Chapter 26.1

When Su Ting and He Dongchuan were celebrating, the atmosphere at the Han Family’s home was far from pleasant.

It all started with the milk subscription issue. That day, when Jiang Aihong came by to register names, Wang Lixia happened to be in their courtyard and spoke at length about the downsides of subscribing to milk.

Although Duan Xiaoying did not believe her and knew that milk was good for the body, it still felt awkward to immediately turn around and subscribe to milk after her friend had just spoken against it.

She hesitated again and again, and in the end, the milk was not ordered.

In her view, it was not a big deal. Their household had a steady supply of malt milk powder. Although its nutrition could not quite compare to fresh milk, it was not bad either.

Besides, she believed that only a minority of families in the Family Residential Compound would be willing to subscribe to milk, so she would not stand out by not subscribing.

However, she had not expected that both the families of Han Bowen’s desk neighbors at school had subscribed to milk. That day, when he arrived at school, a few of them gathered together and chatted about how the milk tasted.

Since Han Bowen had never tasted milk before, he had nothing to contribute to the conversation.

Even this was not a big deal. If he could not join in, then so be it—after all, they were not going to talk about milk for the entire day.

But that evening, when Han Bowen was on his way home and passed by the playground, a nosy military wife stopped him and asked if he had drunk milk that day. When she found out that he had not, she immediately made a big fuss.

This was the difficulty of being a stepmother.

If she had been his biological mother, whether or not she subscribed to milk would not have mattered. No one would have made comments even if she had not ordered it.

But because she was the stepmother, not subscribing to milk became a fault of hers—people assumed she was unwilling to spend money on the child.

If it had only been the younger two children hearing such remarks, it would not have been a problem. When she had married into the family, they had still been very young—one was four years old, and the other was two. They had long since grown attached to her.

But Han Bowen was different. He had been six years old at the time, old enough to remember things, and he had not welcomed her arrival as his stepmother.

Over the past two years, his attitude had softened a lot. He no longer acted as rebellious toward her as he had at the beginning, but there was still a distance between them.

This could be seen from how he addressed her.

The younger two had already switched to calling her “Mom.” but he still called her “Auntie” to this day.

Because of this barrier, Han Bowen was more susceptible to outside influence than his younger siblings. Feeling upset, he did not return home after school. Instead, he left the Family Residential Compound and went to the rocky beach to sit in solitude.

It was only when dinnertime arrived, and he was still nowhere to be seen, that Han Bin asked about him.

Only then did Duan Xiaoying realize she had not seen Han Bowen since school ended. She had been busy cooking and had not paid much attention. After all, Han Bowen usually ran outside to play as soon as he got home.

But he would normally return on time for meals. Tonight, even the two younger ones were already at the dinner table, yet he was still missing.

Sensing that something was not right, Duan Xiaoying’s expression turned uneasy as she asked: “Where could Bowen have gone?”

Han Bin, being a Regimental-level Officer, remained calmer than her in such situations. He stood up and said: “He shouldn’t have gone far. You stay here and continue eating with them. I’ll go look for him.” With that, he hurried out the door.

He made it sound simple, but how could Duan Xiaoying continue eating? If something really happened to Han Bowen, she did not even dare to imagine the consequences.

After instructing the two younger children to keep eating, she also left the house.

The Zhou Family had set up their meal in the courtyard, and as they were eating, they noticed the Han couple leaving in a hurry.

Quickly, they stood up and asked: “What happened?”

After following the army, Duan Xiaoying had the best relationship with Chen Lin. Hearing her question, her eyes immediately turned red. “Bowen is missing.”  

Chen Lin’s husband, Zhou Ping, asked: “How did he go missing? When was the last time you saw him?”  

“I don’t know. As soon as I got home, I started cooking and stayed in the kitchen the whole time. I didn’t notice whether he came back or not.” Duan Xiaoying held back her tears and said: “I haven’t seen him since school ended.”  

Chen Lin comforted her. “Don’t worry. Bowen might have just been playing with friends and lost track of time. He’s old enough—once it gets dark, he’ll probably realize it’s time to come home.”  

“I’m just afraid something has happened to him.” Duan Xiaoying said.  

“There are no outsiders on the island. What could possibly happen?” Chen Lin thought for a moment before suggesting: “How about this? Let Lao Zhou help look for him, so you don’t have to worry. Okay?” She gave Zhou Ping a meaningful glance.  

Zhou Ping was a warm-hearted man. The two families had been living in the same courtyard for two years, and he had practically watched Han Bowen grow up. Naturally, he was also worried about the child’s safety. Seeing his wife’s look, he quickly said: “That’s right, I’ll go find him. Where does Bowen usually like to play?”  

Duan Xiaoying listed the places: “The open space by the main entrance, the beach, the woods outside…”  

The Han family had two sons: Bowen and Bowu. However, their personalities were nothing like their names. Bowen, despite his scholarly name, was energetic and mischievous—he loved to play and cause trouble. There wasn’t a single spot on the island he hadn’t explored.  

Bowu, on the other hand, was calm and reserved. He spoke little, excelled academically, and never gave his parents any trouble.  

Bowen’s favorite places to go? There were far too many.  

Zhou Ping memorized the locations Duan Xiaoying mentioned and instructed: “If you’re worried, you can also check with his friends’ families. Maybe they’ve seen him.”  

Chen Lin thought this was a good idea. As soon as her husband left, she turned to Duan Xiaoying and asked: “Should we split up and ask Bowen’s friends’ families?”  

Duan Xiaoying hesitated. “I…”  

“What’s wrong?”  

“What if… what if you’re right? Bowen might have just lost track of time while playing. If we go door to door asking about him, wouldn’t that be too much?”  

Maybe Han Bowen was just too engrossed in playing. But if they made a big fuss by asking around, people wouldn’t blame the child for being careless. They would blame her for failing as a stepmother.  

If she had done a good job, why wouldn’t Han Bowen come home for dinner?  

What? He was just having too much fun and forgot the time? Would anyone really believe that?  

This was reality.  

Before marrying Han Bin, Duan Xiaoying had only seen the bright future ahead—Han Bin’s promising career, Han Bowen, Han Bowu, and Han Qianqian’s potential for success. She had also envied how her older cousin, whom she had always surpassed in life, was now living comfortably in old age. At over sixty, she still looked like she was in her forties.  

But after she finally married Han Bin and became a stepmother to three children, she realized how difficult it was to be in this role.  

She had to win over her husband, please the children, maintain her career, and keep the household running smoothly.  

In just two years of marriage, new wrinkles had already appeared at the corners of her eyes.

She was only twenty-four this year!  

But she had no choice. Since she had chosen this path, no matter how bitter or difficult it was, she had to keep going.  

Besides, no matter how hard life was in this lifetime, she still had hope of making it through. Unlike in her past life—where, although she seemed to have married well, her life began to decline during the era of economic reform. In the end, she had to resort to begging just to survive.  

In this lifetime, she absolutely would not repeat the same mistakes.  

She gritted her teeth and endured, yet in the end, something still went wrong.  

At this moment, Duan Xiaoying resented Han Bowen in her heart. It was one thing for him to act recklessly all the time, but now he had even run away from home. No matter whether he was safe or not, after today’s events, her reputation was bound to suffer.  

She did not even need to think too hard to know what people would say behind her back.  

Chen Lin did not understand Duan Xiaoying’s thoughts. She assumed that Duan Xiaoying was simply worried that Han Bowen had not returned because he was too caught up in playing. Searching for him house by house was not only troublesome but might also cause others to worry unnecessarily.  

Chen Lin sighed and said: “What if Bowen is just playing at a friend’s house? If we don’t go looking, who knows when he’ll come back? Xiaoying, I’m telling you, once we find him, you have to let Old Han give him a good beating. This child is too infuriating!”  

Duan Xiaoying forced a bitter smile. How could she dare let Han Bin beat Han Bowen?  

She had figured things out in her mind—whether she wanted to or not, she had to go ask around today. Otherwise, if she just sat at home and waited, people would definitely spread rumors that she didn’t care about Han Bowen.  

With that thought, Duan Xiaoying said: “Let’s split up and ask around. It’ll be faster.”  

The search lasted until nightfall.  

The Family Residential Compound was nearly turned upside down. Duan Xiaoying ran so much that she was drenched in sweat. Dragging her exhausted body, she was about to search outside the compound when she reached the main gate—only to see Han Bin returning with Han Bowen.  

Duan Xiaoying was so overwhelmed with relief that she nearly burst into tears. She hurried forward and asked: “Where did you run off to?”  

However, Han Bowen merely let out a huff upon seeing her and ran past her with his head down.  

Duan Xiaoying was utterly confused. “What happened?” she asked.  

Han Bin’s expression was grim as he said: “Ignore him. He’s just spoiled.”  

Duan Xiaoying pressed her lips together and nodded.  

When the two of them returned home, they did not see Han Bowen at the dinner table. After asking the two younger children, they learned that he had locked himself in his bedroom as soon as he stepped inside.  

The entire family had barely eaten dinner in their frantic search for him. So many people had been mobilized. Han Bin had already been feeling irritated, and upon learning that Han Bowen had locked himself in his bedroom, his anger flared instantly.  

Striding toward the second bedroom door, he raised his foot and kicked it open with force.  

The second bedroom door was only secured with a small wooden latch, which had not been nailed in firmly. Han Bin did not hold back his strength, and with one powerful kick, the door was sent flying open.

Han Bowen, who had been lying on the bed, was startled awake and immediately sat up, shouting: “What are you doing? This is my bedroom!”

“Without me, you wouldn’t even have a damn bedroom!” Han Bin grabbed Han Bowen by the collar and yanked him off the bed. “Look at you! Skipping school, refusing to come home, and now you have the nerve to throw a tantrum?”

“So what if I don’t come home? This hasn’t been my home for a long time! My mom is dead!”

At first, Han Bin was furious when he heard the first two sentences. He had been about to toss his son aside in anger, but the moment he heard the last sentence, his grip loosened.

Seizing the opportunity, Han Bowen broke free from his grasp, scurried to the corner of the bed, and continued shouting: “You say I didn’t come home after school, but why don’t you ask your wife what she did?”

Duan Xiaoying’s expression immediately changed upon hearing that. She rushed into the second bedroom, but instead of getting angry, she forced a smile and said: “Bowen, I don’t know what misunderstanding you have about me, but in these past two years, I’ve never treated you or your siblings badly. If you say such things about me, then I…”

She trailed off without finishing her sentence, lowering her head as tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing his wife in tears, Han Bin patted her shoulder in a comforting gesture before turning to Han Bowen. “Your mom has done so much for you…”

“She’s not my mom!” Han Bowen shouted. “My mom has been dead for a long time! You married her less than a year after she died—I hate her!”

On this matter, Han Bin indeed carried guilt toward his wife, but he also had his own struggles. As a navy officer, he was frequently deployed at sea and could not take care of the children himself.

His parents had passed away early, and although the children’s maternal grandmother had initially promised to take care of them, after just six months, his three children had grown thinner and thinner—while only her biological grandchildren were getting plumper.

Under such circumstances, what else could he do besides remarry?

But these were things a child would never understand. No matter how he explained, Han Bowen wouldn’t listen.

Han Bin let out a weary sigh and said: “Putting everything else aside, you should know how your aunt has treated you and your siblings these past two years. Tell me, what exactly are you dissatisfied with?”

“She doesn’t truly care about us! If she really did, why didn’t she order milk this time? Everyone told me that drinking milk helps kids grow taller and is good for our health. She refused to order it because she didn’t want to spend the money! She just wants to save up for her own kid!”

Han Bin had no idea about this matter. Stunned, he asked: “What milk?”

Duan Xiaoying had never expected the issue to be about something like this. Afraid that Han Bowen would distort the truth, she hurriedly explained: “It happened when Sister Wang first brought up the topic. Chen Jie and I were there too, and I was just worried about making things awkward for her. If I ordered it, she might feel pressured, and that would make things difficult with the neighbors. It wasn’t about being unwilling to spend the money.”

“I believe you.” Han Bin said, reassuring Duan Xiaoying before turning to his son. “So this is what you’re angry about? You think your aunt is stingy with money and doesn’t truly care about you and your siblings, so you threw a tantrum and refused to come home?”

Hearing Duan Xiaoying’s explanation, Han Bowen was no longer as certain that she had bad intentions. A trace of guilt flashed across his face, but he still stubbornly raised his chin and said: “Who knows if that’s true?”

“If you don’t know, can’t you use your own eyes to see? Use your heart to feel? You believe what others say after just a few words, but you won’t believe the people who actually live with you. Do you even have a brain?”

After scolding his son, Han Bin took a deep breath and said: “For the past two years, whatever other kids have, when have your aunt and I ever let you and your siblings go without? Clothes—you always wear new ones. Our household meals have never been lacking. Not long ago, you said you wanted a toy car, and I even told you that as long as you ranked in the top twenty of your class in the final exam, I would buy it for you. Think carefully—when has your aunt ever mistreated you and your siblings?”

After reprimanding Han Bowen, Han Bin didn’t bother with him anymore, leaving him to reflect on his actions while he called Duan Xiaoying to eat dinner.

Seeing Han Bowen put in his place, Duan Xiaoying felt quite pleased, but she dared not show it. Instead, she put on a sorrowful expression, avoided Han Bin’s touch, picked up a dish, and said: “I’ll go heat this up.” before heading into the kitchen.

This little trick worked well on Han Bin. Because he didn’t want to have children so soon, he was usually very restrained in matters of intimacy, but that night, he was exceptionally tender with her.

Afterward, in the darkness, Duan Xiaoying slowly placed a hand on her flat stomach, silently praying that she would conceive soon.

With a child of her own, she could finally stand tall with confidence.

With hopeful thoughts of the future, Duan Xiaoying fell asleep with a faint smile on her lips.

However, she never expected that the very next morning, Han Bin would deliver a harsh blow. While getting dressed, he casually brought up the matter of ordering milk. “Today, go to the Women’s Federation and find Officer Jiang to place an order for the milk. Get a couple of extra bottles so you and the kids can all have some—it’ll be good for your health.”

At first, Duan Xiaoying felt comforted hearing this. She knew Han Bin cared about the children, and if not for last night’s incident, he might have let it slide. But after that commotion, there was no way the milk wouldn’t be ordered.

Besides, in most households, milk was only for the children, yet he had even thought about including her.

Lying in bed, Duan Xiaoying looked at him with a smile and said: “How about ordering a pound? The kids and I can share and see if it’s enough. If not, we can add more next month.”

“Do as you see fit.” Han Bin replied as he fastened the buttons on his shirt, tucked the hem into his pants, and grabbed his belt from the foot of the bed. As he threaded it through his belt loops, he added: “By the way, that Wang Lixia—it’s fine to be friends with her, but when it comes to important matters, you need to stay clear-headed. Stop worrying so much about whether she’ll be upset and how it might affect your relationship. Take this milk order, for example—it’s such a trivial matter. If she distances herself from you over something like this, then your friendship was never that strong to begin with, don’t you think?”

“Important matters?”

Ordering milk counted as an important matter?

This was just his way of venting his displeasure over his precious son’s tantrum last night, using this as an excuse to lecture her.

And to think, just last night, she had foolishly believed that he had finally recognized her efforts and felt guilty toward her. Yet in the end, she was still less important than Han Bowen throwing a fit.

Under the thin blanket, Duan Xiaoying’s hand clenched into a fist, but on the surface, she forced a smile and said: “Alright, I understand.”

…