"Well, yes. I've been tasked to look after her because Nora Jang left her behind." The middle-aged woman spat in annoyance. No matter how you look at it, she didn't seem to enjoy taking care of children.

But it was expected since Claire never liked children. She was forced to take on the job to take care of them because she was in need of money.

But that wasn't the only reason. She knew Nora Jang for several years and has been in bad blood. Hence, when she saw the nanny coming to the orphanage and left a child in their care, she was seething in anger and wanted to throw the two away.

Unfortunately, Teresa stopped her and when she tried to go against her order, Teresa made her watch over the child in return.

Claire greeted Yan Xiaoran and turned to Teresa, "Anyway, from what I can see, you were looking for me?"

"Oh no! Not you. The child, silly." Teresa laughed and looked at the child in her arms. The little girl was trying to get out of Claire's embrace and was on the verge of crying.

She looked at Yan Xiaoran and smiled, "This is the child that Nora left behind before she left."

A few days ago, Nanny Jang or Nora Jang came to the orphanage. It was raining a lot and she was in hurry. And it wasn't because she was running late for something but because she couldn't wait to get rid of the child in her arms.

She quickly pushed the child to Teresa the moment the doors of the orphanage was opened before leaving with the cash she got from her.

The child's lips quivered. Her eyes were looking around and tears were already pooling inside it.

When the child's eyes landed on Yan Xiaoran, she held her hands out. She wanted to reach her and kicked Claire to get away from her.

"Silly, child!" Claire cried out when she almost let go of the child when she was kicked. "Behave now!"

The child only cried out even more as she outstretched her hands towards Yan Xiaoran.

Yan Xiaoran was shocked at the child's action towards her and felt strange. The child was surely sensing something between them but because she was too young to point what it was, it only made her reach for Yan Xiaoran. Was she supposed to take her hand and carry her? But Yan Xiaoran was unsure if she should do that.

She meant that they share the same mother but Yan Xiaoran hated their mother so much that she wanted to kill her and the child shared the same blood as the people who made her suffer.

But was Yan Xiaoran as evil as the Zhao family and Yu Jin Yan that she would include the toddler in her revenge?

Of course not.

"Don't be so harsh towards her. She's just a child." She told Claire. She didn't like how the middle-aged woman shouted at a two-year-old girl.

"Tsk!" Claire clicked her tongue and gave Teresa a stare before she said, "Are you done? I still need to put this child to sleep so I'll leave first."

Teresa was about to nod her head since Yan Xiaoran finally saw the child that Nora Hang left behind but Yan Xiaoran stopped them.

"No. I'm not done here yet." She said before glaring at Claire, "You can go but leave the child behind."

Teresa frowned, "What do you mean by that, Miss?"

"I mean I'll take the child with me."

…

Driving back to the hotel, Yan Xiaoran didn't know what possessed her to take Yu Jin Yan's daughter with her.

Perhaps, it was because she saw how the two women behaved in front of the child and in front of her that made her feel that it wouldn't do the child any good surrounded by them.

Who knows if Claire secretly tries to abuse the child when there's no one watching.

That woman clearly didn't like the child. But as for what reason does she have to hate the child, Yan Xiaoran guessed that it has something to do with Nora since Claire spat out her name like it was a venomous snake.

Sighing heavily, Yan Xiaoran turned her head to look at the little girl sitting next to her. Zhao Yurong… that was the name Yu Jin Yan came up with after giving birth to her.

Yan Xiaoran sighed again.

The child has been staring at her admiringly. Her eyes were beaming with joy and adoration.

"Look at you. So innocent that you even wanted to come with the woman who will ruin your family and mother." Yan Xiaoran poked the squishy cheeks of the child and became addicted to it.

She never felt anything so soft and squishy at the same time!

Every so often, she would squeeze her cheeks and caress the child's head while driving. Yan Xiaoran felt the tiredness in her body going away whenever she touched the squishy cheeks that were almost comparable to a mochi.

In no time, Yan Xiaoran finally reached the hotel where she and Alexander temporarily stayed. She took the little girl from the passenger seat and held her in her embrace before heading towards their room.

As Yan Xiaoran walked, the more she became nervous. But the little girl was the opposite of her as she studied the buttons on Yan Xiaoran's dress and giggled.

At least the little girl was enjoying herself too much and no longer cried.

Stopping before the doors to their room, Yan Xiaoran pulled out her key card and opened the door.

She walked inside the room that was identical to what an apartment would look like and saw Alexander eating in the dining area.

At the same time, Alexander had just put a spoonful of food in his mouth and raised his head when he saw her.

His eyes widened infinitesimally as his eyes landed on the little girl in her arms.

Alexander: "…"