Chapter 160: You Are My Mother

Su Zhi hurried over to the feverish boy, who opened his eyes, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes. As he gazed at Su Zhi, tears welled up, struggling to sit up before rushing into Su Zhi’s embrace, calling out “mother” loudly.

Uh…?

Su Zhi was stunned, as were the onlookers, wondering if the boy’s fever had not subsided yet, leading him to mistake Su Zhi for his mother.

“Sweetheart, I’m not your mother. You’ve mistaken me, but I will help you find her. Come, lie down and stay warm,” Su Zhi reassured him gently, trying to calm the boy down and prevent him from catching a chill.

Su Zhi patted the boy’s back and tried to lift him to return him to the bed, but he clung onto her tightly, refusing to let go.

“No, you are my mother! You look exactly like my mother! You are my mother! Mother, I promise to be good, please don’t deny me—”

The boy’s tears flowed again, his small body shivering, eventually breaking into sobs.

Su Zhi quickly responded, “Alright, alright, I am your mother. Sweetheart, lie down now. If you get sicker, I will be worried.”

Despite trying to coax and reassure him, the boy was inconsolable, clinging tightly to Su Zhi, his eyes fixated on her, as if afraid she might leave. His lips were pursed tightly, but he still sobbed intermittently, looking utterly pitiful.

“Why do you call her ‘mother,’ brother? Is she really your mother?” The little girl leaned over the bed, questioning the boy as her eyes remained fixed on Su Zhi.

“She is my mother. I remember my mother looked exactly like her. I can’t be wrong.”

As Su Zhi listened to the boy’s words, she pondered whether this was an imprinting situation, much like how newly hatched birds recognize the first moving object as their mother. Perhaps the boy, in his feverish state, had become confused and upon opening his eyes, saw her and mistook her for his mother. Alternatively, his mother might bear some resemblance to Su Zhi, a plausible explanation. Her appearance was quite ordinary, with a common face shape and hairstyle. Children tend to have poor memory retention and might mistake someone with a similar face for another person.

The boy turned to Su Zhi and said, “Mother, I won’t run around anymore. Please don’t leave me.”

Su Zhi was at a loss for words. Being called “mother” for the first time in her two lifetimes was a surreal experience for Su Zhi, who had longed to be a mother in her previous life but had never fulfilled that wish. It was a strange and heartwarming feeling, and she found it difficult to tell the child that she wasn’t his mother. In her heart, a part of her wished she truly was his mother.

“Alright, I won’t leave you. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”

“Yes, I want my mother to feed me. It’s been a long time since my mother fed me.”

After feeding the child and watching him drift back to sleep, Su Zhi stood up. Qian Guang chuckled and remarked, “Fourth Sister-in-law, this is quite amusing. The three children you brought back – the little girl resembles you, and the boy readily calls you mother. You effortlessly gained a son and a daughter.”

Su Zhi smiled and remarked, “Indeed, initially I also thought the boy resembled your fourth brother. So, it’s not just two but three children. It truly seems like fate. If their parents can’t be found, perhaps it’s fate that brought these three children to us.”

Liang Fu, observing the silent boy standing there, expressed surprise, “This little one does indeed resemble Big Brother Shen. Zhao Xiaomei, maybe you do have a special connection with these three children.”

Shen Zi’an, looking at the three children, reached out and held Su Zhi’s hand.

Upon hearing the adults’ conversation, the boy and the girl blinked, with the girl holding onto Su Zhi’s clothes tightly, unwilling to let go.

Qian Dahu and Qian Guang handed over the kidnappers to the county officials. Since one of the children was ill and couldn’t be moved, they stayed back at the Qian residence, and the other two naturally refused to leave, remaining under the care of the Qian family.

Su Zhi spent time playing with the two children, asking them various questions. After much inquiry, it became clear that these three children genuinely had no idea where their homes were. Setting aside the fact that even the boy with hazy memories could call Su Zhi “mother” in his sleep, the eldest boy recalled some details about having multiple rooms and calling someone akin to grandparents, but he couldn’t provide any useful information. The little girl, on the other hand, seemed to have no memories at all.

The boy remembered escaping from someone, boarding a ship, running for a while, getting caught, and ending up with the current group of people. His account was fragmented and vague, describing their time outside as lengthy.

Listening to this, Su Zhi understood why they couldn’t recall their homes. These children had likely been wandering for an extended period. If they left home a year ago, they would have been merely three or four years old at the time. Such a young age makes it easy to forget details. Having even some fragmented memories was considered fortunate.

Liang Fu, listening to the children’s narratives, couldn’t help but shed tears alongside them, feeling deeply moved by their plight.

Shen Zi’an, noticing the hint of redness in Su Zhi’s eyes, walked over and gently held her hand.

Addressing Shen Zi’an, Su Zhi said, “Zi’an, until these children find their parents, can they stay with us? I truly care for them.”

Looking at Shen Zi’an with earnest eyes, Su Zhi knew that taking in three children was a significant commitment, not akin to adopting a few pets. Therefore, she sought his approval before proceeding.

Shen Zi’an replied, “As long as you like, it’s fine. Our house is spacious. However, bringing them in will require approval from Mr. Qian and the local magistrate.”

Liang Fu, admiring the couple’s kindness, marveled at their decision to take in the three children despite the added responsibility they would bring. Recognizing the burden of three additional mouths for rural farmers, she was impressed by the couple’s immediate willingness to care for them without hesitation.

“Sister Zhao Xiaomei, Big Brother Shen, if you are willing to take in these three children, I am prepared to offer you a sum of money to cover their expenses,” Liang Fu proposed.

Su Zhi responded, “Miss Liang, we can manage to care for these three children without needing your money.”

Liang Fu insisted, “Please, sister Zhao Xiaomei, do accept it. I have also wished to take in these children, but residing at my uncle’s home currently, I am unable to make such decisions. Additionally, even if they were to stay, their status would be awkward. They wouldn’t be treated as young masters or young mistresses. I couldn’t bear to see these lovely children treated as servants. Therefore, I am offering this money as a gesture of my affection for them.”

Su Zhi, sensing Liang Fu’s sincerity, appreciated her kindness and thoughtful nature, recognizing her as a compassionate and intelligent individual.

“Let me be frank, Miss Liang. If my husband and I have decided to take in these three children, we are fully capable of caring for them exceptionally well. Your generous offer is genuinely unnecessary. If you truly care for them, there’s no need for monetary gestures. Instead, your support in speaking on our behalf to Qian Dahu to ensure these children are placed under our care would be the greatest display of your affection for them.”

Su Zhi persistently declined Liang Fu’s money, as she didn’t require it and didn’t want any misconceptions arising from accepting it. She was cautious about potential rumors that might tarnish her reputation. Liang Fu seemed to understand Su Zhi’s concerns, nodding in agreement with her proposal. This mutual understanding increased Liang Fu’s respect for Su Zhi, recognizing her as both uninterested in wealth and exceptionally clever.

Qian was delighted upon learning that Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi intended to take in the three children. With their parents untraceable and the kidnappers unable to provide any leads, it seemed that these children were truly orphaned. The traffickers who sold them were passing through from a distant place, making it even more challenging to locate their hometown, especially considering their journey by boat and long travels.

Given the circumstances and the willingness of Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi to care for the children, the local magistrate faced a dilemma on how to handle the situation. Having someone willing to provide a home for the children was a relief.

Master Qian instructed Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi to arrange for the adoption procedure at the county office, formalizing the children’s placement under their care.

Su Zhi was pleasantly surprised by the ease of the process, feeling immensely happy at the thought of having three adorable children at home, believing it would make their household even warmer.

The little girl, upon hearing she could live with Su Zhi, became overjoyed.

While the little boy didn’t smile and maintained his calm demeanor, his subtle expressions revealed his happiness.

Taking advantage of preparing medicine, Su Zhi added some lotus flower pollen to help the boy recover quickly. She was eager to take the three children back home as staying at the Qian residence felt uncomfortable.

After the boy took the medicine, he swiftly improved, unable to lie still out of restlessness.

Shen Zi’an bid farewell to Qian Dahu, expressing their intention to return home with Su Zhi and the three children. Seeing that the child  has already recovered and full energy already, Qian Dahu agreed and reminded them not to forget to complete the adoption procedures in the county office before leaving.

Liang Fu found herself growing fond of Su Zhi during their conversation. Hearing from the steward that Su Zhi made a delightful sweet and sour cake, a favorite of Liang Fu, and that the crispy persimmons she enjoyed were also sourced from Su Zhi’s friend, piqued her interest. Upon discovering that Su Zhi could also make such persimmons, Liang Fu realized that Su Zhi was no ordinary peasant woman.

In the warmest part of the afternoon, Shen Zi’an drove the ox cart, taking his wife and the three children away from the Qian residence, back to their village.