I Became the Mother of His Child

"Oh my! Sister, just look at your sister-in-law, what a paragon of virtue!" Xu Jingjing, who had just gotten up, promptly perked up with praise upon seeing the breakfast Song Yuanyao had prepared, then without any reserve, directly sat down at the table to enjoy it, "With Yuanyao here, Sister, you must really despise me! I'm always just stretching out my hand for free food and drink..."

"Sister Jingjing, you just love to make fun of me," Song Yuanyao joked, well acquainted with Xu Jingjing and on good terms with her, even to the point of jesting with each other, "Don't you believe I'll throw down my ladle and quit at noon, then you'll be the one to wash up and cook the soup." Song Yuanyao playfully threatened.

"Yuanyao, you rest at noon, and since Xu Jingjing is so self-aware, she can do the cooking!" Xu Xiuxiu declared with a sudden cutting remark to Xu Jingjing while eating her bowl of plain congee.

Song Yuanyao was stunned at the words, "Uh, Sister-in-law, I was just kidding."

"Sister, you're serious?! You know what my cooking is like, better than anyone. You really dare to eat what I make?" Xu Jingjing wore a look of complete surprise, then firmly undersold her own culinary skills.

Xu Jingjing's cooking skills were once only average, but since she started getting involved with Sichuan Pavilion, her cooking had improved rapidly. After all, to manage a restaurant well, she at least couldn't be bad at cooking, so she had started learning right from the beginning and luckily, she had a talent for it.

However, it seemed that people who can cook, unless they truly love it, usually don't easily take to the kitchen—perhaps because they have done it so much. Just like Chef Huang, the head chef at the Sichuan Pavilion flagship store, he was a chef at work, but at home, he never cooked, preferring to eat undesirable meals.

"Yuanyao, be good and take a few days off to rest, and leave the cooking duties to your Sister Jingjing," Xu Xiuxiu chuckled, raising her head to look at Song Yuanyao and Xu Jingjing, "Jingjing, didn't you say I would despise you? I indeed do, so conscientiously take over the kitchen at noon! Make sure to perform well!" Xu Xiuxiu felt that Xu Jingjing was being too cheeky and bullying Yuanyao a bit, how could she let her sister-in-law bear the burden alone? It was only fair to have them share the chores!

"Sister..." Xu Jingjing called out, suddenly feeling dismayed.

Xu Xiuxiu flashed a smile at Xu Jingjing before she ignored her grievances and blissfully continued with her breakfast.

Song Yuanyao was somewhat used to the dynamic between Xu Xiuxiu and Xu Jingjing, and hearing Xu Xiuxiu's directive, she had no objection and casually nodded in agreement.

Xu Jingjing knew Xu Xiuxiu was set on enslaving her; she wanted to struggle against it, but then she thought of her brother-in-law who had been out for several days without returning. Moreover, she had heard that there had been a widespread flood near Z City of F Province and that just yesterday, the dam had even breached. It seemed to be quite serious, and though she wasn't exactly sure what her brother-in-law was up to, he was in the military, so she needed only to put two and two together to figure it out.

Her family had been quite worried about this, and although she hadn't shown much concern, after some deep contemplation, she finally compromised, resembling a defeated rooster with her once proud head now hung low.

Just at that moment.

"Mama, brother and sister are awake," Song Chengguang mumbled groggily as he woke up, clutching his little pillow and walking out of the bedroom. He called out to Xu Xiuxiu, who was eating downstairs in the living room.

"Okay, Mama knows," Xu Xiuxiu immediately put down her spoon and went into the bedroom to check on the twins. After swiftly assessing that both had wet their diapers, she quickly changed them.

"Mama, sister can call me 'brother' now!" Song Chengguang followed Xu Xiuxiu into the bedroom, still holding onto his little pillow. As Xu Xiuxiu was changing the twins' diapers, the little guy prattled on with a mix of pride and arrogance about how his sister had called him 'brother.'

Just before waking up to the twins' babbling, Song Chengguang, in his dazed state, heard Little Baby's voice calling him 'brother.' Although it wasn't clear—a mere "gah"—and probably just a sound made by chance, Song Chengguang was overjoyed and took it as Little Baby being able to call him 'brother.' He was so delighted that he felt like he was on cloud nine.

"Really?" Xu Xiuxiu was quite surprised, "Our Little Baby can call 'brother' now!" She paused her diaper changing, playfully pinching the little one's soft bottom. But after jesting, her mood turned somewhat deflated, "Little ingrate, you can call 'daddy' and 'brother,' but when will you learn to say 'mama'? Are you doing this on purpose?" She grumbled with resentment, complaining about her daughter's bias.

Now they can say 'daddy' and 'brother', but when will they learn to say 'mama'? Xu Xiuxiu felt an unexplainable sense of frustration swelling in her chest.

"Mama, don't tease sister," Song Chengguang, severely overprotective of his sister, saw Xu Xiuxiu pinch Little Baby's bottom. He knew his sister probably felt no pain since she was still grinning cheekily, but he couldn't help himself and had to speak up, his protective intentions clear as day.

"Stinker, when have I ever teased your sister?" Xu Xiuxiu felt peeved, tapping the head of Song Chengguang, who was intently watching her every move without putting down his pillow.

Song Chengguang immediately covered his head, puffing up his cheeks, "You just pinched sister's bottom." His large eyes accused her, and his cheeks continued to inflate, "Daddy said sister is delicate and precious, so we can't even touch her without washing our hands, let alone pinch her. Being pinched must hurt."

"...Are these father and son, with their daughter and sister complexes, trying to drive me insane?"

"Fine, I'll treat her like a treasure in my palm, alright!" Xu Xiuxiu finally managed to retort after being speechlessly choked for a moment, then exaggeratedly promised as if it cost her dearly.

"Mhm," Song Chengguang, hearing Xu Xiuxiu's resentful response, instead of soothing her as he usually would, even hummed in agreement as if he had just gotten the outcome he desired.

"Enough, stop looking. Go wash up and eat breakfast," Xu Xiuxiu pushed when she saw Song Chengguang was still not planning to leave.

"Mama, first bring sister to the living room. I want to watch her eat breakfast," Song Chengguang spun his pleading eyes and made a request.

Xu Xiuxiu, who was just about to change Little Moon's diaper, stopped in her tracks, turned her head to look at the earnest Song Chengguang, and suddenly felt exasperated. Was this little guy suggesting she might secretly bully his sister when he wasn't looking? Ah! Was there any need to guard against her like this? She was their birth mother, after all! Was she being made out to be some kind of beast or what?