PWE – Chapter 89 To win her over, you must first win over Zhao Zhao.

Zhao Zhao’s gaze slowly changed, becoming gentle and clear again.

His eyelashes trembled as he looked at the mother holding him.

He suddenly burst into tears, reached out, and wrapped his arms around her neck. “Mom…”

Seeing that the child was back to normal, Xiao Wange silently breathed a sigh of relief.

She gently patted his back. “Mm, it’s okay now. Everything’s okay.”

Zhao Zhao curled up in her arms, sobbing for several minutes.

Shi Jinzhú watched from the side, feeling deeply guilty. It was all her fault—if she hadn’t said those things, then Zhao Zhao wouldn’t have…

“Zhao Zhao, the food is ready. Let’s eat first, okay?” Mu Yunhao stepped forward and took a handkerchief from his pocket, using it to wipe Zhao Zhao’s tears.

Zhao Zhao looked at him, pressed his lips together, and suddenly felt an inexplicable dislike toward this uncle.

He frowned and pushed Mu Yunhao’s hand away, wiping his own tears instead. “I’ll do it myself.”

Mu Yunhao: “……”

His frozen hand hovered mid-air. He looked at Zhao Zhao, and in the child’s eyes… there seemed to be a hint of dislike.

He had never looked at him that way before, but suddenly—there was hostility.

Xiao Wange also helped wipe a few tears from Zhao Zhao’s face.

After cleaning up his tears completely, she picked him up and gently placed him onto the stool beside the dining table.

She touched his head. “Today we have your favorite—braised pork. Zhao Zhao should eat more later.”

Zhao Zhao smiled a little at her. “Mm, okay, Mom.”

Then he reached for Taotao, wanting Taotao to sit next to him.

Taotao was still too little, so climbing onto the stool was a bit difficult. Shi Jinzhú wanted to help him, but Xiao Wange acted faster.

After both children were seated, Xiao Wange glanced at Shi Jinzhú and Mu Yunhao, signaling them to help bring the dishes from the kitchen.

But once they entered the kitchen, she turned around to face them and said, “What just happened in the main hall…”

“I know, I won’t say a word,” Shi Jinzhú quickly said, holding up four fingers as if swearing an oath. “I swear I absolutely won’t tell anyone!”

Zhao Zhao had clearly been abnormal earlier—his body suddenly went cold, and the air chilled with him.

She could not shake the feeling that Zhao Zhao… possessed some strange power.

Mu Yunhao looked at Xiao Wange. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything either. But that child—what exactly is going on?” Zhao Zhao’s oddness had been far too obvious. Luckily they were at home; if it happened outside, things could get messy.

Xiao Wange frowned. “I don’t know the details. But he’s a good child. I’m not going to abandon him just because he’s different!”

Besides, the seal inside Zhao Zhao’s body—she was the one who placed it. She had a feeling the child was connected to her somehow.

But the strange thing was, she had never met Zhao Zhao before. So the fact that she had supposedly placed a seal on him before… was extremely bizarre.

“Zhao Zhao really is a good kid. I like him too. Whatever’s inside him, I’ll still like him the same as always,” Mu Yunhao said with a small smile.

Shi Jinzhú said, “Me too. I’ll always like Zhao Zhao.”

Xiao Wange smiled. She knew they meant it. If they had ill intentions, they would’ve run away the moment they noticed Zhao Zhao’s abnormality.

But they stayed, acting as if nothing happened. That alone proved their affection for the child was genuine.

“Alright, let’s bring out the dishes. If we don’t eat soon, everything will get cold.” Xiao Wange picked up the pot of soup.

It was a small basin of soup. Normally she used a big bowl for serving soup, but with more people today, they needed the larger container.

Mu Yunhao reached out to take it from her. “Let me carry that. You can take the plate of cabbage.”

She was a woman, and the basin was heavy—he worried she might get burned.

But Xiao Wange turned sideways, avoiding his hand, and quickly walked out with the basin. “It’s not even hot. I can carry it.”

And even if it were hot, she wouldn’t be afraid—because she was no ordinary person.

Mu Yunhao watched her back, frowning slightly, a gentle tenderness surfacing in his eyes.

He knew she was strong and capable. But he still wanted to take care of her—wanted her life to be easier and more comfortable, wanted her… not to work so hard.

Shi Jinzhú shot him a look and teased in a low voice, “Comrade Mu, do you… like Comrade Xiao?”

Mu Yunhao paused.

He turned his head, looking at her.

Shi Jinzhú grinned. “I know you like her. Comrade Mu, you’re a great man. If you pursue Comrade Xiao, I’ll support you. But… she has a child. If you love her, you must also love Zhao Zhao. And even if you can accept both of them, will your family? Have you told your family about her?”

Mu Yunhao’s eyes flickered.

Then he suddenly smiled faintly. “My family will accept it. They know I like Comrade Xiao and fully support me. My grandmother even said that if I marry her, she’ll give me all her savings. And they like Zhao Zhao too—they would never dislike him.”

Shi Jinzhú was startled. So Mu Yunhao had already told his family?

As long as his family liked Xiao Wange and Zhao Zhao, that was good. She had only been worried they might dislike Zhao Zhao for being Comrade Zhan’s child, or look down on Xiao Wange for being divorced.

But it seemed she’d been overthinking. After all, Comrade Xiao was practically like a living goddess. Anyone would be grateful to have her in their family.

Shi Jinzhú almost patted Mu Yunhao’s shoulder but stopped herself because of propriety. She smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you. I also want Comrade Xiao and Zhao Zhao to be happy.”

But Zhao Zhao didn’t want a new dad… so if Mu Yunhao wanted to pursue Xiao Wange, he’d have to win over Zhao Zhao first.

…

During the meal, Mu Yunhao picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in Zhao Zhao’s bowl.

He smiled warmly. “Zhao Zhao likes this meat, so have more. And eating more meat will help you grow tall.”

His voice, like his smile, was gentle—warm as a spring breeze in March, comforting to anyone’s heart.

But…

Zhao Zhao looked at the meat, then suddenly picked it up.

He placed it back onto the table, frowning. “I don’t like this meat anymore. I’m sick of it.”

His tone also changed—tinged with irritation and displeasure.

Everyone at the table froze.

Xiao Wange quickly picked up the meat. “Then Mama will eat it. Mama likes this meat.”

Zhao Zhao bit his lip. Seeing his mom about to eat it, he hurriedly snatched it back.

He shoved the meat into his own mouth. “Fine, I’ll eat it. I suddenly like it again.”

Mu uncle had touched that meat. If Mama ate it… she would be eating his saliva. He didn’t want that. So he’d eat it himself.

Everyone: “……”

Shi Jinzhú’s mouth twitched. So awkward.

It looked like Zhao Zhao had suddenly begun to dislike Comrade Mu. Could it be… he understood that the “new dad” she mentioned referred to Mu Yunhao?

If Zhao Zhao disliked him because of what she said, then she was truly guilty.

She glanced at Mu Yunhao and found him looking embarrassed as well.

Of course he’d be embarrassed—the child’s dislike was too obvious.

Xiao Wange gently pressed her lips together. She gave Zhao Zhao two other dishes.

Zhao Zhao’s hostility toward Mu Yunhao appeared suddenly. She understood why.

But—

“Comrade Xiao… Comrade Xiao.” Before she could finish thinking, a voice shouted from outside.

Everyone turned their heads. They saw He Xiuyan, dressed in a Taoist robe, running in.

He Xiuyan rushed into the hall, sweat on his forehead. He wiped it and said shakily, “Comrade Xiao, help… help!”

His face was filled with panic, his voice trembling.

He ran to Xiao Wange, grabbing her sleeve. “Comrade Xiao, please come with me. Right now. Immediately!”

He knew he was being rude, but a life was at stake—he had no choice.

Xiao Wange put down her chopsticks and looked at him, frowning. “You have death energy on you.”

He Xiuyan froze, stunned.

He stared at her. “What did you say? I—I have death energy?”

Death energy was something only the dead—or the soon-to-die—had. Yet he was very much alive.

Xiao Wange nodded. “Yes. And it’s very heavy. Looks like you encountered something big.”

He Xiuyan stiffened and nodded rapidly. “I did encounter something big. That’s why I came to get you—to take care of it.”

But he hadn’t realized he had death energy on him. That was terrifying. Did that mean he didn’t have much time left?

“Rumble—!”

Thunder suddenly exploded in the sky.

The sound startled everyone. They lifted their heads and looked outside.

On distant Hongta Mountain, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky.

Seeing it, Xiao Wange’s expression darkened sharply. Her brows knitted tightly.