1.5

Everyone turned toward the door.

A woman strode in, seemingly against the light. She was tall, around 1.7 meters, wearing a striking red dress that accentuated her curvy figure. Her chestnut wavy hair cascaded to her waist, giving her an alluring presence.

She wore a mask and sunglasses, obscuring her full appearance. At that moment, she removed her sunglasses with a languid, graceful motion, revealing a pair of captivating peach blossom eyes and a faint teardrop mole at the corner. It was clear from those eyes alone that she was strikingly beautiful.

She walked in confidently on high heels, radiating charm and authority.

Seeing her approach, Su Mo's heart skipped a beat.

Su Yuanjin, who had been hiding in Su Mo's arms, peeked out at the woman and timidly called, "Mom."

Yin Yin approached Su Mo, glanced at him, and gently rubbed Su Yuanjin's head. "I heard you were bullied, so I came."

The warmth of her touch lit up Su Yuanjin's eyes with relief.

Yin Yin's tenderness towards her son shifted abruptly to coldness as she turned her gaze toward the other children. She said coolly, "You claimed Su Yuanjin has no mother. If that's the case, then who am I?"

One of the parents quickly stammered, "Su Yuanjin's mother, my child didn't mean it."

"Yes, yes, kids say things without thinking. Don't take it too seriously."

"Children just play around and say whatever comes to mind."

Several parents echoed these excuses.

Yin Yin crossed her arms, her tone sharp and unforgiving. "Can a child's innocent words undo the emotional harm my son has suffered? Can a casual remark erase the injuries he's endured? If someone else were to call your child a motherless child, would you be so quick to forgive?"

The room fell silent. The parents knew such forgiveness was unlikely.

Yin Yin's cold voice continued from beneath her mask. "And from the surveillance footage, it's clear this isn't the first time your children have targeted my Dudu. Do you think you can simply laugh it off?"

"What exactly do you want?" The parents recognized their children were at fault, but felt embarrassed by Yin Yin's directness.

"Since both parties were hurt, I'll forgo medical expenses. However, because your child instigated this, I expect an apology to my son and compensation for his emotional distress."

"You're going too far. An apology is one thing, but compensation for emotional damage is excessive."

"Unwilling, are you? Fine. I'll have my lawyer get in touch," Yin Yin said calmly, as if engaging a lawyer was a routine matter.

The mention of a lawyer stunned the parents.

Huayang is a prestigious private kindergarten, and the parents of the children here are affluent and well-versed in legal matters. They understood the gravity of involving lawyers. Given the incident was indeed their children's fault and considering the woman's unyielding demeanor, they realized it was best to settle.

Reluctantly, they agreed to the apology and compensation demands.

-------

Yin Yin didn't demand an exorbitant sum for emotional damages; money was not her concern. What she wanted was a change in attitude and to ensure that no one would dare to insult her son again.

Lin Hao and the other children were coerced by their parents into apologizing to Su Yuanjin.

Cuddled in Su Mo's arms, Su Yuanjin only showed half of his face. He said nothing about forgiving them, but his eyes sparkled with admiration as he looked at Yin Yin.

In his small heart, he whispered: Mom is so awesome.

Despite being only three years old, Su Yuanjin was exceptionally intelligent. At two, he had an IQ test result over 140, which also made his previous life's path into crime easier. Although Yin Yin rarely came home, Su Yuanjin would look at her photos when he missed her, so he easily recognized her as soon as she walked into the office.

"Teacher Zhang, today's incident reflects poorly on the kindergarten's supervision. I didn't expect my son to be subjected to such ridicule here. Please ensure better supervision in the future," Yin Yin said firmly to the teacher.

"Yes, Su Yuanjin's mother, we are responsible for this incident. We will reflect on it and improve our supervision," Teacher Zhang responded apologetically.

With the matter resolved, Yin Yin, Su Mo, and Su Yuanjin left the kindergarten together.

Teacher Zhang watched the family of three leave with a sigh of relief. Su Yuanjin's mother had an undeniable presence. Yet, there was something vaguely familiar about her, as if she had seen her somewhere before. Yin Yin's strong demeanor was no surprise given her numerous leading roles, including that of an empress.

<<<<<

Yin Yin had arrived by taxi but chose to return in Su Mo's car. He drove while Yin Yin and Su Yuanjin sat in the back.

Once in the car, Yin Yin turned her gaze towards the window, and a heavy silence settled in the vehicle.

Su Yuanjin, clutching his small schoolbag, sat quietly in his seat. He glanced at Yin Yin beside him, his eyelids drooping and the light in his eyes fading.

Why isn't Mom looking at me or talking to me? Does she still not like me?

Was the mother who spoke gently and protected him at the kindergarten just a dream?

Yin Yin didn't initiate any conversation, and Su Yuanjin wasn't one to make the first move either. In the past, he had tried to engage with her when she came back, but she was always too busy to spend time with him. He feared making her angry, worried it would mean fewer visits and longer waits to see her again.

He was anxious he might forget what she looked like if she stayed away for too long.

Su Yuanjin lowered his head, his small shoulders sagging.

Was Lin Hao and the others right? Did his mother not like him because he was a bad boy?

But how could he become a good boy?

He desperately wanted his mother to like him, to hug him, kiss him, and call him "Dudu" in her gentle voice.

Unable to contain himself, Su Yuanjin shifted closer to his mother, seeking proximity.

Although Su Mo was driving, he kept glancing through the rearview mirror and noticed something was off. Concerned, he found a place to park the car, stopped, and opened the back door.

"Ayin," Su Mo called out.

(End of this chapter)