Chapter 15

“!!!”

Wu Qiao’s face went pale, tears welling up. To avoid looking ridiculous, she quickly grabbed a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.

With a cold snort, Zhao Yunsheng scooped up Yuanbao and turned to leave.

The little guy may be young, but he was sharp as a tack. He had listened to every word of the verbal sparring earlier and now even leaned on his mom’s shoulder to make a face at Wu Qiao.

“Bleh bleh bleh! Ugly auntie, bye-bye!”

“….”

Wu Qiao’s handkerchief was nearly torn to shreds; she was so furious her eyes squinted and her nose twisted.

Looking up, she noticed Pei Hechuan hadn’t left yet. Just as she was about to continue showing weakness, she caught his piercing gaze. His voice rang out like a gavel.

“Comrade, Zhao Yunsheng is my wife. I fight on the frontlines for my country, and I won’t allow you to bully my wife here.”

“You keep calling her a widow—do you expect me to sacrifice my life for the country because of that?”

“Cursing a soldier, insulting a soldier’s wife—your crimes just doubled. Consider this your warning. Once the police summon you, if you can’t control your tongue, the law will.”

Wu Qiao’s face went deathly pale, and she collapsed to the ground, completely frightened.

She glanced at the departing mother and child in disbelief.

They… were actually husband and wife?

Impossible.

In two years, Zhao Yunsheng never mentioned this. If she were really a soldier’s wife, wouldn’t she have flaunted it to assert authority?

It had to be fake—she even denied it herself just now.

Pei Hechuan ignored Wu Qiao’s shocked expression, retracting his gaze without a trace of mercy, and strode after his wife.

“Give me the child.”

Zhao Yunsheng sidestepped his outstretched hand, not even giving him a glance.

Any contact with him meant untold trouble.

All his past admirers went crazy at the mere sight of him—chaos everywhere.

Even just standing near him could drag someone into unnecessary trouble. Annoying!

Could he just stay away from her?

The angrier she got, the more she ignored him, cycling Yuanbao onto the bike.

She unlocked it, swung onto the seat, and pedaled—but it wouldn’t budge.

Perplexed, she stood up to push harder. It moved, just with difficulty.

“Mom, why is the tire flat?”

“Huh?”

Following her son’s tiny hand, she looked and sure enough, it was flat.

As she pondered this, her eyes met Pei Hechuan’s smirking face.

Her cheeks turned crimson, and she jumped off to kick him.

“Pei Hechuan, was this you?!”

Yuanbao mimicked her, stomping a tiny foot beside Pei Hechuan’s boot print.

“Bad guy! You can’t follow us! Don’t come near my mom!”

Pei Hechuan glanced at the angry mother-and-son duo, raised a brow, and casually replied,

“You say it was me. What’s your evidence? Do you know it’s illegal to slander a soldier?”

Then he looked at Yuanbao.

“And son, hitting your father? Zhao Yunsheng, aren’t you going to control him?”

Zhao Yunsheng glared, shifting her son behind her, and flatly denied it.

“What father? I don’t even know you. You follow and threaten me—getting hit is the lightest punishment you deserve!”

Pei Hechuan was amused by her confidence, laughing silently.

“Zhao Yunsheng, you really excel at burning bridges. Why didn’t you deny it at the police station? And now you act like a stranger?”

Tired of arguing, he studied the mother and son, found a soft target, and bent down to lift Yuanbao onto his shoulders, pinning the little legs in place.

“Let’s go home first. You’re coming back after lunch, right?”

Yuanbao had never been lifted this high before.

Dizzy and scared, he screamed,

“Put me down! Put me down, you bad guy!”

Pei Hechuan scoffed. If he could handle Zhao Yunsheng, how could he not handle this little brat?

He smacked the boy lightly on the rear.

“Watch your mouth. Who taught you to talk to your dad like that?”

Yuanbao kicked and struggled, to no avail, and looked helplessly to Zhao Yunsheng.

“Mom, mom, help me!”

Zhao Yunsheng stomped in frustration, biting her lip. She quickly locked the bike and ran to catch up.

“Pei Hechuan, put Yuanbao down! Are you sick? Trying to be a stepdad? If you bother me again, I’ll report you to your commanding officer!”

“A regiment commander acting like a rogue? I said I don’t know you—why are you following us?”

She fumed beside him, exhausted from keeping pace with his long legs.

Fortunately, the residential compound was right next door. At the gate, Pei Hechuan carefully set Yuanbao down.

The little boy, scared out of his wits, ran straight into Zhao Yunsheng’s arms, pouting.

“Mom, I hate him! I hate that bad man! Can we go home?”

Seeing the tears in her son’s eyes, Zhao Yunsheng’s heart ached. She hugged him and kissed his forehead.

“Alright, let’s go home. Mom will make you a cake later.”

Yuanbao didn’t speak, hugging her neck tightly, nuzzling into her shoulder.

He had always been a little bundle of joy, rarely getting angry, and Pei Hechuan had managed to upset him twice in just two days.

Zhao Yunsheng glared at Pei Hechuan, muttering.

“Bullying a child—shame on you.”

Pei Hechuan raised a brow. “Bullying him? If you hadn’t left without a word, I wouldn’t have missed four or five years of his life. He’s my son. Now he cries and refuses to acknowledge me—isn’t that your doing?”

Zhao Yunsheng bit her lip, hesitant to respond—but the truth was exactly as he said.

After a moment, she ignored it, switching topics.

“Thank you for helping me at the police station today. I owe you for this, but please don’t disturb my life again.”

Though harsh, she didn’t want her peaceful life disrupted.

Pei Hechuan should be the leading man of this world—standing at the top in business or politics.

She was not the heroine.

Getting close to him only meant endless trouble.

There was no escaping now, so she could only wait a little longer.

With that, she nodded politely, hugging her son and entering the compound.

Pei Hechuan remained at the gate, watching silently, not following.

Her words had darkened his expression visibly.

In his narrow eyes, a trace of sadness flickered, but was quickly covered by anger.

“Disturb my life?”

Hah.

Pei Hechuan laughed bitterly to himself.

Zhao Yunsheng, you were the one who provoked me first!

You summon me when you want, brush me off when you don’t—what do you take me for?

The days ahead are long. This time, don’t think you can get away from me.