A nanny.
These two words made Lin Anqiao's stomach pain even worse, and she furrowed her brow, feeling acid churning in her stomach.
The kindergarten director laughed awkwardly. She had only thought the woman in front of her looked familiar, and judging by her appearance she was either wealthy or noble—she never expected her to be a nanny.
The next moment, Fu Xiaochuan broke into a smile and hurried forward a couple of steps. Brushing past Lin Anqiao, he threw himself into the arms of someone behind her: "Auntie Yusu!"
Lin Anqiao turned her head and saw Qiao Yusu standing at the entrance, with Fu Jingzhou standing beside her wearing a gentle look.
They really looked every bit like a family of three.
The waves of pain in her stomach made her whole body cold, and she saw Fu Xiaochuan raise his head high, proudly telling the director, "This is my real mom!"
Fu Jingzhou offered no comment on this.
She had still come to pick up Xiaochuan, which meant she knew she was wrong. It was just that she needed to apologize to him face-to-face before he would forgive her.
Murmurs arose from the surrounding crowd.
"That nanny still came even after quitting, doesn't she have some inappropriate designs?"
"Look how happy President Fu's family of three is. Is the person next to them that recently popular painting blogger? I had no idea she had a child."
The people around disparaged Lin Anqiao to the utmost, yet Fu Xiaochuan and Fu Jingzhou still said nothing, not a single person offering a word of explanation for her.
The pain in Lin Anqiao's stomach came in waves, and she could barely stand, until a crisp child's voice rang out.
"Auntie Qiaoqiao! You really came to pick me up!"
Song Yu ran out from the very end of the line like a little bird and threw herself into her arms. "I'm so happy!"
Lin Anqiao was stunned. Caught in a full embrace by the little girl, she instinctively hugged her tightly.
Song Yu took her hand and grandly announced to the director, "Director Auntie, the person who's picking me up is here! She's my little aoun..."
Lin Anqiao hurriedly pulled her back.
Fu Jingzhou frowned.
Beside them, Fu Xiaochuan also furrowed his little brow. Watching his mother holding someone else's hand, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable inside. She was his own mother—why was she picking up another child? Just because she was throwing a tantrum with Auntie Yusu? Mom was just too willful.
"Who are you? What right do you have to make her pick you up?" Fu Xiaochuan asked with displeasure.
Song Yu let out a huff. She was a gifted child; she had just arrived at the kindergarten, and her little uncle had already told her all about his little aunt. This clumsy-looking little boy in front of her was her little aunt's son.
"What business is it of yours?" Song Yu asked, her cheeks flushed, looking like a little pink rice dumpling. "And who are you to her?"
Fu Xiaochuan choked. "She's obviously my mo—" Then, remembering he wanted to punish his mother, he immediately changed his tune. "Our family's nanny!"
Lin Anqiao found it all ironic. She suddenly let out a laugh, pinched Song Yu's little cheek, and said, "Let's go home."
Song Yu obediently gave an affirmative response, instantly dropping her defiant attitude, and held her hand as she obediently walked along with her.
Staring at the woman's retreating back, Fu Xiaochuan frowned tightly, a sense of panic stirring in his heart.
He had only been a little nicer to Auntie Yusu—did Mom really have to get this angry? How could a grown-up mother throw a tantrum at a child like him?!
...
They hadn't walked far before the pain in her stomach spread, and Lin Anqiao clutched her stomach in discomfort.
Beside her, however, Song Yu noticed something was wrong. "Auntie Qiaoqiao, are you not feeling well? Shall we go sit in a cafe for a while?"
Lin Anqiao was startled. She considered herself quite good at putting up a facade.
Whenever she had stomachaches back at the Fu Family, Fu Jingzhou and Fu Xiaochuan never reacted much at all. A husband of seven years and her own flesh and blood—yet neither showed as much care as a little girl she had only known for a day.
Lin Anqiao stroked her head, feeling a warmth in her heart. "I'm fine."
Song Yu insisted on taking her to the cafe next to the shopping mall to sit for a while, and wouldn't let up until her stomach pain gradually subsided.
Just as they stepped out of the cafe, Lin Anqiao ran straight into Fu Jingzhou and the others.
"Lin Anqiao, haven't you made enough of a scene?" Fu Jingzhou asked coldly, his gaze shifting to Song Yu. "Borrowing a child to put on an act? Deliberately trying to anger your own biological son? He was just a little close to Yusu, do you have to be like this?"
Lin Anqiao was almost amused to the point of laughter.
Before she could speak, she heard Qiao Yusu chime in, "I'm so sorry, there were just too many people at the kindergarten earlier, so I didn't explain."
Qiao Yusu casually hooked her arm around Fu Jingzhou's, smiling brightly. "Fu Ge and I definitely have nothing going on! We're purely good pals, and if there had been anything between us, it would have happened long ago. Right, Fu Ge?"
Fu Jingzhou said nothing, which was taken as tacit agreement.
As her gaze landed on their intimate posture, Lin Anqiao suddenly smiled. Fu Jingzhou had never once allowed her to link arms with him in front of outsiders. Not even once.
"Auntie Yusu," Fu Xiaochuan began with a displeased expression. "A housewife like my mom just loves female competition. No matter how much you explain to her, it's useless—she just loves treating everyone as an imaginary enemy! Honestly, instead of all that, she should spend some time improving herself!"
Hearing her son's biting words, Lin Anqiao felt a sharp pain in her stomach, but her heart felt utterly relieved.
She smiled again. "You're right, I should spend time on myself."
As for the past seven years, she would just consider it as feeding her sincerity to the dogs.
Fu Jingzhou frowned deeply. "What do you mean?"
Lin Anqiao pulled Song Yu close and lowered her eyes. "I've already drawn up the divorce agreement. I'll have it sent over via express delivery a bit later—make sure you sign it."
She looked down at Fu Xiaochuan, smiled, and reached out her hand as if wanting to stroke his head. Just as a final farewell.
But Fu Xiaochuan frowned and dodged her hand. "I only praised Auntie Yusu a little, and you're throwing a tantrum and making a scene like this. You're so immature."
His tone was full of disgust.
"Then go find yourself another mother." Lin Anqiao withdrew her hand indifferently, feeling the sharp pain spread through her stomach once more, and smiled unconcernedly.
Things had come to this; she only had three months left anyway, and she had long since let go.
"Are you using a divorce to threaten me?" The coldness in Fu Jingzhou's eyes deepened.
Her voice was soft as she turned her head to look at Fu Jingzhou. "It's not a threat. It's just that him and you—I don't want either of you anymore."
With that, she cleanly and decisively took Song Yu's hand and walked away.
Fu Xiaochuan stared at her retreating back, feeling a trace of panic.
How could this be?
How could Mom possibly not want him?
She must just be trying to get their attention again!
Putting on a facade of composure, Fu Xiaochuan said, "Hmph, she's definitely acting up again! Dad, you've really spoiled Mom rotten!"
Hearing his son's words, Fu Jingzhou furrowed his brow tightly, a flash of panic sweeping through his heart.
A surge of irritation welled up, and he frowned deeply.
He had indeed spoiled her rotten. Every single time she threw a tantrum, she used divorce to threaten him.
Fu Jingzhou called out coldly to her retreating figure, "Lin Anqiao, remember what you said today! It won't be so easy if you ever want to return to the Fu Family in the future!"