RMM -Chapter 272 The Suddenly Appearing Colonel

After leisurely finishing her afternoon nap, Su Ruo lay sprawled on the bed, squinting as she watched Xi Zi entertaining himself. She found it endlessly fascinating.

Sigh… You’re still so little. You can’t even roll over yet. When will you finally be able to sit up, bounce around, and call me “Mom” and him “Dad”?

Sighing inwardly, Su Ruo leaned down and buried her face in Xi Zi’s neck, kissing and sniffing him nonstop. Poor Xi Zi kept scrunching up his face and shaking his head, trying desperately to escape this inhumane torture.

“Aiya, son, you stink!”

Su Ruo suddenly pulled her head back, frowning.

Only then did she remember that it seemed she hadn’t bathed Xi Zi for several days. She immediately felt a stab of guilt—then promptly leaned down and kissed him again.

“Son, shall we go take a bath? Mommy will wash our precious baby until he smells super nice!”

True to her words, Su Ruo sprang into action. She flipped herself up and trotted out of the bedroom with quick little steps.

“Mom, come quickly!”

Not knowing where Zhang Huaqing was, Su Ruo called out while peering downstairs.

Zhang Huaqing had been watching TV downstairs. Hearing Su Ruo’s urgent voice, she thought something serious had happened and hurriedly replied, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing—just come up quickly!”

After shouting that, Su Ruo ran back into the bedroom, leaving Zhang Huaqing completely confused as she frowned and rushed up the stairs.

“What happened?” Zhang Huaqing pushed open the bedroom door. Seeing her precious grandson lying safely on the bed, she finally relaxed. “Why all the panic?”

“Mom, let’s give Xi Zi a bath. He smells.”

Su Ruo looked unusually enthusiastic, having completely forgotten how flustered and helpless she’d been the very first time she bathed Xi Zi.

“That works. I’ll go turn up the bathroom temperature first. Once the water’s ready, I’ll come back and help undress him.”

Zhang Huaqing agreed immediately. Anything related to Xi Zi, she was more than happy to handle personally—especially since it had been a long time since she last bathed the little one.

“Go, go—hurry up,” Su Ruo replied casually, nodding.

“Why do we have to wait for Grandma to undress you? Mommy knows how too, right?” Su Ruo blinked at Xi Zi and smiled once Zhang Huaqing entered the bathroom.

So by the time Zhang Huaqing returned, little Xi Zi was already completely naked, tucked under the blanket.

Zhang Huaqing was speechless.

She really wanted to scold Su Ruo—why was she in such a rush, like she was racing to be reincarnated? So clumsy and reckless—what if she hurt Xi Zi?

But seeing her bare, smooth-skinned grandson, she no longer had the heart to scold Su Ruo. She needed to hurry and carry him to the bathroom—what if he caught a chill?

Children weren’t like adults with thick skin and strong bodies. That tiny frame had terrible immunity. Leave him naked for too long and he’d definitely catch a cold.

Forced by reality, Zhang Huaqing could only glare at Su Ruo before wrapping Xi Zi in a small blanket and carrying him into the bathroom.

Left behind, Su Ruo awkwardly rubbed her nose and shrugged helplessly.

Why is Mom so distrustful of me? I’m a mother now, you know. How could I not know how to be gentle?

Tsk tsk. Seriously, she’s cautious to the point of paranoia.

Bathing a baby didn’t take long. Worried about her grandson catching cold, Zhang Huaqing moved even faster. Within minutes, Xi Zi’s bath was over.

“Mmm, smells so good!”

Su Ruo knelt by the edge of the bed, leaned in close to Xi Zi’s neck, and took a deep sniff, sighing contentedly.

“Move away. Don’t bully my grandson.”

Seeing Su Ruo’s head practically plastered to Xi Zi’s little face, with a few strands of hair brushing near his eyes, Zhang Huaqing frowned.

As a grandmother who adored her grandson beyond reason, how could she allow him to suffer such “mistreatment”? She immediately pulled Su Ruo away, full of disdain.

Dragged away by force, Su Ruo’s face darkened with black lines as she complained indignantly, “Mom, are you his mother, or am I?”

Zhang Huaqing shot her a contemptuous glance and replied breezily, “If it weren’t for the fact that you gave birth to Xi Zi, do you think I’d let you anywhere near him?”

“……”

Su Ruo was completely speechless.

Listen to that! Just listen to what she said!
Her heart felt utterly blocked.

“Mom, is that how a mother talks? Are you saying I should be grateful for your mercy?”

Su Ruo looked like a pitiful little cabbage trembling in the cold northern wind—tragic and miserable. Unfortunately, Zhang Huaqing didn’t even spare her a glance.

“No need for gratitude. Just put more effort into serving my grandson properly.”

“Thank you so much for the reminder.”

Su Ruo stared at her proud, empress-like mother and ground out each word through clenched teeth.

This is too much. Absolutely tyrannical. Wuwuwu…

“Sis! Come out here, quick!”

At that moment, the bedroom door was flung open, followed by Su Heng’s loud shout.

Su Ruo was in a bad mood and didn’t notice the unusual excitement in his voice. All she felt was that the sudden interruption was unbearably noisy.

“What is it? Why are you shouting like that?”

She replied impatiently without even turning her head.

…Su Heng was an innocent casualty yet again. Feeling wronged but also used to it—after all, this was how he’d grown up. It had been so many years; he really shouldn’t feel sad anymore.

But still… wuwuwu, his poor little heart wasn’t made of iron. How could it be immune to everything? He still felt incredibly aggrieved.

Su Heng took a few seconds to feel sad—then immediately got excited again.

“Sis, it’s a huge surprise!”

Unfortunately, neither Zhang Huaqing nor Su Ruo paid him any attention. Neither even turned around. Both were staring intently at Xi Zi, who had his eyes wide open and was curiously looking around.

Su Heng’s heart was utterly crushed—no, his dignity was utterly crushed.

Looking awkward and stifled, Su Heng glanced behind him, his little heart practically bursting into flames.

Damn it, you usually bully me all you want, but couldn’t you at least leave me some dignity this time?!

Do you know who’s standing behind me? In front of my idol, why won’t you let me have an easier time?!

Su Heng cried tears of blood in silence. Life was truly too hard. This family was downright inhumane to him.

“Mom! Sis! Turn around! There’s a shock waiting!” Su Heng roared four times with great momentum, then stepped aside and began silently drawing circles and cursing, ignoring everything around him.

Su Ruo frowned, about to snap back, when Zhang Huaqing beat her to it.

“This brat—who taught him to be so rude? You’d better watch it or I—Yuechen?”

Mid-scolding, Zhang Huaqing happened to glance over. Her eyes suddenly widened. In an instant, her imposing manner vanished, replaced by stunned disbelief as she uttered those two words.

Su Ruo was still teasing her precious son and hadn’t turned around, so she didn’t see what was happening behind her. Hearing Zhang Huaqing call her commanding officer’s name, she puffed out her cheeks and frowned.

Why bring up his name out of nowhere? Didn’t she know it would make people sentimental?

Su Ruo thought melodramatically.

Pouting, she said, “Mom, don’t mention his name in front of me. I’m working myself to death, guarding an empty room while raising his son all by myself. And him? The moment he returned to the army, he was like a fish back in the sea—only thinking about his own freedom, not even sparing me a single call. He’s enjoying himself to the fullest. Do you know how hard this is for me? If you count the days, I’ve already—ah!”

Right in the middle of her rant, Su Ruo suddenly clutched her forehead, eyes wide, looking at Zhang Huaqing with a pained and aggrieved expression.

“Mom! Why did you hit me?!”

She’d been pouring her heart out when her forehead suddenly suffered an unexpected attack from Zhang Huaqing.

Zhang Huaqing withdrew her hand, dryly chuckled twice toward the doorway, and looked at her utterly disappointing daughter with a toothache-inducing expression.

“Why are you yelling? Shut up!” Zhang Huaqing glared at the sulking Su Ruo. She was about to hint that the situation had changed when Su Ruo stubbornly jumped in again.

“What’s wrong with complaining?! Am I your biological daughter, or is he? I can’t even grumble a little? I wasn’t slandering him—everything I said was true! And you still take his side!”

Su Ruo didn’t mean anything special by it. She was just acting out of spite because Zhang Huaqing was defending her son-in-law—pure rebellion. After all, she still remembered the sharp words from earlier.

Of course, she herself could complain all she wanted, but if anyone else dared say a single bad word about Xi Yuechen, Su Ruo would immediately be unhappy.

Zhang Huaqing glared at her, furious yet helpless, sighing deeply. She couldn’t understand how her usually sharp-minded daughter became so stupid at critical moments.

Her frustration lasted all of two seconds.

Four seconds later, Su Ruo froze completely, stunned from head to toe.

Because after those two seconds of mental adjustment, Zhang Huaqing automatically blocked out her disappointing children and broke into a kind, benevolent smile.

“Yuechen, you’re here?”

At that moment, Su Ruo still looked unconcerned. Rolling her eyes rudely, she casually glanced back.

“Mom, are you joking or—”

Four seconds were up.

Su Ruo stood stiff as a board, inside and out completely petrified.

“C-Commander?”

She stared blankly and called out softly—so softly that probably only she herself could hear it.

Yes. Standing in front of Su Ruo at this very moment was none other than the man she’d just been mocking—Xi Yuechen.

When the person you’ve been thinking about day and night suddenly appears before you without any psychological preparation, who could possibly remain calm?

Especially when you’d just finished complaining about him.

Su Heng, standing off to the side with a face full of resentment, finally cracked a smile. Watching Su Ruo’s dumbstruck expression was immensely satisfying.

Serves you right. Serves you right for being smug and heartlessly hurting your little brother. Look—karma. Not only did you scold me for no reason, you even dragged Brother-in-law into it. I tried to warn you and you treated my kindness like donkey liver and lungs. This is what you get.

Su Heng leaned casually against the wall, utterly pleased. So far, he’d never seen anyone provoke his brother-in-law—let alone get caught red-handed badmouthing him behind his back.

I really want to know what the cold, ruthless brother-in-law will do. I really want to see my sister pounding her chest in regret.

Haha.