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

”Alright, you head on up. I’m leaving,” Wu Sheng said, pleased to see Su Li unable to argue.

”Goodbye,” Su Li said, turning and heading upstairs.

”Goodbye.” Wu Sheng waved with a grin and added one last instruction, ”Whatever you do, don’t take off the watch.”

After Su Li was out of sight, Wu Sheng still didn’t move.

A moment later, he spoke languidly, ”Come on out.”

The area was completely silent. Anyone who saw him would have thought Wu Sheng was crazy.

Wu Sheng waited unhurriedly for a moment before Tang Yuanxiao emerged from the adjacent building entrance.

Wu Sheng wasn’t surprised to see him. ”You’re a good hider. You almost fooled me.”

Tang Yuanxiao’s face was grim as he stared at Wu Sheng without a word.

Because Little Tang Mo was still at home alone, he had rushed back right after the recital ended.

Seeing that Little Tang Mo was taking a nap, he figured Su Li would be back soon, so he came downstairs to wait for her.

He had waited for Su Li, alright, but he hadn’t counted on the ever-present Wu Sheng tagging along.

Not wanting an awkward encounter, he had hidden himself.

He never imagined Wu Sheng would pull a stunt with a watch.

Listening to him, Tang Yuanxiao wished he could jump out and interrupt his mix of nonsense and sweet talk.

It was because of this emotional turmoil that Tang Yuanxiao made a noise, which was how Wu Sheng noticed his presence.

Tang Yuanxiao looked at Wu Sheng, feeling utterly frustrated.

’This guy is so shameless... a total scoundrel!’

’Why can’t I be as shameless as him? Why can’t I say such sweet things or come up with so many tricks?!!’

Tang Yuanxiao didn’t yet know that what he was feeling was a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

”Why the murderous look again? I thought we agreed to let the best man win?” Seeing Tang Yuanxiao’s expression, Wu Sheng gloated, feigning innocence.

”I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop,” Tang Yuanxiao explained stiffly, taking a deep breath.

”We agreed to let the best man win, so that’s what we’ll do. We won’t interfere with each other.” With that, Tang Yuanxiao turned to go upstairs.

”Hey, hey, where are you going? Are you going to find Su Li again?” Wu Sheng immediately called out to stop him.

Tang Yuanxiao stopped, then turned back to look down at Wu Sheng from his higher position on the stairs.

”I’m not going to find anyone. I’m going back to my place.”

Seeing Wu Sheng’s puzzled expression, Tang Yuanxiao dropped a retaliatory bombshell. ”Forgot to tell you—I live right across the hall from Su Li!”

He turned and walked away, and hearing Wu Sheng’s shouts from behind, he finally felt a little more balanced.

’Hmph, take that, you arrogant jerk!’

”What the hell? You live across from her? Tang Yuanxiao, you shameless bastard!” Wu Sheng was genuinely frustrated now.

So Tang Yuanxiao was just as much of a shameless scoundrel! He’d actually rented a place right across from Su Li!

’He’s trying to use his proximity to get to her first!’

As Wu Sheng fumed in frustration, Tang Yuanxiao’s voice drifted down from the second-floor landing.

”I’m going to cook some fish for Su Li. Fish is her favorite.”

Wu Sheng shot back instantly, ”Su Li won’t eat it!”

’She’s going to eat with her classmates!’

Only then did Wu Sheng feel a bit more balanced himself.

’Looks like I need to help Su Li change her lock, and add a deadbolt on the inside.’

With that thought, Wu Sheng reluctantly got on his bike and left.

If Wu Sheng felt a sense of urgency, Tang Yuanxiao felt it even more.

He thought about all the cheesy things Wu Sheng had said, then about the watch Su Li was wearing, and abruptly made a decision.

Not long after Su Li got home, she was just about to take a shower when there was a knock on her door.

”Who is it?” ’Could it be Wu Sheng?’

”It’s me.” Tang Yuanxiao’s voice came from outside. ”Su Li, open the door. I need to talk to you about something.”

Su Li paused for a moment before opening the door. ”What’s wrong?”

”Momo’s here today too. I’m going to make some fish in a bit. Can you come eat with us?” Tang Yuanxiao asked.

”I can’t. I’ve already made plans to have a celebratory dinner with my classmates. You and Little Mo can eat together,” Su Li declined.

”You already have plans with your classmates...” Tang Yuanxiao sounded disappointed.

”Yeah. Thank you, though.” Su Li glanced at the apartment across the hall. ”Where’s Little Mo?”

”He’s taking a nap.”

Su Li nodded. ”Alright then, I’ll get back to what I was doing.”

She was about to close the door, but Tang Yuanxiao stopped her.

He grabbed the hand she was using to close the door, trying his best not to look at the watch on her wrist. Then, with practiced ease, he once again slipped the ring he’d been holding onto her finger.

”Hey, don’t—” Su Li hurriedly tried to pull it off.

But this ridiculously troublesome ring wasn’t so easy to remove.

Tang Yuanxiao held her hand down, preventing her from taking it off.

”Wu Sheng and I are competing fairly for you. Since you’re wearing his watch, you can’t refuse to wear my ring.”

”Huh?” Su Li was so stunned that she let out a strange squawk.

Tang Yuanxiao looked down at the ring on Su Li’s finger. ”I heard everything downstairs just now... Doesn’t this ring suit you perfectly? It’s so beautiful... If you’re going to wear Wu Sheng’s watch, you have to wear my ring, too.”

Su Li: ”...No... that’s not how it works...”

Tang Yuanxiao shook his head, his tone firm and resolute. ”That is how it works. You either wear neither of them, or you wear both of them. You can’t play favorites and treat us differently.”

Tang Yuanxiao was just short of shouting, ”I want fairness!”

Su Li looked at the ring on her finger and the watch on her wrist, feeling completely overwhelmed.

Only a single cry echoed in her heart: ’What a disaster!’

”You guys are putting me in a really difficult position...” Su Li sighed, pulling her hand back.

”I... I...” Tang Yuanxiao stammered for a long time, not knowing what to say, and could only mumble in the end.

”I’m not good with words, and I can’t learn to be smooth like him to make you happy. This is the only way I know...”

*******

After her shower, Su Li stared at the ring on her finger and the watch on her wrist, feeling like she was about to tear her hair out.

When it was almost time for her appointment, Su Li quietly opened her door, closed and locked it with the least possible noise, and went downstairs.

Only when she reached the ground floor did Su Li finally breathe a sigh of relief and stride toward the meeting place.

She was originally supposed to meet Chang E and a few of her dorm mates, but when Su Li arrived, she found that the group was a bit larger than expected.

Besides the girls from her dorm, two guys had joined them.

The tall one, Qu An, said it was his treat, and they set off after Su Li arrived.

Chang E and Su Li walked at the back of the group. Everyone else had changed their clothes, but Chang E was still in her military uniform.

Her situation was a bit unique; she had only brought two sets of clothes with her. They were her best outfits, but they looked particularly old when worn in the Imperial City.

She might as well wear her military uniform, which was at least new.

”They said they want to go somewhere else, a fancier place to eat. I’m a little nervous, Su Li.”

Walking arm in arm with Su Li at the rear, Chang E took the opportunity to whisper to her.

”Nervous?” Su Li was puzzled.

”Didn’t we originally agree to eat together and split the bill? We even picked out a place that was supposed to be good and not too expensive. But now they suddenly want to change locations and have a classmate treat us.”

Chang E leaned closer to Su Li’s ear. ”I’m afraid I won’t have enough money to treat them back later.”

Chang E didn’t come from a wealthy family, but she wasn’t insecure about it and disliked taking advantage of others.

”It’s okay. The guys can treat us this time, and then we girls can treat them next time. We can all chip in together, so it won’t be that much,”

Su Li, understanding her concern, answered immediately.

”Oh, good.” Chang E breathed a sigh of relief.

Because of Chang E’s worries, when they got there and Su Li was asked to order, she didn’t refuse and directly ordered several dishes.

She chose a suitable mix of meat and vegetable dishes—not extravagant or wasteful, but not so cheap that there wouldn’t be enough to eat.

Qu An then went out and bought some sodas, returning to give one bottle to each person.