Chapter 4

At that moment, Gretel came charging into Lyla’s embrace and kissed her.

“Mummy! We believe you! Please don’t push yourself too hard! Gretel will be very sad! When we grow up, Hansel and Gretel will take care of mummy!”

Her words made Lyla Lowe so happy that she could die in peace.

“Very well! When you grow up, I will be in your care!” said Lyla. To have to raise them was her happiness. All the effort, pain, blood, and tears she suffered through to give birth to the two of them was all worth it.

Hansel merely glanced at the mother and daughter. He was not for one to join in such a… commotion.

“Mummy, are we going back to see grandfather?” Gretel asked.

Lyla suddenly remembered what happened seven years ago.

When she returned home that day, her father had already brought home another woman.

She did not blame him for not being faithful. She only felt bad for the death of her mother. And when that woman came into the house, Lyla felt that the house was no longer a place for her to live. That was the reason she chose to leave the country…

“Gretel! Get your things to your room!” Hansel suddenly called out.

Gretel turned to her brother and somewhat understood what her brother was trying to convey. She nodded obediently and pulled her own suitcase to her room.

At that moment, Hansel turned to his mother. After hesitating for sometime, he finally opened his mouth and said, “Mummy, please don’t be angry at Gretel. She’s still very young…”

For him to console Lyla in such a manner, she could not find the heart to stay angry. A smile formed and she said, “Mummy isn’t angry. To have you, is the greatest gift that I can ever have.”

Hansel smiled in return and when he smiled, Lyla was taken aback.

Between the two kids, Gretel was the one who bore her likeness. However, Hansel was nowhere similar to herself. Sometimes, she would even think that Hansel resembled that man…

Looks like when the man said himself looked “not too bad”, it was not bad at all! How else could Hansel be so cute?

“What’s the matter, mummy?” Hansel had to ask when he noticed how his mother was looking at him until she lost her composure.

“Oh? Ah, it’s nothing. Come, let’s tidy the place up!” said Lyla.

Hansel nodded and summoned Gretel over to tidy the place up together with their mother.

It was fortunate that the place was already clean and tidy, to begin with. After a simple cleaning, they could start placing their belongings and then, they could start living there.

When they were almost finishing up, Hansel suddenly exclaimed, “Mummy! There’s nothing in the fridge!”

Lyla thought for a bit and said, “In that case, I’ll go out with Gretel for a little shopping!”

“Alright!”

“Is there anything else we need?”

At that moment, Hansel came out from the room and handed a piece of paper that had an organized list of things that were needed.

“In case you forgot,” said Hansel.

Her son, when he did things, he was always… neat and organized. That made her feel that she was not doing a good job as a mother. That being said, Lyla had already gotten used to it. She nodded and said, “Alright, I get it.”

She kept the note away and was about to go out. When Gretel heard about going out of the house, she suddenly became spirited and said, “Hansel, I will go out with mummy! You must stay at home and clean the house good!”

She put on a pair of shoes and happily went out with Lyla. Even the Barbie doll went along; the doll had never left her side.

It was fortunate that there was a large supermarket close to their apartment. Lyla could not help but be happy for this. The place she chose was good, as everything was conveniently within reach. The convenience got even better since there was a supermarket close! Next time, Hansel himself could go shopping on his own and Lyla could feel more relaxed.

Lyla held Gretel’s hands as they entered the supermarket. While Lyla pushed the cart around and the note in her hand, Gretel went around looking for items to put into the cart. If there was anything that was placed too high up, Gretel would not trouble her own mother for help. Instead, she would turn to someone else and with a sweetly voice, she would say, “Could you please help me take that? It’s too high up for me…”

She easily got whatever she wanted. Furthermore, she would never fail to garner a shower of compliments like, “how cute!” or “how adorable!”, and even “how beautiful”.

Gretel was loving it. It was her natural talent to act sweetly and cutely. It was something that even Lyla herself would shake her head at, feeling bad about it.