Chapter 290: Youzi's Mom

Zheng Tan's impression of Xiao Youzi's mother remained at the first year he came here.

At that time, Zheng Tan felt that Xiao Youzi's father and mother and his own parents were the same kind of selfish people; perhaps because Xiao Youzi had spent too long in the Jiao Family, getting along with them too naturally and harmoniously, Zheng Tan almost forgot that Xiao Youzi still had a mother. It was just that this mother rarely called Xiao Youzi all year, and even when they went to Jiao Ma's old home for New Year or summer vacation, Gu Lao Yezi and Lao Tai barely mentioned Xiao Youzi's mother, showing how dissatisfied the old man and old woman were with her.

But however dissatisfied, however wrong, however unsightly, she was still Xiao Youzi's biological mother.

She hadn't come over in three years to see her daughter, nor said she would take Xiao Youzi over to play, so why is this woman appearing here now?

Zheng Tan was in a bad mood; he had already started speculating about all possibilities. If this woman wanted to take Xiao Youzi abroad to live with her, the Jiao Family had no right to stop her.

The more he thought, the more irritated he became; Zheng Tan stood beside Jiao Ba, patiently listening to their conversation. Though the atmosphere was not great, it couldn't stay dead silent forever, because if it did, Zheng Tan wouldn't get any information.

While listening, Zheng Tan discovered that Youzi had a half‑sister (same mother, different father), meaning that this mother, shortly after sending Xiao Youzi back to the country, had met a second love abroad and then had the current little daughter, a mixed‑race child already over a year old. What made Zheng Tan angry wasn't that Xiao Youzi's mother abandoned Xiao Youzi in the country to live her own life, but that when she talked about her little daughter, her expression and tone made Zheng Tan want to scratch his claws. Zheng Tan was a bit worried. To put it artistically, when the vermilion mole on Xiao Youzi's mother's chest turned into a glaring chili sauce, should she wipe it off or not?

After her eyes lit up as she talked about her little daughter, perhaps realizing it wasn't a good topic, she saw Jiao Ba's rare scowl and understood.

Xiao Youzi's mother cleared her throat awkwardly and steered the conversation back.

"Xiao Youzi is in fourth grade this year, right? How are her grades? Is she keeping up? I actually don't have much confidence in the domestic education system," Xiao Youzi's mother said.

Jiao Ba glanced at her lightly, "Xiao Youzi was in second grade when she was sent back to the country."

Xiao Youzi was sent back to the country in 2003, and now it's the second half of 2006.

Xiao Youzi's mother froze for a moment, calculated the years, and said, "So that means she's already in fifth grade. How fast."

Jiao Ba glanced at her again, "She'll move up to sixth grade this September, and be in middle school next year; I recall telling you when she skipped a grade."

Xiao Youzi's mother: "…"

Alright. Another dead silence.

Jiao Ba usually speaks fairly politely. Such blunt, face‑slapping remarks are rare. From Jiao Ba's current tone, Zheng Tan knew that Professor Jiao was indeed not very calm at the moment.

Zheng Tan, looking at Xiao Youzi's mother's expression, could tell she truly didn't know what to say. She couldn't even force a dry laugh. In any case, when talking about her older daughter, she was mostly feeling guilty.

Xiao Youzi's mother originally planned to just drop by and leave; she had a business matter to discuss, and coincidentally a professor she often collaborates with was giving a talk at Chu Hua Da Xue's Medical School. After learning of her connection with Jiao Ba, the professor also approached Jiao Ba through Xiao Youzi's mother, aiming to observe the Red‑mutated Nest Mouse at the Institute of Biological Sciences and hopefully obtain some samples, since Jiao Ba, as the discoverer of the Red‑mutated Nest Mouse, holds some authority. The mouse is a model organism in mammalian embryology and developmental biology, and both the Institute of Biological Sciences and the Medical School rely on mouse research; the Red‑mutated Nest Mouse is even more special. As Chu Hua Da Xue has been publishing high‑impact papers on it, it has caused a stir internationally, and any opportunity must be seized; that professor clearly knows the tricks. Consequently, Xiao Youzi's mother inevitably has to deal directly with Jiao Ba; she can't avoid it, and even knowing she'll be scolded, she has to endure it.

"Since you're here, why not come into the house and sit for a bit? Your sister heard you returned to the country yesterday and mentioned it, it's been a long time since we've seen you; you and your sister can chat. Also, don't you want to see Xiao Youzi?"

"... Alright, then I'll be a bother to you." Xiao Youzi's mother realized she couldn't avoid this time, so she forced herself to go.

Jiao Ma returned quickly today and bought a lot of groceries. Even though she thought her younger sister had many faults, she was still a blood sister; after three years apart, it was a rare visit, so she had to give a proper reception.

Jiao Yuan clearly had received a message in advance; he showed little enthusiasm toward Xiao Youzi's mother, shouted once and then ran back to his room to do homework.

Zheng Tan, in the room, watched Xiao Youzi holding a pen, scribbling aimlessly on a scrap sheet; after a few strokes she began picking at her nails, looking dazed, clearly having no mind for doing homework.

Zheng Tan leaned over, about to give a comforting hug, when he heard Jiao Yuan shouting from next door, "Hei Tan—come quickly, there's a huge mouse!"

Zheng Tan: "…" Such an excuse even has the nerve to be used.

In the living room, while talking with Xiao Youzi's mother, Jiao Ba glanced at Zheng Tan, who had slipped out of Xiao Youzi's room through a window and then leapt through another window into Jiao Yuan's room, and said nothing.

"Your cat is really something special," Xiao Youzi's mother said, having heard the window‑climbing sounds and looked over.

Jiao Ba didn't deny, "Hmm, this cat is energetic and unconventional."

Xiao Youzi's mother: "…" Isn't it just a street cat? And yet it's "unconventional"?

Another dead silence.

Zheng Tan, having leapt into Jiao Yuan's room, watched Jiao Yuan anxiously circling the bed.

"Hei Tan, what do you think—did Xiao Youzi's mother come to take Xiao Youzi back? If Xiao Youzi really goes with her, what should we do? I heard her mother is now building a career abroad and doesn't pay much attention to her; if she gets bullied out there, no one will protect her. I have no idea what Xiao Youzi actually thinks. No, I need to work with Xiao Youzi."

Jiao Yuan immediately sat down, opened a blank workbook, rolled up his sleeve, grabbed a pen, and scribbled away on the paper, much faster than when he was struggling to write an essay.

Zheng Tan hopped onto the desk and looked; the first line, in nine bold characters, read: "Enumerating eighteen foreign 'offenses'."

Below were listed various foreign drawbacks, and between the lines it was clear that Jiao Yuan also didn't want Xiao Youzi to leave. At the end, in large red ink, he wrote, "Think carefully and act cautiously!"

Zheng Tan, unusually not disgusted by the dirty paper, grabbed the stacked sheet, carried it out, then returned to Xiao Youzi's room and handed the paper to her.

After reading the words on the paper, Xiao Youzi's bewildered expression lessened, her mouth twitched slightly upward, and she replied with a "Okay" below.

Jiao Ba watched Zheng Tan moving back and forth between the two rooms; although the window‑climbing made more noise, he said nothing and didn't intervene.

They ate a meal together. Though the food was tasty, no one was in the mood. The table atmosphere was eerie, with only Jiao Ma speaking a bit more. The two sisters stood side by side; at first glance one wouldn't immediately think they were siblings, perhaps due to their demeanor and attire. Yet on closer inspection, they did bear some resemblance. Xiao Youzi's mother lacked confidence in front of Jiao Ma, even though she could now match Jiao Ma professionally. She usually kept a façade before others, but here even her act was stiff and forced.

As for Zheng Tan, who usually perched on a special chair and ate by leaning over the table edge, now he was placed on a small stool beside them, watching a bowl of food he couldn't swallow.

Perhaps seeing Xiao Youzi awakened her maternal instinct; Xiao Youzi's mother said she would stay in Chu Hua Shi for a few more days, and since the day after tomorrow was the weekend, she wanted to take Xiao Youzi out for a walk.

This made Zheng Tan even more wary; he figured that through emotional bonding, they could probably lure Xiao Youzi away. Xiao Youzi's mother already had a little daughter, and Xiao Youzi wouldn't be happy going there, especially with an unseen stepfather. However, Jiao Ba and Jiao Ma hadn't mentioned this in front of Xiao Youzi, likely fearing she would overthink.

"Let mother and daughter talk; Xiao Youzi is precocious, not an immature child," Jiao Ba said that night.

Jiao Ma was a bit worried, "What if Xiao Youzi chooses to go with her? I don't think that's a good idea; the child might not be happy there. How about this week?" After thinking, Jiao Ma sighed, "Fine, since she said she wants to spend time alone with Xiao Youzi, I won't try to intervene. Ah, if only someone could keep an eye on Xiao Youzi." Jiao Ma knows her sister quite well; today she can speak beautifully, tomorrow she might make you want to bang your head against a wall.

"There's still a way," Jiao Ba said.

"What method?"

"Hei Tan."

Indeed, Xiao Youzi's mother said she wanted to spend time alone with Xiao Youzi, but that "alone" clearly referred to a person, not including Zheng Tan. Zheng Tan also wasn't comfortable letting Xiao Youzi face her mother, whose character was questionable, alone. What if Xiao Youzi got taken advantage of? Xiao Youzi's mother could afford it, but Zheng Tan couldn't.

Saturday.

Xiao Youzi, backpack on, went downstairs; Jiao Ba drove her to the agreed location.

The meeting place was a restaurant, a bit upscale, but for a child it was somewhat restrictive, not free.

Through the floor‑to‑ceiling window, he watched Xiao Youzi walk into the restaurant, see her mother, and sit down; only then did Jiao Ba drive away.

Xiao Youzi wore a stern little face, making the already strained mother‑daughter atmosphere even more rigid.

Without Jiao Ba and Jiao Ma's supervision, even though she felt a bit guilty, Xiao Youzi's mother behaved more smoothly. She ordered a juice and a small dessert for Xiao Youzi, drank coffee herself, smiled, and glanced at the bag her daughter carefully held in her arms.

"Your bag looks so bulging—what is it? A gift for mommy?" Xiao Youzi's mother tried to make her smile more friendly.

Xiao Youzi looked at her mother, bit her lip, then took a small gift box from her coat pocket and handed it to her mother.

Xiao Youzi's mother glanced at the bulging bag, then at the gift box in Xiao Youzi's hand, took it, opened it, and saw a tiny doll; the material wasn't new, and the craftsmanship was much cruder than store‑bought ones.

"Did Xiao Youzi make it herself?" her mother asked with a smile.

Xiao Youzi lowered her head slightly and nodded.

"It looks really nice, mommy really likes it!"

Zheng Tan inside the bag let out a snort; really, this tone sounds too deliberate. That doll was hand-sewn by Xiao Youzi using materials saved from her labor and technology class and some daily necessities, and the doll's outfit was made according to a photo of Xiao Youzi's mother's attire.

Not knowing whether it was because he was too angry inside or something else, Zheng Tan felt a bit suffocated in the bag; the air coming in through the vents wasn't enough, so he pulled open the zipper on the inner side of the backpack, stuck his head out, and took a deep breath.

Just as Xiao Youzi's mother had finished receiving the gift, adjusted her mindset and expression, and was about to speak, she caught sight of the black cat's head peeking out from the backpack; the smile on her face froze instantly, and the words she was about to say got stuck. (To be continued...)

PS: I fixed some bugs in the previous text today; no need to resubscribe, and it doesn't affect reading.