bored with the same scenery.
This was one of the top - level sanatoriums in the city and even the whole country. The people living here were either rich or noble, and the price was quite high.
The little nurse at the front desk walked gracefully with a professional and amiable smile. She led them to a room on the third floor.
Through the glass of the door, they could see the patient inside.
This was Nian Nian's first time seeing her mom. She was sitting quietly by the bed, staring blankly out of the window, lost in thought.
Her long black hair was well - groomed and cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall. But her mom was too thin. Her eye sockets were sunken, and she was so emaciated that she looked haggard.
Nian Nian didn't find such a mom scary. Instead, she felt so heart - broken that she wanted to cry.
Maybe it was mother - child telepathy. When little Nian Nian eagerly approached the door, the person inside also turned her head.
Their eyes met. The woman opened her eyes wide and suddenly shed two lines of clear tears.
Seeing his wife not going crazy, Yu Shanhe was so overjoyed that his hands couldn't stop trembling.
"Open the door."
Yu Shanhe tried hard to make his voice sound normal and told the little nurse to open the door of the ward.
Nian Nian rushed into the room first and still stared into her mom's eyes.
Suddenly, the woman stood up and slowly walked towards Nian Nian.
Yu Shanhe tensed up all over, holding his breath, watching the reunion of the mother and daughter. He was ready to save the little bun if his wife went crazy.
But the scene he had expected didn't happen.
The wife stretched out her bony hands, slowly squatted down, and hugged Nian Nian.
"Baby, what's your name? I feel like you're so familiar."
The woman looked dazed, and her voice was hoarse. This was because of the long - term silence that made her vocal cords dull.
Nian Nian stretched out her little chubby hands and hugged the woman in front of her. She whispered, "My name is Nian Nian, Yu Nian Nian."
Hearing this name, the woman suddenly opened her eyes wide. Her arms tightened involuntarily, and tears streamed down her face like broken beads.
The first meeting between the mother and daughter seemed very peaceful. Only their family knew that behind this peace were countless days and nights of missing and pain, the grief that couldn't be vented, and the excitement of reunion.
Yu Shanhe's eyes also turned red.
He knew his wife well. This kind of reaction meant that his wife had also recognized Nian Nian.
How could a mom not recognize her own child? Even after years of separation, just one glance and the in - born feeling were enough for them to embrace each other.
"Dad, I'm here!"
Yu Sheng, the mood - ruiner, suddenly walked in from outside. His voice came before he did.
Yu Shanhe stamped his feet in anger.
This voice not only attracted him but also the mother and daughter who were still hugging.
Mrs. Yu looked up. When she saw Zhao Tang beside Yu Sheng, she suddenly pushed Nian Nian away.
This push caught everyone off guard. Yu Shanhe didn't even have time to hold her, and Nian Nian fell to the ground.
Then, Mrs. Yu rushed towards Zhao Tang regardless. Hugging her, she mumbled, "Daughter! My dear baby, where have you been? Why haven't you come to see Mom for so long? Mom thought you were lost again!"
"Mom, I'm okay. Dad and brother said it wasn't good for your condition if I came, so I endured not coming to see you. I missed you so much too."
Zhao Tang held the rabbit doll and hugged Mrs. Yu. She rubbed her head against her mother's arms affectionately.
Just one sentence made Mrs. Yu turn back and glare at Yu Shanhe. Her eyes were like those looking at a sworn enemy.
"Why didn't you let my daughter come to see me! Do you still want to lose my child again! I've already lost her once! I can't lose her again!"
Mrs. Yu was no longer the serene woman just now. She was crazy, with red - eyed madness, just like most mental patients.
Yu Shanhe narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhao Tang suspiciously.
Sometimes, there's no comparison, no harm. In the past, the only child brought to his wife was Zhao Tang. When his wife was at her craziest, his eldest and second sons rarely contacted her. So every time his wife clung to Zhao Tang, he just thought she had mistaken her for her own daughter.
But just now, his wife had clearly recognized Nian Nian. Although there had been only silent silence, he was sure that his wife's mental state was very stable at that time.
But why did his wife lose control again as soon as she saw Zhao Tang? And why was she so hostile to him because of just one sentence from her?
This was not right! Very not right!
A chilling thought came to him.
Now when Yu Shanhe looked at Zhao Tang, she was no longer just a scheming little kid. Instead, he was looking at a demon, a culprit who might have caused the five - year tragedy of their family.