While the little boy was deep in thought, the black Bentley had already driven into a European-style castle sitting on land worth every inch of gold.
“Yuchen, you’re back?”
The car had just stopped when Nan Shi Yi heard a soft, overly affected voice.
He got out right after, and a strong wave of heavy perfume hit his nose. For someone whose sense of smell was extremely sensitive—and even appreciated by an international master perfumer—this was nothing short of a disaster.
“Achoo—!”
He sneezed hard.
Even closing his eyes made it clear that his own homemade scent would smell better than this cheap perfume.
“Baby?! You’re back too? Sorry, Mommy didn’t even notice you just now.”
Nan Shi Yi rubbed his nose uncomfortably and slightly lifted his eyelids. The moment he saw the woman’s heavily painted face—more like a ghost than a human—he froze.
Mommy?
Nan Shi Yi was stunned. This woman, with a stiff smile, terrible acting, and absolutely no taste, was the “Mommy” the Second Child mentioned?
“Baby, why are you looking at Mommy like that? Don’t you recognize Mommy anymore?”
Nan Xiyan tried very hard to act like a gentle, loving mother. She reached out and patted his head.
From the bottom of his heart, Nan Shi Yi rejected her with one clear thought: Don’t touch me.
He glanced sideways and saw Quan Yuchen’s cold figure walking away. He still had a lot to say to him.
In panic, he called out,
“Daddy, where are you going?”
The man did not even turn his head, continuing forward with his assistant.
Nan Xiyan, with her glamorous makeup, forced a smile and grabbed his arm.
“Baby, you’ve just returned to the country. You’ve fallen behind in your studies. Mommy will take you to do extra tutoring, okay?”
Nan Shi Yi instinctively rejected her touch. His brows furrowed tightly, which immediately made Nan Xiyan squeeze his hand harder.
This bad woman was actually abusing a child!
Nan Shi Yi pressed his lips together and was forced to follow her into the castle, into a study room.
The spacious and clean room was even larger than the one he had stayed in abroad. Neatly arranged inside were models of luxury cars, tanks, and yachts.
Nan Shi Yi silently thought in admiration: So Second Child has been living in a place like this all along.
A force suddenly pushed him hard from behind, and he lost balance, crashing into the desk.
“What are you standing there for? Finish today’s math problems. If you don’t finish, you’re not going anywhere!”
Nan Wanwan had never been harsh with him and his sister, nor would she ever treat them violently.
This bad woman!
Nan Xiyan stared at Nan Shi Yi’s unwilling expression and grabbed his hand, striking his palm twice with a ruler—smack, smack.
“What kind of look is that? Little freak, are you trying to rebel?”
Nan Shi Yi pulled his red palm back, then used his head to shove her away and ran toward the door with his short legs.
This woman was not their Mommy at all. He had to tell Daddy immediately, so that Mommy, Sister, and Second Child could all be brought back home—and their family of five could finally reunite.
Realizing he was about to report her, Nan Xiyan’s eyes turned cold and ruthless. She rushed forward and covered his mouth.
“Daddy! Daddy! Fa—”
“Shut up!”
The study door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Quan Yuchen stood at the doorway, his entire body radiating a dark, oppressive aura. His thin lips were pressed into a straight line.
“What are you doing?”
Nan Shi Yi bit Nan Xiyan hard and shouted,
“Daddy!”
Nan Xiyan endured the pain and quickly interrupted him, putting on a tearful, self-blaming act.
“Yuchen, it’s all my fault. I was too strict with him. I was only doing it for his own good, but it triggered his rebellious phase. Zi Ting has even learned to bite people and falsely accuse me of abuse.”
Nan Shi Yi’s small face stiffened. This bad woman had actually predicted his next move!
Quan Yuchen looked at the woman’s finger marked with teeth and her tearful expression. A wave of disgust rose in him, like swallowing a fly.
He did not want to look at her any longer.
“Quan Ziting! Apologize to your mother!”
Nan Shi Yi widened his eyes in disbelief. Clearly it was this woman…
“Yuchen, it’s okay. Don’t scold the baby. It doesn’t hurt at all!”
Hearing her hypocritical, nauseating tone, Nan Shi Yi finally saw through her completely.
A true man could bend and stretch. He would endure for now.
“Daddy, I’m sorry. It was my mistake.”