Is this the reason he’s unhappy?
Lin Xinlan suppressed the sourness in her heart and smiled, "Daddy isn’t dead. Everyone says he is, but mommy knows he isn’t. One day he will come back; he hasn’t even met Xiaocong yet."
"Really?" he asked, unsure.
"Really, mommy wouldn’t lie to you."
Xiaocong leaned into her embrace, still looking melancholic, and her words didn’t seem to cheer him up. Lin Xinlan stroked his hair, her brows knotted with worry.
"What’s on your mind, Xiaocong? Why are you so unhappy?"
Something was definitely off with the child tonight.
"Mommy, will you leave Xiaocong?" he clutched her clothes, asking tentatively.
Lin Xinlan didn’t know where his worry was coming from but she assured him, "No, never, mommy swears."
Seeing he still looked unconvinced, she kissed his cheek and said solemnly, "Xiaocong, you must believe that mommy would leave anyone but never you. You are mommy’s treasure, and mommy would die if she left you. So, mommy will never leave you."
He sat up straight suddenly, saying with genuine sincerity, "Mommy is also Xiaocong’s treasure, and Xiaocong would die if he left mommy. So Xiaocong also doesn’t want to leave mommy!"
Lin Xinlan was stunned, not knowing whether to laugh or to be moved.
Such a small child, he probably didn’t understand what dying meant. Perhaps to him, it just meant being very sad.
"Alright, let’s make a pinky promise that we’ll never leave each other." She laughed and hooked his tender little finger. Xiaocong understood it immediately, and only after making a pinky promise with her did he smile happily.
With his worries gone, he relaxed and soon yawned, overcome by sleepiness.
"Alright, time to sleep." Lin Xinlan said as she lay down with him, pulling the blanket over them both.
Xiaocong leaned into her arms, gripping her clothes, and muttered with his eyes closed, "I really want to talk to daddy."
Lin Xinlan’s eyes flickered slightly as she smiled and asked, "What do you want to say to daddy?"
"Secret!" He giggled and snuggled into her arms, then fell silent.
Lin Xinlan found it amusing; he was surely too shy to tell her.
Yet seeing his longing for his father, her heart ached.
The grudge between her and Rong Shaoze seemed to have inevitably affected the child. He hadn’t seen his father for so long that she didn’t know whether to blame Rong Shaoze or herself.
There were things she also wanted to handle perfectly, but being in the thick of it, there were truly many reluctances, many instances of feeling powerless.
Rong’s mother had insisted on finding the best doctor to treat Xiaocong’s eyes, and she indeed quickly arranged an appointment with one.
Lin Xinlan had already called Qiao Yiyang, informing him about this matter, and he said he would take care of it.
Since he already knew, she had nothing to worry about.
The next day, she and Rong’s mother took Xiaocong to the hospital to see the specialist.
Reportedly an internationally renowned expert, every patient with blindness who underwent his surgery had recovered.
Before they visited the specialist, Rong’s mother confidently told Lin Xinlan that the expert would surely cure Xiaocong’s eyes and that she should not worry too much.
Lin Xinlan nodded, knowing that the best outcome was a cure, but she was aware that Qiao Yiyang and the others would never allow Xiaocong to regain his sight.
She didn’t know how Qiao Yiyang had threatened the expert.
After examining Xiaocong, he said that he was too young for surgery right now; they would wait and see when he got older.