I Became the Mother of His Child

All the military wives present were no fools. Although Guo Cuiping was calmly asking about the incident with Zhao Nan, the reminder interlaced in her words was very clear; otherwise, there would be no need for her to specifically add the sentence, "Zhao Nan, you are Shi Tao's older brother," before she spoke. It was obvious she feared that Zhao Nan might not understand her implication and say something that would not be in Shi Tao's favor.

Of course, it also made it easy to understand that, in her heart, Guo Cuiping was well aware of her son's character, but she didn't think it was wrong to protect him.

Upon hearing what Guo Cuiping had said, Xu Xiuxiu's heart tightened, then she looked at the silent Zhao Nan standing to the side, feeling a nameless flame beginning to burn within her.

"Zhao Nan, tell us, did Shi Tao take their rattle?" Guo Cuiping's confidence seemed to grow with Zhao Nan's silence, and she asked again.

Xu Xiuxiu couldn't bear to see Zhao Nan's struggle between honesty and lies. She knew he might be afraid of telling the truth and angering Guo Cuiping or perhaps for other reasons. But in any case, Xu Xiuxiu couldn't bear to watch Zhao Nan like this: "Let it be, it's just a child's plaything. Let's not concern ourselves with who's right or wrong. It's just a small rattle. Why make such a fuss over it? My Chengguang is also still young; he might have seen it wrong." Xu Xiuxiu proposed to casually gloss over the matter.

Zhao Nan's expression was too twisted with conflict and pain. As an adult who had also interacted with Zhao Nan, she asked herself whether she could bring herself to make things difficult for him. She believed in Chengguang's nature and had guessed the true facts of the matter. However, she still planned to lightly turn the page on the incident, for the sake of Zhao Nan, because it wasn't necessary to dig to the root of a child's issue. To let bygones be bygones was a kindness; otherwise, it would be awkward for everyone.

"Mommy, Chengguang didn't see it wrong," said Song Chengguang, also somewhat surprised why Xu Xiuxiu would say such a thing. Pouting, he tugged at the sleeve of Xu Xiuxiu's clothes to defend his eyesight.

"Good boy," Xu Xiuxiu soothed, stroking the little guy's cheek to calm his emotions.

"Hmph!" At the same time, Guo Cuiping also snorted coldly after Song Chengguang finished speaking. As if she had taken the wrong medication for no apparent reason, she seemed to be oblivious to Xu Xiuxiu's intent to step back and keep the peace, stubbornly glanced at Zhao Nan, then threw out a harsh statement: "Such a way of handling the situation won't do for Lieutenant Colonel Song's family. Although your Chengguang is young, his age is not an excuse, nor is it a pretext for making reckless accusations. Just now, your Chengguang accused my Shi Tao of not being clean-handed, and as a mother, I absolutely cannot let people casually slander my son. So today, unless we get things clear, there's no way I can swallow this grievance. I ask that Lieutenant Colonel Song's family give me an explanation." Guo Cuiping said, indicating she was prepared to turn the tables.

Guo Cuiping's words were reasonable only if Shi Tao was indeed innocent; otherwise, what was the point of insisting? Was it to be slapped in the face? Or did Guo Cuiping firmly believe that Zhao Nan would lie outright?

Thinking this, Xu Xiuxiu gently embraced Song Chengguang in her arms, and looking at Guo Cuiping's smug expression, she was somewhat speechless. Seeing Shi Tao's defiant look of not fearing the situation's escalation as he provocatively held his head high toward Zhao Nan only made Xu Xiuxiu feel that Guo Cuiping was utterly shameless. With that thought, Xu Xiuxiu felt an inexplicable urge to tear off the mask of pretense from Guo Cuiping's face.

"Since sister-in-law Zhao insists so much, I have no objections," Xu Xiuxiu spoke leisurely.

"Good, since that's the case, then Zhao Nan, you hurry up and tell us, did you see Shi Tao take the rattle just now? If not, you can't lie—let people wrong your brother like that. As his older brother, you must stand up and prove Shi Tao's innocence. We can't just let him be bullied for nothing..." Guo Cuiping urged the dejected Zhao Nan, speaking with some excitement, just like any ordinary mother who, when her son is bullied, fiercely stands up wanting to seek justice for her child.

"Shi Tao not only took the rattle, but he also hid something else in his pocket," Zhao Nan's reply was very composed.

As Zhao Nan spoke, his words cut off Guo Cuiping's unfinished sentence. Abruptly, the air froze, the furious expression on Guo Cuiping's face vanished, replaced by a flash of astonishment and irritation. It seemed like only then did Guo Cuiping realize that Zhao Nan had spoken, and worse, it was detrimental to Shi Tao.

"Zhao Nan, what nonsense are you spouting? Do you have no sense of loyalty? Shi Tao is your brother, and here you are framing our Shi Tao for some outsider. What's wrong with you? After all I do for you every day, tending to your needs, how can you be so ungrateful? Do you really wish harm on Shi Tao..." Guo Cuiping was visibly agitated, her voice hoarse as she scolded Zhao Nan, pulling Shi Tao closer to Zhao Nan with the intention to slap him.

"Guo Cuiping, we can talk without resorting to violence. This is my house, not a place where you can do whatever you want. Besides, it was you who forced the child to tell the truth just now, and now that Nannan has spoken the truth, it's also you who wants to hit someone..." Xu Xiuxiu intervened, her voice not soft by any means.

Guo Cuiping's raised hand to hit Zhao Nan stopped: "Is it any of your business how I discipline my child?" Guo Cuiping snorted at Xu Xiuxiu.

"I can't control how you discipline your child, but if you're planning to wring a confession out of Zhao Nan by hitting him until he retracts his statement right in front of me, then I, Xu Xiuxiu, certainly won't agree!" Xu Xiuxiu stood her ground firmly.

Initially, the altercation here had not caught the attention of the men playing cards on the other side, but Guo Cuiping's previous outburst was loud enough that the group of men had now put down their cards and came over.

"What's going on?" Song Yuanhuan went straight to Xu Xiuxiu's side, looking at Song Chengguang, who was huddled miserably in her embrace: "Song Chengguang, you're not young anymore, how can you always cling to your mother? Come to daddy here." Song Yuanhuan said coldly, then reached out and took Song Chengguang from Xu Xiuxiu's arms.

"Dad, Shi Tao took little sister's rattle, it was a gift I gave to her, and she really liked it," Song Chengguang was definitely a little schemer; his tattling instantly turned Song Yuanhuan, who doted on his daughter, red-faced with anger.

"Little sister's rattle?" Song Yuanhuan stared at Song Chengguang, questioning.

"Mhmm," Song Chengguang nodded his little head.

The rattle, Shi Tao had taken his daughter's rattle! Song Yuanhuan's cold gaze swept toward Shi Tao, who was hiding behind Guo Cuiping.

"I didn't take it," Shi Tao insisted defiantly.

"You did take it. Both Brother Nan and I saw it, and grandma saw it too," Song Chengguang frowned and retorted to Shi Tao, that bad guy, even making faces at him! Too hateful.