A smiling sunflower-shaped face and a winking square face were drawn on the drawing paper, and He Xihuan was standing right behind the two of them, seeing it clearly.
“This is Little Uncle.” Ke Wuli pointed at the square face, giggling as if she had successfully pulled off a prank.
“Xiao Li,” He Xihuan scooped Ke Wuli up into the air and spun her around, “am I really that ugly? You drew me like a ghost, and you still have the nerve to show it off.”
Ke Wuli was not scared at all, giggling in the air as she retorted without missing a beat, “Little Uncle is just like that.”
Xu Yiwen rubbed the surface of the drawing paper with the pad of his thumb, his lips curving into a smile.
Ke Wuli’s abstract artistic style had somehow managed to capture He Xihuan’s essence.
A few minutes later, He Jing and Wang Congmeng also came down from upstairs, and the living room became even livelier.
Wang Congmeng poured Xu Yiwen another cup of oolong tea, the smile at the corners of her eyes gradually fading into a calm expression. “Xiaowen, we did not get the chance to ask you about what happened with your family. Are you doing all right?”
She said this with a sense of guilt, her gaze lowering as she did not dare meet Xu Yiwen’s eyes.
They had found out a month ago that Xu Yiwen was an orphan rather than the biological son of the Xu family, and that the Xu family had found their real son.
At that time, Xu Xiangchuan had come to their house and said that if He Xihuan did not like Xu Yiwen, they could get a divorce and let their biological son, Xu Baoan, take his place.
Where on earth were there parents like that?
Wang Congmeng finally understood why Qiu Yao had been willing to cast aside her pride and rush to have Xu Yiwen and He Xihuan get married.
Last month, Xu Yiwen was busy with work and had many matters to handle. When He Jing and Wang Congmeng rejected Xu Xiangchuan’s suggestion to swap sons and stated that the He family only accepted Xu Yiwen, they demanded that Xu Xiangchuan keep his biological son hidden away, ensuring Xu Yiwen would not find out for at least a month.
To their surprise, right at the exact mark of one month, not a single day more, the Xu family brought Xu Baoan back home and even sent a message to inform Xu Yiwen, dragging him back without a word.
While Xu Yiwen was in the shower, He Xihuan had seen that message in advance and told them about it.
They had strongly urged He Xihuan and Xu Yiwen to go back together.
With his partner going along, Xu Yiwen could have felt a bit more confident.
However, He Xihuan said that Xu Xiangchuan’s message mentioned wanting him and Xu Yiwen to return together, yet after reading the message, Xu Yiwen never mentioned it to him at all and went to work the next day as usual, acting completely normal.
Xu Yiwen had a strong sense of pride, and returning to the Xu family meant nothing but humiliation. Letting He Xihuan go along would only make things more awkward.
Therefore, Xu Yiwen chose to endure it alone, and they respected Xu Yiwen’s choice.
“I am fine,” Xu Yiwen stared at the tea in the cup, which exuded a rich fragrance, trying hard to suppress his emotions and keep his expression normal. “The Xu family raised me, and I am very grateful to them. Now that they have finally found their biological son, I am happy for them too.”
“Since they are happy, and I am living my life well, everything is just fine.” Xu Yiwen raised his eyes and gave Wang Congmeng a smile.
This smile reflected in Wang Congmeng’s pupils as nothing but forced bitterness.
She placed the teacup from Xu Yiwen’s hand onto the coffee table and gently grasped his palm. “Xiaowen, you and Xihuan are already married. You are a member of the He family now, and this is your home.”
Her firm yet gentle eyes seemed to tell Xu Yiwen that it did not matter if the Xu family did not want him; the He family would always be his home.
A sudden sourness pricked at the bridge of his nose, and the corners of Xu Yiwen’s eyes flushed slightly.
He looked at Wang Congmeng and nodded, suppressing the complex emotional fluctuations in his heart.
The parental affection he had tried so hard to get from the Xu family for so many years, he had inexplicably and effortlessly obtained here in the He family.
Wang Congmeng before him, with her shoulder-length soft curls and a gentle yet weathered resilience and ease, completely changed Xu Yiwen’s perception of the word mother.
He Jing and He Xiyou, who were playing nearby with Ke Wuli while occasionally glancing over, also changed his perception of fathers and siblings.
In his line of sight, He Xihuan was gradually walking closer, and Xu Yiwen let out an imperceptible breath.
Pity that all the affection he received from the He family ultimately came from He Xihuan.
Sooner or later, he would have to let it all go.
“Mom,” He Xihuan squeezed in and sat beside Wang Congmeng, “I already asked. He got a new younger brother, and it made the Xu family thrilled.”
“How come so much food cannot shut your mouth?” Wang Congmeng hurriedly shoved a pastry into He Xihuan’s mouth. “Lao He, hurry up and take your son to go cook.”
After pushing He Xihuan away, she turned back to explain to Xu Yiwen: “Xihuan is rigorous and serious at work and never dares to make a single mistake. When he has been suppressed for too long, he wants to relax even more at home and acts just like a child. Do not take it to heart.”
“You two have been married for a year, so you can probably feel it. His mouth is foul, but he is always thinking of you and cares for you in his heart.”
Hearing this, Xu Yiwen shouted impossible in his mind.
He Xihuan having a foul mouth was true, but it was equally true that he could not possibly like him.
Everything Wang Congmeng was saying was nothing more than the illusion of a loving couple they had put up together.
Thinking this, Xu Yiwen still nodded on the outside. “I know. He is just like that. I am used to it, and I understand his intentions.”
“We are doing quite well right now.”
Just as he finished speaking, He Xiyou chimed in from the side, sitting next to Xu Yiwen and saying, “The fact that their relationship is so good right now is all thanks to Xiaowen. He Xihuan is just sitting back and enjoying the benefits, completely ungrateful for his good fortune.”
“Little Uncle is ungrateful for his good fortune.” Ke Wuli, who had been picked up and held high by the returning He Xihuan, parroted the words.
“Little brat, if you talk nonsense again, I will not let you eat lunch today.” He Xihuan did not want to watch Xu Yiwen put on an act here any longer, so he carried Ke Wuli toward the dining room. “Let us go see what Grandpa and Dad made that is good to eat.”
Whenever the family gathered, He Jing would personally cook, and Ke Yijian, who knew how to cook, would become the sous chef.
“Your dad prepared the ingredients early this morning, getting everything you love ready,” Wang Congmeng looked toward the dining room, her eyes narrowing into a smile.
“Right,” she turned back to look at Xu Yiwen. “Have you and Xihuan figured out where you want to spend your honeymoon?”
“Honeymoon?” Xu Yiwen looked completely bewildered.
“This brat, he definitely forgot to tell you.” Seeing Xu Yiwen’s reaction, Wang Congmeng immediately guessed that He Xihuan had failed to deliver the message.
She repeated it to Xu Yiwen, “You two had a rushed wedding, and afterwards you were both busier than the other, so the honeymoon got delayed.”
“We discussed it, and this year we are giving Xihuan his annual leave early so you two can make up for your honeymoon. The two of you can spend the New Year alone and properly enjoy some time together as a couple.”
“Once you figure out where you want to spend it, we will provide a full-service package.”
The air fell silent for a few seconds. Xu Yiwen felt like he was sitting on pins and needles as he awkwardly tried to decline, “Our school vacation…”
“I already applied to your dean. If there are any meetings or activities during the break, we will just have our Xiaowen join online.” Wang Congmeng’s eye corners lifted, her tone carrying an air of absolute certainty.
And she certainly had the confidence to back it up.
The He family had regular sponsorship programs at the university, and Wang Congmeng ran a dedicated scholarship fund called Congmeng’s Dream Restart, meaning the dean could not possibly refuse to give her a little face.
This basically drove Xu Yiwen into a dead end. Finding it difficult to refuse out loud, he cast his gaze toward the dining room and asked ambiguously, “Is Xihuan willing?”
He pinned his hopes on He Xihuan refusing. After all, He Xihuan hated him so much and certainly would not want to spend the New Year with him.
“He is more than willing. He has been burying himself in work at the office until very late these past few days precisely because he wants to finish early and go on an early honeymoon with you.”
Wang Congmeng’s beaming words made Xu Yiwen feel completely unwell.
“Xiaowen, tell Mom, where do you want to go?”
“Then let us go to Kunming.”
Since he was already here, he would make the best of it. Since he could not refuse, Xu Yiwen changed his tactic.
He could even turn a misfortune into a blessing by using the honeymoon trip to bring Qiu Yao along to Kunming for the New Year.