"Auntie, this ...... Mom didn't tell me either. But...... She should come. I avoided Aunt Bao Juan's gaze, and my heart began to go up and down. It all happened so fast that I wasn't really prepared. I didn't expect that Aunt Bao Juan, who has always been warm-hearted, would really say this to me one day.

Hearing my words and answer, Aunt Bao Juan's face was also not good-looking.

"Is it just possible? Will she ...... Don't want Jiaqi anymore?Jiandong, do you tell your aunt that your mother will do this?"

At that moment, I could describe it with my heart, and I began to feel extremely uneasy.

"I ...... I don't know. ”

Hearing the answer I had been unsure of, Aunt Bao Juan began to become more and more irritable.

"That Jiandong, you should know that you are about to go to college, and Qiqi is almost three years old. After a while, Kiki should go to kindergarten too. It costs a lot of money to go to kindergarten, especially to go to a good kindergarten. The ordinary ones cost one or two thousand, and the better ones cost five or six thousand. In addition, kindergarten requires a household registration book and an adult's certificate. However, your mother doesn't seem to have a household registration book for Kiki. ”

Hearing Aunt Bao Juan's words, my heart sank to the bottom. As an abandoned baby, Jiaqi naturally does not have a household registration book. As for going to kindergarten, it's not that I haven't thought about it, in fact, I thought about it as early as the first time I picked up Jiaqi.

But...... I've been avoiding this question, and in my plan, I don't actually plan to send Jiaqi to kindergarten at all, my real intention is to teach Jiaqi by myself and raise her.

It seems that because she saw that my expression was very wrong, Aunt Bao Juan's face was getting worse and worse, and there was an anxious look between her eyebrows.

Jiandong ...... There is also the cost of going to kindergarten, which is thousands of dollars a year, and when you go to college, you won't come to Auntie's place often, you will definitely let Auntie and I take care of Kiki...... But these expenses of Kiki, Aunt is afraid that ......" The more she talked to the end, Aunt Bao Juan's voice became softer and softer, and in the end, her eyes were even a little red.

"Auntie, I know what you mean. Seeing Aunt Bao Juan's embarrassed appearance and gritting her teeth, I couldn't help but interrupt her.

When I said this, my aunt's eyes suddenly turned even redder, and I saw with my own eyes that Aunt Bao Juan's eyes actually left tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Jiandong, Auntie really likes Qiqi, Auntie has never seen such a smart and lovely child, and she has really always raised Qiqi as her daughter...... However, Auntie really doesn't have much money, and the business of the steamed bun shop is getting worse and worse, and if it goes on like this, Auntie really doesn't know what to do...... Jiandong, Auntie is really sorry for you. As she spoke, Aunt Bao Juan covered her mouth and cried in a low voice. "But Auntie really can't help you......"

Intermittent sobs echoed through the bun shop.

At that moment, I was at a loss for what to do.

This is the first time I have seen Aunt Bao Juan cry.

It was the first time I had been so desperate.

There are many things in a person's life that you are comfortable with before it happens, thinking that it is in the future and you don't have to worry too much about it. But when it comes to the general, he will ...... Before you know it, the day will really come. At that moment, you will be horrified to find that you are not prepared at all, so powerless, so helpless, so incompetent.

I felt my feet go limp, and my hands were shaking.

"Mother, don't cry. ”

Just when Aunt Bao Juan and I were out of control, a slurred voice broke the icy atmosphere.

(Niangniang means aunt in our vernacular)

Lowering my head, I looked at the voice at my feet in disbelief, but saw Jiaqi grabbing Aunt Bao Juan's trouser legs with her small hands, and a pair of innocent eyes were staring at Aunt Bao Juan, who was crying and her eyes were red.

Hearing this voice, even Aunt Bao Juan was stunned, only to see that she was also full of surprise and slowly lowered her head, after seeing that it was Jiaqi, Aunt Bao Juan finally couldn't control herself anymore, and picked up Jiaqi on the ground and cried.

Jiandong ...... Aunt...... It's true...... I'm sorry you guys...... Yesterday I said to my husband...... I'm going to raise Kiki...... Outcome...... He ...... yesterday Beat me up ......"

Listening to Aunt Bao Juan's thrilling narration, I was also heartbroken, but I couldn't speak.

I felt like my heart was twisted into a mess, and I felt unspeakably uncomfortable.

All of this was caused by me, and all of this was caused by me lying to Aunt Bao Juan at the beginning.

A strong sense of guilt and inner condemnation brought me to the brink of collapse.

At that moment, I felt that my nose was also sour, and my heart was full of contradictions and mixed feelings.

And at this moment, I seemed to hear a voice in my heart calling me: "Speak up, tell everything." You can't hide it anymore after all. ”

There was a fierce ideological struggle in my heart, and my emotions were out of control, so that I finally told the truth of everything at that moment.

At that time, I didn't know why, so I said to Aunt Bao Juan in such a trance: "Auntie...... Actually, Jiaqi was not born by my mother...... I picked her up. ”

I don't know why I chose to speak the truth in this moment.

But I said it anyway.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

I waited.

Aunt Bao Juan's crying was still the same, and her words were so slight.

"You...... What nonsense are you talking about......"

"Auntie, Jiaqi really picked it up by me. I picked her up three years ago. ”

Aunt Bao Juan's crying gradually stopped, and she raised her head and looked at me with red eyes.

"What the hell is this...... What's going on?"

"Auntie, listen to me. With a sigh, I slowly calmed down.

It's time. It's time to speak.

Taking a deep breath, I told the truth of everything.

From picking up Jiaqi for the first time in October three years ago, to the rule that the school later set a rule prohibiting going out at noon, and then to meeting Aunt Bao Juan when she came to see a doctor. One hundred and fifty ten, I said it all, without reservation.

When she spoke, Jiaqi kept her eyes open, as if she understood.

And Aunt Bao Juan's face gradually changed from sadness to amazement, and finally to belief.

"So, Kiki...... Did you really pick it up?"

"Auntie, I really didn't lie to you. Lowering my head, I muttered softly.

It's more like I'm saying it to myself.

Silent.

A moment of silence.

For a brief moment, neither she nor I spoke.

Then, Aunt Bao Juan stood up.

She said in a voice I had never heard before, a little agitated and a little plaintive.

"Jiandong, Auntie really misjudged you. Auntie really didn't expect you to lie to me...... I...... I really didn't expect you to do this!"

My heart is like ashes.

"Aunt Bao Juan...... I'm sorry. I shouldn't lie to you......" I bit my lip and called her one last time, "but Jiaqi must be taken care of." She was an orphan...... I'm still a student, I don't have the ability, I can't afford to support her. I don't want her to go to an orphanage...... Auntie, you ...... Can you adopt her as a daughter? Please. "At that time, I felt that my nose was sore, and my eyes were sore.

"Auntie, you can accept Jiaqi as your daughter. ”

Because I have no choice.

I can only beg her like this.

I know that Aunt Bao Juan herself is also living a difficult life. But I have no other way.

Sometimes when you are cornered, even the slightest hope can make you struggle to find it.

"I'm sorry, Auntie really can't do it. "Aunt Bao Juan wiped her tears and extinguished my last hope with cruel words. "Jiandong, Auntie also has a hard ......"

Who doesn't have a hard time?

The couple who abandoned Jiaqi didn't have any bitterness?

"Jiandong, if you can't find someone else to raise Qiqi...... The aunt felt that she could only send Kiki to an orphanage. ”

I know it's a no-brainer.

In the end, I said I would consider it.

Just begged Aunt Bao Juan to take care of Jiaqi for another day, and I said that in the evening, I would come to pick up Jiaqi.

I'll take her away.

Will never come back.

That evening, I took a leave of absence to study at night, and came to Aunt Bao Juan's shop for the last time.

Aunt Bao Juan stood at the door of the steamed bun shop, taking Jiaqi with her.

At that door, I took Jiaqi and thanked Aunt Bao Juan.

I also thanked Aunt Bao Juan for taking care of Jiaqi for three years.

Aunt Bao Juan looked at me reluctantly, and also looked at Jiaqi.

I know she genuinely likes Jiaqi.

However, she really can't afford to continue to help me take care of Jiaqi.

In the face of heavy reality, the power of love is also extremely limited.

At least, Aunt Bao Juan has already given so much for Jiaqi. I feel like I owe her so much.

In the end, it is inevitable to say goodbye.

Aunt Bao Juan told me that I should send Kiki to the orphanage as soon as possible, for her own good. She also said that if she could find someone willing to adopt Jiaqi, she would also contact me.

That means, if no one wants to adopt Jiaqi.

She and I will never see each other again.

Thank you, Auntie. Well, goodbye. I said this to Aunt Bao Juan.

It's business as usual.

"Kiki, say goodbye to Auntie. ”

"Mother, Goodnight." Jiaqi, who didn't understand anything, just waved her little hand at my urging, and said goodbye to Aunt Bao Juan with a bright smile as usual.

But I didn't know that this goodbye would be forever.

When I left, I saw Aunt Bao Juan looking at me from afar, hiding her face and crying bitterly.