Gu Zi smiled. "That's exactly what I mean, Su Shen. I know you didn't mean any harm, but you must understand—children's hearts are delicate. Sometimes, if we speak too directly, they might misunderstand. They could think that, just because we're having a baby, we love them any less."
Su Shen paused, the weight of her words sinking in. He pulled her closer, his embrace tender, as though she were the most precious thing in the world. "I understand now, Gu Zi. I wasn't thoughtful enough," he murmured, his voice laced with guilt.
Later that night, Su Li lay wide awake in bed, his thoughts racing. Clutching his piggy bank, he counted his meager savings for the third time, and his heart sank. He was so poor—far poorer than his older brother, Su Bing.
