Going back to being twenty, taking her heartbroken son to a massage parlor.

Jiangcheng University, faculty apartment, dining table.

The moment Su Mu hung up the phone.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet.

He looked up and his gaze fell on Shang Xiuyan.

The girl hasn't said a word since the phone call ended. She just keeps her head down, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands.

It used to be so lively and agile, running around like a dog.

He's completely dejected now.

Clearly, Guo Rong's words were extremely damaging.

Su Mu sighed inwardly, nudged Su Zhiling beside him with his elbow, and gave Shang Xiuyan a wink.

The meaning is clear: Go and make your stepmother happy.

Su Zhiling received the signal, nearly rolling her eyes to the ceiling, and mouthed:

"Old Deng, you're a real talent."

"You stirred up a hornet's nest with the girl you were dating, and now you expect me, your own daughter, to clean up your mess?"

"You're such a terrible father, you don't do anything right at all."

Su Mu's eyes held a hint of warning.

"Otherwise, why would I have given birth to you?"

"It messed up at the crucial moment. Did I feed the dogs all the food I've saved for the past twenty years?"

"Hurry up, don't dawdle!"

Although Su Zhiling was cursing in her heart, she really felt sorry for her best friend when she saw her looking so distraught.

Shang Xiuyan is usually such a proud person, always full of energy. Who would have thought that her domineering mother could drive her to this point?

She thought for a moment, then reached out and gently tugged at Shang Xiuyan's sleeve.

I'm hungry.

Shang Xiuyan was engrossed in her own world and didn't hear clearly.

"Huh? What did you say?"

Su Zhiling cleared her throat and repeated herself, her voice not loud, but clear enough.

"I said, stepmother, I'm hungry."

The word "stepmother" seemed to carry an electric shock, striking Shang Xiuyan instantly.

She suddenly raised her head, and her previously dim eyes instantly regained their light.

"What did you just call me?"

"You called me stepmother, didn't you!"

Her emotions visibly rebounded from rock bottom, and the corners of her mouth uncontrollably turned upwards.

Although she had a huge falling out with her biological mother, at this moment, she is a woman with a daughter!

This feeling is so wonderful, it's like I suddenly have a sense of belonging.

Su Zhiling felt a little uncomfortable being stared at like that, so she turned her head away and looked elsewhere.

No, you misheard.

"Hurry up and feed me, I'm starving."

Shang Xiuyan didn't care whether Su Zhiling admitted it or not. Her gloom vanished instantly, and she immediately picked up her chopsticks, took a carrot, and held it to Su Zhiling's lips.

"Come on, daughter, eat some radish."

Su Zhiling turned her face away in disgust.

"No, only rabbits like to eat this."

Shang Xiuyan wasn't angry. She replaced the pumpkin with another golden one, speaking as if she were coaxing a three-year-old.

"Being a picky eater isn't good, come on, open your mouth."

"Ah—pumpkin, pumpkin, round and round."

Su Zhiling reluctantly opened her mouth, chewed twice, and said sarcastically:

"It tastes sticky like poop."

One sentence made Shang Xiuyan laugh heartily, her body trembling with laughter.

"Huh~"

"You're disgusting! You have food to eat but you still talk so much nonsense."

Shang Xiuyan's smile returned to her face.

Su Mu watched from the side, feeling a sense of relief.

The friendship between girls can sometimes be truly wonderful and healing.

Looking at Shang Xiuyan, whose emotions had calmed down, he hesitated for a moment before finally asking the question.

"Xiuyan, is your strong desire to have a child and become a mother also because of your mother?"

Shang Xiuyan's smile faded slightly, and she nodded, exuding a somewhat married woman's air.

"Yes. I want to be a mother who is completely different from her."

"If I have a child, I will definitely not let him be as frivolous as I am."

"I want to make up for the childhood I lost through my children. Seeing them happy is the greatest healing thing for me."

Su Mu's heart stirred slightly.

This girl is really nice.

Many girls who have been hurt in their families of origin will unconsciously pass that hurt on to the next generation when they grow up.

But Shang Xiuyan wanted to break this cycle.

Su Zhiling noticed the appreciative and gentle gaze Su Mu cast at Shang Xiuyan, and the alarm went off instantly.

She put down her chopsticks, moved her body to block Shang Xiuyan's path, and protected her food.

"Old Deng, what are you looking at! Your eyes are about to pop out!"

"I'm warning you, my acknowledgment of Shang Xiuyan as my stepmother is a matter of sisterly affection between us, not a recognition of you as my father! Don't even think about taking advantage of her!"

"From today onwards, I will be watching over my stepmother 24/7. We'll even have to hold hands when we go to the toilet. You're not allowed to touch a single hair on her head!"

Shang Xiuyan's cheeks flushed instantly, and she gently pushed Su Zhiling away.

"My dear daughter, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"I still need to take advantage of the cheap price... otherwise, how am I supposed to give you a little brother or sister all by myself?"

After saying that, she became bolder and leaned to the side, pretending to snuggle into Su Mu's arms.

With lightning speed, Su Zhiling grabbed Shang Xiuyan by the back of her collar, forcefully pulled her back, and pressed her firmly into the chair.

"Shang Xiuyan! Can't you be a little more sensible! Have you never seen a man before?"

"It's not even a hint of a future together, and you're already thinking about having a baby? Can't you be a little more reserved, fellow women? This is putting me in a difficult position!"

Seeing this scene before him, Su Mu finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Su Zhiling, I've put up with you for so long!"

He pointed to his own nose.

"I!

"I went to so much trouble to find you two mothers so you could experience the maternal love you lacked, and this is how you repay me?"

"You don't even call him 'Dad' anymore, you just keep calling him 'Old Deng,' you're really bullying an honest person to death!"

Su Zhiling glanced at him sideways and snorted coldly.

"Yes, so what if I bully you?"

"It's your own fault for not being able to control your lower body and flirting with other women."

"You're looking for a mother because of me? Don't try to make yourself look good; you're just doing it for your own pleasure!"

"I'm telling you, Old Deng, I will never call you 'Dad' again in this lifetime. Just give up on that idea!"

Su Mu was so angry he laughed. Was this all the unfilial daughter thought of him?

Am I that kind of person?

After thinking for a moment, he seized the opportunity to make a bet:

"Okay, Su Zhiling, let's make a bet."

"Believe it or not, in less than three days, I'll make you cry and beg to call me 'Dad' willingly."

Su Zhiling raised her chin defiantly, as if she had heard the biggest joke of the century.

"Sure! If you can do that, I'll accept as many mothers as you want for me in the future!"

"Not only will I admit it, I'll also help you come up with strategies for flirting!"

"But if you can't do that, you have to call me Dad."

"I refuse to believe it! My mouth is my own body; if I don't want to scream, you can't pry it open!"

Xia Lanlan, who had been silent the whole time, whispered a word of advice.

"Alright, alright, let's stop talking and eat."

Su Zhiling didn't appreciate it at all and stood up directly.

"What are you eating? I'm not eating anymore!"

She grabbed Shang Xiuyan's hand.

"Let's see how you find me these next three days!"

"I'll turn off my phone, uninstall WeChat, and disappear from the face of the earth!"

"Stepmother, you're coming with me too!"

Shang Xiuyan hesitated for a moment, looking at the table full of dishes and then at Su Mu.

"I don't."

Su Zhiling's eyes darted around, and she leaned close to her ear, throwing out a deadly bait.

"I'll help you with your advanced calculus homework."

Shang Xiuyan's gaze wavered instantly.

"this……"

Su Zhiling increased her stakes.

"I'll also guarantee you'll pass the final exams."

"Walk!"

Shang Xiuyan immediately stood up, her attitude resolute.

Su Mu looked at the two girls, but instead of getting angry, he waved his hand, looking nonchalant as if to say, "Go ahead and do as you please."

Su Zhiling grabbed Shang Xiuyan and rushed out of the apartment without looking back.

The door slammed shut.

The lively room was instantly emptied, leaving only Su Mu and Xia Lanlan.

Xia Lanlan looked at Su Mu with a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Why are you getting angry with the child? If we can't find him for three days, you're bound to lose your bet!"

Su Mu slowly picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully.

"Who said I was going to find her? I can easily crush this brat."

"I now have a major advantage."