Chapter 72: We Can’t Live Without Her
Shao Dong knew very well that they had too little. Even if they took out their hearts, they’d still be a burden.
However, he really didn’t want Mu Jingzhe to leave.
After living with Mu Jingzhe for half a year, their lives and everything else were tied to her. He couldn’t imagine how they would survive without her.
They were already used to the warmth Mu Jingzhe brought them. How could they go back to the way they used to live?
She had promised them that she would take care of them. She had also said that she would fulfill 100 of his wishes, and there were still so many unfulfilled wishes.
They had agreed to be filial and repay her in the future, but they hadn’t yet had the chance to fulfill their promise.
How could she leave? How could they bear to see her leave?
Alas, they didn’t have any bargaining chips. In the end, Shao Dong could only dig out his heart and beg with it in his hands, using the method he’d hated in the past—kneeling.
Even so, he had to beg. He had to use all his strength and all the means available to keep Mu Jingzhe there.
Shao Dong knelt in the muddy water and lowered his head, begging Mu Teng not to take Mu Jingzhe away.
“Please, Uncle. Please don’t take away Mommy… We can’t live without her.”
Mu Teng turned around and glanced at Shao Dong. It wasn’t that he wasn’t moved, but… he couldn’t be soft-hearted.
Mu Teng went back and pulled Mu Jingzhe away, ignoring Xiao Wu and Little Bei’s cries.
“If you still regard us as your parents, come with us.”
Li Zhaodi also gazed at Mu Jingzhe with a pleading look in her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but she had already said many things previously.
She had always wanted Mu Jingzhe to go back to live with her. She didn’t think it was a good idea for her to stay and take care of the children. She’d said that she had seen too many such cases. In this world, blood relations were more reliable, but even biological children weren’t necessarily filial, let alone children who weren’t related to you by blood.
Although Mu Jingzhe was doing better than before, Li Zhaodi was still worried. She had even said that she might as well be like her old self and s.n.a.t.c.h Tang Moling from Mu Xue. It was better than focusing on taking care of the children.
These words sounded very ignorant, but they were based on Li Zhaodi’s life experience.
Mu Jingzhe looked into Li Zhaodi’s eyes and couldn’t help but think of Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi’s ending in the book.
According to the original plot, Mu Jingzhe failed to seduce her younger brother-in-law and even made Little Bei go deaf, causing her to become the target of public criticism.
Later on, she couldn’t take it anymore and went to the big city to work.
She had thought of earning money before coming back, but that turned out to be wishful thinking on her part.
Instead of becoming a female worker at some big city factory, she was tricked into entering the s.e.x trade.
By the time she realized it, it was already too late. She was defiled that very night.
In the book, while Mu Xue was pregnant, the original Mu Jingzhe contracted an STD, and her mind wasn’t clear anymore. She went crazy and disappeared one night after running out.
Later on, Li Zhaodi went to look for the original Mu Jingzhe. She didn’t care if her daughter was sick or crazy. She just wanted to find her.
They begged and searched everywhere, but they ultimately didn’t manage to find her. Gradually, there was no news of her anymore, and she ended up being a rotting corpse beside a garbage dump.
Mu Teng then embarked on the path of finding his wife and daughter. For the rest of his life, he only wanted to bring them back.
In the end, he didn’t get what he wanted and died with everlasting regret.
Now that the original Mu Jingzhe was gone, Mu Jingzhe had replaced her as their daughter. She couldn’t break their hearts again.
Li Zhaodi blocked the children and prevented them from following her.
Shao Dong stood in the rain and watched Mu Jingzhe being pulled away by Mu Teng.
Mu Jingzhe’s red dress gradually disappeared in the rain.
“Stop chasing her.” Seeing that Little Wu and Little Bei still wanted to give chase, Shao Dong stopped them.
“You’re not to chase after her. Let her go back.”
“No, I want Mommy.” This was the first time Little Bei was disobedient and made a fuss.
Xiao Wu didn’t listen either and cried, “I want to find Mommy! Mommy!”
However, Shao Dong still didn’t change his mind. Ignoring their struggles, he carried them back. “You’re not allowed to go.”
They couldn’t selfishly keep Mu Jingzhe by their side.
At that moment, Shao Dong was only glad that the rain was heavy enough.
No one could see his tears.
*****
Mu Jingzhe was pulled back to the Mu Residence by Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi.
“Stop crying. You’ll get used to it in two days.”
Li Zhaodi felt extremely regretful upon seeing Mu Jingzhe cry all the way back.
“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have listened to you. I should’ve insisted on bringing you back then. They’re not even your biological children, but you look as upset as though they are.”
Li Zhaodi felt upset, and so did Mu Teng. However, he had to steel his heart. He couldn’t let Mu Jingzhe stay there and continue raising the children.
Mu Jingzhe was at a loss for words for a moment. She couldn’t ignore the wishes of the two elders, but she felt terrible when she thought of the children she had left behind.
Li Zhaodi was about to say something when Old Madam Mu’s impatient voice rang out.
“Come in quickly since you’re back. Why are you standing at the door?”
Mu Jingzhe followed Li Zhaodi in. The first thing she saw was stern-looking Old Madam Mu. Beside her were Tang Moling and Mu Xue, who were shaking their umbrellas.
As Tang Moling often came to the Mu Residence, everyone liked to joke that he was like a live-in son-in-law.
Due to the rain, Tang Moling had gone to pick up Mu Xue, who had been grading papers at school. The duo had just returned and didn’t know what had happened.
“What’s wrong?”
As he asked this, he saw Mu Jingzhe walk in through the rain.
This was the first time Mu Jingzhe was wearing a dress. She was wearing a red dress that was extremely eye-catching.
Tang Moling was stunned for a moment, surprise flas.h.i.+ng across his eyes.
He had already noticed that Mu Jingzhe had been becoming increasingly beautiful and pleasing to the eye, but he’d subconsciously ignored that.
Until this moment.
If Mu Xue was described as an elegant daisy, then Mu Jingzhe could be likened to a rich ink painting of a landscape that was both breathtaking and unforgettable.
Tang Moling could even hear his heart racing.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
It felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
“What’s going on?” Old Madam Mu asked coldly, pulling Tang Moling back from his thoughts.
He came back to his senses and awkwardly retracted his gaze.
Yes, what was going on?
This was the first time he had seen Mu Jingzhe cry. Her head was lowered, and she was looking listless.
She was completely different from her usual energetic and vigilant self. This was the first time he saw that Mu Jingzhe could be so fragile.
Seeing Mu Jingzhe’s reddened eyes, Tang Moling looked at Mu Teng.
Mu Teng looked livid as he briefly explained what had happened.
“They went too far.” Old Madam Mu’s expression darkened. She then turned to Mu Jingzhe angrily. “I didn’t agree with you rus.h.i.+ng to marry Shao Qihai in the first place. See what happens when you chew off more than you can bite? What a disgrace.”
Mu Teng was unhappy. “Mom, what are you saying? Jingzhe isn’t at fault here.”
Old Madam Mu wanted to retort, but Tang Moling interrupted her.
Tang Moling was furious.
He hadn’t expected to hear such a disgusting thing. “Why didn’t you come back and call for help when you encountered such an issue? We have to hit back and smash their heads. Let’s see if they’ll dare to do this again in the future.”
No wonder Mu Jingzhe had suddenly worn a red dress. It turned out that she’d been forced to marry and this was her bridal dress.