CHAPTER 123: Wan & Shan's Side Story [4]
"I slept for so long. Did the baby cry?" Shan Pan looked up at her own mother while the child was still asleep.
Shan Pan's mother nodded. "She got angry in between and cried a few times. Your father prepared some formula for her. She's such a good baby. Even when she's hungry, she just makes a few sounds. Such a well-behaved little one."
Shan Pan smiled and nodded. "Now we need to give the baby a name. What should we call her?"
"What name does our baby want?" Shan Pan's voice was gentle as she gently squeezed the baby's little fist.
Shan Pan's mother paused, thinking for a moment. "When Wan Baiyun left, she said she wanted the baby to be named Le Le, with the full name Shan Le."
"Shan Le," Shan Pan frowned. "Does the baby have my surname?"
"Yes." Shan Pan's mother blinked her eyes. "It was a request she made when your older brother allowed her to come in."
"She didn't object?" Shan Pan was a little surprised, thinking back to how she had already given the baby many names, including Wan Shiying, at home. She felt that it wouldn't have been so easy for her to agree.
Shan Pan's mother shook her head. "No, your older brother said she didn't even hesitate to agree. The only request she had was to ask if she could come to see the baby often."
"I see..." Shan Pan lowered her gaze.
Shan Pan's mother continued, "She said if you're not satisfied with the child's name, you can change it. Your older brother said she was too casual in naming the baby, and he wasn't happy about it."
Shan Pan shook her head, recalling when she had asked Wan Baiyun what name she wanted for the baby.
Wan Baiyun had smiled and said, "I want to call her Le Le. I just hope she can be happy."
With that in mind, Shan Pan looked at her mother and said, "Let's call her Le Le. It's nice, isn't it, little Le Le?"
"Hmm, hmh, hmh," little Shan Le suddenly opened her mouth and started whimpering.
Shan Pan became flustered, looking at her mother helplessly. Her mother quickly came over, checked the baby, and picked up a fresh diaper to change her.
"She just wet herself, nothing serious."
"That's good." Shan Pan sighed in relief, looking at little Le Le, who had been changed into a fresh diaper and had stopped crying. Her eyes were filled with maternal tenderness.
After staying in the hospital for three days, Shan Pan was brought back home by her family to rest. The family quickly went to the registry office to register little Le Le's name.
Upon learning that her chosen name had been disregarded and that her granddaughter shared Shan Pan's surname, Wan Shiying made a phone call to summon Wan Baiyun back.
When Wan Baiyun arrived at the Wan household, her face was pale, and she reeked of alcohol. She maintained her usual attitude towards Wan Shiying and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Why is the child taking Shan Pan's surname? She is the child of the Wan family and should bear the Wan surname. Why should she have the Shan surname?" Wan Shiying furrowed her brow, her eyes filled with coldness.
Wan Baiyun glanced at her coldly and replied, "I think the Shan surname is fine. Besides, if she has the Shan surname, she won't be my child anymore, right? My child can have any surname, and I am fine with it."
"I disagree!" Wan Shiying glared at Wan Baiyun.
Wan Baiyun shrugged. "I am the child's mother. Your disagreement doesn't matter. When the baby turns one month old, Pan Pan and I will proceed with the divorce. At that time, the baby will be with her and will remain in the Shan family for upbringing."
"What do you mean?" Wan Shiying furrowed her brow. "Aren't you even going to fight for custody of the child?"
Wan Baiyun looked at Wan Shiying and said, "Fight for custody? How? Bring Le Le to the Wan family and let her grow up to be like me? Will you force her to do things she doesn't like, just like you forced me, sacrificing her happiness and well-being for your so-called military honor?"
"Let me tell you, you're dreaming. Unless I'm dead, don't even think about it!"
Wan Shiying's hands trembled with anger. "I did everything for your own good! Look at how well you're doing in the military now!"
"Don't try to emotionally manipulate me anymore." Wan Baiyun said with a cold face. "The personality I have now, I owe it to you. If you hadn't interfered in my relationship with Pan Pan, we wouldn't have turned out like this. Maybe she would still be innocent and happy like before. Wan Shiying, everything you've done has been for yourself. You're a selfish person."
"Don't try to portray yourself as noble anymore. It disgusts me."
With those words, Wan Baiyun turned around, furrowed her brow, and left directly.
Wan Shiying clenched her fists, realizing that it would be difficult to change Shan Le's name anytime soon unless Wan Baiyun took action herself. She had no means to intervene.
One week after Shan Pan was discharged from the hospital, Wan Baiyun came to the Shan family to visit the child.
Before Wan Baiyun arrived, Shan Pan had already left. The nanny at home taught Wan Baiyun how to hold the baby, change diapers, feed her, and burp her.
At first, Wan Baiyun was hesitant and careful, afraid that the fragile little Le Le in her arms might feel uncomfortable.
But as she watched the nanny skillfully handle little Le Le, who didn't cry at all, she became more confident and looked at her daughter in front of her, feeding her and burping her.
After being fed and satisfied, Shan Le closed her eyes and smiled with her mouth wide open.
This melted Wan Baiyun's heart as a loving mother. She affectionately held Shan Le in her arms, lowered her head, and gently kissed her forehead, her eyes filled with tenderness.
Shan Pan, who was about to remind her that visiting hours were over, paused for a moment when she saw her gentle actions. After a brief silence, she turned around and left.
"Should I go talk to her?" Shan Pan's mother walked into the study and looked at Shan Pan, who was sitting at the desk lost in thought, unable to help but ask.
Shan Pan shook her head. "There's nothing left to talk about. I've said everything I wanted to say before. When the baby turns one month old, we'll proceed with the divorce."
"Okay," Shan Pan's mother nodded, then turned her head towards the direction of the baby's room and let out a sigh.
After Shan Le turned one month old, Shan Pan and Wan Baiyun met at the registration office.
Shan Pan was young, but in just one month, she had almost returned to her former self. However, compared to her past naivety and innocence, there was a hint of maturity in her eyes.
"How's your health?" Wan Baiyun hadn't seen Shan Pan for a month. During this time, she had visited their daughter several times, but each time she hadn't seen Shan Pan. It seemed like Shan Pan was deliberately avoiding her.
Shan Pan nodded. "I'm doing fine."
"That's good." Wan Baiyun sighed in relief. "Let's go." After completing the divorce procedures, the two of them left the registration office. Shan Pan stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Wan Baiyun. "You're Le Le's mother, and I won't stop you from seeing her. Just contact my mom before you come each time."
"I understand." Wan Baiyun lowered her gaze, concealing her disappointment. "Will I still be able to see you in the future?"
Shan Pan smiled, her lips curving. "There's no need for that, is there?"
With that, Shan Pan opened the car door and got in.
From then on, every time Wan Baiyun went to see Shan Le, she never saw Shan Pan. She also tried sending messages to ask about Shan Pan's well-being, but she never received any response.
Wan Baiyun knew she deserved this. The current Shan Pan was merely treating her the way she had treated her in the past. What couldn't she get over? It was all her own doing.
But she didn't give up. She continued to share her life with Shan Pan every day and understood the sense of loss and pain that came from receiving no reply, just as she had experienced before.
In addition to occasionally visiting Shan Le and sending messages to Shan Pan, Wan Baiyun didn't neglect her mental health treatments. Gradually, she began to rediscover her former self.
Even if it may take a longer time.
During Shan Le's hundredth-day banquet, Qin Zhaoci accompanied Ye Lianyin to attend the event.
Watching Shan Pan carrying the chubby and adorable Shan Le in her arms, Qin Zhaoci couldn't help but play with her.
Shan Le's eyes inherited Wan Baiyun's eyes, with amber irises. But unlike Wan Baiyun's eyes that always seemed indifferent, hers were filled with innocence and a cheerful smile, incredibly cute.
Seeing how much Qin Zhaoci loved Shan Le, Shan Pan directly handed Shan Le over to Qin Zhaoci's embrace.
Pulling Ye Lianyin's hand, they walked aside and whispered, "Qin Zhaoci seems to really like children."
"Yeah." Ye Lianyin nodded. "I just found out that she really enjoys being around children, and she has a good connection with them. Shan Le is so happy, laughing so cheerfully."
"That's right." Shan Pan smiled and nodded, listening to the sweet laughter of her daughter in her ears, her eyes filled with joy.
"What about her? Didn't she come? She didn't even come to her own daughter's hundredth-day banquet?" Ye Lianyin scanned the people who had come today and noticed that Wan Shiying was present, but Wan Baiyun was absent. She frowned, instantly feeling displeased.
"No, she didn't." Shan Pan lowered her gaze. "Grandma Wan said she had a mission and didn't have time to come. But it seems like Qin Zhaoci brought a gift from her for Le Le."
"Really? Qin Zhaoci didn't tell me." Ye Lianyin frowned, instantly feeling displeased.
Shan Pan smiled, her lips curving. "Maybe she was afraid you would say something about her. She has a strong will to survive."
"That's true." Ye Lianyin chuckled, looking down. Qin Zhaoci knew she didn't like Wan Baiyun, so she rarely mentioned her in front of her.
"Pan Pan." halfway through the banquet, Wan Shiying suddenly approached Shan Pan with a glass of wine, calling out to her.
"What's the matter, Grandma?" Shan Pan had initially intended to go to Qin Zhaoci to bring the baby over. But upon hearing Wan Shiying's words, she halted in her tracks.
Wan Shiying had a troubled expression and paused for a moment before speaking. "Pan Pan, can you let Le Le have the Wan surname? You know, the Wan family has always had a small number of descendants. It's quite rare to have a younger generation, and I'd really like Le Le to have the Wan surname."
Shan Pan furrowed her brows. In truth, she didn't mind whether her daughter had Wan Baiyun's surname or her own. But the fact that Wan Shiying specifically came to talk to her about this indicated that Wan Shiying did care about it.
With this in mind, Shan Pan opened her mouth, about to agree to Wan Shiying's request to change the surname. However, Qin Zhaoci approached with Shan Le in her arms.
"Shan Pan, Le Le needs a diaper change."
"Oh, I'll take her to change her diaper." Shan Pan said, about to reach out to take the wet and whimpering Shan Le from Qin Zhaoci's embrace.
Qin Zhaoci skillfully evaded and smiled, saying, "You're not very convenient in your formal attire. Let me go upstairs with you. Besides, I also have something to give you."
"Really?" Shan Pan furrowed her brow, thinking about what Qin Zhaoci had mentioned earlier during the beginning of the banquet, about Wan Baiyun preparing a gift for Shan Le. She thought Qin Zhaoci wanted to give the gift to her, so she agreed.
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