Sweetie, sleep with me tonight.

Boom!

The phone slipped from my hand.

and many more!

Wife?!

Jiang Youxi's heart was pounding. She carefully picked up her phone and opened it, only to find that there was no response from the other end.

The sound of even breathing continued to drift over.

Jiang Youxi let out a breath.

It was indeed a hallucination.

-

Today is the fifth day of He Zhuo's business trip.

According to the plan, He Zhuo will return in two days after finishing up his business there.

It's been raining for the past few days, the weather has turned cooler, and there's a large temperature difference between day and night.

Today is Friday. Jiang Youxi woke up early this morning and found that her nose was a little stuffy, like the beginning of a cold.

She made herself a cup of cold medicine, took it, and then went to school.

I only had classes in the morning today. When I came out after class, I found it was raining.

She took an umbrella and went to the He family's house for tutoring.

During class, He Yunwei noticed something was wrong with her voice: "Sister Xixi, do you have a cold?"

"Yes, the weather has been changing a lot these past few days, so make sure you dress warmly and don't catch a cold."

"it is good."

The little girl touched her forehead with her hand and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that the temperature was normal.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"I'll ask your aunt to make you some brown sugar ginger tea."

Before Jiang Youxi could stop her, the little girl immediately ran out to tell her aunt.

She returned quickly, carrying several snacks that Jiang Youxi liked: "Sister Xixi, here, eating something sweet will make you feel better."

"it is good."

Knowing she wasn't feeling well, the little girl was very well-behaved and even let her lie down on the sofa to rest for a while, while she quietly did her homework.

Since it was during class time, Jiang Youxi felt embarrassed to lie down. She just sat to the side and checked the homework that the girl had done before, marked the wrong questions, and explained them to her later.

The door opened, and You Huilin walked in carrying some things: "Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Jiang. How's Weiwei's homework going?"

"She did very well; she got all the questions right."

"That's good." You Huilin smiled gently. "I heard from Weiwei that you had a cold, so I made you some brown sugar ginger tea. Would you like some?"

Jiang Youxi was somewhat flattered and stood up to walk over: "It's really too much trouble for you, Madam."

"The ginger tea was brewed by the maid; I'm just bringing it up. Teacher Jiang, please don't be shy and drink it while it's hot."

"Thanks."

Jiang Youxi sat on the sofa and took a few sips of ginger tea.

Hearing the sound of a car coming from the courtyard, the little girl's face lit up with joy: "It must be my older brother coming back!"

"Slow down, don't fall!" You Huilin said with a worried expression. "This child asked her older brother to buy her a limited edition Elsa music box a few days ago, and as soon as she heard the car, she immediately ran downstairs."

Seeing the woman's helpless yet doting gaze, Jiang Youxi's eyes narrowed slightly.

It has to be said that after attending classes at the He family's house for the past few days, she could deeply feel You Huilin's doting love for her child.

Especially the youngest daughter, He Yunwei.

She was meticulous and gentle. No matter when, she was always gentle and kind to He Yunwei, never speaking harshly, and her eyes were always full of love for the child.

Undeniably, You Huilin is a qualified mother.

Seeing that she remained silent, You Huilin took the initiative to start a conversation: "I heard from Weiwei that you and Xiaozhuo know each other, and are even good friends?"

"Um."

She smiled and said, "I never expected that someone with a personality like Xiaozhuo would have such a good friend like you."

"What kind of personality?"

Sensing the coldness in her words, You Huilin's smile remained unchanged: "Xiao Zhuo is a withdrawn and extreme person, like a little hoodlum. He's always causing trouble outside, and last year he almost caused someone's death."

"He's always getting into trouble outside, and his dad always cleans up his messes." She sighed. "With my status, it's not really my place to control him too much. I thought I could get his dad to discipline him, but he's grown up, he's become willful and reckless, he doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, and he doesn't listen to his dad at all. His dad can't control him either. If he tries to discipline him, he kicks things, and nobody dares to come near him."

"His father isn't like this either, so I don't know where this kid took after."

"Are you saying that his personality is like his mother's?"

You Huilin paused for a moment, then said jokingly, "Now that you've reminded me, I realize that Xiaozhuo is actually more like his mother. They're both rather irritable and extreme, like the whole family owes him something."

"This child is particularly petty and argumentative. He even threw a tantrum over a small birthday cake, and he almost overturned the dining table."

Jiang Youxi looked at the woman in front of her.

She has a gentle smile and is meticulous in everything she does, leaving no room for criticism.

Such people are adept at hiding their true intentions. At first glance, they may seem to be concerned, but in reality, every word they say is directed at He Zhuo and is full of prejudice, making it extremely grating to hear.

Jiang Youxi suddenly laughed, speechless: "Madam, He Zhuo is not your biological son. The money he spent on food, drink, and daily necessities since he was a child was given by his father. What does he owe you, his stepmother, anything?"

“Raising children is a parent’s natural duty. Even if he is his biological father, he has no right to say that his child owes him anything,” Jiang Youxi said calmly. “He Zhuo’s surname is He. No matter how the He family changes, his mother was once the rightful matriarch of the He family. Even if he doesn’t come back here often, this is still his home. What he wants to do and what he wants to say are his rights and freedoms. No one owes anyone anything.”

"His mother was the same."

You Huilin's expression instantly turned cold: "Teacher Jiang, I was just telling you what kind of people that mother and son are, so you could see for yourself. I meant well, and you're arguing with me?"

"Alright," Jiang Youxi put down her ginger tea and smiled, "Then tell me, what kind of person is He Zhuo's mother? I'd like to know, how come she, the lawfully wedded and rightfully the eldest wife of the He family, has become, in your words, an unreasonable person who makes trouble and whose entire family owes her something?"

"Legitimate?" You Huilin scoffed. "She only has a good background and got involved with the He family through a business marriage, successfully marrying Jingyao and becoming the He family's first wife. But so what? No matter how good her life or family background, she still couldn't win her husband's love. In the end, she was resentful, depressed, and ultimately became an extreme madwoman!"

You Huilin was emotional, as if years of pent-up resentment had finally found an outlet.

"You have no idea how crazy that woman is! To get Jingyao to see her and like her, she'll stop at nothing, even trying to gain his pity through self-harm! When Jingyao still ignored her, she attempted suicide by overdosing on pills. She's argued and made a scene about everything! During that time, Jingyao was so worried about her that he couldn't eat or sleep. He couldn't take it anymore and stayed at my place for a few days. She went crazy then, coming directly to my door, determined to drive Jingyao completely insane!"

"Everyone advised her to divorce him and let Jingyao go, but she just wouldn't. Like a mad dog, she kept clinging on! She insisted that I cut off all contact with Jingyao and return to my family." You Huilin laughed heartily. "What's the use of her making a scene? How could a man like Jingyao let her manipulate him and listen to his demands to leave me?"

"That woman, all she thinks about is how to win Jingyao back, she doesn't care about anything else, not even the child. She even took the child away, leading to a shipwreck at sea, and Jingyao's child is now missing!"

"Tell me, is this what a mother should do? Letting a five or six-year-old child wander outside for years, experiencing all the hardships of life?!"

"She couldn't be a good wife, and she couldn't even be a good mother. A woman like her deserves to end up like this!"

Jiang Youxi remained calm and composed: "Even if she acts up and goes crazy, she's still the eldest wife of the He family. And who are you? During someone else's marriage, you wantonly stayed with another woman's husband, had children with her. If it weren't for you, why would she go crazy like this? Wasn't she forced into this by you?!"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you understand what I mean? No matter how much a man loves you, if he doesn't give you a formal commitment, it's all empty talk. In this relationship, you'll always be the other woman!"

"A third party?" You Huilin laughed. "I clearly knew Jingyao before she did, and Jingyao even said he had a wife and children, yet she still married him! They agreed before the marriage not to interfere with each other, but in the end, who went back on their word and started craving someone else's affection?"

"Are you sure the first wife knew about your existence before the marriage?"

She was silent.

Aunt Zhang was right; He Zhuo's mother did indeed only learn of You Huilin's existence after the marriage.

This woman's every word was a lie, just to portray herself as a pitiful woman who endured humiliation and hardship.

"I don't care what you and Mr. He were thinking back then, but the way the First Madam turned out is definitely related to you!"

"What does her fate have to do with me?! If it weren't for her, Jingyao and I would have been married long ago! Would she have had the chance to interfere, complaining and making a scene at home all the time?!"

"Let me tell you, the one who isn't loved is the mistress!"

"If that's the case, why didn't Mr. He marry you back then, but instead married someone he didn't love?" Jiang Youxi went straight to the point. "Was it because he didn't want to marry you, or did he feel that marrying the first wife was more valuable and would advance his career?"

You Huilin's expression instantly turned cold: "No matter how valuable she was, she was still a short-lived woman, she died long ago!"

"It's one thing for her to die, but her son is no better. He's just like her, causing trouble everywhere. Jingyao finally got rid of that woman, and now her son is here. Does Jingyao deserve to owe them both for the rest of his life?!"

"You think I'm saying all this for his own good? If it weren't for my concern for Jingyao, I wouldn't even bother saying a word to a lunatic like He Zhuo!"

"But what have I gotten in return for all the care I've given him? Cold treatment and constant targeting of his father!" You Huilin sneered. "He's just like his mother, crazy and ungrateful!"

"Shut up!"

What's your attitude?

"You neither gave birth to him nor raised him. From childhood to adulthood, he grew up resiliently like a weed. What right do you have to criticize him?"

"You Huilin, let me tell you, He Zhuo owes you nothing. Stop spouting these high-sounding words; they're disgusting!"

"Jiang Youxi, I think you're a good girl, that's why I'm telling you all this, so you can see He Zhuo's true character. Don't be ungrateful for my kindness!"

"Mind your own business, Ms. You." Jiang Youxi picked up her bag and stood up. "Those who worry too much will die young."

"you--"

Jiang Youxi turned to leave, but when she looked up, she saw the man who had been standing at the door for a long time.

She was taken aback: "He Zhuo?"