When Ling Xiao saw his son's appearance, his eyes almost popped out: "How did you get so tanned?"
Ling Ze grinned, revealing a set of pearly white teeth: "Everyone does it this way."
As they were talking, Xing Zhaozhao returned with Hongfei and Hongyu, two identical little black monkeys.
"Uncle Ling." The two little ones called out in unison when they saw Ling Xiao.
"Yes." Ling Xiao responded with a smile, then, remembering something, handed over the bag in his hand, "I brought you some small gifts to thank you for taking care of Aze during this time."
Neither Hongfei nor Hongyu took it. They glanced at Xing Zhaozhao questioningly, and only after receiving Xing Zhaozhao's nod of permission did they reach out their hands: "Thank you, Uncle Ling."
Before it could even be held in his hand, Ling Ze rushed over and snatched it away: "What is this? Let me see."
Ling Xiao's forehead twitched. This brat was getting more and more mischievous. He had spent a month with that kid, but he hadn't learned a single thing about manners.
He raised his hand and slapped Ling Ze on the head: "That belongs to Hong Fei and Hong Yu, give it back."
The loud "smack" made Jing Sa, who was sitting to the side, tremble. She looked at her son with heartache, wanting to go over and comfort him, but she was also a little timid.
Ling Ze hadn't noticed Jing Sa yet. He covered his head, looked at Ling Xiao, and pouted aggrievedly: "You don't understand the feelings between the three of us at all."
However, despite his words, he still handed the bag back to Hongfei and Hongyu, and then eagerly followed them over to take a look: "Quickly open it and see what's inside."
Ling Xiao brought back some candies and snacks that were rare in the mainland. After eating them, he could simply stuff the packaging into the stove to destroy the evidence, which would not attract attention or cause trouble for the family.
"These are candies, these are cookies..." The packaging bags all have pictures, and Ling Ze can recognize them at a glance, but there are also some he doesn't recognize. "What is this black thing? Can I really eat it?"
Hongfei and Hongyu weren't surprised at all, but Xing Zhaozhao brought back more things from the other side of the door: "This is chocolate, isn't it?"
Ling Xiao was somewhat surprised: "You guys actually recognize that it's chocolate?"
Xing Zhaozhao watched from the side, her heart skipping a beat. Was she about to be exposed?
Hongfei's eyes flickered, but he remained calm and pointed to the words on the packaging: "Doesn't it say so? Chocolate."
"Hongfei is so smart, he can already recognize so many characters," Ling Xiao praised.
Hongfei puffed out his little chest: "Of course, I'm already 9 years old."
Not to be outdone, Ling Ze also puffed out his little chest: "I'm nine years old too, and I can read."
Ling Xiao looked at his son in surprise. The primary school in Lingjiazhuang Village had been closed long ago, and his son had never attended school. He was usually too busy to teach him, so he didn't expect his son to be able to read. It seemed that he had learned something after staying here for a month. He was indeed his son, so smart.
Ling Ze stared at the three characters, looking them over from left to right. Then he pointed to the three characters "力克巧" and read them out slowly and deliberately: "巧、克、力".
“…That’s wrong,” Hongfei reminded him.
"..." Ling Ze's face burned. Oh no, how embarrassing.
"..." Ling Xiao's old face also burned. Staring at Ling Ze's round little head, his hands itched again. Where should he hit him to teach him a lesson?
Seeing that things were going badly, Jing Sa quickly pulled Ling Xiao aside: "Our son is still young and has never been to school. You're also busy and don't have time to teach him. Isn't it normal that he doesn't recognize things? I'll teach him slowly in the future."
"..." Ling Xiao decided to go back and discuss with the brigade leader about reopening the team's primary school. They couldn't let the children be blind in the future.
Ling Ze finally noticed Jing Sa at this moment.
When Xing Zhaozhao went to call him earlier, she only mentioned that his father had returned, and hadn't had a chance to mention Jing Sa before he ran back on his own. He had seen Jing Sa's photos before, but this was the first time he had seen her in person, so he felt that she looked familiar, but couldn't remember where he had seen her before.
Meeting Ling Ze's scrutinizing gaze, Jing Sa's heart pounded with nervousness, but she still managed a gentle smile. Just as she was about to speak, Ling Ze suddenly asked, "Who are you?"
Jing Sa's smile instantly froze. When she left, her child had only been born a short time ago. He had never seen her before, but Ling Xiao told her that the little guy had secretly hidden her photo under his pillow and often took it out to look at. Inevitably, she harbored a sliver of hope, but the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. She knew she shouldn't blame him, after all, she was the one who abandoned him first, even if it wasn't her choice, but she still couldn't help feeling heartbroken.
However, Jing Sa did not expect that something even more heartbreaking was yet to come.
Ling Ze didn't receive a reply from Jing Sa, and he didn't care. He looked up at Ling Xiao, his little face full of displeasure: "You left me with Aunt Xing and secretly ran away for a month, just to find me a stepmother?"
Stepmother? Jing Sa was completely stunned by these two words, her heart bleeding and aching terribly.
Ling Xiao's face darkened. He glared at his son and angrily reprimanded him, "What stepmother? This is your mother."
Ling Ze scoffed dismissively: "I know, it's just the same old 'stepmother is still a mother' mentality. Don't think I'm a child who's easy to fool. I will only ever have one mother in my life, and I will only recognize one mother."
Jing Sa looked at her son, tears welling up in her eyes. Although her son didn't recognize her, he still remembered her—her dear son…?
Then, she watched helplessly as her son turned around and hugged Xing Zhaozhao tightly.
Jing Sa was stunned: "??" What does this mean?
Xing Zhaozhao was also dumbfounded: "??" What's going on?
"I want to be Aunt Xing's son-in-law from now on, and I will only recognize Aunt Xing as my mother," Ling Ze declared loudly.
Jing Sa: "??!!"
Ling Xiao: "??!!"
Xing Zhaozhao: "!!!"
Ling Xiao couldn't help but raise his fist again: "What nonsense are you spouting now, you brat?"
“I’m not making this up,” Ling Ze said, sticking his neck out. “It’s your business if you want to find a new wife. Anyway, I don’t recognize her. If you have a stepmother, you have a stepfather. I’m not going back with you. I’m going to stay at Aunt Xing’s house from now on and be Aunt Xing’s child.”
Ling Xiao could no longer bear it and punched down with a "thud".
Jing Sa sensed something was wrong and tried to stop her, but it was too late.
Ling Ze winced in pain, clutching his head and squatting on the ground, grimacing in agony, tears still glistening in his eyes. He glared defiantly at Ling Xiao: "See? I told you so, the stepfather hit the child."
Ling Xiao: "..."
Ling Xiao remained expressionless and immediately began rolling up his sleeves. It seemed he hadn't been hit hard enough.
Jing Sa quickly hugged Ling Xiao tightly: "Never mind, never mind, Xiao, he's still young."
“What do you mean ‘little’? He’s already nine years old, and he’ll be ten next year. When I was his age, I could already have a say in the family, but he’s still just causing trouble everywhere.” Ling Xiao glared angrily at Ling Ze. “Stepmother? She’s your biological mother who gave birth to you.”
Ling Ze's small body, which was squatting on the ground, instantly stiffened. His upturned face was filled with shock as he looked at Jing Sa. First, there was confusion in his eyes, then a sudden realization. Did he think she looked familiar? She looked exactly like the woman in his mother's photo.
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