Seeing the three consecutive messages from her brother, Yang Mengyao fell silent for a moment. After thinking for a while, she finally replied:
“Brother, what happened between you and Mom seems like a good thing to me. Otherwise, if Mom found out about us, she would definitely break us up!”
After reading the message, Yang Haoran felt a warmth in his heart. This little girl was clearly trying to comfort him and prevent him from blaming himself.
Yaoyao: “What happened between you and me, and what happened between Mom and you, must be kept hidden from Dad. Otherwise, Dad would be heartbroken.”
Yang Haoran: “I…”
That night, Yang Haoran and Yaoyao talked for a long time. He shared the same fears and anxieties that Yaoyao had. If only Yaoyao found out, the situation was still within control. But if Dad discovered it, it would feel like the sky was falling.
None of themβwhether it was him, Yaoyao, or Momβwanted Dad to learn the truth.
Now that Dad had Auntie Zhuang, it was practically like they had restructured the family. His relationship with Mom existed in name only. It was better to let Dad remain in the dark, thinking that Mom had an affair, while he lived a happy life with Auntie Zhuang. Yang Haoran didnβt want to reopen his fatherβs wounds.
After all, all of this stemmed from his own greedβhe had taken Mom, who originally belonged to Dad. He was the one who deserved to die ten thousand times over.
Dad was a kind father who had always treated him well. He wasnβt an abusive parent, which was why Yang Haoran had been carrying such deep guilt.
Studying hard wasnβt just about making Mom obedientβit was also driven by a hidden desire to achieve good grades to make Dad proud.
These motivations pushed Yang Haoran to take his studies seriously.
And once Mom accepted the situation with Yaoyao, Yang Haoran also planned to have Mom and Dad formally divorce so Dad could live his life with Auntie Zhuang. If they remained entangled, Dad would find it hard to move on.
After Dad and Mom divorced and Dad moved out, Yang Haoran would be the master of the house. He wouldnβt have to worry about doing things in secret anymore.
By then, he would be the legitimate head of the household, and he could openly indulge in his desires all day long without any issues.
That night, Yang Haoran didnβt fall asleep until after 2 a.m. His mind was too occupied with thoughts, and he tossed and turned restlessly.
…
The next day at school, during break time.
“Thereβs been a bit of a change with Yaoyao, Youxi. How about we reschedule for tomorrow?” Yang Haoran whispered softly.
Ji Youxi understood what her boyfriend meant. After a moment of thought, she nodded and said, “Thatβs fine. Originally, we planned for today so it wouldnβt interfere with your Sunday. What happened with Yaoyao?”
“Well, hereβs the thing…”
Yang Haoran briefly explained the situation to Ji Youxi and then said, “Letβs meet at the school gate tomorrow. Weβll postpone the matter with Yaoyao until next week.”
“Okay!”
After getting his girlfriendβs agreement, Yang Haoran shifted to other topics. Ji Youxi didnβt talk much, mostly listening to him and occasionally responding.
The day passed without any drama. That evening, after dinner with the family, Yang Haoran studied for a while and kept an eye on the time.
Around 10:30 p.m., he quietly slipped into his motherβs bedroom. The door wasnβt locked, and it opened with a gentle turn.
The lights were on in the room, and his mother was leaning against the headboard reading a book. She glanced at him when he entered but then returned her attention to the book.
Yang Haoran took a quick look at the coverβit seemed to be a book on finance or economics, something he didnβt understand. He made his way to the bed, snuggled up beside his mother, and pretended to read along with her. “Mom, what are you reading? Itβs so late, and youβre still awake?”
Liu Ruoxi knew her sonβs intentions were far from pure, so she didnβt answer directly. Instead, she closed the book and looked at him. “What are you doing here? Weβre at homeβdonβt even think about those kinds of things.”
“Who said I was…? Mom, Iβve just been bored from studying, so I came to see you to unwind.” Yang Haoran put on an innocent expression before leaning his face against his motherβs cheek.
Seeing her sonβs infatuated demeanor, Liu Ruoxi blushed and pushed him away. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
She knew her son never visited without a reason. If it wasnβt for that, then he must have something else on his mind.
Yang Haoran didnβt hide his intentions. As he reached out to touch his motherβs stomach, he said, “I came to check on our baby. Mom, every time I think about you carrying my child in your belly, I get so excited… so happy.”
“Why?”
“I canβt really explain it. Maybe itβs because it means you belong to me.” Yang Haoran chuckled. “Thatβs why you need to have a baby for me, Mom.”
Liu Ruoxi rolled her eyes. “From a biological perspective, thatβs just a maleβs reproductive instinct. I donβt know where a kid like you got such ideas.”
“Who are you calling a kid?” Yang Haoran protested discontentedly. “Mom, can you stop treating me like a child? Iβm your man now, and youβre my woman. Even though youβre my mother, you still have to listen to me.”
Hearing her sonβs words, which sounded like a declaration of ownership, Liu Ruoxi couldnβt help but laugh. “Alright, alright… youβre Momβs man. Mom can listen to you. But have you ever thought about why, when your dad was Momβs man before, I didnβt always listen to him?”
Seeing his mother bring up his father on her own, Yang Haoran remained calm on the surface but felt delighted inside. Playing along, he asked, “Why?”
“The idea that women shouldδΎιδΊ (yΔ«fΓΉ yΓΊ – rely on/subordinate themselves to) men is an outdated notion. Even though I loved your dad very much back then, I didnβt blindly obey him.”
Yang Haoran listened intently as Liu Ruoxi continued, “But youβre different. Youβre my child. A motherδΎιδΊ (yΔ«fΓΉ yΓΊ – relies on/subordinates herself to) her sonβeven in a romantic contextβoften finds it easier to be compliant. So, no matter what role you play, in my eyes, you will always be my child.”
Yang Haoran felt both happy and disheartened. He was happy that his mother was willing to open up to him, but discouraged that, deep down, she still saw him as her child rather than her man!
The thought frustrated him, but after some reflection, he let it go. If he werenβt her son, what charm could he, merely as a man, possibly have to attract a woman like his mother?
He was simply shamelessly and greedily taking advantage of a motherβs love for her son to claim his birth mother for himself.
“Then, Mom, if I werenβt your son,” Yang Haoran proposed a hypothetical, clinging to a sliver of hope as he asked her, “is it possible you could have fallen in love with me? Seen me as a man?”
“When did I ever say I loved you?” Liu Ruoxi shot her son a disdainful look, this time not sparing his feelings. “If you werenβt my son, I wouldnβt even bother giving you a second glance. Go wash up and get to sleep early.”
Yang Haoran: “…”
Wasnβt this her way of telling him to stop daydreaming?
Unwilling to accept this, he continued to argue, “Hypothetically… Iβm saying hypothetically, Mom, if your son werenβt me but someone else, would you treat him the same way?”