Chapter 6

Young children are incredibly cute.

When the little hand with chubby fingers grabbed her pants leg, Ye Xiaoyu’s heart melted. She immediately crouched down and gave little Lexuan a big hug. “How is my baby so well-behaved!”

This wasn’t just through the filter of being his mother.

Lexuan was truly adorable, perfectly inheriting the original owner’s good looks. He resembled the original owner about seven or eight parts, and there was almost no trace of the scumbag father in him. This was truly the best thing about him.

Otherwise, she would have been a little upset.

With his fair, soft little face, big, round eyes like black grapes, a small, delicate nose, and the dimples that the original owner didn’t have, his smile was even sweeter and cuter.

“Mom.”

This was the first time Lexuan was hugged and praised in front of so many people. He was a little happy, but also unsure and shy. He tightened his grip on his mom’s hand, and his face turned a shade of pink, lighter and deeper in places.

“Hey.”

Ye Xiaoyu didn’t even realize how soft her voice could be. She gently patted his head to comfort him.

His fluffy hair felt so nice to touch!

The kindergarten teacher was also taken aback by Ye Xiaoyu’s warmth and enthusiasm. Parents in this era were generally more reserved, and it was rare to see someone as energetic as Ye Xiaoyu. The teacher even felt that Ye Xiaoyu had changed a lot compared to before.

Other children in the kindergarten couldn’t help but whisper, “Wow, Ye Lexuan’s mom thinks he’s so cute, how embarrassing.”

“…”

What was so embarrassing about it?

“You’re all very cute too, but in Mommy’s eyes, Lexuan is the cutest.”

Lexuan’s happiness was visibly growing. He tried to force his mouth down to hide his smile but couldn’t, especially with the dimples on his face revealing his joy. He didn’t try to hide it anymore.

Ye Xiaoyu first asked the teacher for leave, explaining that there were family matters, and she might not be able to bring him tomorrow. Then, she crouched down again and asked Lexuan if he wanted to say goodbye to the other children.

Lexuan, being introverted, didn’t seem to have any real friends at the kindergarten. He shook his head as he looked up at his mother.

“Okay.”

Ye Xiaoyu held his chubby little hand and slowly walked out of the kindergarten. They headed towards a more well-known residential area for the families of administrative staff. She needed to let Lexuan’s grandparents know, after all, the little one had stayed with them the previous night.

Because it was her first time spending so much time with her own child, Ye Xiaoyu was a little distracted, constantly focused on him.

Soon, she noticed him pressing his lips together, a small gesture that became more noticeable as they neared the family building.

He didn’t seem too happy?

“Don’t like Grandpa and Grandma’s house?” Ye Xiaoyu stopped and crouched down to ask.

Lexuan stared at his toes without answering.

Ye Xiaoyu paused for a moment, then changed her approach. “Did anyone bully you at Grandpa and Grandma’s house? Like, scold you or hit you?”

Lexuan gave a barely perceptible nod.

Ye Xiaoyu stroked his hair and patiently waited for him. Honestly, this was probably the most patient she’d ever been in both her past and current life, but this was the original owner’s responsibility, and now it was falling on her shoulders. She had to at least try to communicate.

Fortunately, the little guy wasn’t impossible to talk to. He finally spoke up, quietly answering, “Grandpa scolds Mommy, Grandma scolds Mommy, Uncle scolds Lexuan, Aunt scolds Mommy and Lexuan, older sister scolds Lexuan, little brother hits Lexuan.”

Yes, Yang Ligang wasn’t an only child—he had an older brother. His brother, however, was even more useless and lazy. He failed at everything, had a son and a daughter—Lexuan’s older brother and sister.

Although the one-child policy was introduced in 1979, it wasn’t strictly enforced until the 1990s. Yang Ligang’s older brother lost his stable job because he was desperate to have a son, and he still depended on his parents to support him.

Ye Xiaoyu wasn’t going to be like the original owner, telling her child to “tolerate it for the sake of family harmony.” Instead, she responded firmly, “Mommy didn’t do anything wrong. Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt have no reason to scold Mommy, and Mommy doesn’t like them. Lexuan didn’t do anything wrong, but Uncle, cousin, and little brother all treated you badly. Mommy doesn’t like them either. From now on, we won’t play with them anymore, okay?”

Lexuan looked up at her in surprise.

Adults often think children don’t understand much or that they’ll forget things as they grow up. However, they often understand far more than adults realize, and some memories are engraved so deeply that they can never be erased. These things become part of their personality, shaping who they are as they grow.

……

“Okay.”

She heard him respond like that.

Ye Xiaoyu smiled and said, “So obedient. This time, we’re mainly going to say goodbye to Grandpa and Grandma, and then Mom will leave with Lexuan.”

“Okay!”

Lexuan wasn’t worried about Grandpa and Grandma’s favoritism, but he was afraid of being left alone by his mom. The child held her hand tightly, and this time, his voice was fast, firm, and even louder than before.

Ye Xiaoyu couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. “I must have some parenting talent after all,” she thought to herself, although it was a little bit of talent, not too much.

When they arrived at the Yang family’s house, it was clear that the only person they truly cared for in the family was Lexuan’s little cousin, a chubby toddler who was just half a year younger than Lexuan. This little one was pampered by everyone, his spoiled behavior making him quite domineering. He would shout, throw tantrums, and roll on the floor when things didn’t go his way. His loud cries could even be heard from downstairs, making it clear that being neighbors with the Yang family was far from pleasant.

Ye Xiaoyu clenched her fists.

Yang Ligang had told his parents about the divorce, but he never mentioned the incident where the woman had threatened him. He was too afraid to speak up about it, even to his lover, to whom he mostly boasted. In fact, he was constantly put on a pedestal by the mistress.

As a result, Ye Xiaoyu’s in-laws continued to treat her with disdain, acting as though everything she did was wrong. Whether she breathed, lived, or died like the previous owner of her body, they saw everything as a mistake.

Even just knocking on the door would result in scolding. What difference did it make if she entered with her left foot or right?

In the end, Ye Xiaoyu didn’t even bother to go in. She picked up the toy that the chubby toddler had thrown and tossed it into the kitchen trash outside. Turning back, she said to the toddler with a serious tone, “When you grow up, you need to have some basic manners. Otherwise, how are you any different from animals… or monkeys in a zoo?”

“Maybe they are cuter?”

Before Yang’s parents could say anything, Ye Xiaoyu cut in, “Lexuan, I’ll take you home now so you don’t catch any monkey virus. Just letting you know so you won’t worry—wasn’t that polite enough?”

For the third time, she responded to Yang’s mother’s insult, calling her “a beast without a mother to teach”: “You have such great family values, so how did you raise a son who eats, drinks, and does everything poorly? Oh, and don’t you know about your younger son? If a random newspaper published his photo, do you think your younger son would follow his brother’s path? He’d be seen as a street rat everyone despises! Just a friendly reminder—if you don’t educate this grandson properly, he might end up in prison. Your family values are really something, with children who look up to you as role models. Great job!”

After finishing, Ye Xiaoyu didn’t engage in any more arguments. She closed the door, quickly covered Lexuan’s ears, and left the neighborhood, leaving the angry shouts behind.

Yang’s parents were furious.

Their faces turned red, and their bodies trembled as if they were having a seizure. If they weren’t relatively young and physically healthy, they might have fainted right then and there.

If that had happened, Ye Xiaoyu would have had to hold back, as everything she had said would have been turned around into something unreasonable.

Fortunately, someone had tipped her off about this situation in advance.

Her sister-in-law had a fiery personality—she was always this aggressive, confronting her mother-in-law and father-in-law whenever necessary, even having physical altercations with them. The Yang family had experienced enough of the eldest son’s failure, losing his job after being pressured to overproduce, and now they were afraid to confront Ye Xiaoyu. They didn’t dare to offend her.

Now, Yang’s parents could only cling to their younger son as their last source of pride.

Any situation that could threaten their younger son’s job had them on edge, fearing that he might follow in his older brother’s footsteps.

Yang’s mother still had some maternal love, but both Yang’s father and Yang Ligang were selfish, always putting their own interests first, even at the expense of others.

At past family gatherings, Yang’s father had often reminded his younger son that he and his wife would be the best support for Yang Ligang’s divorce.

“Hahaha.”

Ye Xiaoyu was in high spirits. She was an expert at scolding people, and after venting her frustrations, she felt truly relieved.

Ye Xiaoyu and Lexuan exchanged glances, both curious about the moment they had just shared. Well, maybe she had some educational talent after all, but not a lot. She wasn’t used to constantly avoiding her child.

“Ah, Lexuan, what do you want to eat? Today, Mommy’s treating. Let’s eat outside.”

Lexuan paused for a moment and shook his head, “No need.” But his eyes told a different story.

Ye Xiaoyu changed the question, “Sugar-coated hawthorn or cotton candy?”

Without hesitation, Lexuan answered, “Sugar-coated hawthorn!”

“Okay, okay, sugar-coated hawthorn it is.”

Nearby the school, there were plenty of snacks—sugar-coated hawthorn, popcorn, dingding candy, cotton candy, and soda. Some of these treats made Ye Xiaoyu nostalgic for her own childhood.

They hadn’t walked far when they saw a sugar-coated hawthorn stall. The options weren’t as varied as in later years, with mostly hawthorn and apple.

Lexuan chose hawthorn, and Ye Xiaoyu picked apple. One string for fifty cents, two strings for one yuan.

Ye Xiaoyu bought one for herself as well. They each took one—Lexuan with his big string and Ye Xiaoyu with her smaller one—and began munching. Before starting her diet plan, she indulged in one last sweet treat.

In those days, it was rare to see parents sharing snacks like this with their children. Many people turned to look as they walked down the street.

Ye Xiaoyu noticed their gazes, too. The sugar on the outside of the hawthorn was sweet, and as she bit into the crunchy layer inside, the tartness of the green apple emerged.

It wasn’t bad, but for those who didn’t enjoy sourness, the sugar-coated hawthorn lost some of its appeal.

Ye Xiaoyu watched Lexuan lick his hawthorn with concentration and remembered hearing that too much sugar wasn’t good for kids’ teeth. She asked, “Can I taste yours?”

Lexuan wasn’t protective of his food. In fact, he liked sharing it with his mom. He thought it was better to eat the sugar-coated hawthorn together, so without hesitation, he handed it to her.

Ye Xiaoyu took a couple of bites.

Compared to the apple, the hawthorn made her cringe from its sourness.

“So sour.”

“Hahaha, Mommy’s afraid of sour!” Lexuan seemed to have discovered a secret and laughed, showing off his neat little teeth. This time, his laughter was louder.

…..