Volume One, Chapter Seven: No Rules, No Waiting for Her to Eat

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Shen Shuhe’s feelings toward Xiao Yu were complicated now. She knew full well that he wasn’t truly close to her in his heart; he was only pretending to be obedient to get her help. But then she reminded herself—he was her own son.

Still, Shen Shuhe took Xiao Yu to the bathroom and helped him wash his hands. Afterward, she picked up his clothes, preparing to have the maid handle them outside. Unexpectedly, Xiao Yu tugged at her.

“Mom, this outfit was bought for me by Mommy Qingyin last month,” he said in a tender, innocent voice, coaxing her. “She said it can’t be machine-washed, but I don’t want to disappoint her kindness. I want to wear it more times, so can you hand-wash it for me?”

Shen Shuhe’s emotions became even more tangled. Because it was from Song Qingyin, he wanted to wear it longer and therefore wanted her to hand-wash it. But what about her?

She glanced down at her reddened and swollen arm, still healing from yesterday’s car accident scrape, with a slight wrist sprain as well. So she said, “Xiao Yu, Mommy’s wrist isn’t feeling well. I’ll ask the maid to wash it for you.”

At once, Xiao Yu’s expression changed. He let go of her, his small face tight with displeasure. “Mom, I just wanted you to wash my clothes. All my classmates have their moms wash their clothes for them. If you don’t want to, fine, but why lie to me?”

“Hmph, Mommy Qingyin wouldn’t do that!”

Xiao Yu turned away with a huff. “Qingyin Mommy loves me more. You don’t care about me at all!”

Shen Shuhe was speechless. If she didn’t care about him, how could she call him every day without fail to ask about his studies and health? How could she send him cute little toys and accessories? She had bought him so many clothes, changing his wardrobe each season by shopping online or in stores well in advance and sending him carefully matched outfits.

Yet this time, she realized the clothes in Xiao Yu’s wardrobe were not the ones she had bought. The clothes she had purchased were found only yesterday in the storage room downstairs.

“Xiao Yu, I’m your mother. How could I lie to you?” Shen Shuhe said wearily.

Xiao Yu turned back. “Then wash my clothes for me! I don’t want anyone else to do it. I want Mommy to wash it!”

Shen Shuhe furrowed her brows, looking at the jacket in her hand, then at Xiao Yu’s bright, expectant eyes. Finally, expressionless, she uttered a soft “Hmm,” and took the jacket into the bathroom.

Only then did Xiao Yu raise his eyebrows triumphantly. It was because Mommy had come to visit Grandma that he couldn’t have dinner with Mommy Qingyin tonight! So Mommy had to suffer a little!

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After all, she always spoiled him and wouldn’t mind much!

Humming a little tune, Xiao Yu bounced downstairs.

In the first-floor dining room, Pei Leyao saw him and scooped him up to play. “Xiao Yu, darling, how long has it been since you last came to see Auntie? Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Of course not, Auntie! You’re so pretty and cute. Of course I love you!” Xiao Yu’s sweet words always made Pei Leyao’s heart bloom with happiness.

She pinched his cheeks playfully.

He Wanrong watched the two youngsters and found a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes had softened.

Soon, Pei Jingmo arrived, stepping steadily in a white shirt, pulling out a chair to sit. He Wanrong looked behind him and asked, “Where is Shuhe?”

Pei Jingmo replied, “I don’t know.”

Hearing the tone as cold and bland as water, He Wanrong knew the two had not talked things through again. She shook her head.

“Great-grandma, my mom is upstairs washing clothes now.”

He Wanrong was puzzled. “Why is she washing clothes now?”

Xiao Yu said he didn’t know.

At that moment, Pei Leyao chimed in with a dissatisfied, disdainful tone, “Why is she so rude? Who does Shen Shuhe think she is, making all of us wait for her?”

All three at the table turned to look at her. Xiao Yu looked up at his aunt’s irritated expression and pursed his lips silently.

He Wanrong’s tone grew stern. “Leyao, I told you not to call your sister-in-law by her name. How did you forget again?”

Pei Leyao, used to being the youngest princess of the family and pampered, pouted. “Fine, Grandma, I know,” she said, but her tone was perfunctory and careless.

He Wanrong said no more.

Pei Jingmo remained silent. When he heard Pei Leyao’s address, he only furrowed his brows slightly before relaxing again. He spoke, “If she’s so disrespectful, then we won’t wait for her. Let’s start eating.”

He Wanrong disagreed: “Jingmo, Shuhe has been preparing for a long time…”

Before she could finish, Pei Leyao interrupted, “Grandma, she’s the one with no manners. Why should we wait for her?”

“She can eat if she wants to, or not. She’s not going to starve!”

Then she picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of meat on Xiao Yu’s plate. “Xiao Yu is still growing. You can’t go hungry. Eat up.”

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“Thank you, Auntie~”

He Wanrong was about to say more, but Pei Jingmo took the communal chopsticks and served her some vegetables. “Leyao is right, Grandma. Let’s eat first.”

He then served Xiao Yu some greens, advising, “Eat more vegetables.”

Xiao Yu nodded, “Okay, thank you, Dad.”

Though resigned, He Wanrong saw the three young ones enjoying their meal and finally picked up her chopsticks to eat the vegetables Pei Jingmo gave her.

“Xiao Yu, eat slowly. If you like it, come to Great-grandma’s tomorrow and I’ll have someone make it for you.”

Xiao Yu beamed, “Thank you, Great-grandma!”

The cheerful trio was oblivious to someone quietly turning away at the dining room entrance.

Shen Shuhe picked up her bag from the living room and walked straight out the door.

An old household servant in the yard saw her and asked, “Young Madam, isn’t it mealtime? Why are you leaving now?”

Shen Shuhe glanced toward the room. Through the huge floor-to-ceiling window, she could faintly see a few figures—Pei Leyao smiling as she talked with Xiao Yu and He Wanrong. Pei Jingmo was taking care of Xiao Yu’s meal.

Her expression grew even colder.

“I have something else to do. Please tell Grandma I can’t join her for the meal and apologize on my behalf.”

“Understood…”

The servant watched Shen Shuhe leave without looking back.

After a moment, the servant reported back inside.

Pei Leyao sneered, “I knew it would spoil the mood!”

He Wanrong shot her a warning glance, then seemingly remembered something. She put down her chopsticks and told the servant to leave.

Then she looked at Pei Jingmo, who had been expressionless all along, and spoke, “Jingmo…”

“She doesn’t want to eat,” Pei Jingmo cut in, seemingly knowing what she was about to say.

He Wanrong met his cold gaze, opened her mouth, then saw Pei Leyao and Xiao Yu nearby. In the end, she chose to stay silent for now.

The matter between Jingmo and Shuhe could not be rushed. She had to handle it carefully.

She couldn’t let Jingmo resist.

He had to slowly come to see Shuhe’s worth.

But the external factor also needed managing.

It seemed the woman Jingmo was obsessed with was named Song Qingyin?