"How is that possible? Aren't you Lin An?" the woman asked Lu Ze'an, surprise coloring her tone.
Looking at his eyes and brows, which were identical to Wei Wu's, how could he not be his child?
"My name is Lu Ze'an." Lu Ze'an looked at the woman. He had indeed been called Lin An before, but why did this woman know?
"You said your father... is his name Lin Feng?" Li Lan asked Lu Ze'an earnestly.
"How do you know my dad's old name?" Lu Ze'an frowned, unsure of what this woman before him wanted to say or who she was.
"Because I am your mother. My name is Li Lan, your biological mother." Li Lan, having confirmed Lu Ze'an's identity, no longer concealed it.
"I was six years old, yes, but I'm not an idiot. You say you're my mother, what proof can you offer?" Lu Ze'an asked seriously, his gaze on the woman before him filled with caution.
He wouldn't believe her words.
His mother was Fu Wenwen.
"I am your mother. It's just that before you were born, Lin Feng brought news of Wei Wu's sacrifice. I... I couldn't accept it at the time and couldn't take care of you, so I entrusted you to Lin Feng."
Li Lan wiped away her tears. Lu Ze'an felt nothing at the sight of her crying.
After listening to the woman finish her story through tears, Lu Ze'an nodded and walked past her, preparing to leave.
"Lin An, I am your mother." Li Lan didn't expect Lu Ze'an to react this way. She was his birth mother, why did he have no reaction?
"So what? You never raised me!" Lu Ze'an looked back at the woman.
He pointed his little finger at the schoolbag on his body.
"See this? This is the schoolbag my mother made for me with her own hands!"
His small hand then pointed at the clothes he was wearing.
"See? These are the clothes my mother made for me."
Lu Ze'an pointed to everything on his body, piece by piece. Even his hair had been cut by Fu Wenwen.
"You say you're my mother, then which item on me did you make?"
Li Lan paused, speechless, unable to answer.
"My father may not be my biological father, but he raised me. My mother may not be my biological mother, but she loves me more than anyone! So what if you're my birth mother? I've grown up, and I have parents who love me dearly. I don't need you."
Lu Ze'an pouted his little mouth, saying proudly.
"Don't appear before me again, lest my parents worry."
"An'an, I am your mother, my name is Li Lan!" Li Lan called out loudly as Lu Ze'an's back disappeared around the corner.
"My mother's name is Fu Wenwen." Lu Ze'an didn't even turn his head, leaving only a simple sentence before his small figure disappeared at the street corner.
Li Lan stood frozen.
Lu Ze'an returned home but did not tell Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen about the incident.
Back in his room, he hugged Xiao Xue, who was sleeping on his bed, burying his face in Xiao Xue's soft white fur.
"Meow~"
Xiao Xue seemed to sense something, pressing its little paws onto Lu Ze'an's forehead. Its tail lazily swished back and forth, allowing Lu Ze'an to pet it.
Feeling Xiao Xue's soft fur, Lu Ze'an gradually calmed down.
To say he wasn't shocked would be a lie, but to say he was heartbroken? Not really.
Fu Wenwen had saved him time and time again. Lu Ze'an had long considered Fu Wenwen his mother in his heart, and no one could replace her position.
Not even his father could.
The fact that Lu Cheng'sen wasn't his biological father made Lu Ze'an feel uneasy.
When someone has something on their mind, those who are close to them can see it at a glance.
Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen returned from school. Fu Wenwen, with her slightly bulging belly, prepared their usual spread of dishes.
However, Lu Ze'an didn't eat as he normally would, immediately drawing the attention of Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen.
Seeing his lack of appetite, Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen exchanged a look and put down their chopsticks.
"An'an."
"Mm?" Lu Ze'an blinked, looking up at Fu Wenwen.
"Did something happen?" Fu Wenwen asked with a smile, stroking his head.
"If anything happens, you must tell Mom and Dad. Don't keep it to yourself," Lu Cheng'sen said earnestly. "You are our son. If you encounter something you can't handle, asking us for help is the right thing to do."
Lu Cheng'sen thought Lu Ze'an had been bullied by classmates at school.
"Dad, today a woman suddenly stopped me and told me she was my mother..." Seeing the encouraging gazes of Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen, Lu Ze'an no longer hesitated and told them about the incident.
After listening to Lu Ze'an's story, Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen simply shrugged.
They began discussing it in front of Lu Ze'an.
"What do you think her motive is for coming to An'an? Is she having a change of heart and wants to reclaim her son?"
"Unlikely. Could she have heard something somewhere and is deliberately approaching An'an?"
"She must know that An'an is with you. Why has she only come now? Is she after money...?"
"Undeniably, that's a possibility."
Lu Ze'an listened as Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen discussed the reasons for his mother's approach right in front of him, watching them with amusement.
"...Dad, Mom, I'm still here. Shouldn't you be discreet?"
"Clever little thing, you were already four years old when you were with your mother. Now you're five and a half, almost six. You should understand these things," Lu Cheng'sen said directly, without any pretense.
"An'an, although Mom and Dad aren't your biological parents, our love for you is no less than that of biological parents. So, what does it matter if there's no blood relation? You are still our most beloved son! Will you stop loving us just because we are not your biological parents?" Fu Wenwen asked directly, rubbing Lu Ze'an's head.
Seeing Fu Wenwen and Lu Cheng'sen's open attitude, Lu Ze'an's unease suddenly vanished.
That statement... made sense.
Mom and Dad had always known he wasn't their biological son, but they had always treated him so well, and nothing had ever changed.
So, what did it matter if they weren't his biological parents? Mom and Dad were still Mom and Dad!
"No," Lu Ze'an blinked. It seemed he could accept it.
"Exactly! So, ignore whatever she says and don't pay attention to her. Leave it to Mom and Dad to handle," Fu Wenwen said, kissing Lu Ze'an's forehead.
Lu Ze'an's little face blushed.
"Mom, I'm a big boy now. You can't kiss me like that..."
"What? Can a big boy not be kissed by his mother? Hmph, you stingy boy."
Fu Wenwen let out a stern hmph.
"Just kiss me, I'll let you kiss me." Lu Cheng'sen hugged Fu Wenwen and offered his cheek.
"...Your beard is sticking out and it pricks. I won't kiss you." Fu Wenwen pushed him away with disdain.
"..."