The rich aroma of pork rib soup filled the kitchen.
Lillian glanced at the clock on the wall. Lunch would be ready soon, so she decided to head downstairs to the children’s play area to call Quincy back.
As she stepped out of the elevator, she instinctively looked around. Not seeing any trace of Conrad, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
When she reached the sandy play area and didn’t spot Quincy, she instinctively called out, “Quincy!?”
“Mom! I’m here.” The little boy’s voice answered.
Lillian smiled as she walked toward him. “I was wondering where you ran off to. And this is…?”
Jasmine looked up and gasped, her mouth forming a perfect “O.”
Quincy ran over and grabbed Lillian’s hand. “Mom, I found a new friend! She said her name was Jasmine, and she was here looking for her mom. Do you recognize her?”
Lillian looked at the little girl, but before she could react, the delicate, doll-like child shot toward her like a tiny cannonball, throwing her arms around her leg.
“I knew it! You are my mom! Miss Fairy, I didn’t get it wrong! You really came to pick up Jasmine, didn’t you?” She bounced excitedly, looking up at Lillian with bright, hopeful eyes. Twisting her little body, she whined, “Mommy, do you love Jasmine?”
Lillian stared at her, an inexplicable weight pressing down on her chest.
She looked into those sparkling eyes, so full of joy.
“You’re Jasmine?”
“Yes, yes! My daddy named me Jasmine.” Her voice was crisp and sweet.
Lillian crouched down, studying her closely. “You’re such a beautiful girl.”
“Fairy Mommy, you are even prettier! You look way better than in the pictures. Daddy didn’t lie to me!” Jasmine grinned and lunged to hug her.
Quincy frowned, watching the scene unfold. He muttered in a small, aggrieved voice, “She’s my mom. Weren’t you looking for your mom? Why are you grabbing onto mine?”
Just moments ago, the two kids had been playing together perfectly fine. Now, in an instant, they were at each other’s throats.
“She’s my mom!”
“No, my mom!”
“You’re stealing my mom!”
“You’re being unreasonable!”
Clearly, Quincy was no match for Jasmine. In no time, his eyes turned red, on the verge of tears.
“Alright, that’s enough. Stop arguing,” Lillian said softly. “Jasmine, did you get separated from your parents again?”
“I didn’t get lost. I came to find you. You… don’t recognize me? Why not? Daddy said Mommy would definitely recognize me because I’m just as pretty as she is.” The more she spoke, the more her little face crumpled with grievance.
She pouted, grabbed her small backpack, and turned to leave.
But after just a few steps, she took a deep breath.
Muttering to herself, Mommy hasn’t seen me in so many years. Isn’t it normal if she doesn’t remember me?
Jasmine, you are a big girl now. You shouldn’t hold it against Mommy.
Mommy finally came back…
She hesitated for a moment, then kicked a small rock at her feet in frustration before spinning around and running back.
Tugging on Lillian’s clothes, she looked up and announced, “I’m hungry.”
Quincy glanced at Jasmine, then at Lillian. “Mom, why don’t we invite her over for lunch?”
“You said it!” Jasmine didn’t even wait for Lillian’s response. Worried that she might refuse, she immediately agreed on her own behalf.
She grabbed Lillian’s hand, her tiny fingers clutching tightly. “I’m easy to feed! Just a little bit, and I’ll be full.”
A strange, aching pain swept through Lillian’s heart. Somehow, that small hand holding onto hers felt impossibly strong.
Before she even realized what she was doing, she found herself bringing the little girl home.
Jasmine made herself right at home, slipping into Quincy’s slippers as she curiously looked around.
Hmm… this place doesn’t feel very lived-in.
There were no family portraits on the walls-not as homey as Ada’s house, at least.
But there were men’s shoes, polished and spotless.
Red alert! Full security mode activated-Level One Warning!
Jasmine took a deep breath and obediently sat on the couch with Quincy. She waited until Lillian went to the kitchen before leaning in and whispering, “Hey, your mom is so young and pretty. How come you don’t look like her at all?”
Quincy popped a grape into his mouth, blinked innocently, and replied, “Because my biological mom lives in A City. She’s been busy with her art exhibition these past few months and hasn’t had time to visit me.”
Jasmine let out a deep sigh of relief, and her smile toward him became much more genuine. “So your dad got divorced?”
“Yeah.” Quincy handed her a grape. “Your eyes look just like grapes.”
“Well, of course! My eyes look exactly like my mom’s-beautiful, you know?” She tilted her chin up proudly. “So, what does your dad do? And is he married to this mom of yours?”
Quincy shook his head. “Not yet, but probably soon.”
“No way!” Jasmine suddenly shouted.
Quincy was so startled that he dropped his grape on the floor. “W-why not?”
“What do you mean why? I don’t agree with it.”
Quincy stared at her. This little girl was so fierce… so unreasonable.
He suddenly missed his dad.
Jasmine hopped off the couch and clasped her chubby hands behind her back, ready to investigate the place.
Just as she was about to wander off, Lillian’s gentle voice called out, “Lunch is almost ready. Go wash your hands first, Quincy, help the little girl.”
“Oh, okay.” Quincy had inherited Ethan’s good-natured personality-he was always polite and well-behaved.
He reached out to take Jasmine’s hand, but she instantly pulled away in disgust. “My dad says boys shouldn’t just hold my hand whenever they want.”
Quincy scratched his head. “Oh… but you still need to wash your hands.”
“I’ll find the bathroom myself.” She strutted off like she owned the place. “Is this your room?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What about this one?”
“My dad’s room.”
Jasmine peeked inside, eyes darting around. “Then I’ll wash my hands here.”
“Hey! You can’t just go into my dad’s room like that!”
Ignoring him, she pretended to be lost and instead yanked open the wardrobe. Her eyes lit up. “Wow! My dad has a lot of suits too! But… why don’t your mom’s clothes hang here?”
Quincy, having grown up living with Ethan, didn’t think much of it. “Because my mom’s room is upstairs.”
“They don’t sleep together?” Jasmine asked.
“Nope.”
Jasmine’s mood brightened instantly. She flashed an extra sweet smile at him. “I’m starting to like you a little. Maybe-just maybe-I’ll allow you to call me your little sister.”
That’s how it worked in TV dramas, right? The long-lost sister always had to give her reluctant approval first.
When Lillian went to check on them, she found the little girl obediently standing on Quincy’s step stool, washing her hands like a model student.
“All done!” Jasmine grinned brightly, hopping down and stretching out her hands for Lillian to inspect. “Mommy, look! Aren’t they super clean?”
For some reason, every time Jasmine called her Mommy, Lillian couldn’t help but think of that child.
She avoided the girl’s gaze and forced a smile. “Mm, very good. You’re such a well-behaved girl. Your parents must have raised you well, Jasmine.”
“Yeah! My dad raised me really well. He told me he loves my mom so, so much, but she got mad, so she’s not coming home for now. She’s away on a business trip.”
Lillian figured the little girl’s parents were probably divorced, and she was just looking for her mom everywhere.
Her heart melted. “Mm, I’m sure your mom loves you very much too.”
“Really?” Jasmine’s big eyes stared at her.
“Of course! You’re so adorable-who could possibly dislike you?”
Kids were easy to cheer up sometimes. Just moments ago, Jasmine had been sulking, but now, she was grinning again.
She swayed her little head as she tried to climb onto the dining chair, but Lillian scooped her up effortlessly. Jasmine took full advantage of the situation, wrapping her soft little arms around Lillian’s neck and clinging on tightly.
Quincy picked up his fork and stared at her, wide-eyed.
Jasmine, now victorious, stuck out her tongue at him. “Ahaha…!”
This is my mom!