When Shen Chengyan entered the living room, Hu Youyue was playing on an iPad with Shen Mo.
She hadn’t expected him to come back so suddenly and smiled.
“You haven’t eaten yet, right? I’ll ask the housekeeper to make a few more dishes.”
“No need. I’ve already eaten.”
He glanced at Shen Mo, who was sprawled on the sofa playing games.
“Sit properly.”
Shen Mo rolled into Hu Youyue’s arms.
“Mom, control him. He’s being mean to me.”
Shen Chengyan’s expression turned subtly complicated.
Hu Youyue held Shen Mo and explained, “He’s still young. Sometimes he talks too fast and calls his godmother ‘mom’ by mistake. A few corrections and he’ll understand.”
“He’s five, not three. He’s only growing in weight, not in sense. He can’t even tell who people are.”
He called the housekeeper over.
“Pack a few sets of clothes for the young master. He won’t be staying here these days.”
The housekeeper looked toward Hu Youyue.
“I’m not asking for your opinion.”
The housekeeper quickly went upstairs.
Hu Youyue looked worried.
“Where are you taking Mo Mo? Auntie will worry if she comes back and doesn’t see him.”
Shen Mo suddenly shouted, “I’m not going anywhere!”
“You think you have a choice?”
Shen Mo bolted off the sofa and ran toward the door, only to crash into Shen Zhaolin, who had just limped in.
“Second Uncle! Save me! Dad is going to sell me!”
“Stop right there!” Shen Zhaolin’s face changed as he grabbed him by the head in alarm.
The kid’s height was exactly at his injured spot. One collision and he might really be crippled.
Shen Mo plopped onto the floor and wailed.
“You’re all bad people! I hate you all!”
He rolled and screamed, throwing a full tantrum.
Shen Zhaolin walked around him in disgust.
Shen Chengyan picked up the fat little boy and took the housekeeper’s bag, walking straight out.
Shen Mo screamed, “Godmother! Second Uncle! Save me!”
Shen Zhaolin was already half-disabled and couldn’t help.
Hu Youyue chased after them.
“Maybe don’t take him like this… he’s been raised by me and Auntie since he was small. He might not adapt…”
“Maybe that’s exactly why he’s become so lawless.”
Shen Chengyan glanced at her.
“From now on, you don’t need to interfere with his matters.”
Hu Youyue froze.
“Am I doing something wrong?”
“You’re not doing badly. You’re doing too well.”
So well that he treated his godmother like his real mother.
That was why a five-year-old child called her “Mom.”
With that, he carried the crying Shen Mo out.
He tossed the boy into the back seat and shut the door. The screams were immediately muffled.
After getting in, he glanced at the rearview mirror.
“Why aren’t you crying anymore?”
“My grandma’s not home. If I cry too much, you’ll hit me.”
Shen Chengyan laughed.
“You’re not that dumb. You know when to behave.”
Shen Mo crossed his arms and sulked.
For about ten minutes, he couldn’t stay still.
“What are we doing? How much longer?”
“We’re going to my place.”
“I don’t want to go.”
No response.
“I’m hungry!”
Still no response.
The boy started kicking the seat.
“You’re going to starve your precious grandson!”
“Sit still.”
“I won’t!”
“I’ll count to three.”
“Count to three hundred, I don’t care!”
“Then you count. Just don’t scream.”
“I’m going to scream!”
He started howling again and squirming around.
At one point he even tried to open the locked door.
Shen Chengyan finally snapped.
“Do you want to die?”
“I decide my own fate!”
“…Whatever. Just don’t scream.”
After half an hour, they arrived at the underground parking.
The moment the car stopped, the little tyrant shouted, “Open the door!”
Once the door opened, he tumbled out like a round dumpling.
“You should lose weight,” Shen Chengyan said.
“Does that mean I get meat buns?”
“No.”
“I want braised pork, roast chicken, ribs, and spicy shrimp!”
In the elevator, he kept chanting.
“Braised pork, roast chicken, ribs, spicy shrimp!”
By the time they reached the apartment, Shen Chengyan was already exhausted.
“Take off your shoes.”
The boy plopped onto the bench.
“You do it.”
“Do you not have hands?”
“Grandma does it for me. If you don’t want to, send me back.”
In the end, Shen Chengyan knelt down and took off his shoes for him.
A tall man, kneeling on one knee, looked oddly indulgent.
The boy ran barefoot into the living room.
“I want Ultraman! Put Ultraman on!”
Shen Chengyan turned on the TV.
The child bounced on the sofa.
“Charge! Attack! Go go go!”
Shen Chengyan silently went to the study.
Not long after, Tang Yun called.
He didn’t pick up.
Messages flooded in.
“You took Mo Mo where?!”
“He can’t sleep without me!”
“Are you trying to give my grandson to that vicious woman?!”
“She wants to fight me over him!”
He replied calmly:
“That ‘vicious woman’ is his real mother. You’re the one fighting her for custody.”
Tang Yun sent a barrage of furious emojis.
He blocked her.
Back to work.
At around 9 p.m., Shen Mo ran in.
“I’m hungry.”
“You should go shower and sleep.”
“I’m hungry.”
“I said go shower.”
“I’m hungry, I’m hungry, I’m hungry!”
Without further discussion, he carried the boy into the bathroom and tossed him into the bathtub.
The child splashed wildly, soaking him completely.
“Don’t you dare hit me or I’ll tell grandma!”
But he didn’t hit him.
He washed him patiently, dried him, and dressed him.
Gradually, the boy calmed down.
Wrapped in a towel, he sat quietly waiting for food.
But when Shen Chengyan came out of the kitchen, he only handed him a glass of milk.
“Drink this.”
The boy stared at it in disbelief.
“Am I the illegitimate son next door? Why are you abusing me?”