The Heartless Omega: I Only Want My Daughter - Chapter 18

The night gradually grew quiet, and the previously ignored chirping of cicadas now rang incessantly in their ears.

The bed was pushed right against the wall, next to an old wooden window that had been weathered and battered by years of wind and rain. Outside, the moonlight was beautiful, casting a glow onto the azure quilt and reflecting off Pei Zhiyun’s preoccupied face.

Pei Zhiyun lay between Little Doubao and Wen Ying. Pillowing her head on her hand, she lay on her side, silently watching the sleeping Little Doubao, while Wen Ying’s rhythmic breathing sounded from behind her.

As Little Doubao grew older and more sensible, she had asked many times: “Where is Mama? Did I pop out of a rock?”

Pei Zhiyun didn’t know how to answer, so like many adults, she simply told her: “Mama went to a place far away, and she’ll be back when Little Doubao grows up.”

Pei Zhiyun never intended to explain this deception, thinking that the child would understand on her own once she was older. Just as Pei Zhiyun herself had eventually come to understand that when adults said they were “busy with work” or “had no time,” it really meant they were off taking care of another family and another daughter.

She was merely an existence born of necessity for both sides.

In some ways, Pei Zhiyun felt Little Doubao was very similar to her. When the girl was born, no one welcomed her; no one felt that this new life was something worth celebrating. She, too, was an existence of necessity.

Pei Zhiyun had seriously wondered: If I hadn’t carried Little Doubao for ten months myself, would I still have brought her here?

In the dead of many nights, her answer was always the same: No, absolutely not. As for why, she couldn’t quite say.

Although she loved Little Doubao dearly now, she occasionally felt a sense of unreality—wondering if the little girl truly existed, or if even the “Resurrection System” she was bound to was just a figment of her imagination.

Over time, Pei Zhiyun began to fear for her own mental health and sought out a psychiatrist. She framed her experiences as a story for a novel, but the doctor told her it sounded like a delusional disorder. She was prescribed medication and underwent cognitive behavioral therapy and psychosocial interventions.

At that time, Pei Zhiyun truly believed she was a madwoman—incurably insane.

It wasn’t until Wen Ying appeared at the hospital two months ago and Little Doubao called out “Ma” that Pei Zhiyun felt as if she had been pulled from a dark, foggy mire. Only then, standing on the shore and breathing freely, did she believe that everything she had experienced was real.

Wen Ying was the proof that the other world she had visited actually existed. She wasn’t crazy.

In the Southern summer, the sun rises as early as 5:00 AM. Wen Ying woke up habitually at the sound of a rooster crowing in the yard. She opened her eyes blearily, and as she regained consciousness and prepared to get up, she realized she was holding someone. Looking closer, it was Zhiyun, curled up in her arms and sleeping peacefully with her eyes closed.

Wen Ying’s body froze instantly. She didn’t dare move an inch for fear of waking her.

“Mama, you’re awake,” Little Doubao suddenly called out in a milky voice.

Wen Ying looked over. Little Doubao was sitting up with messy hair, scratching her arms and legs. “Mama, mosquito bites.”

Mosquitos? There had indeed been a lot of buzzing last night.

Wen Ying remembered there was a bottle of repellent in the suitcase. She looked down at the woman in her arms, carefully slid her arm out from under Zhiyun’s neck, and peeled back the quilt to slip out of bed. She gestured to Little Doubao and whispered, “Mama will take you outside to put on some repellent. Let Mommy sleep a bit longer.”

“Mhm.” Little Doubao nodded, scrambled to her feet, circled around Pei Zhiyun at the foot of the bed, and reached out her arms to Wen Ying.

Wen Ying picked her up, supporting her with one hand as she opened the door to go outside.

Pei Zhiyun remained on the bed, sleeping alone.

Sitting on the sofa outside, Wen Ying lifted the sleeves and pant legs of the child’s pajamas and found several large, red bumps on her fair skin. While spraying the repellent, Wen Ying said, “I’m putting this on you, but you can’t scratch them anymore, okay? If you break the skin, it will bleed.”

“Okay,” Little Doubao replied obediently from Wen Ying’s arms. She let out a massive yawn, her eyes red. “Mama, I’m hungry. I want to eat.”

“You want to eat? Let’s go wash up first, okay? After that, Mama will give you some milk.” Wen Ying coaxed her softly.

Little Doubao didn’t make a fuss. She nodded, stood up, and wrapped her arms around Wen Ying’s neck. “Mama, carry me there.”

“Alright.”

Wen Ying set down the repellent and carried the girl out to wash up. Since the sun was up, the weather wasn’t too cold, so cold water was fine. Wen Ying brought out the toothbrushes and cups for the three of them. She squeezed toothpaste onto Little Doubao’s brush first, then onto Pei Zhiyun’s, and finally her own.

The two of them, one big and one small, squatted by the vegetable garden to brush their teeth while a staff member filmed them. Unaware that even this would be recorded, they felt a bit shy and huddled close together, their movements becoming much more graceful. Pei Zhiyun had warned them that the whole country would be watching, so they had to mind their image during filming.

Pei Zhiyun was eventually woken by the noise in the yard. She instinctively rolled over to reach for Little Doubao, but finding the spot empty, she bolted upright in a panic. Seeing the overturned quilt, she realized the child wasn’t in bed and immediately looked for Wen Ying, who was also gone.

Knowing they were together, she breathed a sigh of relief. She sat up, changed into the clothes she had prepared the night before, and went outside after a quick comb of her hair.

Little Doubao and Wen Ying had already finished washing up. Wen Ying was sitting in the chair from last night’s interview, braiding the child’s hair, while Little Doubao snacked on a small tomato she had picked from the garden.

The crew had informed them that the vegetables in the garden were free to eat for now since the production had already paid for them, but later on, they would have to exchange points for them. This was one of today’s tasks.

Pei Zhiyun stepped out of the house. The sun was already hitting the doorway. “Little Doubao,” she called out as she walked toward them.

The girl looked up sharply. “Mommy! You’re awake. Did you sleep well last night?”

“I did.” Pei Zhiyun leaned down to gently wipe a tomato seed from the corner of the child’s mouth. “When did you wake up?”

Little Doubao took another bite of the tomato. “Hmm… a long time ago. Mama and I already brushed our teeth and washed our faces.”

“Good.” Pei Zhiyun looked at Wen Ying, who was focused on braiding hair.

Not wanting to disturb them, she walked to the stone table, picked up her toothbrush and cup, and went to wash up.

By the time the family of three was ready, it was only a bit after 6:00 AM. Since the mission wasn’t until 8:00, Pei Zhiyun wanted to take Little Doubao for a walk. The countryside air was fresh, and since they had arrived so late last night, they hadn’t seen much of the surroundings.

Pei Zhiyun knelt down to adjust the child’s sweatpants. “Doubao, shall we go for a walk?”

Little Doubao nodded, hugged Pei Zhiyun, and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek. “Okay!”

“Mhm, let’s go.” Pei Zhiyun kissed her back.

After the kiss, Little Doubao turned to Wen Ying and pointed at her own cheek. “Mama, kiss too.”

Wen Ying was packing the child’s water bottle into a backpack. She turned back, zipped the bag, slung it over her shoulder, and knelt down to take the girl’s hand and kiss her cheek. Little Doubao returned the favor with a kiss for Wen Ying as well.

Wen Ying stood up with a smile and looked at Pei Zhiyun, who was looking down at the child with a tender gaze. Her eyes were bright, and her smile was stunning. She was truly beautiful.

The cameraman stepped back to make room and accidentally kicked a bucket. The clatter snapped Wen Ying out of her thoughts. She quickly composed herself, adjusted her backpack, and followed them out.

Once outside, they realized how beautiful the environment was. Opposite the residences was a river called the Li River. The water was clear and winding, with lush, leafy trees lining the banks. The paths were well-landscaped with white fences that felt natural against the backdrop of rolling green mountains. It was a true picture of “green hills and clear waters.”

Pei Zhiyun and Wen Ying walked side by side in the back. Little Doubao was in high spirits, running and skipping ahead, occasionally squatting down to examine something curious. Her childlike wonder was adorable.

“Want some water?” After walking for a while, Wen Ying took a bottle of mineral water from her bag, unscrewed it, and handed it to Pei Zhiyun.

Pei Zhiyun shook her head. “I’m not thirsty.”

Since she wasn’t thirsty and Wen Ying wasn’t either, Wen Ying capped the bottle and put it back. They continued walking in a comfortable silence.

This was a scene Wen Ying had once fantasized about.

When they first married, Wen Ying believed that the young mistress of the Pei family had requested the marriage out of love for her. She had been secretly delighted, thinking it was a blessing from three lifetimes that a mediocre person like herself could be loved by such a woman.

She hadn’t doubted this thought until the moment she died; she had even harbored resentment, thinking the lady of the Pei house had simply had a change of heart. Back then, it was Pei Zhiyun who had actively sought the marriage, yet after the wedding, she had been so cold—even after they had Cheng’er (Little Doubao), she never showed a shred of kindness or tenderness.

If it weren’t for her rebirth, and the realization that the marriage proposal was just a way for Pei Zhiyun to stay in the family and seize power, Wen Ying might never have known she was being used.

Logically, she should hate such a cold-hearted woman. But two months ago, the moment she opened her eyes in the hospital and saw Zhiyun again, Wen Ying’s heart was a whirlpool of emotions. There was resentment, but the joy was even more apparent. Wen Ying herself didn’t fully understand these feelings.

She still hadn’t figured it out.

Wen Ying turned to look at Pei Zhiyun. Just like before, those beautiful eyes were filled only with the reflection of Cheng’er.

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