C2

**Chapter 2 - Ask her to come back**

Seeing her startled, Mu Chen explained: "Don't misunderstand, Miss Zhang, I didn't mean it that way. What I was trying to say is that Mu Ya is still young, and she has not spoken for a long time. Now that she was finally willing to speak, I want to ask you to act as her mother. Strictly speaking, you will also be a nanny. A special nanny. You just need to accompany her and give her a mother's love. Other things will be done by servants."

Zhang Xiao knew that Mu Chen had no other intentions and she answered honestly, "Mr. Mu, I feel that this isn't good. If you ask me to be your daughter's mother, people will first misunderstand the relationship between us. I think you don't want such rumors to be spread. Besides, even if she were to cry now, it would only be for a short period. After how many days or weeks, she would be fine. If you ask me to be her mother, it will only deepen her feelings and her dependence on me. When I leave her when she becomes sensible, she will find it even more difficult to accept and will be even more harmful to her."

She was serious.

There's a deep grief every time Mu Chen mentions his wife. She knew that this man would never forget his deceased wife. If it wasn't for his precious daughter, how could the high and mighty CEO of the Mu Group meet with a peddler selling spicy gluten?

Mu Chen remained silent, and the look he was giving Zhang Xiao became unfathomable.

After a moment of silence, Mu Chen stared at Zhang Xiao and said in a low voice, "Miss Zhang, please forgive me for my rudeness." As he spoke, he got up and walked in front of Zhang Xiao, extending his arms to carry Mu Ya away from Zhang Xiao's embrace.

"Mom."

However, Mu Ya pushed Mu Chen's hand that was reaching out to her. She turned her head to avoid looking at her father as she tightly held Zhang Xiao's neck with her little hands, unwilling to return to her father's embrace.

"Mu Ya, come here, let daddy carry you."

Mu Chen was pushed away by her daughter. He was not angry but instead tried to comfort his daughter, wanting to carry her back. What Zhang Xiao had said just now was very true. He could not ask Zhang Xiao to be his daughter's mother just because his daughter had cried for a few days, because that would cause her to depend on Zhang Xiao even more, and he could not marry her. There would be a day when Zhang Xiao would leave her daughter, and her pain would be even greater.

"Mom, Mom." Mu Ya could only say this word now, she would not say anything else. Seeing that her father was about to hug her, she hugged Zhang Xiao's neck tightly and refused to let go.

Zhang Xiao tried to explain, "Mu Ya, I'm not your mother."

"Mom... Mom..." Seeing that Zhang Xiao even wanted to push her to her father, she immediately pouted and started crying.

Mu Chen wanted to forcibly hug his daughter, but Mu Ya cried even more.

Zhang Xiao comforted Mu Ya with pain in her heart. Although this was her first time meeting the little girl, Mu Ya looked pretty and cute, and she liked her a lot.

Mu Chen stood up straight and did not force himself to carry his daughter. Instead, he ordered the people outside: "Aunt Lan, come in and bring the young miss back."

The nanny who was by Mu Chen's side just now immediately pushed open the door and walked over, following Mu Chen's instructions. Zhang Xiao passed Mu Ya over to her causing Mu Ya to cry very fiercely, her arms wrapping tighter around Zhang Xiao's neck. Aunt Lan had hugged her forcefully.

After Mu Ya was hugged by Aunt Lan, Mu Chen forced himself not to look at his daughter's pitiful appearance, and said to Zhang Xiao in a bland and apologetic voice: "Miss Zhang, I was rude today, sorry." Mu Chen apologized to Zhang Xiao, making her feel that this CEO was not as difficult to get close to as the rumors said, instead he was extremely courteous, even though his expression was a little indifferent. After Mu Chen apologized, he continued, "Miss Zhang, you can leave now."

Zhang Xiao looked at Mu Ya and saw that the little girl's face was covered in tears and was still crying. She couldn't help but say to Mu Chen: "Mr. Mu, Mu Ya still needs a lot of care, especially since she lacks maternal love. It would be much better for Mr. Mu to find time to accompany her than to invite a bunch of babysitters to take care of her."

Mu Chen pursed his lips and did not speak. He was too busy to take his daughter with him, so he had to ask for a babysitter.

Seeing Mu Chen not saying a word, Zhang Xiao felt that she was a nosy person, it was not good to stay, and calmly left.

"Mom..."

With the door closing, Mu Ya's cries were also cut off.

Zhang Xiao, who had just walked out, couldn't help but turn her head to look at the door. It was as if she saw the scene in front of her: A woman was holding an umbrella and dragging a suitcase, leaving while crying in the stormy sky. A little girl of five or six was being held close by several adults to keep her from chasing the woman. The little girl watched the woman go away, calling desperately to the woman in the rain, Mama.

Zhang Xiao's eyes were a little moist, but in the end, she turned and left.

Mu Ya who was in the room continued to cry, but Aunt Lan was unable to comfort her.

Mu Chen brought his daughter over with a pain in his heart, the little girl was crying so hard that her voice was about to turn hoarse. Mu Chen comforted her with a soft voice: "Mu Ya, don't cry, that's not your mother, she's an auntie."

Mu Ya turned her head and pointed to the door while crying. Her small body leaned out of Mu Chen's embrace and cried, "Mommy... Mom..."

"Listen, Mu Ya, she really isn't your mother." Mu Chen felt helpless and heartbroken. He could only blame himself for being too preposterous today, to actually send someone to invite Zhang Xiao here... The little girl had been missing Zhang Xiao all the time and treated her as her mother. The arrangement he made today was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire, causing the little girl to miss Zhang Xiao even more.

Mu Chen would usually not be so hasty in his actions, but he could only make an exception when facing his precious daughter.

Mu Chen returned to the front of the monitoring screen and sat down, he watched Zhang Xiao's back as she left, but with some curiosity in his eyes. When Zhang Xiao came in, she was calm and facing him naturally, she didn't seem like a peddler selling spicy hot pot on the street. Furthermore, Zhang Xiao's temperament was no match with the peddlers on the street. She looked like a young miss who came from a rich and powerful family.

If he had not seen Zhang Xiao's stall at the night market with his own eyes, Mu Chen would not have believed that Zhang Xiao was just a peddler.

When he made his request to Zhang Xiao, Zhang Xiao had even more so calmly analyzed the pros and cons with him.

He thought that Zhang Xiao was someone with a story.

Also, Zhang Xiao's surname is Zhang...

"Mom..."

Mu Ya cried more fiercely than before when she saw Zhang Xiao on the screen and started struggling harder. Aunt Lan's heart felt like it was being stabbed by knives. She could not help but come forward and say to Mu Chen: "Third Young Master, please ask Miss Zhang to come back. Little Miss is crying too hard, she has been crying for so many days already if this goes on, I'm afraid Little Miss's body won't be able to take it."

Mu Chen hugged her daughter tightly while staring at Zhang Xiao on the screen, his lips were tightly pursed.

Zhang Xiao had already reached the first floor's reception hall.

Watching her walk out of the hotel step by step and about to disappear from the monitor, Mu Chen instructed in a low voice, "Ask Miss Zhang to come back!"