Chapter 178 Who is the real mother?
When Xiang Chu started crying, it was so loud it was earth-shattering, and nothing could soothe her.
The homeroom teacher had no choice but to call the child's mother since calling the child's father was useless.
While on the phone, the teacher glanced at Mei Nan and thought to herself: No wonder they say that having a stepmother is like having a stepfather; how heartless!
When Yu Yan received the call, she frowned. After arranging the experiment, she got dressed and drove to the affiliated primary school.
On the way there, I took a moment to send Shao Muyan a voice message: "Uncle Yan, Xiang Chu's homeroom teacher called me and said he was crying a lot. I'm going over to check on him and pick up the two kids on the way home."
These past few days, Xiang Chu has been pestering Shao Yun to stay at her place for free meals and lodging, saying she would behave well to beg for forgiveness, and she has indeed done so.
In terms of action, he is better than his father.
But the good times didn't last long. After only a few days of peace, they started causing trouble again.
When they were almost at the affiliated primary school, Shao Muyan made a phone call.
"I just finished my experiment. Have you arrived at school yet? What happened to Xiang Chu?"
"Not yet, I'll go check."
Yu Yan parked the car and said into the phone, "From what the teacher said on the phone, some classmates were gossiping about Xiang Chu. I reckon Xiang Chu found out about Gan Xiaoxing's pregnancy, which is why she made a scene."
Shao Muyan frowned.
He sighed softly, "Xiang Chu seems carefree, but he's actually quite sensitive. This incident has had a significant impact on him."
Shao Muyan also suggested that Yu Yan bring Xiang Chu and Shao Yun home and help Xiang Chu get through to her in the evening.
"I'm leaving get off work early today to go to the supermarket to buy some things. I'll be the chef tonight, so you can spend more time with the kids."
Yu Yan felt warmed by his voice and instructions, and hummed in response.
She used to handle things on her own, but now whenever she encounters a problem, Uncle Yan will call her or stay by her side immediately, telling her that she doesn't need to worry about anything.
My heart is soft, yet also grounded.
After hanging up the phone, Yu Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she stepped out of the car, Jin Fan called.
Although she had blocked Xiang Jingheng's number, Jin Fan, as Xiang Jingheng's assistant, rarely harassed her after their divorce, so Yu Yan didn't block his number as well.
After a pause, Yu Yan answered the phone and, as expected, heard Xiang Jingheng's voice.
His voice sounded urgent.
"Yu Yan, could you go to the school to check on Xiao Chu for me? I have a very important contract to sign this afternoon, and I really can't go..."
Xiang Jingheng left the hospital at noon and went straight to a neighboring city to sign a contract. The other party spent the whole afternoon nagging him, and after finally agreeing on the contract details, Xiang Chu's homeroom teacher called.
As Yu Yan listened to him, she registered with the gatekeeper and entered the campus. "Okay, I understand."
Her voice was calm: "I'll bring Xiao Chu to my house and let him stay here for a few days. We'll talk again after you've settled your family matters."
Xiang Jingheng's mind went blank; he knew Yu Yan was referring to his relationship with Gan Xiaoxing.
After a moment of silence, Xiang Jingheng said, "Yu Yan, if I said that Gan Xiaoxing's child was conceived through her schemes against me, and not by my own free will, would you believe me?"
Yu Yan listened to the call expressionlessly and then hung up on him immediately.
I don't want to hear him say a single word more.
Looking at the phone that had been hung up, Xiang Jingheng's heart skipped a beat, and all he could do was give a bitter smile.
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, he felt the meaning of four words: "He only has himself to blame."
—
Xiang Chu and Shao Yun were not in the classroom, for fear of disturbing other students' classes.
Yu Yan went directly to the office of her homeroom teacher, Ms. Li. Mei Nan was also there, and she seemed a little lost in the face of the silent Xiang Chu.
Shao Yun tried to coax him at first, but later stopped, knowing that Xiang Chu was just waiting for his mother to come.
"Professor Li." Yu Yan knocked on the door twice. When Professor Li saw Yu Yan, her eyes lit up as if she had seen a lifeline: "Professor Yu, you've come!"
Xiang Chu suddenly looked up and gazed at Yu Yan, her eyes instantly reddening.
Mei Nan, who was sitting on the sofa, slowly stood up.
She was at a loss with Xiang Chu, but when she saw Yu Yan, her inner thought was: What's the use of you coming?
"Auntie," Shao Yun called to Yu Yan.
Yu Yan responded and exchanged a few polite words with the teacher before walking over to Shao Yun and Xiang Chu. Looking at Xiang Chu's eyes, which were swollen like walnuts, she sighed inwardly.
"Don't cry."
She reached out and touched his eyelids, and two streams of tears fell from her eyes. She threw herself into Yu Yan's arms and hugged her tightly, saying, "Mom."
The word "Mom" was muffled, yet it evoked an indescribable heartache.
Mei Nan felt a pang of sadness, her hands hanging at her sides tightened unconsciously, and her pupils trembled.
It was just the time for school to let out. Shao Yun came into the classroom and took out both his and Xiang Chu's schoolbags. Xiang Chu held Yu Yan's hand tightly, and faced with the gazes of his classmates, he stood tall and looked very proud.
The disheveled state he had during the day was gone.
He wanted to say: Humph, I also have a mother's love and protection.
Mei Nan stood not far away, coldly watching Xiang Chu cling to Yu Yan, her eyes filled with dependence.
She had never seen him look at her like that before, even when he looked at Gan Xiaoxing.
What exactly did Yu Yan do to cause such a big change in this child? And why, no matter how gentle she was with him, did he seem to only treat her as his father's employee, without any other feelings?
"Could you please come here?"
As they left the school gate, Yu Yan said something very politely to Mei Nan.
Mei Nan forced a smile: "It's only right. It's my duty to share President Xiang's burdens. Besides, I watched Xiao Chu grow up."
She bent down slightly and reached out to touch Xiang Chu's face: "Xiao Chu, don't cry anymore. Dad will come to pick you up after he finishes his business. You are his dearest and only son. He can't abandon you."
Xiang Chu didn't like being touched by people he wasn't close to, so he frowned and moved closer to Yu Yan's hand.
“He doesn’t need to pick me up. I don’t want to go back these next few days.”
After Xiang Chu finished speaking in a muffled voice, she looked up at Yu Yan with a pleading expression: "Mom, can you take me in for a while?"
He knew that since his godmother was pregnant, she would definitely give birth, and whether he wanted to or not, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
He would have to accept this fact sooner or later... but right now, he just didn't want to see his father, his godmother, or any of them!
"Um."
Yu Yan agreed, saying, "Say goodbye to Aunt Mei."
Xiang Chu nodded to her mother in agreement, breathed a slight sigh of relief, and finally her face regained some color. She waved to Mei Nan obediently, "Goodbye, Aunt Mei."
Then she got into the car with Shao Yun.
Just as Yu Yan was about to get into the car, Mei Nan called her back.
Mei Nan took a few steps closer to her and whispered a few words to her about how Gan Xiaoxing "got pregnant" with this child.
Yu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.
“So,” Mei Nan said with a dangerous smirk, “the child in Gan Xiaoxing’s belly should never have existed in the first place, and naturally it poses no threat to Xiao Chu’s position. You can rest assured about that.”
Yu Yan lowered her gaze and caught Mei Nan's emotions.
It felt like Mei Nan was saying these words to herself, rather than to Mei Nan.
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