Chen Xiaochao was stunned and the fork in his hand fell to the table with a clang.

It was almost dark when Chen Yi and his son returned home together.

Looking at her son following behind Chen Yi, Pei Wenping was hesitating about how to ease the relationship with her son, but Chen Xiaochao took the initiative to walk up to her.

"Mom, I'm sorry."

Seeing her shy son, Pei Wenping was surprised and happy, and said hurriedly: "It's okay, let's eat first. I steamed the cured pork ribs you like."

"Um."

The father and son went to the bathroom to wash their hands, and one went to the kitchen to serve the dishes. Pei Wenping happily turned around and knocked on the door of the second bedroom.

"Xiaolu, come out for dinner."

After waiting for a while without hearing a response, Pei Wenping reached out to push the door, only to find that it was locked from the inside.

"What's wrong?"

Looking at Chen Yi who had come behind her without her noticing, Pei Wenping said unhappily, "Xiaolu knows about the divorce."

Chen Yi was silent for a while, then said, "Let me talk to her, you go set the table."

Pei Wenping didn't say much and turned to go to the kitchen.

I don’t know what method Chen Yi used, but he really coaxed Chen Xiaolu out of the room.

"Come on, eat the ribs. They taste best while they're hot."

Pei Wenping diligently put a piece into her son's bowl, and then put another piece into her daughter's bowl.

Chen Xiaolu suddenly moved her bowl aside, and the shiny red spare ribs fell onto the table with a "pop".

Chen Xiaochao stared at the ribs on the table, looking puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Chen Yi followed up and said, "Xiaolu, pick up the ribs."

Chen Xiaolu was so angry that she picked up the ribs on the table and threw them back into the plate. Then she slapped her chopsticks, said "I'm full" and went back to her room.

The dinner table fell into silence.

Chen Xiaochao was confused, "What happened to her?"

"Let's eat, the food will get cold soon." Chen Yi said.

Chen Xiaochao looked at this, then that, and concentrated on eating the cured pork ribs in the bowl.

The meal ended in a depressing atmosphere.

…

"Did mom scold you when we were not home?"

In the second bedroom, Chen Xiaochao looked at the silent Chen Xiaolu and speculated, "If you quarreled with Mom because of me, then there is no need. Mom must have her reasons for not wanting to go to Shanghai..."

Chen Xiaolu raised her head and interrupted him, "You're right to scold her! She is just selfish and only cares about herself!"

Chen Xiaochao was stunned for a moment, then frowned: "Don't say that to mom."

"I want to say it! My mouth is on my face, I can say whatever I want to say, what's it to you?"

Pei Wenping was led into the room by the quarrel between the two siblings, "Xiaolu, Xiaochao, what are you arguing about?"

Chen Xiaochao replied angrily, "There was no quarrel."

Chen Xiaolu turned her back and lay on the bed, covering herself from head to toe with a quilt, obviously not wanting to pay any attention to Pei Wenping.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Yi, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, heard the noise and came into the room. He looked at the two children and then at Pei Wenping.

"I'm going out for a while." Pei Wenping turned around and walked out of the room tiredly.

"Where are you going so late?"

Chen Yi followed behind her, his face full of concern, "I'll go with you."

"No, you stay at home and watch over them."

As soon as he finished speaking, his arm was grabbed by Chen Yi.

Facing his stubborn gaze, Pei Wenping had no choice but to explain where she was going: "I have something to talk to Mingzhu about. I'll be back later."

Chen Yi then let go of his hand and said, "Be careful on the road."

After watching Pei Wenping leave, Chen Yi returned to the second bedroom.

Chen Xiaochao pointed at Chen Xiaolu on the bed and said, "Ask her. Who knows what's wrong with her?"

Chen Yi walked to Chen Xiaolu's single bed, reached out to lift the quilt, and when he saw her red eyes, he was speechless.

…

“Did I do something wrong?”

Looking at Pei Wenping's lost and confused look, Shen Mingzhu felt mixed emotions.

She was once deeply affected by her parents' divorce, and even now, this influence has not disappeared.

But the twins are luckier than her. Even though Pei Wenping and Chen Yi are divorced, they still try their best to fulfill their responsibilities as parents.

"Sister, many things cannot be simply summarized as right or wrong. Things in the world are inherently difficult to have. We are ordinary people and cannot satisfy everyone."

"But I firmly believe that the premise of loving others is to love yourself first. A good mental outlook, a healthy body, and sufficient finances are all indispensable foundations for survival."

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"If you blindly give in to your children, they will only develop selfish, conceited and arrogant personalities. I think you can have a serious talk with them and teach them to distinguish right from wrong and to understand respect, understanding and tolerance."

…

It was already half past ten when Pei Wenping returned home.

Chen Yi sat on the sofa and read quietly, apparently waiting for her.

"Call Xiaolu and Xiaochao out. I want to say something."

Hearing her say this, Chen Yi hesitated, "Does it have to be now? It's late, they should have gone to bed..."

Under Pei Wenping's deathly gaze, Chen Yi closed his mouth, stood up and knocked on the door of the second bedroom.

Under normal circumstances, she would definitely consider the child's rest and not disturb him.

But a conversation with Shen Mingzhu gave her an epiphany.

She didn't owe her children anything, and she even went to the gates of hell in order to give them life.

If her indulgence and permissiveness only result in complaints and blame, then sorry, she won't serve you anymore.

The two children were soon called out.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Chen Xiaochao yawned, his tone full of dissatisfaction.

In contrast, Chen Xiaolu was silent and quiet, but she deliberately avoided eye contact with Pei Wenping and was obviously still angry.

Pei Wenping looked at the two children, drank some honey water to moisten her throat before speaking——

"I divorced your father because he cheated on me."

Chen Xiaolu suddenly raised her head and looked at Chen Yi with eyes full of shock and disbelief.

In comparison, Chen Xiaochao seemed much calmer.

In the coffee shop in the afternoon, Chen Yi told him the truth.

He also made a private agreement with Chen Yi not to tell Chen Xiaolu about this, and that he would help Chen Yi save the marriage.

But unexpectedly, Pei Wenping would take the initiative to reveal this secret, and I was a little at a loss for a moment.

"Dad, is what Mom said true?"

Chen Xiaolu was shocked and hurt.

She only knew that her parents were divorced, but she didn't expect that the reason was that Chen Yi cheated on her.

"I am the one who let your mother down. The responsibility for the divorce lies with me."

Chen Yi's frankness undoubtedly hit Chen Xiaolu hard, and made her feel ashamed of her anger with Pei Wenping.

Pei Wenping continued, "I chose to conceal it because I didn't want you to be affected, but I found out that I was wrong. You are not young anymore, you should know the truth and learn to distinguish right from wrong."

Chen Xiaochao couldn't help but plead for Chen Yi: "Mom, please forgive Dad this time. He knows he was wrong."

Chen Xiaolu also quickly raised her head and pleaded, "Mom, can you give Dad another chance? Although Dad did something wrong, we are a family. Shouldn't we give him more tolerance and a chance to reform?"

Pei Wenping looked at the two children calmly.

"You can't force me to forgive your father, just like I won't force you to forgive your friends who have hurt you. But as a mother, I will try my best to give you the care and love you deserve. I can only promise you that I will visit you in Shanghai every month in the future." (End of this chapter)