While speaking, Vania looked reassuredly at Jude before heading out the door.
However, she deliberately left a gap so that he’d be able to see her as soon as he looked up.
Sure enough, Jude reflexively looked for her as soon as she was out, only relaxing when he saw she
was still there.
It took him a long time to finally make one light step, but he stopped right then, figuring out what he
should do next. He kept reminding himself not to make a mistake and anger her.
It wasn’t until half an hour later did Vania hear the shower turn on, and only was she able to ease her
worried mind a little.
At that, she used the time to text her baby boys at home, reassuring them. ‘Mommy has safely
retrieved your brother. We’ll be coming back tomorrow.’
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe boys were overjoyed upon seeing her message, tearing up with joy as they hugged each other.
After that, they replied to her, congratulating her and reminding her to stay safe.
Vania could sense their excitement. Wasn’t she just as grateful?
Back at home, James began organizing tasks. “We should get everything ready to welcome Mommy
and our brother home.”
Jack and Jacob nodded heavily in agreement. “Yeah.”
Meanwhile, in the hotel bathroom, water flowed down from Jude’s body, washing away all the dirt.
It was like he had come back to life at that moment, and he began imagining his future.
Could he go to school? After all, he wanted to attend school the most.
He knew only clean children were adored, so he repeatedly scrubbed all the dirt away from his body,
only stopping when his skin was glowing red.
It took him a long while to finally get himself cleaned, but it also gave him a sense of surrealness,
making him want to get out and hide in a corner.
Meanwhile, when Vania realized the water had stopped running, she asked gingerly, “Are you done?
Can I come in?”
She waited for some time before finally entering, and when she did, the little guy had already put on his
clothes. She carefully checked how he did, and upon seeing that he wore his clothes perfectly, Vania
gave him a big thumbs up. “Great job, Buddy!”
However, he was overwhelmed, for it was his first time gaining recognition.
Everything he did in the past was wrong. No matter how he pleased his adoptive father, he would only
be despised, and the beating would even intensify. With time, he dared not say another word.
Meanwhile, Vania looked at the clean little guy in front of her in awe.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThough he had suffered so badly, his brilliance was still irrepressible, for his temperament was innate,
and nothing could subdue it.
With that, she picked up the towel and dried his hair.
After that, she grabbed the hair dryer, even deliberately explaining to him what it was and its function
before drying his hair.
Every time she explained something, she would give Jude the time to process it so that she wouldn’t
freak him out by proceeding before he could even accept it.
Once he was ready, Vania pointed the hair dryer at his hair, gently ruffling it to blowdry.
Jude sat upright without daring to move, for it was his first time experiencing something like this.
Something called bliss charged at him with barely any warning, overwhelming him for a moment.
Soon, his hair was dry.
However, it had grown so long that his fringe covered his eyes, for it had been a long time since he last
had a trim, and he shook his head, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
At that, Vania grabbed a pair of scissors and said gently, “Let me trim your hair. You’ll feel much better.”