"Shiyi, I know Xiao Yu isn’t my own, but her dad and your dad were brothers, and he’s passed away. She’s had a very hard time, hasn’t she? There’s a special reason she’s living with us, with your grandpa and grandma. Why don’t you like her? Can you tell me?"

Shiyi didn’t say anything. Xue Yue turned him over and saw that he was crying. Her heart softened, and she pulled Shiyi into her arms, wiping away his tears. "What are you crying for? Are you that upset?"

Shiyi buried his head in Xue Yue’s embrace and didn’t speak.

Xue Yue gently patted his back and said slowly, "If you don’t like her, you don’t like her. I won’t force you. But I need to tell you, even if you don’t like someone, you shouldn’t say it out loud. It will hurt their feelings. You can keep it in your heart; it’s okay as long as you’re the only one who knows."

Only then did Shiyi say to Xue Yue, "Mom, ever since Xiao Yu came to our house, Grandma doesn’t like me anymore. And whenever she cries, all of you pay special attention to her."

Xue Yue frowned and looked down at Shiyi. "Why do you say Grandma doesn’t like you?"

"Well, every time we get out of school, Grandma always asks how she was at school and if anyone bullied her. She never asks about me. On the way home, if she gets tired from walking, Grandma will carry her, but not me. And you do it too! As soon as Xiao Yu cries, you all make me apologize."

Xue Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but Shiyi’s words were a wake-up call. They say the crying child gets the candy. Shiyi was a year older than Xiao Yu, but he was still a child, and a very sensitive one at that. What children say is often how they truly feel.

Xue Yue bent down and kissed Shiyi’s cheek. "If we’ve done some things wrong, I apologize. But you were also in the wrong today. You can’t just blurt out words like ’crybaby’ or ’pest,’ you understand? Harsh words cut deep. We can say nice things without thinking, but we must carefully consider hurtful words before we say them, or better yet, not say them at all. No matter how others act, we have to be polite. Besides, our Shiyi is a big boy, isn’t he? We need to be gentlemen. If we really don’t like someone, we can just ignore them, but we can’t call them names."

Huddled in Xue Yue’s arms, Shiyi nodded.

Xue Yue pressed her lips together and ruffled Shiyi’s hair. "And no matter what, Dad and Mom will always love you the most. That will never change."

"Mhm."

Xue Yue only came out after coaxing Shiyi to sleep. When she returned to their room, He Lang was already lying in bed. He asked her, "What took so long? Is the little guy still mad?"

Xue Yue sighed. "He’s asleep." She then told He Lang what Shiyi had said. He Lang was silent for a moment. "That’s certainly possible. After Second Brother passed away, he entrusted Xiao Yu to my mom’s care right before he died. My mom might be paying a bit too much attention to her, and it’s possible she’s unintentionally showing favoritism. Shiyi is at an age where he’s starting to understand these things, so it probably hurts. Did you comfort him?"

Xue Yue nodded. "I felt bad hearing it, too. He’s never said anything about it before. And today I even made him apologize to Xiao Yu. Shiyi was actually crying earlier."

He Lang paused. "Alright, he’s still little. He’ll forget about it in a few days. We’ll just have to pay more attention to him from now on."

After they turned off the light, He Lang said softly, "In a few years, when the kids are a bit older, we’ll move out and live separately from my parents. We have our own house, anyway."

Xue Yue hummed in agreement.

’Mr. and Mrs. He came to Beijing City to help them. Xue Yue knew their presence saved her and He Lang a lot of trouble. Besides, Mrs. He was the one taking care of the children, picking them up and dropping them off. Daya had been sent to a private boarding school for accounting and only came home two days a month. That meant Mrs. He was usually the only one at home. I can’t hurt her feelings over such a small matter. Besides, it’s my job to dote on my own child.’

The next morning, He Lang made a rare trip on his motorcycle to take the children to school first. Shiyi was overjoyed. Seeing his son smile, He Lang also felt a sense of relief and promised to pick him up after school as well.

After He Lang returned from the school, he then took Xue Yue to her workplace.

Xue Yue told him, "I can just take the bus. It’ll save you the trip back and forth."

He Lang said with a smile, "You can’t appreciate my happiness. I’m delighted to take you and the kids around every day."

Xue Yue’s lips curved into a smile. She rested her head on He Lang’s back and wrapped her arms around his waist. Listening to the VROOOM of the engine, she felt a genuine sense of bliss.

He dropped Xue Yue off at the entrance to her office and only left after watching her go inside.

Xue Yue entered the office. Just as she sat down, Ding Ruzhi came in. She stared at Xue Yue for a few moments before asking casually, "Was that your husband on the motorcycle who dropped you off just now?"

Xue Yue nodded, unsure why she was asking.

Ding Ruzhi raised an eyebrow, returned to her seat, and remarked, "He’s quite handsome."

Xue Yue heard her and glanced up at Ding Ruzhi.

That morning, Feng Yujie wasn’t in the office. It was unclear whether she had taken leave or was busy with something else.

Zhao Li and Ding Ruzhi spent the whole morning whispering to each other.

At noon, Xue Yue went to the cafeteria. She made a point of looking around and spotted Meng Ye. Seeing that Meng Ye was eating alone, Xue Yue sat down across from her.

When Meng Ye saw the knowing look in Xue Yue’s eyes, she was instantly reminded of what happened yesterday.

Xue Yue teased, "Was that your boyfriend yesterday?"

Meng Ye shook her head, poking at her rice with her chopsticks. "Just some psycho."

"Huh?" Xue Yue was so surprised she nearly dropped her chopsticks.

Seeing Xue Yue’s reaction, Meng Ye remembered that when she came out yesterday, Xue Yue and her husband had been standing there talking with Wang Hai.

"You know him?"

Xue Yue nodded. "I only met him yesterday, but my husband has known him for a long time. They’re friends, I guess."

At that, Meng Ye gave an awkward twitch of her lips.

Seeing this, Xue Yue laughed.

"So he’s your suitor! But if you don’t like him, you could just reject him directly. Why do you act like a mouse that’s seen a cat?"

Meng Ye said sheepishly, "I have, but the guy doesn’t seem to understand plain language. What can I do? He even showed up at my house, and to make matters worse, my dad actually likes him."

Xue Yue blinked. "So he won over your dad first?"

Meng Ye pouted. "Who knows what his real intentions are. I bet his sucking up to my dad has nothing to do with me."

’Xue Yue suddenly remembered He Lang saying that Wang Hai wanted to get into real estate, and Meng Ye’s father worked in real estate. If that was the case, then Wang Hai’s pursuit of Meng Ye might not be so pure after all.’

Xue Yue asked her, "So what do you plan to do?"

Meng Ye said flatly, "What can I do? I’ll avoid him when I can and just deal with him when I can’t. But that guy is as shameless as they come—a total scoundrel. He’s so clingy you can’t shake him off."

Xue Yue was speechless. ’So that’s the kind of person Brother Wang is? That’s not what He Lang told me at all.’

Seeing Meng Ye look so utterly dejected, Xue Yue felt a pang of sympathy for her.