Ye Manzhen pinched the unhealed flesh on Si Yiheng again, but Si Yiheng remained expressionless.
Si Yiheng said coldly, "I’m sorry, but I love my mother very much."
"I don’t want to share her with anyone else."
The moment Si Yiheng finished speaking, Ye Manzhen pinched him even harder.
As if she wanted to vent all her dissatisfaction on Si Yiheng.
She had given birth to a useless thing.
Si Yiheng was just like his bastard of a father—he wouldn’t let her have her way, and he wanted to make her miserable.
Shu Yu stared at Si Yiheng for a moment, then turned and ran off.
Once he was sure Shu Yu was gone, Si Yiheng lowered his head, tugged at his sleeve, and said quietly, "Ye Manzhen, do you want everyone to know that you abuse your own biological son?"
Ye Manzhen’s expression twisted even more, especially at the calm look on Si Yiheng’s face.
"Don’t even think about getting to her."
"I won’t help you do evil."
He knew exactly what kind of rotten people his mother and father were.
No one would want parents like them.
Ye Manzhen gritted her teeth, really wanting to slap Si Yiheng right now, but there were too many people around.
Ye Manzhen: "Let’s go home."
Ji Fei was truly busy—she had been standing there for a long time and had only managed to exchange one sentence with her.
There was no point in staying any longer today. Luckily, the two families lived close by.
She would have plenty of chances later.
Just as Ye Manzhen turned to leave, Shu Yu came over holding Ji Fei’s hand.
Ji Fei: "Oh, Xiaoheng is here too."
Ye Manzhen’s face broke into a smile again. "Yes, we’re neighbors. I brought Xiaoheng today so that Xiao Yu Bao can play with Xiaoheng from now on."
Ji Fei also smiled and agreed, "That’s great. Baby Yu just came back and hasn’t made any friends yet."
While the two adults were talking, Shu Yu handed Si Yiheng a hawthorn candy, one that Uncle Qin had made for her.
It was tangy and sweet, really delicious.
Si Yiheng was taken aback. "No need."
"You eat it."
He was already seven years old, and he couldn’t take what belonged to someone else.
Shu Yu stared at Si Yiheng’s hand. "New Brother, you eat it. I still have more."
Ji Fei exchanged a few more words with Ye Manzhen, and then someone else came looking for Ji Fei. Ye Manzhen took the initiative to say, "You go ahead and work. I’ll take Xiaoheng home too."
Ji Fei smiled politely. "Okay, Xiaoheng, come over and play with Baby Yu sometime."
Just as Si Yiheng was about to follow Ye Manzhen away, Shu Yu quietly grabbed his hand.
"Brother, I’m going to come save you!"
Saving a poor brother from his evil stepmother—everyone’s duty!
Suddenly held by a soft little hand, Si Yiheng froze for a moment.
Looking at Shu Yu, sunlight fell on her fair little face, and the wind blew her hair ribbon, making a crisp tinkling sound in the air.
Si Yiheng held that unreal softness for a moment, but quickly let go.
Si Yiheng kept a cold face. "No need. Don’t come looking for me."
"I don’t need it."
With that, Si Yiheng followed Ye Manzhen away.
Shu Yu watched Si Yiheng’s retreating figure and fell into deep thought.
Don’t go looking for him.
Oh, oh, she got it!
That meant the New Brother would come to her house, come find her!
The moment Si Yiheng got home with Ye Manzhen, she raised her hand, ready to slap him.
Si Yiheng lifted his face, his eyes dark like ink.
"I still have school tomorrow. Are you still going to hit me? Do you want my classmates and teachers to see how vicious you and my father are?"
Ye Manzhen paused mid-motion and sneered. "I can’t hit your face, but you think I’ve got no other way?"
Ye Manzhen: "Butler, take the young master to the punishment room. Without my permission, he doesn’t eat."
The punishment room was freezing cold at night. Si Yiheng clutched the hawthorn candy in his hand, and the candy melted in his palm.
The air was filled with a sweet yet sour fruity fragrance.
The day after Shu Yu came home, it poured with rain outside, so she couldn’t go out.
Shu Yu propped her chin on her hand and watched the torrential rain. "Mommy, brother didn’t bring an umbrella this morning. Is he going to get soaked like a little stray dog?"
Ji Fei: "No, the driver uncle went to pick him up."
Shu Yu suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
Shu Yu tugged at Ji Fei’s hem. "Mommy, here’s a new soaked little stray dog."
Ji Fei looked and saw Si Yiheng drenched to the bone.
Ji Fei frowned slightly but said nothing.
Shu Yu: "Mommy, should we call Daddy?"
Ji Fei looked at Shu Yu’s furrowed brows and said, "Okay."
Ji Fei’s call was quickly answered by Song Xuyan, who was far away in City B. His first words were, "Wife, you haven’t told me yet what’s up with Baby Yu’s new dad."
Song Xuyan whined: "Wife, do you not love me anymore?"
Shu Yu covered her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh out loud. After Song Xuyan had rambled for a while,
Shu Yu finally spoke, "I’m not your baby mommy, okay. I’m your baby daughter."
Song Xuyan: "..."
Song Xuyan’s ears turned red. "Mommy is your mommy, not Daddy’s mommy."
Shu Yu held the phone up to her ear. "Don’t lie to me. I heard you calling her mommy at night too."
Song Xuyan: "!!!"
Song Xuyan lowered his voice. "Little Treasure, you can’t say things like that."
Shu Yu: "I’m going to go tell Mommy."
Shu Yu was about to get off the sofa to find Ji Fei when Song Xuyan said, "No no no, Baby Yu, don’t go tell Mommy."
If Ji Fei found out, she definitely wouldn’t let him call her that again.
Shu Yu blinked, her big dark eyes rolling around. "I want a present~"
Song Xuyan: "Buy it!"
Shu Yu: "Daddy, I want a brother."
Song Xuyan fell silent. Song Zhaozhao, today’s your day—Baby Yu wants a New Brother now.
But...
Song Xuyan said seriously: "I can’t make a brother, and I can’t make a puppy either."
There was a time when Shu Yu used to ask him to make her a puppy.
Shu Yu tilted her head. "I didn’t say you have to make one, silly."
"It’s Xiaoheng brother. Daddy, you go take custody of Xiaoheng brother away!"
