Chapter 8

It was a kind of insight that a teenager shouldn’t have.

Qu Yun knew he should be grateful that the mission he received wasn’t to be his enemy.

“Maybe I’m just a fat cat in the eyes of most people. But fat cats have claws too. You’re a beautiful little tiger, so what? You’re so smart, but no one understands you.”

Ling Mo stood there, the hand holding the thermos trembled imperceptibly.

It was as if something was pounding on his heart, over and over again, about to break through him, but he couldn’t help but anticipate the moment of its collapse.

The thermos in his hand was taken away, he didn’t even react.

“Let’s go! I’ll tell you, my mom’s braised noodles are super delicious.”

Ling Mo looked at the slightly round back in front of him. He could have gone forward and taken back the thermos, but he didn’t.

As they passed a small store, Qu Yun in front suddenly stopped.

He touched his chin, looked at his reflection in the glass door, and sighed dejectedly.

“What are you doing?”

“You say… are you deliberately hanging around downstairs at my house?” Qu Yun looked like he had suddenly become smart.

Ling Mo’s expression turned cold, “What do you mean?”

Qu Yun immediately smiled and said, “I mean, you have a crush on me!”

Ling Mo turned to leave, Qu Yun quickly stepped forward and grabbed him.

“Don’t go! You can’t even take a joke! Fat people don’t have the right to be secretly admired!”

Ling Mo wanted to take back the thermos in Qu Yun’s hand, Qu Yun refused to give it to him, and Ling Mo didn’t grab it again. So Qu Yun quickly walked forward, carrying the thermos, and looked back to see if he was still there.

Ling Mo didn’t say anything, he just followed him, about two or three meters behind, and continued walking.

When they reached the front door, Qu Yun knocked on the door, “Mom! Mom! I’m home!”

Liang Ru opened the door, just about to scold her son for running outside at ten o’clock, when she saw a male classmate behind her son, he was handsome and looked like a good kid.

“Oh my! You really went downstairs to find your classmate! Come in! Come in!”

“Hello, Auntie. It’s so late, I’m disturbing you.”

“No disturbance! What’s your name? You’re so handsome!” Liang Ru got slippers for Ling Mo and let him in.

“His name is Ling Mo, he’s in our class, no, he’s the best student in our grade!” Qu Yun said with a proud tone, as if he was talking about himself, not Ling Mo.

“So this is Ling Mo! I often heard your name at parent meetings! Auntie made braised noodles, come in and have a bowl!”

“Mom… I’m your son, you know!” Qu Yun said helplessly.

“What does it matter if you’re my son? What did you get on your math test? Do you know how miserable I was when the teacher called me out?” Liang Ru almost grabbed her son’s ear.

“Mom… you know, the most miserable thing at the parent meeting isn’t the teacher pointing at you and saying that your son said he only got 35 on his math test.”

Qu Yun said, while getting another bowl to put the noodles in.

“What is it then?” Liang Ru asked impatiently.

“It’s when our head teacher points at another parent and says to you, ‘That’s your in-law.'” Qu Yun ladled a big scoop of braised meat sauce over the noodles.

“What? You still want to be trendy and fall in love early? Then I might as well die.” Liang Ru sighed.

Qu Yun waved his hand, “Ling Mo, eat noodles! Eat noodles! If you don’t eat them, they’ll get mushy!”

“Is Auntie eating too?” Ling Mo looked at Liang Ru and said.

“I don’t eat at night, it’s easy to get fat at this age. Ling Mo is so sensible, unlike Xiaobai, he forgets his mother when he has a classmate!” Liang Ru shook her head with a smile.

As soon as Ling Mo sat down, Qu Yun pushed the bowl of noodles with all the braised meat to him.

“Hurry up and eat, make up for what you didn’t eat this morning.”

“What didn’t he eat this morning? Ling Mo didn’t eat breakfast? Child, listen to Auntie, you have to eat breakfast, otherwise it’s easy to get gallstones!”

“Mom – you don’t know, don’t talk nonsense. It’s Ling Mo’s aunt and uncle who are bullying…”

Before Qu Yun could finish speaking, Ling Mo put down his chopsticks.

“If you say it again, I’ll leave right now.” Ling Mo’s gaze swept over, and it really made Qu Yun feel a chill down his spine.

“Why can’t I say it? Anyway, there was such a big show today, are you worried that no one will know next time at the parent meeting?” Qu Yun twisted his mouth.

It was the first time her son had brought a classmate home to play, and Liang Ru was very happy. So she sat at the table and chatted with them.

“But Ling Mo, it’s so late, why are you still outside? What’s in this thermos?”

Liang Ru was an elder, and she was a kind elder to him. Ling Mo’s chopsticks paused. Qu Yun could tell that Ling Mo was hesitating.

To be honest, it was respect for his elders. But to tell the truth would be like seeking sympathy, using his elders as a weapon.

Qu Yun lowered his head and slurped noodles, he didn’t want to say anything, whether to say it or not should be Ling Mo’s choice.

Liang Ru had worked in a large company, she had seen a lot of human nature, and she could tell that Ling Mo was a child with a strong sense of self-esteem. She thought for a moment and said, “Ling Mo, how old are you this year?”

“Fourteen.” Ling Mo put down his chopsticks.

Liang Ru didn’t ask him to continue eating, but said earnestly, “Fourteen, you’re still a child. Auntie doesn’t look down on you, or think you’re weak, but you need to know that some things in life are meant to be solved by adults. You think you can endure it, but enduring at this time is actually squeezing and wasting your time and space in life. You have time to endure, it’s better to do what you should do at what age.” Liang Ru patted Ling Mo’s shoulder and said.

But she only said this much, she didn’t force Ling Mo to say anything, but got up and went to the kitchen to clean up.

At this time, only Qu Yun and Ling Mo were left at the dinner table.

Qu Yun said, “I think my mom said it well.”

Ling Mo didn’t say anything.

Not long after, the lock on the door suddenly moved, and someone came in carrying a suitcase.

“Hey, honey, why are you back?”

The person who came in was Mo Xiaobai’s father, Mo Qing.

Mo Qing was wearing glasses and a white shirt. He said at the entrance, “Xiaobai only got 30 on his math test this time, right? If I don’t come back to see him, this kid is going to fly to the sky!”

“Uh… oh no…” Qu Yun glanced at Ling Mo next to him. He saw him stand up, there were more people at home, he was probably uncomfortable, maybe he was going to leave.

Qu Yun quickly grabbed him and whispered, “Please don’t go… If you’re here, my dad won’t dare beat me up.”

“That’s what you deserve.” Ling Mo said coldly.

“… You’re so heartless.” Qu Yun’s face wrinkled.

Mo Qing changed his shoes and said, “I met someone from Zhiqun’s former institute at the engineering conference this time! I finally found out where Zhiqun’s son is! He’s attending the same middle school as Xiaobai! How about you go with me to see the kid tomorrow?”

Liang Ru came over and chatted with her husband, “Are we going to the school to see him? Should we prepare anything?”

“I don’t know what kids this age like. Should I buy some new clothes?”

“You’re so funny, you have to see how tall the kid is and what kind of body shape he has before you can buy anything!” Liang Ru said with a smile.

“Okay. I’m going to save about a thousand yuan a month for the kid’s education fund, and save it until he goes to college.”

“Do you think Zhiqun didn’t leave any money for the kid? Money is a small matter, the important thing is that adults should care about the child often so that he doesn’t feel like he doesn’t have a family. Did you find out what his name is?”

“His name is Ling Mo. Mo for humor.”

Qu Yun’s gaze fell on Ling Mo, and sure enough, he saw Ling Mo standing there stiffly, he stood up.

Mo Qing had just walked in when he saw Ling Mo standing up. For a moment, he was stunned.

“Xiaobai, this is… is this your classmate?”

“Yeah, Dad, this is my classmate, Ling Mo. But it’s not ‘Mo’ for humor, it’s ‘Mo’ for silent and taciturn.” Qu Yun’s heart was racing, he didn’t know that Mo Xiaobai’s dad had been looking for Ling Mo all this time?

“You… your name is Ling Mo?” Mo Qing took a step closer, looking at Ling Mo with extreme seriousness and solemnity.

Ling Mo said politely, “Hello, Uncle. It’s so late, I’m disturbing Uncle and Auntie’s rest, I’ll be going now.”

“Ling Mo is leaving? You haven’t finished your noodles! Did Auntie not cook them well?” Liang Ru rushed out of the kitchen, then glared at Mo Qing, “You ran back late at night, and you yelled as soon as you came in, you scared the kid!”

But Mo Qing pressed Ling Mo’s shoulder and asked excitedly, “You… is your father named Ling Zhiqun?”

Ling Mo nodded, “My father’s name is Ling Zhiqun. Does Uncle know my father?”

Mo Qing walked over in two or three steps and suddenly pressed Ling Mo’s shoulder, “You look like him, you really look like your father! You sit, you sit down! Your father and I were high school classmates! Back then, the college entrance exam had just resumed, your dad got into the best university on the first try, and I took another exam before I got in. That year, I was in a low mood, and your dad helped me with my studies, and then I got in!”

Liang Ru also pulled Ling Mo to sit down, “When have you ever been to the child’s parent meeting! You’re always busy with your engineering projects! If you had been to the parent meeting, you would have seen Ling Mo long ago!”

“Child, where have you been all these years? How have you been? When your parents had the accident, I was in my third year of studying abroad, Xiaobai’s mother took him to another province, and I didn’t hear about your parents’ accident until the class reunion! Although we haven’t been in touch much after graduation, your father has always been my most respected friend!”

Ling Mo’s eyes were red, his body was still stiff, but his throat couldn’t help but tremble.

At that moment, Qu Yun felt a little heartache. No matter how outstanding Ling Mo would become in the future, he was still just a teenager.

“I… I’ve been living with my uncle and aunt, I’m okay.”

As soon as Ling Mo finished speaking, he heard Qu Yun tap his chopsticks.

“That’s called okay? Why don’t you say you’re living on the moon now?”

Mo Qing and Liang Ru looked over and found that their son was puffed up with anger.

“Xiaobai, what’s wrong? Oh, Dad was excited to see his former classmate’s son, and didn’t think about you. I’m sorry!” Liang Ru thought her son was jealous.

But Qu Yun said, “You’re so stubborn even with people who genuinely care about you, aren’t you tired? When my mom goes to the parent meeting, she’ll hear those gossipy aunts say how your aunt treats you, and how your cousin bullies you, my mom will definitely cry! My dad will jump up and down at the construction site! Do you have any sense?”

“What’s going on?” Mo Qing looked at his son.

Qu Yun said indignantly, “Ling Mo didn’t live with his aunt and uncle! It’s his aunt and uncle who took Li Yuanhang and occupied Uncle Ling’s house, and they’re not good to Ling Mo!”

“Mo Xiaobai!” Ling Mo glared at Qu Yun.

But Qu Yun knew that even though he was a teenager, he still thought of himself as a man. It’s weak for a man to cry and complain to others, so Ling Mo didn’t say anything, but he, Qu Yun, could say anything to his parents.

“What are you glaring at me for? You glare at me, objective facts are facts, they won’t change with your will! Good people are good people, bad people are bad people!”

Mo Qing pressed Ling Mo down and looked at his son, “Mo Xiaobai, you tell me! If there’s anything wrong, Ling Mo can add or correct it!”

Qu Yun finally found his chance. He described vividly how Li Yuanhang had bragged about beating up Ling Mo this morning, and how Chen Li didn’t give Ling Mo breakfast.

Some things don’t need to be said too clearly. Although it seemed like a small matter, adults could always use their experience to guess the bigger picture behind the small matter.

Mo Qing was a high-level intellectual, and his bones were naturally proud. He couldn’t stand the messy affairs of these ordinary families. And Ling Mo was the child of his good friend from high school, the fire in his heart was rising to his forehead.

Liang Ru was also a thoughtful person, and she immediately thought of something, “Ling Mo, tell Auntie and Uncle clearly, it’s so late, Xiaobai saw you outside, and what’s in that thermos, what’s going on?”

Ling Mo pursed his lips, not saying anything.

“Ling Mo, do you remember what Auntie told you? Some things are for adults to solve. You have things you should do at your age, don’t waste your energy, even if you think you can get through it.” Liang Ru patted Ling Mo’s shoulder gently.

“In high school, your dad and I always spoke our minds. I hope it can be the same between you and me.”

Mo Qing’s words made Ling Mo’s eyes instantly moist.

He told them about Chen Li asking him to go out and deliver buns to her husband.

As he spoke, Mo Qing’s fist clenched. He was an intellectual and wouldn’t swear, but the blue veins on his forehead showed that he was truly angry.

Liang Ru slapped the table, “Is Chen Li’s brain caught in the door? I know where that factory is, Ling Mo went to deliver buns so late at night, he had to walk for ten minutes after getting off the bus! How could he catch the last bus home? She’s putting so much effort into dealing with a child, isn’t she sick?”

“Mom… so that’s how it is? I thought she just wanted to make Ling Mo run errands… Mom is still the smartest!” Qu Yun gave Liang Ru a thumbs up, not forgetting to flatter his mom.

Liang Ru patted her son’s head, “Do you think everyone is as stupid as you?”