It felt as though she were a sinner, having misunderstood Su Ziyue.
This woman's methods were truly skillful.
No wonder Murong Cheng, who had always kept women at arm's length, had spoken a few words with Su Ziyue.
Jiang Shiyu narrowed her beautiful eyes, "It's nothing. It's better not to forget such important matters. After all, your status is special; you are Murong Cheng's ex-wife."
Su Ziyue was taken aback.
"No wonder Ah Cheng has been unhappy these past few days and hasn't been talking to me. So it's because you misunderstood me. I didn't mean it that way. Please don't misunderstand. My past with Ah Cheng is all in the past. I just want to raise Ruo Ruo and Che Che well. I have no intention of competing with you."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and her nose tip turned slightly red, giving the impression of being wronged and about to cry.
A picture of delicate beauty, evoking pity, could be no more apt.
Even Jiang Shiyu felt a pang of sympathy, let alone a man.
Just as she was about to say something, a car stopped in the garden, and a man stepped out.
Murong Cheng saw Jiang Shiyu and Su Ziyue from a distance.
His brow furrowed, and he walked up the steps.
"Ah Cheng, you're back!"
Su Ziyue turned around, tilting her small face up, as if deliberately showing Murong Cheng her tear-streaked face.
Jiang Shiyu rolled her eyes subtly.
White lotus, white lotus! She was fortunate enough to witness the blooming of a white lotus in this life!
Misunderstand, misunderstand! She couldn't compete anyway!
"What are you doing here?" Murong Cheng glanced at Su Ziyue's face, his expression not changing much, only asking in a deep voice.
"I don't mean anything else. I just brought Che Che's spare clothes. I was worried Che Che might run out of clothes."
Su Ziyue said with a choked voice, handing the bag in her hand towards Murong Cheng.
Murong Cheng glanced at it and took it, "Thanks. But these are all Che Che's clothes from last year. He grows so fast, he can't fit into them anymore."
As Ruo Ruo's mother, having taken care of Ruo Ruo for so many years, did Su Ziyue not know that children grow quickly?
"Ruo Ruo is a girl, and her growth isn't as fast as Che Che's. It's also my dereliction of duty as a mother for not being present during Che Che's growth. It won't happen again. I will take good care of Che Che and Ruo Ruo, so you don't have to worry."
These words, to an outsider, sounded like a conversation between a wife and husband.
Anyone who didn't know would think Su Ziyue was Murong Cheng's wife.
Murong Cheng's brow twitched slightly, "The children are mine, but there is nothing between us anymore except the children. I have a legal wife now. I hope you understand your relationship and identity with me."
Su Ziyue was choked by his words. She widened her eyes, looking at Murong Cheng in disbelief, unable to believe he was so direct.
After a while, Su Ziyue swallowed and smiled gently, then turned to look at Jiang Shiyu.
"I truly envy you. You're so happy, with such a good husband. If only I had cherished our fate back then..."
It seemed to imply that if she hadn't left the children and gone abroad, Jiang Shiyu wouldn't be the one marrying Murong Cheng now.
Jiang Shiyu sighed softly. The weather was too cold, and wisps of white mist rose with her sigh.
"It's a pity we were fated but not meant to be. May you and Murong Cheng continue your fate in the next life!"
Su Ziyue was so choked that she didn't know what to say for a moment. She forced a smile, "It's okay, don't mind my feelings. I'm already very content that heaven has given me a son and a daughter. As for anything else, I won't force it. Your happiness is all that matters."
"Don't say that. Since Che Che and Ruo Ruo are Ah Cheng's children, they are also my children. I will take good care of Che Che and Ruo Ruo. I've taken very good care of Che Che during your absence, and this child is very close to me!"
Su Ziyue stiffened.
She stared at the hand Jiang Shiyu was holding, and after a long pause, she mumbled,
"I'm so envious of you. Che Che likes you so much, and Ah Cheng likes you so much. You're simply a winner in life. If only I had half your luck. Ruo Ruo has been aloof and cold since she was young and isn't close to me. Now that I've finally found my son, he's also close to you..."
She seemed lost and as if Jiang Shiyu had snatched something away from her.
"It's okay. I know you've been tired taking care of the two children all these years. I will help you fulfill your duties as a mother, so you can rest well."
Jiang Shiyu smiled brightly.
Su Ziyue bit her lip, almost unable to hold back, but she managed to suppress it and forced a smile at Jiang Shiyu, "Yes, you're right. I have something to attend to, so I'll leave. I won't disturb your romantic time together!"
Su Ziyue bit her lip, lowered her head, turned, and left.
The driver had delivered her, and Su Ziyue got into the back seat.
It seemed the old man was quite kind to Su Ziyue, providing a good car.
Jiang Shiyu didn't look at Murong Cheng and turned to enter the house, but this time she didn't close the door.
Murong Cheng let out a chuckle.
Ruo Ruo...
Jiang Shiyu savored the name between her lips.
She had only caught a brief glimpse of the little girl that day. She looked exactly like Che Che, but her face held a solemnity unbefitting her age.
The next day, at the Murong family's old residence.
When Jiang Shiyu arrived, the old man and Su Ziyue were both out. Only servants were in the house. Che Che was still at kindergarten, so it was quiet.
Jiang Shiyu went directly upstairs and pushed open the children's room door. She found the door ajar, and the little one was not in the room.
It was nap time, and there were only a few servants around.
Had the little one sneaked out on her own?
Jiang Shiyu searched the entire residence but couldn't find the little one.
Finally, she found the little one in the greenhouse in the back garden.
The little girl was squatting on the ground, with a stray cat at her feet. The cat was thin and small, and it seemed to like the little girl, rubbing against her shoes.
The girl gently stroked the stray cat at her feet, and a rare tenderness appeared on her cold little face.
Jiang Shiyu watched for a long time until her feet went numb before she reacted.
The little girl had already stood up, frowning and staring at her, her tender expression replaced by vigilant hostility.
That kind of gaze...
It was so much like her own from years ago.
"Ruo Ruo?"
Jiang Shiyu asked.
Ruo Ruo pursed her lips, remaining silent, just staring at her.
Murong Cheng had said that Ruo Ruo had been introverted and quiet since childhood, much like he was when he was young.
"I have a sausage here. Do you want to feed it to the kitten?"
Jiang Shiyu took out a sausage from her pocket.
Because of Che Che, she had developed the habit of carrying small snacks with her.
A slight expression appeared on Ruo Ruo's cold little face as she stared intently at the sausage in Jiang Shiyu's hand. She didn't move her feet, showing no intention of approaching.
After a minute of this standoff, Jiang Shiyu walked forward and handed the sausage to Ruo Ruo.
Ruo Ruo's hands were small, and she had to use both hands to hold the sausage.