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Zhang Shanni waved her hand dismissively, content to sit in her chair. Xiao Qi and Xiao Si, both children, were not even ten years old combined—how could they possibly harm her?
The little aunt must have been frightened by the sight of her bulging belly... Perhaps, she was traumatized or had a psychological shadow because of Wang Xiaocui’s miscarriage?
Of course, Zhang Shanni wouldn’t ask such embarrassing and uncomfortable questions in front of so many people; instead, she started interacting with the two adorable children.
"Come, Xiao Si, Xiao Qi, come here, let Second Aunt see if our brave little warrior and princess have grown taller?" Zhang Shanni beckoned them over with a tender smile, her expression unchanged.
She noticed that after being reminded by the little aunt, the children’s initial excitement at seeing her instantly turned into alarm; they looked at her with a guarded expression... at her belly?
It seems that indeed, both children were severely frightened by their biological mother, Wang Xiaocui!
"Second Aunt~~ Xiao Si and Xiao Qi really missed you."
Xiao Si, pulling Xiao Qi along, slowly approached Zhang Shanni, reminded by their little aunt that Second Aunt’s figure was different than before. Upon seeing Zhang Shanni’s belly swell like their mother’s, Xiao Si instinctively became defensive.
The natural closeness they felt when they first found Zhang Shanni was gone. Instead, there was a hesitant desire to approach yet retreat.
If it weren’t for Zhang Shanni continuously smiling and waving at him and his sister, making him feel safe, he would not dare bring his sister over.
In fact, Xiao Si only led Xiao Qi to a point three steps away from Zhang Shanni and dared not get any closer to her body.
His face was a mixture of admiration and fright as he softly spoke, with Xiao Qi nodding in agreement, looking equally downhearted.
Xiao Qi also took a dislike to pregnant women, seeing such a figure filled her with bloodied fears!
"What’s the matter, Xiao Si, Xiao Qi, do you not remember Second Aunt?" Zhang Shanni bent down to lift Xiao Qi onto her lap; her belly was large, but for someone four months pregnant, holding a child was still manageable.
"I remember." Xiao Qi was still little and instinctively responded to Zhang Shanni’s words.
Although Xiao Qi was the youngest, she had a natural intuition for good and evil due to her mother’s dislike. Beyond Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad, her favorites were the little aunt and Second Aunt.
Having spent more time with Zhang Shanni recently, even Xie Jingzi couldn’t compete with Zhang Shanni for a place in the little girl’s heart.
Although Xiao Qi replied, her actions avoided Zhang Shanni’s protruding belly even more, showing a frightened little expression.
"Don’t be afraid, Xiao Qi, inside there is your little brother or sister. They’re now in Second Aunt’s belly and will come out to say hello in five months. Wait until they’re a bit bigger, and they’ll be sure to join you in playing with mud."
"Little brother or sister?" Xiao Qi had always thought she was the youngest. Could it be that she would have a brother or sister?
Actually, the Fourth Family just had a son, so Xiao Qi was no longer the youngest, but she had never seen him. Clearly, she didn’t quite understand what the adults were saying.
"Yes, Xiao Qi, you now have a little brother, Xiao Ba, and in five months, you’ll have Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi!"
While speaking, Zhang Shanni gently rubbed her own belly with Xiao Qi, enticing Xiao Si to interact with them as well.
Just at that moment, as if by coincidence, Zhang Shanni’s belly cleverly moved a bit, as if communicating with Xiaoqi.
"Ah!" Xiaoqi exclaimed in surprise while Xiao Si joyfully shouted: "Xiaoqi, the baby actually said hello to you!"
Xie Jingyang was so moved that he almost had tears in his eyes. Xie Jingzi, seeing her older brother lose composure, gently patted his shoulder.
Ever since the two children began to reject their birth mother Wang Xiaocui, they also implemented a punishment of guilt by association towards Xie Jingyang. Thankfully, the children were still young and didn’t hold grudges very well, and after feeling Xie Jingyang’s sincerity and kindness, the father-son, father-daughter bond gradually thickened.
But still being forced to grow up, Xiao Si and Xiaoqi’s closeness to Xie Jingyang was like having a barrier; even though it should be the closest relationship, it wasn’t as comfortable as with relatives like Xie Jingzi and Zhang Shanni.
Not to mention compared to grandparents Xie Tiesheng and Zhou Xiuhua.
Now, thanks to the genuine influence of Zhang Shanni, Xiao Si and Xiaoqi finally regained their innocent and simple smiles. How could Xie Jingyang not be touched?
Xie Tiesheng knew that in recent days, Xiaoqi had almost cried herself to sleep every night, and Xiao Si’s abundant love could not make up for the lost maternal love.
Only Zhang Shanni, because of her pregnancy, with her natural maternal kindness, was able to move Xiaoqi’s closed heart... Especially what her brother said, it turns out, it was Xiaojiu and Xiao Shi saying hello to her!
In little Xiaoqi’s heart, there finally was a feeling: she was no longer just having a brother, she would have Second Aunt, she would have Dad, she would have Xiaojiu, Xiao Shi... and Sister Xiao Wu... Those siblings and relatives she had intentionally forgotten, finally surged back into her little heart...
Xiaoqi looked at the happily smiling Second Aunt, with a face as warm as the sunshine, and she softly called ’Mom’ in her heart. This was what ’Mom’ felt like.
Xiao Si was also very happy, seeing his sister finally smiling, he smiled happier than anyone else!
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