Chapter 3

The world of children is really simple. Summer was amused by his childish words. She bent over, patted his little head, and whispered, "Okay, I know, there's plenty of rice at home."

In Summer's view, the original owner's standards were questionable, especially when it came to raising her own child. As an outsider, there really wasn't much to judge. After all, everyone has their own way of life, as long as it doesn't cross any moral boundaries.

With the original owner's character, Summer felt that, no matter where she was, she would prioritize her own comfort. It made more sense to focus on herself than to worry about the original owner's choices. After all, in her dreams, the original owner had shown no intention of returning. That alone meant her situation was far better than Mrs. Song's.

Thinking of this, Summer looked at the little boy and asked, "Caleb, do you want to see Daddy?"

Although Mr. Song and the original owner were more like distant acquaintances than a married couple, it was clear that their relationship had been born out of necessity—marriage only happened because of the pregnancy. Yet, Mr. Song had always been an exceptional father, far more nurturing than the boy's biological mother.

Caleb nodded immediately, replying without hesitation, "Yes!"

He really missed Daddy…

Would this child really grow up to be a villain that caused headaches for both the male and female leads, like in the novel? Summer doubted it. Caleb was unusually clever. He hugged Summer's waist tightly and made a firm declaration: "I want my mommy too!"

Summer hugged him back and said, "That's perfect. We'll fly to see Daddy tomorrow."

Since his birth, Caleb had never traveled far, let alone flown on a plane.

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he eagerly anticipated the trip to see his father.

After a few days of adjusting to her new reality, Summer had already mapped out several options for herself.

First, continuing the original arrangement with Mr. Song seemed ideal. They lived as polite strangers, free from the complexities of a romantic relationship. She had food, shelter, and peace—what more could she ask for?

As for playing the role of a devoted wife, the original owner had neither the desire nor the capability for that. Summer didn't plan to force herself into that mold either.

As long as Mr. Song was alive, she could remain Mrs. Song. Of course, seeing how adorable Caleb was, she didn't mind stepping into the role of a caring aunt rather than a mother.

The Song family was wealthy. She didn't have to worry about Caleb's future. She only needed to play with him and keep him company.

Of course, if the plot of the novel proved too strong to resist and Mr. Song still met his tragic fate despite her efforts, she wouldn't follow the original owner's path of chasing after another "cash machine." Instead, she'd keep a couple of houses, sell the luxury car, find a simple job, and comfortably raise herself and the child.

She had never wanted marriage or children in the first place. But being a financially stable single mother? That didn't sound too bad.

She glanced at Caleb and smiled. If Mr. Song's fate aligned with the novel, she'd simply take the child back to her own family. At least there, her uncle and aunt would gladly help raise him.

Yes, that was the perfect plan!

After lunch that afternoon, Summer packed their things and left her uncle's house, despite their reluctance to see her go.

"Mom, you seem different today," Caleb suddenly remarked as he sat in his car seat.

Summer was briefly surprised but quickly regained her composure.

Even if her behavior was noticeably different, no one would ever suspect that the soul within this body had changed.

The original owner had never been close to anyone. Even her uncle and aunt, after just one day of seeing her act more affectionate, simply assumed she had finally come to her senses. They never considered any deeper explanation. It was hard to say whether this was the original owner's misfortune or Summer's luck.

"How am I different?" Summer asked.

"You never hugged me before," Caleb complained. "And you never took me out to play."

Poor child. Despite being neglected by his mother, he had remained lively and cheerful. That resilience was undoubtedly due to the efforts of his father and his grandparents.

He was still young and didn't fully understand the situation. Even though he sensed his mother's coldness, she was still his mother. That natural attachment was hard to break. Summer understood it well. She had been raised by her grandparents, too. Before elementary school, she had longed for her parents' attention, clinging to them whenever they visited. But once she grew older, she gradually distanced herself from them.

Thankfully, Caleb was not yet four years old. Surrounded by love from his father and grandparents, he hadn't developed any emotional scars. If he had been older, things might have been different.

Thinking of this, Summer smiled. "I was wrong before. I'm sorry."

Caleb held her gaze for a moment, then grinned. "I forgive you. Just don't do it again."

… This kid.

Summer didn't know much about Mr. Song. After they returned home, she came up with a plan. Once she finished showering, she sat down beside Caleb and asked, "Caleb, can you help me with something?"

"Okay!" he chirped without hesitation.

"Tomorrow, we're flying to see Daddy, remember? But I haven't told him yet. How about you call him for me?"

She knew the original owner's relationship with Mr. Song was practically nonexistent. They avoided each other whenever possible and barely spoke when they had to. Now that she was planning to visit, it was only polite to give him a heads-up. But if she called herself, it would undoubtedly be awkward. Caleb, on the other hand, would have no problem melting his father's heart.

Summer was genuinely impressed by how devoted Mr. Song was as a father.

"Okay!"

"Do you remember Daddy's phone number?" Summer teased, though she already had his contact information.

"Of course! Daddy told me to memorize both his number and Mommy's. That way, if I ever get lost, I can call you!"

His chubby little wrist was adorned with a smartwatch. Without waiting for further instructions, he swiftly dialed Mr. Song's number.

Children these days were remarkably tech-savvy. Caleb didn't even know how to read fluently yet, but he could already navigate a phone call with ease. It was obvious he called his father frequently.

The phone was answered almost immediately. The voice on the other end was warm and gentle. "Caleb? What's up, buddy?"

Summer couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. In a family where the parents didn't love each other, the child often suffered the most. Thankfully, Mr. Song was an exceptional father. Without his steady presence, would Caleb have remained so cheerful and well-adjusted?

As long as Mr. Song was around, Caleb would be fine—even if the original owner had remained distant. The real tragedy was that, according to the novel, Caleb would lose his father before his fourth birthday and be abandoned by his mother shortly after.

Even Summer couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy.

Caleb glanced at her, then spoke into the phone: "Daddy, I miss you!"

A deep chuckle rumbled from the other end.

Summer, a self-proclaimed voice enthusiast, nearly melted. How could someone's voice sound *that* attractive?

"Daddy misses you too, Caleb. I'll be back in a few days, and I'll bring you lots of toys."

There was no doubt—Mr. Song had poured all his patience and tenderness into his son.

"Don't wait a few days!" Caleb exclaimed excitedly. "Mommy's taking me to see you tomorrow! Mommy said so!"

"Oh?" Mr. Song's tone shifted slightly. The amusement faded, replaced by curiosity. "Mommy said that?"

"Yes!"

"She really said that?"

"Yes!"

Summer could almost hear the confusion in his silence.

She had fully expected Mr. Song to ask to speak with her, so she had already prepared several versions of her explanation, fine-tuned to perfection. But instead of asking questions, he simply said, "Alright. Daddy will wait for you to come."

Summer blinked in disbelief.

No questions? No skepticism? He didn't even ask to speak to her? Truly, they were more like strangers than husband and wife.

It seemed Mr. Song had no desire to communicate with her whatsoever. Honestly, that suited her just fine. If the original owner had shared even a slightly warmer relationship with Mr. Song, Summer would have found it much harder to navigate this situation.

After all, while she now lived as Summer, Mr. Song was not *her* husband. There was no way she could suddenly view a stranger as her spouse. Her psychological defenses simply weren't that strong.

The same applied to Caleb. He was adorable, cheerful, and at the most lovable stage of childhood. Yet, Summer couldn't bring herself to view him as her own son.

No, she was just a kind stranger. There was no need to get too emotionally involved or to force herself into the roles of wife and mother.