After the commotion subsided, my life settled into a kind of stagnant calm. Unexpectedly, during the shopping festival, Uncle Qin surprisingly came home.

“Daddy~”

That evening, at Jingyan’s house, as soon as Jingyan entered the door, she saw Aunt Ouyang standing at the door. Without even changing her shoes, she rushed into Uncle Qin’s arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

“Oh my, my darling!” Uncle Qin laughed, his eyes almost squinting together.

“Daddy, I’ve missed you so much~ Waaah~” Jingyan actually started crying.

“Oh, my darling, it’s all Daddy’s fault. Things over there are almost over now, and Daddy won’t be going to Hainan Island much more often anymore,” Uncle Qin comforted Jing.

I looked into the living room and saw my parents and Aunt Ouyang sitting on the sofa, watching the heartwarming scene of father and daughter embracing at the door. “Uncle Lin, Aunt Liu… Mom…” Jingyan composed herself, walked to the sofa, greeted my father warmly, called my mother affectionately, and finally turned to her own mother, calling out “Mom~” in an almost inaudible voice.

“Jingyan, when are you going to start calling me Dad?” Dad seemed to sense the awkward atmosphere and quickly cracked a joke.

A blush immediately spread across Jingyan’s face. She quickly hid behind me as I walked forward, holding my arm, and said shyly to her father, “Well… well, that depends on what he thinks.”

After she finished speaking, she bumped her chest against my back.

“Huh?” I stared at the four adults in front of me. Uncle Qin came back from the door and sat down next to my dad. Both of them were wearing plaid pajamas.

The mother next to the father was wearing a blue loungewear set with the neckline tied very tightly, not revealing a single bit of skin. However, the mother’s exquisite figure made this ordinary loungewear set look exceptionally alluring.

Next to my mother was Aunt Ouyang, wearing a bright red robe-style camisole nightgown. On her bare, snow-white shoulders, the red camisole and the black straps of her bra crossed to form two “X” shapes, which was simply a blatant symbol of seduction.

To my relief, Aunt Ouyang wasn’t wearing any necklace or similar decoration. “Want my daughter to change her address? Fine~ First, pay the ‘change of address fee’.” Aunt Ouyang’s nightgown shifted, and her legs beneath it changed position. Her breasts pressed against her mother’s arm, and she reached out to her father in a pleading gesture.

“What do you want?” Dad knew Aunt Ouyang was joking, so he exaggeratedly leaned back and said in a feigned fear.

“Yes…” Aunt Ouyang hesitated for a moment, her alluring peach blossom eyes lingering meaningfully on my crotch, and she said with a coquettish smile, “Two grandsons, Old Qin, is this price reasonable?”

“Yes! I wholeheartedly agree with my wife!” Uncle Qin said, actually raising his limbs in a comical manner. “In that case! It really depends on Xuan Yu…” Dad also nodded seriously, stroking his chin. “Haha~”

Haha~

The four adults from both families burst into laughter, filling the entire living room with a joyful atmosphere.

“Oh my! You guys… really~” Jingyan shrank into my arms in embarrassment, and I smiled and hugged her, gazing at this joyful scene.

My gaze fell on Aunt Ouyang, who was hugging her mother and laughing so hard she was doubled over.

Her legs were crossed on the sofa because of her laughing.

The silky red skirt was thus slightly lifted up, revealing her delicate, fair ankle.

My heart skipped a beat.

Because on Aunt Ouyang’s left ankle, a very thin red leather collar, like a silent brand, tightly bound her.

In an instant, all the liveliness before me made me feel incredibly desolate.

Just as I was lost in thought, there was a knock at the door. “Haha! I’m back!” Xuanman’s cheerful, bell-like voice instantly echoed in the living room.

“Ah~ my precious Xuanman~”

“Daddy~”

Uncle Qin jogged over to Xuanman, picked her up, and spun her around several times. Xuanman’s legs were sticking up in the air as she cheered loudly.

“Huh? What’s this?” A figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the entryway.

“Hello, Uncle Qin… I’m Zhao Chenyu. We met before at that farmhouse in Yue….” Zhao Chenyu was dressed in a suit and looked quite neat, but his hands were nervously folded in front of him, and he was also carrying fruit.

His uneasy demeanor made him seem out of place in his expensive clothes.

“Oh dear~ Don’t be so reserved, Brother Chenyu~” Xuanman got down from Uncle Qin’s arms and affectionately hugged his arm. She raised her other hand towards Zhao Chenyu, but her face was turned towards Uncle Qin. She introduced him in broken Cantonese, “Daddy~ This is my boyfriend, Zhao Chenyu~ Please take care of him~” After saying that, she patted Uncle Qin’s chest lightly, acting like a big sister.

“Oh, I know, I heard your mother mention this before. Come in.” Uncle Qin turned and walked into the living room with Xuanman’s help, muttering, “My Xuanman’s figure is getting better and better, and she seems much more mature since starting university!” I couldn’t help but mutter to myself, “It’s all thanks to that bastard behind you.”

Zhao Chenyu followed closely in and stood behind the sofa, still looking completely at a loss.

At this moment, Aunt Ouyang, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly stood up.

With light and graceful steps, she circled Zhao Chenyu as if examining a product, looked him up and down, and then lifted her foot and kicked him lightly in the shin.

Zhao Chenyu’s body jolted violently, as if struck by lightning.

“Stand still! I bought you clothes, but you still look so sleazy.” Aunt Ouyang crossed her arms and said with a hint of exasperation.

“Oh, Lanlan, don’t scare him.” Uncle Qin, with his two daughters on either side, was in a very good mood. I vaguely understood that Xuanman had deliberately brought Zhao Chenyu along under this pretext.

“Did I scare you?” Aunt Ouyang’s face was close to Zhao Chenyu’s, a smile playing on her lips.

“No, no!” Zhao Chenyu hurriedly leaned back, waving one hand in front of him. “What a great performance,” I thought to myself, “it doesn’t even look like acting.”

“Um, Aunt Liu… Uncle Lin… Uncle Lin,” Zhao Chenyu finally mustered up the courage to greet my parents. But when he called my dad, his breath was noticeably weak and his voice trembled.

The mother smiled slightly at Zhao Chenyu, her politeness tinged with warmth.

But Dad, with a serious expression, simply nodded without any emotion.

“Dad, can’t you keep that stern face?”

Xuanman sat on her father’s lap, hugging his neck and acting spoiled. “Who told you to call your Uncle Qin ‘Dad’ first instead of me?” her father said, implying something else entirely.

“Hmph~ Then I’ll call you~ Daddy Daddy Daddy~” Xuanman tugged at her father’s ear and harassed him.

But those repeated cries of “Dad” coming from Xuanman’s mouth made me feel a little dazed.

I feel as if I can see it in those unbearable videos, when Zhao Chenyu brutally penetrates her from behind, she is also crying and screaming the word “Daddy”.

“Daddy, I’m hungry!” Xuanman’s loud, spoiled cry interrupted my thoughts.

Dinner is served! (At the dinner party.)

“Brother Chenyu, help me peel this crab,” Xuanman said imperiously.

Zhao Chenyu immediately put down his chopsticks. “Brother Chenyu, go get me some soup!”

“Okay!” He had just peeled a crab leg when he immediately got up and ran to get some soup.

“Brother Chenyu, roll up the duck meat for me, and put less scallion in it! Ah—feed me! Okay!” Zhao Chenyu carefully brought the duck meat to Xuanman’s mouth.

Throughout the entire dinner, we were forced to watch Xuanman and Zhao Chenyu’s affectionate performance.

I was obviously disgusted and disdainful, while Jingyan seemed to be deliberately avoiding looking at her bowl, and Aunt Ouyang had an interesting expression as if watching a show.

Uncle Qin nodded from time to time, his face showing a mixture of relief and a complex expression of reminiscing about the past.

The father would occasionally frown helplessly, but then, caught up in the atmosphere at the dinner table, he would smile helplessly.

And Mom.

Her reaction was the strangest.

She stared almost constantly at the unabashed intimacy between Zhao Chenyu and Xuanman, her beautiful eyes occasionally flashing with a strange light.

Xuanman turned her head and saw her mother’s expression.

“Mom! I know what you want to say. You want to say—” Xuanman smiled slyly, reached out and patted Zhao Chenyu’s shoulder, lowering her voice to sound mature, “Hmm~ Zhao Chenyu! You did a good job!”

“Ha ha!”

“Hahahaha!” Xuanman’s liveliness made Wu Fen even more cheerful during the already warm and lively family reunion dinner.

“Come on, Xiao Zhao, let’s have a toast.”

“No, no, I’ll drink to you. You can drink as much as you like.” Zhao Chenyu lowered the glass very low, and with a crisp sound, he downed it in one gulp.

“Tsk, did I find you a drinking companion? The kind who’d drink herself to death and wouldn’t dare say no.” Aunt Ouyang frowned and nudged Uncle Qin with her elbow.

“It’s my honor to make Uncle Qin happy,” Zhao Chenyu immediately replied, showing his exceptional “sensibility.”

I glanced at the two of them from left to right. Zhao Chenyu and Uncle Qin both showed a strange naturalness towards each other. Could it be that people who have only drunk together once really become so familiar with each other?

I’ve attended many dinner parties, but I still have deep doubts about this inference.

After the meal, Mom and Jingyan cleaned up the dishes together, and Zhao Chenyu followed suit.

“Brother Chenyu, I’m coming too!” Xuanman followed Zhao Chenyu like a little tail, her father’s eyes following her until she completely disappeared around the corner of the kitchen.

“Sigh… I thought it would be at least five or six years before girls leave home once they grow up. I didn’t expect that they would be so open-minded right after starting university… even more so than we were back then,” Dad sighed.

“Who knew this Xiao Zhao would suddenly appear? It seems Xuanman really likes him. He’s not good-looking, and his family background is just average. He’s definitely not a good match for Xuanman. The day before yesterday, the old man even asked me about your daughter’s situation, wanting his son to get to know Xuanman.” Uncle Qin seemed to suddenly remember something.

“Chief Weng of the Police Station?” Dad asked back.

When my father said that, I suddenly realized why Director Weng had looked at me like I was his own child.

“Yes, his precious son is a junior in college, studying law. His father sent him to a top law firm when he was a freshman. If we’re talking about a good match, he is indeed more suitable for Xuanman.”

I don’t think Xuanman necessarily needs to find someone compatible. Look at Zhao Chenyu today; when Xuanman tells him to go east, he doesn’t even dare to look west. That’s good enough. He’s obedient and loves Xuanman, that’s enough.” Aunt Ouyang suddenly spoke up, and I felt a pang of sadness, remembering the conversation Xuanman had with Aunt Ouyang when they were “grinding tofu.”

Is she going to speak up for Zhao Chenyu? Is it for Xuanman’s sake? Or for her own?

“Oh, Lanlan, it’s still very important to marry someone of equal social standing,” Uncle Qin said casually.

These words made Aunt Ouyang, who had been leaning back in her chair, straighten up instantly. She glared at Uncle Qin and said, “Do you want to go against me? If we’re talking about being a good match, do you have the right to criticize others?”

Uncle Qin had barely opened his mouth when he was silenced by Aunt Ouyang’s oppressive gaze. He reluctantly shut his mouth and hurriedly reached out to massage Aunt Ouyang’s shoulders in a fawning manner.

I know he has nothing to say.

Because compared to their family backgrounds, Uncle Qin and Aunt Ouyang were not a good match at all. Uncle Qin’s rise to prominence was due to Aunt Ouyang’s help and support from her family.

Moreover, even after Uncle Qin became successful, his sister, who is also Jingyan’s aunt, still showed her criticism and dissatisfaction towards Aunt Ouyang in every way.

This is one of the reasons why Aunt Ouyang and Uncle Qin’s family have always had a strained relationship. Add to that Uncle Qin’s philandering… At this moment, I felt a little sorry for Aunt Ouyang.

That being said, if our two families were to boycott Zhao Chenyu and Xuanman’s relationship, Uncle Qin would be the least confident because his past is Zhao Chenyu’s present.

“I think I understand now. That inexplicable sense of familiarity between Uncle Qin and Zhao Chenyu was also a test.” Uncle Qin, knowing he was in the wrong, muttered under his breath.

“That’s a man’s business, and how to do it is their business. Why are you always meddling in their affairs?”

Aunt Ouyang gave Uncle Qin a disapproving look.

“The dishes are washed, come and have some fruit!” Jingyan came out of the kitchen with a plate of washed fruit.

“Where’s that Xiao Zhao?” Uncle Qin called out.

“Hey, I’m here~” Zhao Chenyu’s voice came before he arrived. When he jogged over, he was still wearing an apron and was wiping his hands haphazardly with the hem of the apron, just like a waiter in an inn.

“Do you know how to play billiards?” Uncle Qin asked.

“I know a little bit~ Do you want to play? I’d like to learn from you.” Zhao Chenyu acted very humbly.

“Let’s go downstairs!”

dad!

Uncle Qin and Zhao Chenyu went downstairs.

Jingyan hugged me, and my mother, Aunt Ouyang, and Xuanman huddled together in two small groups, all staring intently at their phone screens, browsing various live streams and shopping platforms with great interest.

“Mom~ You said you’re going to do live-streaming e-commerce, do you think you can make a lot of money?” Xuanman’s sudden question piqued our interest.

“Forget it, I’m not interested, and I don’t know how. Besides, once I start live-streaming sales, I’ll lose control of myself,” the mother said tactfully.

“Let’s start a company together,” Aunt Ouyang suggested, showing interest.

“Oh, Lanlan!” Mom poked Aunt Ouyang, her ample breasts slamming into Aunt Ouyang’s arm. Aunt Ouyang, startled by the bump, leaned to the side, her own breasts pressing tightly against Xuanman’s arm. Xuanman laughed and turned her head, playfully squeezing and teasing Aunt Ouyang. The three stunning beauties with distinct styles snuggled together intimately.

Three pairs of breasts of different sizes and shapes were squeezed together by each other’s bodies into various arousing shapes.

This erotic scene is so suggestive it could make someone’s nose bleed on the spot.

After playing for several hours, Dad and the others returned from the underground entertainment room. As soon as Xuanman saw Zhao Chenyu, she immediately jumped up from the sofa and clung to him.

Strangely, this time when Dad saw Xuanman affectionately taking Zhao Chenyu’s arm, his face no longer showed the cold anger he had shown before; at least his displeasure was gone.

At Uncle Qin’s prompting, Xuanman and Zhao Chenyu went into the guest room on the first floor. “What did they say?” Mom asked Dad, and everyone in the living room also perked up their ears.

“We chatted casually for a bit. This kid doesn’t know how to play. As soon as I saw him crouch down and aim, I knew something was off. I forced him to show some of his real skills, and guess what? He sank every single one of his shots, leaving the black eight as a fake shot and deliberately giving me a good position.” Uncle Qin said, laughing and shaking his head at the same time.

“He’s knowledgeable and experienced, but his mind is certainly quick, and he’s also quite thick-skinned. He’s been praising me and Lao Qin to the skies. Sigh, speaking of which, Xuan Yu is a bit lacking in this aspect, maybe it’s just innate.” Dad shook his head and said.

“But Xuanman is quite good at this,” Aunt Ouyang added.

“Yes, the family does need someone like that who’s willing to put aside his pride. He’s good at taking exams, and even though he’s an athlete, he’s not that bad,” Uncle Qin added.

“You do resemble yourself a bit in the past.”

“Mom suddenly said that,” I thought. But what surprised me was that all four adults simultaneously showed somewhat embarrassed expressions. “This kid is even more unruly; he needs to be taught a lesson,” Uncle Qin said, scratching his head.

“Leave it to me!” Aunt Ouyang said, almost interrupting, and only I understood what she meant.

But the other elders, who were kept in the dark, all nodded at the same time. I was speechless.

Does this mean that the family has already accepted Zhao Chenyu as a scoundrel? Even his parents…

That night, Jingyan had already fallen asleep beside me.

But I couldn’t sleep. The red ring on Aunt Ouyang’s foot felt like a bloody chain binding my mind.

Something is bound to happen tonight. Aunt Ouyang, Xuanman, or even… Jingyan next to me. I quietly lifted the covers, tiptoed out of bed, and left the room.

The hallway was pitch black and completely silent. I slowly descended the stairs, step by step, until I stopped at the door of Zhao Chenyu’s room. I gently pressed my ear against the cold door…

Silence…

There were no strange noises.

This silence, however, gave me an even more chilling sense of terror.

Could it be that Aunt Ouyang and Xuanman won’t come looking for Zhao Chenyu tonight?

Aunt Ouyang and Uncle Qin sleep together, but Xuanman sleeps alone. However, Xuanman’s room is next to her parents’ room, so it’s impossible to go to Xuanman’s room.

Is nothing going to happen? Am I being paranoid? I wandered around the first floor like a lost soul, then went to the basement, but there was nothing there…

My tense body completely relaxed, and I went upstairs to go back to sleep.

But just as my hand gripped the doorknob, I saw two distinctly intersecting shadows cast by the bright moonlight at the corner at the end of the corridor.

I immediately held my breath and crept over quietly, like a cat hunting its prey.

“What did your Uncle Qin and Uncle Lin say to you while you were playing ball today?” It was Mom’s voice, sharp and piercing. And judging from her words, the other person was… Zhao Chenyu?

I peered along the wall toward the balcony at the far end of the corner, and sure enough, under the bright moonlight, my mother, wearing a long-sleeved nightgown, was chatting with Zhao Chenyu, sitting on two separate rattan chairs.

“They asked about my family situation, my work at Aunt Ouyang’s company, my dropping out of school, and my future plans.” Zhao Chenyu sat upright with his hands on his knees and spoke very seriously. “Really? What are your plans?”

The mother rested her chin on her left hand and listened curiously with her hand on her knee.

“I said, I’ll follow Aunt Ouyang’s arrangements for the rest of the time,” Zhao Chenyu said.

“What if Aunt Ouyang wasn’t around?” Mom asked.

“Uncle Qin asked the same question too.” Zhao Chenyu said with a smile, “I said, if it weren’t for Aunt Ouyang, if I hadn’t met Xuanman, I would probably have joined the army, or I would have stayed closer to my hometown and found a stable job so I could take care of my mother.”

Zhao Chenyu spoke casually, but after listening, his mother’s face showed a hint of loss.

Her profile, illuminated by the moonlight, appeared both sacred and utterly desolate.

“What did your Uncle Qin think of him?”

“He said I’m honest, hehe.” Zhao Chenyu scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

“Hmm…” Mom responded, but seemed still trapped in that inexplicable emotion.

“Aunt Liu? Aunt Liu?” Zhao Chenyu called his mother softly, but she didn’t respond.

“Junior Sister Liu? Junior Sister Liu? Don’t daydream in class!” Zhao Chenyu actually dared to call his mother “junior sister.”

Zhao Chenyu’s slightly loud shout successfully pulled his mother’s thoughts back to reality.

“Ah? I wasn’t daydreaming! Brother Qin, you really are—” Mom tossed her hair, but stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence. She realized she had said the wrong thing.

“Huh?” Zhao Chenyu was also stunned. And I, hiding in the corner, was completely dumbfounded.

“Sigh! Look at me, I’ve been at school so long, I can’t even tell if I’m a student or a middle-aged woman anymore.” Mom sighed and mocked herself. The sadness in her eyes and the moonlight shining on her eyelashes created a striking contrast of light and shadow.

“That day at home, didn’t Xuanman say that if you wore her JK uniform, you’d definitely be number one on the school beauty list!” Zhao Chenyu boasted, patting his chest.

“Pfft—” Mom was finally amused by him and covered her mouth, leaning forward and laughing out loud. Her swaying shoulders caused her ample breasts to tremble.

“Alright, I know you’re just trying to make me happy, but I won’t wear it, and I don’t know what’s so good about it,” Mom said, covering her mouth as she stopped smiling.

“I’m telling the truth!” Zhao Chenyu exclaimed excitedly.

He suddenly stood up, knelt on one knee to his mother’s surprise, gently pulled away her hand that was still covering her mouth, placed it in his palm, and lowered his head to give her an incredibly gentlemanly kiss.

“In my heart, you are the most beautiful woman,” Zhao Chenyu said, as if confessing his love.

To my shock, my mother did not refuse this abrupt action.

“And what about Xuanman?” The mother slowly withdrew her hand, a complex, ambiguous smile on her face.

“She inherited your beauty~” Zhao Chenyu remained kneeling on one knee, looking up with an incredibly sincere gaze, giving the most perfect reply.

Mom gave a coquettish laugh, but there was no hint of reproach in her tone, “You said the same thing to your Aunt Ouyang, didn’t you?”

“That’s different…” Zhao Chenyu scratched his head.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asked curiously, her lips never twitching.

“Aunt Ouyang has such a domineering aura. In front of her, you’d probably have to kneel down and lick her feet,” Zhao Chenyu laughed.

“Pfft, haha~” Mom frowned at first, but then couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Your Aunt Ouyang isn’t that kind of person. She’s very kind to people she’s close to. If you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing in front of her, just ask me.”

“Yes! I definitely will. I will definitely give Xuanman, and you, happiness.” I don’t know which kind of “happiness” Zhao Chenyu is talking about.

“Alright, go back to sleep.” Mom got up, and I quickly hid in a dark corner.

“Oh, right, there’s something else.”

“You said…”

“It’s just… do you… take your medicine?” Mom asked very carefully, her voice much softer.

“Huh? What do you mean by taking medicine?” Zhao Chenyu sounded confused. “You know… Viagra and stuff like that…”

The mother spoke with great hesitation and embarrassment.

“No, really no!” But Zhao Chenxue’s refusal was extremely decisive, even carrying a hint of grievance from being wronged.

“No? That’s good…” Mom breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then you…you and Xuanman, be more restrained, and don’t make jokes indiscriminately, especially about elders.” The mother’s voice grew softer and softer.

“Okay, okay…” Zhao Chenyu agreed sheepishly. I quietly returned to my bedroom, my mind filled with questions.

Brother Qin? Who is that?

Once I got to school, it was back to the quiet yet busy life of coding. What made me even more gratified was that Jingyan was almost always by my side. I even felt that the person wearing the green mask in the video was a stranger.

And then there’s Mu Qianning. She was somewhat back to her college self, the same feisty and playful girl she used to be, bickering with me. But I don’t know what happened, but the way she looks at me now seems… fearful.

I don’t know why, and he wouldn’t tell me when I asked. One morning, I was staring at my computer looking at the latest paper that my advisor, Professor Li, had sent me when I heard that he and my dad were secretly planning a big project. And it involved me too.

“Buzz!” My phone vibrated with an incoming message. I opened it and saw it was from my mother.

“Come to my dorm for lunch.”

I smiled, tapped my finger lightly, and replied to my mother with an “OK”.

After leaving the laboratory building, I went straight to my mother’s faculty dormitory. As soon as I entered, the aroma of food wafted into my nose.

“Wow, Mom, what did you make today? It looks so delicious!” I walked through the entryway and looked into the kitchen.

But Mom wasn’t sitting in front of the stove. And when she saw me, she wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen.

Who is cooking?

“It’s Zhao Chenyu cooking,” Mom said with a smile, noticing the question in my eyes.

That sentence immediately extinguished my excitement.

Just as I was about to turn around and leave, my mother’s bedroom door suddenly opened, and it was Xuanman.

“Brother~ How easy is the CET-4 oral exam?” Her question made me unable to leave.

“You’re taking an oral exam?” I could only turn around and sit with her on the sofa in the living room.

“Yes, number 15.” Xuanman lay down on the sofa, resting her head on my lap. The moment we made contact, my first reaction was to instinctively try to pull away.

Ke Xuanman showed no signs of awkwardness, as if the previous heated argument had never happened.

Moreover, through her neckline, I could even clearly see her snow-white breasts squeezed together, and the alluring cleavage in the middle.

She’s still the same as before, my sweet little sister.

I’ve changed.

“Brother~ you still haven’t told me. I looked up the process on a certain website. Is there anything else I need to pay attention to?” Xuanman rolled over, her mouth facing my crotch.

“No, just take the normal exam. The process is very short.”

“Hmm~ Not bad, you’re a great cook. No wonder Xuanman said she’s gained weight.” Zhao Chenyu’s mother’s voice came from the kitchen praising him.

“I’m not fat!” Xuanman’s defiant scream immediately came from my lap. As the scream rang out, she sat up straight, but instead of sitting next to me, she insisted on riding on my back.

“Hey, you…” Although Xuanman smelled very nice, a strange sense of unfamiliarity still lingered in my heart.

“What’s wrong? You’re my brother! You won’t let me sit on you anymore? I’m going to bite you!”

As Xuanman spoke, she leaned down to bite my ear.

“Ah, you—”

“When I was little, my mom would smash schoolbags; that’s what we call making schoolbags around here. She didn’t have time to cook, so I would cook after school and we would eat together.” Zhao Chenyu’s calm voice came from the kitchen while Xuanman and I were playing around.

“Hmm~ You’re such a good child, you’ve suffered so much~” My mother’s voice was full of heartache. I glanced into the kitchen and saw through the glass that my mother’s hand was still on Zhao Chenning’s head.

“The child from back then has grown into a man!” Zhao Chenyu said, flipping a ladle as he spoke.

Mother smiled faintly, looking Zhao Chenyu up and down with admiration in her eyes. “The meal is ready. You two siblings, clear the table,” Mother called out.

“Okay! Just like at home, Chenyu cooks and I wash the dishes~ I cook and he washes the dishes~ Mom is the one who does all the work~ Boom boom boom!” Xuanman jumped off me, humming a strange rap tune, and skipped around to wipe the table and serve the rice.

At the dinner table—my mother and I sat next to each other, and across from me was Xuanman. Next to Xuanman, facing my mother, was Zhao Chenyu. The atmosphere was strangely harmonious, strangely harmonious.

“How are you? Is brother alright?” Xuanman pouted, looking at me with sparkling eyes. I ignored her and just kept picking at the rice in my bowl.

“Cough cough!” Mom coughed twice, as deliberately as could be. “Hmm!” I could only squeeze out a dull single sound from my throat, extremely unwillingly.

Eat more!

Mom even put a piece of shredded meat on my plate. “Mmm~ I’m full~” Xuanman clutched her stomach, lying listlessly in the chair, looking at…

He then lay back in the chair, stretching.

“Ah—” But as soon as she lay down, she sat up abruptly as if pricked by a needle.

“What’s wrong? Why are you so startled?” This time, Mom frowned.

“Oh no! I haven’t finished my military theory assignment yet!” Xuanman suddenly exclaimed, jumping up in a panic.

“Why are you in such a hurry to finish your homework!”

“It’s due during the first period this afternoon!”

As Xuanman spoke, she had already put on her shoes.

“Bang—” The door closed, and without Xuanman at the dining table, the atmosphere instantly became awkward.

“Um… Aunt Liu, senior, I’ll be going now too.” Zhao Chenyu put down his chopsticks and stood up.

“Okay! You should go back to your dorm and rest. Mom seems quite satisfied with the dinner.”

After Zhao Chenyu left, my mother and I tidied up the table.

“Xuanyu, tell me, how did you end up with Zhao Chenyu? Why are you acting like a wronged little wife?” Mom said to me while wiping the table.

“What, Mom? I…” I really didn’t know how to tell my mother those dirty truths.

“This child is not bad, it’s just that his family is not well-off. As his older brother, you should be more understanding,” the mother said calmly.

“What? Mom? I…I am.”

I kept quiet, and seeing that I was in a bad mood, my mother didn’t say anything more.

“Okay, are you going to take a nap?”

“Mom asked.”

“I’ll just lie on the sofa for a while.”

“Okay, I’m going to my bedroom to sleep for a while. Come back to bed when you feel sleepy.” Mom went into the bedroom without even closing the door.

I lay on the sofa, tossing and turning, trying to shake off the embarrassment. I glanced around unconsciously and saw my mother’s phone lying quietly on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

A wave of emotion washed over me as I recalled the conversation my mother had with Zhao Chenyu a couple of days ago, during which they talked about Brother Qin.

I jumped up instantly, lay on the sofa, and craned my neck to look into the bedroom. My mother was lying on the bed with her back to me. A light green blanket was covering her shapely body, rising and falling slightly with her steady breathing, like a tranquil grassland gently undulating in a breeze.

I quietly picked up my mother’s phone; the moment I unlocked it, my heart started pounding uncontrollably.

I first opened WeChat, and there was nothing strange about it. Sure enough, Zhao Chenyu reappeared in my mother’s friend list. It seems that my mother knew about my previous blocking.

However, there was nothing strange about their conversation.

But the name at the very top of my mother’s list caught my eye—”Mu Yuping”.

And the last message below is a [picture]. What picture?

I couldn’t resist clicking on it.

The phone almost slipped from my hand the instant the screen switched.

The two latest messages Mu Yuping sent to her mother were at 10:00 AM.

“I think this outfit suits you quite well /smirk” [Photo 1] In the photo, Mu Yuping is lying on the beach, her fair and charming body covered by only a three-piece swimsuit. The edge of the small triangular fabric on her chest even slightly reveals her red areola.

Her bright red hair, soaked by the seawater and scattered on her shoulders by the waves, resembled a red jellyfish lying on the beach, waiting for people to discover the “treasure” beneath it.

That’s definitely…too flashy. Mom saw the message, but didn’t reply. Did she not want to? Or did she just not have time?

I continued scrolling up, still wondering.

News from this morning.

Mu Yuping: “Is my sister in class?”

Mom: Yes

Mom: [A photo of the classroom]

Mu Yuping: “That short-haired boy with glasses seems to be secretly watching you.” Mom: “You’re joking again!”

I didn’t scroll up any further, but instead opened the chat history and kept scrolling down. As I watched the months flash by on the screen, a sense of surprise rose in my heart. My mother and Mu Yuping had already added each other as WeChat friends at the beginning of the year. I didn’t expect them to have known each other so long ago.

I’m going to start reading from the beginning. Mu Yuping: “Haha, little sister, I didn’t expect your WeChat Moments to be so professional?” The first sentence was a very familiar one, it seems they’ve been chatting quite well on Douyin.

As for my mother’s WeChat Moments, most of them are about daily family life and her reading reflections, which are full of the flavor of an intellectual female scholar.

Mom: “I just read books often, but sister, are these things on your WeChat Moments okay to post?” Mom’s words made me leave the chat history and click into Mu Yuping’s WeChat Moments.

Good heavens! I gasped when I saw it.

The latest one is a black and white video. In the video, Mu Yuping is sticking out her plump, upturned buttocks, lying face down on a dumbbell bench, her hands tightly gripping her incredibly slender waist.

This pose made her two full, round buttocks almost burst open under the thin yoga pants, and the deep cleft between them was full of endless sensual fantasies.

Scrolling down further, you’ll find various photos of Mu Yuping showing off her hot body, each one brimming with sensual and erotic content.

Whether it’s a bottomless cleavage or a round, perky buttock, each picture challenges the viewer’s visual senses.

I went back to the chat history.

Mu Yuping: “It’s nothing. I just like to post it. Besides, these WeChat accounts are mostly with close friends and family.”

Mom: “Then thank you for your kind words, sister.”

Mu Yuping: “Sister, you’re too kind. Didn’t you say you were annoyed?”

Mom: “Yes, my husband is busy with work, my son is never home, and my daughter is preparing for exams. I’m either incredibly bored or busy but seeing no results. Luckily, I know I need to give everything a gray area, otherwise I’d probably be depressed by now.”

This is the first time I’ve seen my mother mention depression in her writing.

Mu Yuping: “That’s just how it is at our age, relax~”

Mom: “But sister, I still can’t imagine the story you told me.”

Mu Yuping: “What’s so strange about it? The world is full of wonders. I’m already content. I’d be happy even if I left this world tomorrow, but I still don’t want to leave. I still want to watch my little one grow up.”

Mom: “That’s how it is. How are you going to explain this to Xiaobao later?”

Mu Yuping: “Explain? I never thought about explaining.” After that, her mother didn’t dare to ask these questions again. I scrolled down and found that most of the conversations were between her mother and Mu Yuping, “about life, about reading, about women’s everyday chats.” I also saw that they had many long video calls together.

I swiped upwards with all my might until my finger suddenly stopped on a picture.

Mu Yuping: “Little sister, how are you?”

Mu Yuping: [Photo 1]

In the photo, she lies naked on her side on a large bed in the bedroom. She faces the camera, with soft sunlight filtered through the curtains behind her.

She lazily rested one hand on her face, while the other casually rested on her hip. Her arm was pressed tightly against her alluring hourglass-like S-curve, and her full breasts and the thick, dark pubic hair between her tightly closed legs were displayed in front of the camera without any concealment, as if they were naturally formed.

The soft lighting further enhances the alluring and mature body, giving it a captivating and decadent sensuality.

Mom: “Very professional, very artistic. Did you go to have nude art photos taken?” Mu Yuping: “What? I just finished with my son, and he took these photos.” Mu Yuping’s casual words made even me, a man, feel like I was going to explode.

Mom: “Okay, I don’t know how to describe my little sister.”

Mu Yuping: “Haha, little sister, how often do you and your husband do it?”

Mom: “About a month… sometimes it might be two months.”

Mu Yuping: “Sigh, if I were a young girl, I might have been scared, but I’ve been through the same thing, and it was even worse than yours. I couldn’t sleep at night.”

Mom: “So that’s why you later…”

Mu Yuping: “Yeah, that’s why he made me like that. I thought I had found love, but I almost went insane. But by now, the grass on his grave should be two meters high, haha.”

Mom: “I have to say, Sister Mu, you have a really big heart.”

Mu Yuping: “I wish I were a more feminine woman. By the way, you showed me the photos the other day; your son is so handsome!”

Mom: “Sister Mu! Don’t you dare make a move on him!”

Mu Yuping: “Haha, I wouldn’t do that~ Everything I have belongs to my son. I didn’t mean to advise you and your son. Everyone has their own life. Whether it’s normal or not is none of other people’s business, because they don’t have my experience.”

Mom: “Yes, I don’t understand your behavior, sister, but I won’t criticize you.”

Mu Yuping: “I knew you would be my best friend.”

Mu Yuping: “Little sister, when you want something, do you use a toy?”

Mom: “No, I have a husband.”

Mu Yuping: “Come on, I don’t even know. It’s better if it doesn’t exist.”

Mom: “So, if you put it that way, what if your son also…”

Mu Yuping: “I don’t need to reach that age. In a few years, I won’t let him touch me anymore.”

Mu Yuping: “But I have enjoyed the time that can never be retrieved to the fullest.”

Mom: “That’s what cheaters think. People should have a bottom line. I love my husband very much, and he loves me too. Even if this kind of thing is very tempting, and I have had times when I couldn’t bear it, I would never betray him in this regard.”

Mu Yuping: “Our situations are different, and I envy you too.” My mother’s words made me feel fortunate to have a warm home, but another feeling of heartache also welled up in my heart because of Jingyan… she and I can no longer love each other as purely and beautifully as my parents.

I continued scrolling down.

Mu Yuping: “Little sister, have you made up your mind to go to university?”

Mom: “Yes.”

Mu Yuping: “It seems that the regret in your heart is preventing you from finding peace.”

Mom: “Regret? Not really.”

Mu Yuping: “You know that’s not what I meant.”

Mom: “What?”

Mu Yuping: “It’s just a little regret deep down inside you~ Hehe~”

Mom: “Oh dear! You’re teasing me again.”

Mu Yuping: “Whether it’s true or not, you know it yourself.”

I frowned. What regret?

Isn’t Mom’s regret that she wants to have some time that she can control herself?

I overheard my parents talking during sex before, but judging from Mu Yuping’s tone, it seems like she was implying something else.

I continued flipping through the pages and came to a point in time.

Mom: “Yuping, I have something to tell you.”

Call duration: 31 minutes and 54 seconds

Why did they make a voice call?! Seriously! I felt a wave of annoyance and wanted to know what my mother and Mu Yuping had talked about, but judging from the time of the call, it seemed to have happened when my mother was staying at Xuanman’s house.

As I scrolled down, although the chat between my mother and Mu Yuping was a bit explosive, there was no real danger between the two women. But Mu Yuping reminded me of another place – Douyin (TikTok).

I switched the app to Douyin and opened my mom’s private messages. After filtering out the irrelevant content, all that was left was this person named “Universe World”.

This muscular young man didn’t chat with his mother very often. Ning Mu Tianxia said, “Beautiful Ms. Wanwan, why aren’t you live streaming anymore? I wanted to send you a gift.”

Mom: “It’s rare, just occasionally. You’re not that old, and you didn’t earn the money yourself, so you should spend it yourself.”

Universe World: “Hehe, just kidding. You’re definitely different from those female streamers who only ask for gifts.”

Mom: “What do you watch often?”

Ning Mu Tianxia: “I was just saying, you are a pure fragrance among vibrant flowers, aloof and independent from the world.”

Mom: “Hmm~ That’s a very poetic statement.”

As I scrolled down, I saw that my mother and he started talking frequently from the time Xuanman graduated.

Mom: “What are you young people thinking these days?”

Universe World: “After eating and drinking my fill, I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, hehe.”

Mom: [A smiling emoji symbolizing wealth and prosperity]

Mom: “And then you built up a muscular physique?”

Universe World: “Do you prefer muscular or skinny guys?”

Mom: “As long as it’s symmetrical, that’s fine. Besides, I’m past the age of appreciating these things.”

Universe World: “Okay, I have a bad memory, so I only remembered the first four words.”

Mom: “Haha, you should answer my question.”

Universe World: “I think something must have happened to your child? Could it be a puppy love relationship?”

Mom: “How did you know?”

Universe World: “I was just guessing.”

Mother: “That’s true, and I’ve been doing psychological research lately, and I’ve found that your children these days…”

Mom: “How should I put it? Let me give you an analogy. You all seem more open-minded, but it always feels like your pores are much more closed off than those of people of our generation.”

Universe World: “I’d give this analogy 99 points; I’m leaving one point so you won’t get arrogant.”

Mom: “I keep a lot of things to myself.”

Ning Zhou Tianxia: “Then let’s do something big.”

Mom: “Yes!”

Universe World: “I think it’s precisely because of openness that we’ve become more closed off.”

Mom: “Hmm, that makes some sense. I’ll have to think about it.”

I continued scrolling down, past these everyday chats, so humorous, and always managing to capture my mother’s heart.

I even saw my mother say things like, “Are you a tapeworm in my stomach?”

But I stopped at one point. My mother asked, “Young people like you, especially those who work out or are athletes, do you have a strong sex drive?” My mother’s question made me pause.

Universe World: “Ah? You should know about these things…”

Mom: “I did know some things when I was young, but things are different now. I see that those who work out are much more muscular than before.”

Universe World: “You searched for bodybuilding, right? This is actually not it. Professional bodybuilders are actually not good.”

Mom: “Why?”

Universe World: “Because bodybuilders need to use performance-enhancing drugs, which can affect the body’s secretions. For example, some drugs can affect testosterone, just like insulin. Once insulin is used, the pancreas gradually stops working.”

Mom: “So that’s how it is.”

Universe World: “Those who exercise frequently and athletes tend to have stronger sexual desires. This is one of the reasons why condoms are so popular at the Olympics; you can’t buy them just to compete in blowing up balloons, can you?”

Mom: [A laughing emoji symbolizing wealth and prosperity]

I continued flipping through the pages, and there wasn’t anything particularly important left, so it’s clear that this “Words Under Heaven” doesn’t refer to Brother Qin.

So… who is Brother Qin?