"I just want your mother, and you, to come back," Chu Rong said, looking at Mimi and Tutu with determination.
"Since you can't bear to part with Mom, why are you still entangled with that ugly monster Jiang Mengran?" Tutu questioned.
Chu Rong was slightly taken aback, surprised once again by the children's level of understanding.
"She saved my life. Beyond gratitude, I have no other feelings for her," Chu Rong affirmed.
Mimi narrowed her eyes. "Mom also saved her life. She willingly became a blood bag for two years for you. How come you don't show any gratitude?"
Chu Rong paused before saying slowly, "At that time, Jiang Mengran was bleeding profusely from an artery and urgently needed a blood transfusion. However, no city within several hundred miles had enough blood reserves. Only your mother did.
I know that no matter the reason, that incident is something I owe her. Therefore, I am willing to spend my entire life to repay her and cherish her."
"Then did you do it?" Mimi's gaze grew colder. "Ask yourself, did you do it? How did you make Mom disheartened over two years, even making her willing to sever ten years of affection for you?
Hmph~ You say you want us back now. You're really picking the low-hanging fruit, getting to be a dad without doing anything, and the kids are well-behaved, smart, obedient, and sensible. It's like a pie falling from the sky."
Chu Rong remained silent.
Tutu had been feeling a little pleased, as he would finally have a dad. But after hearing Mimi's words, his anger was also ignited.
"Yes, if you want us back, forget it," Tutu said indignantly.
Chu Rong's expression grew dimmer.
Mimi frowned displeasedly and glanced at Tutu. Tutu immediately pulled his lips shut and stopped talking.
Mimi then continued, "It won't be that easy for us to come back."
Chu Rong looked up, seeming to come alive. "I'll agree to anything."
"I haven't even spoken, and you're agreeing? Aren't you afraid I'll ask for the moon?" Mimi said faintly, looking sideways.
Chu Rong smiled gently. "I'll agree to anything."
Mimi hugged her arms and snorted. "One doesn't hit a smiling face. Seeing as you still have some sincerity, I'll trust you this time.
My demands are simple: First, make that ugly monster Jiang Mengran disappear as far as possible; Second, you must pursue Mom again and gain her forgiveness; Third, if there's a one-in-ten-thousand chance Mom forgives you and is willing to reconcile with you, then my brother and I will not change our surnames. We will still be surnamed Quan. This is especially important. I know that in a wealthy family like yours, descendants are heirs, and surnames..."
"I agree," Chu Rong said, looking at Mimi and Tutu with affection. "I agree to everything."
Mimi pouted, stood up, flicked her hair, swept her eyes, and said with immense arrogance, "That's all I can think of for now. I'll tell you the rest when I think of it. Lastly, given your cooperative attitude, my brother and I will keep it a secret for you for now."
Tutu was still thinking about the computer. Seeing his sister about to leave, he quickly asked, "Is your computer broken? Can I take it apart... fix it? I can fix it."
Chu Rong smiled gently. "Tomorrow night, I'll show you what you want to see."
Tutu had no choice but to give up and followed Mimi home.
Quan Jiu, who was stir-frying, heard the door open and asked Tutu, "Tututu, is the computer fixed?"
Tutu was quite disappointed. "I have to wait until tomorrow." He really hadn't taken apart a computer in a long time.
Although Quan Jiu was a little confused, she didn't ask further. With a few quick stirs, she transferred the dish to another plate and then started another.
An hour later, two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, one soup, and rice were finally served. As usual, Quan Jiu served a portion for the grandfather next door, which the two children delivered.
After dinner, Quan Jiu cleaned up the dishes, played games with the children for a while, and at nine o'clock, bathed the children and put them to bed. Then she washed the clothes she had changed out of during the day. After tidying everything up, it was nearly ten o'clock when she entered the study to continue her writing work.
As soon as she opened her computer, she received an email from Lin Zhongren.
[I regret not being able to attend the appointment last time due to feeling unwell. August 13th is my grandfather's 93rd birthday. I would like to invite you. Is that too presumptuous?]
Ninety-three years old. Quan Jiu was slightly startled. Calculating the time, Chu Rong's grandfather was also ninety-three this year, but she didn't know if the old man was still alive. Since leaving, she had deliberately avoided all news from the Chu family.
However, if her grandfather was ninety-three, her father should be in his sixties. That would make this Lin Zhongren less than forty.
Quan Jiu secretly rejoiced, almost greeting the person as an elder.
[It is a great honor. Thank you for the invitation. Are you feeling better?]
[I am much better. Then it's settled. I will send someone to pick you up then.]
Quan Jiu sent the address, and the conversation ended. She then returned to her work.
...
Jiang Mengran deliberately waited until half-past ten before arriving at Lijing Yuncheng. In her mind, it was almost midnight, and those who should be in bed were already in bed. If there were any anomalies, she would definitely see them.
Standing in front of apartment 1003, Jiang Mengran reluctantly entered the password she knew by heart. As expected, it was still that slut's birthday.
In the past, whenever she was kicked out of the room, she wouldn't be discouraged because although Chu Rong would kick her out, he never changed the password. She had always thought it was a signal from Chu Rong, but who knew it was simply that he didn't want to change it.
Realizing this, Jiang Mengran was so angry she almost suffocated.
As soon as the door opened, Jiang Mengran rushed into the foyer. She intended to go straight to the bedroom through the living room, but as soon as she turned on the light, she saw a room full of children's toys and decorations. The floor was even covered with plush carpets. She was stunned.
Chu Rong and the children? What kind of scene was that? It was the scene she had fantasized about countless times, and the mother of the children was herself.
But that was just a fantasy. Why did the fantasy become reality? Why was the cold atmosphere here gone, replaced by a children's paradise?
Jiang Mengran couldn't stop her body from trembling. She ran frantically towards the bedroom, thinking it was impossible, absolutely impossible. She had only been gone for two months, and such a big change couldn't have happened here. Chu Rong couldn't have children.
"Stop," a sharp voice suddenly sounded from behind, startling Jiang Mengran and making her stop in her tracks.
Chu Rong looked at Jiang Mengran with a chilling gaze, each word like a soul-snatching emissary from hell, dark and terrifying. "Who allowed you to come in."
Jiang Mengran's face turned pale. Although she feared Chu Rong's indifference towards her, she feared even more that Chu Rong actually had children.
She turned around, her eyes blazing, her expression contorted. "Did she come back? Or do you have another woman? Why are there children's things here? Are they your children? Answer me."
Chu Rong's gaze was like ice. "I have no obligation to answer you. Get out."
"I won't," Jiang Mengran cried, tears and snot streaming down her face.
She suddenly ran, trying to throw herself into Chu Rong's arms, but Chu Rong was faster. He sidestepped, and Jiang Mengran missed, hitting the wall behind her. A large bump immediately formed on her forehead.
In pain and anger, she roared, "Chu Rong, what do you take me for? After all these years, I've been good to you, and you treat me like a fool? Don't forget that your life was saved by me. Without me, you would have died long ago."
Chu Rong was extremely impatient, his brows furrowed. He said coldly, "Seven years ago, my wife also saved your life. A husband and wife are one. What I owed you, my wife had already repaid. You can say I owe her, and you owe her, but I don't owe you."
Husband and wife are one? Jiang Mengran's eyes widened in fury.
"I don't owe her," she had entered a state of frenzy. "She only exchanged a bit of her worthless blood for a marriage with you. She snatched you away from me.
Fine, you say I owe her, but I fulfilled her two-year marriage with you, so that debt is also repaid. Why should she still interfere between me and you now?"
Chu Rong rubbed his temples, revealing his true nature: cold, heartless, and devoid of pity.
He stood up, walked step by step towards Jiang Mengran, his eyes filled with disgust as he stared at her, his gaze as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth. "Don't defile my marriage with her with your worthless self-indulgence. Between her and me, there has never been a third party, and there has never been you."
After speaking, Chu Rong took out his phone and dialed 110. In front of Jiang Mengran, he said coldly, "Someone is trespassing."
Jiang Mengran's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. After a moment, she softened her voice, but her expression turned wild. "ARong, I know you've been drugged by that slut. It's not your fault. You love me, and I will definitely be the daughter-in-law of the Chu family."
Her refusal to leave ultimately only led to her arrest by the police.
Quan Jiu, who was writing in her study, suddenly heard a woman's scream from outside. The soundproofing of the house was very good, but the scream was still so clear. Her first thought was that the person was right across the hall.
Quan Jiu quickly sent a message to the grandfather next door to inquire.
The message was replied to instantly, informing her that everything was fine. Quan Jiu then felt relieved and continued working until twelve o'clock before washing up, tidying up, and going to bed.