Shen Meng was catching her breath, holding Xiao Kai tightly when she overheard Wu Xianglan’s ingratiating voice.

“Ah, Jinghao, you’re upset for no reason. Technically, we haven’t fully split the family. Even though we’ve divided the cooking, Sister-in-law’s food is still part of the Lu family’s resources. She left so much dough drop soup; what’s wrong with me taking a bit for Yongqiang and Yongli to eat? I mean, we work hard and earn work points for the Lu family—don’t we deserve a decent meal?”

“You call this reasonable?” retorted Xie Jinghao furiously. “You barged into Sister-in-law’s house, flipped her pot, and rummaged through her closet. How is this not stealing?”

Wu Xianglan’s expression darkened. Her resentment towards Xie Jinghao deepened.

For a while now, Xie Jinghao had been coming here with her son Xiaogang, taking advantage of Shen Meng’s generosity. Why couldn’t she also benefit?

If she could eat Shen Meng’s dough drop soup a few times a week, she wouldn’t even care about getting fabric scraps for sewing. In Wu Xianglan’s mind, Xie Jinghao must have badmouthed her to Shen Meng, stealing her opportunity to ingratiate herself.

“Xie Jinghao, stop spouting nonsense! When did I steal anything? You’ve been coming here every day with your son to take advantage of sister-in-law’s kindness. She’s just too nice to call you out on it. And now you have the nerve to criticize me? Mingyang may be the eldest, but he can’t chase his elder away. Sister-in-law’s things belong to the family, and I have every right to take what I need!”

Xie Jinghao was livid. The stress caused her unborn baby to kick fiercely.

Before she could respond, Lu Mingyang stormed over, his young face scowling fiercely. “Get out of here! My mom invited my third aunt here, not you! You have no right to touch our food!”

His small body vibrated with indignation as he continued, “My mom has already spoken to the village about splitting the family. Once my dad comes back, it will be official. And until then, as the eldest son, I have the authority. Leave, or I’ll call the village chief and elders!”

Wu Xianglan’s face turned red with anger. While people often referred to Lu Mingyang as the eldest, in her heart, she never fully recognized him as part of the family. To her, only Lu Mingkai, Shen Meng’s biological son, was legitimate.

This sentiment was shared by many in the family, they were also thinking that if Lu Mingyang and his adopted silblings could inherit Lu Zhenping’s property, then would his nephews and nieces of the Lu family also get some. After all, they were all legitimate descendants of the Lu family, much closer than these adopted children.

Shen Meng is a scheming person. She probably can’t just watch her son’s things fall into the hands of outsiders. In the past, Shen Meng beat and scolded her children every day. Wasn’t it because these children were not her biological children? She wanted to drive them away so that all the things in the house would belong to her son in the future?

Wu Xianglan’s thoughts emboldened her. She sneered, “Mingyang, you may be the eldest on paper, but you’re still an outsider. Let’s be clear—only Mingkai is truly…”

“Shut your filthy mouth!”

The door slammed open, and Shen Meng stomped in, clutching Lu Mingkai by the hand. Her anger made her tremble as she glared at Wu Xianglan.

Before anyone could react, Lu Mingyang darted forward and headbutted Wu Xianglan, knocking her to the ground.

Wu Xianglan screamed in pain, her wails echoing through the room. Everyone froze, too shocked to move.

Xie Jinghao clutched her belly, collapsing into a sitting position. “Ah, Jinghao! Are you alright?” Shen Meng asked in alarm, rushing to her.

“I’m fine,” Xie Jinghao panted. “But stop Mingyang! He’ll hurt himself!”

Lu Mingyang had never truly changed. The wounds he had suffered in the past had not healed; he had simply hidden them away. It was only because Shen Meng had softened and shown kindness in recent times that he chose to bury his true emotions.

In his dreams, he envisioned the kind of mother he had now, a father far away in the military who still thought of them, and the laughter of his younger siblings. Even if he didn’t share a deep bond with his mother, this was the home he had always dreamed of, the family he had longed for.

But now, right in front of his younger siblings and mother, this woman insisted on tearing away that fragile illusion, declaring that he wasn’t a child of the Lu family—that he was an outsider. Why? Why would she do this?

Lu Mingyang bit down hard on Wu Xianglan’s arm, his teeth sinking in until the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

Wu Xianglan screamed in agony, her arm searing with pain. She flailed and struck at Lu Mingyang’s body to make him let go. Her children, Yongqiang and Yongli, were dumbfounded for a moment before they rushed forward to hit Lu Mingyang, trying to protect their mother.

Seeing there brother being ganged up on, Lu Mingliang and Lu Mingfang jumped into the fray to defend him.

Shen Meng was beside herself with worry. She grabbed one of the children by the collar and yanked them away, then urgently patted Lu Mingyang on the face, trying to wake him from his frenzy.

“Mingyang, don’t be afraid. Mother’s here. No one can bully you. Let go now. If you hurt your second aunt too badly, we’ll have to pay compensation.”

She kept calling out to him, her voice both soothing and firm:

“You’re a good boy, Mingyang. Mother’s here. You are your father’s eldest son, and no one can say otherwise. Now, let go. Mingyang, if you don’t let go, Mother won’t recognize you anymore.”

Her voice and her gentle pats finally broke through. Lu Mingyang loosened his jaw and let go of Wu Xianglan’s arm. His mouth was stained with blood, and he looked dazedly at Shen Meng.

“Mother… You won’t recognize me anymore?”

Shen Meng’s heart ached at his words. Over the past few weeks, she had grown deeply fond of these children. She cared for them with all her heart, wanting to help them forget their past pain and trauma. Time alone wasn’t enough to heal everything—forgetting was essential.

Yet here was Wu Xianglan, ruining all of that progress in a single stroke, forcing the children to relive their worst memories.

Shen Meng didn’t even glance at the writhing and crying Wu Xianglan on the ground.

Instead, she knelt on one knee in front of Lu Mingyang, bringing herself to his eye level. She held his arms with both hands and spoke softly:

“Mingyang, Mother will never stop recognizing you. You are my child, my son. Mother promises you this: from now on, if anyone dares say that you’re not Lu Zhenping’s and my son, I’ll fight them with everything I have. I don’t care who it is—your father, your grandmother, your uncles or aunts—Mother will stand by you. Don’t be afraid, my child. Mother is here.”

Her warm, soothing voice calmed Lu Mingyang as she pulled him into a tight embrace, holding him close to her chest. She hoped to steady his trembling heart.

Wrapped in the warmth of her embrace, Lu Mingyang suddenly shivered, clarity returning to his gaze. He pressed his face against her cheek and hair, his nose stinging. Tears poured down his cheeks.

“Mother… Mother…,” he sobbed.