Chapter 76: Chapter 76
By the end of August, the first whispers of autumn had already begun drifting through North City. Along the banks of the Wide River, the osmanthus trees had bloomed earlier than usual, their golden blossoms perfuming the air long before the season was expected to arrive.
As evening descended, the setting sun painted the river in molten shades of crimson and gold. Fragrant waves of sweet osmanthus drifted along the riverside promenade, mingling with the cool breeze and settling gently upon every passerby.
Because it was the weekend, the grassy banks were alive with people setting up tents, sharing meals, and enjoying the fleeting beauty of the blossoms before autumn fully claimed the landscape.
Alexander found a quieter stretch of lawn away from the crowds and began assembling their canopy. Nearby, beneath the canopy of an ancient osmanthus tree, Elise crouched beside Lily as they collected fallen flowers scattered across the ground.
Lily was entirely absorbed in her task. Dressed in the pink princess gown Elise had bought during their last outing, with two tiny braids framing her delicate face, she looked like a living doll.
Her rosy cheeks and bright eyes drew admiring glances from nearly every adult who passed by. Elise knelt beside her, phone in hand, capturing photograph after photograph. Once she left the country, opportunities to see Lily would become painfully rare. She wanted memories she could revisit whenever longing inevitably crept in.
After filling a small basket with the fragrant blossoms, Lily decided she had collected enough. She proudly carried her bounty over to Elise.
"Mama," she chirped sweetly, holding it up for inspection. "Lots of flowers."
"You did such a wonderful job," Elise praised, gently pinching the little girl’s soft cheek. "Look how many you gathered." Her voice softened even further. "Shall we go find Daddy now?"
Lily nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!"
Elise rose and took the little girl’s hand, guiding her back toward the campsite.
"Pretty Miss!"
A familiar, childish voice rang out ahead of them. Elise paused and looked up. Less than fifty yards away, Robin had already slipped free from Mrs. Lander’s grasp and was running toward them.
The moment Lily spotted him, her tiny brows knitted together. Tilting her head up, she stared at Elise with wide, grape-like eyes. "Mama, carry me."
Elise froze. Lily was small, but Elise was still in the fragile early stages of pregnancy; lifting children was something she had to avoid. Before she could think of a gentle way to distract her, Robin reached them, slightly breathless.
"Pretty Miss," he greeted her politely. "You and this girl came to play too?"
A faint smile touched Elise’s lips. "We did. Who came with you?"
"Mrs. Lander." He pointed toward the housekeeper, who was walking over from a distance. Then, his attention shifted to Lily. The little girl was adorable—almost as pretty as Elise—but she appeared to be glaring at him.
Robin blinked, then immediately dismissed the thought. There was no way such a cute little girl could be mean. Her eyes were simply large and round, and she just happened to be staring without speaking. That had to be it.
Convinced of his own logic, he flashed a bright smile. "Little girl, you’re so cute. Do you want to play together?"
Before Elise could respond, Lily darted behind her, grabbing the hem of her pants with one tiny hand. She peered around Elise’s leg with visible suspicion.
"You’re bad. Don’t want to play."
Robin’s smile froze.
Elise gently stroked Lily’s hair. "Lily, that’s not polite. This boy only wants to play with you. If you don’t want to, you can say no nicely, but you shouldn’t call him bad."
"Don’t want to play," Lily insisted, hiding even further behind her godmother.
Looking deeply wounded, Robin hurried to defend himself. "I’m not bad! I go to kindergarten. Our principal said bad people aren’t allowed to go to kindergarten."
Elise found herself momentarily speechless. Was that really how it worked?
Lily’s frown deepened. "Don’t like kindergarten. Not going."
She remained firmly opposed to the idea of school. Alexander, hopelessly devoted to his daughter, lost all ability to stand firm whenever she cried, meaning every attempt to enroll her had ended in a swift surrender.
Robin had clearly never encountered such fierce resistance before. At his own kindergarten, the little girls usually adored him. This first experience with outright rejection left him entirely at a loss, and his feelings were genuinely hurt. He really wanted to play with Pretty Miss and her little sister.
At that moment, Mrs. Lander arrived, carrying Robin’s small backpack. "Mrs. Bennett," she greeted warmly.
Elise smiled back politely. "You came alone with Robin?"
"Yes. He’s been bored at home and refuses to go to class. The weather is beautiful today, so I thought a walk by the river might cheer him up."
Elise nodded sympathetically. Meanwhile, Robin looked up at her, placing all his remaining faith in her kindness. "Pretty Miss, can I play with you?"
Elise hesitated. Before she could answer, Lily grabbed her hand and began tugging her forward. "No. Mama, let’s go."
Elise nearly laughed. She had never realized her sweet, soft-spoken little girl could be so fiercely possessive. Turning toward Mrs. Lander, she offered an apologetic look. "Lily is a bit shy around strangers. I’m sorry."
Mrs. Lander cast a sympathetic glance toward Robin but nodded in understanding. "It’s alright. You spend time with your little girl. Robin has me."
Elise agreed and allowed herself to be led away.
Robin watched their retreating figures, his lips trembling. Tears spilled down his cheeks before he could stop them. "Mrs. Lander..." His voice cracked. "Does that little girl hate me?"
Mrs. Lander immediately crouched beside him and stroked his hair. "Of course not, sweetheart. She’s just shy. We’re still strangers to her."
Robin rubbed his eyes miserably. "But she called me bad. I only wanted to play." His voice became increasingly choked with tears. "Why doesn’t anyone like me?"
Mrs. Lander exhausted every comforting phrase she knew, but Robin’s tears wouldn’t stop. She had brought him out to lift his spirits; instead, he ended up feeling worse.
Back at the campsite, Alexander had already boiled water and begun preparing tea. Elise removed Lily’s shoes and settled her onto the picnic blanket, where the little girl quickly became absorbed in her toys.
Yet, even as Elise watched her, her thoughts repeatedly drifted back to Robin. The heartbreak she had seen in the boy’s eyes lingered uncomfortably in her chest. After all, he was only five years old.
"Lily," she said gently, "that boy only wanted to play with you. He wasn’t trying to be mean."
Lily looked up. "But Mama doesn’t like him."
Elise blinked in surprise, caught off guard by such sharp perception from someone so young. Instantly, she remembered the scene at the traditional medicine clinic. Back then, because of Dylan and Quinn, she had indeed been cold and distant toward Robin. Children truly understood far more than adults realized.
Kneeling beside her, Elise patiently explained, "Mama doesn’t dislike him. If Mama dislikes anyone, it would only be his parents."
Lily tilted her head thoughtfully. "Then Lily can play with him?"
"That’s your choice," Elise replied. "If you want to, you can. If you don’t, nobody will force you."
Lily considered it seriously before declaring, "Okay. Big boy is pretty. Can play."
Elise nearly choked on a laugh. Apparently, even at her age, Lily was entirely swayed by an attractive face.
By then, Robin and Mrs. Lander had wandered closer to the campsite. Knowing Lily didn’t seem to want him around, Robin stayed several yards away, watching them with hopeful, longing eyes. The expression on his face resembled an abandoned puppy waiting to be invited inside. It was impossible not to feel sorry for him.
Elise stroked Lily’s hair. "Why don’t you go invite your new friend to play with us?"
"Okay!" Lily jumped up, slipped on her shoes, and hurried toward him. "Big boy! Come play!"
She ran right up to Robin and held out her hand. "Mama says you’re not bad. Let’s play together."
Robin stood frozen for several seconds, processing the sudden turnaround. Then, his entire face lit up. "Thank you, little sis!"
The two children turned out to be remarkably compatible. Once the initial awkwardness faded, they became inseparable, the air filling with constant giggles and shouts of "big brother" and "little sis."
Because Lily’s speech development lagged slightly behind her peers, Robin naturally grew patient and protective, helping her communicate and ensuring she was never left behind.
Sitting nearby, Elise watched them play, a gentle smile softening her features. It was a beautiful sight. Without realizing it, she raised her phone and began taking photographs.
Yet, as she looked through the screen at the two laughing children, a sudden, sharp ache tightened around her heart. If her twins had survived, they would have been about this age now. Perhaps they would have looked just like this.
Nearby, Alexander arranged the folding chairs and table, setting out fresh fruit and hot tea before inviting Mrs. Lander to join them. Mrs. Lander thanked him and had barely taken a seat when a ferocious barking erupted nearby.
Everything happened too quickly.
Elise heard herself cry out. Before anyone else could react, she lunged forward, throwing herself over Lily to shield the child with her own body.
A large black dog, dragging a snapped leash behind it, charged directly toward them. In that split second, as the animal leapt toward Elise’s exposed back, Robin did something nobody expected.
Clutching his plastic toy sword, he rushed forward and began wildly striking at the dog’s head.
"Bad dog! Don’t hurt Pretty Miss and my new friend!"
Furious snarling exploded through the air, and within moments, the peaceful riverside was thrown into absolute chaos as screams, barking, and children’s cries shattered the evening.
