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

The whole thing already sounded fishy, and since she’d heard before that Ye Xilan was mixed up with Li Anna, Su Li’s immediate reaction was...

”She’s after you!”

Su Li declared instantly.

Wu Sheng, who was still speaking: ”...”

He was suddenly at a loss for words.

’Though, he was already perfectly clear on the matter himself.’

’It wasn’t that he was narcissistic, but he’d been running into this sort of thing since his teens. By now, no matter how people tried to hide it, their intentions rarely escaped his notice.’

’Li Anna’s petty tricks, her little schemes, that look in her eyes... he knew what she was up to at a single glance.’

’He’d seen that kind of look far too many times. It was always because they were taken with his looks or his status. He certainly didn’t like it. In fact, he found it disgusting.’

’It wasn’t that he was being judgmental and thinking they were shallow. His looks and his status were his strengths—gifts from his mother and results of his own hard work. It was only natural for people to be attracted to them, and he was glad he had those advantages.’

’But Li Anna’s gaze still made him sick.’

’He’d already been thoroughly displeased with her after hearing how she’d given Su Li a hard time before. And now, she was trying to seduce him.’

’It was just... utterly detestable.’

Hearing Su Li call it out so bluntly, Wu Sheng was speechless for a moment, then suddenly felt a little wronged.

”She’s coming after me. You have to protect me.”

Wu Sheng said without a second thought.

This time, it was Su Li’s turn to be speechless. ”...”

”You’re talking nonsense again. We’re discussing something serious here. Protect you... Wouldn’t most people be proud? Proud that a famous host like her is interested in you.”

Su Li couldn’t help but say.

As Wu Sheng listened to Su Li, he didn’t argue back. Instead, he couldn’t help but laugh. His low chuckle came through the line, making Su Li pause.

”What are you laughing at?”

Wu Sheng murmured, ”It’s nothing.”

Su Li was speechless. ’As if I’d believe that! I’m not that easy to fool!’

Su Li huffed but said nothing. On the other end of the line, Wu Sheng just chuckled, also remaining silent.

After two seconds, Su Li couldn’t hold back another huff. ”If you have nothing to say, I’m hanging up. I need to plan with Little Mo where we’re going for our outing and what kind of bento to make.”

The subtext of Su Li’s words was that she and Little Mo were going to have a wonderful spring outing, and he could just stay home and be jealous.

Wu Sheng heard this and tried to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t, letting out a couple of low chuckles.

When Su Li heard him laugh yet again, she was instantly frustrated. Without a second thought, she let out a very childish, petulant huff and hung up.

She even huffed again after hanging up.

After her huff, she turned to see Tang Mo standing at the doorway, having appeared at some point without her noticing. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Su Li’s face instantly flushed, and she felt the urge to dig a hole and bury herself in it.

’I was... I was so childish just now. I even threw a tantrum!’

Just as Su Li’s face was burning red, the phone rang. She answered it without a second thought, desperate to avoid Tang Mo’s gaze.

’Sigh, I’ve made a fool of myself in front of my son!’

”Hello?”

”I thought you weren’t going to pick up, that you’d make me call a few more times. How come you answered so quickly?”

Wu Sheng’s curious voice came over the line.

Su Li gripped the receiver, desperately wanting to hang up again. But a glance at Tang Mo from the corner of her eye made her suppress the urge.

”If you have something to say, then say it,” she said through gritted teeth.

”We weren’t finished talking earlier. Let’s continue,” Wu Sheng said, sounding particularly cheerful.

”What else is there to talk about...” Su Li huffed. ’Isn’t it just that Li Anna has her eyes on Wu Sheng now, with Ye Xilan inevitably playing matchmaker in the middle of it all?’

Su Li only muttered the last part to herself, not saying it aloud.

As she muttered, her eyes met Tang Mo’s, who was still at the door.

Tang Mo was leaning against the doorframe, watching her quietly.

Just as Su Li was about to speak, she saw Tang Mo shake his head. He gave her a look that was a strange mixture of exasperation and fond indulgence, then turned and left.

Su Li stared blankly as Tang Mo walked away, completely dumbfounded. A moment too late, she reached out a hand as if to explain, but it was already too late.

Tang Mo was already gone.

Su Li: ”...”

’That look in Tang Mo’s eyes... I must have seen it wrong, right? It had to be my imagination. That’s the kind of look I give *him*, not the other way around. How could he possibly look at me like that?’

’As if I were the one being unreasonable and throwing a childish fit... Well, okay, I guess I really was throwing a fit.’

Wu Sheng, the very cause of her childish fit, was still on the phone. ”...How about I take you to the station tomorrow? That way, everyone can get to know me a little.”

’He was tired of Ye Xilan’s constant interference and even more tired of the way Li Anna looked at him. He could predict there would be many ”accidental” encounters in the near future.’

’Wu Sheng didn’t want to put himself through that unpleasantness. He wanted everyone to know that he was Su Li’s.’

’If Li Anna still tried to get close after that, then she couldn’t blame him for not holding back.’

Su Li heard Wu Sheng, but her mind was still replaying the look Tang Mo had given her. She felt drained, her thoughts a bit muddled.

”Why take me to work? So you can see Li Anna again?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Su Li snapped back to her senses and couldn’t help but smack her own lips a few times.

’What nonsense am I spouting!’

Just as she did, Wu Sheng’s soft chuckle came through the phone again. It was laced with a hint of slyness and suppressed, smug delight.

It was the exact same kind of stifled laugh as before.

Su Li’s face flushed. ”You’re laughing again! What are you laughing at?!”

”I’m laughing because I’m happy. Happy that you’re finally starting to treat me as your man. Your slightly jealous tone, the little tantrum you threw... I’m delighted just thinking about it.”

This time, Wu Sheng couldn’t help but be honest.

Most people dreaded their girlfriend or wife getting jealous and throwing a fit, but he had been dying for Su Li to do just that. She never had, but today, his wish had finally come true.

’HAHAHA! This jealousy, this petulance... I finally got to see it!’

Hearing Wu Sheng’s words, Su Li blushed furiously. ”You... you...”

She stammered, unable to get the words out. Beneath her annoyance and embarrassment, she felt a little thrill of sweetness.

On his end of the line, Wu Sheng rubbed his nose. He didn’t need to see Su Li to know she must be flustered and embarrassed. He cleared his throat and changed the subject.

”About the spring outing—if it’s happening, I’ll come along. I’ll take you and Little Mo somewhere fun.”

”Tomorrow morning, I’ll give you both a ride. I’ll drop off Little Point first, then take you to work. I can say hello to your colleagues while I’m there...”

They chattered back and forth over the phone for a while longer before Wu Sheng finally hung up reluctantly.

Su Li stood by the phone, grinning foolishly for a few seconds before she realized what she was doing. She touched her forehead, a look of exasperation on her face.

”What are you grinning about? He’s got you completely wrapped around his finger...”

Despite her grumbling, Su Li woke up twenty minutes early the next day. After washing up, she deliberately chose one of her favorite outfits and even put on some light makeup.

Once she was ready, she tentatively opened her bedroom door and, as expected, saw Wu Sheng waiting outside.