However, Han Qing did not think that his mother had done his father any wrong. Instead, he felt even more guilty, because his father might still be alive if it wasn’t for him. But what happened had already come to pass. There were no ifs and buts, and certainly no turning back.
Hence, he took on the responsibility of looking for his sister. Once he found her, he treated her kindly and was a responsible brother. He gave her all the love that she deserved, whether it was fatherly, motherly, or brotherly love. After hearing Han Qing’s story, Yan felt shocked and saddened at the same time. She had never expected that there was such a complicated past.
What made her sad was the fact that one’s feelings couldn’t be controlled. When Madam Han developed feelings for her childhood friend, she felt guilty toward her late husband. As for Muzi’s biological father, even after much sacrifice, he still had no inkling that the lady he liked had feelings toward him too, leaving him to die with regrets. Of course, the one who suffered the most was none other than Han Qing.
He lost three family members in a row, who were the closest to him. Needless to say, it must have been a huge blow. As Yan came to that conclusion, her eyes started to tear up. She reached out to wrap Han Qing in a tight hug. “What’s wrong?” Han Qing asked her with a faint smile.
“From now on, I’ll keep you warm. Our children and I will always stay by your side, and I’ll grow old with you.”
Han Qing could feel the warmth spread through his heart upon hearing her words. He never expected to get a heartfelt confession from Yan when telling her about his past. In fact, his cold façade began chipping away the moment he met Yan. In the past, besides being gentle toward his sister, he was emotionless most of the time. He felt more human-like now, with warmth in his heart.
“I’ll hold you to that promise. You can’t go back on your words; otherwise…” Han Qing paused for a moment, then he whispered in Yan’s ear with a deep voice, “I won’t let you go even if death tries to pull us apart.”
…
With the twins still young, Yan felt bored being home alone. Thus, Han Muzi would often bring Little Sprout to visit. Little Sprout had grown to become more bright and beautiful, with eyes an exact replica of Han Muzi’s. She even knew how to greet her Aunt Yan, but she could barely pronounce it even after being taught by Yan several times.
This little girl looked intelligent, with a pair of eyes that could seemingly talk. She was wonderful, except for her laughter. Her laughter sounded a little silly, but she loved to laugh.
When Yan met Muzi again, she was reminded about the things that Han Qing said, and the fact that Muzi and Han Qing aren’t actual siblings. Although she was reminded about those things, she would keep it to herself.
“Aunt Yan! Mommy, Yaya, and I are here to visit you.” Little Bean had grown much taller in the year that passed. In fact, he was so tall he seemed like he was going to be a young adult soon, except for his small, skinny face.
Yan bent down to pinch his cheeks. “Little Bean, how can you be so tall but so skinny?”
After hearing Yan’s words, Little Bean put on a pitiful look and whined softly, “This is all because of you, Aunt Yan. After becoming a mother, you have no time for me anymore.”
Yan used to pamper Little Bean to no end, and he loved her cooking. But ever since she became pregnant, he never got to enjoy her cooking anymore. He thought he could see Yan every day and enjoy her cooking after she became his aunt. However, things were not going the way he expected. His mom also spent most of her time with either his bad daddy or Little Sprout. But Little Sprout was his sister, so he shouldn’t hold it against her. But that daddy of mine is really bad! He made it seem as if Mommy solely belongs to him! Little Bean loathed Ye Moxuan.
“Oh dear.” Yan stroked Little Bean’s head and ruffled his hair. “Seems like someone is angry with me. Shall I cook something delicious for you today?”
Little Bean harrumphed and turned away.
“Don’t be angry anymore, alright? I was pregnant, so I couldn’t take care of you, but you were never far from my mind. Now that I have free time on my hands, you can come over whenever you want. You can even move in here too!”
“Come on.” Han Muzi poked his back lightly. “How old are you to pester your aunt like this? Don’t you know that it’s not easy during pregnancy? I, too, suffered a lot when I was pregnant with you.”
Little Bean turned around and hugged her tightly. Lifting his little head, he said, “It must’ve been hard on you, Mommy. I was just joking with Aunt Yan.”
That day, Yan cooked for everyone. She even called Han Qing to let him know that Little Bean and Han Muzi were in their home. Han Qing told her that he would swing by in the afternoon. After calculating, Yan decided to cook for six.
This included Han Muzi, her mother, Han Qing, Little Bean, Little Sprout, and herself. As Yan was preparing to boil the rice, Luo Huimei couldn’t help but ask, “How many people are you cooking for?”
“Probably six.”
“Six? That’s all?”
Yan nodded. Then, Luo Huimei went up to her and berated. “You are a mother now. How can you still be so thoughtless? If we have six people altogether, then you should cook for at least seven people, so that we have more than enough if someone has a huge appetite, or another who drops by unannounced.”
Upon hearing her mother’s explanation, Yan thought that it was reasonable. So, she added more rice.
“Also, why isn’t Muzi’s husband here today? Maybe you should add more rice. He will probably come over later to look for Muzi and their children.”
“Don’t worry about it, Mom. Muzi told me that her husband isn’t coming over today, because he has a meeting this afternoon.” Otherwise, she would’ve prepared seven portions.
“That’s the plan, but who knows? The meeting may be canceled, and he might turn up. If that happens and there isn’t enough food on the table, wouldn’t it be awkward?”
“I guess so.” Yan scratched the back of her head. “I’ll cook more then?”
“Yan, you should be more alert on these matters. You don’t need to do this if it’s only you and your husband. However, if you have guests around, it’s better to be more detailed to avoid any embarrassment.”
“Okay.”
Seeing her daughter nod her head vigorously, Luo Huimei flicked Yan’s head with her fingers lightly. “Do watch and learn.”
Sure enough, Ye Moxuan’s car pulled up at the main door before noon. A tall figure stepped out from the car. Ye Moxuan was still as handsome as ever. With wide shoulders and long legs, he gave out an icy-cold vibe. No one would ever associate this psychopath with being a doting husband.
