Chapter 160
"By the way, do you remember Lewis who used to live next door to us?" Wan Ruohua asked in a relaxed tone as she put the food on the table.
"Well, I heard that they hooked up with some big shots and the whole family moved to Devon Street. What's going on?" Xi Zhenhai asked while distributing chopsticks.
"His son is getting married, and I heard the other party's family is very rich!" Wan Ruohua said with some envy, "They drove back a few days ago and gave each family some candy and snacks."
The two chatted while eating breakfast. Although the meals were simple, the dishes carefully prepared looked delicious.
Daughter Xi Yanxin is unable to eat normal meals now, and relies on specially prepared nutrient solution to maintain life. But she likes the feeling of eating with her family. At this time, her bed head is raised, and she watches her parents eat and talk with a smile in her eyes. Although there is no talk, it still makes people feel the warmth and care between family members.
It was as if the breakdown and crying of the previous night, and the topics of giving up and persisting had never existed.
Just like in the past, they ate, chatted, gossiped at the dinner table, enjoyed the rare family reunion and warmth, and tried to create an atmosphere that everything was fine for their daughter who was fighting the disease.
Perhaps because the pillar of the family finally returned, Wan Ruohua and Xi Yanxin's mental state was obviously much better. Especially Wan Ruohua, after a thorough emotional release and a night of rest, her face showed a rare glow. Although her eyes and face were still a little swollen, her expression was obviously different from last night.
Only Xi Zhenhai, although he also rested at home for a night, felt more tired than working for three consecutive days and nights. Even every word he said, the food in his mouth, the smiles on his wife and daughter's faces, everything around him... made him feel absurd and depressed.
Sometimes he even wanted to roar, to shout, to overturn the table, to smash everything... But in the end, he just steadily stretched out his chopsticks to pick up a piece of pickled vegetable, with a smile on his face and an expression of listening attentively.
Suddenly, a series of knocks on the door interrupted Wan Ruohua's words, and the room became quiet for a moment.
Xi Yanxin narrowed her eyes. Even though her vision was so blurred that she could not see her parents' facial features clearly, she could still see that her father seemed to be relieved at that moment, and her mother's mouth corners pulled down, her lips trembling slightly, turning into an extremely sad but still patient expression.
It was only a short moment, and then the parents put on their most accustomed masks again. Xi Yanxin, lying on the bed, saw all of this, her eyes were as calm as water, without any unnecessary tremors.
Xi Zhenhai put down his chopsticks, stood up and said, "I don't know who is coming, I'll go check it out."
Wan Ruohua also stood up with concern, but a family like theirs didn't care about socializing, so she stayed in her daughter's room and didn't go out.
The two heard Xi Zhenhai's voice coming from outside: "Auntie Mu, why are you here?"
Then an old but excited voice came out: "Zhenhai, my Azhe is back!"
"It seems that Aunt Mu is in good spirits today." Wan Ruohua first whispered to her daughter.
Because when Muter was conscious, he would call Xi Zhenhai "Zhenhai" or just call him by his full name. When he was not so conscious, he would treat him as the child who was still in school and call him "Xiaohai".
Afterwards, Wan Ruohua noticed what Muter said afterwards.
"Azhe is back? Is this true?"
She couldn't help but stand up, walked to the door and looked out.
Muter pulled a young man out from behind him and said happily, "Look, my Azhe is back! He hasn't forgotten me as his mother! He's back!"
When he said the last sentence, Muter couldn't help but raise his voice. Some people in the houses nearby heard it and leaned out to look around, saying, "Is he really back?"
“It seems so!”
"Is it Azhe? Where has this kid been all these years?"
"Aunt Mu finally brought the person back! I told you, this child grew up under our watch, it's impossible for him to be so heartless! Now he's back!"
"It's good to be back. Aunt Mu is getting old, and having a son around is more reassuring."
"I don't know if it's because he can't make it out there anymore..."
People who knew about Muter's experiences over the years talked about it a lot. Some gave their blessings, some were happy for Muter, and some even whispered strange things.
Muter held Rongyuan's arm tightly, her back straight, like a general returning from a hundred battles, proudly and happily accepting the review of the world, while declaring her success. The knowledge that "her son is by her side" alone made her feel supreme happiness.
The nosy neighbors stood not far away and watched Muter's son return home after a long absence. They couldn't help but marvel at his appearance, posture, and demeanor, and suspected that he had made a name for himself outside. Some people who sympathized with Muter couldn't help but lecture him in an elderly manner:
"Azhe, now that you're back, don't let your mother worry anymore and live a good life at home!"
"Yeah, Azhe, you don't know how hard your mother has been through these years, you can't let her worry anymore!"
"You are old now. Go find a decent job, marry a wife, and live happily with your family. Don't be so naive like before."
Muter had no reaction when others said something about her, but she would not agree when it came to her precious son, even if they were standing on her side to teach her son a lesson. Hearing that some old acquaintances had the intention of blaming her son, Muter hurriedly said: "Our Azhe is very sensible! He finally came back, and I asked him to rest for a few more days, but he refused to do so. Seeing that the family conditions were poor, he insisted on finding a job to supplement the family income!"
Everyone looked at "Muzhe" with suspicion, unable to believe that this famous playboy could have such awareness.
Rong Yuan just stood beside Muter, letting her hold his arm, without explanation or argument. He looked quiet, well-behaved, and surprisingly calm.
But Muter had no doubt about her son. She turned to Xi Zhenhai, who had been silent, and said, "Zhenhai, you are the most promising person among the people Aunt Mu knows, and you know a lot of people. Can you find a job for our Azhe? The salary doesn't matter, but it can't be too tiring. You also know that Azhe has been weak since he was a child..."
Xi Zhenhai didn't listen to Muter's words carefully. He was staring at "Muzhe" seriously with an ugly look on his face.
Muzhe has been away from home for many years. The neighbors around him are not familiar with the boy who used to study and dream. In addition, the man in front of them has some similarities with Azhe in facial features, so they feel strange. It can also be understood that his appearance has changed after growing up, so they do not doubt it.
But Xi Zhenhai 's family has a good relationship with Muter. In the past, the boy named Muzhe liked to follow Xi Zhenhai and play for a long time, and they are very familiar with each other.
Therefore, Xi Zhenhai recognized at a glance that the person in front of him was not Mu Zhe!
But seeing Mu Teer's current state, Xi Zhenhai didn't have the heart to expose the scam in person. After Mu Teer finished her long list of requests, he said, "Don't worry, Aunt Mu, leave A Zhe to me. I promise to find him a good job. You can go back first."
"Oh, oh, okay."
Mu Teer reluctantly let go of Rong Yuan's arm and said, "Azhe, Mom will go back and cook for you first, you have to come back early!"
"Yeah, okay."
Xi Zhenhai saw the young man in front of him speak for the first time. His tone was gentle and his voice was like a spring hitting the water or a flute sounding in an empty mountain. It had a leisurely and calm flavor.
Muter turned around and took two steps, then turned back and said, "Mom made your favorite roasted popcorn meat for you, you must come back early to eat it!"
"Yeah, okay."
Seeing Mu Teer walking away, the neighbors dispersed after watching for a while. At this time, they heard Mu Teer, who had already walked to the street corner, turned around again and said loudly with concern: "Azhe, don't play too much, come back early!"
"good!"
Rong Yuan responded again, waved goodbye, and watched Mu Teer, who kept looking back, disappear from the corner. He turned to Xi Zhenhai, who had been looking at him with caution, and said, "Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Rong Yuan."
" Hey...you, you are not..."
Wan Ruohua was surprised. When she married Xi Zhenhai, Muzhe had already started to plan to leave. The two had only met before and were not familiar with each other, so they did not recognize that he was not the same person as before.
Xi Zhenhai was also a little surprised. He thought that since this person pretended to be Muzhe to deceive Muter, he must have some bad intentions. Seeing him reveal his identity at this time, it was completely different from what Xi Zhenhai had expected. He was also stunned for a moment, then relaxed his expression and asked: "Who are you? Why do you pretend to be Aunt Mu's son?"
Rong Yuan said helplessly: "It's not that I want to pretend, but she recognized the wrong person..."
Last night, Rong Yuan, who had just arrived in Liukasiao, was suddenly stopped on the street and mistakenly recognized. He patiently waited for the old man to finish crying, and then explained his identity. Unexpectedly, Muter could not bear the joy and sorrow afterwards, and fell down directly with her hands on her chest, unable to breathe. If Rong Yuan had not been by her side, she would have died.
Afterwards, after being rescued by Rong Yuan, Muter seemed to have completely forgotten what he had said before. He only remembered that he finally found his son, hugged him and cried bitterly, and then insisted on taking his son home.
Rong Yuan was helpless, knowing that if he revealed his identity again, it would just repeat what had just happened, and it would not be surprising that the old man who had placed all his life on his son would die directly after his hopes were dashed. So he had no choice but to pretend that he was "Mu Zhe" and followed the old man back home.
——Although his actual age may be older than this old man’s father.
