Chapter 42 (1/2)

“Xiao Chen, this beautiful aunt is your mother.” Pei Xiuyuan introduced her to his son.

Pei Zichen was shocked. Unexpected things did happen in this world!

“Manman, this is my son, Pei Zichen.” Pei Xiuyuan continued to introduce his son.

Lun Man was speechless.

She did not know what to say. She wanted to force a smile. But, he had a son and it meant that she would become a stepmother. It was too sudden and thus, she could not accept it. She did not know how else to face that fact.

The two of them remained quiet after Pei Xiuyuan’s introduction. He could understand them. It was too sudden for them. She had a stepson while his son had a stepmother.

“Let’s go out and eat together.” He believed that Lu Man had no mood to cook now.

Lu Man wanted to say something more.

“I don’t want to eat with her. I don’t like her! I don’t want her to be my stepmother!” His aunt had told him that his stepmother was a wicked woman. She had even made his father dislike his aunt. She would surely make his father hate him one day. If they had their own kids, he would be forgotten.

He did not want that! Surely!

He was angry at himself for admiring her. He even thought that she could be his stepmother one day! He had treated her as his own kind. Now, she had become his enemy all of a sudden. It was frustrating!

He felt that he was betrayed!

Pei Zichen heard that his father was recently married even before he came back. He overheard the conversation between his great grandmother and someone else. He became nervous. He did not want his father to find a stepmother for him even if he could not locate where his real mother was. Even if there was a stepmother, they needed his approval too!

Since then, he was considering the possibility that the stepmother his father had chosen was not favorable to him. So, he had started to choose the right stepmother for himself. He found that Lu Man was quite adorable and appealing among all the women he had met. He had even asked his steward to investigate Lu Man when he heard from his aunt that his stepmother was not a nice woman. He was even excited to meet her there just now. He could even introduce her to his father and he wished that they could fall in love with each other.

But…

He was indeed sad and angry at the same time!

The hostility he showed her saddened Lu Man.

She could understand him. No child could accept the sudden appearance of a stepmother. Every kid naturally had an assumption that every stepmother was wicked.

They should never suddenly force so much pressure and anxiety onto a child. That was his father’s fault.

Lu Man stared at Pei Xiuyuan. How did he act as his father?

Pei Xiuyuan laughed bitterly. Could he explain that all of it was beyond his control?

But, it was still his fault. He had to admit that.

Pei Zichen became much furious when Lu Man and Pei Xiuyuan ignored him. He hugged his father’s neck. “Dad, I don’t want her! I just don’t want to!”

“Pei Zichen.” Pei Xiuyuan turned to look at his son.

“Dad…” Pei Zichen sounded so sad and pitiful.

“I know that it’s difficult for you to accept the truth all of a sudden. But, the fact is such. You have to accept it no matter whether you’re willing or not.”

Lu Man’s lips twitched. His son would hate him more if he continued to act so harshly toward his son. Was he unaware of the fact that one would become more rebellious if they were harshly oppressed?

“Dad, don’t you love me anymore?” Pei Zichen’s eyes became watery. He appeared quite pitiful and sad. He seemed quite adorable that way.

Lu Man’s heart softened at that. She wanted so badly to use the whole wide world in exchange for his smile.

“We love you dearly. Didn’t you always want a mother?” Pei Xiuyuan went on numerous arranged marriage proposals for his son before. His son yearned for a mother. He reasoned that his son did need a mother growing up. That was why he wanted to get married.