You Owe Me, My Love
Chapter 323

Chapter 323 He Is Unwanted

Wu Nian went back into the kitchen. She washed the carrots and cabbages before dicing them intotiny bits. Then, she added minced meat to the respective diced vegetables.

Gu Yan followed her into the kitchen. He tilted his head and asked, “Ms. Wu, why are you not havingdinner with us? You haven't eaten anything yet. You must be hungry.”

Curling her lips into a smile, Wu Nian kneeled in front of the boy. “Oh, Yanny, you're just so kind.Don't worry; I'm not hungry. I'll prepare some dumplings for myself later.”

“I want to have some too, perhaps one of each flavor! Can you make them for me as well?" askedGu Yan while holding up his index finger.

“Sure. But promise me you'll go to bed before nine.” Wu Nian fished out her phone and saw it wasalmost eight o'clock. Noticing it was still in recording mode, she turned the recording function off.Looking at Wu Nian expectantly, Gu Yan asked, “Ms. Wu, do you know how to tell a story? I want tolisten to a bedtime story.”

"Of course. You can first think of the story you want to listen to later. Now, it's time for you to take ashower.” With that, Wu Nian stood up.

Gu Yan lowered his head and toyed with his fingers, unwilling to leave the kitchen. He looked as ifhe had something to say.

Wu Nian took notice of his strange behavior, so she once again kneeled in front of him. “What'swrong?”

The boy pursed his lips as his eyes reddened. “I don't want to leave. Daddy is at Ms. Zhou's, andshe’s Gu Ruoxin's Mommy. They're a family, but I'm alone. I feel lonely and unwanted when I see thethree of them together.”

Hearing that, Wu Nian’s heart wrenched in pain. She had never thought the bright and cheerful GuYan would think of it that way. Holding the boy's hands, she comforted him, “Of course you're notunwanted. Let me ask you, do you know who's the person your Daddy loves the most?”

Gu Yan shook his head, keeping his head down

Wu Nian explained patiently, “It's your Mommy. Think about it, if your Daddy really loved Ms. Zhou,he would've married her long ago. Am I right?”

Although he still couldn't fully understand her words, Yanny nodded nevertheless and wiped histears

"You're the child of the woman he loves, so of course he loves you more. You're not unwanted eventhough the three of them are together. You're still your Daddy's child.” Wu Nian helped wipe thetears from the corners of Gu Yan's eyes.

The boy finally broke into a smile. “I feel better now after hearing your words. Nian, I can only callyou Ms. Wu when Daddy is around since he wants me to be polite, but can I call you Nian whenthere's only the two of us?”

"Of course.” Then, she suggested, “Yanny, why don't I teach you how to wrap dumplings? We canspeed up the process if we prepare them together.”

“Sure!” Gu Yan immediately washed his hands.

After that, Wu Nian started teaching him patiently.

She noticed Gu Yan was a fast learner. Not only did he pick up the dumpling wrapping skills fast, theend products were all beautiful and satisfactory.

“Yanny, you're very clever!” she praised sincerely.

“That's because Daddy and Mommy are clever. I inherited my cleverness from them.”

Wu Nian let out a heartfelt smile at his words.

With Gu Yan's help, they managed to wrap a few trays of dumplings in no time. Wu Nian placed twodumplings of each flavor into the boiling water.

Just then, Gu Mingchen called out, “Yanny, it's time to take your shower!”

Gu Yan replied, “We're almost done! I want to help Ms. Wu with the dumplings before I go shower.”Wu Nian watched the little boy as he wrapped the dumplings seriously. With a smile, she said,"Yanny, go take your shower first. The dumplings will be ready by the time you finish your shower.”"Okay then.” Gu Yan complied as he cleaned his hands and left the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Wu Nian continued wrapping the dumplings.

“Thank you for today. The dinner is delicious.” Just then, Gu Mingchen noticed the stain on her shirtsomewhere around her waist. Thinking she might have suffered a burn as well, he left the kitchenand soon came back with a tube of ointment. “Here you go. Apply some ointment.”

“Thanks, Mr. Gu.” Wu Nian took the tube from him. She then placed it aside and continuedwrapping the dumplings.

“You haven't eaten dinner yet, I suppose?” the man asked.

“Never mind, I'm not hungry anyway. I can have some dumplings later. I'll store the extra dumplingsin the fridge and label the ziplock bags so that you can cook them for the kids tomorrow morning.They'll stay fresh in the fridge. Oh, by the way, does Xin like durian and garlic-flavored crayfish?” WuNian asked cautiously.

Gu Mingchen answered, “No. Xin detests strong-smelling food like garlic and durian. Also, he'sallergic to crayfish.”

Hearing that, Wu Nian raised her brows; she seemed to have understood something. “Then doesYanny like spicy food?”

“Yanny's foster parents were from Horington, so they have a fondness for spicy food. Yanny can eatspicy food, but I don't allow him to because he has mild gastritis.”

Wu Nian asked worriedly, “He has mild gastritis?"

"Yes, because of eating too much spicy food. That's why I forbid him from taking any spicy food. I'lltalk to you in detail when you come on Sunday.” Gu Mingchen looked toward the pot that wasspluttering and reminded, “It's boiling.”

“Oh.” Wu Nian directed her attention to the stove. Steam gushed out the moment she lifted the lid.The broth was bubbling in the pot, and the crescent-shaped dumplings were seen floating on thesurface.

She added some water into the pot, turned the gas stove to medium-low heat before closing thelid.

Gu Mingchen didn't leave the kitchen, his gaze tracing her movements as she brought the broth toa simmer.

Noticing his gaze, Wu Nian turned to look at him in confusion. “Mr. Gu, is there anything else?”Narrowing his eyes, Gu Mingchen asked blatantly, “Zhou Hailan told you Xin likes durian and garlic-flavored crayfish? And that Yanny likes spicy food?”

Wu Nian pursed her lips. “Since we're going to meet often in the future, it's better that I don'texpose her to avoid awkwardness. I'll make sure to be more cautious.”

Gu Mingchen nodded understandingly. “I want some dumplings as well. Ten will do.”

Wu Nian asked politely, “Mr. Gu, should we ask Ms. Zhou and Xin if they would like to have some? IfI didn't prepare theirs, I'm afraid they might feel displeased.”

Gu Mingchen nodded. As he walked out of the kitchen, Gu Yan came running in with his faceflushed.

“Daddy!” the boy greeted perfunctorily as he ran past Gu Mingchen.

The latter felt a little helpless and downhearted as his eyes followed his son entering the kitchen

Gu Yan had been living with his foster parents since he was still a baby and only came back last year.Thus, he was not used to living in a new environment. Not only that, the boy was not close to him,being over-polite and distant. Sometimes, he would even hide from him.

Gu Mingchen was worried that Gu Yan might feel lonely. Since Zhou Hailan was in poor health, hedecided to bring Gu Ruoxin to live with him.

He thought the two little ones would get along pretty well since they were about the same age.

Yet, Gu Ruoxin wanted so badly for him to be with Zhou Hailan.

As a result, Gu Yan became aware of it. Nevertheless, he never fought with his half-brother. The boywould quietly leave whenever he saw his father together with Gu Ruoxin and Zhou Hailan. Seeingthat made Gu Mingchen's heart ache.