Chapter 228

“I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I just…” Mu’s mother hurried to explain when she saw how angry Mu Shi’an was, but she didn’t know where to begin.

“You just what? You’re still worried about Jingmei, aren’t you? But have you thought about it? What she did was escape without authorization. If she gets caught, our entire family will be implicated.”

“I’m not even talking about me and Dad. Yongnian and Hao Xuan are still so young. Their lives haven’t even begun yet. Do you want them to be unable to make anything of themselves for the rest of their lives?” Mu Shi’an had never spoken harshly to Mu’s mother before, but this time, he truly couldn’t stand it any longer.

Something this serious had happened, and she had actually still wanted to hide it for Mu Jingmei.

“I… Shi’an, I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to. I just… I was suddenly so overwhelmed when I saw Jingmei come back. I… I didn’t think it through…” Tears streamed uncontrollably down Mu’s mother’s face.

“You didn’t think it through, yet you still let her go at the first opportunity. In your heart, is she the only one who’s your child? Were Yongnian, Hao Xuan, and I all picked up somewhere?” Mu Shi’an’s chest heaved with anger.

“That’s not true! You’re all my children!” Mu’s mother shook her head desperately.

“But I couldn’t see that.” Mu Shi’an cast her a brief, indifferent look before turning and walking away.

“Shi’an…” Mu’s mother tried to chase after him, but Song Nianchu stopped her.

“He’s still angry. Let him calm down on his own first.”

“I… I really didn’t think that far. I just… I simply didn’t react in time… They’re all my children. I carried them for ten months and gave birth to them. How could I not love them…” Mu’s mother sobbed miserably.

“I understand how you feel. As a mother, it really is impossible to give up on any of your children. But you also need to be able to tell right from wrong. If your child does something wrong and you neither stop them nor correct them, that isn’t love—it’s indulgence.” Song Nianchu looked at Mu’s mother with a complicated expression.

“I…” Mu’s mother was now unable to say another word.

“All right. Get some rest. I’m going to check on Shi’an.” With that, Song Nianchu walked toward the hospital room door.

After Song Nianchu left, Mu’s mother collapsed helplessly onto the floor, tears falling like beads from a broken string.

She truly hadn’t meant to take Mu Jingmei’s side just now. She simply hadn’t been able to react in time, and Jingmei hadn’t given her a chance to hold her back.

She… really knew that she had been wrong before.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone to ask Song Nianchu.

But… it seemed she had still hurt Mu Shi’an. As a mother, she really was a complete failure…

“…”

Song Nianchu found Mu Shi’an at the end of the corridor.

He was staring out the window, breathing heavily as he tried to calm himself down.

“Are you still upset?” Song Nianchu walked over and took his hand.

Mu Shi’an said nothing. He merely tightened his grip around her hand, but his breathing clearly began to ease.

“Your mother probably didn’t do it on purpose. She’d always thought Mu Jingmei was dead. When Jingmei suddenly appeared, she probably couldn’t think about anything else.” Song Nianchu spoke softly.

She wasn’t trying to defend Mu’s mother. She simply didn’t want to see Mu Shi’an in so much pain.

“I know, but I still… don’t feel good about it.” Mu Shi’an’s voice was hoarse.

“All right, don’t be upset. Getting angry will give you wrinkles.” Song Nianchu tilted her head as she looked at him.

“Wrinkles?” Mu Shi’an didn’t quite understand why she had suddenly said that.

“Yes. It would be such a shame if a handsome face like yours got covered in wrinkles.” Song Nianchu spoke with complete seriousness.

Mu Shi’an: “…”

“Do you like this face of mine that much? What if I grow old and become ugly someday? Will you abandon me then?” Mu Shi’an bent slightly at the waist, his burning gaze fixed on Song Nianchu’s eyes.

“Can’t say for sure.” Song Nianchu deliberately teased him.

At that, Mu Shi’an grabbed her chin, looking at her with exasperation.

“How can you be so heartless?”

“That’s why you need to take good care of yourself and stop frowning all the time. Then even when you’re old, you’ll still be a handsome old man.” Song Nianchu reached out and pressed her fingers against the deep crease between his brows.

The slight coolness of her fingers made Mu Shi’an relax his brow without thinking. The look in his eyes also softened with an indescribable tenderness.

“I was just thinking about how hard you’ve been working every day to help me return to the city, while my mother doesn’t care about it at all…”

Mu Shi’an was afraid that Song Nianchu had done so much for him, only for all her efforts to be ruined because of his family.

“So that’s why you were so angry? Because you felt sorry for me?” Song Nianchu understood what he was really saying.

“...Mm.” Mu Shi’an caught her hand and gently pressed his cheek against it.

In the past, he had thought it didn’t matter where he lived. His expectations for life had never been very high.

But Song Nianchu was far too dazzling. With her abilities, it was impossible for her to remain in Qinghe Fishing Village forever.

She would keep rising higher and higher, becoming someone admired by more and more people.

And if he wanted to stand beside her, if he wanted to be worthy of her, he needed society to recognize him as well.

That was why, for the first time, he had developed the desire to return to the city.

He wanted to accomplish something. He wanted people to hear that he was Song Nianchu’s husband without thinking that she must have been blind to choose him.

But he didn’t know how to tell her that.

“I ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍thought you were angry at your mother. I didn’t realize I was part of the reason too. But you don’t have to worry so much. Now that we know Mu Jingmei is still alive, we can take precautions in advance.” Song Nianchu gently reassured him.

“...Mm.” Mu Shi’an nodded.

Song Nianchu stayed with Mu Shi’an in the corridor for quite a while. Only after he had completely calmed down did she lead him back to the hospital room.

When Mu’s mother saw them return, she immediately struggled to her feet.

Her eyes were red, and as she looked at Mu Shi’an, tears threatened to fall again. But she forcibly held them back.

“Shi’an, I know I made a terrible mistake. Don’t worry. I’ll go to the authorities later and confess everything. I absolutely won’t let Jingmei affect you or your younger brothers.” Mu’s mother’s expression was exceptionally solemn as she said this.

This time, not only Mu Shi’an but even Song Nianchu was stunned.

Was she actually planning to report Mu Jingmei herself?

“Do you know what you’re saying?” Mu Shi’an finally spoke after a long pause.

“Of course I do. In fact, I already made things clear to Jingmei just now. From now on… I no longer have a daughter named Jingmei.” Mu’s mother’s voice was unbearably hoarse.

“Have you really made up your mind?” Song Nianchu added.

After all, she was the only one who had personally seen Mu Jingmei.