CHAPTER 125: Wan & Shan's Side Story [6]
"Mmm, everyone says she looks like me." Shan Pan nodded, wiping the drool from the corner of their daughter's mouth. "But her eyes are exactly like yours, and when she smiles, she looks just like you."
"Really?" Wan Baiyun smiled and nodded, pressing her face against her daughter's cheek. Both of them gazed straight into Shan Pan's eyes. "Do I look like her?"
Le Le was unaware of what was happening, snuggling against her mother's face, innocently blinking her eyes. Wan Baiyun's eyes held a smile as she looked into Shan Pan's eyes, filled with affection. Shu Pan blushed slightly, averted her gaze, and cleared her throat. "Mmm."
"Can Le Le stand now?" Wan Baiyun smiled as she placed Le Le on the bed and noticed how stable she was standing.
Shan Pan nodded. "She can take a few steps now. I've been told not to let her learn to walk too quickly. She should learn to speak first, or else she'll start walking and running everywhere and we won't be able to find her."
"Is that so?" Wan Baiyun pinched Le Le's leg. "Then she should learn to walk a little later, indeed."
"Learn~" Le Le pointed to Wan Baiyun's face, her words still unclear.
"Aww, my daughter is so adorable." Wan Baiyun lowered her head and kissed Le Le's little face. "Just as adorable as her mother."
"What?" Shan Pan uncomfortably averted her gaze, her ears slightly reddening.
After Le Le got tired from playing and fell asleep, Wan Baiyun was about to leave.
Before leaving, Wan Baiyun stopped in her tracks and tapped her optical brain, saying to Shan Pan, "This is my salary. From now on, I will transfer my salary to your account every month."
"No need." Shan Pan shook her head, wanting to refuse.
Wan Baiyun continued, "Le Le is also my child, it's only fair. Besides, you're currently studying and don't have a source of income yet."
Shan Pan lowered her gaze silently and then nodded.
After escorting Wan Baiyun to the door, Shan Pan thought she would just leave. However, to her surprise, Wan Baiyun suddenly turned around and looked at her earnestly. She asked, "Pan Pan, can I hug you?"
"What?" Shan Pan hadn't reacted yet, but Wan Baiyun, as if afraid of her refusal, forcefully pulled her into an embrace.
The familiar scent of roses lingered briefly at Shan Pan's nose and quickly faded away.
As she watched Wan Baiyun quickly get into her car and drive away, Shan Pan's lips curled slightly.
When Le Le turned one year and two months old, she successfully learned to walk. She ran around the yard of the Shan family's house all day, with Shan Pan chasing after her, exhausted and helpless.
Meanwhile, Wan Baiyun also followed the advice of her psychologist and started writing letters to Shan Pan, expressing her feelings.
Shan Pan would receive a letter every week, sometimes describing what had happened to Wan Baiyun that week, and sometimes expressing her longing for Shan Pan and their child.
Shan Pan noticed that Wan Baiyun was truly getting better day by day, and she could see more and more of her former self in her.
However, news of Qin Zhaoci's accident reached them, and Wan Baiyun's letters suddenly stopped. For over a month, Wan Baiyun searched for any trace of Qin Zhaoci in space, refusing to give up.
Shan Pan understood that she couldn't focus on that anymore because she had her own concerns. After Qin Zhaoci's accident, Ye Lianyin was in a terrible state, and Shan Pan could only try her best to accompany her and hope to provide some comfort.
Shan Pan initially thought that the accident meant the worst for Qin Zhaoci, but perhaps the heavens took pity on Ye Lianyin's suffering and showed mercy. Wan Baiyun actually brought Qin Zhaoci back alive.
Knowing that Qin Zhaoci was still alive, not only Qin's family but also Shan Pan felt relieved, and she was happy for Ye Lianyin.
After Qin Zhaoci was admitted to the hospital, Wan Baiyun completed her mission of over a month. She was supposed to go home and rest, but for some reason, she drove her car to the front of Shan Pan's house.
After thinking for a moment, Wan Baiyun sent a message to Shan Pan.
Upon receiving the message, Shan Pan didn't reply but quickly came downstairs.
Seeing Wan Baiyun at the entrance, her face tired but still smiling at her, Shan Pan suddenly felt a twinge of pain in her heart.
"Why aren't you going home to rest?" Shan Pan couldn't help but remind her.
Wan Baiyun smiled and shook her head. "I wanted to come and see Le Le. I've been busy this month and didn't have time to come. I wonder if Le Le still remembers me."
"How could she not remember? Every day, she asks about her mother with longing." Shan Pan stepped aside and let Wan Baiyun in. "But she's already asleep now. Just take a look at her and then go home to rest."
"Okay." Wan Baiyun nodded and hesitantly put her hand in her pocket and clenched it. Then she followed Shan Pan upstairs.
After seeing Le Le sleeping soundly in the nursery, Wan Baiyun lowered her head and gently kissed her daughter's rosy little face before satisfactorily leaving the nursery.
"Pan Pan." after closing the door behind them, Wan Baiyun took out five letters from her pocket. "These are the letters from this period of time. I've been in the space and didn't have a chance to send them to you."
Shan Pan lowered her head and looked at the slightly crumpled letters in Wan Baiyun's hands. She remained silent for a moment and then reached out to take them.
"Are you planning to retire?" Shu Pan looked up at Wan Baiyun. "Wasn't your dream to become a designer? When do you plan to retire and start learning relevant things?"
"Learn?" Wan Baiyun frowned. "I can't enroll in the Empire. I gave up a long time ago."
"I've looked into it, and the Snowshe Empire Academy is accepting students in the design field." Shan Pan looked at Wan Baiyun. "Go there and fulfill your dream. Don't prepare here in the Empire. After applying for retirement, fly directly to the Snowshe planet. Here are your personal application materials. I'll help you with them."
Wan Baiyun's eyelashes trembled, and she looked into Shan Pan's eyes, filled with hesitation. After a moment of silence, she said, "But you and Le Le are in Venus. Where can I go?"
Shu Pan shook her head. "I don't want you to consider us anymore. When you start school, I can bring Le Le to visit you. Don't worry."
"What about pheromones?" Wan Baiyun looked at Shan Pan. "You need me to provide pheromones."
Shan Pan paused for a moment and shook her head. "It won't be long before the Empire can remove the markings. It won't cause any harm to an Omega's body."
Wan Baiyun lowered her eyes and pursed her lips. "Will you go to have the markings removed?"
Shu Pan lowered her head. "It's possible, so you can go to the Snowshe planet with peace of mind. I don't want you to stay in the Empire because of me. I know you had the opportunity to leave before, but you insisted on staying because of me. I've always felt guilty about this, so go pursue your dream."
"Did Qin Zhaoci mention it to you?" Wan Baiyun looked conflicted.
Shu Pan nodded and shook her head. "Sort of. So you should go."
Wan Baiyun clenched her fists, hesitating. Learning design had always been her dream, but why was she feeling so panicked now?
She understood that she was scared. Scared that Shan Pan would meet someone new while she was studying, scared that Le Le wouldn't remember her as a mother, and even more scared that she and Shan Pan would drift apart and never see each other again.
"What are you hesitating about?" Seeing Wan Baiyun's delayed response, Shu Pan furrowed her brows. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?"
"But what if I go and you end up with someone else?" Wan Baiyun looked at Shan Pan, her expression conflicted and her tone frantic.
Shan Pan was taken aback by Wan Baiyun's unusually emotional display. But soon, she felt relieved. She was relieved that Wan Baiyun was no longer speaking ambiguously like before.
Understanding that Wan Baiyun was improving, Shu Pan's lips curled up and shook her head. "No, not until Le Le turns five. I won't consider that."
"Really?" Wan Baiyun began calculating in her mind how long it would take for her to pass the exams and complete her studies.
Shan Pan nodded. "Yes, so don't worry. Le Le... Le Le and I will be waiting for you in the Empire."
"Okay." Wan Baiyun nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. After hearing Shan Pan's words, she went back and had a good night's sleep.
The next day, she went to see Zhou Qifeng and quickly submitted her retirement report. Then she boarded the spaceship bound for the Snowshe planet.
It was already a week later when Wan Shiying received the news of Wan Baiyun leaving the Empire. Learning that she had directly submitted a retirement report and left, she was so angry that her whole body was shaking.
In a fit of anger, she went to find Zhou Qifeng, who had helped cover up for Wan Baiyun.
Zhou Qifeng was not surprised to see Wan Shiying coming to her. She respectfully bowed to her. "Commander Wan."
Wan Shiying had a cold expression and glared at her, her lips tightly pressed into a straight line. She angrily questioned her, "Was it you who approved Wan Baiyun's retirement report? Why didn't you notify me?"
Zhou Qifeng shook her head. "Commander Wan, as the military chief, I have the authority to directly approve the retirement application of a junior general. There is no need to report to higher-ups, right?"
"You know that's not what I mean!" Wan Shiying looked at Zhou Qifeng with a cold face.
Zhou Qifeng lowered her gaze and sighed. "Commander Wan, let go. Wan Baiyun is already 27 years old. She's not the same child as before. It's evident to everyone that her heart isn't here. Why force someone who isn't committed to stay?"
"Zhou Qifeng, this is none of your business." Wan Shiying's tone escalated. "You just need to tell me why you helped her, that's all."
"Perhaps it's to repay the debt of gratitude to her mother, the one who saved my life." Zhou Qifeng lowered his gaze. "Before Wan Xue sacrificed herself, she entrusted me with taking good care of her daughter."
"So you know that Wan Xue saved you, and this is how you repay her kindness?" Wan Shiying was furious. "Wan Xue's greatest wish when she was alive was for her daughter to inherit the spirit of the Wan family's soldiers..."
"That was your wish, Commander Wan." Zhou Qifei interrupted, furrowing her brows. "Wan Xue and Wan Baiyun are the same in that they never wanted to be soldiers. Wan Xue told me back then that she only wanted to be with her wife and live a peaceful life, to witness her daughter growing up happily. Unfortunately, none of her wishes came true."
"You're lying!" Wan Shiying pointed a finger at Zhou Qifei's face. "She clearly said she liked being a soldier."
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