It's already 2026, how can we still talk about having many children and having many blessings?

Wang Quan's face was full of resentment, but he still nodded.

"Okay, let's do as Lawyer Liu says and try to get Sicheng's sentence reduced."

Liu Song nodded, packed up his documents, and got up to take his leave.

After the door closed, Wang Quan sat alone in the living room, looking at the scattered paternity test results.

"Damn! So what if they have connections... Once Sicheng gets a reduced sentence, I'll have someone kill that scumbag couple."

……

Chen Mo and Zhao Siman found a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment in Hanlin Villa near Mingxiu Community.

Fully furnished, move-in ready. The landlord is a beautiful woman who runs a business in another city and is eager to rent it out, so she offered a very reasonable price.

The contract was signed and the rent was paid on the spot.

The community has a nice environment with neat greenery, access control, and security guards. It's better than older communities like Mingxiu Community, but not as unattainable as Xiangsi Lake Residence.

It's a place that's suitable for living a normal life.

He hired someone to clean the whole house and then drove to a nearby supermarket to buy a bunch of necessities.

After she had almost finished tidying up, Zhao Siman's phone rang.

She answered the call, said a few words, and then looked at Chen Mo after hanging up.

"Chen Mo, my parents are at the entrance of the community. Let's go pick them up."

Chen Mo threw the rag in his hand into the bucket and wiped his hands.

"Go and pick it up."

Zhao Siman was stunned for a moment.

"I disappeared after they broke us up. Come on, I'll see you out, pick them up, and then I'll leave first."

"oh."

Zhao Siman was not angry.

Looking at Chen Mo's profile, she felt a pang of guilt.

She was the one who gave up first back then, but now he's done so much for her.

When we arrived at the entrance of the residential area, a bread truck was parked on the side of the road.

The car door opened, and an elderly couple in their sixties got out.

Both of Zhao's parents are retired teachers.

Mr. Zhao was wearing a gray shirt and reading glasses, and his hair was neatly combed.

Zhao's mother had her hair permed in an old-fashioned style, and she carried a cloth bag under her arm.

Zhao Siman quickly went to meet her.

"Mom and Dad, haven't you eaten yet? Let's go get some noodles and chat while we eat."

After watching Chen Mo's car leave, Zhao Siman led her parents into a rice noodle shop near the residential area.

I ordered a bowl of Lao You Fen (a type of rice noodle soup) for my parents and a bowl of clear broth for myself.

Zhao's mother placed the cloth bag on the stool next to her and eagerly took Zhao Siman's hand.

"What exactly happened? You didn't explain it clearly over the phone. What did that beast Wang Sicheng do to you? What happened to the child?"

Zhao Siman lowered her head and stirred the noodles in the bowl, then briefly explained the whole process.

From the paternity test report, to Wang Sicheng having people tie her to the bedpost, to his plan to send the child away…

Upon hearing this, Zhao's parents were so angry that they trembled all over.

"That doctor is a monster... how could he do such a thing? Switching the sperm, that's destroying a family! And that beast Wang Sicheng, kidnapping someone? Sending the child away? Has he gone mad?"

"You bastards!" Father Zhao slammed his fist on the table. "Who does the Wang family think they are! My daughter is going to suffer after marrying into their family?"

Zhao's mother sighed, took Zhao Siman's hand, her eyes a little red, "Siman, then this child... whose child is it?"

"The doctor said that the hospital violated regulations by using seeds obtained through illegal channels."

"I don't know who the biological father is, but the child is healthy. I don't care whose father it is, it's my child, and the child is innocent."

Zhao's mother wiped her eyes and nodded, "Yes, that's right, the child is right."

After a moment of silence, she said, "You said someone rescued you and your child. Who was this kind person? They helped so much, hiring a lawyer and finding you a place to live... We really need to thank them."

Zhao Siman hesitated for a moment.

"He just left."

"Just left? Why didn't you call them in?"

"He doesn't want to see you."

Zhao's father and mother exchanged a glance.

"We don't even know him... why don't we want to see him anymore?"

Zhao Siman looked up at her parents.

"He is Chen Mo."

The air suddenly became quiet.

Zhao's father's hand, holding the bowl, froze in mid-air.

Zhao's mother's mouth opened slightly, her face full of shock and embarrassment, as well as a trace of guilt that had faded with time but surged up again at this moment.

"The one at the university?"

"Hmm." Zhao Siman lowered her head. "Back then, you all told me to go back to my hometown, and you advised me every day to find someone of equal social standing, someone with a stable job in the government, someone with a stable life..."

"We were in a long-distance relationship at the time, and it was only after you all persuaded us that we broke up. But for many years afterward, I didn't meet anyone suitable, so three years ago I just married Wang Sicheng as a compromise."

Father Zhao put down his bowl.

"How is he now?"

"He's really something now, even richer than Wang Sicheng. He lives in a 1200 million yuan luxury apartment, and he knows the top lawyers in Ningcheng. If it weren't for him, my child and I wouldn't know where we would be now."

The elderly couple sighed, "Back then... we were only doing it for your own good. You know, he was a poor young man, fresh out of college with nothing, working in another city, and you two were in a long-distance relationship... we were afraid you would suffer with him."

"Back then, we thought...class was insurmountable. It was too difficult for a poor boy from the countryside, without connections or resources, to establish himself in the city. Who knew..."

Mr. Zhao took off his reading glasses, wiped the lenses with his sleeve, and put them back on.

"It seems that Mom and Dad were wrong."

Zhao's mother gripped Zhao Siman's hand tightly. "Siman, does he...do he still love you?"

Zhao Siman's lips twitched.

He said he could treat the child as his own if I wanted to.

Zhao's mother was filled with excitement.

"Okay...okay. Siman, we were blind to break you up back then. Arrange for us to meet with him so we can apologize to him in person."

"Also, Siman, if he really marries you and is willing to treat the child as his own, then we... will give you those two apartments in Liucheng as your dowry."

"Let's talk about it after I've successfully gotten a divorce. It's not finalized yet."

……

Chen Mo's car turned into Mingxiu Residential Area.

Before he even got out of the car, a figure ran out of the fruit shop.

"Brother Mo!" Xiang Tong ran to the car and knocked on the window. "Why are you so late?"

As soon as Chen Mo opened the car door, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek.

The movements were very natural.

"A bit busy today." Chen Mo closed the car door. "Are you done at the shop?"

"That's almost done, my sister-in-law is finishing up."

Xiang Tong immediately took his arm and pressed her whole body against him.

"We sold a batch of durians today; the customers were brought in during the last group-buying event with my best friend."

"That's impressive."

"That's because you taught me well." Xiang Tong looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

Chen Mo sighed inwardly.

Sigh, this girl is really hooked.

Brother Nan, if I can't handle this, don't blame me.

Don't worry, I will take care of my sister-in-law and the children.

After tidying up the fruit in the store and cleaning up, I took Lin Xiaoyu home.

"Brother Mo, let's go shopping."

"Now?"

"Hmm, I haven't gone shopping with you yet."

The two drove to the city center.

After getting off the bus, Xiang Tong held hands with Xiang Tong the entire time.

They bought mala tang (a type of spicy hot pot) from a small stall, put it in a paper bowl, and ate it on the steps by the river.

Xiang Tong placed the fish balls into Chen Mo's bowl, then picked up his tofu skin and took a bite.

"This is delicious, you should have some too."

After saying that, she held it to his lips.

There was a row of stone benches along the riverbank, where many young couples sat.

A couple nearby were kissing each other, oblivious to everyone around them.

Xiang Tong put the empty bowl aside, sat down next to Chen Mo, and then rested her head on his shoulder.

After a while, she wrapped her arms around Chen Mo's neck and sat on his lap.

"Brother Mo."

"Um?"

She suddenly kissed him.

This kiss was more serious than any before.

The air is filled with the spiciness of hot pot and the sweetness of lemonade.

After a while, Xiang Tong let go of him, her forehead pressed against his, her breathing a little erratic.

"Brother Mo, I think..."