《Be Careful, Scum Dad! Mommy Is Back!》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Reuniting with Ex-Husband on a Stormy Night Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Reuniting with Ex-Husband on a Stormy Night Lu Xining had always believed that even if there was no love and sweetness between a husband and wife, they could at least respect each other. So, during the five years of her secret marriage with Ji Muye, she had earnestly played the roles of wife and mother. ¡°Congratulations, you are pregnant.¡± After leaving the hospital, Lu Xining couldn¡¯t wait to share the good news with her husband Ji Muye, but his phone was unreachable, and she learned from his secretary that he had gone to pick up their twin sons. Lu Xining decided to wait at home instead and even asked the kitchen to prepare a few extra dishes. Yet, as time ticked by, Ji Muye and the sons hadn¡¯t returned, and Lu Xining became somewhat anxious. His phone still showed it was turned off. Just as she was about to grab her coat and go out to look for him, someone sent her a video. In the elegant setting of a Western restaurant, Ji Muye, clad in a bespoke black suit, sat with the twin sons beside him and a familiar woman across the table. Liu Xixi, Ji Muye¡¯s old flame. A romantic candlelit dinner, the joyful quartet, Ji Ze happily calling out ¡°Aunt Xixi,¡± the spreading smile in Ji Muye¡¯s eyes, matched with the hot search video title ¡°The Beautiful Family,¡± indeed they looked blissful. In the video, Liu Xixi asked Ji Ze, ¡°Who do you like better, Aunt Xixi or Mommy?¡± Ji Ze¡¯s reply ¡°Aunt Xixi¡± made Lu Xining¡¯s heart wrench in sour agony, making her rush to the bathroom to vomit. Five years of a hidden marriage, twin sons aged four, she had never felt his warmth and affection in public, yet today, she saw it bestowed upon another woman. That night, Ji Muye returned with the sleepy sons. The villa was dark; upon turning on the lights, the table was set with untouched food. He furrowed his brows and used the home phone to call Lu Xining. As soon as the call connected, Ji Muye urgently asked, ¡°Lu Xining, do you still care about this home?¡± Lu Xining lay in a hospital room, her lips pale, ¡°Ji Muye, let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± The call ended, followed by a permanent busy tone. ¡ª Two years later, in Yunqiao Village. A sudden severe rainstorm had disturbed the peace here. Lu Xining had just soothed her daughter to sleep when she heard the sound of a car stopping outside the yard and the doorbell ringing, making her frown and approach the window, where a black stretch car was parked outside. The rain poured heavily outside, making it hard to see the people through the rain and unlikely that the rain would stop tonight. Lu Xining didn¡¯t want to invite unnecessary trouble and turned off the bedside lamp, silently acknowledging the people downstairs. Outside. The male secretary, upon seeing the lights go off upstairs and then looking at the car, reluctantly kept ringing the doorbell. Lu Xining lay back in bed but canceled the doorbell sound, only to hear frantic knocking. She had no choice but to turn on her mobile phone and interact through the video intercom. Lu Xining, ¡°Try it again, and I will call the police if you don¡¯t leave.¡± Hearing her voice, the secretary quickly responded, ¡°I apologize for disturbing you so late, but the rain is too heavy to travel. Our boss¡¯s child has a fever. The villagers told us you have children¡¯s antipyretics, and we are willing to pay a high price for them.¡± Lu Xining coldly refused. As she was about to shut off the video intercom, the secretary hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, we are not bad people¡ªmy boss is Ji Muye, president of Jingzhou Shian Group. Please, name your price¡ªit¡¯s no issue for us!¡± Ji Muye? ¡­Her ex-husband. Hearing this name again gave Lu Xining the sensation of a world apart. A thunderclap woke up her daughter. The perturbance of their reunion and the acidity of bygone days were dispersed by the child¡¯s crying, and she hurriedly put down the phone to comfort her child. The male secretary, hearing the child¡¯s cries, quickly played the empathy card. ¡°Madam, you have a daughter; you know how dangerous a child¡¯s fever is. Could you please help us out? We¡¯ll just buy the medicine and won¡¯t cause any trouble; please help.¡± Her child, right¡ªthat was the child she had borne after ten months of pregnancy¡­ Even though her two sons didn¡¯t love her. But this place was too remote; the nearest hospital was two hours away, beyond Dashan. Ten minutes later. The secretary, looking up at Lu Xining¡¯s cold eyes, suddenly stood frozen, ¡°¡­Ma¡¯am?¡± Lu Xining stood inside the door, handing out a bottle of children¡¯s fever medicine. ¡°I am not your madam anymore. Take the medicine and leave quickly.¡± The back seat of a black Maybach. Dressed in a black suit, Ji Muye opened his eyes, his dark pupils as deep as ink, sharply and fiercely looking out the window, exuding the aura of a superior. He held his feverish son, his handsome eyes intently fixed on the silhouette of the woman in the rain, his gaze inscrutable and dark. The rain was heavy, and although she held an umbrella, Lu Xining¡¯s clothing was still splashed wet. As she turned around, she was stopped by her secretary, ¡°Madam, won¡¯t you take a look at the young masters? They have been missing you.¡± Lu Xining suppressed the sting in her heart and didn¡¯t look back, ¡°Forget it, it might not be necessary.¡± Ji Muye had just gotten out of the car and heard her reply, his face suddenly darkened, and the coldness around him grew stronger. A cold voice came from behind him. ¡°Lu Xining!¡± She paused slightly but didn¡¯t turn around or respond, closed the door, and entered the house in one fluent motion. Ji Muye watched the unyielding silhouette of the woman, overlapping with the image from two years ago. The secretary looked at the rain and thought it too dangerous to drive on, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll go to the village to see if anyone is willing to provide shelter.¡± On the second floor, Lu Xining stood by the window watching the man getting into the car, the secretary hurriedly leaving under the umbrella. After closing the door, Lu Xining clutched her rapidly beating heart, feeling a momentary numbness in her limbs. Over these two years, as a mother, there hadn¡¯t been a day she did not miss her sons, and had secretly arranged to check on them. But she couldn¡¯t forcibly take them away from the Ji Family, especially since they preferred ¡°Aunt Xixi.¡± She hurriedly returned to the second floor and hid behind the curtains, watching the man get into the car and the secretary leave hastily under the umbrella. She returned to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, the deliberately forgotten five years returning with renewed pain, causing her body to tremble slightly. Lu Xining, always worried about her sons, hadn¡¯t fallen asleep and stood behind the curtains watching the car downstairs. ¡°Madam! It¡¯s bad! The little master has a high fever and vomited!¡± Lu Xining softened inside. She let Ji Muye and others in and quickly managed to reduce her young son¡¯s fever. Living room. Ji Muye discreetly surveyed the surroundings, noting many children¡¯s items and toys, his handsome eyes cold, a chill rising in his heart again. He recalled the villagers mentioning Lu Xining had a young daughter and couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly. Everyone was drenched from the rain, but fortunately, the house had floor heating which warmed them considerably. While Lu Xining tended to the children¡¯s fever, a sharp gaze constantly fell on her. After the children were cared for, she gave some instructions and went upstairs. The first floor had guest rooms with en-suite bathrooms. After dealing with his younger son¡¯s vomit, Ji Muye discovered that his older son also had a low fever. They struggled throughout the night, and Ji Muye barely slept. These last two years, he had taken on the roles of both mother and father, living his days just like that. The next morning. Lu Xining woke up to her daughter¡¯s kisses. The little one woke up without crying or fussing, lying quietly by her side. Lu Xining changed her daughter into a new diaper and a light pink dress and carried her downstairs. The hourly maid, preparing the meals, saw the secretary sleeping on the couch and prepared extra porridge and side dishes for breakfast. The children¡¯s fever-reducing medicine provided by Lu Xining was effective; by morning, both Ji Chao and Ji Ze¡¯s fevers had subsided. At that moment, the two boys sat to one side, looking dubiously at Lu Xining and Lu Nuonuo. Ji Chao whispered to his brother Ji Ze, ¡°This woman looks a lot like mom.¡± Ji Ze also furiously added, ¡°But what¡¯s with that little girl? Moreover, mom didn¡¯t want us before, she is a bad woman!¡± Lu Nuonuo, sitting in a high chair drinking formula, curiously observed the few strangers who had appeared at the dining table today. After finishing her formula, she naturally handed her bottle to Ji Muye sitting next to the high chair. The child, just over a year old and starting to speak, popped out a word or two, though her intentions were clear. Lu Nuonuo: ¡°Put.¡± Just as Lu Xining reached for the child¡¯s bottle, Ji Muye had already extended his hand. Their hands met over the bottle, and Lu Xining quickly withdrew hers first. Lu Nuonuo, thinking they were playing with her, grabbed Ji Muye¡¯s finger and placed her tiny hand in his. Ji Muye¡¯s gaze shifted between the faces of Lu Xining and the child; Nuonuo¡¯s lively eyes were exactly like Lu Xining¡¯s. Nuonuo¡¯s interest came quickly and left just as fast; after releasing Ji Muye¡¯s hand, she waved toward Ji Ze and Ji Chao sitting on the other side. She sweetly called out, ¡°Brother, play.¡± Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 You... Remarried? Chapter 2: Chapter 2 You¡­ Remarried? Lu Xining picked up her daughter and kissed her fair cheeks, her gaze tender, ¡°Nuonuo, be good, mommy will play with you.¡± Watching her mother being so affectionate with Lu Nuonuo, Ji Chao felt a bit envious and a bit disheartened, while Ji Ze deliberately turned his face away to avoid watching them. The elegant man, cold and handsome, noticed the disappointment on his son¡¯s face and his gaze toward Lu Xining became slightly colder. After breakfast, Ji Muye and his secretary went out to find a way to leave. Knowing that they would be leaving today, Lu Xining didn¡¯t dwell on the matter of the two children staying a bit longer. Having not seen them for several years, even if the children didn¡¯t love her, after all, they were her own flesh and blood. It¡¯s just¡­ Looking at the continuous storm outside the window, Lu Xining frowned, always having a bad premonition. As she was making coffee, Ji Chao came out of his room carefully with his favorite toy car, inching toward Lu Nuonuo. Lu Nuonuo, sitting in the playpen, was waving her chubby little hands. ¡°Brother.¡± Lu Xining heard the voice, turned around, and Ji Chao stopped stiffly outside the playpen. Meeting Lu Xining¡¯s eyes, he awkwardly lowered his head and started a bit uncomfortably, ¡°This is the new toy dad bought for me; I want to give it to my sister.¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t stop him, Ji Chao handed the toy car to Lu Nuonuo. ¡°Sister, this is for you.¡± Lu Nuonuo had already stood up and walked to the edge of the playpen, happily reaching out to pull Ji Chao¡¯s hand, wanting him to join inside to play with her. Ji Ze suddenly shouted, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t give it to her!¡± ¡ª Ji Muye came back to hear Ji Ze crying. His exquisite features, wrought as if by the gods, were covered in frost, his thin lips held a cold curve, and he strode towards his crying younger son. Little friend Lu Nuonuo, holding the toy car, curled up obediently in her mother¡¯s arms, wondering why this strange brother was crying so loudly. When Ji Chao saw his brother crying, he immediately came over to comfort him but was pushed away by Ji Ze, falling to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t want a brother; go play with the bad woman¡¯s daughter!¡± Ji Muye picked up the fallen Ji Chao and turned to scold Ji Ze in a stern voice, ¡°Ji Ze! She is still your mother; apologize! And also, say sorry to your brother.¡± Ji Ze cried out loudly, ¡°I won¡¯t! She¡¯s not my mother, she doesn¡¯t love me, Daddy, I want Aunt Xixi; can you take me to Aunt Xixi, please? Brother likes the bad woman¡¯s daughter; he is a traitor!¡± Ji Muye looked at Ji Ze with a stern face, about to scold him further when Lu Xining intervened. ¡°Ji Muye, he¡¯s right, I don¡¯t deserve to be his mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting light out; you should leave my house too.¡± The intent to send them away was clear. The storm outside hadn¡¯t stopped with the dawn; in fact, it was even heavier than last night¡¯s rain. Forget about driving; even from inside, one couldn¡¯t see the outside clearly. Ji Muye hadn¡¯t expected her to be so heartless, his aura immediately plummeted to rock bottom. As the heir to the prominent Ji Family, he was destined from birth to enjoy the world¡¯s top resources. A prodigy in his youth, a legend in the business world, and up until now, he had yet to experience a single defeat. Except for his marriage to Lu Xining¡­ Which had lasted only a mere five years. His eyes icy, he said, ¡°Lu Xining, they are the children you birthed after ten months of pregnancy! With such heavy rain, can you really bear to let them leave?¡± Irritation laced the man¡¯s voice as he roughly tugged at his shirt collar. ¡°Lu Xining, Xiao Chao and Xiao Ze¡¯s fever has just subsided, those words were thoughtless; are you really going to hold a grudge against a six-year-old child?¡± Ji Chao explained on the side, ¡°Dad, the car I gave to my sister was the one you bought for me; brother¡¯s toy car is at home, he thought I gave his car to sister, that¡¯s why he is so upset.¡± Ji Muye never refused the children¡¯s demands for toys, learning that Ji Ze made such a fuss over a toy car, his gaze turned cold. ¡°Ji Ze, it is your brother¡¯s right to decide who he wants to give his toys to, your tantrum is unreasonable.¡± Though Nuonuo in her mother¡¯s lap didn¡¯t understand the adults¡¯ conversation, hearing the words ¡®toy car,¡¯ she got down from Lu Xining¡¯s embrace, holding the toy car and approached Ji Ze. Lu Nuonuo handed the toy car to Ji Ze, ¡°Brother, play.¡± She thought that by giving the toy to her brother, he would stop crying. But to her surprise, Ji Ze turned his face away as tears the size of beans fell one by one, and his crying grew even more intense. Whenever Lu Nuonuo cried, her mother would always hug her and comfort her. She placed the toy car on the coffee table, walked over, and hugged Ji Ze tightly, her chubby little hands gently patting his back. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t cry.¡± Ji Ze had never been comforted by such a young child before and felt a bit embarrassed as he nestled in his father¡¯s arms, murmuring in a muffled voice, ¡°But, I¡¯m not your brother.¡± ¡­That bad woman doesn¡¯t even acknowledge him as her son. Lu Nuonuo looked at Ji Muye, not understanding what Ji Ze meant, and turned to find Lu Xining with her candy jar in hand. ¡°Mommy, I want candy.¡± Lu Xining stroked her head and handed her a piece, just about to carry her upstairs when Nuonuo quickly ran to give it to Ji Chao. ¡°For brother to eat.¡± The candy that Lu Nuonuo loved most was limited by Lu Xining to one piece per day. To her, it was the most delicious thing at the moment. Seeing her offer a piece to Ji Chao without hesitation, Lu Xining paused, her daughter had never grown close to other children so quickly before. Lu Nuonuo noticed Ji Ze peeking at her and thought he wanted some too, so she generously extended the candy to him. Ji Ze slapped the candy away with a cold snort, ¡°I would never eat candy bought by a bad woman!¡± Ji Muye frowned deeply, feeling angry about his son¡¯s rudeness at the moment, ¡°Ji Ze! That¡¯s very impolite. Your little sister offered you candy, what should you say?¡± Ji Ze retracted his hand, looked at Lu Nuonuo, then at the cold-faced Lu Xining across from him, and said in a muffled voice, ¡°Thank you, little sister.¡± Lu Nuonuo, with a cheerful disposition, giggled and lifted the candy jar again, handing the whole thing to Ji Chao. ¡°All for brother.¡± She liked this brother more; he would play toy cars with her! Ji Chao didn¡¯t expect her to give him the entire jar of candy and looked at her blankly while holding it. Lu Nuonuo tugged at his clothes, ¡°Brother, say, ¡®Mommy!''¡± Ji Chao looked into Lu Xining¡¯s eyes, feeling a bit awkward and shy. He hesitated without speaking, causing little Nuonuo to grow impatient. Every time she had to call for her mommy to get candy; if brother didn¡¯t call mommy, how could he eat candy? She led Ji Chao to Lu Xining, pointed to the candy, pointed to her mom, and said again, ¡°Mommy.¡± Finally, Ji Chao blushed and hesitated for a long time before he softly called out ¡°Mommy.¡± Hearing the word ¡°Mommy,¡± Lu Xining couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she tipped her head back to restrain the tears in her eyes before nodding at him. Lu Nuonuo flashed a radiant smile. She didn¡¯t understand the adults¡¯ or brother¡¯s awkwardness; she only knew that eating candy made her feel sweet. Seeing Ji Chao with a jar of candy while he only had one piece, Ji Ze felt a sense of unfairness rising and couldn¡¯t help but sneak glances at Lu Xining¡¯s face: If he called her ¡°Mommy,¡± would he also get a whole jar of candy? Ji Chao took a lollipop from the candy jar, peeled off the wrapper, and handed it to Lu Nuonuo. He took one for himself and put the rest back on the coffee table. Ji Chao extended the lollipop he held to Ji Ze, ¡°Little brother, you can have mine.¡± Ji Mu, always tender when interacting with his children, patted his eldest son¡¯s head, ¡°Xiao Chao, since this little sister gave you candy, you should eat it. Little brother has some.¡± In the Ji Family, there was never an expectation for brothers to always give in to each other; ever since they were young, the boys divided everything equally. Lu Nuonuo was back in her mother¡¯s arms, watching as Ji Muye continued to make Ji Ze apologize. Apologizing to Ji Chao was quick. When it came to apologizing to Lu Xining, Ji Ze was very awkward, his voice softer than a mosquito¡¯s, and he dared not look up at Lu Xining. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said you were a bad woman.¡± The words ¡°Mommy¡± almost reached his lips, but Ji Ze still couldn¡¯t say them out loud. He sneaked glances at Lu Xining, hoping she would embrace him like before and comfort him, but there was nothing. Her eyes were only on Lu Nuonuo in her arms, and Ji Ze felt an even stronger sense of grievance building inside him. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Is it Worth it Over a Meal? Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Is it Worth it Over a Meal? Seeing Ji Ze¡¯s reluctant demeanor, Lu Xining felt a pang in her heart and wanted to leave with her daughter. Behind her, Ji Chao¡¯s eyes were full of reluctance. This little girl would tenderly call him brother and give him candies, and he truly adored this little sister. He sneakily glanced at Lu Xining, wanting to speak but not daring to, then hung his head in disappointment, thinking to himself: Could it be that mom doesn¡¯t want me and my brother because she has a well-behaved sister now? But¡­ he and his brother were also well-behaved. Ji Muye saw the reluctance in his eldest son¡¯s eyes and called out to Lu Xining. ¡°Lu Xining, let¡¯s talk.¡± Lu Xining shook her head in refusal, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to discuss. My husband will be back soon. Please leave as soon as possible.¡± Ji Muye¡¯s handsome eyebrows tightened, his expression turning ugly in an instant, staring at her cold demeanor. His handsome side profile¡¯s jawline was tense, and his words came out like a sharpened sword. ¡°Lu Xining, you really have no grace period!¡± ¡°In the past, you married me immediately after breaking up with your first love, and remarried right after our divorce, and now you even have a daughter. Truly a master of time management!¡± Lu Xining felt a surge of anger upon hearing his words, suppressing her fluctuating emotions, ¡°So what?¡± Not wanting to argue further with him and fearing the spread of her inner emotions, Lu Xining urged, ¡°We agreed last night to stay only one night. Please keep your promise and take your son away from my home.¡± Ji Muye clenched his back teeth, ¡°Lu Xining, Ji Chao and Ji Ze are also your children. Just because you have a daughter now, you don¡¯t want your sons?¡± Seeing the situation getting more serious, the secretary quickly stepped forward to explain. There were no houses available, and the road was flooded, making it impossible for them to leave the village. ¡°This is your problem, not mine.¡± ¡°Secretary Yan, take your boss and leave, or I will call the police.¡± Just then, her friend called, and the indifference in her brows instantly dispersed, her voice softening as she inquired about the return date. ¡°Baby, when are you coming back?¡± ¡°Of course, I miss you, Nuonuo misses you too, alright, I¡¯ll have someone pick you up when it¡¯s time.¡± Lu Xining conversed tenderly with the person on the other end, a stark contrast to her previous domineering and aggressive demeanor. Hatred and pain swept through his brain, Ji Muye¡¯s body swayed slightly, and his world momentarily went black. ¡°President Ji!¡± the secretary exclaimed! Ji Muye fainted from a high fever! ¡°Recently, because of the issues at Redwood Resort, President Ji has been non-stop busy. He started having health issues a few days ago, and last night he stayed up due to the young masters¡¯ fever¡­¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°Redwood Resort,¡± a sharp light flashed through her eyes. The rival business they mentioned was him. A few moments later, Ji Muye, dressed in the pajamas the secretary had just changed him into, lay on the guest room bed looking pale and frail¡ªa sight Lu Xining had never seen before. After the check-up, the secretary fed him medicine. Seeing his pale face, she ultimately couldn¡¯t bear to send them away on this rainy night. She sighed, ¡°Stay then.¡± The secretary¡¯s eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly. Ji Muye slept straight through till midnight. When he woke up and realized he was still in the guest room, he furrowed his brow. Hearing the noise, the secretary hurriedly climbed out of the foldable bed to check. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± ¡°Where are Ji Chao and Ji Ze?¡± ¡°The two young masters are sleeping in the second-floor children¡¯s room.¡± ¡°¡­And her?¡± ¡°The lady is resting with her daughter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call her ¡®lady¡¯ anymore. She doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± Ji Muye felt utterly weak, unable to think further, and felt an overwhelming weakness as if his body was hollowed out. The secretary hurriedly helped him up, ¡°Boss, there¡¯s warm millet porridge in the kitchen, shall I get you a bowl?¡± He hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day except for breakfast, so he really was hungry. After he ate, he went upstairs to see Ji Chao and Ji Ze. The door to their room was not tightly closed, and he could see the two little ones lying on the bed by the dim light in the hallway. The two were sleeping in a children¡¯s room that Lu Xining had prepared for her daughter. The space was large and the beds were comfortable; they each clutched a giant toy and slept soundly. Across from the children¡¯s room was Lu Xining¡¯s room. Her door was also not fully closed. Thinking that Lu Xining had remarried and even had a daughter, Ji Muye clenched his fist at his side and left with a somber face. As the shadow at the doorway left, Lu Xining opened her eyes and slowly relaxed her stiff body. The next morning, Lu Nuonuo had not yet woken up, and Lu Xining, who had not slept well the night before, thought about going downstairs to make coffee first. She turned on the master bedroom monitor on her phone to keep an eye on Lu Nuonuo in bed. After spending two days with Lu Nuonuo, Ji Chao had grown increasingly fond of this little sister, and although Ji Ze felt awkward, he was charmed by her cuteness. They sneaked into Lu Xining¡¯s room and obediently waited by the bed for her to wake up. Secretary Yan was already awake. As soon as he stepped out of the room, he smelled the coffee filling the house and saw Lu Xining making coffee, so he shamelessly asked for a cup as well. Ji Muye, having changed his clothes, came out and saw the two drinking coffee. Secretary Yan chuckled, ¡°Boss, the coffee the madam made is really the best I¡¯ve ever tasted. It¡¯s both fragrant and mellow.¡± He glanced at the two and said calmly, ¡°Is that so, what¡¯s so great about it?¡± Secretary Yan felt a jolt in his heart and quickly finished the rest of his coffee, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m going out to check on things today.¡± The rain today was much lighter than the previous days, but the weather forecast showed it would be raining for the next week. As long as the stone bridge was still flooded, they couldn¡¯t leave the village. The man¡¯s devilishly handsome features carried a hint of pallor, his back was straight and slender, and he had the aura of nobility like a bamboo, each step like a walking pictorial. Ji Muye walked up to Lu Xining and looking at the coffee cup in her hand, he sarcastically remarked, ¡°Five years of marriage, I didn¡¯t know you had this skill.¡± Lu Xining was looking down at the monitor on her phone and noticed that her daughter had woken up. Her chubby little hands grabbed one finger of each of her twin sons, giggling and even enthusiastically inviting them to join her in bed. Hearing Ji Muye¡¯s words, she turned and scoffed, ¡°It seems I don¡¯t need you to know that.¡± Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the scene on the phone monitor. Without the elder around, Ji Ze also didn¡¯t dislike Lu Nuonuo as much, and even brought his favorite Transformers toy to share with her. Lu Xining put down her coffee and was about to go upstairs when Ji Muye grabbed her wrist. His body temperature was still a bit high after his fever. ¡°Lu Xining, don¡¯t you feel guilty when you see your two sons?¡± ¡°You disappeared for more than two years. When you hold your daughter, do you remember you are also mother to Ji Chao and Ji Ze!¡± ¡°They are just six-year-old kids too, haven¡¯t you thought that they need a mother¡¯s love as well!¡± The Lu family was also a wealthy family over twenty years ago, and they were old friends with the Ji family. A child marriage arrangement was set for Lu Xining and Ji Muye shortly after Lu Xining was born. Later, when the Lu family went bankrupt and moved out of the neighborhood, their marriage arrangement was also delayed. It wasn¡¯t until Lu Xining turned eighteen that Mr. Ji, while she was still studying at university in Jingzhou, brought the marriage certificate to her, and they got engaged, marrying after her graduation and soon had children. Lu Xining originally thought they would lead a peaceful life together, even if there was no love, they would respect the marriage and each other. But the marriage, hidden from public view, didn¡¯t even last five years before Ji Muye failed to live up to it. ¡°Guilty, why should I feel guilty? The person who should feel guilty is you! Ji Muye, when you were having a good time with your mistress, did you ever think about you¡¯re also a father to two children?¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely unreasonable! It was just one meal, was it necessary?¡± She repressed the urge to roll her eyes. Even now, the first thing he defended was the white moonlight. Ji Muye¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Lu Xining, Xixi is not the kind of woman you think she is. It¡¯s one thing for you to misunderstand me, but don¡¯t slander others.¡± Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Is He Your Lover? Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Is He Your Lover? Lu Xining thought that after two years, her heart would no longer hurt. Unexpectedly, his words still pierced her heart like needles. She was infuriated! ¡°We¡¯re already divorced, and I¡¯ve remarried. Ji Muye, please have some dignity.¡± Lu Xining forcibly pushed him away, preparing to go upstairs to find her daughter. Ji Muye grabbed her wrist and pulled her back in front of him, ¡°Who is the man that made you abandon your husband and child without a second thought!¡± He said she didn¡¯t trust him, but did he trust her? Lu Xining shook off his hand and told him word by word. ¡°A man who is a hundred, a thousand, a million times better than you!¡± Lu Xining quickly walked away, and behind her, the sound of a man falling to the ground followed¡ªJi Muye¡¯s fever from the previous night had relapsed. Despite their unhappy parting, the rain had not yet stopped. Under the secretary¡¯s mediation, they finally reached a verbal agreement. They would leave Yunqiao Village after the stone bridge was passable, and during her stay at her house, they would pay a daily accommodation and medical fee of one million. This stay lasted a week. Lu Nuonuo was very happy to have two new playmates, spending her days joyfully playing with Ji Chao and Ji Ze. Ji Ze was naturally childlike and, under Ji Chao¡¯s guidance, grew very fond of the cheerful Lu Nuonuo. Every day upon waking, he would pull Ji Chao to Lu Xining¡¯s room, waiting for their little friend Lu Nuonuo to wake up. Meanwhile, Ji Muye was resting in the guest room, busy with various meetings. He had just finished an international conference when he saw Lu Nuonuo, who should have been napping upstairs, lying on the stairs. Rubbing her eyes, she came to Ji Muye, extended her little red hands, and said, ¡°Hug.¡± Ji Muye stiffly picked up Little Dumpling. The cooking aunty hurriedly entered through the door, and it was then that he learned Lu Xining had gone out to provide medical care for the village elders. She had that ability? Before leaving, Lu Xining had arranged for a part-time aunty to watch over Lu Nuonuo, but unexpectedly, the aunty had gone back to her house to gather laundry, leading to Lu Nuonuo waking up and climbing down the stairs herself. Ji Muye¡¯s cold gaze narrowed, a powerful aura accompanying his scrutinizing look, ¡°Do you realize how dangerous this is?¡± A child over a year old left at home could face numerous dangers. The aunty intended to laugh it off and move on but didn¡¯t expect Ji Muye to be so angry, she hurriedly defended herself. ¡°I just remembered I hadn¡¯t brought in the laundry, and I feared it would rain. My house is right next door, so I thought I¡¯d quickly go and return. I didn¡¯t expect Nuonuo to wake up so soon.¡± Sensing his anger, Lu Nuonuo puckered up and kissed his cheek, mimicking Ji Chao¡¯s voice as she called out to him. Lu Nuonuo: ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be mad.¡± Children at her age are just starting to recognize vocabulary, not even understanding what ¡®daddy¡¯ means. Ji Muye¡¯s grip on the child tightened, his mind flooded with thoughts, and the tension was unlike any business deal. Was there a possibility that Nuonuo was his child? Forget it, it¡¯s unlikely. He had always taken precautions, and the timing also didn¡¯t match. Two hours later. Lu Xining, who had returned after treating the sick elders in the village, was disinfecting with alcohol at the entrance. The prolonged downpour had exacerbated the old ailments of the village elders, and she had spent a long time administering acupuncture. Upon entering the house and seeing her daughter in Ji Muye¡¯s arms with the aunty standing helplessly aside, the latter hurriedly admitted her mistake upon seeing her. After hearing Aunt Wang¡¯s words, Lu Xining frowned, ¡°Aunt Wang, I asked you to stay by the bedside at all times before I left.¡± For this, she had given her quite a bit of extra money. Wang Chunmei had never seen Lu Xining so indifferent before; she used to be quite polite to her. ¡°Xining, I thought Nuonuo was sleeping soundly, and since my house is close by, it didn¡¯t take much time to run back to get the laundry. That¡¯s why I went.¡± ¡°Nuonuo is fine now; during the busy farming season in our village, kids are left at home alone, and nothing has ever happened over these many years. Why are girls so precious, as if they are sons?¡± Saying this, Wang Chunmei straightened her back. ¡°Nuonuo¡¯s father is making a big deal out of nothing! You don¡¯t know, he just criticized me; I¡¯ve been working in your house for a month without ever being mistreated like this, Xining, you should compensate me a bit.¡± Lu Xining looked at Wang Chunmei with a cold gaze, ¡°Firstly, he is not Nuonuo¡¯s father; secondly, we have an employment relationship. What if something had happened?¡± Wang Chunmei, sensing her upset mood, became nervous. Not only because Lu Xining paid her well but also because she would often let her take some meat and vegetables home. Lu Xining¡¯s household ingredients, which someone regularly delivered, included seafood and Wagyu beef, delicacies they had never tasted before. ¡°Xining, I promise I won¡¯t make the same mistake again. Give Aunt Wang another chance.¡± Knowing how much Lu Xining cared about her daughter, she tried to take Nuonuo from Ji Muye¡¯s arms, ¡°Nuonuo, darling, come, let Granny Wang hug you.¡± The man dodged quickly, not letting her touch the child. Wang Chunmei¡¯s hands still had unwashed mud spots, and seeing her trying to hug the child, Lu Xining¡¯s gaze grew even colder, and she immediately took out her salary from her wallet. ¡°Aunt Wang, from now on, you are fired, and there¡¯s no need for you to come back again.¡± Wang Chunmei was dumbfounded ¨C she had only been away for a short while, hadn¡¯t caused any trouble, and now she was being fired? ¡°How could you, Lu Xining, be so cruel? You say ¡®fired¡¯ and just fire me like that, that¡¯s heartless. No wonder your man left you!¡± Lu Xining drove her out directly: ¡°Get out! Don¡¯t let me see you again!¡± She had lived in Yunqiao Village with her family when she was young and had left after starting school. Not knowing where to go after her divorce, she brought her daughter back to Yunqiao Village, pregnant but not yet showing, and as her belly grew, rumors started spreading about her being abandoned by a man. Since accidentally saving the village chief¡¯s life, everyone¡¯s attitude toward her had changed. Medical resources were the scarcest for their little village. Normally, seeing a doctor meant taking the long town-to-country bus to the county city, which would take half a day for a round trip. After her arrival, everyone would come to her for small ailments. With Wang Chunmei¡¯s nature revealed, since she couldn¡¯t work properly, she grabbed the gate of Lu Xining¡¯s household and refused to leave, cursing vehemently. ¡°Lu Xining, if this man isn¡¯t your daughter¡¯s father, he must be your lover, right?¡± ¡°I see his two kids don¡¯t like you; you wouldn¡¯t have stolen someone¡¯s husband, would you? I always say, a pretty woman like you, raising a daughter on your own with no man around, definitely up to no good!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen many women like you, just pretending to be good; a despicable woman. Your daughter might end up the same kind of despicable woman when she grows up!¡± ¡°Slap! Slap! Slap!¡± Three hits! Lu Xining directly slapped Wang Chunmei three times! ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Ji Muye called two bodyguards, who promptly threw her out. Dazed from the slaps, Wang Chunmei finally reacted and immediately sat on the ground, throwing a tantrum. ¡°Damn it! They hit me! Adulterer and whore bullying an old lady!¡± Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Nuonuo Little Baby Gets Hurt Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Nuonuo Little Baby Gets Hurt People in the village, hearing the commotion, ran out one by one to catch up on the gossip. ¡°Wang Chunmei, I let you look after my daughter temporarily because I had to treat the elders in the village, and you took the money and ran back home.¡± Her gaze turned to the onlookers, ¡°From now on, I will take care of my daughter without leaving her side, and if anyone in the village feels unwell, go to the county hospital instead.¡± In just a few words, she clarified the reason for the incident and made it clear why she would no longer be treating patients. That day, the news about Wang Chunmei taking money without doing her job spread throughout Yunqiao Village. The next day, when someone in the village came to Lu Xining seeking acupuncture for rheumatism, she refused them all. Also, because Ji Muye looked after Lu Nuonuo that day, Lu Xining¡¯s attitude toward him softened a bit. Ji Muye was cooking for his two sons, so he conveniently prepared three meals a day for everyone. Lu Xining thought it was ironic; when they were married and living together, she never ate his cooking, yet after the divorce, she did. However, from the day Lu Nuonuo called Ji Muye ¡°Daddy,¡± Lu Xining no longer let him near her daughter. Apart from mealtimes, she would be in the study on the second floor. The study also had a children¡¯s play area, and Lu Nuonuo spent most of her time there, often accompanied by Ji Chao and his brother. The children got used to waking up and looking for Lu Nuonuo to play with, as well as to Lu Xining¡¯s cold demeanor. Their odd yet cozy way of getting along baffled the secretary. Another week passed. Finally, the day after the rain stopped and the river receded, Lu Xining had an important phone call to take. She saw Lu Nuonuo playing with toys in the study¡¯s playpen, accompannied by Ji Chao and Ji Ze, and stepped out onto the study¡¯s balcony to take the call. Her subordinate updated her on the current situation with the land at Redwood Resort. Lu Xining, ¡°Monkey, we must secure that land.¡± Over the past two years, she had surveyed many places, but only the land at Redwood Resort was most suitable for cultivating her precious herbs. If the mass production of new breeds proved successful, many of the current incurable deadly diseases could be alleviated or even cured. Monkey promised, ¡°Sister Ning, rest assured, I will spare no expense to get that land!¡± ¡°Also, Sister Ning, there¡¯s another thing: recently, there have been several groups of people secretly investigating your identity. I had Haozi intercept them.¡± ¡°Mm, thank you for your trouble.¡± ¡°Tomorrow is Nuonuo¡¯s check-up. I¡¯ve already arranged for a car to pick you up, and everything at the hospital has been set up.¡± After hanging up, Lu Xining stepped back into the study, only to find no trace of her daughter. She quickly headed downstairs. Just reaching the stairway, she saw Liu Xixi who shouldn¡¯t have been there. Her hand was pinching Lu Nuonuo¡¯s cheek, the little one trying to dodge, but she was tightly held in her embrace. Lu Xining hurried down the stairs, ¡°Let her go.¡± Liu Xixi looked up at the sound, her heart tightening when she saw Lu Xining¡ªhow could she be here! As the girl in her arms called out ¡°Mommy,¡± Liu Xixi deliberately twisted the child¡¯s fingers, her manicured nails, adorned with large jewels, leaving a red scratch on the delicate skin. Lu Nuonuo started crying from the pain. Ji Muye, who was in the guest room having a meeting with the secretary, heard the child¡¯s cries and immediately came out. As he exited the guest room, he saw the furious Lu Xining¡ªwith one hand holding the child and the other landing a hard slap on Liu Xixi¡¯s face. Ji Muye saw her actions and exclaimed sharply, ¡°Lu Xining, what are you doing!¡± Liu Xixi had come to Yunqiao Village with Ji Family¡¯s bodyguard, and her eyes welled up with tears at the sight of Ji Muye. ¡°Aye, I was just hugging the girl because she was cute. I don¡¯t know why Xining hit me out of nowhere.¡± Lu Xining¡¯s slap was strong, leaving one side of Liu Xixi¡¯s face visibly swollen. Xining couldn¡¯t care less about the gossiping around her, and immediately took out a separate medical kit to disinfect her daughter¡¯s wound. Seeing the bleeding, her hands trembled. Fortunately, the bleeding stopped quickly, and no major harm was done. Nuonuo cried with heaving sobs as she clung to Xining¡¯s neck, ¡°Mommy, it hurts.¡± ¡°Nuonuo is the bravest, it¡¯ll stop hurting soon.¡± Guilt filled Xining¡¯s eyes; she should not have allowed her daughter out of her sight. Muye also saw the cut on the child¡¯s face, which had swollen up. His gaze darkened, and his heart clenched with a vague, spreading worry. Liu Xixi felt a bit guilty and hid her manicured nails that had scratched the child¡¯s face, ¡°Aye, it wasn¡¯t on purpose. I was startled when Xining suddenly spoke, and I accidentally cut the child¡¯s face.¡± Xining was very angry, ¡°Who let you into my house?¡± Muye quickly noticed her obviously upset state and her trembling hands as she held her daughter. He hurriedly reached out to take the child, but was avoided by both of them. The man¡¯s movement stiffened, ¡°Nuonuo.¡± Nuonuo hugged her mother¡¯s neck, refusing to look at Muye. Although she was young, she knew that the people Mommy disliked were all bad. He and her brother were bad, none of them had cared for her when the strange auntie pinched her face. She would never like them again! Ji Ze looked at Xining and felt somewhat scared. It was he who had opened the door to let Aunt Xixi in; she said she had brought him small cakes. ¡­It had been a long time since he last had a small cake. ¡°¡­It was me.¡± Xining¡¯s gaze fell on him, noticing the cream at the corner of his mouth, and the small cakes by the dining table. ¡°I regret it! All of you, get out of my house!¡± Ji Ze was scared into tears, and his brother Ji Chao didn¡¯t dare to speak either. The secretary quickly pulled the two little lords aside. Muye, seeing the condition of the two children, said displeased, ¡°Xining, be rational.¡± Xining covered her daughter¡¯s ears, her tone mocking, ¡°Muye, can¡¯t you understand human language? I¡¯m telling you to get lost, take your son, your woman, get out of my house!¡± Liu Xixi feigned understanding, ¡°Xining, I know you¡¯ve misunderstood me before, and I don¡¯t blame you. This slap can be my apology, and we can still be friends.¡± ¡°But Aye has done nothing wrong, Xiao Chao and Xiao Ze are innocent too; you can¡¯t take your anger out on the children.¡± Just then, the people Monkey had arranged to pick them up arrived, a formidable six cars with about twenty men stepping out. Xining directly ordered the men to drive Liu Xixi and the others out. The Ji Family¡¯s bodyguards were few in number and overwhelmed; they were all bound and thrown out of the yard. Liu Xixi was also thrown into a puddle by the gate, her white dress instantly muddied. Muye grabbed Xining¡¯s wrist with a cold, commanding tone, ¡°Xining, aren¡¯t you being too excessive!¡± Anger reddened Xining¡¯s eyes from his words, ¡°Anyway, everything I do is excessive in your eyes, this is no different.¡± The man had never seen her like this and was momentarily at a loss. By the time he wanted to speak again, his hand was already violently shaken off. She looked down with an indifferent expression, ¡°Please leave my house immediately!¡± Ji Ze looked at Xining, standing stunned, wanting to speak but not daring to. Eventually, he ran out to help Liu Xixi up from the ground, asking with concern, ¡°Aunt Xixi, are you okay?¡± Ji Chao stood frozen, looking at Xining and the sister in her arms. Xining, looking at Muye and the two children in front of her, felt her heart shatter into glass shards, daring not to have any further expectations for them. She really shouldn¡¯t have been soft-hearted; all she hoped was that they would never appear before her again in this life. ¡°Or do you need me to have someone throw you out too?¡± Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Are You Willing to Go with Mom? Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Are You Willing to Go with Mom? Lu Nuonuo still got a fever. When Lu Xining realized that her daughter, lying on her shoulder, felt a bit warm, she immediately packed up the child¡¯s commonly used items. Sounds of ¡°clang clang clang¡± came from inside the house. The sofa where Liu Xixi had sat and the carpet she had stepped on, as long as they were ¡°contaminated¡± by her, were all thrown into the empty space outside the courtyard. After a while, Lu Xining, holding her child and in a rush, left without looking back and drove away from Yunqiao Village. With a loud snap, the courtyard door was locked, as if Lu Xining would never return. Ji Muye¡¯s eyes darkened as he watched the fear in the eyes of the two children; she had no place for her sons in her eyes! Ji Ze, holding his brother¡¯s hand, had red eyes and didn¡¯t even listen to Liu Xixi¡¯s comfort, unable to forget the last look Lu Xining gave him. Ji Chao, standing next to him, was also very sad. He had offered his sister candy before leaving, but she ignored him and no longer smiled at him. With red-rimmed eyes, Ji Chao asked, ¡°Dad, do Mom and sis not want us anymore?¡± While crying, Ji Ze said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want me, well I don¡¯t want her either!¡± Ji Muye ordered people to keep a close watch on the direction the car was heading. He touched the children¡¯s heads to comfort them, ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen.¡± Liu Xixi¡¯s nails dug into her palm; as she watched their attitude toward Lu Xining, her sense of crisis intensified. She had to get pregnant with Ji Muye¡¯s child as soon as possible, at which point everything at the Ji Family would belong to both her and her child! Two days later, at Shi¡¯an Group¡¯s top floor. Ji Muye stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with an indifferent expression and slight irritation, ¡°Still no trace of her?¡± Yan Dong reported with his head bowed, ¡°None.¡± Ji Muye¡¯s people had lost track of Lu Xining¡¯s car. She and her child had once again vanished from his world. After much hesitation, Yan Dong still spoke up, ¡°President Ji, Miss Lu knew we would be looking for her. Right after leaving Yunqiao Village, she switched cars and deliberately avoided surveillance along the way, that¡¯s why we lost her.¡± The man¡¯s deep black eyes narrowed, recalling the scared and crying faces of his sons, frost covered the depths of his eyes, ¡°Keep looking!¡± Ji Muye turned around, his face tense, his voice extremely cold, ¡°Also, send another group to investigate her past two years¡¯ experiences, every single detail, find out everything.¡± A cold smile played at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Especially that man she remarried!¡± Yan Dong immediately agreed, not daring to meet his boss¡¯s eyes, and quickly left the office. Jingzhou, a private hospital. Lu Xining had known that upon seeing him again, Ji Muye would not let her off. So, after leaving Yunqiao Village, she switched cars twice before finally taking a private plane to a neighboring city. Before boarding, she acquired special medication and treated her daughter to reduce the fever. She then immediately sought refuge with her good sister Ming Yuan and waited for her daughter¡¯s full recovery. As the young miss of the Ming Family and a popular actress in the entertainment industry, the Ming Family¡¯s security system was top-notch in the country, with first-class confidentiality. Most importantly, Ji Muye did not know the relationship between Ming Yuan and her. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t trace her. In the small garden, Lu Xining had just finished flying kites with her daughter who, after playing for a while, grew tired and fell soundly asleep on her shoulder. She whispered in a low voice, ¡°Ningning, do you still remember the handsome boyfriend you dated in college?¡± Lu Xining thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Why does everyone say I dated in college? Are you talking about Lin Henian?¡± Ming Yuan pulled out her phone, pointed to the man on it, and said, ¡°Nowadays he goes by the surname Song, the Song from the Song Family in the south of the city. He seems to have fallen ill and is staying in this hospital too.¡± Entering his hospital room under the identity of classmate Song Henian, Lu Xining couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how fast time passed. Seven years had gone by, and the slender, fair youth from her memories had grown up and lay there with his eyes closed. Lu Xining did not linger long in the hospital room, leaving right after delivering the gift. However, just as she was exiting the room and passing a corner, she accidentally glimpsed through the window to the sickly Ji Chao downstairs. The little guy, dressed in a hospital gown, was looking down dejectedly, holding something and sitting on a lounge chair on the hospital patio, accompanied by the Ji Family¡¯s housekeeper. He was surprised to see Lu Xining, ¡°Young Madam, what are you doing here?¡± Ji Chao, initially listless, quickly turned his head and the moment he saw his mother, tears instantly slid down his face. He rushed into her arms, clutching the hem of Lu Xining¡¯s dress tightly with both hands. Ji Chao¡¯s voice choked with a hint of trepidation, ¡°Cough, cough, Mom¡­ I¡¯m sorry, really sorry¡­ I regret not stopping my brother, I thought I would never see you again¡­¡± The call of ¡®Mom¡¯ from him tugged painfully at Lu Xining¡¯s heart, and pity welled up uncontrollably. No matter how cold-blooded she acted, seeing her child sick, all previous displeasures were cast aside. She squatted down and held him tightly in her embrace, ¡°Xiao Chao, don¡¯t be afraid, Mom is here.¡± From the old butler, she found out that Ji Chao had been sick since returning from Yunqiao Village, suffering from frequent fevers at night and incessant coughing. Ji Muye then admitted him to this private hospital and arranged for a caregiver to tend to him round the clock. Seeing Ji Chao¡¯s current state, Lu Xining¡¯s delicate eyebrows inevitably turned angry, ¡°24-hour caregiving, and where is Ji Muye? His child is hospitalized, and where is the father?¡± The old butler sighed, ¡°Young Master is at the company, busy with business lately, he can¡¯t make the time¡­¡± Just then, Lu Xining¡¯s cellphone flashed with a news alert. [Shi¡¯an Group CEO personally escorts the rising starlet Liu Xixi to her filming set, rumored romance exposed] He can¡¯t make time for his hospitalized child but can take his sweetheart to a film set? Lu Xining gripped her phone, her face deathly pale, eyes flashing with rage, ¡°This is what he¡¯s busy with?¡± The old butler went silent upon seeing the content, the person in the photo was indeed Ji Muye. ¡°Young Madam, there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Young Madam, I have no relation with Ji Muye anymore!¡± Ji Chao in her arms nervously glanced at her. Lu Xining gently patted his back, softly asking, ¡°Xiao Chao, do you want to come with Mom?¡± He looked into her eyes and hesitated before nodding. Lu Xining suddenly lifted Ji Chao into her arms and headed towards the elevator. The boy, slightly embarrassed, clung to her neck, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m heavy, I can walk on my own.¡± Lu Xining sootheed him with a glance, ¡°You¡¯re not heavy, it¡¯s just right for Mom to hold you.¡± The old butler rushed up to stop her, ¡°Young Madam, you cannot take the young master away.¡± Lu Xining stopped in her tracks, surrounded by a palpable aura of rage. ¡°Tell Ji Muye if he can¡¯t take care of his child, then I¡¯m taking him away.¡± ¡°He can continue to be ¡®busy¡¯ with his sweetheart for as long as he pleases!¡± Lu Xining swiftly returned to Ming Yuan¡¯s estate with Ji Chao and Nuonuo. To shake off any tails, she had Monkey bring in some people. After giving Ji Chao a thorough physical examination and ensuring there were no major concerns, Lu Xining breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Chao was still a bit nervous when he saw Lu Nuonuo again. But the one-year-old held no grudges and immediately beamed a sweet smile upon waking up and seeing him. Lu Nuonuo grabbed his hand: ¡°Brother~¡± Ji Chao smiled in return, taking out the candies he always carried, and handed one to her. Lu Xining knew that taking Ji Chao would enrage that man. Luckily, Monkey had already taken care of the residence in Jingzhou. She planned to take her son and daughter there, to prevent Ji Muye from finding Ming Yuan¡¯s location. Though he was reluctant to part, he still respected her decision. Ji Muye, having received the message from the old butler, rushed to the hospital in a hurry. Yan Dong was already looking into the hospital¡¯s surveillance footage, only to see Lu Xining holding a child, getting into a black car. It seemed they were prepared, having shaken off his men. Ji Muye¡¯s face was grim, his dark eyes flickered with flames of anger, ¡°Keep searching!¡± Before leaving the hospital, a thought suddenly struck him. The man¡¯s voice was low and cold, ¡°Check what Lu Xining did at the hospital.¡± Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Goodnight, Brother Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Goodnight, Brother The next morning, Ji Chao felt an itching on his cheeks. He sniffed his nose and heard Lu Xining¡¯s tender voice by his ear. ¡°Nuonuo, don¡¯t disturb brother¡¯s sleep. Mommy will hold you and make milk, okay?¡± Suddenly, he remembered that he had gone back home with his mother yesterday. As soon as Ji Chao opened his eyes, he met Lu Nuonuo¡¯s bright and sparkling eyes. The little guy, seeing him awake, immediately sweetly called out brother. Lu Xining also noticed her eldest son¡¯s movement. She looked at him gently, ¡°Xiao Chao, if you¡¯re still sleepy, you can sleep a little longer.¡± Ji Chao shook his head, staring at her dumbfounded. Waking up beside his mother, there was a long-absent warmth. Lu Xining touched his forehead and realized he no longer had a fever. After having breakfast with the two children, she took them out to play in the yard. In the yard, there was a large swing. Ji Chao and Lu Nuonuo sat on it, while Lu Xining stood behind, gently pushing. ¡°Mommy, swing higher.¡± With Ji Chao playing with her, Lu Nuonuo danced happily with her hands and feet. Amid the little one¡¯s repeated calls of brother, the worry that Ji Chao had carried in the hospital eventually vanished, revealing a smile that came from the heart. During the three days at Lu Xining¡¯s, Ji Chao enjoyed every meal and would sleep with Lu Xining and Lu Nuonuo at night, waking up to the sound of Nuonuo¡¯s cries for brother in the morning. When Ji Muye came looking for them, he saw his usually reserved and rarely laughing eldest son being chased and giggling joyously in the yard by Lu Nuonuo. The bright sunshine showered both children, while Lu Xining sat on the swing on the other side, her gaze tenderly watching their playful antics. In Ji Chao¡¯s hand was the string of a children¡¯s kite. Lu Nuonuo ran behind him, occasionally tumbling onto the lawn, then picking themselves up to continue the pursuit. Suddenly, the kite string snapped. Ji Chao took Lu Nuonuo to look for the distant kite, and immediately saw Ji Muye standing outside the courtyard gate. He stared blankly, ¡°Dad.¡± Lu Xining had actually noticed Ji Muye at the door much earlier. From the moment his car entered the neighborhood, she had been notified by the bodyguards. It was only a matter of time before he found her. During these days, she had made up her mind: she didn¡¯t want the man, but she wanted to take the children, to educate and raise them herself. Wanting to see both her sons, a meeting with Ji Muye was inevitable. The man, dressed in a well-tailored haute couture suit, had cold, handsome brows, and his dangerous and profound black eyes locked onto her face under lengthy lashes. His thin lips were pursed into a firm line, and his powerful presence was awe-inspiring. Bodyguards followed him, standing a few steps behind him with respectful bowed heads. The man¡¯s emotions were calmer than she had expected. Lu Xining asked the servants to take the children back to the living room and faced Ji Muye alone in the courtyard. In the courtyard, Lu Xining still sat on the swing. Ji Muye strode up to her and, from a distance of one meter, towered over her, looking into her eyes. In his mind, he recalled Yan Dong¡¯s words just before getting out of the car. ¡°The lady went to the hospital to visit Song Henian, the recently recovered son of the Song Family in the south city.¡± Ji Muye had seen that man. He stood outside the Ji Mansion all night before Ji Muye and Lu Xining¡¯s wedding. Song Henian, Lu Xining¡¯s first love! His gaze was cold and questioning, ¡°Lu Xining, who gave you permission to take away my son?¡± The corners of Lu Xining¡¯s mouth raised in a cold smile, ¡°If I don¡¯t take him away, should I leave him sick in the hospital and unhappy?¡± The man radiated anger, ¡°What right do you have to take him away!¡± Stung by the mockery in his eyes, Lu Xining held back tears and said, ¡°I am his mother. What right do you think I have!¡± Ji Muye¡¯s knuckles turned white from gripping tightly, ¡°Now you remember you¡¯re his mother? Where were you the past two years when the child was sick and looking for his mother!¡± Lu Xining¡¯s eyes reddened, a layer of mist appearing in them, ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t want to be with them? Ji Muye, it was you who didn¡¯t give me the chance to be with them!¡± ¡°When Ji Chao sat on the hospital terrace looking sad, where were you, their father? You were taking Liu Xixi to the film set!¡± Ji Muye saw the gleam of tears in the corner of her eyes, his gaze flickered momentarily, then once more became tinged with scorn. ¡°Lu Xining, this is an issue between you and me, why do you always have to drag innocent people into it?¡± Innocent? Liu Xixi innocent? Lu Xining felt as if her heart was being viciously seized by an iron grip, a dense array of long needles piercing it, leaving it riddled with a thousand holes. The repression, torment, and sourness of those five years lay between her and Ji Muye, ruthlessly tearing at every inch of her skin. ¡°If you think she¡¯s innocent, then let her be innocent.¡± Lu Xining didn¡¯t want to argue with this man anymore. After all, no matter what she said, his heart would always side with Liu Xixi. Wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes, she said, ¡°Ji Muye, if you decide to marry Liu Xixi, please give back the custody of the two children to me.¡± The air around them seemed to freeze. Ji Muye¡¯s profound eyes were as sharp as a sword: ¡°In your dreams!¡± ¡°Lu Xining, let me remind you, even if you are the mother of the children, without my permission, you cannot take Ji Chao away.¡± ¡°And if there is a next time, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± Inside the house. Ji Chao frequently looked out towards the yard, where it seemed like he saw his father making his mother cry. He¡¯d never seen his mother look so distressed. No, perhaps he had¡­ Before she left the Ji Family, before she left his father, before she left them, he had seen his mother wiping away tears secretly in her room. Just as Ji Muye was about to make another cutting remark, Ji Chao, holding Lu Nuonuo¡¯s hand, returned to the yard. He raised his voice, crying out, ¡°Daddy, I will go back with you.¡± Lu Xining, with tears in her eyes, turned around to meet Ji Chao¡¯s sensible and well-behaved gaze, only to feel a wave of powerlessness surge through her heart. Ji Chao handed Lu Nuonuo to Lu Xining, with a smile more miserable than crying, ¡°Thank you, thank you, Mommy, I really had a great time these past few days.¡± The feeling of having Mommy and little sister around was really nice. Lu Xining squatted down and embraced Ji Chao, ¡°Xiao Chao, if you don¡¯t want to leave, Mommy can protect you.¡± Ji Chao, imitating her, patted her back and continued, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. Daddy loves me a lot. It¡¯s just that little brother will be scared alone at home. I¡¯m the big brother, I have to go back to stay with him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come visit you and little sister when I have the chance, and I¡¯ll buy new toys for little sister too. Whatever my kindergarten friends have, Nuonuo little sister should have as well.¡± Ji Chao was really too well-behaved, too heart-rending. Lu Xining didn¡¯t want to force the child because of her own wishes. She had prepared a lot of snacks for Ji Chao, and Nuonuo had stuffed all her favorite candies into Ji Chao¡¯s little backpack. Ji Muye sat in the living room sofa, his eyes cold and authoritative with a commanding presence. Watching this scene unfold before him, he felt an indescribable emotion in his heart. Taking advantage of his inattention, Ji Chao got Lu Xining¡¯s WeChat ID from a little piece of paper and planned to add her as soon as he got back. Back at the Ji Mansion, Ji Muye habitually went to his room to shower. Ji Chao sneaked into his room nervously. His hands trembling with anxiety, he grabbed one of the matching smartphones that belonged to the three family members from the nightstand and hurried back to his own room. Once in his room, Ji Chao hastily took out the small note and quickly added Lu Xining as a friend. The request was quickly accepted. Ji Chao lay on his bed, excitedly sending a video call to Lu Xining. The moment it connected, he saw Lu Nuonuo crowding in front of the phone, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, repeatedly calling him big brother. Ji Chao was enchanted by her cuteness. ¡°Mommy, can you also send me the photos of us together? When Daddy agrees to let me use the phone, I can look at them.¡± Lu Xining, heart aching for her son, sent over the photos she had taken of him and his sister over the past few days, along with their family portrait. At the doorway to the room. Ji Muye paused in the middle of drying his hair. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Cell Phone Friends Mix-Up Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Cell Phone Friends Mix-Up He caught a glimpse of the joy in his eldest son¡¯s conversation with Lu Xining. Ultimately, he decided not to enter and interrupt, turning instead toward the study. Ji Chao received the photos and began to save them once again. A happy smile emerged on his face once he confirmed they were successfully saved in the album. By the time Ji Muye finished his work and returned to the master bedroom, the phone that Ji Chao had stealthily taken was already back on the nightstand. Just as he was preparing to lie down and rest, Ji Muye¡¯s personal phone vibrated momentarily, and upon unlocking it, he saw a foreign avatar. The person had sent over a voice message. Ji Muye opened the chat box, scrolled up, and found it full of photos. Most of them were photos of Ji Chao and Lu Nuonuo together, and a few were of Lu Xining with them. The woman in the photos had a gentle look in her eyes; Lu Nuonuo¡¯s smile was radiant, and Ji Chao looked¡­somewhat goofy. Compelled, he played the voice message. It was Lu Xining¡¯s voice. ¡°Xiao Chao, take good care of yourself. If you miss your sister, send a message to mom, and I¡¯ll arrange a video call with your sister.¡± During the brief listen, another message popped up. This time it was the soft voice of Lu Nuonuo, ¡°Brother, good night.¡± The man¡¯s gaze turned vague for an instant, then suddenly turned bone-chillingly cold. The next day was a weekend. Ji Chao, thinking of the photos in the album, woke up early. During the weekend, he and Ji Ze were allowed to use the mobile phone for one hour. Ji Muye handed over his phone to him. These photos, he had already transferred to his son¡¯s phone the previous night. Ji Chao couldn¡¯t wait to search for Lu Xining¡¯s WeChat account, wanting to video call Lu Nuonuo, but he couldn¡¯t find it anywhere. Feeling lost yet not daring to tell Ji Muye directly, he asked indirectly, ¡°Dad, can a friend suddenly disappear?¡± Ji Muye didn¡¯t tell him about mistakenly taking his own phone the night before, only mentioned that sometimes the phone system might glitch, possibly making someone disappear. As for the account silently lying in his personal phone, he chose to utterly ignore it. After just finishing work in the Shi¡¯an Group office, Ji Muye¡¯s phone on the desk vibrated. Ji Muye glanced at the screen out of the corner of his eye. It was that account again. The video connected immediately, and he saw Lu Nuonuo¡¯s cute little face close to the screen, the childish voice cheerfully calling him ¡°brother¡± in front of Ji Muye. The little one¡¯s bright smile dropped as soon as she saw Ji Muye¡¯s face, and with a snap, she threw the phone away. The phone landed in a corner of the couch, barely showing a woman slowly approaching. Lu Xining looked puzzled at her daughter, ¡°Sweetie, what happened, didn¡¯t brother answer the video call?¡± The little one hugged her mom¡¯s leg tightly, shaking her head. Lu Nuonuo said, ¡°Scared.¡± Disregarding the phone, Lu Xining picked up her daughter. It took a long while to coax her back into a smile, and after playing toys with the child for a while, she finally had time to look at her own phone. The video call lasted for ten minutes. It had just been disconnected seconds before she came to take her phone. After pondering, she sent a message over anyway. There was no response for a long time. By the time for Lu Nuonuo¡¯s nap, she was focusing on putting her daughter to sleep. After Ji Muye hung up the video, without leaving the chat interface, he immediately saw the message Lu Xining had sent. It was a photo of Lu Nuonuo playing with toys. The little one had her hair in two pigtails, and because she had been ill, her cheeks were much thinner than they were back in Yunqiao Village. She was intently playing with a doll, and in a mirror next to her, a woman¡¯s slender fingers holding a phone were reflected. He coldly exited the chat interface. The next day, Lu Nuonuo decided to send a video call to her brother in the morning. She had learned this from Ji Chao before he left. Who knew that upon starting the video, she¡¯d be met again with Ji Muye¡¯s cold face. She pouted, unhappily staring at the man on the other side. Lu Nuonuo, frustrated, said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Brother.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Nuonuo ended the video call. The third day was in the evening. Dressed in light blue pajamas and freshly bathed, Lu Nuonuo lay on her bed with her phone on the pillow and dialed her brother¡¯s video call again. Ji Muye¡¯s face still appeared on the screen. With her chubby fingers, she tapped heavily on the screen, not understanding why it was always the bad uncle¡¯s face showing up. ¡°Change, change to Brother.¡± Ji Muye, sitting in his home office, had gotten used to the little girl¡¯s occasional video calls. Fresh out of the bath with her fluffy hair, the porcelain-like Lu Nuonuo looked extraordinarily cute. ¡°Brother is doing homework.¡± Lu Nuonuo took the phone to find her mom. She believed her mom could do anything, turn the bad uncle away and bring back her brother. The little one knocked on the bathroom door, ¡°Mom, Brother.¡± Lu Xining was washing her hair and couldn¡¯t open her eyes. ¡°Nuonuo, be good, Mom is bathing, you talk to Brother.¡± The little one was clingy even when she was bathing. Lu Xining placed a children¡¯s chair by the bathroom door to easily respond to her daughter¡¯s occasional calls. Lu Nuonuo was now sitting in the little deer chair, blinking her sparkling big eyes, feeling conflicted as she stared at Ji Muye on the phone. ¡°I want Brother.¡± ¡°Brother, Brother, I want Brother.¡± Listening to the little one repeatedly expressing her desire to see her brother, an indescribable emotion spread in Ji Muye¡¯s heart, and he finally agreed to let her see him tomorrow. Smart as she was for her age, Lu Nuonuo waved her hand and immediately ended the call upon receiving his promise. Ji Muye: ¡°¡­¡± The next day, Ji Chao returned from kindergarten and was surprised to see Ji Muye at home. Upon learning that Lu Xining¡¯s account had been reactivated, he eagerly took the phone to video call Lu Nuonuo. Lu Xining answered the call. As she saw Ji Chao, she also noticed the man standing behind him. ¡°Mom, I miss you so much, and I miss Nuonuo too.¡± ¡°Mom and sister miss you too.¡± Lu Xining first placed the phone on a stand before going to pick up Lu Nuonuo. The little one finally saw Ji Chao on the phone instead of the bad uncle and immediately smiled brightly like a sunflower. ¡°Brother.¡± Lu Xining kissed her daughter¡¯s tender little face, ¡°Nuonuo, talk to Brother while Mom prepares dinner, okay?¡± The open kitchen was directly connected to the living room, allowing Lu Xining to keep an eye on her daughter at all times. The little one nodded her head and began excitedly introducing her new toy in her arms to her brother. Lu Nuonuo: ¡°Brother, look.¡± Ji Chao, remembering the gift he had bought, quickly said, ¡°Sister, Brother also bought you a new toy.¡± He handed the phone to Ji Muye, ¡°Dad, hold this for me.¡± With that, he dashed upstairs to his room to fetch the stuffed doll he had bought for Lu Nuonuo. Soon, Ji Chao returned from upstairs. Ji Ze had just gone to the restroom and, upon returning, saw his brother in the video and also squeezed in, not expecting it to be Lu Nuonuo. Ji Ze, surprised, said, ¡°Nuonuo?¡± Though they were twins, Lu Nuonuo never mistook anyone. Seeing Ji Ze and remembering how he had supported the bad aunt before, she remained silent as a form of protest until Ji Chao appeared in the frame, making her smile again. Lu Xining felt it was about time to finish, calling out to Nuonuo to end the video call, ¡°It¡¯s time to eat, Nuonuo. Say goodbye to Brother.¡± Lu Nuonuo obediently waved her hand, ¡°Brother, bye-bye.¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Five Years of Marriage, Better to Marry a Dog Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Five Years of Marriage, Better to Marry a Dog Ji Mansion, dining room. Ji Muye looked at his eldest son who kept glancing at him, wanting but hesitating to speak, and put down his chopsticks to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ji Chao shyly inquired, ¡°Dad, can I go see my sister this weekend? I want to give her the new toy I bought for her.¡± The stern refusal that Ji Muye was about to utter got swallowed when he saw the expectation in his son¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll have the driver take you.¡± Ji Ze lifted his head from his rice bowl. ¡°Dad, I want to go too; you take us.¡± But, early Saturday morning, it was Ji Muye and Liu Xixi who came to drop off the two kids together. She acted very much like the lady of the house. Liu Xixi grabbed Ji Ze with one hand and reached for Ji Chao with the other, but was rejected. She suppressed the displeasure in her heart and, putting on an appreciative smile, told Lu Xining, ¡°Xining, I really appreciate you taking care of my kids. I¡¯ll come to fetch them after my meeting with Aye.¡± Her kids? Lu Xining glanced at the back seat of the Maybach, sneering inwardly: No wonder that scumbag agreed to let the kids come here, he¡¯s rushing off to meet his old flame. Lu Nuonuo handed over both drinks to Ji Chao, not giving any to the other brother, because he was mean! Ji Chao shared one of the bottles with him. Yet, Ji Ze turned to Lu Xining and said, ¡°I won¡¯t drink anything given by a bad woman!¡± ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t talk to mom like that.¡± Ji Ze, looking at Little Dumpling protected in Lu Xining¡¯s arms, stubbornly said, ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡± Lu Xining¡¯s expression changed upon hearing this, and Lu Nuonuo immediately kissed her, ¡°Mom is good, love mom.¡± Liu Xixi was pleased with Ji Ze¡¯s words. She intentionally threw the drink Ji Chao passed to Ji Ze into the trash can and confronted Lu Xining. ¡°Ji Ze is allergic to orange juice, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust you to take care of the kids like this!¡± Her raised voice drew Ji Muye out of the car to take a look. Lu Nuonuo got scared, and Lu Xining patted his back, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, mom is here.¡± He frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Liu Xixi put on a tearful expression and fearfully said, ¡°Aye, Xining is Ji Ze¡¯s biological mom; doesn¡¯t she know Ji Ze is allergic to orange juice? If I hadn¡¯t acted quickly, Ji Ze would have drunk it.¡± The man¡¯s scrutinizing gaze fell on Lu Xining. Secretly married for five years, she thought that even if Ji Muye didn¡¯t love her, he would at least understand something about her character. However, his first reaction after hearing Liu Xixi¡¯s words was to doubt her. Lu Xining scoffed, ¡°Liu Xixi, Ji Ze isn¡¯t allergic to orange juice; he just dislikes sour drinks like his dad.¡± She turned to Ji Muye and said, ¡°What are you looking at; don¡¯t you know your own child? He knows you dislike picky eaters, so he said he was allergic to orange juice.¡± Ji Ze, hearing his long-held lie exposed, didn¡¯t dare look at his father and quietly hid behind Ji Chao. Seeing his younger son like this, what else did Ji Muye not understand? Lu Xining continued, ¡°Besides, that was pumpkin juice.¡± She looked at Liu Xixi derisively, ¡°If those two holes of yours are useless, donate them to someone in need instead of always slandering people.¡± Liu Xixi pretended to weep again, looking tearfully at Ji Muye. Ji Muye frowned, ¡°Lu Xining, don¡¯t be so extreme in your words.¡± ¡°Xixi is just concerned about Ze; in the two years you weren¡¯t here, she often came to visit the kids. As their mother, you should actually say thank you to her.¡± This man¡¯s words are really vile! Lu Xining: ¡°¡­Donate your two holes as well!¡± Lu Nuonuo looked from his mom to Ji Muye and then walked over to embrace his leg, pounding it with his chubby hands. ¡°Bad uncle!¡± Ji Muye picked him up with both hands, his deep, dark eyes landing on the little guy¡¯s meaty hands, and immediately, golden tears began to fall. Lu Xining hurried over to carry him, but the man was too quick; the little one was already in his arms. Ji Muye¡¯s dark eyes were profound: ¡°Lu Xining, let¡¯s talk again.¡± Just as she was about to say there was nothing to talk about, she saw his gaze resting on his two sons. Not trusting to leave the three kids alone in the living room, Lu Xining took Ji Muye to the balcony connected to the living room. Lu Xining: ¡°Speak.¡± Ji Muye clarified his purpose. ¡°A child needs a mother to grow up. I can let you see the children anytime, but you can¡¯t lead them astray.¡± ¡°You misunderstand Xixi too deeply. The children really like her, and you¡¯re making it difficult for them.¡± Lu Xining felt a lump in her throat, unable to swallow or spit it out. She felt that her five-year marriage to this man was worse than marrying a dog. ¡°Ji Muye, you should be advising someone else, not me. As long as she doesn¡¯t come barking in front of me, I really don¡¯t care about her.¡± Her words clearly disparaged Liu Xixi, and Ji Muye coldly said, ¡°Lu Xining, how have you become so aggressive?¡± Half a month later, she and Ji Muye had their second conversation, which also broke down. When Ji Ze learned that he had to stay at her place, he was vehemently reluctant, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to stay here.¡± Lu Xining didn¡¯t stop him, letting him follow Ji Muye out. Before leaving, Ji Ze secretly looked back, seeing that she wasn¡¯t looking at him, he felt indescribably sad. Eight at night. Ji Muye hadn¡¯t come to pick up the children. Lu Xining bathed both children and settled them in the master bedroom. Her bed was large, attached to a children¡¯s bed. Ji Chao lay next to Lu Nuonuo while she told them a bedtime story. Before she could finish the story, both children had fallen asleep. Lu Xining lay on the side of the bed, her expression tender, wishing she could keep them both by her side. When Ji Muye arrived, it was already ten past midnight. He reeked of alcohol, along with the strong scent of rose perfume, Liu Xixi¡¯s favorite brand. During the secretive five years of their marriage, she often smelled it on him. The man slightly parted his thin lips: ¡°I¡¯ve come to pick up Ji Chao.¡± Lu Xining stepped back disdainfully, ¡°Ji Muye, didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t drink in front of the children?¡± He squinted his eyes: ¡°Lu Xining, mind your business. My matters don¡¯t concern you.¡± She stepped aside to let him into the room. Seeing his eldest son lying next to Lu Nuonuo, Ji Muye¡¯s steps momentarily halted. ¡°The clothes are newly bought and have been washed and dried. They¡¯re very clean.¡± Lu Xining explained about Ji Chao¡¯s pajamas, just about to wake Ji Chao when the man quietly stopped her. ¡°Let him sleep. I¡¯ll come pick him up tomorrow morning.¡± The man had just arrived and was already leaving, his steps slightly unsteady. Lu Xining found him somewhat inexplicable, walking to the window to look down, she saw a woman standing by the passenger side of the car, who hurried up to meet Ji Muye. The woman¡¯s clothes had changed. In the morning it was a pure white dress, now it was a bright red. ¡­ What kind of date requires a change of clothes? Lu Xining looked up at the dazzling night sky, her mind gradually clearing in the night breeze. One must look forward. The starry sky in Jingzhou was clearly not as beautiful as in Yunqiao Village. The next day, Lu Nuonuo woke up early and, seeing Ji Chao beside her, she revealed a happy toothy grin. It was also then that Ji Chao opened his eyes, turning to pounce into a soft, warm embrace. He looked up to meet Lu Xining¡¯s face, stunned for a few seconds before realizing he had slept here with his mom and sister last night. Lu Xining looked at Ji Chao¡¯s sleepy expression, smiled, and ruffled his hair, ¡°If you¡¯re not sleepy, get up and wash.¡± Ji Chao nodded. She picked up Lu Nuonuo and took Ji Chao to the bathroom. The house had plenty of children¡¯s toothbrushes prepared. After squeezing toothpaste for Ji Chao, she then brushed Lu Nuonuo¡¯s teeth and washed her face. The little guy was very cooperative, closing her eyes first as the towel approached, and then opening them up again to reveal a sweet, fragrant bundle of cuteness. Seeing the envy in Ji Chao¡¯s eyes, Lu Xining put her daughter down on the little deer chair by the door, took out a new towel, wrung it out, and wiped his face. His eyes flickered, unable to hide his pleasure. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 As Long As His Dad Agrees Chapter 10: Chapter 10 As Long As His Dad Agrees At the dining table. Ji Chao glanced at Lu Xining and, meeting her tender gaze, bashfully lowered his head. Nuonuo tugged at her pajamas, covering her mouth to steal a giggle, looking exceptionally adorable. Lu Xining brought out breakfast and told him about Ji Muye coming to pick him up last night. ¡°Dad did come to pick you up, but you were sleeping, and Dad couldn¡¯t bear to wake you, so he let you stay here.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t like Ji Muye, she didn¡¯t want to deliberately destroy his image as a father in Ji Chao¡¯s heart. The doorbell rang. It was Ji Muye coming to pick up the child. Following behind him was Ji Ze, who felt a bit aggrieved upon seeing Ji Chao having breakfast with Lu Nuonuo. He used to have breakfast with his brother every day. Having not seen Ji Chao at last night¡¯s dinner and this morning¡¯s breakfast, he was already upset, and now seeing him being so good to his sister made him even more annoyed. Ji Chao: ¡°Dad, why did you come so early?¡± Ji Muye reminded him, ¡°Did you forget that you promised Aunt Xixi last week to go to the oceanarium today?¡± The Ji Muye of today was indeed different from usual. He was dressed young and casual. Ji Chao looked at Ji Ze hiding behind their dad and honestly confessed, ¡°Dad, it wasn¡¯t me who promised, it was brother who wanted to go to the oceanarium that agreed with Auntie.¡± Ji Ze, who was pointed out, had actually forgotten the promise made to Liu Xixi. He had come only wanting to play with his brother. But he had made a promise to Auntie, and he couldn¡¯t go back on his word. It was Ji Ze who agreed to go to the oceanarium, not Ji Chao, so he spoke up directly, ¡°Dad, take brother there, I want to play with sister.¡± ¡°I can take Uncle Driver¡¯s car home in the evening.¡± Since the children were young, Ji Muye had encouraged them to express their true feelings, so he spoke his mind. Just as Ji Ze, who was hiding behind, was about to echo, he heard his dad speak. ¡°Ji Ze, you begged to go to the oceanarium, and now Aunt Xixi is waiting at the door, are you going to back out at the last minute?¡± In the end, Ji Chao got his wish and stayed behind. Ji Muye took Ji Ze downstairs, who kept looking back after every few steps. Ji Ze hesitated, ¡°Dad, can I come play with brother next weekend?¡± Ji Muye met his youngest son¡¯s hopeful eyes and couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him, ¡°When Nuonuo¡¯s dad is not around, you can.¡± Ji Chao scratched the back of his head, he remembered his sister saying in Yunqiao Village that she didn¡¯t have a dad, right? Who cares, as long as his dad agreed, that¡¯s all that mattered! Ji Muye arranged for bodyguards to accompany Liu Xixi and Ji Ze to the oceanarium, while he returned to the company to work overtime. But before the next weekend arrived, Ming Yuan had an accident. Due to a staff error, she fell from the wire rig, suffering multiple abrasions and was urgently taken to the nearby hospital. Lu Xining hurriedly took her daughter and rushed to Ming Yuan¡¯s city overnight. Upon seeing her bring the child, Ming Yuan tried to rise, disapprovingly saying, ¡°Why did you bring Nuonuo here, hurry back and rest.¡± Lu Xining quickly stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t get hurt again.¡± Ming Yuan sighed and comforted her in return, ¡°Ningning, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve always been lucky since I was young, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lu Nuonuo patted her mother¡¯s shoulder, and Lu Xining bent down to hug her, and the little one kissed Ming Yuan¡¯s uninjured face. ¡°Huff huff, it doesn¡¯t hurt, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Nuonuo really is godmother¡¯s precious sweet baby.¡± Ming Yuan wanted to hug the child, but Lu Xining didn¡¯t agree. She had no fractures, but with many abrasions on her body, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to hold a child. This weekend, she would stay in Lin City to accompany Ming Yuan. Thinking of the promise she made to Ji Chao, Lu Xining sent him a message that day, explaining her situation through a voice message. The first to hear the news was Ji Muye. The voice message Lu Xining sent to her son was very soft, very tender, briefly explaining the situation she encountered. Finally, there was the sweet voice of Lu Nuonuo: ¡°Brother, be good, wait for me.¡± Ji Chao had already held Ji Muye¡¯s phone and listened several times, knowing that she and Lu Nuonuo were not in Jingzhou, he felt somewhat very disappointed. But Lu Xining promised him that she would call him back as soon as she returned, and the unhappiness in his heart vanished like smoke. Lu Xining and her daughter stayed in Lin City for a few days with Ming Yuan before the three of them flew back to Jingzhou together once she was discharged from the hospital. It was night when the lights began to shine. Ji Muye had just walked into the restaurant when he saw a familiar figure. The woman was wearing a light purple long dress; her black hair was pinned behind her head, revealing a slender and pale swan neck. The secretary, following his gaze, exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Is it Madam?¡± Ji Muye glanced over coldly, ¡°Get it wrong again, and I¡¯ll dock your bonus.¡± Lu Xining, with her back to the restaurant door, did not know that Ji Muye was also in this restaurant and had seen her. The main purpose of tonight was to meet a friend, and they parted ways after dinner. Who knew that as soon as she entered the elevator, she locked eyes with Ji Muye¡¯s cold gaze; she turned her face away, ignoring the man¡¯s stare. Yan Dong, supporting him, was about to call out ¡®Madam¡¯, but then he remembered his bonus. ¡°Miss Lu, what a coincidence.¡± Lu Xining nodded, acknowledging the greeting. Arriving at the underground parking lot, she went straight to her car, ignoring the two people behind her. But Yan Dong suddenly said, ¡°Miss Lu, our car has a flat tire, could you give us a lift?¡± Lu Xining rolled down her window: ¡°Yan Dong, this is Jingzhou, if the car is broken, you can take a taxi.¡± Yan Dong hurriedly said: ¡°Miss Lu, President Ji drank some tainted alcohol, he needs to be rushed to the hospital.¡± Lu Xining had already smelled the unusual scent on the man back in the elevator. Seeing that she was about to leave, Yan Dong cried out, ¡°Do it for the sake of the child!¡± In the end, Ji Muye and Yan Dong successfully got into the car. The man¡¯s body was radiating heat. He leaned his head back on the seat, his eyes half-closed, his body like a piece of charcoal being scorched, his throat growing drier and drier. Ji Muye adjusted his tie, opened his eyes, and upon seeing Lu Xining in the driver¡¯s seat, the anger in his heart seemed to intensify. Anger that accumulated over time settled in the depths of his eyes, as if it could engulf Lu Xining in an instant. ¡°Lu Xining, why do you still show up?¡± ¡°Two years ago you chose to abandon your husband and child, left the two kids without a word, and now what face do you have to come back and fight me for the children!¡± ¡°Unless I die, you¡¯ll never get custody.¡± A red light, a sudden brake. Lu Xining, her face frosty, looked at him: ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sick, go get treated right away!¡± Across the street was the hospital. Yan Dong didn¡¯t dare to say a word, hurriedly helped his boss out of the car, and was about to say thank you when the car had already sped off. The next morning at dawn. When Ji Muye awoke, he felt weak all over, recalling the scenes from last night, the hospital room was filled with an ominous pressure. At that moment, his personal phone vibrated. Lu Nuonuo, who woke up early, skillfully found her brother¡¯s account, dialed a video call, and prepared to give him a big smile. As the video connected. The little one beamed with crescent-moon eyes: ¡°Brother!¡± Her fair and delicate little face had finally gained back some flesh, looking like a Fuwa doll from New Year prints, delighting anyone who saw her. Seeing Ji Muye¡¯s pale face, little Lu Nuonuo moved closer in confusion, feeling that uncle was somewhat different today. Ji Muye spoke up first: ¡°Brother is not here.¡± Hearing his words, disappointment flickered in Lu Nuonuo¡¯s eyes. Upon seeing a white-coated elder appear on the other side, she tilted her head and stared at Ji Muye, then showed a pitiful look. ¡°Naughty uncle, take your medicine.¡± Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Should the Child Be Unkind to Their Birth Mother or Stepmother? Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Should the Child Be Unkind to Their Birth Mother or Stepmother? Every time Ming Yuan looked into Lu Nuonuo¡¯s bright, clear eyes, Ji Muye felt an indescribable sense of closeness in his heart. Whenever Lu Nuonuo remembered how her mother would reward her with an extra candy whenever she was sick, she would swiftly slide off the bed, find her little candy bag, and hand her favorite candy to Ji Muye. ¡°After taking medicine, eat candy.¡± The little one still didn¡¯t understand the significance of the video, wanting to give the candy to Ji Muye but realizing she couldn¡¯t. Ji Muye, in his gloom, was amused by the little one¡¯s actions. As soon as Lu Xining entered, she saw her daughter lying on the bed, shaking the candy in her hand at the phone, mumbling about eating candy. ¡°Nuonuo, you¡¯ve already had candy today. If you eat more, you¡¯ll get bugs on your teeth. Let¡¯s eat it tomorrow, okay?¡± Lu Nuonuo turned her head back and shook it, saying, ¡°Nuonuo won¡¯t eat, he will.¡± Lu Xining thought her daughter was talking about Ji Chao, so she came over, rubbed her little head, and said, ¡°Wait for brother to come, then you can eat.¡± She took the phone, intending to talk to Ji Chao, but saw that the video call had already been hung up, feeling a bit disappointed. The weekend was coming up. Lu Xining sent Ji Chao a voice message, asking if he was free to come over to play at their house. Ji Muye leaned back on the hospital bed, his handsome eyes half-closed, his pale lips adding to his handsome and noble appearance, giving him a touch of heartbreaking frailty. The phone in his palm vibrated with a message from Lu Xining. Filled with affection for the child, the lengthy voice message didn¡¯t mention him at all. The coldness in the man¡¯s dark eyes slowly condensed into icy daggers. The next day. Lu Xining still hadn¡¯t received a reply from Ji Chao, but she saw the news of Shi¡¯an Group venturing into the entertainment industry. All the comments below the article were about the overbearing CEO stepping off his pedestal for love. Ji Muye and Liu Xixi¡¯s names were hot-searched once again. At the same time, someone dug up a video from two years ago, and public opinion started shifting towards Liu Xixi becoming the future Mrs. Shi¡¯an. Ji Muye didn¡¯t like taking photos. Even less did he like his photos appearing in entertainment news. Anytime a picture of him surfaced on the internet, the Shi¡¯an Group¡¯s PR department would urgently arrange for it to be taken down. Even she, his legally recognized wife, was not allowed to post a faceless photo of their hands clasped together on her personal social media accounts. Two years ago, his candlelight dinner with Liu Xixi. That was the only exception. Liu Xixi always held special privileges when it came to Ji Muye. It was in that moment that Lu Xining finally came to a stark realization: Ji Muye wasn¡¯t opposed to public displays of affection; it was just that she wasn¡¯t the one he wanted. Now, reflecting on those five years of her life, her heart still ached, but she no longer felt the overwhelming suffocation as if she were a drowning person on the brink of death. A phone call came in; it was Ming Yuan. ¡°Ningning, my cousin opened a family resort that¡¯s trying out business today. Let¡¯s take Nuonuo and go play for a couple of days.¡± Lu Xining was a bit worried: ¡°Your identity¡­¡± Ming Yuan¡¯s haters and sasaeng fans were the most numerous in the entertainment industry, often crazily crossing the line of legality and several times nearly causing her harm. Ming Yuan reassured her: ¡°It¡¯s fine, for the next couple of days, it¡¯ll only be open to family and friends, absolutely safe.¡± Lu Xining really hadn¡¯t taken her daughter out for a long time and agreed to go. Before departure. She messaged Ji Chao, wanting to take him along for a two-day trip, but there was no reply. Lu Xining was a bit concerned about Ji Chao. However¡­ As soon as they arrived at Lile Garden Resort, Lu Xining got out of the car with her daughter and saw Ji Chao and Ji Ze getting out of a nearby car. Liu Xixi followed closely behind, stepping out of the car. The latter reached out to Ji Ze, who obediently took her hand, and from afar, she could hear Ji Ze¡¯s happy voice. ¡°Daddy, come down quickly. Aunt Xixi said she¡¯ll take me to fly kites. Come with us, let¡¯s see who can fly theirs higher.¡± Lu Xining stood frozen in her spot. Walking behind Ji Ze, Ji Chao appeared somewhat downcast as he got out of the car. Held in Lu Xining¡¯s arms, Lu Nuonuo immediately spotted her dearly missed brother and, waving her little stubby hands, called out to him. ¡°Brother¡ª¡± Ji Chao thought he was hallucinating. Not until Lu Nuonuo called out a couple more times did he see them, his eyes lighting up brilliantly. He waved back at them, ¡°Mom, little sister.¡± Ji Muye also spotted Lu Xining, and their gazes met in the air, both quickly turning away with cold expressions. Lu Nuonuo wriggled out of Lu Xining¡¯s arms and ran towards Ji Chao¡¯s direction. Just as Ji Chao was about to run over, Liu Xixi grabbed him. She feigned sadness, ¡°Xiao Chao, Auntie cleared her schedule to spend time with you and Xiao Ze, are you going to leave Auntie behind?¡± Beside them, Ji Ze also came over to pull at him, ¡°Brother, we promised Aunt Xixi we¡¯d fly kites together today.¡± Liu Xixi added with a smile, ¡°Auntie bought lots of kites, oh, they¡¯re all your favorite characters; don¡¯t you want to play, Xiao Chao?¡± Ji Ze said excitedly, ¡°Aunt Xixi, I want to play.¡± For Ji Ze, who loved to play, it didn¡¯t matter who he played with as long as he had his favorite toys. Ji Chao wore a troubled look on his face; he actually preferred to fly kites with his mom and little sister. He glanced towards Ji Muye, remembering how he had been fierce to mom in the yard earlier. His head hung down in distress; he didn¡¯t want mom to cry again. Ji Chao murmured quietly, ¡°I understand.¡± Lu Nuonuo ran over joyfully, wearing a white round-neck top paired with pink overalls and a candy bag of the same color scheme slung across. She was especially adorable. She grabbed Ji Chao¡¯s hand, sweetly calling out to her brother. Ji Chao was happy to see her here, but after noticing the look his father gave to his mother, he tightened his grip on his sister¡¯s hand. He spoke up, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll take my little sister over to mom.¡± Ji Chao quickly pulled Lu Nuonuo towards the other side. Lu Xining was also heading their way. She bent down to stroke Ji Chao¡¯s head and gently inquired, ¡°Xiao Chao, why didn¡¯t you reply to mom¡¯s messages?¡± Ji Chao glanced at Ji Muye before replying, ¡°Sorry, mom, dad hasn¡¯t let me use my phone recently, so I didn¡¯t see your messages.¡± Lu Xining caught a glimpse of Ji Muye out of the corner of her eye, knowing that he had done it on purpose. She smiled at Ji Chao, ¡°It¡¯s alright, mom understands.¡± She was about to ask if he wanted to join them when she heard Liu Xixi¡¯s insinuating remarks. ¡°Xining, although Aye agreed to let you see the kids on weekends, you shouldn¡¯t cling too tightly, right? The children also need father-and-child time; doing this will put Aye in a tight spot, and it will make it difficult for both children as well.¡± Lu Xining stood up straight, the smile in her eyes slowly fading. She scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s he so troubled by, is it his kids being with their birth mom or their stepmom? Is it about spending time with his children, or with his lover?¡± The man¡¯s thin lips were tightly pressed; his exquisitely cold features seemed especially detached, his black obsidian-like eyes, now calm and sharp. His gaze fell on his eldest son, nestled in Lu Xining¡¯s arms, darkening coldly, ¡°Xiao Chao, come here.¡± Ji Muye was always strict in his children¡¯s upbringing, hands-on, and didn¡¯t indulge their mistakes because they were young. In his view, the eldest son had been well-behaved and obedient before everything changed after Lu Xining showed up. Ji Chao had never seen his father look at him this way before; thinking back to how his mother was scolded because of him last time, tears uncontrollably rolled down. Lu Xining immediately became worried, ¡°Ji Muye, what are you being harsh with the child for?¡± She embraced the child in her arms, soothing him in a soft voice, ¡°Xiao Chao, don¡¯t be afraid, mom is here.¡± Lu Nuonuo also hugged him, mimicking how her mother comforted her, gently patting her brother¡¯s back. Little Dumpling comforted him softly, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ji Muye¡¯s long lashes cast a faint shadow, his brows furrowing in displeasure as he looked at the three of them huddled together. ¡°Ji Chao, I¡¯ll say it again, come here.¡± Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 The Biggest Mistake of My Life Was Marrying You! Chapter 12: Chapter 12 The Biggest Mistake of My Life Was Marrying You! Ji Chao in her arms trembled. Lu Xining spoke indifferently, with underlying thin anger, ¡°Ji Muye, don¡¯t drag the child into adult matters.¡± The man¡¯s gaze sharpened as he looked at her, his cool eyes also tinting with the same shade of annoyance. ¡°Lu Xining, isn¡¯t it enough that I allow you to video call the kids regularly?¡± ¡°Who gave you the courage to incite the children to be disloyal to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it was you who initiated the divorce, you were the first to give up on the children, how can you still have the face to come to me and ask for them?¡± Under the scorching sun. The man was dressed all in black, tall and upright, which made his already distant and cold demeanor even more prominent, his deep and frosty eyes brewing with paternal authority. He had diligently taken care of his two sons over these years, not to see them become children who could only rely on their mother. Seeing this, Liu Xixi immediately fanned the flames. ¡°Xining, your words are so disheartening! Do you know how Aye has struggled as both mother and father these past two years? He works during the day and takes care of Xiao Chao and Xiao Ze at night, and he¡¯s been so tired he¡¯s ended up in the hospital several times.¡± Liu Xixi¡¯s eyes reddened as she spoke. ¡°I feel so sorry for him, even if you don¡¯t! So, please, could you not show up in front of Aye and the children anymore?¡± She was just about to pull Ji Chao from Lu Xining¡¯s arms, but the latter did not give her the chance to get near her son. Ji Chao clung tightly to Lu Xining¡¯s neck, his sense of grievance growing. But Liu Xixi began to aim her attacks at the child. She deliberately set a trap, ¡°Xiao Chao, before getting out of the car, you happily said you wanted to play with Auntie. As soon as you saw Mommy, you immediately ignored Auntie. Are you afraid that Mommy thinks you¡¯re betraying her, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that! My mommy is not like that!¡± Ji Chao hurried to defend his mother, his voice louder than usual. Liu Xixi put on a hurt look, tears falling while she said, ¡°Xiao Chao, are you being mean to Auntie? You were never such an impolite child before, have you forgotten all the good Auntie has done for you these past two years?¡± Ji Chao wanted to explain, but he didn¡¯t know how to articulate it. The more anxious he became, the more panicked he felt. Finally, he hugged Lu Xining¡¯s neck and cried, his eyes red. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Feeling the dampness on her neck, Lu Xining¡¯s anger erupted like a volcano, ¡°Liu Xixi, will you ever stop?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fond of Ji Muye, I¡¯ll let you have him.¡± ¡°You want children, can¡¯t you have your own? Is it that Ji Muye won¡¯t give you any, or that you can¡¯t have them?¡± Lu Xining continued with a cold laugh, ¡°Or is it that you, Liu Xixi, just like to steal other people¡¯s husbands, to take away children they carried for ten months?¡± Liu Xixi¡¯s face turned pale, her voice shaking with tears, ¡°Xining, how can you say that about me? I¡¯ve treated Xiao Chao and Xiao Ze as my own these past two years¡­¡± The man heard Lu Xining¡¯s words, his heart ached dully, and his mouth curved in self-mockery. Lu Xining did not notice the change in Ji Muye¡¯s expression, but Liu Xixi did, and a profound sense of crisis made her clench her skirt. She pretended to be heartbroken and collapsed to the side. Her peripheral vision fell on Lu Nuonuo, she repeated her old trick, attempting to provoke Lu Xining by scratching the child¡¯s arm with her manicured nail, hoping to incite an irrational reaction. However, Ji Chao saw it first and forcefully pushed her away, ¡°Don¡¯t you hurt my sister!¡± Lu Xining also noticed the slight movement, quickly embracing her daughter in her arms, bending down to check if she was hurt. The little one was immediately frightened into tears, ¡°Mommy, scared.¡± Her tender little cheeks turned bright red from crying. Ji Chao looked at Lu Nuonuo being comforted in Lu Xining¡¯s arms, and his own tears began to fall, drip by drip. Lu Xining, with one hand holding Lu Nuonuo, used the other to wipe Ji Chao¡¯s tears, ¡°Nuonuo be good, Mommy is here, Xiao Chao don¡¯t cry, sister is okay.¡± The commotion in the parking lot drew the attention of the people inside. Ming Yuan couldn¡¯t get through to Lu Xining on the phone, so she rushed over with others in tow. Just after Lu Xining had pacified Ji Chao, Ji Muye spoke up sternly right after, ¡°Ji Chao, who taught you to push people?¡± Lu Xining looked up, unable to believe what Ji Muye was saying. How could he say such a thing? The man faced her emotionless glare, and she responded with an angry laugh. Fine! Very fine indeed! Whether it was two years ago or two years later, whether it was his wife or his son, everyone had to step aside in front of Liu Xixi! If this issue wasn¡¯t resolved today, the thorn in Ji Chao¡¯s heart would never be removed. She kissed her daughter¡¯s cheek, handed her over to Ming Yuan, then turned and squatted down to pick up Ji Chao. Stung by Ji Muye¡¯s words to the point of feeling aggrieved, Ji Chao clung to her neck, burying his little face in her shoulder. Lu Xining glanced at Ming Yuan, who nodded in understanding. The two of them tacitly covered the child¡¯s ears. ¡°Ji Muye, did Liu Xixi save your ancestors in her past life or something?¡± ¡°In the past, you wanted me to apologize, and now you want your son to apologize. Is our mother-son apology necessary to maintain your relationship with her?¡± Ji Muye hadn¡¯t seen Liu Xixi¡¯s subtle manipulation; he only saw his eldest son inexplicably pushing Liu Xixi. His dark eyes grew colder, and his tone was ice, ¡°The Ji Family¡¯s children must never be unreasonable.¡± Ji Muye locked eyes with Lu Xining and said deliberately, ¡°Leading the child astray, you think you¡¯ve done nothing wrong?¡± Lu Xining felt a buzzing in her ears and a numbing sensation in her chest. Looking at the cold and noble face before her, she felt like the five years of living with him were a joke. ¡°Wrong, I indeed made a mistake.¡± Lu Xining¡¯s eyes firmly fixed on Ji Muye¡¯s face, and if it weren¡¯t for the child¡¯s presence, she would truly want to slap him! ¡°The biggest mistake of my life, Lu Xining, was marrying you!¡± Confronted with the sorrow in her eyes, Ji Muye felt as though his throat was blocked by something. His pale fingers clenched tightly into fists, and it took all his strength to suppress his uncontrollable emotions. ¡°To accuse the child without even asking for the reason, is this how you act as a father? How can you expect the child to trust his parents in the future?¡± Ji Muye looked into the tear-filled eyes of the child, and his heart softened. He reached out and said slowly, ¡°Xiao Chao, Dad isn¡¯t scolding you, but you shouldn¡¯t push people for no reason. Apologize to Aunt Xixi, and Dad will take you out to play.¡± Lu Xining, holding Ji Chao, avoided his reaching hand, her voice filled with scorn for him. ¡°Ji Muye, I truly wonder, how did someone with your brains end up as the president of Shi¡¯an Group? Calling you foolish would be a compliment.¡± She looked at Liu Xixi, with an expression of sudden realization. ¡°That¡¯s right, spending your days with such a two-faced hypocrite, it¡¯s no wonder if not only your brains but your ears and eyes become incompetent.¡± In the past, when dealing with the most difficult partners, Ji Muye always remained cool and collected, indifferent like an emotionless machine. But at this moment, his anger was so easily ignited by her. Ji Muye shouted harshly, ¡°Lu Xining!¡± Lu Xining stared unblinkingly at him, her eyes full of mockery, ¡°What are you yelling for?¡± She had thought that at least towards his son, he would be wholehearted, but before her very eyes, he consistently favored Liu Xixi. What about behind her back? She closed her eyes for a moment, then reaffirmed the thought in her mind. ¡°Ji Muye, you¡¯re right, children have the right to choose to be with their mother or father. So, why not leave the choice to them?¡±