Zhou Yuedong felt a pang in his heart.
He realized he didn’t want to consider this possibility either.
It had been so hard to find a woman willing to treat them kindly.
And now she had suddenly gone back to her parents’ home.
He’d heard that people only returned to their parents’ home when they couldn’t stay any longer—or when they fought with their father.
Was it because Dad was too cold that Stepmother couldn’t take it and left?
The previous Stepmother had always complained that Dad was clueless about romance, that he wouldn’t even share a bed with her, saying it was no different from being a widow.
So maybe Stepmother had left in anger because Dad was too distant…
With a heavy heart, Zhou Yuedong closed his eyes.
The next day, he woke up early.
He always rose half an hour earlier than his younger brother to prepare breakfast.
In the past, the kitchen had been bare, with few seasonings, and meals were made haphazardly.
But now, the kitchen was fully stocked, everything neatly arranged.
Stepmother was obsessive about cleanliness and order—even the spice bottles were lined up perfectly, the countertops wiped spotless.
Zhou Yuedong dropped noodles into the boiling water, trying to mimic Stepmother’s way of seasoning.
A drop of soy sauce splashed onto the table, and he quickly wiped it away with a cloth before rinsing it clean.
When Zhou Yuehan woke up and smelled the fried eggs, he thought Stepmother had returned. He dashed downstairs, his little feet pattering excitedly toward the kitchen.
But the person standing at the stove, scooping noodles, was his older brother.
Disappointment flickered in his small eyes.
Zhou Yuedong didn’t know how to cook much—usually just boiling sweet potatoes or potatoes to take to school.
But now, there was powdered milk and plenty of eggs at home. Stepmother would boil eggs for them every morning.
After finishing their mediocre noodles, he packed the boiled sweet potatoes and eggs into their lunchboxes, carefully sealing them and wiping away any moisture before handing one to his brother.
"Brother, will Sister come back today?" Zhou Yuehan asked as he tucked his lunchbox into the inner pocket of his backpack.
Zhou Yuedong paused, then said, "You’ll have to ask Dad."
Zhou Yuehan immediately fell silent.
Zhou Yueshen came downstairs just then, catching the tail end of their conversation.
He looked surprised.
He never expected that in less than a month, Si Nian had completely won over both children.
The previous woman had stayed much longer, yet the boys had never shown such attachment.
Zhou Yuehan was easy to please—show him a little kindness, and he’d give his whole heart.
But Zhou Yuedong had always been guarded, wary as a wolf cub protecting its territory.
Yet even he showed no resistance now.
It made Zhou Yueshen reconsider—perhaps Si Nian had done far better than he’d imagined in private.
Si Nian’s strategy: Win over the younger siblings = Win over Zhou Yuedong.
"Let’s go, I’ll take you to school," he said, his voice deep as he descended the stairs.
The boys hurried after him.
"Dad, our teacher said there’s a parent-teacher meeting next Monday. They want you and Mom to come," Zhou Yuehan said as he climbed onto the front of his father’s motorcycle, nestling against Zhou Yueshen’s broad chest.
He loved this—the warmth, the security of being held by his father.
Every day, riding to school like this made him the envy of his classmates.
Now that they’d spent more time together, he felt comfortable enough to bring it up.
Zhou Yueshen hesitated. "When?"
"Next Monday."
Zhou Yueshen started the engine, his voice blending with its rumble. "Monday… I have a delivery to make."
Zhou Yuehan’s face fell, but then his father added, "Your mother can go."
"Mother?" Zhou Yuehan repeated the unfamiliar word, blinking in confusion.
"Dad is going to marry her. From now on, she’ll be your mother," Zhou Yueshen explained gently, watching for their reactions.
Just as he worried they might resist, his son asked tentatively, "Dad… can I call her Mom?"
Zhou Yueshen nodded. "Of course."
"Will she… be unhappy?"
"No."
"Then will she come to my parent-teacher meeting?" If everyone knew he had such a beautiful mother, he’d be the coolest kid in school.
Zhou Yuehan’s face flushed with excitement.
Zhou Yueshen fell silent.
Si Nian had said she’d be back in two days, but she hadn’t specified when.
Looking down at his son’s hopeful face, he finally said, "Tomorrow’s your day off. I’ll take you to her parents’ house, and we’ll see."
"Yay!"
The thought of visiting Stepmother’s home made Zhou Yuehan cheer.
Zhou Yueshen could tell how much the boy adored Si Nian. Zhou Yuehan was the type to wear his heart on his sleeve—a little kindness, and he’d give his all.
Zhou Yuedong didn’t say anything, but his grip around his father tightened slightly.
Unseen by Zhou Yueshen, the boy’s once-guarded eyes now sparkled at the prospect of seeing Stepmother again.
Meanwhile, the poor family dog, Big Yellow, watched as everyone left before flopping back down dejectedly, clutching the well-gnawed pork bone Si Nian had given him. With a smack of his lips, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
Si Nian wasn’t sure if it was the influence of the Zhou family’s early risers, but she found herself waking up at dawn.
Lin’s mother had just gotten up to make breakfast for her sons when Si Nian appeared.
"Si Nian, why are you up so early? You should sleep more," Lin’s mother said, surprised.
"Mom, I’ve had enough rest."
Watching her two younger brothers, Lin Feng and Lin Yu, sitting on small stools in the kitchen slurping noodles, Si Nian couldn’t help but think of Zhou Yuedong and Zhou Yuehan—boys who, despite having better living conditions, still woke up early to boil sweet potatoes and eggs for breakfast.
Without her at home, they were probably making do with whatever they could throw together.
A pang of sympathy struck her.
Once she got closer to them, she decided, she’d teach them how to cook properly.
A man who could cook and take care of a home would have an easier time finding a wife.
All that brooding, that underworld nonsense—what was the point?
Lin Feng and Lin Yu stole glances at her. This was only Si Nian’s second time back home, and after some time apart, the distance between them had grown again.
The three siblings, who had barely spoken before, fell into an awkward silence.
Lin’s mother quickly sat Si Nian down and made her a bowl of noodles, adding an extra egg.
Si Nian noticed her brothers’ bowls had none.
In most families, sons were favored over daughters—yet here, it was the opposite.
