On the last day before Wang Keke's kindergarten break, Liu Renzhi and Lin Wanyi went to pick her up together.
They still each held one of Wang Keke's hands.
Wang Keke was beyond excited:
"Mommy, I'm going to be a first-grader soon, really soon!"
Lin Wanyi looked at her gently:
"Yes, a first-grader. You have to be more responsible now, and no more lying in bed in the morning, okay?"
Wang Keke let out an "oh" and quietly defended herself:
"I don't lie in bed every day."
Liu Renzhi shook Wang Keke's arm and said:
"Come on, let's take you out to have some fun, to celebrate my Keke's kindergarten graduation."
Just as the three of them were happily about to get into the car, Wang Hao suddenly appeared.
Lin Wanyi froze in place. She never expected to see Wang Hao here.
Wang Keke quickly hid behind her:
"Mommy, Mommy, look, it really is Daddy.
"I saw him that day."
Lin Wanyi shielded Wang Keke, and Liu Renzhi shielded Lin Wanyi.
He stood between Wang Hao and Lin Wanyi:
"Wang Hao, what are you doing here?"
Wang Hao looked past him at Lin Wanyi:
"Wanyi, don't be scared. I just came to see Keke.
"She's graduated from kindergarten, hasn't she?"
Liu Renzhi still didn't move aside.
Lin Wanyi said nothing, so he spoke first:
"Wang Hao, Keke doesn't want to see you."
Wang Hao finally shifted his gaze to Liu Renzhi:
"Liu Renzhi, what business is it of yours if I come to see my daughter?
"You'd better mind your own business."
Liu Renzhi repeated himself:
"Keke doesn't want to see you."
Wang Hao curled his lips:
"What are you talking about? She's my daughter, I'm her father.
"How could she not want to see me?"
Then he waved at Wang Keke:
"Keke, Daddy knows you graduated from kindergarten today, so I came specially to take you out to eat.
"Come on, let's go with Mommy. The three of us—a family—will go eat something delicious, okay?"
When he said "the three of us as a family," he deliberately shot a glare at Liu Renzhi.
Wang Keke got even more scared. She tightly clutched Lin Wanyi's hand:
"No, Mommy, I don't want to go out with Daddy.
"He'll send me to Auntie again. I don't want to see Auntie. I don't want to be with Auntie."
Lin Wanyi finally snapped out of the shock of suddenly seeing Wang Hao.
Her body was still trembling a little:
"Wang Hao, how... how are you here?"
Wang Hao stepped forward:
"Wanyi, don't get nervous. I know we're already divorced, and I'm not here to harass you.
"I just came to see Keke. After all, she's my only child.
"It's only right that I come see her."
How could Lin Wanyi not be nervous?
She even went into fight-or-flight mode just hearing Wang Hao's name, let alone seeing him alive and in front of her.
"You've seen her now. She's fine. Go back."
Lin Wanyi gave Wang Hao no chance. She wouldn't give him even an inch.
Last time, Wang Hao nearly cost Wang Keke her life.
How could she ever let him near Keke again?
Wang Hao refused to give up:
"Wanyi, I came all this way. Can't I even have a meal with my daughter?
"Even the law says I have the right to visit her."
Lin Wanyi still refused:
"I told you, Keke doesn't want to see you.
"Please leave now."
"What do you mean, she doesn't want to see me?"
Wang Hao had planned before coming not to lose his temper in front of Lin Wanyi and Wang Keke.
He wanted to maintain a good image, to rebuild himself as a good husband and good father in their eyes.
But he couldn't keep up the act for even a minute.
Seeing Lin Wanyi reject him without hesitation, he blew up again:
"Is it that she doesn't want to, or you don't want her to? You're the one brainwashing her, filling her head with the idea of not wanting to see me.
"Lin Wanyi, you don't have the right to decide for Keke."
Lin Wanyi opened the car door, helped Keke inside, closed the door, and then turned to face Wang Hao:
"Wang Hao, I don't know why you're here again, but I'm telling you, we're already divorced.
"Keke's custody is with me. She doesn't want to see you, and I will never, ever hand her over to you."
Wang Hao's hands clenched into fists, but he still suppressed his emotions.
Calm down, calm down.
He screamed inwardly.
This time he had come determined to win Lin Wanyi back.
No matter what she said, he wouldn't let it get to him.
So he continued:
"I really just wanted to see you both. Wanyi, we were married for eight years. Can that really be cut clean?"
"Why can't it?"
Lin Wanyi stared unblinkingly at Wang Hao:
"As far as I'm concerned, we've been done and dusted for a long time.
"Wang Hao, stop pestering me and our daughter.
"I told you, after the divorce, we're strangers. From now on, you go your way, and I'll go mine."
Wang Hao wouldn't back down:
"But I am still Keke's father. She carries my blood.
"Wanyi, I can't let you go. I regret everything.
"I haven't slept a single night properly these days. I think of you every moment.
"I really regret it. Let's get remarried. I..."
The rest of his words got stuck in his throat.
Because right in front of him, right under his nose, Lin Wanyi stood on her tiptoes and kissed Liu Renzhi on the lips.
And the moment Liu Renzhi felt Lin Wanyi's lips, he immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her back more deeply.
Wang Hao went mad.
They were provoking him, pushing his buttons.
But Lin Wanyi just hooked her arm through Liu Renzhi's:
"Wang Hao, see that? I have a boyfriend now.
"Please don't disturb me, and don't make my boyfriend misunderstand."
"Misunderstand? Boyfriend?"
Wang Hao wished he could just slap Lin Wanyi across the face.
He roared: "You loose—"
But before he could finish his curse, Liu Renzhi pushed him aside, took Lin Wanyi by the hand, and helped her into the car.
The driver stepped on the gas and drove off. They simply left.
All that was left for Wang Hao was a stench of exhaust fumes.
Liu Renzhi had completely ignored him, not even sparing him a second glance.
That hurt Wang Hao more than if they had beaten him to death.
He flailed his fists at the air:
"Bitch! Slut! Tramp!
"I won't let you marry Liu Renzhi. I won't let you marry any other man except me."
The curses poured from his mouth, but his eyes reddened quietly.
What the hell am I doing?
He scolded himself in his mind.
He came to beg Lin Wanyi to get back together, to win her back.
But as soon as he saw Liu Renzhi, he lost his temper again.
He had actually planned to pick up Wang Keke today.
Wang Keke was his ticket, his excuse.
But as soon as he arrived, he saw Liu Renzhi.
He wanted to kick that man to death.
He had spent a long time calming himself down before showing his face, trying to leave a good impression on Lin Wanyi.
But why did Lin Wanyi have to make him so angry?
Why did she deliberately kiss Liu Renzhi in front of him?
That image kept replaying in his head.
Just imagining Lin Wanyi possibly sleeping with Liu Renzhi drove him insane.
No.
Absolutely not.
She was his woman. He wouldn't give her up.
No matter what.
In the car.
Lin Wanyi held Wang Keke in her arms.
Liu Renzhi pressed close to Lin Wanyi.
He could sense the fear in both mother and daughter.
His heart ached for them — for the two of them.
He said to Wang Keke,
“Keke, how about Uncle takes you to the amusement park?
“Uncle and Mommy will go with you.”
Wang Keke was still just a child, after all.
At the mention of the amusement park, her eyes lit up.
But Lin Wanyi said,
“It’s almost dark.”
“That’s okay.”
Liu Renzhi made a quick call to Liu Siyue, then said to Lin Wanyi,
“There’s a night session. The lights make it even more fun.”
