Chapter 11: Should the Child Be Unkind to Their Birth Mother or Stepmother?

Every time Ming Yuan looked into Lu Nuonuo's bright, clear eyes, Ji Muye felt an indescribable sense of closeness in his heart.

Whenever Lu Nuonuo remembered how her mother would reward her with an extra candy whenever she was sick, she would swiftly slide off the bed, find her little candy bag, and hand her favorite candy to Ji Muye.

"After taking medicine, eat candy."

The little one still didn't understand the significance of the video, wanting to give the candy to Ji Muye but realizing she couldn't.

Ji Muye, in his gloom, was amused by the little one's actions.

As soon as Lu Xining entered, she saw her daughter lying on the bed, shaking the candy in her hand at the phone, mumbling about eating candy.

"Nuonuo, you've already had candy today. If you eat more, you'll get bugs on your teeth. Let's eat it tomorrow, okay?"

Lu Nuonuo turned her head back and shook it, saying, "Nuonuo won't eat, he will."

Lu Xining thought her daughter was talking about Ji Chao, so she came over, rubbed her little head, and said, "Wait for brother to come, then you can eat."

She took the phone, intending to talk to Ji Chao, but saw that the video call had already been hung up, feeling a bit disappointed.

The weekend was coming up.

Lu Xining sent Ji Chao a voice message, asking if he was free to come over to play at their house.

Ji Muye leaned back on the hospital bed, his handsome eyes half-closed, his pale lips adding to his handsome and noble appearance, giving him a touch of heartbreaking frailty.

The phone in his palm vibrated with a message from Lu Xining.

Filled with affection for the child, the lengthy voice message didn't mention him at all.

The coldness in the man's dark eyes slowly condensed into icy daggers.

The next day.

Lu Xining still hadn't received a reply from Ji Chao, but she saw the news of Shi'an Group venturing into the entertainment industry.

All the comments below the article were about the overbearing CEO stepping off his pedestal for love.

Ji Muye and Liu Xixi's names were hot-searched once again.

At the same time, someone dug up a video from two years ago, and public opinion started shifting towards Liu Xixi becoming the future Mrs. Shi'an.

Ji Muye didn't like taking photos.

Even less did he like his photos appearing in entertainment news.

Anytime a picture of him surfaced on the internet, the Shi'an Group's PR department would urgently arrange for it to be taken down.

Even she, his legally recognized wife, was not allowed to post a faceless photo of their hands clasped together on her personal social media accounts.

Two years ago, his candlelight dinner with Liu Xixi.

That was the only exception.

Liu Xixi always held special privileges when it came to Ji Muye.

It was in that moment that Lu Xining finally came to a stark realization: Ji Muye wasn't opposed to public displays of affection; it was just that she wasn't the one he wanted.

Now, reflecting on those five years of her life, her heart still ached, but she no longer felt the overwhelming suffocation as if she were a drowning person on the brink of death.

A phone call came in; it was Ming Yuan.

"Ningning, my cousin opened a family resort that's trying out business today. Let's take Nuonuo and go play for a couple of days."

Lu Xining was a bit worried: "Your identity..."

Ming Yuan's haters and sasaeng fans were the most numerous in the entertainment industry, often crazily crossing the line of legality and several times nearly causing her harm.

Ming Yuan reassured her: "It's fine, for the next couple of days, it'll only be open to family and friends, absolutely safe."

Lu Xining really hadn't taken her daughter out for a long time and agreed to go.

Before departure.

She messaged Ji Chao, wanting to take him along for a two-day trip, but there was no reply.

Lu Xining was a bit concerned about Ji Chao.

However…

As soon as they arrived at Lile Garden Resort, Lu Xining got out of the car with her daughter and saw Ji Chao and Ji Ze getting out of a nearby car.

Liu Xixi followed closely behind, stepping out of the car.

The latter reached out to Ji Ze, who obediently took her hand, and from afar, she could hear Ji Ze's happy voice.

"Daddy, come down quickly. Aunt Xixi said she'll take me to fly kites. Come with us, let's see who can fly theirs higher."

Lu Xining stood frozen in her spot.

Walking behind Ji Ze, Ji Chao appeared somewhat downcast as he got out of the car.

Held in Lu Xining's arms, Lu Nuonuo immediately spotted her dearly missed brother and, waving her little stubby hands, called out to him.

"Brother—"

Ji Chao thought he was hallucinating.

Not until Lu Nuonuo called out a couple more times did he see them, his eyes lighting up brilliantly.

He waved back at them, "Mom, little sister."

Ji Muye also spotted Lu Xining, and their gazes met in the air, both quickly turning away with cold expressions.

Lu Nuonuo wriggled out of Lu Xining's arms and ran towards Ji Chao's direction.

Just as Ji Chao was about to run over, Liu Xixi grabbed him.

She feigned sadness, "Xiao Chao, Auntie cleared her schedule to spend time with you and Xiao Ze, are you going to leave Auntie behind?"

Beside them, Ji Ze also came over to pull at him, "Brother, we promised Aunt Xixi we'd fly kites together today."

Liu Xixi added with a smile, "Auntie bought lots of kites, oh, they're all your favorite characters; don't you want to play, Xiao Chao?"

Ji Ze said excitedly, "Aunt Xixi, I want to play."

For Ji Ze, who loved to play, it didn't matter who he played with as long as he had his favorite toys.

Ji Chao wore a troubled look on his face; he actually preferred to fly kites with his mom and little sister.

He glanced towards Ji Muye, remembering how he had been fierce to mom in the yard earlier. His head hung down in distress; he didn't want mom to cry again.

Ji Chao murmured quietly, "I understand."

Lu Nuonuo ran over joyfully, wearing a white round-neck top paired with pink overalls and a candy bag of the same color scheme slung across. She was especially adorable.

She grabbed Ji Chao's hand, sweetly calling out to her brother.

Ji Chao was happy to see her here, but after noticing the look his father gave to his mother, he tightened his grip on his sister's hand.

He spoke up, "Dad, I'll take my little sister over to mom."

Ji Chao quickly pulled Lu Nuonuo towards the other side.

Lu Xining was also heading their way.

She bent down to stroke Ji Chao's head and gently inquired, "Xiao Chao, why didn't you reply to mom's messages?"

Ji Chao glanced at Ji Muye before replying, "Sorry, mom, dad hasn't let me use my phone recently, so I didn't see your messages."

Lu Xining caught a glimpse of Ji Muye out of the corner of her eye, knowing that he had done it on purpose.

She smiled at Ji Chao, "It's alright, mom understands."

She was about to ask if he wanted to join them when she heard Liu Xixi's insinuating remarks.

"Xining, although Aye agreed to let you see the kids on weekends, you shouldn't cling too tightly, right? The children also need father-and-child time; doing this will put Aye in a tight spot, and it will make it difficult for both children as well."

Lu Xining stood up straight, the smile in her eyes slowly fading.

She scoffed, "What's he so troubled by, is it his kids being with their birth mom or their stepmom? Is it about spending time with his children, or with his lover?"

The man's thin lips were tightly pressed; his exquisitely cold features seemed especially detached, his black obsidian-like eyes, now calm and sharp.

His gaze fell on his eldest son, nestled in Lu Xining's arms, darkening coldly, "Xiao Chao, come here."

Ji Muye was always strict in his children's upbringing, hands-on, and didn't indulge their mistakes because they were young.

In his view, the eldest son had been well-behaved and obedient before everything changed after Lu Xining showed up.

Ji Chao had never seen his father look at him this way before; thinking back to how his mother was scolded because of him last time, tears uncontrollably rolled down.

Lu Xining immediately became worried, "Ji Muye, what are you being harsh with the child for?"

She embraced the child in her arms, soothing him in a soft voice, "Xiao Chao, don't be afraid, mom is here."

Lu Nuonuo also hugged him, mimicking how her mother comforted her, gently patting her brother's back.

Little Dumpling comforted him softly, "Brother, don't be afraid."

Ji Muye's long lashes cast a faint shadow, his brows furrowing in displeasure as he looked at the three of them huddled together.

"Ji Chao, I'll say it again, come here."