Chapter 269 – The Runaway Little Sweetheart of the Top Actor – Mama Pu’s Love (13)
Mama Pu had a kind face, but her stern tone sent a chill through one’s heart.
Pu Hexu frowned. What was up with his mother today?
Bai Tang had seen all kinds of people, so he simply assumed Mama Pu was naturally a serious person.
Introduced by Pu Hexu, Bai Tang politely greeted, “Hello, Auntie, I’m Bai Tang~”
His soft, sweet, and adorable voice instantly struck a chord in Mama Pu’s heart. Because Pu Hexu had always been so independent and capable from a very young age, Mama Pu had never had a proper outlet for her maternal love.
Her first impression of Bai Tang was extremely favorable, and their conversation soon took on a much more loving and affectionate tone.
After exchanging the usual polite and concerned pleasantries, Pu Hexu, knowing that his mother wasn’t a difficult person to get along with, gave Bai Tang a reassuring look, then stepped out of the hospital room with his phone.
The call was from Adam.
“We’ve already gathered sufficient evidence. The only trouble is that Zhou Mengsi is still lying in the ICU…”
Pu Hexu sneered.
“She’s not dead yet, right? Get Dr. Hank over here.”
Adam disapproved.
“You want Dr. Hank to treat Zhou Mengsi?”
Dr. Hank was a renowned international surgeon who had performed Bai Tang’s operation. Four days ago, he had flown abroad to attend a five-day academic exchange. Now Pu Hexu wanted him to rush back just to treat Zhou Mengsi—what was he thinking?
Before Adam could voice his doubts, Pu Hexu said coldly from the other end of the line, “She just needs to be able to stand trial.”
Zhou Mengsi had tried to harm others. Although she was now suffering the consequences of her actions, simply lying in a hospital bed ignorant of it all was letting her off too easy. Only the combined blows of physical and psychological torment would truly make her pay.
Adam replied, “Understood. I’ll email Dr. Hank right away.”
Back in the hospital room, the moment Pu Hexu left, Mama Pu suddenly changed her expression. Her well-maintained face was now filled with warmth and enthusiasm.
She held Bai Tang’s hand and said, “Good child, you’ve suffered. Honestly, Hexu is too much. It’s fine if he wants to run around in the wind and rain shooting films himself, but why drag his wife into such a dangerous environment too…”
Mama Pu held Bai Tang’s hand a little too warmly, speaking intimately and directing all her criticism at Pu Hexu.
She wasn’t the type of noblewoman to stay confined indoors, sipping tea, playing mahjong, or getting facials all day. In fact, she used to hold absolute authority in Dizhou’s film and television industry. It was only in recent years, wanting to rest and stay out of business, that she had stepped back from her duties.
She had great confidence in her own judgment, and she could tell that Bai Tang was by no means a bad person. On the contrary, during their conversation, she’d even managed to get a good read on his personality.
He was almost too pure—believing whatever others said without questioning it. For instance, when she told him stories about Pu Hexu, regardless of whether they were true or not, he responded with genuine surprise or delight. Even when it came to stories where Pu Hexu had suffered a loss, he reacted with righteous indignation, repeatedly asking who had dared to bully him.
Her own son was as sharp as they came—who could possibly bully him? It was already a blessing if he wasn’t the one doing the bullying.
The more Mama Pu looked at Bai Tang, the more she liked him.
What a wonderful child! That rascal son of hers had found himself such a good daughter-in-law and didn’t even bring him home to meet her. No wonder she’d been left feeling bored and lonely for so long.
To Mama Pu, Bai Tang was the embodiment of her ideal child—obedient, well-mannered, and sweet enough to greet her with a smile that melted hearts.
Mama Pu opened the container of black-bone chicken soup prepared by the nutritionist and said warmly, “If you want your wounds to heal quickly, you need proper nutrition. There are some mild, nourishing herbs in this soup. The fat’s been skimmed off—it’s light and delicious. Come on, have a taste.”
Bai Tang looked at the insulated food container in her hands and was weeping inside.
“Um… Auntie, I just had a meal and I’m still really full. Can I drink the soup a little later?” he asked timidly.
Since he was lying, Bai Tang didn’t dare meet Mama Pu’s eyes. He was afraid she’d see through him—and he didn’t want to hurt the feelings of a kind elder who cared so much.
The boy’s skin was fairer than snow, and with his head lowered obediently, his long, curled lashes cast a small shadow on his lower eyelids. He looked just like a little angel who had only just descended to Earth.
Mama Pu was screaming inside her heart at how adorable he was. If this weren’t their first meeting—and if she weren’t afraid of scaring off her future daughter-in-law or ruining her image as a proper elder—she might have rushed forward and showered him with kisses on the spot.
“Soup isn’t the same as a full meal, it won’t make you feel stuffed. While it’s still fresh, the herbs are most effective—come on, drink a little and nourish yourself…”
Mama Pu had already brought the spoon up to his mouth, but just as Bai Tang caught a whiff of the rich aroma, his body rebelled. His stomach churned violently, and he could no longer hold back—he suddenly gagged and threw up with a “bleugh!”
Thankfully, he reacted in time and turned away, avoiding vomiting on Mama Pu and instead hitting the floor.
“What happened? Tang Tang, are you okay?” Mama Pu was beside herself with worry.
“Old Zhang! Quick, go get the doctor!”
She gently patted Bai Tang’s back to help him breathe easier.
“Tang Tang, where does it hurt? Tell Auntie.”
When someone feels physically unwell, it’s easy for their emotions to unravel—and for Bai Tang, the frustration of being forced to eat “nutritious meals” for days finally broke through.
His eyes reddened, and under Mama Pu’s gentle care and concern, he began to sob and stammer out his grievances.
“I-I don’t want any more soup… I don’t like… those nutritional meals… Ah Xu keeps making me eat so much of it…”
This mixture of seeking help and childlike complaining completely shattered Mama Pu’s defenses—her emotional health bar dropped straight to zero.
Pu Hexu had been independent since childhood. Mama Pu had never experienced what it felt like to be relied upon or sought out for help by her child. Now, Bai Tang just happened to fill that emotional gap, and all the maternal love she had nowhere to place surged out at once.
Half-embracing Bai Tang, Mama Pu gently patted his back to comfort him.
“There, there, Mama understands. Don’t cry. If you don’t like eating it, then we won’t. Mama will scold Hexu for you…”
“Wuwu~ D-Don’t scold Ah Xu…”
Bai Tang’s crying made Mama Pu’s heart ache. In him, she found the long-lost feeling of being a child’s protector—being relied on, being needed.
Under her gentle coaxing, Bai Tang gradually pulled himself together and said, a little embarrassed, “I’m sorry… I was rude just now.”
“It’s alright. You don’t have to be polite in front of Mama,” Mama Pu said, stroking his hair. Such soft hair…
“Mhm~” Bai Tang responded with his slightly reddened eyes.
“Auntie?”
Wasn’t I calling her Auntie? How did that turn into “Mama”?
When Pu Hexu returned, the first thing he saw was a scene of perfect harmony between mother and son.
Seeing his mother and Bai Tang getting along so well put Pu Hexu’s mind at ease—he no longer had to worry about Bai Tang having trouble getting along with his family.
“Ah Xu~” Bai Tang greeted him with a bright smile. After crying it all out, his emotions were no longer bottled up, and he felt much better. He looked noticeably more cheerful.
The hospital room hadn’t been cleaned yet, and the floor was still a bit messy.
As Pu Hexu approached, he noticed the tear stains still lingering on Bai Tang’s face—he had clearly been crying.
Bai Tang shyly scooted further toward the inside of the bed. Pu Hexu gently picked up a tissue and began wiping his little wife’s face.
“What made you cry?”
Could it be that his mother hadn’t gotten along with Bai Tang after all? That heartwarming scene just now…
Pu Hexu began mentally planning for them to move out after getting married.
But before he could say anything, Mama Pu cut in and barked, “Move aside.”
Pu Hexu was pushed aside by Mama Pu, and then he heard her complain with disdain, “Look at you, already a grown man and still so clueless. Can’t even take care of yourself, and you think you can take care of someone else…”
From the tone of her words, it was obvious who she was criticizing—and it definitely wasn’t Bai Tang. There was no one else in the room, so it could only be Pu Hexu.
“Mom, who are you talking about?” Pu Hexu asked uncertainly.
Mama Pu gave him a side-eye.
“Who do you think?”
Then she turned back to Bai Tang with a gentle expression and said warmly, “Tang Tang, the hospital is nowhere near as comfortable as home. I’ll speak to the doctor later, and if it’s okay, let’s have you come home to recover.”
The two AI systems that had been helping Adam collect evidence returned just in time to witness this scene—and were both stunned by how fast Mama Pu could switch faces.
Pu Hexu said, “I was thinking the same thing. Having Tang Tang recover at home would be much safer and more comfortable than staying in the hospital.”
Bai Tang exchanged a glance with Pu Hexu, who stood behind Mama Pu, and gave a soft nod.
“Mhm, I’ll listen to Ah Xu~”
Before long, Old Zhang returned with the doctor. After a series of check-ups, the doctor agreed to let Bai Tang recover at home, as long as he came back regularly for follow-ups.
Overjoyed, Mama Pu stepped out to call the house and tell the butler to prepare everything Bai Tang might need.
While she was outside making the call, Pu Hexu finally had the chance to sit beside Bai Tang.
“Mom is easy to get along with… just, uh, a little overly enthusiastic,” Pu Hexu said, clearly a bit helpless about his mother’s boundless energy.
“She’s pretty nice~” Bai Tang replied tactfully—though her mood swings and intense warmth were admittedly a bit much.
Bai Tang didn’t have many things at the hospital, so it didn’t take long to pack.
On the car ride to the Pu residence, Bai Tang stared at the elegant, luxurious European-style mansion in front of him, along with the two neat rows of maids lined up outside. He was momentarily stunned.
A chorus of crisp, sweet voices rang out in unison: “Welcome home, Young Master and Young Madam.”
Confetti cannons went off, showering them in colorful streamers that landed on their clothes and hair.
The whole spectacle left Bai Tang completely dazed. Mama Pu smiled and said, “From now on, this is your home, Tang Tang. There’s no need to be shy.”
Her words only made Bai Tang even more nervous.
Pu Hexu gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and leaned in to whisper, “I didn’t expect Mom to go this far either. She’s usually not like this…”
Then he turned to Mama Pu and said with exasperation, “Are you trying to scare off your daughter-in-law?!”
Later, when Bai Tang had gone to bed, Pu Hexu leaned down to kiss his forehead and whispered, “Sleep well.”
Once the boy had fallen asleep, Pu Hexu quietly closed the window, shut the door behind him, and slipped out of the room.
Author’s Note:
Mama Pu: Even though I gave birth to a not-so-adorable son, at least he found me a sweet and lovable daughter-in-law.