Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Mu Lingshi’s hoarse voice that choked on her emotions was filled with bitterness that Xi Xiaye could empathize with.
“Maybe they had their reasons too. Ah Shi, no matter what happens, even if you know all this now, everything from the past can’t be changed,” Xi Xiaye spoke softly, her twinkling eyes filled with faint sadness, “I now suddenly agree with Sis Lan. Some things are better left not known or dug up.”
“But is it so hard for them to acknowledge me? If she could give birth to me, how could they not perform even their basic duties as parents? Everytime I was sick, where were they? When Lingtian died, where were they? My mother, my own mother, had actually fallen ill and committed suicide over a man like him. She never even thought about Lingtian and me! They are the worst parents on Earth! Yet, they had me. Tell me, if you were me, would you be able to accept this? Could you?”
Mu Lingshi got up with bloodshot eyes. It was painful for them to watch her on the verge of a breakdown.
Mu Yuchen was speechless too. He knew very well that if it were him, he would definitely be as miserable as Mu Lingshi.
“They’ve never been parents for even a day. I’ll never forgive them until the day I die! Never!” Mu Lingshi’s voice was raspy as she shouted, then she covered her face and ran out.
“Lingshi!” Ah Mo quickly got up and looked apologetically at Mu Yuchen whose expression was silent as he nodded, indicating for him to go after her. Then, Ah Mo rushed out swiftly.
“Hold on. Bring an umbrella. It’s raining heavily outside. Bring a coat too. It’s chilly out there!” Xi Xiaye called out as she rushed out as well. She took off her coat, then followed them downstairs and took the big black umbrella from the rack by the door to give Ah Mo. Unable to say much, he quickly ran out after her.
Xi Xiaye stood at the door and watched as Ah Mo rushed into the rain. She shouted after him a little worriedly, “Be careful. Bring her home right away!”
“Got it, Sis-in-law!” Ah Mo answered as he sped up!
There was a rumble as a piercing silver light flashed past the sky. Another loud crash of thunder was heard. The heavy rain fell from the gloomy night sky, and the temperature of the air fell rapidly. Xi Xiaye stood at the staircase before the door, feeling the waves of chilliness invading, and she could not help but shiver. The moisture in the air that the night breeze brought in instantly messed up her beautiful hair.
Xi Xiaye’s beautiful face was solemn as her hands were clenched tightly. She looked ahead at the two shadows vanishing in the rain.
After a moment, she faintly heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Before she could react, there was a weight on her shoulders as a coat was draped over her shoulders while the man stood beside her. The hem of his pajamas beckoned like curves in the night wind.
“Ah Shi will be fine, won’t she?” Her calm voice contained a hint of worry.
“Don’t worry. Ah Mo’s there. It’ll be fine.” His answer sounded very calm, yet Xi Xiaye could catch a hint of helplessness in it.
“I hope that this will pass soon. They’ve just gotten married. They were supposed to have more happy and easy days from now on, but this matter will definitely make Ah Shi sad for a very long time. She’s someone who keeps things to herself. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken so long to get over that one barrier to accept Ah Mo,” Xi Xiaye said pitifully. Then, a bitter smiled flashed on her face. “I hope she’ll be strong.”
There was silence, and when she did not hear any response, she turned to look at him. He was looking solemnly ahead at the pitch-black rainy scene, the side of his handsome face appearing cold.
“When we were younger, she and Lingtian already knew that Father and Mother weren’t their biological parents. It’s been so many years. I don’t actually know if they had a truly happy childhood. When I was younger at about seven or eight years old, Lingtian and Lingshi were already quite old. One day, Father called me to the study room. He told me that Lingtian and Lingshi were my younger siblings, and that I’d have to be an older brother that could protect them.”
When he said this, Mu Yuchen suddenly lifted a hand to hold his heavy head. He calmed down a little before continuing, “The entire Mu family knows about this history. Everyone knows. In order to make it up to Lingtian and Lingshi, to give them a healthy and happy childhood, they didn’t let them feel any different from other children. Father and Mother practically showered both of them with all their parental love. Every day after work, if it was convenient, they would frequently pick up the two of them. Father and Mother never missed the school’s parent-teacher meetings or the parent-child activities held. As busy as they were with work, they would make time to join. When they reached home at night, they would always take turns to help them with their homework too.
“Thankfully, it was because of this that Father and Mother are quite close to Lingtian and Lingshi.” As Mu Yuchen recalled these memories, his gaze looked distant, yet even more so, there was lament.
Xi Xiaye quietly listened. When he did not continue, she sighed softly. “Father and Mother are the most selfless parents I’ve ever met. I remember back when Mother talked about you, her eyes were filled with guilty tears. She told me that she’s been neglecting you since young. She and Father never sent you to school or fetched you. They’ve never gone to any parent-teacher meetings before either. Were you very sad?”
“Sad? This is nothing? I’m the older brother. In fact, I understand my parents very well. The three of us buddies, Su Chen, Zhou Zimo, and I never cared about these things. Su Chen’s parents would just represent all three of us to join. Every time we came back from these parent-teacher meetings, all our parents would share resources, so our parents still knew very well how we did at school!”
Mu Yuchen glanced at Xi Xiaye, his deep voice sounding helpless. “In fact, their spies covered the entire school, so they’d know about any bit of movement. Otherwise, the three of us wouldn’t have had it so tough. We just appeared like young masters on the outside.”
