Chapter 109

Zhao Qingjun had already put on a purple nightgown and was silently bending down to tidy up the empty beer cans and lunchboxes scattered all over the floor. Hearing me open the door, she looked up, her face full of apology.

“I’m sorry, Xuanyu… It’s all my fault…” I looked at the empty bottles on the ground, my heart filled with mixed emotions. In the end, I shook my head, my voice weary: “This isn’t just your fault.” But even I felt the words sounded weak. The mistake had been made; there was no point in arguing about who handed me the bottle first. My heart was filled with more guilt towards Jingyan and worry about the current situation.

I guess I’ve been caught red-handed.

Sigh, I suddenly feel a little regretful. If I had stayed with Jingyan instead of going to the hospital, would I have avoided meeting Zhao Qingjun, who was feeling down? I wouldn’t have drowned my sorrows in alcohol with her, and I wouldn’t have had any indecent behavior while drunk, which would have prevented Jingyan and Aunt Ouyang from seeing us.

But if I don’t go to the hospital, I might remain in the dark forever and never know that my mother has been having an affair with Zhao Chenyu for so long.

Things in this world really do happen one misfortune after another, leaving no one able to escape.

I shook my head with a wry smile.

In a complex and silent atmosphere, Zhao Qingjun and I spent most of the morning together. Only after repeatedly confirming that although she was unemployed, she would not leave T City immediately and would stay here for a while to handle some follow-up matters did my heart finally relax a little.

She also said that she didn’t know how Aunt Ouyang would treat her, and she would wait and see.

After leaving the rented room, I couldn’t wait to try to contact Jingyan.

I called Jingyan, and it rang for a long time without being answered. Eventually, it went to a voicemail box devoid of any emotion.

Calling Aunt Ouyang yielded the same result, only a regular busy signal.

A bad feeling crept over me like a dark cloud. I had no choice but to call my sister, Xuanman. The call connected, and there was some background noise. Xuanman said she was with her roommate. Roommate? A somewhat vague image flashed through my mind—a rather shy girl who would always blush and quickly hide behind Xuanman when she saw me, only revealing a pair of curious big eyes.

At that moment, I didn’t care about saving face anymore. I humbly begged Xuanman to find Jingyan when she had time and sound her out to see how Jingyan was feeling. Of course, my excuse was lame; I just said that I had made Jingyan angry.

Xuanman sounded smug on the other end of the phone, laughing at my misfortune. I could only force a smile into the phone.

After ending my call with Xuanman, I drove to N University and arrived at my mother’s faculty dormitory building.

As I gripped the doorknob, the video footage suddenly flashed through my mind, and a strange fear welled up inside me—was Mom not here? Or, was Mom and Zhao Chenyu… right here in this quiet dormitory…?

I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

A sense of tranquility greets you; the living room is as tidy as ever, and the flowers on the dining table are still vibrant.

I tiptoed toward the bedroom. The bedroom door was ajar, and I gently pushed it open a crack. On the large bed, a plump and familiar body lay with its back to the door, seemingly fast asleep.

“Huh? Who?” I was about to quietly slip away so as not to disturb her rest when my mother on the bed was startled by my slight movement and turned her head groggily.

I quickly put my foot down and identified myself: “Mom, it’s me.” My mother rubbed her eyes, recognized me, and asked with some surprise, “Xuanyu? What brings you here all of a sudden?” “Nothing, I just… stopped by to see you.” I tried my best to make my tone sound natural.

My mother turned over and lay on her side on the bed facing me, her right hand supporting her head, the other casually resting on the summer blanket around her waist. This position revealed the mature and voluptuous curves of her figure, and for a moment, I inexplicably thought of that deleted scene from the movie *Titanic* where Rose lies on the sofa in a sexy pose. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, vaguely outlining her silhouette, carrying a languid charm, allowing me to appreciate a different side of my mother. I’ve seen this scene many times before, but why did it feel different this time? Was it because I’d seen those videos of my mother?

“I don’t think anything’s wrong,” Mom scrutinized my face, her eyes gleaming. “You’re acting all sneaky. You can fool others, but you can’t fool your own mother, can you? What happened?” “Really, nothing.” I forced myself to remain calm, not wanting her to worry about my mess, and even less daring to let her know that I already knew about her and Zhao Chenyu’s secret.

My mother stared at me for a few seconds, trying to find a clue in my expression. Then she said, “I don’t think so,” and tried to get out of bed and stand in front of me.

But just as she landed and tried to stand up straight, her body swayed uncontrollably, letting out a soft groan.

“Ah~” Mom exclaimed softly, quickly grabbing the edge of the bed with her hand.

My heart tightened, and I wanted to go forward to help her, but the distance was a bit far. “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked hurriedly.

Two unnatural blushes appeared on Mom’s face, her eyes darted around, and her voice became stammering, “N-nothing…it’s just…I just went for a run earlier, and my legs…my legs are a little sore, I can’t seem to muster any strength…” As she spoke, she seemed to feel uncomfortable standing and slouched back down on the edge of the bed. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, partly because I was glad Mom seemed to only have muscle soreness, and even more so because she didn’t press me further about why I had come. In my current state of mind, if Mom had continued to ask, I’m afraid I really wouldn’t have been able to control my emotions and would have spilled everything.

After chatting with my mother for a few more casual words to make sure she wasn’t suspicious, I made an excuse that I had something to do and hurriedly left her dormitory.

Stepping out of the dormitory building, the blazing sunlight seemed to dispel some of the gloom in my heart. I shielded my eyes from the sun, walking with my head down; in the dazzling light, my shadow was exceptionally dark and intense.

I thought about it and asked someone in the physical education department. The reply I got was that Zhao Chenyu did not return to school immediately to report and discuss the matter of resuming his studies.

Where would he go? Could he be at Xuanman’s house?

With this thought in mind, I immediately drove to Xuanman’s house. I opened the door with the spare key, and the house was quiet. I checked carefully, but Zhao Chenyu wasn’t there. However, the men’s slippers by the door were placed strangely, the left foot overlapping the right, as if they had been hurriedly kicked off. There were still wet stains on the bathroom tiles—he must have been back.

Before they knew it, it was afternoon, but that bastard still hadn’t shown up.

I wasn’t just waiting idly; something else was occupying my mind—Jingyan.

I sat on the cold sofa in Xuanman’s house, constantly sending messages to Jingyan. I recounted the events of yesterday in as much detail as possible, from how I met Zhao Qingjun, to how I drank, and then to how I lost control after drinking, and attached my deepest apology and repentance.

However, the phone screen remained black, offering no reply. A sense of unknown dread gripped me, breeding all sorts of terrifying wild thoughts. I even uncontrollably imagined myself losing control and yelling at her…

But in the end, all these imaginings turned into helplessness. The thought of possibly being separated from her felt like half of my heart had been ripped out, leaving an empty, aching void. I also messaged Aunt Ouyang, and luckily, she didn’t completely ignore me. She didn’t even scold me; she simply replied calmly, “Your Uncle Qin and I are at home; Jingyan isn’t here. You should talk to her about your issues first.” Seeing this reply, I breathed a long sigh of relief.

But then, an even more terrifying thought took hold of my mind, sending chills down my spine—Jingyan isn’t answering the phone, she’s not home, so…could she be with Zhao Chenyu?!

The thought sent a chill down my spine, and I broke out in a cold sweat. I immediately contacted Mu Qianning as if she were a lifeline, wanting to ask her if she knew Jingyan’s whereabouts.

Unexpectedly, less than a minute after the message was sent, Mu Qianning sent a video call request!

My fingers trembled slightly as I pressed the answer button.

The screen lit up, the picture was a bit dim, the light was insufficient, but it was barely possible to tell that it was in her and Jingyan’s dormitory.

Mu Qianning leaned against the headboard, holding her phone in one hand and making a megaphone shape with the other, but her voice was extremely low as she whispered furtively, “What’s wrong, Young Master Lin? Missing your little girlfriend?” Ignoring her teasing, I asked urgently, “Where’s Jingyan?” Mu Qianning on the screen immediately gave me an even stronger “shh” gesture, her expression serious, and quickly flipped the phone camera to point at Jingyan’s bed across from me. The camera shakily revealed a beautiful, all-too-familiar body lying on the side of the bed. She was curled up with her back to the camera, covered by a thin air-conditioning blanket, only her long, black hair scattered on the pillow. Seeing this, my heart, which had been in suspense for so long, finally returned to its rightful place.

The camera quickly switched back, and Mu Qianning’s face reappeared on the screen. She still used a high-pitched voice, whispering, “She’s asleep. She just finished crying, her eyes are all swollen. What did you do to her? What happened?” Looking at Mu Qianning’s concerned yet confused eyes on the screen, I struggled internally. I didn’t know whether I should hide it from her. I was afraid she would tell Zhao Chenyu, but I was also afraid that if I didn’t tell her, she wouldn’t know how to help me.

This is probably why the role of a best friend is so important.

After a brief moment’s thought, I decided to be honest: “Last night, a female colleague and I… drank together because of some things, and we both got drunk… and then… something that shouldn’t have happened. This morning, Aunt Ouyang and Jingyan somehow found out… and they… caught us red-handed.” “What!” Hearing this on the screen, Mu Qianning, even though she was trying to keep her voice down, couldn’t help but gasp in shock. But the next moment, she quickly covered her mouth, glanced nervously in Jingyan’s direction to make sure she hadn’t woken her, and then turned back, her face filled with disbelief. She asked in an even softer voice, “Really?! You… how could you…” “Yes…” I nodded painfully, feeling my cheeks burning with shame.

“Oh my god, what kind of situation is this?” Mu Qianning slapped her forehead several times as if she had a headache.

“Can you help me?” I swear I’ve never felt so helpless.

“How can I help you? The husband cheated on his wife and she caught him in the act. How can the concubine persuade him?” Mu Qianning and I both laughed bitterly.

“Just help me arrange to meet her.” I stood up anxiously; I couldn’t sit still any longer.

Looking at my anxious expression on the screen, Mu Qianning pondered for a moment, then sighed, “Alright… I’ll give it a try.”

“But it’s definitely going to be tough today. Jingyan is in a very bad state right now, very depressed, and probably won’t be able to listen to anything. I’ll try to comfort her when she wakes up and then see how things go.” “Okay, please take care of her for me, thank you,” I said earnestly.

“No need to thank me. Whether it’s for you, for her, or for all of you, it’s what I should do.” After Mu Qianning finished speaking, she disappeared from the screen after a one-second pause. I sat down again, but my butt felt like it was being pricked by countless needles.

I stayed on Xuanman’s sofa, practically keeping my eyes open all night. No one else came back. It seems Zhao Chenyu is really gone. He might have gone back to his hometown or to a detached house. But the reckoning with him will happen sooner or later, so there’s no rush.

During the long, sleepless night, I thoroughly inspected Xuanman’s house. I actually found several tiny cameras that were very well hidden, under the lamp, on the hooks of the paintings, and on the kitchen wall.

This freak! A chill ran down my spine. Could Zhao Chenyu be spying on me right now? Oh well, whatever.

The men’s clothes that originally belonged to him in the closet had been emptied, indicating that he had left in a hurry and even forgot to hang the bed sheets that had been washed in the washing machine to dry.

The next day, as dawn broke, I left Xuanman’s house, exhausted and with a jumble of thoughts, because I still had to go to work.

As I walked into the company building, I inexplicably made a detour to the backend development team. Zhao Qingjun’s workstation, which had originally been there, was now completely empty. The desk was so clean it reflected light, as if no one had ever worked hard, struggled, or felt lost there. The emptiness added a touch of melancholy to my already bad mood.

The workday passed quickly in a daze. During my lunch break, my phone vibrated; it was a message from Zhao Qingjun. She said, “Aunt Ouyang came to see me alone this morning.” My heart tightened, and I quickly asked, “What did she say?” Zhao Qingjun replied quickly, seemingly a little surprised herself: “Nothing, she just chatted with me calmly, asking about my family situation, my future plans, and so on. She even… she even encouraged me, giving me some advice, telling me not to leave T City easily, but to continue looking for work and trying my best here.” I stared at this message, stunned. I didn’t know what Aunt Ouyang was thinking. I just felt that women were complicated, and successful women were even more complicated.

I finally made it to the end of the workday and walked out of the company gate. The evening sun was still scorching, and the air was so stuffy it made me feel irritable, but I inexplicably felt a chill that suddenly rose from the soles of my feet and shot straight to the top of my head.

Under the sycamore tree not far from the company entrance, two figures I knew all too well stood quietly, their eyes fixed on me.

It’s Jingyan and Mu Qianning.

When Mu Qianning saw me, she forced a smile and waved vigorously at me from afar, deliberately raising her voice as if to tell the people next to her: “Xuanyu! Over here!” Jingyan, on the other hand, just lowered her head, looking at the tips of her sneakers, without saying a word.

I sighed and slowly walked towards the two of them.

Seeing me approach, Mu Qianning smiled and said, “We were shopping around here and thought it was close to your company, so we came to wait for you. We didn’t expect to find you just getting off work!” As she spoke, Mu Qianning nudged Jingyan beside her with her elbow, signaling her to say something. But Jingyan remained silent.

Mu Qianning didn’t seem to mind and continued to lighten the awkward atmosphere: “We just ran into you. Our car is parked far away, can you give us a ride back to school?” I looked at Jingyan and tentatively asked, “It’s almost dinnertime, how about… we go get something to eat together?” Jingyan finally looked up and glanced at me, but her eyes quickly lowered again. Her voice was low but undeniable: “Back to school.” Mu Qianning and I exchanged a helpless look. Mu Qianning had no choice but to smooth things over: “Oh, actually I’m a little hungry…” But Jingyan seemed not to hear and repeated herself, only three words: “Back to school.” “Okay, back to school,” I immediately replied.

On the way to the parking lot, and throughout the entire drive back to N University, Jingyan kept her head turned to look out the window, maintaining a silence that made my heart race. The air inside the car seemed to freeze.

As soon as she entered the N University campus, Mu Qianning immediately put her phone to her ear with exaggerated acting skills: “Hello? Huh? Okay, okay, I’ll be right there!” Then she said to us, “Oh, I’m sorry, my teacher suddenly needs me for something urgent, I have to go there first! You guys can talk!” Before we could react, she quickly slipped away.

Jingyan watched her fleeing figure without uttering a sound to stop her. The campus was beautiful at dusk, the setting sun gilding the gray brick walls of the old school site with a golden edge. Many students had just finished dinner, chatting and laughing in twos and threes. In the lotus pond, the pink and white flowers were in full bloom, dragonflies flitting about, swaying gently.

Jingyan and I walked silently along the path by Youth Lake, keeping a little distance between us. We were both silent, and only the sound of our footsteps and the noise in the distance made the moment seem even quieter.

Walking to a quiet corner where there were few people around, I finally mustered up my courage and broke the suffocating silence first: “Jingyan, I’m sorry… about yesterday, I really… I don’t know what to do…” Jingyan didn’t look at me, but just listened quietly.

I took a deep breath, as if using all my strength: “I shouldn’t have drunk so much, and I shouldn’t have…lost control. I tainted our relationship. I’m sorry…” Jingyan lowered her head, her body visibly trembling.

“Can… I have a chance to make amends?” I choked up.

At this moment, Jingyan finally slowly raised her head. Her eyes were red and swollen, but her gaze was unusually calm, carrying a kind of insight that made my heart race. She looked at me quietly for several seconds before speaking softly, her voice as light as a feather, yet it struck my heart heavily: “This afternoon… I called Zhao Qingjun.” I was instantly struck dumb, my face turning deathly pale, my lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

My mind was buzzing, leaving only a blank space of “I’m doomed.” She looked at my terrified expression, a complex emotion flashing across her eyes—pain, and something else entirely: “I asked her everything…” she continued, her tone eerily calm, “and she told me almost everything… so I know this was all an accident.” She paused, her gaze turning to the lake.

My heart was pounding like a drum.

“What truly hurts me is—” She turned back, her gaze meeting mine, which was brimming with tears, “You’ve always had an ambiguous relationship with her. You took care of her, helped her, let her move into our old house… You treated her differently than you treated other girls. You’ve never mentioned any of this to me, not even once.” Her voice choked with emotion.

I was so ashamed I wanted to disappear, but another dark emotion was brewing within me, like a sealed demon tearing away the stone that was pressing it down and stirring up magma—What about you and Zhao Chenyu? What do you mean?

But what came out of my mouth was the image of an underwater glacier: “This…it was my fault. I was really wrong, Jingyan. I just…I didn’t know how to say it, and I was afraid you’d overthink it…” Suddenly, Jingyan stepped forward, stretched out her arms and hugged my waist tightly, burying her face deeply in my chest. Her body trembled slightly, and her voice, filled with uneasy fragility, came out muffled: “Xuanyu…tell me…won’t you leave me? Won’t you abandon me?” I almost instantly hugged her back tightly, my arms holding her tightly, as if I wanted to meld her into my body, my voice unwavering: “No! Absolutely not! How could I leave you? Jingyan, I love you!” “Not under any circumstances?” She looked up in my arms, her eyes brimming with tears as she asked.

“Yes! Under no circumstances!” I affirmed without hesitation.

“Then… I’ll reluctantly forgive you…” Jingyan’s voice still had a slight nasal tone, but her tone had softened, like sugar melted by the setting sun, with a sticky sweetness.

The sun was setting, and a gentle breeze blew by, making it very cool and refreshing.

I had a long dinner with Jingyan, chatting as we ate, trying to mend the previous misunderstandings little by little. By the time we finished, it was quite late. I thought about going back to my dorm, but then I remembered that my bed was probably covered in dust, and my roommate Chu Yun’s deafening snoring… Oh well, I’ll go to my mother’s faculty dormitory instead. After dropping Jingyan off at her dorm, I walked alone towards the faculty dormitory building. I took out my key and gently pushed open the door—it was pitch black and completely silent inside.

“Mom?” I called tentatively, but there was no response. I turned on the lights, and the living room and bedroom were empty; Mom wasn’t home.

I took out my phone and texted my mom: “Mom, aren’t you in the dorm? I’m coming.” A reply came quickly, the screen’s light almost blinding in the darkness: “I’m at Xuanman’s place.” Xuanman’s house?

Those three words instantly chilled my mind like ice, and a sense of tension, like the thick darkness around me, suddenly enveloped me.

Could it be… Zhao Chenyu is here too? No, if Zhao Chenyu were here, Mom wouldn’t have told me.

But I immediately turned around and rushed out of the dormitory, heading straight for Xuanman’s house. My heart was pounding all the way until I opened Xuanman’s door with my spare key—and what greeted me were the surprised looks from my mother and Xuanman in the living room.

The mother wore a soft, sky-blue nightgown with the words “I am a mother” printed in large, cute white letters on the chest. Xuanman wore a matching light blue nightgown that read, “I am a daughter.” The two were sitting on the sofa watching television, with sliced ​​apples on the coffee table in front of them.

The slightly childlike “mother and daughter outfits” and the peaceful and warm home scene before me made me freeze at the doorway. My tense nerves relaxed instantly, and I felt a little embarrassed for my earlier overreaction.

“Brother? What brings you here?” Xuanman was a little surprised to see me, then showed a slightly “disgusted” expression. “Didn’t Sister Jingyan not sleep with you? Hehe!” “Xuanman! What nonsense are you talking about~” Mom scolded.

I breathed a sigh of relief and went inside, casually explaining, “Just came over for the night, are you not welcome?” My gaze unconsciously swept around the living room, and there was indeed no sign of a third person living there.

“Okay! You can have the sofa!” Xuanman said playfully.

That evening, while my mother was washing up in the bathroom, I leaned close to Xuanman and whispered, “Xuanman, tell me the truth, what do you really think of Zhao Chenyu?” Xuanman was adjusting the air conditioner timer on her phone. Hearing my question, she pursed her lips, her eyes still glued to her phone, and said somewhat vaguely, “I don’t really think much of him, he’s just like that.” Her attitude surprised me. I stared at her and noticed her eyes were shifty; she seemed reluctant to look me in the eye.

Xuanman first cautiously glanced towards the bathroom, and upon hearing the sound of water coming from inside, confirming that her mother wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon, she finally made up her mind, leaned down, and whispered in my ear, “Brother, let me tell you, my roommate and I… we… have already—” “What?” She hesitated, making me raise my eyebrows.

“Um…” She crossed her thumbs and index fingers to form two small hearts, and then pressed the two small hearts together.

“What?” I still didn’t understand.

“Lesbian! Now you know?” Xuanman was speechless.

“Hiss—” I gasped, my eyes widened, and I shifted to the side, feeling as if countless lightning bolts were striking my mind.

My dear sister! What… what else can you possibly do to shock your brother’s already crumbling worldview?! Zhao Chenyu, Mom, Jingyan, Zhao Qingjun… this whole mess isn’t even sorted out yet, and now you’ve pulled this on?!

The next day, apart from the fact that Mom unusually didn’t get up early to prepare breakfast, the night was uneventful.

I arrived at the company on time and sat at my familiar workstation, but the chaotic thoughts in my mind had gradually settled down, leaving only one thought: it was time to completely resolve this troublesome Zhao Chenyu issue.

As I absentmindedly ran the automated test script, I picked up my phone, opened WeChat, and prepared to send Zhao Chenyu an ultimatum. Before my finger could even open the chat window, I saw Aunt Ouyang’s recent post on her Moments feed.

Several landscape photos, geotagged in a famous seaside tourist city. In the photos, Aunt Ouyang and Uncle Qin are wearing casual matching outfits, smiling easily and contentedly at the camera. The caption reads: “Taking a break from my busy schedule to relax with my husband~” It seems she has truly put aside all the mess that’s been going on between Jingyan and me for the time being, to enjoy some alone time together.

I opened the chat window with Zhao Chenyu and typed a sarcastic message: “The only college student in your family, and you can’t go to school?” Zhao Chenyu replied instantly: “You almost lost your life.” I continued: “Really? I didn’t know. Who tried to kill you?” The message bar remained in the “typing…” state for a long time.

Zhao Chenyu: “Senior, you’ve seen the video too. I didn’t threaten Aunt Liu at all. Aunt Liu and I have broken up. Not only Aunt Liu, but everyone else, including Xuanman, has broken up with me. I’ve already been through hell, and you’ve deleted the video. So please spare my life.” I felt a surge of anger: “You mean, you played with my mother, destroyed my family, and you’re just going to let it go like this?” Zhao Chenyu didn’t answer my question: “To be honest, what you did this time had quite a few loopholes, but no matter how meticulous it was, it’s fine if someone doesn’t die, but if it turns into a murder, it won’t be good for you either.” I: “What are you talking about? I don’t understand. Didn’t you yourself stop the police from investigating further?” I typed this, but my mind was racing with his words.

Should we kill him or maim him? But he still has a video of his mother.

Me: “Give me all of my mom’s videos. No backups allowed. You can try keeping one, just remember to protect yourself, okay?” Zhao Chenyu: “Um, senior… it’s not that I don’t trust you, I’ll keep one for my own safety.” Me: “Negotiations over.” As I typed those four words, I felt a deep sadness and helplessness. How could I negotiate with someone like this? How did I end up negotiating with someone like this?

Is it really as Yue Feng said, that I have too much and too many worries?

Zhao Chenyu: “No! Senior, please listen to me. There’s a box under Xuanman’s sofa with all my filming equipment and the rest of my recordings. I’ll send you my cloud drive account and Conqueror Forum account. Everything I have is here. There’s really nothing else!” After saying that, he sent a string of usernames and passwords after about ten minutes.

I logged in and checked each file. There were indeed some video files in the cloud drive, but seeing the thumbnails and filenames made me furious. I glanced at them briefly and found nothing new. I could also log in to my Conqueror forum account, but it still contained old posts that hadn’t been updated.

Me: “All my mom’s videos, and backups.” Zhao Chenyu: “Senior, I’ve given you everything. Even if I said I didn’t, you wouldn’t believe me. I can’t prove it to you.” Zhao Chenyu: “The feeling of dying is terrifying. Please spare my life.” Me: “Spare your life? The reason Aunt Ouyang and Jingyan were able to find out about me that morning was because of you, right?” Zhao Chenyu: “Yes.” Me: “So, you think I’ll believe your lies?” Zhao Chenyu: “So, senior, what do you want from me to let me go?” Me: “You messed with my mom, what do you think I’ll do?” Zhao Chenyu: “No… senior, I beg you, she doesn’t know anything, don’t hurt her.” Seeing Zhao Chenyu so humble, I really didn’t believe him. So I sent him a link to an app I had gotten from Yue Feng before.

“Download this.” Zhao Chenyu: “What is this?” Me: “It’s a verification app that can know your location in real time and requires you to verify your face and fingerprint every day.”

This proves that you are the one using this phone. It will also monitor all your calls, text messages, and file changes on your phone every single day. Zhao Chenyu: “This…” Me: “Either you live under my constant surveillance, like a bug in the shadows; or you’re constantly on guard against everything around you, and you can’t even close your eyes when you sleep. The choice is yours.” I sent this message, waited a few seconds, and then deleted it. Let him take the screenshot; it won’t prove anything anyway.

A few minutes later, Zhao Chenyu sent a message: “All done.” I opened the tracking app that I had installed on my phone beforehand and found that Zhao Chenyu’s location was in a county in Qingdao. He had indeed gone back to his hometown.

Later, Zhao Chenyu sent some more messages begging for mercy, but I ignored him. This software allows me to track his location anytime, anywhere. Even if he gives his phone to someone else, it won’t work because facial and fingerprint verification is still required. As for whether he might secretly use another phone… this monitoring app will also alert me by analyzing abnormal data such as the frequency of local file updates and network traffic. This app is a sword hanging over his head; he’s just a dog that could be executed at any moment.

As for his mother, just like me now, whatever she possesses becomes a burden.

I turned off my phone, shutting out Zhao Chenyu’s nauseating pleas from the screen, and let out a long breath of pent-up frustration. I leaned back in my chair and looked out the window. The scorching sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting stripes of light and shadow on the floor.

Perhaps, a period of peace is finally coming.

“Squeak—squeak—” Under the scorching sun, a few noisy cicadas chirped from the shade of the leaves.

In the days that followed, I continued to hire someone to remotely monitor Zhao Chenyu’s every move. The feedback I received was that he had honestly found a job driving for a logistics company in his hometown county, and had even gone on blind dates with an ordinary local girl who worked in a textile factory, arranged by a matchmaker, and they had eaten together a few times.

Seeing these reports, the twisted hatred and resentment in my heart resurface: Does he deserve this kind of life? Does he deserve such an ordinary, even stable, life? Has he really seen through it all, become afraid, and decided to turn over a new leaf?

I don’t know, and I’m too lazy to investigate further; I can always find out later. At least half a month has passed, and the air around me has indeed become increasingly fresh.

Apart from Zhao Qingjun, who has already left.

The July heatwave arrived as scheduled, and summer vacation began. But this has little to do with me, a miserable overtime worker. A high-level overtime worker is still an overtime worker after all.

Why did I have to choose this path? I could have just stayed at home and become a second-generation rich kid, or I could have gone to Uncle Qin’s company now… Oh well, this isn’t so bad either.

Over the weekend, Jingyan, Aunt Ouyang, Mu Qianning, Mu Lingze, and I had a hot pot dinner together. The air conditioning in the private room was on full blast, but it couldn’t keep up with the bubbling heat from the pot. Several beautiful women, each with their own unique style, were wearing brightly colored sundresses, revealing their smooth shoulders, necks, and arms. In the rising steam, their cheeks were flushed, making them even more radiant and charming.

Surrounded by such a group of dazzling beauties, I inevitably attracted envious or inquisitive glances from the other diners. While simmering the beef slices in the hot pot, Mu Lingze asked Jingyan, “Jingyan, you’ll graduate in a year, right? Are you considering going straight to a PhD?” Jingyan shook her head and said decisively, “I don’t want to.” After saying that, she subconsciously turned to look at Mu Qianning beside her. But Mu Qianning’s attention wasn’t on her; her gaze drifted somewhat timidly towards Aunt Ouyang across the table.

Aunt Ouyang didn’t respond to Mu Qianning’s gaze. Instead, she picked up a piece of tripe and turned her eyes to me naturally, asking, “Xuanyu, where’s your mother?” I answered truthfully, “Oh, she and Xuanman went on a tour to relax.” Aunt Ouyang paused in mid-air with her chopsticks holding the tripe before casually dipping them into the pot.

“Is that so…” she replied casually.

“What’s wrong, Auntie?” I noticed her sudden change in expression.

“It’s nothing. It’s just tripe, it goes up and down all the time.” Aunt Ouyang smiled and covered it up.

As they were finishing their meal, Aunt Ouyang wiped her mouth with a napkin and suddenly said to Jingyan, “Jingyan, are you free tomorrow? Come with Mommy to go out for a walk.” Jingyan was a little surprised and blinked, “Huh? Tomorrow? Oh… okay.” Although she was puzzled, she obediently agreed.

Upon hearing this, Mu Lingze immediately perked up: “Go shopping? Take me with you, Sister Lan!” Aunt Ouyang glanced at her sideways and retorted without any politeness: “Just focus on working on your project proposals with the secretariat! How many times have I sent them back to you? You wanted to embellish your resume, but I think you’re not going to get any embellishment, and your bonus is going to be forfeited.” Mu Lingze immediately wilted and pouted resentfully.

Mu Qianning also spoke softly, “Aunt Ouyang, do you need me… to help you get some things?” Aunt Ouyang looked at her and said in a flat tone, “Think carefully about your future plans. If you can’t even figure it out yourself, I won’t know what to do after the time is up.” “I…I know…” Mu Qianning smiled obediently.

Seeing this, I felt a little puzzled. Although Aunt Ouyang was usually assertive, she was relatively gentle with Jingyan and her two best friends. Why did she seem to be in a bad mood today? I didn’t think too much about it. Anyway, tomorrow was the weekend, and Uncle Qin and my dad had already made plans to go fishing at the reservoir. I could go with them and enjoy some rare leisure time.

My bald senior had already warned me that once the testing and verification phase fully begins, forget about weekends; even getting home on time at night will be a luxury. This leisurely time is destined to be short-lived.

It was only during a brief lunch break on Monday that I saw Aunt Ouyang’s WeChat Moments update.

It’s a group photo of four people. The background appears to be the Limutai Scenic Area. Mom, Aunt Ouyang, Jingyan, and Xuanman are all smiling happily at the camera. Mom and Aunt Ouyang are standing in the middle, with Jingyan and Xuanman each holding one of their arms, looking very close.

The caption read: “Gathering the twin sisters for a happy summer vacation~” Only then did I realize that Aunt Ouyang had called Jingyan away yesterday to fly directly to meet up with her mother, Xuanman! Xuanman will be staying at school during the summer vacation, so it wouldn’t be bad to have some fun before the summer break.

I couldn’t help but smile with relief, feeling much more relaxed. I casually opened the app that was monitoring Zhao Chenyu; the dot on the map remained quietly in his hometown village, showing no signs of movement.

Switching back to my WeChat Moments, I saw the radiant smiles of my mother, Aunt Ouyang, Jingyan, and Xuanman in the photos. Sunlight streamed down their faces, filling them with ease and joy. This time, my smile was truly genuine. According to Jingyan, my mother and Aunt Ouyang had gone on another short trip together this weekend. Uncle Qin and my father seemed quite accepting of their “abandoning their husbands and daughters” behavior; after all, money was never an issue for them, and happiness was the most important thing. On Saturday evening, only a few warm yellow ambient lights illuminated the living room. My father and I were nestled on the sofa, discussing the latest technological roadmaps and market strategies of several international chip giants, looking at charts and data on our tablet.

Just then, a soft “click”—the sound of a key opening the door—broke my concentration.

My dad and I stopped talking at the same time and looked in the direction of the sound. It was my mom!

My mother walked in unsteadily, her legs pressed tightly together, her arms tucked tightly to her sides. Strangely, instead of changing her shoes or putting down her bag, she instinctively used her purse to shield her legs, as if trying to hide something. My father and I stared at each other, both utterly bewildered.

“Honey, you’re back? Did you have fun?” Dad asked first.

Mom didn’t answer directly. An unnatural blush rose on her cheeks, her eyes darted away, and her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible: “You…you think it’s…pretty?” Her question seemed abrupt, leaving Dad and me even more confused. But following her slight movement of moving her purse away, my gaze finally fell on her legs, which had been hidden all along—I froze instantly.

My mother’s two plump, beautiful legs, which were usually covered by trousers or ankle-length skirts, were now covered with a layer of black stockings as thin as cicada wings!

The ultra-thin black stockings clung to my mother like a second skin, perfectly outlining the beautiful lines of her legs, from her rounded thighs to her slender ankles. The sheen of the stockings shimmered softly under the light, making her slightly fleshy legs appear even straighter and longer, even adding a subtle sensuality I’d never seen on my mother before. This…this was the first time I’d ever seen my mother wear stockings!

My shock didn’t stop there. My gaze moved upwards, and there she was, on her voluptuous figure, an extremely thin, form-fitting royal blue bodycon dress. The fabric of the dress had a slight sheen, clinging tightly to her body, highlighting her ample breasts and rounded hips that seemed about to burst free. The skirt was also shockingly short, barely covering half of her thighs, leaving most of her legs, encased in black stockings, exposed.

She was still carrying the handbag she was using as a cover in one hand, while the other hand nervously clutched the edge of her short skirt. Her whole body was trembling slightly, and she kept her head down. She didn’t look like a mother returning home; instead, she looked exactly like… a shy bride meeting her groom for the first time. Her anxiety and anticipation pulled her head, making her afraid to look up at my father and me to see our reactions.

My mother’s outfit combined shyness with exposure, mature sexiness with a strange sense of sanctity. For a moment, my father and I instinctively held our breath.

“Luckily…luckily I was wearing a cardigan on the outside, and on the way…no neighbors saw…saw me…” Mom tried to explain, but her voice grew softer and softer, filled with a deep sense of shyness. This expression inexplicably reminded me of the way Jingyan looked when she first kissed me.

My gaze unconsciously swept up and down my mother. If there was any “regret” about this stunning outfit, it was that she was still wearing her usual comfortable and simple flat canvas shoes instead of the black high heels that she was wearing.

But it is precisely this seemingly incongruous “purity” and everyday feel that forms a strong contrast with her strikingly sexy outfit, which is exactly what makes her mother so alluring.

“Wife—” Dad finally snapped out of his shock, replaced by overwhelming excitement and admiration. He practically leaped off the sofa, rushed to Mom in a few strides, and without a word, swept her up in his arms, still feeling shy!

“Ah! Bowen! Put me down!” Mom cried out unexpectedly, her face flushing red to her ears. She struggled to hit Dad’s shoulder, but her strength was weak, more like a reluctant acceptance.

“Hehe, don’t move,” Dad laughed like a young boy, his eyes sparkling. “Let me admire my wife… Lanlan, she really knows how to dress people!” “Oh dear! It’s all Lanlan’s fault! She forced me to wear…” Mom shifted the blame to Aunt Ouyang, her tone coquettish.

That guy? What kind of description is that? Before I could even think about it, Dad had already picked up Mom, whose face was flushed, and turned around impatiently, striding towards their bedroom.

With a “bang,” the bedroom door slammed shut, and there was even a soft click as if it had been locked from the inside.

I was left alone in the living room, looking at the closed bedroom door, listening to my mother’s soft, amused moans and my father’s hearty laughter coming from inside. I could only shake my head with a helpless smile.

Sigh, it looks like Mom and Dad are in for a fight.

From that day on, it was as if Mom had opened the door to a new world. Black, flesh-colored, or delicately patterned stockings never left her increasingly confidently displayed legs. The house also gained a different kind of charm because of Mom’s quietly blossoming allure.