Chapter 35

Even though her son had avoided her gaze, just being able to meet with him lifted Mrs. Zheng’s spirits considerably.

Moreover, it seemed that the relationship between Sheng Zexi and Xu Ai had become much friendlier.

This was a very good change.

Perhaps he would never truly forgive her, but that didn’t matter much.

Just being able to see him change made Mrs. Zheng feel quite good.

It was her negligence and selfishness that had caused her son not to feel warmth from the family over the years.

With her head lowered, a hint of guilty smile on her lips. She walked down and said to Xu Ai and the others, “It’s getting late, you should go back. It’s fine to come again another day.”

She turned to Auntie Tan and instructed, “The perfume I picked out from my room, please go upstairs and get it for Xiao Ai.”

“Alright.”

After Auntie Tan went upstairs, the only sounds left in the living room were those of Sheng Zexi and the little one talking. Mrs. Zheng adjusted her breathing for a while before gathering her courage to ask Sheng Zexi, “Have you had dinner yet?”

The entire living room fell silent, and Mrs. Zheng’s heart began to race. She felt a bit embarrassed due to Sheng Zexi’s lack of response.

Just when her heart sank to the bottom, Sheng Zexi spoke up, “Not yet. I had a bit of a situation come up and didn’t have time to finish eating.”

“Then do you want to eat something before you go back?”

Mrs. Zheng nervously tugged at her sleeve, her voice carefully probing.

In the past, Sheng Zexi would probably have refused her coldly, but perhaps because he had a child on his mind, he could understand the hint of maternal affection beneath her calm facade.

He didn’t know whether he would ever truly forgive her, but since Nuo Nuo would still be in contact with her, he didn’t mind giving her a few friendly looks.

“Sure.”

“Auntie Tan, hurry up and heat the food! Zexi wants to eat.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a look of joy appeared on Mrs. Zheng’s face. Realizing that Auntie Tan had already been called to help pick up the perfume upstairs, she rolled up her sleeves and headed to the kitchen herself.

Seeing her like this, Sheng Zexi felt like he should tell her not to fuss, but the joy on Mrs. Zheng’s face made him swallow his words. He looked down at Nuo Nuo in his arms, asking, “Have you eaten enough?”

Nuo Nuo blinked her beautiful big eyes and replied, “Daddy, I think I can eat a little more with you.”

Immediately, Xu Ai exclaimed from the side, “Nuo Nuo, you already ate a lot!”

Nuo Nuo, seeing her mom’s fierce expression, shrank back into her dad’s embrace, her voice softening, “Then can I eat some vegetables?”

Xu Ai: …

She shot a glare at Sheng Zexi, “You should keep an eye on your daughter.”

Just then, Auntie Tan brought the packed perfume down from upstairs. Hearing what Xu Ai said to Sheng Zexi, Auntie Tan was taken aback at the soft smile on the man’s face. Having never seen him like this before, Auntie Tan was so surprised that she nearly dropped what she was holding. A look of relief spread across her face.

It felt as if some icy barrier had cracked open, allowing warmth to enter the springtime.

With Mrs. Zheng busy heating up the food and the young master playing with his daughter, this scene, until today, had only been a wishful thought.

Auntie Tan wiped away her tears and handed the beautifully packaged perfume to Xu Ai with a smile, saying, “I’ll go help Madam heat the food for the young master.”

Without thinking, Xu Ai elbowed Sheng Zexi in the side, “Can’t you heat it yourself? Is it okay for your mom to do this for you?”

Auntie Tan nearly dropped her jaw in shock.

Sheng Zexi replied, “Okay.”

Then he walked to the kitchen.

Nuo Nuo followed her dad like a little tail.

Sheng Zexi walked quickly, and while Auntie Tan was still stunned, he had already entered the kitchen.

Just as Mrs. Zheng was about to put the dishes in the pot, she saw Sheng Zexi come in. She told him, “Just sit down, it’ll be ready soon.”

But then, a hand reached out from behind, taking the plate from her hands.

Mrs. Zheng looked surprised.

Sheng Zexi lowered his long eyelashes and said, “Let me do it.”

Mrs. Zheng hesitantly asked, “Are you sure you can?”

Sheng Zexi reassured her, “It’s fine, heating up a dish is not a problem.”

Nuo Nuo, following behind her dad, proudly exclaimed, “Grandma, my dad can cook! I’ve eaten the dishes he made.”

Although Sheng Zexi didn’t receive much love from his parents when he was young, he was still a legitimate heir of the Sheng family, so he never lacked money and never found it necessary to learn to cook.

Upon hearing Nuo Nuo’s words, Mrs. Zheng looked surprised.

She wanted to know more about it, but Sheng Zexi pressed his lips together, remaining silent, clearly indicating that he wasn’t going to share anything. Mrs. Zheng picked up Nuo Nuo and took her outside, asking the little girl, “When did your dad learn to cook?”

Nuo Nuo scratched her head and shook it, saying, “I don’t know, but, but Daddy can cook! Grandma, have you ever tried the dishes Daddy makes?”

Mrs. Zheng shook her head, “No, I haven’t.”

“I really want to try!”

Nuo Nuo excitedly said, “Grandma, next time we have some free time, let Daddy cook for us!”

“Okay, okay.”

As Sheng Zexi pressed the button to turn off the stove, he paused slightly at the sounds of their conversation drifting away, before continuing to wait for the food to finish heating up.

It took only a few minutes. When Auntie Tan entered the kitchen, she saw that Sheng Zexi no longer needed her help, but still asked hesitantly, “Young Master, do you need me to do anything else?”

Sheng Zexi replied coldly, “No, it’s fine.”

“Alright… okay.”

After Auntie Tan left the kitchen, she encountered Mrs. Zheng and remarked, “The young master has changed a lot recently.”

Not only had his relationship with Xu Ai and her daughter improved, but his life skills had also become much more refined. This was a very good change.

Mrs. Zheng nodded, her eyes glimmering with tears, “Yes, it’s great. I don’t have to worry so much now.”

Of course, she actually had no right to worry, as when Sheng Zexi had needed her the most, she had still been mourning her lost love and marriage.

Looking back now, she realized that it shouldn’t have been that way.

The dishes quickly heated up, and Sheng Zexi sat alone in the dining room, eating dinner while occasionally checking messages related to work.

The quietness in the dining room didn’t last long before Nuo Nuo rushed in with her stuffed toy. Seeing her dad eating delicious food, she climbed onto his lap and opened her little mouth, making her intentions very clear.

Sheng Zexi fed Nuo Nuo a bite of food. The little one sat in her dad’s arms, holding her toy and playing while eating.

Not finding her child in the living room, Xu Ai came to the dining room, and unsurprisingly, she found the little one there eating and happily telling her dad, “Daddy, the ribs are delicious! You should try some.”

“This shrimp is super awesome too!!”

…

“Isn’t it really tasty? I want to eat a bite too.”

Sheng Zexi then picked up a piece and fed it to his daughter.

Hearing footsteps at the doorway, Nuo Nuo turned her head cautiously to look, wiping the grease from her mouth with her hand and smiling sweetly and ingratiatingly, “Mommy, I’m just having a couple of bites. I promise I won’t eat too much.”

Xu Ai felt a bit irritated, but seeing her child’s charming expression made her feel deflated.

She reminded Sheng Zexi, “Nuo Nuo has already eaten.”

The implication was clear: you handle it.

Sheng Zexi nodded slightly, his voice steady and gentle, “Okay, I know.”

He didn’t continuously feed her. He only gave her a bite occasionally.

Once she passed the responsibility of monitoring Nuo Nuo’s eating to Sheng Zexi, Xu Ai left without any mental burden.

After finishing his meal, Sheng Zexi drove them back. Although he wasn’t particularly warm towards Mrs. Zheng, he was still acceptable.

At least Mrs. Zheng was very touched. After loading their things into the car, they drove away.

When they got home, Xu Ai had someone take Nuo Nuo to wash up before she went to remove her makeup.

After Nuo Nuo finished bathing and playing for a while, she went to sleep. Xu Ai felt thirsty and noticed that the water kettle in her room was empty, so she went downstairs.

After drinking some water, she ran into Sheng Zexi, who had also just finished his bath.

He was wearing a black silk pajamas, the top button undone, his hair a bit tousled, making him look quite alluring.

Xu Ai turned her head, intending to ignore him and leave, but then she heard the man’s clear, cold voice beside her.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

Xu Ai turned back, her eyes filled with confusion, “What?”

Her eyes were incredibly clear, showing a hint of puzzlement. Once Sheng Zexi realized she hadn’t meant anything by it, he replied, “Nothing.”

However, Xu Ai already understood what he was trying to express, “Oh, you mean I should be nicer to your mom.”

Sheng Zexi’s silence was an answer in itself.

Xu Ai’s sweet voice carried a hint of chill, “Sorry, I don’t have the quality of being helpful.”

“Whether or not to forgive is your business.”

“I’m tired. Goodnight.”

After saying this, Xu Ai left without any mercy.

Wasting limited time on caring about a man’s relationship with his mother was simply a waste of life.

She wasn’t that free.

Xu Ai, holding her water cup and yawning, lazily left, leaving Sheng Zexi standing behind her.

He stood in place for a moment, lowering his gaze, and a smile unexpectedly appeared at the corner of his lips.

Indeed, how could she possibly care about these things?

He had thought that at least one of the two of them—mother or daughter—would tell him to forgive his mother, especially since they had gotten along well today and his mother had given them quite a few gifts.

However, on the way back, they didn’t say anything; Nuo Nuo was asleep, and Xu Ai didn’t speak either.

Yet, this lack of concern was exactly what Sheng Zexi wanted.

The tension he had been holding onto finally eased, and he let out a sigh of relief.

If they insisted on him forgiving her, he wouldn’t know what to do.