Chapter 18: I Only Have One Mama

“I’ll be damned, it’s really you.” Shen Xuan walked directly in front of Gu Nanyan, staring at her, “I thought I’d never see you again. How come you’re here?”

In Gu Nanyan’s memory, Shen Xuan had always been someone who didn’t know boundaries.

Early this morning, she could already smell alcohol on him.

“You little brat, what kind of manners are these? This is your sister-in-law,” Father Shen disapproved of Shen Xuan’s attitude and spoke up.

“Oh, it’s not really his fault for not recognizing her, it’s been years since we’ve seen each other,” Tan Yumei, being protective of her son, immediately spoke up, “At least Xuan’er has seen her before, why don’t you ask Little Grape, does she know who this is?”

“Little Grape, do you know who this is?” Shen Wen immediately picked up her mother’s words and smiled as she asked Little Grape.

Little Grape immediately replied, “Xiao Mumu just said this is his mom, but I’ve never seen her before. So, is this the new stepmother that Uncle Yan married after Xiao Mumu’s mom?”

Little Grape’s words made the atmosphere awkward again.

Only Shen Bohen’s family still had smiles on their faces.

“You’re talking nonsense, I only have one mama, no stepmother!” Xiao Mumu, still in the grandmother’s arms, looked angrily at Little Grape with red eyes.

“Well, I’ve never seen her before, huh, you’re the one talking nonsense,” Little Grape immediately retorted.

Grandmother Shen wasn’t pleased. “Alright, alright, Little Grape, your little brother is younger, you should let him be. Don’t argue with him.”

Xiao Mumu, seeing his great-grandmother speak up for him, felt even more wronged. He hid in her arms and wiped his tears.

Grandmother Shen felt so distressed and continuously comforted him by patting his back.

Little Grape, feeling jealous, jumped off the sofa and ran straight into Shen Wen’s arms.

Shen Wen frowned as she looked at her mother-in-law. She’s still so biased toward Xiao Mumu!

Little Grape was only two years older than Xiao Mumu, why should she let him have the advantage?

“Great-grandma, my mama isn’t a stepmother…” Xiao Mumu explained, still wiping his tears in grandmother’s arms, feeling pitiful.

“I know, I know.” Though Grandmother Shen hadn’t fully forgiven Gu Nanyan, she couldn’t bear to see Xiao Mumu upset. She looked up and said to everyone, “Xiao Mumu only has one mom, and that’s his real mom. He’s just a child, doesn’t anyone teach him? If anyone says anything wrong again, I won’t let it slide.”

Shen Wen was so angry she almost turned her nose up, twisting her face to the side in frustration.

Tan Yumei also looked displeased but dared not say anything.

Shen Xuan, feeling bored, waved his hand and walked out.

Gu Nanyan looked at her son with a grateful expression.

It was all thanks to him for getting her past this hurdle with grandmother Shen today.

This little one really was a little angel who came to repay her.

Shen Bohen, with his cold and calm face, showed no change, merely lifting his chin slightly.

His deep eyes gave the impression that everything had already been expected.

After lunch at the old mansion, Ling Hanzhi delivered documents to Shen Bohen.

Shen Bohen returned to his room to work.

Xiao Mumu stayed to play with Grandmother Shen, so Gu Nanyan wandered around the yard alone.

The old mansion had been built for many years. Although it wasn’t as grand as Shen Bohen’s royal Jin Manor, it had a rich, historical atmosphere. Every brick and tile was unique.

It was spring, and the flowers in the old mansion bloomed beautifully.

Just as Gu Nanyan was preparing to find a small courtyard to quietly enjoy the flowers, she was suddenly called out, “Nanyan.”

Gu Nanyan turned around to see Shen Wen walking towards her.

She raised an eyebrow slightly.

It seemed like she wasn’t very familiar with Shen Wen before, so why was she coming to find her?

“I saw Brother Yan go to work, and you’re probably bored alone, so I came to keep you company,” Shen Wen smiled.

“Oh.”

Gu Nanyan responded indifferently.

Shen Group’s power was now in the hands of Shen Bohen, who was exceptionally capable. Although his second uncle’s family seemed to have no objections, they were secretly scheming, fantasizing about one day seizing power.

Unfortunately, Shen Xuan was getting worse as he grew older, always drinking and playing around. The second uncle’s family still couldn’t stir up any major waves but hadn’t completely abandoned the idea.

Shen Bohen was aloof and proud, not caring for them. Shen Wen coming to find her probably had no good intentions.

The two of them sat in a small courtyard filled with peach blossoms.

Shen Wen smiled and spoke first, “So what’s going on between you and Brother Yan?”

“What do you mean, what’s going on?” Gu Nanyan pretended not to understand.

“Didn’t you two really not get a divorce certificate? Or are you just pretending to get along for Xiao Mumu?”

“Why would you think that?”

Gu Nanyan had a feeling that Shen Wen’s words were implying something.

“Because it’s well-known that Brother Yan already has a stepmother lined up for Xiao Mumu,” Shen Wen’s words made Gu Nanyan freeze for a moment.

Step-mother lined up?

Who was it?

It couldn’t be Qin Yuwei, could it?

“Of course, it’s definitely not the lowly tutor who came to our house last time,” Shen Wen didn’t take Qin Yuwei seriously, believing someone of that status didn’t even deserve to enter the Shen family’s door.

“Have you heard of Su Xuejing, the only daughter of the Su family? She’s a capable person. After studying abroad, she took over the family business and proved herself despite much criticism. She and Brother Yan are old classmates, and back when they were in school, they were often praised as a perfect couple.”

Seeing that Gu Nanyan seemed confused, Shen Wen continued, “You probably don’t know, but Brother Yan wanted to cancel your marriage for a long time, but it was Uncle Shen who kept stopping him. If it weren’t for you two getting married because of Xiao Mumu, with Brother Yan’s current power, that marriage would’ve been annulled by now.”

Shen Wen probably noticed that Gu Nanyan’s expression didn’t change much, so she continued, “Su Xuejing just returned to the country recently, and since then, the media has spotted her and Brother Yan together several times. Our whole family thought Brother Yan would divorce you and marry Su Xuejing. That’s why we were surprised to see you today.”

“Is that so?” Gu Nanyan, after hearing all that, seemed to only catch the last part of the conversation. She smiled and said, “Actually, there’s no need to be surprised. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”

Shen Wen: ???

She had said so much, and Gu Nanyan only caught that?

“Do you have anything else to say?” Gu Nanyan, looking at Shen Wen’s speechless expression, asked without changing her face.

Shen Wen suddenly felt that saying anything more was a waste of breath.

“No, nothing. You can go ahead and enjoy the flowers,” she said, feeling like she was talking to a wall. She got up and left.

Gu Nanyan sat alone under the peach tree. After Shen Wen left, she looked up at the vibrant peach blossoms.

Su Xuejing…

The sunlight scattered through the pink flowers, becoming somewhat blinding. Gu Nanyan raised her hand to shield her eyes.

Suddenly, a strong smell of alcohol wafted over, followed by a figure stumbling into the courtyard.

Shen Xuan had entered and immediately tripped. When he looked up and saw Gu Nanyan, his drunken face immediately broke into a grin. “Gu Nanyan, come on, let’s have a drink.”

He staggered towards her.

Fortunately, Gu Nanyan reacted quickly and leapt up to avoid him.

But Shen Xuan wouldn’t give up, lunging at her again. “Don’t run, just have a drink.”

“I’m not drinking with you!”

Gu Nanyan kept dodging the drunkard, trying to run towards the door, but Shen Xuan blocked her way. She had no choice but to dart into the peach orchard.

Shen Xuan followed, holding a bottle of alcohol, and it turned into a chase—she ran, he chased.

After darting through who-knows-how-many peach trees, Gu Nanyan suddenly crashed into a solid chest.

The steady scent of wood came to her senses, and when she looked up, under the radiant peach blossoms, the man’s chiseled face was exceptionally handsome in the warm sunlight.

At that moment, Shen Xuan charged toward her.

The next second, there was a “bang” sound.

Shen Bohen punched Shen Xuan to the ground, causing him to fall flat among the peach trees.

“Looking for death.”

The man’s cold and stern gaze was like a sharp blade. His eyes darkened, and with one hand holding Gu Nanyan, the other clenched into a fist.

If Shen Xuan hadn’t passed out right then, Shen Bohen probably would’ve landed another punch.