Meanwhile, in the town next door.
Li Yue Shu was chatting with Hong Dai. "The ruins of Qing Feng Hall haven't been cleared up yet, and you're brazenly running to Liu Xian Wine House. Aren't you afraid of being caught?"
Hong Dai leaned lazily by the window and chuckled, "Don't worry, I've already lured them away, so it won't implicate Liu Xian Wine House. Besides, if I didn't come to the wine house to keep watch, how could I see your good show the first moment I could?"
Li Yue Shu certainly knew what good show she was referring to and rolled her eyes. "You..."
"Knock knock knock!"
A knock sounded, and Shen Can walked in. "Madam, Third Brother is here with Mo Lian and the children. I've told them to wait in the backyard."
Li Yue Shu paused, "They've all come?"
Shen Can nodded, then hesitated, "Do you want to see them?"
Li Yue Shu pouted, "Tell them I'm very busy right now and ask them to go back first."
She knew why they were here, but she had no intention of going downstairs, leisurely pouring herself a cup of tea.
Shen Can froze, wanting to say something, but ultimately didn't, and turned to leave.
Hong Dai played with her handkerchief, her seductive eyes fixed on Li Yue Shu, as if gazing at a lover. "You, in this state, are very much like a young lady throwing a tantrum."
Li Yue Shu's hand holding the teacup paused, and the corner of her mouth twitched.
Seeing this, Hong Dai covered her mouth and laughed. "I'm really curious how you'll handle this."
Li Yue Shu shot her a glare. "Do you like gossip that much?"
Hong Dai blinked her innocent eyes. "As the楼主 (Master) of Ming Yue Lou, isn't it my duty to gossip?"
Li Yue Shu: "..."
As they were talking, Shen Can knocked again and entered, bringing Shen Zhi Yu with her.
Li Yue Shu looked at them in confusion.
Shen Can quickly explained, "A Yu was crying and fussing in the backyard, wanting to come find you, so I..."
Before she could finish, Shen Zhi Yu let go of her hand and rushed towards Li Yue Shu, "Mama~"
His soft, cute voice, laced with sobs, even made Hong Dai, standing nearby, feel a pang of sympathy.
Li Yue Shu knew why the little one was brought upstairs, but seeing him nestled cutely in her arms, calling "Mama" with a wronged expression, even her biggest anger dissolved.
She sighed helplessly, lifted Shen Zhi Yu onto her lap, and gently wiped away the tears from his face. "Don't cry."
Shen Zhi Yu pouted, his long eyelashes stuck together by tears, making him look incredibly adorable. "Mama, are you... are you not going to want A Yu anymore?"
Li Yue Shu pinched his little nose. "Who told you Mama doesn't want you anymore?"
Shen Zhi Yu looked wronged, clutching Li Yue Shu's collar tightly. "Mama hasn't come home in a long time, and she hasn't cared if A Yu ate properly..."
Feeling his anxiety, Li Yue Shu felt a pang of heartache.
A Yu was still so young, he had always been dependent on her and had no idea about Shen Wei's affairs. She shouldn't have taken her anger out on him.
Li Yue Shu quickly patted the little one's back to comfort him. "Mama has been too busy lately and neglected A Yu. Mama apologizes to A Yu. Will A Yu stay with Mama tonight, okay?"
"Okay!" Shen Zhi Yu nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling, completely forgetting the instructions from his elder brothers before coming up.
Therefore, when Shen Can went downstairs to relay Li Yue Shu's message, everyone was almost speechless.
Mo Lian, standing beside them, watched the expressions of the four father and sons and almost burst out laughing.
In all the time he had known them, he had never seen Yi Min look so nervous and afraid.
Compared to their worry, Mo Lian was completely unfazed.
Perhaps it was the clarity of an outsider, but he was confident that Madam would not bear to abandon these children.
It was precisely because she cared that she was so angry upon learning she had been deceived.
The others didn't know what Mo Lian was thinking.
Shen Ting Yi anxiously tugged at Shen Wei's sleeve, shaking it. "Daddy, what should we do..."
The bells on the chain rings jingled merrily with her movements, but no one was in the mood to appreciate it.
Shen Wei looked down at the little girl's flushed eyes and was slightly taken aback.
A Yi, despite her young age, was stubborn. Once she set her mind on something, ten horses couldn't pull her away.
And more than a year ago, she was clearly the one who detested Li Yue Shu the most.
Mo Lian glanced at their expressions and proactively suggested, "It's a good start that Madam is willing to keep A Yu. Why don't we go back and discuss it, and come again tomorrow?"
Upon hearing this, a few of them hesitated.
"Let's stay a while longer," Shen Ting Wen said. "Leaving like this would seem insincere. It's still early, perhaps she'll be willing to see us in a bit."
This made sense to everyone, and they unanimously agreed. They even stayed for dinner at the wine house and asked Shen Can to relay their intention to see them again tomorrow before leaving in their ox cart.
Upon hearing that Shen Wei had brought the children to the wine house for a meal, Li Yue Shu couldn't help but laugh out of anger.
That brat A Wen, he was certainly making good use of his position as the owner, even though she had transferred the wine house to him!
Li Yue Shu directly instructed Shen Can, "If they dare to come tomorrow, don't even let them into the backyard!"
Shen Can's heart skipped a beat.
Why did she feel like Third Brother and the others had shot themselves in the foot?
Shen Zhi Yu understood nothing, only knowing that Mama didn't want him anymore. He happily followed Li Yue Shu, completely forgetting the mission he was tasked with.
However, he still remembered the fear of not seeing his Mama for days. At night, he snuggled in Li Yue Shu's arms, his little hands clutching her collar, as if afraid she would disappear if he let go.
Li Yue Shu naturally felt his nervousness and fear. She kissed his back and said, "A Yu, Mama promised not to abandon you, so you don't have to be so scared."
Hearing her words, Shen Zhi Yu lifted his head. "But... A Yu had a nightmare. A Yu is afraid Mama will be like before..."
In the darkness, Shen Zhi Yu's face was unclear, but his voice was very cautious. "A Yu can eat less, and A Yu can help his brothers and sisters with chores. A Yu will grow up quickly."
"Mama, can you please not go back to how you were before, and not leave A Yu..."
The hand Li Yue Shu was patting his back with suddenly stopped. Her heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles, a dense pain.
So A Yu remembered everything.
Even though it was the original host's misdeeds, A Yu, knowing nothing, could still accept and rely on the person who had hurt him.
At this moment, Li Yue Shu suddenly remembered that she didn't originally belong to this world.
Her choice to stay and be good to the four children was merely a way for her to cleanse herself for future survival.
But unknowingly, she had already come to regard the four little villains as her own children, worrying about whether they ate well and were clothed warmly, considering their futures.
In fact, she understood that in the face of her sudden change, and even her secrecy, Shen Wei and the children withholding information from her was the wisest choice.
But in her heart, she had already considered them family.
She was an orphan in her past life. The only person she could consider family was Xiao Yu. Therefore, the word "family" was too foreign and beautiful to her; she didn't want to see any flaws.
Thus, when faced with their deception, she felt indignant.