Song Ruyi returned to the room to find Zhao Han waiting for her.
"Is the child sleeping peacefully?"
Song Ruyi lifted the blanket and laid down beside Zhao Han: "She’s sleeping very soundly."
Zhao Han turned off the light and wrapped his arms around Song Ruyi: "Don’t worry too much, let’s just take things slow and see how it goes."
"How can I not worry."
Song Ruyi couldn’t fall asleep at all: "Ningning can’t see Mingzhu, what should we do? Should Ningning move out, or should Mingzhu move out?"
"We cannot let Ningning move out."
Zhao Han immediately rejected the idea: "Ningning just attempted suicide, and you saved her. If we make her leave at this time, she certainly won’t be able to handle it mentally; something bad might happen. The child has psychological problems, so we need to watch her closely. Besides, her health is not good. If she stays at home, we can take better care of her."
Song Ruyi shared the same thought: "I think so too. Tomorrow, I’ll have a good talk with Mingzhu and ask her to move out for a while. After Ningning recovers, we can let her come back."
Zhao Han tucked in the corner of the blanket for Song Ruyi: "Sleep now."
When Anning woke up for breakfast the next day, she didn’t see Zhao Mingzhu either.
She asked Song Ruyi, and Song Ruyi told Anning that Zhao Mingzhu had already moved out.
Zhao Mingzhu had an apartment not far from the school, so for convenience, she moved there.
Anning asked with some concern: "Is it okay for sister to move out on her own?"
While serving her more food, Song Ruyi smiled: "It’s fine, she has a housemaid going with her."
Anning bit into an egg roll: "Mom, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to drive sister out, I’m just too scared when I see her, her eyes are just like those eyes... every time I got beaten, those eyes would stare at me."
Song Ruyi smiled at Anning: "Your sister is very understanding. She won’t become estranged from you because of this."
"Sister is really kind."
Anning smiled sweetly: "If I’m not afraid anymore in the future, I will get along well with sister."
After breakfast, Song Ruyi took Anning for a medical check-up and got many supplements for her. On the way home, she took Anning shopping for clothes.
Anning didn’t know how to choose clothes, she just followed behind Song Ruyi. Song Ruyi picked and Anning tried on, from start to end, without any impatience, which greatly satisfied Song Ruyi’s desire to dress up her daughter.
Song Ruyi had a particularly good time choosing clothes for Anning.
She found that although Anning looked thin and small, she could pull off any style of clothing.
Whether it was the sweet and cute style, the lively youth style, or even a more mature and steady style, all the clothes looked exceptionally fitting on her.
Because Anning looked pretty in various outfits, Song Ruyi went on a shopping spree, and when the mother and daughter returned, the car was filled with Anning’s clothes.
Back home, Song Ruyi helped Anning hang the clothes in the wardrobe and then let Anning rest awhile before coming down for dinner.
After shopping all day, Anning was tired, took a bath, changed into a new set of loungewear, and then came downstairs.
When she came downstairs, Song Ruyi was on the phone.
Anning didn’t listen carefully, but roughly understood that Song Ruyi was likely looking for a school for Anning, discussing with a high school principal about donating to the school.
Song Ruyi ended the call and turned to see Anning with a smile.
"This outfit really suits you well. In the future, our Ningning should buy more clothes and dress up beautifully."
Anning tugged at her clothes and shyly smiled, "Mom, are you finding a school for me?"
Song Ruyi nodded, "I just got in touch with the principal of the Foreign Language School, planning to send you there to study."
Anning became a bit nervous upon hearing this, "Mom, my, my grades aren’t good, I’m afraid I can’t keep up with the school’s pace, and I will embarrass you."
Song Ruyi took Anning’s hand and sat her down, "It’s okay, as long as our Ningning is willing to study. If your grades are really not good, we can send you abroad to study, how about that?"
Anning was somewhat reluctant, "I, I don’t speak a foreign language, and I’m scared to go out alone."
She bravely shared her own thoughts, "Mom, could you please find me a tutor first, to catch up on the lessons I’ve fallen behind?"
Song Ruyi cheerfully agreed, "I had wanted to get you a tutor before but was afraid you wouldn’t like it. Since you’re willing, I’ll arrange one for you immediately."
She took out her phone to look up contacts and quickly made calls to several tutors, setting up appointments for them to come and tutor Anning.
It was only after Song Ruyi hung up that Anning asked her, "Mom, I’ve heard from my classmates... Families like ours have to learn many things. One needs to be versed in musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, painting, learn social etiquette, and also be good at foreign languages. Is that true?"
She appeared very confused and a bit fearful, looking particularly uneasy.
Song Ruyi sighed, "It’s okay if our Ningning doesn’t learn. As long as you are well and healthy, Mom will be very happy."
However, Anning shook her head, "If others can do it, then so should I. I don’t want to embarrass dad and mom or be laughed at by others. I will work hard to study."
When she spoke these words, her expression was especially resolute, as if she had made a momentous decision of life and death.
Seeing her this way, Song Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh.
She ruffled Anning’s somewhat unkempt hair, "Good, if Ningning wants to learn, then learn."
After dinner, a teacher came to tutor Anning.
After Anning and the teacher introduced themselves to each other, Song Ruyi led both of them to the study for lessons.
Once she had settled the two of them, she went downstairs to get drinks and fruits, etc.
Song Ruyi had Aunt Zhang cut a plate of fruit, then poured two glasses of beverages, and carried the plate upstairs.
Just as she reached the top of the stairs, Song Ruyi heard a piercing scream from the study, followed by the sound of sobbing.
She was taken aback, and the tray clattered to the ground.
"Ningning, what happened?"
Song Ruyi pushed open the door of the study, only to see Anning crouched under the desk, holding her head in a protective posture, her face stricken with terror, her whole body shivering uncontrollably.
The tutor was obviously frightened too and stood to one side, unsure of what to do.
Song Ruyi hurried over, pulled Anning out, and held her in her arms, comforting her softly for a long time.
When Anning’s expression had improved somewhat, Song Ruyi softly asked, "Tell mom, what happened?"
Anning clung to Song Ruyi, crying inconsolably, "Mom, what should I do? I feel like I can’t study... Whenever I see books, I think of getting beaten. When I was with the Liu Family, they didn’t allow me to study. If I read at home, they would hit me, everyone would hit me."
The tutor, having been frightened by Anning’s earlier demeanor, now understood the situation upon hearing her crying confession.
She waited until Song Ruyi had calmed Anning down before coming out of the study with her.
While walking down the stairs, the tutor said, "Mrs. Zhao, I suggest you find a psychologist for Anning to consult. Otherwise, given her condition, she might truly be unable to study in the future."
Song Ruyi was about to agree when Anning chased after them.
She grabbed the hands of Song Ruyi and the tutor, "Mom, I’m not afraid anymore, I want to study, I can’t not study, mom, can you study with me? With you by my side, I... I won’t be so scared."