Chapter 941: of Bamboo Horse Youth

Song Xu showed no weakness, sitting opposite the tea table, looking at his mother's familiar yet strange face, his tone icy.

"Mom, haven't you forgotten? You were also born and raised in Ming Cheng, and you didn't wear expensive cheongsams from birth."

He could never connect this noblewoman before him with the gentle, kind, lively daughter in his grandmother's memories of the past.

Xu Su's face flashed with a hint of embarrassment, rather annoyed she set down her cup, "Is this how you speak to your mother?"

"What is Mom saying? You really don't get it? You and Jin Chen may be neighbors in Ming Cheng, at best you could call them childhood sweethearts, but you absolutely cannot fall in love!"

She made no secret of Jin Chen sitting beside Song Xu, her tone devoid of any mercy: "Every time I came back to see you, Mom would give their family a sum of money; otherwise you'd really think they were taking care of you for free."

Song Xu curled his lip, "That money—my godmother never accepted it; she always returned it to my grandmother."

Xu Su slammed the table hard, her jeweled long nails tapping on the surface, "Song Xu! Straighten your attitude! Look at which heir of a noble family is like you—you don't even listen to us about your major, and who would this conglomerate go to if not you?"

"All these years I've been on guard every day, preventing your dad from cheating outside and fathering an illegitimate child—your heart condition isn't a big deal, just get surgery and stop wasting Mom's efforts."

Xu Su's righteous words were completely unconcerned about Song Xu's heart condition, after all she had seen it among several elders in the Song family; this hereditary heart disease doesn't seem serious.

She today considered herself to have spoken earnestly and painstakingly, yet not a single word was what Song Xu wanted to hear.

Song Xu was puzzled, and this puzzlement had lingered in his heart for years.

"Mom, it seems you never cared about my health, only whether I could smoothly inherit the conglomerate."

Xu Su gasped, "How could I not care? This time you returned to Jing Shi, Mom and Dad overnight had the cardiac doctors bring a team for on‑call checkups, and then you're willing to go now."

Song Xu: "……"

"Forget it."

He already knew the answer.

"Mom, I won't listen to you—I don't want to study finance, I don't want to get engaged, and I don't want to be a obedient puppet for the company under your oppression."

Song Xu rose, politely bowed toward Xu Su, "Sorry, Mom."

Jin Chen also rose, but merely stood there, watching Xu Su's expression unchanged, even indifferent.

Xu Su couldn't believe it—her usually obedient son would actually defy her on such an important matter.

"Jin Chen, Jin Chen, you really have your family to thank for raising Xiao Xu like this."

She glared at Jin Chen.

"Thank you for the praise, Aunt Su—Xiao Yu'er is healthy and sleeps well; indeed it's all thanks to our family."

Jin Chen's smile was skin‑deep, not hiding as he tore open Xu Su's pretense.

"You said the engagement with the Mu family was set before the two children were even born—if that's the case, then I am also Xiao Xu's fiancé."

Xu Su furrowed her brows, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Jin Chen: "Back when you were still in Ming Cheng, you and my mom were inseparable best friends, and you even said outright that if we both had kids, you'd marry them off by matching birthdays."

Xu Su: "……"

She could barely contain her disdain, "That was just idle talk we said when we were young."

Just based on this desire to climb higher, the Jin family's expectations are simply too great.

"You know verbal promises aren't binding, so why keep pressing, trying to force Xiao Yu'er into a marriage with the Mu family?"

Jin Chen spoke these words in a detached tone, laying bare Xu Su's inner thoughts: "You don't seem to care what Xiao Yu'er likes; you only know that marrying into the Mu family would strengthen the Song financial line, make the two families ever closer, and secure your place as a noble‑class lady."

Xu Su's face flushed then turned white as she clutched her chest, gasping, "Jin Chen! I'm your elder—is this how you speak to your elders?"

"Sorry, my family's upbringing isn't that strict—it can't compare to the Song family."

Jin Chen shrugged, took Song Xu's hand and left, adding a final remark as they went.

"Song Xu has never been your puppet to control; if you don't feel pity for him, you have no right to meddle in his future."

"Stop! I order you to stop!"

Xu Su shouted angrily, but neither of them turned back.

Song Xu only felt absurd.

He had imagined many scenes of reuniting with his mother after years apart, but never thought it would be like this.

All the way back to the dormitory, Song Xu finally came to his senses.

"Xiao Yu'er, are you all right?" Jin Chen asked.

"It's fine…… I actually had already prepared myself before going to see her."

Song Xu's tone, however, remained somewhat dazed.

"It's just that Mom… has become more and more unlike before."

"People do change." Jin Chen rubbed his cheek, speaking softly: "After staying long in the world of interests, perhaps this is the only way Aunt Su can keep her footing among the noble‑wives circle."

"But she doesn't love me."

Song Xu keenly felt this fact, lowering his eyes, "Dad too……

"A noble house needs no love—does it not even need familial affection?"

"Brother loves you." Jin Chen said, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him into his embrace, "Pat your head, don't be sad."

Song Xu lifted his head, his low spirits still filling him; he didn't want to be unloved, let alone by his own birth parents.

Leaning against Jin Chen's chest, Song Xu felt a little better hearing "Brother loves you," and said, "Then brother, coax me."

Jin Chen's kiss fell, gentle and delicate; Song Xu slowly opened his mouth, lightly closed his eyes, and surrendered himself completely.

Meanwhile.

Mu Henian's choice was simpler and more direct.

Having been reborn, he no longer expects the almost‑nonexistent familial affection; Cheng Huai is the most important person in his life.

And Cheng Huai himself has cut ties with his family, so naturally he wouldn't think there's anything to rely on in familial affection.

The two of them, while being scolded, spaced out—purely left ear in, right ear out.

It was just that the words of the illegitimate son Mu Nan truly stirred Mu Henian's long‑dormant anger to rise.

He's not doing this on purpose, is he? He just wants to defy his father, so he picked a boyfriend who has no power or influence.

Mu Nan's expression and tone are both infuriating; even in expensive designer clothes he looks dissolute, his eyes constantly wandering over Cheng Huai's face.

But brother has great taste—I've flirted with so many fresh-faced model students, yet only this one is the most vibrant.

Anyway, brother will eventually marry and settle down, so when that happens, please give me this person's contact info.

Mu Nan doesn't even remember Cheng Huai's name—partly to spite Mu He'nian and show him how mistaken his choice is, and partly because he genuinely just wants something new and is attracted to Cheng Huai's face.