Lin Wan froze.
“So today is your birthday, Lin Wan? Look at us, we had no idea,” Mother Qu also looked surprised for a moment, then quickly smiled. “Happy birthday! We’ll make up for the gift later.”
Lin Wan subconsciously shook her head, staring in a daze at Lin Zhenmo, who had a sullen face and said nothing, but whose ears were bright red, the color almost creeping down to his neck. She opened her mouth, but for a moment didn’t know what to say.
A mix of emotions surged within her.
She didn’t even have time to wonder how he had found out about her birthday. It never crossed her mind that this hair clip was actually a birthday gift from her son.
But what filled her heart first wasn’t gratitude, it was fear and panic.
Just thinking about how she had come home that afternoon, when Xiao Mo had probably wanted to give her the gift, only to be inexplicably scolded by her and driven away in anger, made her heart twist painfully. She didn’t even dare to imagine how her son must have felt then.
Was he very upset? Did he think she didn’t deserve to be a mother?
Would he be disappointed in her from now on?
A bitterness spread across her tongue. “This… was from Xiao Mo?”
However, hearing the tremble in her airy voice, Lin Zhenmo didn’t understand why she looked so pained. Mistaking her expression for dislike, he tugged at the corner of his mouth, as if he had expected it all along, and said coolly, “It was just something I picked up. If you don’t like it, just throw it away.”
“I’m not—” Lin Wan grew anxious. She straightened up and looked at Lin Zhenmo, her eyes slightly red. “I… I really like it.”
She gathered her courage to meet her son’s pitch-black eyes—eyes exactly like the man’s in her memories—and repeated earnestly, word by word, “I truly like it. Thank you, Xiao Mo.”
Lin Zhenmo’s expression turned subtly complicated, as if he didn’t quite believe her words were sincere.
Qu Tantan hugged her mother’s arm and smiled sweetly. “I knew Aunt Wan would like it! After all, this is Lin Zhenmo’s precious gesture to celebrate Aunt Wan’s birthday.
“He’s been coming home late recently because he’s been delivering milk and handing out flyers. He used the money he saved to pick out that pearl hair clip,” she said seriously. “So I believe Aunt Wan definitely won’t dislike this gift, right?”
Lately, Lin Zhenmo had been coming home late often. Naturally, Lin Wan had asked out of concern, but he never explained. If she asked too many times, he’d get impatient and retreat to his room, clearly unwilling to talk with her.
She had tried to pick him up from school, only to be coldly rejected. He even mocked her, saying he hadn’t needed to be picked up for a long time. Lin Wan felt as if a knife had pierced her heart. Feeling guilty, she didn’t dare press him. She could only compromise and try her best to come home early every day to cook and wait for him.
She never imagined the secret he had been hiding was this.
Lin Wan nodded quickly and firmly. “Of course not. I’m too happy, why would I ever dislike it?”
She couldn’t help but reach out to hug the stubborn child. Even though he awkwardly refused, she wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, she traced his face with her gaze bit by bit.
As Lin Zhenmo grew more and more like his father, every time she saw his face, Lin Wan couldn’t help but feel afraid and want to run. She also felt guilty and ashamed when she thought of her sister.
She had been so terribly afraid of that man and couldn’t bear to recall what had happened that night. That’s why she had always avoided looking directly at her child. It felt like she hadn’t looked at him this carefully in a long, long time.
In truth, today wasn’t Lin Wan’s birthday. Her identification documents were fake. And because of the absurd events that happened on that night on her birthday, she had since avoided any talk about birthdays altogether.
But she never expected that Xiao Mo would secretly memorize the birth date on her ID, and start saving money long ago to celebrate her birthday.
She, as a mother, had truly failed. She had chosen to give birth to him, yet she hadn’t taken proper care of him. Instead, he had ended up taking care of her.
Her throat was dry. She wiped her tears messily and silently decided. From today on, this day would be her birthday.
Yes, she should have realized it earlier. The moment she chose to escape, it was a new beginning.
And of course, a new beginning deserves a new birthday.
Thinking this, Lin Wan let go completely and, despite Lin Zhenmo’s resistance, gave him a strong hug. The warmth of her embrace made Lin Zhenmo instinctively freeze, then gradually relax. Though he didn’t reply, his ears turned red again.
Seeing that the misunderstanding between mother and son seemed to finally be resolved, Mother Qu let out a sigh of relief. To lighten the mood, she deliberately looked down and said teasingly, “Oh my, just look at other people’s kids, so thoughtful toward their moms.”
Qu Tantan didn’t like that and immediately nuzzled into her Mom’s arms like a little puppy. Hooking her arms around her mother’s neck, she sweetly cooed, “I’m Mom’s little sweetheart too! When it’s your birthday, Tan Bao’er will definitely give you a gift you’ll love!”
Hearing her Dad cough loudly in the background, she quickly added, “Of course, Dad too!”
She announced loudly, “Tan Bao’er loves Dad and Mom the most!”
Father and Mother Qu exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but laugh.
With that cheerful commotion, the heavy atmosphere instantly lightened. Watching Qu Tantan nestled against her mother, the intimacy between them so apparent, Lin Wan couldn’t help but feel a stir of longing in her heart.
But when she lowered her head and saw her son’s stubborn and cold expression, she shrank her neck slightly, feeling sure he would push her away. Regretfully, she withdrew her feelings. That hug just now had already been the bravest thing she could muster. Now, under his chilly gaze, she didn’t dare try provoking him again.
Just before leaving, Mother Qu seemed to remember something. In front of Lin Zhenmo, she patted Lin Wan on the shoulder and said, “Since Xiao Mo had his reasons, you don’t need to worry too much.”
“You two, honestly, your problem is just a lack of communication. Things that could be cleared up with a few words, you keep bottled up and overthink. Now that Xiao Mo’s issue is clarified, as a mother you should also set a good example and explain clearly what happened today.”
Lin Wan was momentarily stunned. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Xiao Mo seemed to be looking their way. She nodded and replied a bit embarrassedly, “You’ve really helped us a lot today. I don’t even know how to thank you…”
Mama Qu waved her hand casually. “It’s nothing. We’re neighbors, it’s only right to help each other. It’s already so late, and no one’s had dinner yet. Don’t bother seeing us off, just hurry and make dinner for the kid.”
Lin Wan felt even more embarrassed and was just about to say something when her son, hands in pockets and acting nonchalant, walked over to stand next to Qu Tantan. “I’ll walk them out. You go handle things.”
They lived right next door, yet he still insisted on ‘seeing them off’. Mother Qu couldn’t help but want to laugh. But seeing how seriously the two kids took it, she just shook her head and let them be.
Once the Qu couple stepped through their doorway, Lin Zhenmo awkwardly gave Qu Tantan’s hair a little tug. “…Hey.”
Qu Tantan turned around and immediately rolled her eyes at him. “You can’t pull a girl’s hair. Also, my name’s not ‘hey’, can’t you just call me properly?”
Lin Zhenmo pursed his lips, lowered his hand, paused, then quietly said, “…Qu Tantan.”
Qu Tantan smiled brightly and gave a cheerful “Mm,” clearly knowing he had something to say and waited with her hands behind her back. Lin Zhenmo was a little taller than her, and when she looked up at him like this, she looked especially sweet and well-behaved.
Lin Zhenmo’s hand itched again, he wanted to pat her head.
Clearing his throat, he spoke in a low, serious voice, “I’m sorry. That was supposed to be your gift… And thank you.
“I shouldn’t have said those things before. You helped me so much, and I still talked to you like that… I’m really sorry.”
He apologized sincerely, his youthful, handsome features giving off a cold and distant air in his white shirt. At a glance, he really did look like one of those cool and aloof little CEO types.
Honestly, even if the little neighbor had a temper, he was undeniably good-looking, definitely someone who’d be a campus heartthrob in the future.
…Though maybe not the best student, but he did give off that school-bully-male-lead vibe straight out of a school romance novel.
That was what Qu Tantan was innocently thinking at the time.
“It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean it like that,” she said generously, giving a carefree wave of her hand, still smiling. “We’re going to school together tomorrow anyway, kindergarten and elementary school are on the same route.”
Lin Zhenmo paused for a moment, slightly uncomfortable, but still nodded seriously.
When they got home and she heard her parents chatting while cooking, Qu Tantan finally learned that today’s incident had actually just been a big misunderstanding on both sides.
It turned out Lin Wan had come home late because she was called to school by a teacher. Lin Zhenmo had gotten into a fight, and the other students’ parents had gone to the teacher to complain.
Apparently, Lin Zhenmo had gotten involved with some people outside of school with a questionable background. When the parents heard that someone had even brought a knife to defend him, they were terrified and immediately went to the school to report it.
At first, Lin Wan didn’t know what was going on. As soon as she entered the office, she was surrounded by the teacher and a group of angry parents. They all criticized and mocked her. Although the teacher tried to defend her, it was obvious they couldn’t hold them back and looked very troubled.
Lin Wan didn’t feel embarrassed, just alarmed by what she heard. She really thought her son had fallen in with bad company, which is why she apologized guiltily on the way home and begged Lin Zhenmo not to fight anymore.
But she hadn’t expected it to turn into such a misunderstanding between them.
And when Mother Qu described the person, something struck a chord in Qu Tantan’s memory. She thought for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of realization and nervously shrank her neck, a sense of dread creeping over her.
Wait a second, that person with a ‘bad background’ who ‘carried a knife’…
—Could it be, that was referring to Brother Lou?!