Lin Xichen lowered his head and said nothing.
Lin Xinyan frowned. “Say something.”
Lin Xichen picked his finger. “He bullied Mommy, so I will teach him a lesson for Mommy.”
Lin Xinyan’s brows furrowed deeper. He had been emphasizing one thing before—Zong Jinghao bullied her.
He—
Suddenly Lin Xinyan’s eyes widened. Did he see Zong Jinghao forcibly kissed me?
“Xichen…”
Lin Xinyan didn’t know how to explain.
Lin Xichen firmly patted his chest and said, “Mommy, although Ruixi and I don’t have a father, I am a man and I will protect you.”
Her son’s words ‘I don’t have a father’ suddenly hit home. It was something that Lin Xinyan had deliberately ignored deep down.
She would not mention this matter.
She thought that as long as she loved them very much, it could make up for the fact that they didn’t have a father.
However, it was brought up by her son so abruptly, causing her to feel an ache in her heart.
She held her son, bowed her head, and kissed his hair. Although he was very smart, he was only five years old, and was just a child.
Yet, he kept saying that he wanted to protect her.
She rubbed her palm against her son’s back. “I should be the one to protect you—”
Lin Xichen disagreed and shook his head. “A man should protect a woman. I am a man. I protect you.”
Lin Xinyan looked at her son speechlessly. He’s still so young, why is he such a machismo?
“Who taught you this?” Lin Xinyan asked with a frown.
Lin Xichen blinked his eyes and thought for two seconds. “My teacher.”
Lin Xinyan then brought him to take a bath but wondered in her heart if she needed to talk to his teacher.
Is it appropriate to tell such a small child this thing?
“Mommy, my teacher is actually quite handsome and treats me well—”
“Stop it!” Lin Xinyan interrupted him. How could the thoughts of this small kid be so complicated?
Lin Xichen mumbled, “You don’t think for yourself, so I have to think for you.”
Speechless, Lin Xinyan threw him into the water. “You will not be allowed to meddle with adults’ affairs in the future.”
“Why can’t I?” Lin Xichen asked.
“There is no why. This is my decision. Your teacher should have said that you should listen to your mother, right?”
Lin Xichen lowered his head and nodded. The teacher did say that children should listen to adults.
He also said that Mommy had worked hard to raise him and his sister, so he shouldn’t make mommy angry.
If he had a father, maybe Mommy wouldn’t be so tired.
Mommy never mentioned this, and he didn’t dare to ask either.
Grandma didn’t allow him to ask as well.
He thought that his father must be an irresponsible man for abandoning Mommy.
Lin Xichen reached out and hugged Lin Xinyan. “Mommy, I love you.”
Lin Xinyan felt warmth rushing through her heart, like a hot spring, slowly enveloping her.
It’s all worth it. She was contented seeing that her two children were so cute and sensible.
She kissed her son’s cheek. “I love you too.”
Although the children spent their time during the day with Zhuang Zijin, Lin Xinyan put them to bed at night.
She was always the one that tucked them in since they were born.
She was busy during the day and didn’t have much time for her kids, so nighttime was the time when she got close with them.
Telling them stories when the children were nestling in her arms was her happiest moment.
Most of the connections between children and mother were probably similar to that too.
Lin Xinyan went to work, but Lin Xichen insisted to follow, saying that it was to protect her, and looking like he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Lin Xinyan couldn’t refuse.
“What danger will I face at work?” Lin Xinyan was speechless.
She was an adult, and yet she needed to be protected by a child.
“I don’t care.” Lin Xichen was resolute, and almost blurted out, what if that bastard, Zong Jinghao, comes to bully you again?
He was still young, and yet he was overly concerned.
Lin Xinyan couldn’t change his mind, so she agreed and took him out, whereas Zhuang Zijin looked after Lin Ruixi at home.
After leaving the house, Lin Xichen got into the car by himself. Lin Xinyan buckled his seat belt and got up to close the car door. When she was about to get into the driver’s seat, she noticed a car parked on the roadside seemingly stalking her.
She tensed up, but after she recalled that she didn’t offend anyone here, she thought that perhaps she was just seeing things.
Who would stalk others in broad daylight?
She got into the car without much thought.
As usual, she went directly to LEO after eating at home.
Lin Xinyan inadvertently noticed in the rearview mirror that the car parked on the side of the road was actually following her.
She held the steering wheel tightly with both of her hands. If I was seeing things just now, what about now?
It was as if something caught her mind.
She needed to find out.
Lin Xinyan couldn’t get rid of the car following her as there weren’t many people on the road.
After thinking for a while, she slowed down in order to prevent her son from any danger. By the time she drove to the store, it was already half an hour later, and everyone had come to work.
She got off the car and brought Lin Xichen down before asking him to go into the store.
There were many people in the store, so even if it was a bad guy following her, he dared not barge in.
After making sure her son was in a safe place, Lin Xinyan walked towards the car.
She wanted to see who was following her, and their purpose.
The car had black film on its window panes. Lin Xinyan couldn’t see the people inside, so she raised her hand and knocked on the window.
No one responded, and the window wasn’t wound down either.
Lin Xinyan stood in front of the car. “You follow me all the way here, and yet you’re hiding even after I notice you. Is it fun?”
In the car, Guan Jing scratched his head. He rushed here to investigate the matter and didn’t have a good rest in the past two days. He spent the night in the car yesterday and wasn’t in good spirits. That was why he was discovered by Lin Xinyan.
He covered his face with his hands, and rubbed it vigorously, feeling more energetic.
He wound down the car window, smiled, and greeted, “It’s been a while.”
Lin Xinyan stared at him for two seconds. “Why are you here?”
She was surprised.
Guan Jing was inexplicably guilty, looking shifty-eyed, “Umm… I’m here to work.”
Lin Xinyan sneered. Zong Jinghao was here yesterday, and yet he happens to come here to work today?
Will there be such a coincidence?
“Why did he ask you to come?” Lin Xinyan didn’t intend to talk nonsense with him and asked directly.
Guan Jing did not speak.
I can’t say it’s to investigate her, can I?
No one likes their privacy being violated, right?
“Should I call and ask him?” Lin Xinyan also took a tough stance.
Lin Xinyan’s attitude stunned him, and he couldn’t help but look at her up and down. Whether it was her manner of speaking or her overall presence, she had changed.
She had turned into a woman.
Previously, she could only be considered as a little woman.
Guan Jin grabbed a handful of his hair. “Umm, Mr. Zong just wants to know where you live.”
Silence instantly followed.
Lin Xinyan turned and walked toward the store.
It seemed that she really needed to move.
She didn’t want to be disturbed, particularly by Zong Jinghao!
“Miss Lin—” Guan Jin wanted to explain.
Lin Xinyan didn’t give him a chance and walked directly into LEO.
Guan Jing smacked his lips, feeling like he got caught in the crossfire between them.
When Lin Xinyan was trying to leave and move to another place, Zong Jinghao was invited by the He family for dinner back at B City in Country Z.
If Zong Jinghao did not cancel the engagement, it was naturally a good thing. A meal together could also enhance the relationship between the two families.
However, the dinner invitation now was probably a trap.
It was bound to happen sooner or later, so Zong Jinghao was prepared.
He Ruilin was well dressed, while all her family members were there, including He Ruize who was frequently abroad.
The magnificent hall was very lively.
Zong Jinghao came in against the light in a black suit.
Seeing Zong Jinghao coming in, the look on He Ruize’s face changed suddenly…
