Shao Dong’s calm voice came from the house. “Xiao Wu, what’s going on? Is what Shao Xi said true?”
Xiao Wu didn’t say anything, but Shao Xi said coldly, “How can it not be? I dragged him back from Shao Qiyun’s place.”
After a moment of silence, Little Bei tried to persuade him. “Second Brother, don’t be so angry. Calm down. Xiao Wu, you too. Let’s talk it over nicely.”
Xiao Wu finally spoke. “What’s there to say? I’m going back to my room.”
Upon hearing that, Shao Xi held Xiao Wu back. Shao Dong also stopped Xiao Wu. “Xiao Wu, why did you do this?”
Xiao Wu sounded a little annoyed. “No reason. I just wanted to go. I’m using the money I earned myself.”
Standing outside the door, Mu Jingzhe was completely stunned. What did this mean? Had Xiao Wu been secretly seeing Shao Qiyun recently?
Why? Why would he go to look for Shao Qiyun?
Mu Jingzhe couldn’t figure it out, and neither could Shao Dong. “Xiao Wu, while Mommy isn’t around and doesn’t know about this yet, calm down and tell us what’s going on. I don’t think you want Mommy to find out about this either, right?”
“He’s heartless. Mommy has treated him so well. Since he was young, she has always doted on him and been biased toward him, usually accompanying him the most. But he doesn’t know how to cherish her. Now, he even went to look for Shao Qiyun. If I were Mommy, I would be angered to death. This is simply betrayal!” Shao Xi’s furious voice was heard again.
Mu Jingzhe was about to push open the door when she paused upon hearing this.
In the house, Shao Dong stopped Shao Xi from saying even more angry words. “Alright, Shao Xi, don’t be rash. It might just be a coincidence. Just let Xiao Wu say a few words.”
Xiao Wu finally spoke. “I said that there’s nothing to say. She just helped me previously. I felt quite grateful, so I went to see her once. Later on, I felt that she was living a pitiful and hard life, so I gave her some things. There’s nothing else. Even if Mommy finds out, she won’t object. Don’t worry.”
His last sentence was directed at Shao Xi, who spat when he heard that. “She’s living a pitiful and hard life? Is selling tofu hard? What’s so pitiful about that? What kind of position are you putting Mommy in? Won’t this be hard on Mommy?”
“Who was the one who despised her so much previously? You’re telling me that you’re thanking her now? Just because she helped you that one time? You’re so fickle. Even if she helped you that time, how many times did Mommy save you? In the end, Shao Qiyun only saved you this one time, yet you’re so grateful to her? Compared to what Mommy has done for you, that’s nothing!”
Shao Xi spoke quickly and ruthlessly, but no one criticized him. Shao Nan nodded in agreement. “Second Brother is right. Xiao Wu, we don’t quite agree with your actions.”
Little Bei also took a deep breath and said, “Xiao Wu, I think our brothers are right. Tell us exactly what’s going on. Don’t say such infuriating things.”
“I didn’t say anything infuriating. I merely wanted to go. I knew you guys would object, so I didn’t tell you. But no matter what she did in the past and how much I hated her, I can’t change the fact that she’s my biological mother.”
There was dead silence in the room when the words ‘biological mother’ were said, but Xiao Wu seemed not to hear it. “Besides, she already knows she made a mistake and has changed for the better. She’s no longer her old self. I hope you can see that she has changed.”
After a period of silence, Shao Xi exploded first. “See that she has changed? Biological mother? Shao Zhong, are you crazy? Have you forgotten what she did to you? You’re actually speaking up for her now. Have you ever thought about Mommy!”
“Nothing stays the same. She’s also changed. It’s useless no matter how much you say. Since you guys already know, don’t worry about me in the future.”
Xiao Wu’s soft voice sounded a little unfamiliar. “While Mommy isn’t around, I want to go over. Whether or not she finds out is up to you guys.”
Shao Xi was so angry that his eyes were red, but Xiao Wu was unmoved. Instead, he abandoned them and opened the door to leave.
He had been calm from the start and he stayed calm until he opened the door and saw Mu Jingzhe.
All the voices around him seemed not to reach his ears. Xiao Wu’s mind went blank for a moment before he said, “Mommy…”
Sensing that something was amiss, after taking a few quick steps forward, the other four kids also saw Mu Jingzhe.
Shao Dong reacted as quickly as he could. “Mommy, why are you back today? Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t be coming back today? When did you come back?”
They wanted to know how much Mu Jingzhe had heard.
Because he didn’t want Mu Jingzhe to be sad, Shao Xi gave her a stiff smile, wanting to act like nothing had happened. Mu Jingzhe’s heart, which had originally felt a little numb, warmed up. “It’s nothing. I came back after I was finished. I happened to encounter someone planting strawberries in the greenhouse. I knew that you kids like them, so I plucked some and came back. I’ll go over tomorrow. These strawberries might not be that ripe and they are a little sour.”
Mu Jingzhe raised the basket in her hand. Shao Xi and the others looked at the strawberries inside and instantly felt even more upset. Initially, Mu Jingzhe had gone to the paper manufacturing factory because she had some matters to attend to. She had said that she would only return tomorrow. She must have rushed around in the past two days because she wanted to bring them these strawberries.
There was much less fruit in the winter than in the summer. There were fewer greenhouses, and it wasn’t that convenient to transport the fruit, so there were very few off-season fruits. Unfortunately, other than the cold, it was also dry in the winter. Two days ago, Shao Xi had said that he wanted to eat cold, sour, and sweet fruit. Xiao Wu had also said that he wanted strawberries, but Mu Jingzhe couldn’t find any. In the end, they’d even gone to buy fruit cans to eat.
Now, it seemed like Mu Jingzhe had taken this matter to heart and specifically bought fruit to bring it back for them.
Mu Jingzhe was used to treating them well, so she didn’t think much of it when she said this. She wasn’t doing this to show everyone that she had made a lot of effort. She’d merely wanted to surprise the children. In the end, she didn’t manage to surprise them. Their expressions instead looked very conflicted. After a moment of silence, Mu Jingzhe could only say helplessly, “I came back when you guys started quarreling and I heard everything.”
Xiao Wu, who had been staring at the strawberries, abruptly raised his head. Mommy… had heard everything?
Mu Jingzhe glanced at the agitated Shao Xi and asked him to calm down. She then looked down at Xiao Wu. “Xiao Wu, can I talk to you?”
Xiao Wu stiffened and didn’t say anything. After a moment, he nodded.
Shao Dong stepped forward and took the strawberries from Mu Jingzhe’s hand. “Mommy, go ahead. I’ll wash the strawberries first. You can eat some after you talk.”
“Alright.” Mu Jingzhe nodded.
After watching Mu Jingzhe and Xiao Wu enter the room, Shao Xi and Shao Nan, who had been behaving normally, let their faces fall and gritted their teeth the minute the door was closed.
“Let’s see if he has another excuse. To think such a traitor has appeared among the five of us.”
Shao Dong frowned and patted Shao Xi to make him stop talking.
In the room, Mu Jingzhe looked at Xiao Wu, who had lowered his head. “Xiao Wu, look at me.”
