109 How Can Auntie Be Our Mother? You’ll Always Be Our Aunt
Li Zexuan and Li Zexin looked at each other. Li Zekai hid behind the sofa wondering what he had said that sounded so wrong. He was scared that he didn’t move.
“Jiejie, come and help Grandma take the corn to Madam,” Auntie Huang wanted to pull the terrified child away.
“I can help!” Li Zexin volunteered.
“Sure.” Auntie Huang was surprised.
As Lin Wan hugged the corn cobs, her three stepsons all gathered around her and sat in a row on the balcony, just like her.
They didn’t disturb her. They quietly ate the corn with her and went downstairs after they were done.
When Lin Wan plugged in the vacuum to clean the debris from the balcony, her lips curled up in a smile as she mumbled about the three annoying children
Although she had a lot on her mind that day, she had a beautiful dream after falling asleep. She was reluctant to wake up the next morning.
Back in the West City, Li Yanchen and Secretary Han worked through the night and finally managed to resolve the problem. By the time they returned to the hotel, it was already seven in the morning. Afraid of disturbing Lin Wan’s sleep, Li Yanchen didn’t call her but dropped her a message instead. He informed her that he was back in the hotel, the matter had been resolved and he would return in the afternoon.
Li Zexin, after getting up, used the remnants of his pocket money to get some small fried wontons for his brothers as an apology.
After the three of them washed up, they wanted to go upstairs to wake Lin Wan, but Auntie Huang dissuaded them. She told them to let her sleep until she woke up by herself. So, they went out quietly.
At the entrance of the neighborhood, Li Zekai saw Du Xing dragging her luggage again. The little kid pulled down his hat and pretended not to see her.
Du Xing had been cooped up in the hotel for a few days and had even borrowed someone else’s phone to call Li Yanchen. The moment Li Yanchen knew that it was her, he had hung up immediately. Because of the ruckus she had caused the last time, the security guards of Royal Water Bay recognized her. Not only was she banned from the Li family’s residence, but she was not allowed to enter the residential area at all.
Du Xing had given up all hope and was preparing to return to Qingzhou. However, she had not expected to see her three nephews suddenly.
She let go of her luggage and blocked the children’s way.
“Xuanxuan, Xinxin, Jiejie!” Du Xing called out their name. “Xuanxuan and Xinxin, you have become so tall! You look exactly like your mom.”
Li Zexin was stunned. “Auntie Du?”
Du Xing was delighted. “Xinxin remembers me! I took you to the amusement park to play. You would always ask me for balloons.”
Li Zekai pulled his two brothers to the side and whispered to them. His brothers’ expression was somber.
“Jiejie, is it because Lin Wan was around that you pretended not to recognize me? She isn’t here so you don’t need to be afraid. Auntie will take you to buy toys, alright?” Du Xing tried to sow discord between Lin Wan and her nephews.
“If my sister knew about this, she would be heartbroken. How could she be at ease with the three of you going out by yourself? I remember my sister would always insist on a chauffeur even if you were just going out to the neighborhood.”
“We can go there.” Li Zekai pointed at a Chinese breakfast shop a few distance away.
Du Xing’s expression suddenly changed, and she awkwardly turned her head to look at the breakfast shop not very far away.
“Let’s go.” Li Zexin didn’t address his aunt this time. If she was someone his father didn’t approve of, then she must be a bad person.
“I can treat you guys!” offered Du Xing.
“Thank you, Auntie.” Li Zexuan recalled that four years ago, Du Xing had been at Royal Water Bay. He also remembered that she would go to any extent to try to please their father. He knew about her. His younger brother had told him of the incident a while ago. Li Zexuan guessed why she was here.
“Brother!” Li Zexin and Li Zekai both glared at their big brother.
Li Zexuan gave his two younger brothers a look. The three of them led Du Xing to the breakfast shop.
“Order whatever you want to eat, it’s on Auntie. Do you want some Iced Coke? I watched the live broadcast. You guys wanted to drink soda, but my brother-in-law didn’t agree. Today, I’ll let you drink as much as you want.” Du Xing said with good intentions.
“It’s not good to drink Iced Coke in the morning. Auntie, let’s eat something healthy.” Although Li Zekai was very little, his father had already told them about the dangers of fizzy drinks.
“Okay Auntie will have a plate of eel noodles. I’ll only have the strength to take you out to play after I’m full.” Du Xing said as she stood at the counter.
“I want Supreme Three Shrimp noodles.”
“I want Yellow Chili oil noodles.”
“I want Crab Roe noodles.”
The three children, who were originally only going to eat a bowl of wonton, tacitly changed to the most expensive noodles available.
In the end, Li Zexin added some extra crab roe buns and asked for two bowls of Crab Roe noodles as takeaway.
“Can you guys really finish all this? You can have a bowl of noodles for each person first and add more if it’s not enough.” A thousand yuan for breakfast was negligible to the Li family, but not for her. She didn’t even have a job after returning to China. In addition, she had spent a few thousand yuan at the hotel. She couldn’t afford to eat this way.
She had thought that the three children would be satisfied with a bowl of wonton each, which was around 10 yuan per bowl. She had not expected them to choose such expensive dishes.
When she paid the bills, Li Zexin noticed that her face had turned pale.
“Auntie, please pack the takeaway later when we are almost done eating. That way it will still be warm and fresh when we reach home,” Li Zexuan reminded the stall owner.
“Is brother-in-law at home? You guys brought him so much, can he finish all of it?” Du Xing asked.
“Daddy isn’t home. But Auntie Lin loves crabs. Also, since we have so much, we can eat these for lunch. Grandma Huang won’t have to cook. Thank you, Auntie Du.” Li Zekai smiled innocently but all Du Xing felt was dislike for the child.
‘So, they make me spend money to buy food for the person I hate the most?’ Du Xing could have spat blood in that moment.
“Auntie, what’s wrong? Are you alright?” Li Zexin asked deliberately.
“No, I am just thinking how sweet all of you are to your stepmother. I wouldn’t be like Lin Wan if I had sons like you. I would always treat you well.”
“How can Auntie be our mother? You’ll always be our aunt,” Li Zexin said indifferently.
The words were like salt on Du Xing’s wound. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She did not know how she managed to swallow the bowl of noodles.
When they were done with breakfast, Du Xing held onto a last glimmer of hope. She thought she could still win her nephews’ hearts with promises to buy them gifts.
She forced out a smile. “Do you want toys? I can take you to buy some.”
“No, Auntie. Thank you for the food. Auntie Lin will be p by now. If we wait longer, the noodles will be all soggy. We have to hurry back home. I can inform dad when he comes back, if you want.” Li Zexin, carrying the packed food, quickened his pace. So did his two brothers.
Du Xing wanted to follow but couldn’t. She kicked her luggage and screamed.
“Big brother, you’re so evil.” Li Zexin held up his bun and gave Li Zexuan a proud thumbs up.
109 How Can Auntie Be Our Mother? You’ll Always Be Our Aunt
Li Zexuan and Li Zexin looked at each other. Li Zekai hid behind the sofa wondering what he had said that sounded so wrong. He was scared that he didn’t move.
“Jiejie, come and help Grandma take the corn to Madam,” Auntie Huang wanted to pull the terrified child away.
“I can help!” Li Zexin volunteered.
“Sure.” Auntie Huang was surprised.
As Lin Wan hugged the corn cobs, her three stepsons all gathered around her and sat in a row on the balcony, just like her.
They didn’t disturb her. They quietly ate the corn with her and went downstairs after they were done.
When Lin Wan plugged in the vacuum to clean the debris from the balcony, her lips curled up in a smile as she mumbled about the three annoying children
Although she had a lot on her mind that day, she had a beautiful dream after falling asleep. She was reluctant to wake up the next morning.
Back in the West City, Li Yanchen and Secretary Han worked through the night and finally managed to resolve the problem. By the time they returned to the hotel, it was already seven in the morning. Afraid of disturbing Lin Wan’s sleep, Li Yanchen didn’t call her but dropped her a message instead. He informed her that he was back in the hotel, the matter had been resolved and he would return in the afternoon.
Li Zexin, after getting up, used the remnants of his pocket money to get some small fried wontons for his brothers as an apology.
After the three of them washed up, they wanted to go upstairs to wake Lin Wan, but Auntie Huang dissuaded them. She told them to let her sleep until she woke up by herself. So, they went out quietly.
At the entrance of the neighborhood, Li Zekai saw Du Xing dragging her luggage again. The little kid pulled down his hat and pretended not to see her.
Du Xing had been cooped up in the hotel for a few days and had even borrowed someone else’s phone to call Li Yanchen. The moment Li Yanchen knew that it was her, he had hung up immediately. Because of the ruckus she had caused the last time, the security guards of Royal Water Bay recognized her. Not only was she banned from the Li family’s residence, but she was not allowed to enter the residential area at all.
Du Xing had given up all hope and was preparing to return to Qingzhou. However, she had not expected to see her three nephews suddenly.
She let go of her luggage and blocked the children’s way.
“Xuanxuan, Xinxin, Jiejie!” Du Xing called out their name. “Xuanxuan and Xinxin, you have become so tall! You look exactly like your mom.”
Li Zexin was stunned. “Auntie Du?”
Du Xing was delighted. “Xinxin remembers me! I took you to the amusement park to play. You would always ask me for balloons.”
Li Zekai pulled his two brothers to the side and whispered to them. His brothers’ expression was somber.
“Jiejie, is it because Lin Wan was around that you pretended not to recognize me? She isn’t here so you don’t need to be afraid. Auntie will take you to buy toys, alright?” Du Xing tried to sow discord between Lin Wan and her nephews.
“If my sister knew about this, she would be heartbroken. How could she be at ease with the three of you going out by yourself? I remember my sister would always insist on a chauffeur even if you were just going out to the neighborhood.”
“We can go there.” Li Zekai pointed at a Chinese breakfast shop a few distance away.
Du Xing’s expression suddenly changed, and she awkwardly turned her head to look at the breakfast shop not very far away.
“Let’s go.” Li Zexin didn’t address his aunt this time. If she was someone his father didn’t approve of, then she must be a bad person.
“I can treat you guys!” offered Du Xing.
“Thank you, Auntie.” Li Zexuan recalled that four years ago, Du Xing had been at Royal Water Bay. He also remembered that she would go to any extent to try to please their father. He knew about her. His younger brother had told him of the incident a while ago. Li Zexuan guessed why she was here.
“Brother!” Li Zexin and Li Zekai both glared at their big brother.
Li Zexuan gave his two younger brothers a look. The three of them led Du Xing to the breakfast shop.
“Order whatever you want to eat, it’s on Auntie. Do you want some Iced Coke? I watched the live broadcast. You guys wanted to drink soda, but my brother-in-law didn’t agree. Today, I’ll let you drink as much as you want.” Du Xing said with good intentions.
“It’s not good to drink Iced Coke in the morning. Auntie, let’s eat something healthy.” Although Li Zekai was very little, his father had already told them about the dangers of fizzy drinks.
“Okay Auntie will have a plate of eel noodles. I’ll only have the strength to take you out to play after I’m full.” Du Xing said as she stood at the counter.
“I want Supreme Three Shrimp noodles.”
“I want Yellow Chili oil noodles.”
“I want Crab Roe noodles.”
The three children, who were originally only going to eat a bowl of wonton, tacitly changed to the most expensive noodles available.
In the end, Li Zexin added some extra crab roe buns and asked for two bowls of Crab Roe noodles as takeaway.
“Can you guys really finish all this? You can have a bowl of noodles for each person first and add more if it’s not enough.” A thousand yuan for breakfast was negligible to the Li family, but not for her. She didn’t even have a job after returning to China. In addition, she had spent a few thousand yuan at the hotel. She couldn’t afford to eat this way.
She had thought that the three children would be satisfied with a bowl of wonton each, which was around 10 yuan per bowl. She had not expected them to choose such expensive dishes.
When she paid the bills, Li Zexin noticed that her face had turned pale.
“Auntie, please pack the takeaway later when we are almost done eating. That way it will still be warm and fresh when we reach home,” Li Zexuan reminded the stall owner.
“Is brother-in-law at home? You guys brought him so much, can he finish all of it?” Du Xing asked.
“Daddy isn’t home. But Auntie Lin loves crabs. Also, since we have so much, we can eat these for lunch. Grandma Huang won’t have to cook. Thank you, Auntie Du.” Li Zekai smiled innocently but all Du Xing felt was dislike for the child.
‘So, they make me spend money to buy food for the person I hate the most?’ Du Xing could have spat blood in that moment.
“Auntie, what’s wrong? Are you alright?” Li Zexin asked deliberately.
“No, I am just thinking how sweet all of you are to your stepmother. I wouldn’t be like Lin Wan if I had sons like you. I would always treat you well.”
“How can Auntie be our mother? You’ll always be our aunt,” Li Zexin said indifferently.
The words were like salt on Du Xing’s wound. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She did not know how she managed to swallow the bowl of noodles.
When they were done with breakfast, Du Xing held onto a last glimmer of hope. She thought she could still win her nephews’ hearts with promises to buy them gifts.
She forced out a smile. “Do you want toys? I can take you to buy some.”
“No, Auntie. Thank you for the food. Auntie Lin will be p by now. If we wait longer, the noodles will be all soggy. We have to hurry back home. I can inform dad when he comes back, if you want.” Li Zexin, carrying the packed food, quickened his pace. So did his two brothers.
Du Xing wanted to follow but couldn’t. She kicked her luggage and screamed.
“Big brother, you’re so evil.” Li Zexin held up his bun and gave Li Zexuan a proud thumbs up.
