After the disheveled family of three finally left, Huo Tingxuan turned and walked over to Su Jiuyue.
The stern look on his face softened slightly, though his tone remained serious.
“Comrade Su Jiuyue, protecting the children was the right thing to do. But in the future, pay attention to the proper way of handling conflicts. The organization will look into this matter.”
Su Jiuyue pressed her lips together and nodded.
She knew Huo Tingxuan was on her side, so she had no objections.
Still, recalling Li Yanchuan’s completely unjustified favoritism toward Bai Lili left an ache in her heart.
Not for herself—
But for Jiaojiao.
Thinking of that, she lowered her head to look at the little girl in her arms.
The bitterness in her heart lingered.
With Li Yanchuan and the others gone and Huo Tingxuan still standing nearby, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Soon, only Su Jiuyue, the two children, Liu Pangzi and a few other youngsters remained by the training grounds.
Along with Huo Tingxuan, who had yet to leave.
An awkward silence settled over the group.
Su Jiuyue raised a hand to smooth her disheveled hair and took a deep breath.
She forced herself to calm down from the heightened state of battle she’d been in.
Looking first at Huo Tingxuan, she politely nodded despite her complicated emotions.
“Brother Huo, thank you for standing up for us.”
Expressionless as ever, Huo Tingxuan simply nodded.
“Take the children home.”
With the adults’ conflict over, the children’s world quickly reclaimed center stage.
Liu Pangzi edged over to Jiaojiao and looked at Su Jiuyue cautiously.
“Auntie… is Jiaojiao okay? Is Brother Yunsheng okay too?”
The other children gathered around as well, their little faces full of concern—and a touch of nervousness after acting as accomplices in the fight.
Looking at the innocent, loyal little rascals, much of the anger and frustration lingering in Su Jiuyue’s heart melted away.
She crouched down and carefully examined Jiaojiao first.
Aside from her messy hair, dirt on her clothes, flushed cheeks, and watery eyes from crying and excitement, she wasn’t hurt.
“Jiaojiao, does anything still hurt?” she asked gently.
Jiaojiao shook her head and nestled closer into her mother’s embrace.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. Mommy, you’re amazing.”
She was talking about how her mother had slapped Bai Lili and how she hadn’t been afraid when speaking to Uncle Huo.
Su Jiuyue gently stroked her daughter’s head without saying anything.
Then she turned toward Yunsheng, who had been staring at the ground the whole time.
Feeling her gaze, Yunsheng’s body trembled almost imperceptibly.
He lowered his head even further, as though trying to shrink himself into an invisible ball.
His mind was in complete chaos.
Bai Lili’s shrill insults echoed endlessly in his ears.
“Wild brat.”
“Raised without parents or discipline.”
Then came Li Yanchuan’s cold order for him to apologize.
And finally, the image of Su Jiuyue exploding in anger and fighting back.
Fear coiled around his heart like icy vines.
He had gotten into a fight.
He had caused enormous trouble.
He had dragged Jiaojiao’s mother into it.
She had even fought that frightening man and that horrible woman because of him…
Would she think he was nothing but trouble?
Would she start hating him?
Would she…
Abandon him?
The thought instantly made his hands and feet turn ice cold.
A warm hand gently rested on his tense shoulder.
Yunsheng jolted like a startled little animal.
“Yunsheng.”
Su Jiuyue’s voice was gentle, carrying none of the anger he had expected.
“Look up. Let me see you.”
His body stiffened as he slowly, painfully raised his head.
But he still didn’t dare meet her eyes.
Instead, he stared at the ground while his long eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, betraying the panic inside him.
Su Jiuyue saw that there were no obvious injuries on his little face.
But his lips had gone white from being pressed together too tightly.
He had even bitten his lower lip hard enough to leave a mark.
Her heart ached.
The poor child was terrified.
And she suspected he wasn’t just frightened by the fight itself.
Without immediately offering comfort or criticism, she reached out with both hands.
One hand gently took Jiaojiao’s.
The other firmly clasped Yunsheng’s cold, slightly sweaty little hand.
Instinctively, Yunsheng tried to pull away as though shocked by electricity.
But Su Jiuyue only held on tighter.
The warmth and dryness of her hand carried an indescribable sense of security.
Standing up while holding both children’s hands, she deliberately put on an easy smile.
Then, raising her voice so everyone could hear, she cheerfully announced,
“Come on! Let’s stop thinking about all those upsetting things! Auntie’s taking everyone to eat something delicious!”
The moment those words came out, not only did Jiaojiao’s eyes light up—even Liu Pangzi and the other children, who had been secretly listening nearby, immediately perked up.
Being the boldest of the bunch, Liu Pangzi swallowed hard before asking hopefully,
“A-Auntie… c-can we… come eat too?”
The other children immediately looked at her with sparkling, hopeful eyes.
They had often tagged along with Jiaojiao to enjoy Su Jiuyue’s treats.
But afterward, someone would always bring Su Jiuyue expensive gifts in return.
Feeling guilty about constantly accepting favors, she’d gradually stopped inviting the children over for snacks.
But today…
Looking at these little comrades who had just stood united against a common enemy, Su Jiuyue waved her hand grandly.
“Of course! Everyone’s coming! Auntie’s treating today to thank all of you for helping Jiaojiao and Yunsheng!”
“Wooohoo——!!”
The children instantly erupted into deafening cheers.
The tense atmosphere vanished in an instant.
They happily formed a rather crooked little procession and excitedly followed behind Su Jiuyue and the two children.
Like a flock of ducklings finally being let out to play, they chattered nonstop as they headed toward Su Jiuyue’s home in the family quarters.
Still holding Su Jiuyue’s hand, Yunsheng walked along in a daze.
The warmth in his palm never left.
Around him echoed the children’s excited chatter.
Beside him, Jiaojiao whispered enthusiastically to Liu Pangzi.
“My mommy makes the best candied sweet potatoes! They’re sooo good!”
Everything was completely different from the cold scolding, rejection, and disgust he had imagined.
Quietly, he lifted his eyes just enough to steal a glance at Su Jiuyue’s profile.
She was smiling as she chatted with another boy named Qin Sansheng, as though the fierce confrontation earlier had never happened.
Amid all his doubts and anxiety, a tiny crack silently appeared in Yunsheng’s tightly closed heart.
Through that crack, a faint but genuine ray of light finally slipped in.
True to her word, Su Jiuyue treated everyone once they arrived home.
She had Jiaojiao organize the children to wash their hands while she tied on an apron and busied herself in the kitchen.
Before long, an irresistible sweet aroma drifted through the house.
Golden, glossy candied sweet potatoes emerged from the pan, each piece coated in a crystal-clear layer of caramel.
When lifted with chopsticks, they stretched into long, shimmering strands of sugar that left the children gasping in amazement.
She also made sweet potato pancakes, fried until both sides were beautifully golden while remaining soft, chewy, and fragrant inside.
Every bite was pure happiness.
The children crowded around a makeshift table pieced together from several small ones.
They ate until their hands and faces were covered with sticky syrup and shiny oil.
Their eyes curved into happy crescents as they stuffed their cheeks full, yet they still managed to praise her between bites.
“Auntie, this is soooo delicious!”
“It’s even better than my grandma’s cooking!”
Jiaojiao sat beside her mother, looking completely content.
From time to time, she picked up the biggest piece and placed it into Yunsheng’s bowl.
“Big Brother, eat this one!”
“This one has the longest sugar strings!”