DLRC – Chapter 70 Confess Honestly

Because Yu Hui’s voice was far too soft this time, and mother and son were whispering closely to each other, plus they were standing on a busy street with people passing by, footsteps clattering and bicycle bells ringing—how could Huo Mingwang possibly hear what they were saying?

He looked at Yu Wei’s shocked expression with some curiosity. He had no idea what Yu Hui had just told his mother, but seeing the little guy acting all sneaky made him inexplicably amused.

After hearing what Yu Hui said, Yu Wei no longer had the mind to wonder whether Huo Mingwang had feelings for her or not. What the little rascal had just blurted out scared her senseless. Her slender arm flew up and instantly covered her obedient son’s mouth.

“Mm?” Yu Hui blinked in confusion, his thick lashes fluttering as he silently asked his mom why she was covering his mouth.

“My good boy, don’t go around saying random things!” Yu Wei was genuinely startled by what he’d just said. Who had taught him that? Why would he suddenly ask her such a thing out of the blue?

She had never told him anything about his father, nor had she ever said Huo Mingwang wanted to be his dad. What on earth was going on?

Yu Wei was on the verge of a breakdown when, in the next second, she watched in disbelief as Yu Hui was lifted into the backseat by Huo Mingwang.

Yu Hui, thrilled to have a car to sit in, happily waved his little arms and called out to his mom, “Mama! Over here!”

“Let’s go,” Huo Mingwang said.

He didn’t believe that with her son already inside, Yu Wei would still refuse to get in.

Huo Mingwang had always been a dominant person—especially after finding out that Yu Hui was his son, and knowing that Yu Wei hadn’t found another man after returning to the city. Deep down, he had already mentally returned their relationship to how it was before she left.

Back then, they were husband and wife. Yu Wei was his wife.

Even if the one who had heartlessly insisted on severing ties and never seeing him again… was her.

In the end, Yu Wei still got into the “thief’s car.” Once inside, she furiously scooped her son into her arms and kneaded his chubby little cheeks without mercy, only stopping once his cheeks had turned visibly red.

“You little troublemaker!” Just wait until we get home—I’m going to interrogate you properly!

Yu Hui wriggled out from his mother’s clutches and panted, “Mama, I’m so hot!”

Before Yu Wei could say anything, Huo Mingwang rolled down the window next to him a bit and even added, “Still hot?”

He was so considerate—it was like he was a completely different person!

Yu Wei and her son stared at each other in disbelief, wide-eyed.

A few seconds later, Yu Hui suddenly sprang up from Yu Wei’s lap and stared at the back of Huo Mingwang’s dark head. His big eyes spun rapidly as thoughts raced through his clever little mind—until finally, he figured it out!

Uncle Huo really had changed! He wasn’t like before. Even though Yu Hui didn’t know why, the moment he saw the slight upward curve of Huo Mingwang’s lips in the rearview mirror, he knew—Uncle Huo was different now.

Children have sharp and accurate instincts. The current Huo Mingwang had shed some of his former harshness and now carried a more comfortable and gentle aura.

Did he really want to be his dad?

“Huihui, don’t stand up. Come sit down properly.” This kid was acting very strange today. And Huo Mingwang… was even stranger. Ever since she got sick, he’d been acting like a completely different person—so enthusiastic it was unlike him at all.

Yu Hui turned around and snuggled back into Yu Wei’s arms, though his gaze still lingered on Uncle Huo in the driver’s seat.

Huo Mingwang didn’t say much. Right now, he was extremely excited—so much so that his palms were sweaty from gripping the steering wheel. Just a while ago, he’d been plotting how to teach this heartless woman a lesson.

But now, the moment he thought about how Yu Hui was his son—his and Yu Wei’s child—he couldn’t suppress the fiery emotion swelling in his chest.

That was why he’d taken her shopping bag without asking and carried their son into the car.

He couldn’t help himself. His gaze swept across the mother and son again. “Where does your son go to kindergarten?”

Yu Wei heard the question and, after a pause, answered, “The community kindergarten on Sishui Road.”

“Sishui Road?” Huo Mingwang was clearly stunned for a moment. Then Yu Wei noticed the corners of his lips curving noticeably upward.

“What’s wrong?” Was there something wrong with Sishui Road? she asked, puzzled.

The man glanced at her glowing face in the rearview mirror. The sky was darkening, so he couldn’t see her clearly. He turned on the light on the car ceiling. The warm yellow glow fell gently across the bridge of her slightly upturned nose, making her face appear even softer and more maternal.

“Nothing,” he replied, his voice slightly hoarse.

It was just… a coincidence.

In an uncharacteristically good mood, Huo Mingwang smoothly steered the car onto Changqing Road.

The way back was the same as usual, but the ten-minute drive somehow stretched into twenty under this man’s hands. Even someone as slow as Yu Wei noticed that something was off.

Still, they eventually arrived at the old house on Changqing Road. Yu Wei got out of the car with her son, gathered the shopping bags, and then led him over to the driver’s side window.

“Thank you, Mr. Huo,” she said, her smile clearly more sincere than the ones before.

In a rare moment, Huo Mingwang’s lips curled into a subtle smile—not enough for her to notice, but she could still sense that he was in a great mood.

He didn’t say anything. Yu Wei lowered her head and looked at her son. “Huihui, say goodbye to Uncle Huo. We’re going home.”

Yu Hui had been sitting in the car for a long time and was feeling a little tired. He raised his hand to rub his eyes, then waved twice at the man in the car. “Goodbye, Uncle Huo.”

The little guy yawned and nestled his head against Yu Wei’s waist. Yu Wei chuckled, hooked the shopping bags over her arm, picked him up, and prepared to head upstairs.

But her obedient son was getting heavier and heavier these days. It took a lot of effort to lift him. At this rate, in a few more months, she might not be able to carry him anymore.

And then—just as she turned around—her son was snatched away from her again?!

She had only looked away for a second. Then came the sound of the car door closing behind her, and she turned to find that Huo Mingwang had gotten out of the car and taken her son from her arms, heading straight into the small courtyard.

He even left behind a line: “Helping you carry your son.”

Yu Wei was momentarily speechless.

Huo Mingwang, are you freaking serious right now?

This time of evening, most people had already finished dinner. The neighbors with nothing better to do had come outside for a stroll, gathering to chat. Sure enough, after just a few steps into the courtyard, Yu Wei spotted three or four old ladies sitting on little stools in front of Jiang Aihua’s house.

When they saw Yu Wei rushing in behind Huo Mingwang in a flustered jog, all their eyes glued onto the three of them. Yu Wei was so embarrassed she could hardly breathe.

Oh my god! What is Huo Mingwang trying to pull? Her obedient son wasn’t wrong after all—was this man seriously trying to be his dad?!

Yu Wei had her hands full with bags of all sizes. When she quickened her pace, the bags swayed in the wind, making it impossible to catch up to the long-legged man in front of her.

“Hey! Yu Wei!”

Jiang Aihua called out from the doorway, but Yu Wei clearly didn’t have time to deal with anyone right now. Without even turning her head, she shouted, “Auntie Jiang, I’ve got something to take care of—see you another day!”

Thud thud thud—

Huo Mingwang had already taken the child upstairs in his leather shoes. As he walked, he finally slowed down, taking the stairs one step at a time, slow enough for the woman behind him to catch up, panting.

He glanced around at his surroundings, then turned to Yu Wei. “Which one’s your apartment?”

To be honest, faced with this sudden change in Huo Mingwang’s demeanor, Yu Wei was a bit scared. But then again, what would a big boss like him want from her? Besides her face, she really didn’t have anything of value.

Could it be… he was won over by her cooking? What nonsense.

Yu Wei didn’t answer him. She didn’t want to. But refusing to answer would mean they’d just stand there awkwardly in the hallway, so in the end, the little traitor Yu Hui gave in first.

“We live on the third floor.” He normally wouldn’t tell people where he lived, but if Uncle Huo really wanted to be his dad… well, he was kind of looking forward to it.

After all, Uncle Huo was the only man he had ever interacted with besides the Yu family—and he was nice to him. He took him to the cafeteria for food and brought his mom to the hospital.

And he had a car. Brother Gai Gai said that cars were really expensive things, something even Sister Huahua’s family didn’t have.

So if Uncle Huo had a car, then he must be rich. And if this rich Uncle Huo became his dad, then Mom wouldn’t have to work so hard selling cakes every day.

She could stay home like Grandma Jiang and spend all her time with him!

That’s what Yu Hui was thinking so innocently. He had no idea this line of thought was basically like selling out his mother.

While he was lost in his imagination, Huo Mingwang had already reached the third-floor landing. He looked down and locked eyes with the little guy in his arms. “And then where?”

“Over there…” Yu Hui pointed the way, sneaking a glance at his mother’s face, only to find that she looked angry.

He immediately regretted it.

Looks like Mom doesn’t like this Uncle Huo… Then… then I won’t like him either. Even though I want a rich and handsome dad, if Mom doesn’t like him, I’ll give up. I can’t make Mom upset.

He had overthought things earlier. But if Uncle Huo really did want to be his dad, well… he’d be a little happy about that. As for his biological father, Yu Hui had never seen him and never held any hopes for him either.

The little guy was young, but quite practical—he knew that if he were to pick a dad, he should pick someone rich. If Yu Wei knew what was going on in his head, she’d be torn between laughing and crying.

At the door, Yu Hui instinctively reached under his shirt for the red string around his neck to grab the key. But when he saw the unhappy look on his mother’s face, he turned to her.

“Mama…”

Yu Wei gave her little traitor a long look, pulled out her own key, and opened the door. Inside, it was pitch black, not a single light on.

Still, Huo Mingwang was very well-behaved. Once the door was open, he put Yu Hui down and said to Yu Wei, “I’ll be going, then.”

And just like that, he left in a whirlwind again. His long legs carried him swiftly to the end of the hallway. Yu Wei ran to the balcony and leaned on the railing to look downstairs, only to see several aunties staring straight at the third floor—right outside her place.

With those fiery gazes, Yu Wei could already guess that they’d started gossiping like crazy.

Once Huo Mingwang walked downstairs, all those aunties’ gazes followed him instead.

But Huo Mingwang, being who he was, was already used to people watching him. He didn’t care in the slightest. He walked out of the courtyard with perfect posture and an expression as calm as ever, as if he hadn’t noticed the blazing stares aimed at him from all directions.

He was finally gone. Yu Wei let out a long breath. Just as she was about to turn away, her gaze unexpectedly met Huo Mingwang’s bright eyes.

He was standing beside the car, hadn’t gotten in yet. He suddenly looked up at the third floor—and by chance, their eyes met.

Yu Wei panicked and scrambled back inside, slamming the door shut behind her. After putting away the bags, she went to the kitchen, filled a cup of water from the kettle, and gulped it down.

Her stomach bloated with water, and it finally sobered her up a little.

But her mind was still full of the image of him standing downstairs, looking up at her from afar.

The tender look in his eyes was hazy in the backlight, like a distant memory from a hundred years ago.

She was losing it—completely losing it. That kind of deep, intense gaze… she must’ve imagined it.

Yu Wei took a deep breath. Her son had already run into the room and taken off his coat. When he saw her come in, he was thrilled. “Mama!”

He was curious whether she was still mad, but didn’t dare ask. Still, judging by her expression, it wasn’t as bad as before.

“Comrade Yu Xiaohui! Come clean! What exactly did you mean by what you said earlier?” Yu Wei pulled him into her arms and took a big sniff of his chubby cheeks. Only after he squealed and begged for mercy did she finally stop.

“Mama! Mama, that tickles! Hahaha—”

“Tickles? That’s the point! I want it to tickle!” Yu Wei tickled his chin and neck. “Come on, spill it! Who taught you that? Why did you suddenly ask if Uncle Huo wanted to be your dad? Hm?”

She definitely hadn’t taught her son to say things like that. Where had this little guy picked up that idea?

Yu Hui giggled uncontrollably, struggling to catch his breath. By the time Yu Wei let him go, he was laughing so hard his eyes were filled with tears.

“M-Mama, I…” He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand a few times before managing to calm down. “Mama, the other day when Brother Gai Gai came to see me, he saw Uncle Huo coming to our shop to buy cake.”

“Mm-hmm, and then?” Wait a second—did that kid Zou Gaigai tell her son all this?

“Then Brother Gai Gai asked me if Uncle Huo wants to be my dad.”

“Why would Zou Gai Gai ask you that?”

Yu Hui shook his head honestly. Lying on the bed with Yu Wei, he was starting to get sleepy again.

“So what else did Gai Gai say? He just asked you that out of the blue?”

“Brother Gai Gai asked me why Uncle Huo always buys so many, so many cakes. I said I didn’t know, so he asked me if it’s because Uncle Huo likes Mommy and wants to marry her! He also said Uncle Huo wants to be Hui Hui’s dad, that’s why he buys so many cakes to support Mommy’s business, and because Uncle Huo always sneaks glances at Mommy, so…”

Yu Wei quickly covered her son’s mouth to stop him from continuing. She angrily gritted her white teeth: “That Zou Gai Gai—he’s only eight years old, just a second grader! How can a kid his age know so much and even ask these kinds of questions?!”

Seriously, unbelievable. And this silly Yu Hui, why’d he even remember all that? Thankfully Huo Mingwang didn’t hear it just now, otherwise she would’ve been absolutely mortified!

“Mama, then…” Although the question Zou Gai Gai asked wasn’t great, Yu Hui was curious too. He also wanted to know if Uncle Huo really wanted to be his dad.

Actually, he didn’t really mind having a dad, but only if that person wasn’t someone he or Mommy disliked. Even if he liked the person but Mommy didn’t, it wouldn’t work—both of them had to like him before he could be his dad!

“All right, Hui Hui, listen to Mommy.” Yu Wei put on a serious face as she lay in bed and turned her son’s face toward her. “From now on, you’re not allowed to say anything about Uncle Huo wanting to be your dad in front of other people. If Zou Gai Gai ever brings it up again, just pretend you didn’t hear him and don’t answer. Got it?”

“Why, Mama?” Yu Hui didn’t understand.

“Because…” Yu Wei was stumped. “Why do there have to be so many whys? Just remember—you can’t let Zou Gai Gai bring up that topic again. Kids should talk about kid stuff!”

That Zou Gai Gai, gossiping about her personal life in private—this wasn’t even a real thing! Who knows what his parents said in front of him for him to come up with this kind of stuff…

“Okay then.” Yu Hui was sleepy and didn’t want to argue anymore. The little guy yawned widely. “Mama, can I go to sleep now?”

“Silly boy, why are you sleeping?” Yu Wei lifted his shirt, exposing his soft, white belly. The warm yellow light in the room cast a faint misty glow over it.

“Come here, let Mama see if Hui Hui’s tummy is flat.”

Yu Hui giggled from being teased. “Oh! We haven’t eaten dinner yet! I forgot!”

“Exactly, I was wondering why you were already trying to sleep. Mama hasn’t even started cooking yet.” Yu Wei pressed her ear to his belly, making him squirm from the ticklish sensation. “Let me hear if my son’s tummy is growling.”

“It’s not,” Yu Hui said with a giggle, covering his mouth. His lashes curved, and his eyebrows lifted up in amusement. “I’m only a little hungry.”

Honestly, if Yu Wei hadn’t brought it up, Yu Hui would have completely forgotten that he hadn’t eaten. But now that she mentioned it, he was starting to feel a little hungry after all.

“All right then, come help me wash the vegetables. What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Hmm… I want steamed egg custard!” Yu Hui held onto Yu Wei’s shirt hem and followed her out of the room, his little legs pattering behind her.

Yu Wei teased him: “Steamed egg custard, huh… You sure it’s real eggs, not fake ones?”

“Mama! Real eggs, of course!” Yu Hui raised his voice. “You can’t eat fake eggs!”

“Okay, okay, then let’s steam some egg custard for our Hui Hui. Anything else?”

The vegetables in the kitchen were bought from the market that morning—a mix of meat and veggies. Asking Hui Hui was just a formality. What was actually cooked still depended on her.

After all, if her son wanted beef, but she’d only bought pork, it’s not like she could magically go buy beef. But steamed eggs were doable—perfect for kids, easy to digest, and nutritious.

After dinner, the mother and son went for a walk in the park. Since the park was right across the street, it would be a waste not to go. The park was filled with children, most of them accompanied by parents.

Of course, there were also young couples strolling about. Once they reached a quiet, dim corner, some would even sneakily hold hands, enjoying a rare sweet moment in their day.

To be honest, Yu Wei didn’t have a strong desire for romance or marriage, but sometimes when she saw couples being affectionate, she couldn’t help feeling a little envious.

But love… once you actually experience it, it’s never quite as beautiful as you imagined.

Even though Yu Wei had never dated before, she’d seen enough through her college roommates’ love lives to know a thing or two.

As someone who had been single since birth, Yu Wei thought: since she’d never experienced some grand, perfect love, she wouldn’t set her expectations too high either.

Men? They’re nothing compared to her sweet little son.

“Right, Hui Hui?”

Yu Wei’s sudden words left Yu Hui confused. Cold wind blew around his neck, but thankfully his mother had made him wear a scarf. His head, however, felt a bit woozy from the wind—he’d refused to wear a hat because it was hot earlier, and now he regretted it.

“Mama, I feel a little cold.”

“If you’re cold, let’s head back.”

Taking a walk in the middle of winter could be a form of torture. Yu Wei, who was particularly sensitive to the cold, ended up taking her son back home after less than ten minutes outside.

In the dim stairwell ahead of them walked a tall, skinny middle-aged man. He had a leather bag tucked under his arm, and his leather shoes echoed loudly against the floor.

“Mama, it’s so dark,” Yu Hui said as he held her hand and climbed the stairs. His legs were short, so Yu Wei had to pause after every step to let him catch up.

“Come here, I’ll carry you.” Yu Wei picked him up, helpless but affectionate. He was slow enough already, and now with the dark stairwell, their pace slowed even more.

The man ahead heard them and glanced back. Only then did Yu Wei notice the cigarette between his fingers. The dim red glow of the cigarette butt stood out sharply in the dark.

Yu Wei didn’t recognize him—she didn’t recall ever seeing him around. She deliberately slowed her pace, letting him go ahead. About a minute later, the man walked up to the third floor and stood in front of a door at the end of the corridor.

Knock knock—

The door was knocked on. A voice from inside, likely one of the twins, shouted, “Who is it? Is it Daddy?!”

The man didn’t reply. Once someone inside opened the door, the little girl jumped up excitedly, “Ah! It’s Daddy!”

“Daddy’s back! Shuya, hurry and come out!”

“Daddy’s back? Ah! It really is Daddy!”

The two little girls were thrilled to see him. They hurried to pull him inside, and the door shut with a bang. Yu Hui and Yu Wei looked away. He whispered, “Mama, the sisters’ dad is back.”

“Mm, yes, their dad came back.”

Yu Wei had thought the little guy would ask when his own dad was coming back. That would’ve made sense as the next question.

But Yu Hui clearly wasn’t like most kids. He didn’t care whether he had a dad or not. In fact, it didn’t matter to him at all.

He simply didn’t care about this so-called “dad” whom he had never even met.

Two weekend days passed. Monday was just around the corner. After two clingy days with Mommy, Yu Hui woke up from his sleep—time to go back to kindergarten!

He was heartbroken, while his mother looked positively thrilled—her excited expression starkly contrasted with his tearful little face.

Yu Hui pouted. Even eating his fried egg wasn’t as enjoyable as usual. He didn’t even praise his mom’s cooking today.

“Mama, you don’t seem the least bit sad to see me go,” he said pitifully.

Yu Wei was holding a steamed bun. When she heard him, she froze for two seconds. “Huh? Haha, of course not! What are you talking about, sweetie? Mommy’s really gonna miss you, haha!”

Yu Hui: “……” Mommy, could you laugh any louder? So annoying!