He was a freshman in college, and they were on a seasonal break these days, so he stayed at home. Just now, seeing his parents go back to their bedroom to rest, he couldnât help but think whether the things in his fatherâs study safe were indeed valuable.
He hadnât paid attention before, but today, seeing the serious looks on his elder brother and father, he realized that the lost items were worth so much, apparently more than the money in his motherâs bankbook.
Donât think he didnât knowâactually, their family should be quite wealthy, but his mother had been supporting his uncle with their money.
His mother always taught him that his uncle was family too and that he should treat him well, so he didnât mind these things, and being a young man, he didnât dwell on them. He came to the study simply out of curiosity to see what was in the safe, but he hadnât expected to overhear the phone call his mother made to his grandmother.
He never would have imagined that his gentle and beautiful mother was actually a thief. Even though he disliked his elder brother, when he heard his fatherâs words today, how could his mother dare to steal the belongings left for his brother by his late mother?
Angrily, he burst into the study, almost scaring Lih Shuyi to death as she had just hung up the phone.
Seeing it was her son, she finally seemed to come to her senses.
Lih Shuyi quickly walked to the door and glanced outside. Not seeing anyone else, she hurriedly closed the study door, tremblingly accusing, "Xiaoyu, were you eavesdropping outside? Are you trying to scare your mother to death?"
Du Yu looked at his mother. She had always been gentle and elegant, with an exceptional temperament. She was his pride. Unlike many of his classmatesâ mothers, who were quite plain, his mother was cultured and beautiful and also a doctor who saved lives, so he had always been proud of her.
But he hadnât expected his mother to do such a thing. Du Yu felt furious, "Mom, how could you steal things? Dad said he would report it tomorrow morning. If you get caught, and people find out I have a thieving mother, how can I hold my head up in front of my classmates?"
Lih Shuyi wanted to defend herself, but the words wouldnât come out. Her actions were indeed theft; if it had been Old Duâs things, it would have been different, but those were the previous wifeâs belongings. Morally and legally, she shouldnât have touched them.
No matter how shameless she was, she couldnât teach her son that stealing was innocent, but she wanted to defend herself, so she cried, "Xiaoyu, I did it all for you. Otherwise, why would I take such a huge risk?"
"What does that have to do with me? I never asked you to take those things."
"Didnât you hear your dad say today that it was Yubao Squareâs stuff, which is very valuable? I didnât know it belonged to Yubao Square, but I thought they were valuable. I planned to leave it with your grandma to keep it safe for me because it will increase in value. Our family, besides your dadâs salary, doesnât have anything valuable. I have to save something for you."
"But you still shouldnât steal."
"Yes, my behavior was wrong. But I was thinking about my little Yu. When you grow up and get married, you might not even have a decent piece of jewelry. The very thought of that made me feel awful, so I took the risk, or else what would I do with it? You know, I canât stand that deceased woman. I did it all for you!" Lih Shuyi cried sorrowfully.
"Did you really do it all for me?" Du Yu asked, seemingly in disbelief.
"If not for you, then for whom? Youâre my son. All my plans are for you. Otherwise, what are all my hard works in this house for, if not for you and Mingzhu?"
"But mom..." Seeing Lih Shuyiâs teary face, Du Yu hesitated.
"Son, itâs after your birth that I realized a motherâs strength. I would do anything for you, as long as you live well and happily. Even if it costs me my life, Iâm willing, rest assured. I havenât made a penny from those items, and even if theyâre found, they have nothing to do with me. I wonât disgrace you."
"Really, mom?"
"Yes, really." Despite her anxiety, Lih Shuyi needed to reassure her son, "Son, do not tell your dad or your sister about this. Your dad would beat me to death. If I die, youâll end up like your elder brother, without a mom."
"Mom, I..." Du Yu hesitated, feeling his momâs actions seemed justified.
If truly without a mother, and another stepmother comes, they would end up like his brother, with nothing.
The father would belong to someone else, even the house would belong to someone else.
"Alright, go to bed as if this never happened. You have school tomorrow. If people ask, just say you donât know, youâre a kid, they canât do anything to you..."
Finishing, Lih Shuyi hurriedly turned off the studyâs light, glancing around the living room, confirming no one was there before ushering her son into his room. She stood in the living room, gazing at the dark night, her heart racing, unease, and anxiety amplifying, unsure if she would safely get through this.
Hopefully, this matter drags on indefinitely, dragging until it fizzles out without them needing to worry anymore.
The night was restless, with Lih Shuyi, Old Lady Lih, and her third daughter destined for restless, muttering sleeplessness....
But regardless of the nightâs unrest, the morningâs sunshine would still cover the earth again, and itâs already May, with todayâs temperature quite high, with some fashion-loving girls wearing floral dresses early.
Gu Qiaoqiao hugged her books as she walked towards the teaching building.
She wasnât wearing a dress, but over her white linen vest and sky-blue jeans, she wore a casual blue and white checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off her slender waist, her long black hair tied in a ponytail swaying rhythmically as she walked, resembling a high schooler.
Not far away, Lih Tianci and his two cronies hid behind a tree, gazing longingly at the approaching Gu Qiaoqiao. It was the first time Lih Tianci had ever seen a girl like her.
Beautifully bright yet pure and enchanting.