From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

’Good job, Su Li.’ She thought of Zhao Wenming, on whom she had so easily enacted a small bit of revenge, and took a deep breath.

’I will have my revenge in this life! In my last life, Zhao Wenming used his clever mind to scheme against me and trample all over me. In this life, I’ll use my foresight and my own mind to scheme right back.’

’Perfectly fair.’

Full of motivation, Su Li entered the side room, took out a book to continue her studies, and whispered to herself with a clenched fist.

’Su Li, you’re growing. You’re already stronger than you were in your past life. But they’re growing too, so you have to keep working hard!’

’Work hard! Work hard!’

While Su Li was diligently studying at home, the Zhao family was in an uproar. Zhao Wenming had, of course, been pulled from the water, but the freezing cold had taken its toll. He immediately came down with a high fever.

Zhao Wenming’s mother, Fang Yulan, was wailing over him. Even after taking the medicine from Li Shuanshu, Zhao Wenming’s temperature kept rising. Afraid the fever would cause permanent damage, Fang Yulan decided to take him to the hospital.

Zhao Wenming was already unconscious and couldn’t walk. As a grown man, he was too heavy for anyone to carry on their back, so it took several men to lift him.

The Zhao family was supposed to spend the holiday season swaggering around and showing off, but because of this incident, their New Year was ruined. The entire family spent New Year’s Day at the hospital.

With the annoying Zhao Wenming out of the picture in Xinghua Village and Qin Shanshan holed up at home, too afraid to go out, Su Li felt even the air in the village was fresher.

Su Li was in a good mood, but Little Tang Mo, who had just reaped a mountain of envious praise, was even happier. His laughter rang out long before he even got home.

Hearing his laughter, Su Li couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. ’How rare. In her previous life, she had never heard Little Tang Mo laugh so loudly and with such joy.’

As she was thinking this, she left the side room. The moment she opened the door, Little Tang Mo pounced on her, hugging her leg and bubbling with joy. ”Mama, Brother Gou Dan loves my sweater! Everybody loves my sweater! All the uncles and aunts love it! They’re so jealous of me!”

After he finished, Little Tang Mo giggled and began clambering up Su Li’s body with his hands and feet.

Su Li had no choice but to bend over and pick him up. Little Tang Mo’s small arms immediately wrapped tightly around her neck, and he pressed himself against her, calling out ”Mama” again and again, each cry filled with affection.

Holding his soft, small body and listening to his calls, Su Li felt a pang in her heart. She gently patted his back.

”Good boy. After the New Year, I’ll go buy more yarn and knit a few more sweaters for Little Mo.”

’If I knit a couple more, he’ll be able to wear them for the next two years as he grows.’

’This is probably the last thing I can do for Little Tang Mo. I guess it’s a parting gift. After the New Year, the reply from Tang Yuanxiao should arrive. If all goes well, the divorce will be finalized soon.’

”Mama, you’re the best,” Little Tang Mo said, overjoyed. Without a second thought, he planted a kiss on Su Li’s face.

The slightly wet kiss nearly melted Su Li’s heart.

She froze for a second, looking at Little Tang Mo in disbelief. After the kiss, Little Tang Mo grew shy. It was the first time he had ever kissed Su Li. Seeing her looking at him, he covered his face with his small hands, let out a little squeal, and buried his head in the crook of her neck, refusing to move.

”No being cute,” Su Li finally found her voice, lightly patting Little Tang Mo’s bottom.

Little Tang Mo wiggled his bottom, giggled a few times, and hugged Su Li even tighter.

The smile on Su Li’s lips had yet to fully form when she suddenly spotted Mrs. Tang at the doorway.

”This child... We came back together, and in a flash, he vanished. I couldn’t catch up, and he wouldn’t wait when I called. I was worried something had happened, but I see he just ran off to get a hug from you...” Mrs. Tang complained, a smile filling her face.

The smile and warmth in Su Li’s eyes gradually faded. She carried Little Tang Mo a few steps into the courtyard.

Little Tang Mo clung to her, his small body nestled against hers as he hummed a little tune only he knew, expressing his pure joy.

Su Li shifted him in her arms so she could see his face, took his small hand, and asked tentatively.

”Little Mo, you don’t actually have to call me Mama. You could call me Auntie, or... I’d be even happier if you called me Sister.”

As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on Little Tang Mo’s face.

When she began to speak, Little Tang Mo was still smiling. By the time she was halfway through her sentence, a look of confusion spread across his face, as if he couldn’t process her words.

Once Su Li forced herself to finish, the smile vanished from Little Tang Mo’s eyes, replaced by pure terror.

Su Li’s heart clenched, and she quickly averted her gaze from Little Tang Mo’s eyes.

Little Tang Mo was silent for a moment before carefully reaching out to grab Su Li’s hand.

”Mama... am I too heavy? I won’t make you hold me anymore...”

Su Li shook her head. ”You’re not heavy. I’m just not used to it. You used to call me Auntie, or Sister. I’m more used to that.”

’She was destined to disappoint his trust in her as ’Mama.’ It was better if he didn’t call her that at all.’

Little Tang Mo fought back tears. ”Mama, I was bad before. I should have called you Mama a long time ago. I... I wanted to, but Sister Caihua told me that if I did, you would hit me, just like Aunt Guihua.”

Su Li froze when she heard this.

’This was the first she was hearing of this. She’d always assumed Little Tang Mo didn’t call her Mama simply because he didn’t want to. She never imagined Qin Shanshan was involved!’

’Qin Shanshan told me to act like that vicious stepmother, Zhao Guihua, saying it would make Little Tang Mo call me Mama. Then, behind my back, she told Little Tang Mo that if he called me Mama, I would beat him just like Zhao Guihua!’

’What a scheme. For someone so young, Qin Shanshan’s mind was already so vicious. She was completely two-faced and managed to fool them both. It’s one thing for a child like Little Tang Mo to be deceived, but for me to fall for it... I was just an idiot.’

Su Li couldn’t bear to think about her own stupidity from her past life. She closed her eyes for a moment before comforting Little Tang Mo.

”It’s okay. It’s just a name. ’Auntie’ and ’Sister’ are the same, too. But from now on, don’t listen to anything Qin Shanshan says, okay?”

Little Tang Mo lowered his head, dejected. ”Okay.”

He struggled to get down from her arms. Standing in front of Su Li, he asked tentatively, ”Mama, do you not like it when I call you Mama?”

Su Li hesitated before nodding and humming softly in agreement.

The last glimmer of hope in Little Tang Mo’s eyes vanished, and he could no longer hold back his tears. He quickly turned his back to Su Li, quietly walked over to the doorway, and sat on the threshold. He roughly wiped at his face, desperately trying to stop crying.

’Mama said that big boys don’t cry, they only bleed. I can’t cry. I absolutely can’t cry.’

In the end, Little Tang Mo managed to force his tears back.

Su Li watched Little Tang Mo the whole time. She could clearly read the little boy’s mind, and she saw his tears. Her hand started to reach for him before she drew it back.

’It’s better for him to cry now than to be a sobbing mess when I leave. No matter what, I have to make Little Tang Mo forget that I was ever his mama!’

Su Li looked at Little Tang Mo sitting by the door, hardened her heart, and went back into the side room.

Her book was still open, but Su Li couldn’t focus on it. Her mind kept replaying the image of Little Tang Mo sitting on the threshold, looking like an abandoned, pitiful little thing. The thought made her agitated.

Just as she finally managed to quiet her mind enough to read, the door was pushed open a crack. Su Li looked up to see Little Tang Mo carefully peeking his head in.

His eyes were still a bit red, and the tip of his nose was pink, but she could tell he hadn’t been sobbing his heart out.

”Ma—” Little Tang Mo started, then clamped his mouth shut. He blinked and asked in a small voice.

”If I’m an even better boy from now on... will Auntie like me more and let me call her Mama again?”

This was the conclusion Little Tang Mo had reached after some hard thinking. The only reason he could come up with was that he hadn’t been good enough, so Su Li wouldn’t let him call her Mama. If he was an even better boy, then maybe, just maybe, he could call her Mama again.