Reborn in the 80s: Divorced and Spoiled by the Military Man

Chapter 161: Zhou Xinyue Is Not Mom

Since it was the weekend and there were no night school classes, Xie Yunshu came back from the Construction Site a little earlier than usual.

Li Fenlan and Auntie Zhao rode their bicycles behind her, chatting as they went.

“I think that boy Ji is pretty good. He’s handsome, too.” Auntie Zhao had gotten fairly familiar with Ji Siyuan during this time, and she murmured to Li Fenlan, “He’s good to Yunshu, and aren’t the two of them going to school together?”

Li Fenlan also lowered her voice. “Yunshu says they’re just friends. I heard he’s the younger brother of some big boss…”

Auntie Zhao didn’t think much of it. “Our Yunshu is beautiful. Now that she’s going to school, she looks even prettier. Isn’t it only natural for young men to like her?”

“It’s not that exaggerated. Yunshu is just an ordinary girl…” Though she spoke modestly, Li Fenlan’s face was full of smiles. “Actually, I think that young man Xiao Bai is quite good too. He’s steady and looks dependable.”

Auntie Zhao sighed. “What a hard choice. Then what kind does Yunshu like, exactly?”

Li Fenlan shook her head. “The moment I bring it up, she gets upset. Right now she doesn’t want to date anyone. She only wants to make money.”

“Dating doesn’t stop you from making money!” Auntie Zhao muttered, then thought about it again. “But Yunshu is still young. It’s fine to take her time. Maybe she’ll meet someone even better later!”

Completely unaware of this conversation, Xie Yunshu had already ridden her motorized tricycle home ahead of them. She drove straight into the rented courtyard, and as soon as she came out of the Lane, she saw a woman riding a bicycle toward her from the other end.

Only when the woman drew closer did Xie Yunshu realize it was Zhou Xinyue, with Xiaowei sitting on the back.

“What are you doing here?” Xie Yunshu’s face darkened. She hadn’t expected that after thinking about Xiaowei that afternoon, this woman would bring the child to her door that very evening.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to argue with you.” Zhou Xinyue pushed Xiaowei forward. “The child missed you, so I brought him to see his future new mom.”

Xie Yunshu narrowed her eyes. “What kind of bullshit are you spewing?”

Zhou Xinyue chuckled. “Lu Zhixing didn’t tell you? He’s planning to divorce me next month, then keep Xiaowei and raise him himself. When the time comes, won’t that make you the child’s bargain-bin mother? Tsk. What’s wrong with bringing him here so the two of you can build a relationship in advance?”

Xie Yunshu’s gaze fell on Xiaowei’s face. Those two red moles, identical to Ji Siyuan’s, were clearly visible. Her heart stirred, and she simply said, “Fine. You can get lost now.”

Zhou Xinyue was a little surprised. She was actually keeping Xiaowei? Zhou Xinyue understood Xie Yunshu somewhat. She was straightforward and had a fiery temper. When it came to scheming, this woman was no match for her at all.

If she was taking Xiaowei in so readily, did that mean she really wanted to remarry Lu Zhixing?

Xie Yunshu took Xiaowei by the hand. “Why aren’t you leaving? Waiting for me to beat you up?”

Zhou Xinyue ground her teeth and forced out a smile. “Since that’s the case, Xiaowei can stay with you. I’ll come pick him up tomorrow.”

Xie Yunshu knew Zhou Xinyue definitely had no good intentions, but she really did have questions to ask Xiaowei. So she took Xiaowei with her and turned toward the stairwell.

When Li Fenlan came back, Xiaowei was sitting obediently on a small stool, drinking water in little sips. The moment he saw Li Fenlan, he immediately stood up and called softly, “Grandma.”

“Xiaowei, why are you here?” It had been two months since she’d last seen him, hadn’t it? Li Fenlan was rather surprised and looked at Xie Yunshu. “Did he run over here by himself again?”

Xie Yunshu shook her head. “Zhou Xinyue brought him.”

Li Fenlan frowned. “What is she trying to do?”

Xie Yunshu crouched down and looked Xiaowei in the eyes, asking him seriously, “Tell me, is Zhou Xinyue your mom?”

Xiaowei stopped drinking. He wanted to shake his head, but then he suddenly remembered the needle Zhou Xinyue had used to threaten him. He fell silent and said nothing.

Xie Yunshu took a deep breath, a sense of helplessness rising inside her. She knew that after being abused for so long, Xiaowei probably had an instinctive fear of Zhou Xinyue. And the child wasn’t very good at expressing himself; he needed to be guided slowly. She had been a little too impatient.

Li Fenlan was even more confused. “Yunshu, what does this mean?”

Xie Yunshu turned on the TV and found a cartoon suitable for children, then pulled Li Fenlan into the inner room. She told her about her suspicions, and then about Ji Siyuan’s younger sister.

After a long while, Li Fenlan sucked in a shocked breath. “So Zhou Xinyue might not be Xiaowei’s mother at all? This child is far too pitiful!”

Xie Yunshu knew her mother was softhearted and quickly said, “It’s not certain. Xiaowei is too young, so he probably doesn’t remember a lot of things clearly himself. We just don’t know where Zhou Xinyue was trafficked to back then. If she and Xinxin were from the same place, then it would be even more suspicious.”

And there was also the matter of Zhou Xinyue suddenly sending Xiaowei to her today. What exactly was she trying to do?

Li Fenlan pressed her lips together and thought for a while. “Let Xiaowei stay with me tonight. I’ll ask him slowly.”

Xie Yunshu nodded. “All right.”

She truly didn’t want to see Lu Zhixing, but she had to get to the bottom of this. Tomorrow, she would have to make a trip to Haicheng Hospital and ask where Zhou Xinyue had been trafficked to back then.

There was no need to get up early every day anymore, but Li Fenlan still got dressed at the first hint of dawn. School started early for Mingcheng, so she boiled two eggs for him and heated up two big steamed buns for him to take along. “Eat more meat at lunch. You’re at the age where you’re still growing.”

Xie Mingcheng glanced at Xiaowei, who was still asleep on the bed, his expression darkening. “Mom, why is this kid here again? Didn’t Sis already cut ties with that Lu guy? What does he mean, sending the child over again and again?”

This wasn’t something that could be explained in a few words. Li Fenlan patted her son’s already sturdy shoulder. “Go to school first. Your sister knows what she’s doing.”

Xie Mingcheng’s expression still didn’t improve. His sister was exactly the type to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart. That bastard Lu Zhixing wasn’t worthy of her at all. If he dared use a child as an excuse to beg her to get back together, Xie Mingcheng didn’t care how pitiful Xiaowei was-he would throw them all out. He absolutely would not allow his sister to turn back.

“Yunshu only kept him here because she has something to ask. Don’t worry,” Li Fenlan said, knowing what he was thinking, and still tried to comfort him. “Relax. If Lu Zhixing dares come over, I’ll beat him out myself.”

Only then did Xie Mingcheng pick up his schoolbag and head out. Before leaving, he still warned uneasily, “Hurry up and make that kid leave. Anything connected to that bastard-don’t let my sister get involved!”

Although Xiaowei was only a child, he slept very lightly. As they spoke, he had already sat up and begun silently putting on his clothes. Even though he didn’t say anything, he was sensitive enough to know that this older brother didn’t like him, and that Xie Yunshu didn’t like him either.

Li Fenlan hurried over to help him put on his shoes. “Why didn’t you sleep a little longer?”

Xiaowei shook his head and didn’t cry or fuss. After a long while, he finally said, “Grandma, candy.”

What did he mean? Did the child want candy?

Li Fenlan felt around in her pockets. There were no little children at home, so aside from the New Year, she didn’t usually buy any.

But Xiaowei dug a piece of candy out of his jacket pocket. It was the only one Zhou Xinyue had left behind yesterday. He placed it in Li Fenlan’s hand. “You eat.”

Li Fenlan’s feelings were complicated. She unwrapped the candy and put it into Xiaowei’s mouth. Already softhearted by nature, her eyes reddened. “You poor child. I truly hope your mother isn’t Zhou Xinyue.”

Sweetness spread through his mouth and melted into his heart. Then Li Fenlan heard Xiaowei’s small, timid voice.

“Zhou Xinyue isn’t my mom…”