"Why are you sitting here alone in the wind? Why don't you wear an extra layer? What if you catch a cold?"

Gao Kexin found Li Muchen hiding on the rooftop of the hospital, sulking.

Liang Xunling's sudden change of attitude was hard for him to accept. He couldn't stand Liang Xunling speaking up for Li Xinyan, so he had a fight with her.

Hearing Gao Kexin's words, Li Muchen said defiantly, "Hmph! So what if I catch a cold? No one cares or pays attention to me anyway."

"What you're saying... how come nobody cares or pays attention?"

Gao Kexin walked to Li Muchen's side, her gentle tone tinged with anxiety and worry: "At least your parents care and are concerned, and I, as your older sister, will care and be concerned too!"

Gao Kexin's eyes revealed sincerity, as if she really cared about Li Muchen.

However, Li Muchen didn't seem to care much about her concern and attention.

"Hmph! My mom doesn't care about me at all! She's completely changed now and feels like a complete stranger to me."

Li Muchen couldn't understand why his mother had changed so much.

After all, from the very beginning, she was the only one with the biggest complaints about Li Xinyan.

Originally, Li Muchen didn't have much hostility towards that little girl; he was just slightly annoyed because of the bracelet.

However, because Liang Xunling kept speaking ill of his third uncle's family and Li Xinyan in front of him, he became increasingly disgusted with the little girl who was pampered and doted on by the whole family from the moment she arrived.

Gradually, Li Muchen developed an unchangeable prejudice against Xiao Xinyan.

To his utter surprise, his mother changed her attitude toward the little girl instantly without informing him in advance.

Everything happened so suddenly that Li Muchen had no time to react or accept it.

He felt isolated, like a joke.

"My aunt probably didn't want to dwell on it too much..."

Gao Kexin responded softly, but before she could finish speaking, Li Muchen interrupted her:

"She was clearly wronged so badly by that little brat, but now she doesn't care at all... Haha, it's really speechless!"

He was utterly speechless.

He didn't even know what to do next.

Should I continue to hate Li Xinyan, or should I change my attitude towards Li Xinyan like my mother did...?

"Alright, don't think about it so much. Come downstairs with me and get something to eat. We can talk about everything after we've eaten, okay?"

Gao Kexin spoke to Li Muchen in an extremely gentle tone, and as she spoke, she reached out her hand, wanting to pat Li Muchen's head.

Just like when they were little, the cousins ​​had an excellent relationship, were inseparable, and were very close.

Just as Gao Kexin's hand was about to touch Li Muchen, Li Muchen tilted his head to the side, deliberately avoiding her movement.

Immediately, Gao Kexin's hand was once again awkwardly suspended in mid-air.

What did my mother mean by what she said in the hospital room?

Li Muchen looked up at Gao Kexin, his brows furrowed slightly, his gaze darkening, and his tone noticeably colder:

"Is your mom really that busy? So busy that she doesn't even have time to come to the hospital to see my mom?"

Why are you suddenly bringing this up?

Gao Kexin's eyes flickered involuntarily for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. She took a deep breath and said, "My mom is indeed very busy, you know our family situation..."

At this point, she seemed unable to continue. She swallowed hard, her voice choked with emotion, and her eyes reddened. Her usually gentle almond-shaped eyes welled up with tears, appearing clear, bright, and pitiful.

“My dad is still the same as before, addicted to gambling and doing nothing productive. Besides accumulating a mountain of gambling debts, he hasn’t done anything for the family. My mom works tirelessly every day to support the family and pay off my dad’s gambling debts. She even has to work several jobs a day… She… she really doesn’t have time!”

Gao Kexin tried her best to defend her mother, but the more she spoke, the more heartbroken and aggrieved she became. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads.

If it were in the past, Li Muchen would have already started comforting her, but at this moment, Li Muchen remained completely unmoved, simply sitting in his original spot, quietly watching her.

Originally, Gao Kexin thought that Li Muchen would comfort her, but she did not expect that he would completely ignore her and even have a cold look in his eyes that she found unfamiliar.

“My mom gives my grandparents a living allowance every month. After my grandparents keep the money for their daily expenses, don’t they send the rest to your mom?”

Li Muchen stared intently at Gao Kexin's tear-streaked face, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips.

"That much money is enough for your family to pay off their debts. Why does your mother still need to go out to work to earn money?"

The recording his older brother, Li Muxing, played for him that day kept echoing in Li Muchen's mind; he hadn't forgotten his grandparents' attitude towards his mother.

He was just stating the facts and felt that adult matters were none of the children's business, so his attitude towards his cousin Gao Kexin was basically the same as before.

But to her surprise, her cousin blatantly lied in order to protect her mother.

Li Muchen can be a bit clueless at times, but he's not stupid.

The moment Gao Kexin started lying, he was utterly disappointed in his cousin.

Upon hearing Li Muchen's words, a hint of guilt flashed in Gao Kexin's eyes, but she quickly concealed it.

"What are you saying? I...I don't understand..."

Gao Kexin looked up at Li Muchen, her eyes innocent and her face blank:

"I know nothing about any of what you're saying."

Her expression revealed no flaw, as if she truly knew nothing about it.

She was pure and innocent, as if all the bad and dirty things in the world had nothing to do with her.

"Unaware?" Li Muchen sneered as if he had heard an amusing joke, "Whatever!"

He waved his hand dismissively, too lazy to argue with Gao Kexin any further.

With a light leap, Li Muchen jumped down from the steps where he was sitting, giving Gao Kexin no more attention, and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

"The doctor said my mom has almost recovered. My dad and I can take care of her here from now on. You don't need to come anymore, so that my mom won't unconsciously think of your mom when she sees you, and it will affect her mood."

After saying that, he casually waved his hand behind Gao Kexin, as if to say—

Goodbye! And hopefully never again!

Gazing at Li Muchen's resolute departing figure, Gao Kexin bit her lip hard, finally no longer hiding her true feelings, a sinister glint appearing in her eyes...

(End of this chapter)