Chapter 50

***

The weather was getting warmer. Trees throughout the streets were gradually sprouting green shoots, the colorful scenery improving the mood of the various?passerby.

Yu Dong drove along the green streets, opening a window the let the spring breeze in.

Today Ren Xinxin was getting discharged. Because of her late broadcasts, they decided to pick her up late in the morning. Xiang Xiaoyue told Yu Dong to just drive to her apartment instead and wait for her to bring the mother-daughter pair home.

By the way: After a few days of serious thought, Ren Xinxin decided to take her child and live away from her home for the time being.

As she was nearing the apartment, Xiang Xiaoyue suddenly called. Yu Dong figured she was just reporting that they were about to leave the hospital.

“I’m ten minutes away, you-”

“Dong Dong, come to the hospital right now, that scummy man is trying to steal the child!” Before Yu Dong even finished her sentence, Xiaoyue cut her off with a roar.

Yu Dong slammed on the breaks and parked on the roadside.

“I’ll be right there. Don’t let them take the child out of the hospital.” Yu Dong said.

“Right!”

Because it was currently in the middle of the workday, there weren’t many cars out on the road. Disregarding a few traffic laws, Yu Dong turned her steering wheel and made an abrupt U-turn, heading straight to the hospital.

City Hospital, Neonatal Department, in a certain ward.

“Mom, give me my baby.” Ren Xinxin pleaded her mother.

“Come home with me.” Mother Ren countered.

“Mom…” Ren Xinxin glanced at Lu Xuan and Mother Lu nearby. She wasn’t foolish. She knew what they wanted her to do, but she couldn’t make herself go back home.

“Auntie, are you just going to ignore Xinxin’s wishes and directly gift wrap your daughter and granddaughter to that Lu Xuan?” Xiaoyue unceremoniously attacked Mother Ren.

“How can a woman talk like this? This child is Lu Xuan’s and there’s nothing wrong with keeping the family together.” Mother Ren had long been fed up with Xiaoyue’s aggressive speaking, so she replied unkindly: “You’re just an outsider trying to destroy other people’s families, what kind of heartless person are you?”

When Xiang Xiaoyue heard this, she was so angry she chocked.

“Xinxin, come home with Auntie Yun. I’ll help you and Lu Xuan arrange another wedding.” Lu Xuan’s mother also advised.

“Auntie Yun, I know you’ve been very kind to me.” Xinxin looked at Lu Xuan’s mother. She had grown up with this aunt taking care of her, in fact, there were plenty of times Auntie Yun felt like her actual mother. Her childhood was spent with Lu Xuan and the ever tender Auntie Yun, making her treat this auntie with respect. “If you want to see the baby, you’re welcome to visit anytime, but having a relationship with Lu Xuan is no longer possible.”

“Ren Xinxin…” Hearing Xinxin say this, Lu Xuan’s face turned pale and he couldn’t help but yell.

“Why are you yelling…” Xiaoyue scolded.

“Shut up!” Auntie Yun knew her son well: he prioritized saving his reputation more than anything. She regretted letting him act like this so much that she wanted to cough up blood, but she couldn’t help but try to persuade Xinxin: “Xinxin, you can be rest assured, I’ll watch him like a hawk, Lu Xuan wouldn’t dare bully you any longer.

“Aunt Yun, I never wanted to marry him!” Ren Xinxin shook her head as she cried out.

Lu Xuan’s heart suddenly thumped in fright, what does Ren Xinxin mean by these words? Hadn’t she always wanted to marry him? If it weren’t for the sudden pregnancy and subsequent birth causing her to change, wouldn’t they be married already? Mother Ren always visited their home to make peace.

Slap!

Mother Ren had passed the baby to Mother Yun, then to the crowd’s shock, she gave Ren Xinxin a hard slap.

“What are you doing!” Seeing Ren Xinxin’s red cheek, Xiaoyue wanted to beat up this old lady.

Lu Xuan and Aunt Yun were also shocked by Mother Ren’s actions.

“Ren Xinxin, what on earth are you planning on doing?” Mother Ren’s eyes turned red as she scolded, “You’re just a young girl who recently graduated. You even got pregnant before marriage, do you even understand how people will see you as?”

“Lan Xuan is willing to take responsibility, where can you be dissatisfied? What’s the point of this petty rebellion?”

“Then why did you blame Xinxin for the pregnancy? Shouldn’t you be blaming him? He’s the one that made your own daughter pregnant!” Xiaoyue pointed at Lu Xuan and shouted, “How can such a mother exist?”

Ren Xinxin covered her face and bowed her head. When she pulled the seething Xiaoyue towards her, her face was unexpectedly calm, but her eyes were filled with tears.

“Mom I’ve grown so big already and I’ve been listening to you all this time, but I’m really tired now.” Ren Xinxin took a deep breath, “I really don’t know how to continue being your daughter.”

“Marry Lu Xuan!” Mother Ren said.

“Mom, why did you even take me with you when you divorced Dad?” Ren Xinxin couldn’t help but ask.

“I…” Mother Ren closed her eyes, and in a moment of softness said: “You listen to me. You have to be good and live with Lu Xuan so that your child can have a complete home. Mom won’t cause any more trouble after.”

“I can raise my child on my own.” Ren Xinxin said.

“What do you know? Do you know how hard it is to be a single mother?” Mother Ren couldn’t help but shout.

“I know…” Ren Xinxin looked at her mother and said, “I know because I grew up with one…but I’m not going to micromanage her life as much as you’ve managed mine.”

Mother Ren didn’t expect her weak daughter to suddenly be so tough. For a while, she couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Xinxin…” Aunt Yun heard what Xinxin said and also felt a bit bad.

“Aunt Yun, give me back my baby, and come visit her when she’s a bit older.” Ren Xinxin turned towards Aunt Yun.

Aunt Yun looked down at the child in her arms then towards Ren Xinxin, reluctance plain to see in her expression.

“This child is mine too.” Lu Xuan suddenly said, “I’m the father of the child and I have custody.”

“You…” Ren Xinxin looked at Lu Xuan incredulously.

“Ren Xinxin, I don’t care what you think, I’ll never let my daughter be fatherless.” Lu Xuan looked at Ren Xinxin and said, “Now you have two choices. Either you give me my child or we get married. I promise to take care of you.”

Yu Dong who’s hand was on top of the doorknob heard Lu Xuan’s words.

Yu Dong’s expression immediately turned fierce and she slammed the door open, rushing towards Xiaoyue: “What nonsense are you letting them spout, Xiaoyue just directly call the police!”

“Dong Dong!” Xinxin was surprised to see Yu Dong.

When Lu Xuan saw Yu Dong his brows instantly wrinkled. Compared to Xiaoyue spitting venom, he found dealing with Yu Dong to be a lot more difficult.

“Mr.Lu I’ll give you two choices.” Yu Dong extended two fingers, “One, you return Xinxin’s baby right now. Two, we call the police and say someone’s trying to steal a child.”

“This is also my child…” Lu Xuan’s anger soared.

“Alright.” Yu Dong sneered, “I’ll give you a third choice. I’ll go find a reporter and explain the situation in great detail. Then, I’ll find a lawyer to file a lawsuit and slowly drag it for as long as possible. Let’s see which drops first, the lawsuit or Lu Group’s stock price.”

Lu Xuan glared at Yu Dong, but she looked back with equal intensity.

Yu Dong didn’t have much patience and seeing that Lu Xuan wasn’t saying anything, she motioned towards Xiang Xiaoyue: “Call it in.”

“Yes!” Xiaoyue grabbed her phone and dialed 110.

“Wait!” Mother Yun stopped Xiaoyue, if they all ended up at a police station, what would happen to her household? The situation was becoming more and more chaotic.

Aunt Yun slowly approached Ren Xinxin and carefully returned the baby to its mother, saying: “Aunt Yun didn’t come here to steal a child from a mother. Auntie Yun just hopes that you can give Lu Xuan another chance.”

Ren Xinxin took her lost baby and couldn’t help but shed tears. Carefully kissing the little child’s forehead, Xinxin raised her head and said, “Thank you!”

“Mom!” Seeing this, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but call out.

“What? Do you really want to go to the police station?” Aunt Yun scolded, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

Although Lu Xuan was a domineering man on the outside, he dared no talk back to his mother.

“Let’s go!” Aunt Yun could see that it was impossible for her silly son to get back with Xinxin. Disappointed, she turned and left the room.

Lu Xuan was stunned. He looked towards Ren Xinxin and the child in her arms. Seeing Xinxin on her guard, his heart became too upset. In the end, he didn’t say anything as he followed his mother out.

After the mother and son left, Ren Xinxin let out a huge sigh of relief. She then looked towards her dazed mother who let out a short scream.

Mother Ren felt like she had been hit in the head. Looking at her daughter, she said: “Fine, go fend for yourself.”

Mother Ren turned around, and as if she suddenly grew several years older, she staggered out the door.

“Mom!” Ren Xinxin couldn’t help but cry out.

When they left, the room calmed down and Xiaoyue patted her chest in relief: “I thought I really needed to call the police.”

“That’s what you got out of all that?” Yu Dong turned towards Ren Xinxin and said, “Let’s go home!”

Ren Xinxin nodded as she gently gathered her child closer to her arms.

As the trio walked out of the room, they saw Xia Feng standing outside.

“Are you alright?” Xia Feng asked, he had been worried.

“Yes, thank you!” Ren Xinxin replied.

On the way to the hospital, Yu Dong actually called Xia Feng and told him about Mother Ren wanting to take the child away. Xia Feng had called the hospital’s security and was ready to stop and talk with her.

“That’s good.” Xia Feng turned to Yu Dong with a smile and brushed her windswept hair. “I have another operation later, so go ahead first.”

“Un!” Yu Dong nodded.

Xia Feng said his goodbyes to the girls then walked away.

The three girls, plus a baby, finally managed to return to their apartment peacefully.

The apartment Xiaoyue rented was quite good. It had good noise insulation, was spacious, and had two rooms. Because Ren Xinxin had her baby, Xiaoyue took the initiative and moved into the second bedroom so that Xinxin could have the bigger master bedroom.

Ren Xinxin fed her daughter, then placed the little fellow in her crib to sleep before coming out of the bedroom.

The two girls outside had already set the table. Looking at Xinxin, Yu Dong smiled: “You took a while, but you’ve got good timing. The chicken soup was steaming hot, but now it’s alright to eat.”

Yu Dong went out to a restaurant and bought some food before coming to the apartment.

Ren Xinxin smiled as she accepted the bowl from her friend, her heart warm.

“Don’t come to work this month, just sit at home and take care of your baby properly.” Xiang Xiaoyue said as she ate, “If you have anything you need, just tell me and I’ll bring it back in the evening.”

“Xiaoyue is right. I booked a month’s worth of soup delivery form this restaurant. Other than chicken soup they have fish soup, pig’s trotter soup, if you get tired of soup just tell them and get it changed.” Yu Dong also added.

“Yeah.” Ren Xinxin wanted to laugh, but for some reason, her vision was getting blurry.

“Don’t cry, I read that a mother’s tears are the child’s milk ah, don’t starve my daughter.” Xiang Xiaoyue saw Xinxin tearing up and hurriedly said.

The remark made Xinxin laugh instantly.

“Where the hell did you read that?” Yu Dong was dumbfounded.

“Baidu, ah.” Xiaoyue answered. “Gee we’re all inexperienced. I’ll have to ask my mother the next time I visit home.”

“Speaking of mothers, I wonder how mine is doing.” Ren Xinxin suddenly said.

“She’s…” Xiang Xiaoyue was trying to say that Mother Ren wasn’t a mother at all when Yu Dong interrupted her with a well-placed elbow.

“She wasn’t like this before.” Ren Xinxin explained to her two close friends, “I remember when she got divorced I could have gone with my father, but she was afraid that I would get bullied by my stepmother so she took me away.”

“Back then, life was hard for a recently divorced mother.” Ren Xinxin recalled. “My mother was actually quite beautiful and competent when she was young. Even after her divorce men pursued her, but she always refused. She eventually married stepfather because he was good to me, but they aren’t doing so well recently.”

“Xinxin…” When Xiang Xiaoyue saw that she was getting sad, Xiaoyue wanted to comfort her friend.

“It’s alright. I’ve never stopped believing in my mother’s love for me. She’ll come around eventually.” Ren Xinxin laughed, “But before that, I have to provide a good life for me and my daughter first.”

“That’s right!” Yu Dong nodded.

“I’ll apologize to Auntie later too.” Xiang Xiaoyue remembered her impolite and callous attitude towards Mother Rin today. Truthfully, Xiaoyue doesn’t believe that there are any mothers out there that don’t love their child. It’s just that they might not necessarily know what’s best for them.

Yu Dong also thought of her mother.

Her mother had once been stubborn, believing that marrying her daughter off was the best possible outcome for Yu Dong.

Often these kinds of actions done in the name of love are the most distressing and frustrating.

One can only hope that this same love can also bear fruit respect and communication.

But mom, know that we’ll always love you no matter what!

The author has something to say: Xinxin and Lu Xuan are completely over…Xinxin will have a better and brighter future from now on! Although Mother Ren’s actions are annoying, I think that in her heart, she still loves Xinxin and hopes that her daughter will live the ideal life she never got.

Ps: Mother’s Day is coming. The last sentence is for my mother!