Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Yuan Ting and Cheng Nanyi walked over to Mo Yikai and sat down on either side of him.

Sniffling, Mo Yikai asked, "Aren't you guys shocked?"

"Shocked," Cheng Nanyi replied calmly, "So why did you run up to the mountain?"

At these words, Mo Yikai immediately gritted his teeth, "Do you know what I saw today?"

Mo Yikai, agitated, slammed his hand on Cheng Nanyi's shoulder.

Cheng Nanyi: "..."

The next moment, Mo Yikai huffed, "This morning, I had my dad call in sick for me and then I secretly followed him. I just wanted to see if he was really going on a business trip or sneaking out to meet that woman while my mom was away. He did go to the airport, but unexpectedly, that woman, who is a regular customer of my mom’s jewelry store..."

"Okay, what about the woman?" Yuan Ting interrupted, unable to wait.

"...That woman also went to the airport. They hugged each other..." Mo Yikai's chest heaved with anger, pausing between words, "...and—they—kissed... Ugh..."

Yuan Ting: "..." Alright, this confirms it, better than any photo.

"I think those two kids are the product of my dad and that woman," Mo Yikai's voice lowered further.

Both Yuan Ting and Cheng Nanyi remained silent, unsure of what to say, especially since Mo Yikai had guessed everything correctly.

After waiting for a while with no one contradicting him, Mo Yikai turned his head towards Cheng Nanyi, “Aren’t you going to say something?”

“What do you want me to say?” Cheng Nanyi’s voice was low.

“Aren’t you known for your meticulous thinking? You could find flaws in my story to contradict me,” Mo Yikai looked at him expectantly.

Cheng Nanyi was silent for a moment before speaking softly, “I’m sorry.”

Mo Yikai fell silent, then tears started to fall in big drops, “I don’t know if I should tell my mom. I don’t want to lose this family, but I also don’t want my mom to get hurt. He has other children now, does that mean he doesn’t want me and my mom anymore?”

From loud sobbing, Mo Yikai shifted to silent tears, while Cheng Nanyi and Yuan Ting found themselves unable to offer any comforting words.

After crying for a while, Mo Yikai turned to Cheng Nanyi and said, “You have to help me.”

“How can I help?” Cheng Nanyi asked.

“I don’t know,” Mo Yikai wiped his nose, “I just want to protect my mom. I can do anything as long as it keeps her safe.”

“Okay,” Cheng Nanyi nodded, “I promise you, I’ll help you.”

Mo Yikai, as if finding a pillar of strength, let out a sigh of relief, then his lips quivered, “My dad used to bring me here to climb the mountain.”

“Yes, I know,” Cheng Nanyi nodded, “He forced you to come every Saturday, but you hated it. Later, I think after the fourth grade, your dad stopped bringing you, and you were so happy.”

Mo Yikai said with a tone of grievance, “Maybe that was when he had the other children, and he stopped liking me.”

Yuan Ting, listening on the side, felt a pang in his heart and suddenly stood up to bow to Mo Yikai, “I’m sorry, Brother Yikai.”

Mo Yikai, startled, shrank towards Cheng Nanyi, forgetting his tears and frowning, “Are you crazy? What are you trying to do?”

Yuan Ting sighed deeply.

Although Mo Yikai's life in his past incarnation was quite tragic, those events unfolded over a decade later.

If one's life is like a tree, then childhood is the roots. The stronger the roots, the more resilient the tree is in adulthood, standing firm even amidst storms.

Many, despite appearing lush and thriving on the surface, have roots riddled with holes, vulnerable to collapsing at the slightest breeze.

Mo Yikai had a happier childhood than most, with loving parents and a blissful life. He grew up without major setbacks, his arrogance and pride a testament to his nurtured youth. But now, the greenhouse boy's protective glass has been shattered, forcing him to face life's storms prematurely.

And all these changes were brought about by Yuan Ting.

Yuan Ting quietly sat back down.

Mo Yikai dismissed it as a sudden outburst and paid him no further attention.

Cheng Nanyi, however, understood Yuan Ting's thoughts and gained new respect for him. Despite his outward brashness, he was internally sensitive.

Cheng Nanyi reached over from behind Mo Yikai to ruffle Yuan Ting's hair.

As the sun set, broken-hearted figures sat in the pavilion.

Mo Yikai began to sob again, "Is there anyone in this world more miserable than me?"

Though comforting words often feel hollow in times of sorrow, kind-hearted Yuan Ting couldn’t just stand by and watch him cry.

So, Yuan Ting sighed and revealed his own pain, "My parents are divorced. My mom remarried, and now I'm living under someone else's roof."

Living under someone else's roof?

Cheng Nanyi glanced at Yuan Ting before quietly adding, "My dad passed away, my mom has a new boyfriend, and I hardly see her a few times a year."

Mo Yikai: “Uh…”

Yuan Ting added, “My mom might have another baby soon.”

Cheng Nanyi: “The next time I see my mom, she might also be holding another child.”

“Hic...” Mo Yikai hiccupped through his tears, realizing he might not be the most miserable after all, but he was still heartbroken, “So, should I still cry?”

“Go ahead and cry,” Yuan Ting patted his back, “It’s okay for men to cry.”

Mo Yikai: “...” Now he couldn’t bring himself to cry anymore.

The three sat in the pavilion watching the sunset. Cheng Nanyi stood up, “It's getting dark. Time to head home.”

Mo Yikai, hesitant to leave, lingered, “What should I do when I get back?”

Cheng Nanyi thought for a moment: “You don’t need to do anything special, just listen to your mom.”

Yuan Ting: “...” Well said!

“Let’s go,” Cheng Nanyi beckoned to Yuan Ting, who sat still, looking up at him, “Brother, I’m so tired. My legs and feet hurt. I can’t walk anymore…”

Yuan Ting, indeed exhausted from running around all day, prompted Cheng Nanyi to squat in front of him, “I’ll carry you.”

Yuan Ting immediately stood up, climbing onto a stone bench to clamber onto Cheng Nanyi’s back, just as Mo Yikai jealously remarked, “I’m tired too, why isn’t anyone offering to carry me?”

“Ever since this brat came, you're always with him. My dad doesn’t want me, and now you don’t either…” Mo Yikai’s voice quivered, nose tingling, “I’m so miserable… Wuu wuu wuu…” The more he thought, the more heartbroken he felt, as if he had nothing left.

Yuan Ting: “...” Is he really getting jealous now?

“Fine, take all the attention. We'll lock you up and tie you to the bed. Then he'll surely visit you every day to check: 'Hey, still alive?'”

Cheng Nanyi, somewhat helpless, pondered for a moment before suggesting to Mo Yikai, “How about this? We both carry him together, what do you think?”

？？？？

Mo Yikai was startled, “What’s this now?”

Cheng Nanyi explained, “This way, you won’t feel left out.” It would turn a two-person activity into one involving all three, ensuring fairness.

Mo Yikai felt even more despair.

“You won’t carry me, but you want me to help carry him?”

“Do I look like I’m out of my mind?”

Mo Yikai walked silently down the mountain, his figure exuding solitude and coldness.

Cheng Nanyi carried Yuan Ting on his back, following behind Mo Yikai. Yuan Ting, with his arms around Cheng Nanyi’s neck, pretended to be serious, “Brother, why don’t you put me down and carry Brother Yikai instead?”

Cheng Nanyi simply said, “I can’t carry him.”

“Oh…” Yuan Ting called out to Mo Yikai, “Brother Yikai, it’s not that my brother doesn’t want to carry you, he just can’t. He still cares about you.”

Mo Yikai ignored them and continued walking on his own.

Cheng Nanyi didn’t deliberately chase after him, giving him time to cool off, especially since today’s revelation had been quite a shock.

After walking for more than ten minutes, Mo Yikai suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at them with a face full of terror, “You don’t think, when we grow up, there will be three people who look just like me, do you?”

Cheng Nanyi's steps faltered in surprise; he hadn't expected Mo Yikai to be dwelling on this all the way.

Mo Yikai's eyes reddened again, “I’m so pitiful. I’ll be laughed at to death in the future. My dad’s illegitimate child looks exactly like me…”

Yuan Ting: “...” Just speechless.

“No, they don’t look like you at all, not as handsome as you are,” Yuan Ting said.

“How do you know that?” Mo Yikai asked between sobs.

“I saw it.”

“How did you see them?” Mo Yikai was skeptical, “Are you just trying to comfort me?”

Yuan Ting: “...” Can’t you understand a white lie?

“He’s right,” Cheng Nanyi chimed in, “According to genetics, no two people in the world are exactly alike, not even twins. You are unique.”

“Right,” Yuan Ting nodded, “You are a different spark.”

Mo Yikai finally relaxed, then his lips quivered again, “I’m feeling so terrible now, if my mom finds out, won’t she be even more upset? What should my mom do…”

Cheng Nanyi didn’t know how to answer, but Yuan Ting felt reassured. “Aunt Zhu, rest assured, whether in this life or the last, your son has always been on your side. You haven’t raised him in vain.”

After walking some more, Mo Yikai, feeling sentimental, asked, “Cheng Nanyi, Yuan Ting, you’ll always be with me, right? We’ll always be together, and you won’t abandon me?”

“Yeah,” Cheng Nanyi responded, but thought differently. If even parents can abandon their children, who can promise to stay together forever?

“Then, let’s buy a big house in the future, and the three of us can live together, okay?” Mo Yikai suggested.

Cheng Nanyi: “...”

Seeing no response, Mo Yikai turned back to them, meeting Cheng Nanyi’s gaze with his red, teary eyes. Cheng Nanyi, not wanting to crush his hopes, reluctantly nodded.

“What about you?” Mo Yikai glared at Yuan Ting, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Yuan Ting chuckled nervously, “Me? I’ll pass. You two live together. I need to get married, you know.” I plan to find a soft, cute, and charming boy to marry. As for you two, just stay out of my way.

“Right, getting married,” Mo Yikai wiped his eyes, his voice barely audible, “Then forget it, I won’t live with you. I’ll live with my wife... and her parents. We’ll be a happy, blissful family... But I still feel so terrible, what should I do?”

Yuan Ting looked at Mo Yikai's slender figure, sighing.

These young men, lacking a father or a mother’s love, though their path is rugged, aren’t they fortunate to have each other’s company?

……

After descending the mountain and an hour’s drive, the trio finally returned home.

Cheng Nanyi and Yuan Ting escorted Mo Yikai back to his place.

The Mo residence was brightly lit, with Aunt Zhu and Zhu Xiaoyi sitting on the couch in a somber atmosphere.

The moment Mo Yikai saw Aunt Zhu, his eyes immediately filled with tears, and he approached her, calling out, “Mom…”

As the young master of a wealthy family, Mo Yikai’s interactions with his mother usually revolved around dodging studies and playing video games. His mother was generally cheerful, hardly bothered by anything.

So, this was the first time he genuinely felt heartache for his mother.

Watching him, Yuan Ting felt a tinge of envy. After all, Mo Yikai and his mother shared a loving bond, and the scene was indeed touching.

The next moment, Aunt Zhu pulled out a feather duster from behind the couch, her gaze icy and devoid of emotion: “So, you’ve learned to run away from home, have you? Today, I’ll break your legs for that.”

“Aaaah...” Mo Yikai turned and ran for his life, screaming, “Help meeee...”

“...Uh...”

Yuan Ting immediately stepped forward, blocking Mo Yikai's escape route.

While there were reasons for his actions, disappearing without a word was indeed annoying and probably deserved a scolding.

Author’s note:

Mo Yikai is just a friend, don't overthink it, haha...

Also, a reminder to everyone commenting: please avoid phrases like 'must die,' 'must perish,' and so on. Comments like 'the scumbag must die' from the last chapter were deleted.