Chapter 364: Chapter 329: Can You Forgive Mommy?
A sentence "You think everyone is as dumb as your mom" left both mother and son stunned.
Gu Qili immediately looked at Mu Qinian with tension. She had always dreamt of acknowledging him, but she didn’t dare to. A child who had been without a mother for four years, suddenly having a mother appear out of nowhere, he definitely couldn’t accept it.
She had intended to get closer to him before finding the opportunity to explain, but Mu Shuoqian had thrown out her identity so unexpectedly, leaving her both nervous and a bit astonished.
"Mom? What mom? Where is my mom?" Mu Qinian finished speaking and looked around.
"You ask where, as far away as the horizon yet as close as before your eyes," Mu Shuoqian frowned.
Mu Qinian’s gaze fell on Gu Qili, whose eyes were red as a rabbit’s. He scooted back, his big eyes blinking rapidly at her, and suddenly, as if understanding something, like a combative little beast, he swung his fists at Mu Shuoqian: "Dad, I know you fancy Ali too, but we can compete fairly; what talent is there in playing dirty?"
"Whether she’s your mom or not, you just have to ask and you’ll know," Mu Shuoqian huffed coldly.
"Ali, you don’t have to be afraid of him, did he say something to you?" Mu Qinian pouted, taking Gu Qili’s hand in his little one, "Although he’s rich now, all his inheritance will be mine in the future, so, staying with me is a longer-term plan than with him."
Upon hearing this, Mu Shuoqian almost spat out a mouthful of old blood; was this wishing his dad dead sooner?
However, Gu Qili couldn’t laugh, her gaze filled with guilt and tension, "I’m sorry, Qinian, your dad is right, I really am your mom, your biological mom."
Mu Qinian’s dark pupils shifted, glancing at the ashen-faced Mu Shuoqian and then at the tearful Gu Qili. Suddenly, he flung her hand away, grabbed a blanket, and covered his head with it. From beneath the blanket came his angry roar: "I don’t believe it."
"Qinian, be careful with the wound on your head," Gu Qili became anxious, hurriedly pulling at the blanket.
"Don’t touch me, you’re not my mom at all; you could have just rejected me directly, why impersonate my mom?"
Gu Qili’s hand, which had just touched the corner of the blanket, shrank back, her head lowered, full of remorse.
"Let’s go." Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist, and Mu Shuoqian pulled her up from the bedside, "I’ll take you back."
"But what about Qinian? I should stay to accompany him."
"He’s ignoring you, what’s the use of you staying?"
Mu Shuoqian gave her a look, and Gu Qili, puzzlingly, followed him to the door. Just as she opened the door,
Gu Qili ran back without a second thought and lifted the blanket to reveal Mu Qinian’s sullen face.
"Did it hit the wound? I’ll call the doctor," Gu Qili immediately checked the gauze on his forehead.
"Weren’t you going to leave? Just go, let me meet my own end," Mu Qinian turned his little face away, huffing forcefully.
Gu Qili sat down with a smile, gently pulling his small hand: "How could I possibly leave, aren’t you scared being all alone here?"
"I have Uncle Yuan."
"But your dad already sent him away," Gu Qili pointed outside the door, "You know, this is a hospital, and people often die in hospitals. When a person dies... "
Although Mu Qinian is usually brave, he fears these supernatural things the most. As soon as Gu Qili said this, he felt his hairs stand on end, yet he didn’t want to lose face in front of her.
Gu Qili had seen it early on, his heart clenched, thinking she wanted to leave, he couldn’t help but steal glances at her.
But he saw Gu Qili sitting on the other side on the companion bed, placing her bag by the bedhead: "I’ve been on the plane for so long I’m tired, I don’t want to go anywhere, I’ll just sleep here tonight."
After finishing, she asked Mu Qinian for his opinion: "Qinian, you won’t object, right?"
Mu Qinian couldn’t have asked for more, yet still turned his face coldly towards the window: "The bed fee is paid for by my dad, you should ask him."
After speaking, he huddled up inside the blanket, stubbornly turning his back on the two adults.
Gu Qili sighed in relief, having temporarily settled the matter, she gave an eye signal to the man still standing at the door, implying it was time for him to leave; the hospital ward only had two beds, and the hospital could only keep one companion.
Mu Shuoqian felt like he had been used and then kicked away, he said nothing, turned and walked out. His proud silhouette deeply expressed his dissatisfaction.
Gu Qili sat on the bed, silently watching the unmoving Mu Qinian.
She wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to start. Explaining the grudges between adults to such a small child was unlikely, but what to do? How could she make him accept her as his mother, a mother instead of Ali?
She turned her head to see Gu Qili sitting next to him, asleep against the headboard.
But she had a light sleep, every move of Mu Qinian would wake her.
"Qinian, what’s wrong, are you feeling unwell?" She immediately sat up in alarm, and reached out her hand to touch his forehead. The doctor had said that the wound could likely cause fever during recovery, so she dared not sleep too deeply in case he developed a fever without her knowing.
"I’ll go with you."
"It’s just my head that got hurt, not that I can’t move. You don’t need to keep me company."
Gu Qili felt somewhat dejected, knowing that he was still angry with her.
Suddenly, an annoyed voice came from the bathroom, and Gu Qili hurried over to see the little boy standing beside the toilet. "Ali, do you like my dad?"
"Your dad and I used to be husband and wife." Gu Qili took a towel and wiped the water off his body.
"What about now?"
"Divorced."
"A good horse doesn’t eat the grass behind it."
Gu Qili: "...."
This time, the idiom was used correctly.
"Ali, are you really my mom? Did you give birth to me?" Mu Qinian clung to her, he had seen all the good things she did for him; she was attentive, considerate, and gentle to him, unlike his father, who would turn his face at the slightest disagreement.
The little boy’s question made Gu Qili’s nose tingle, and she couldn’t help but gently press her forehead against his: "Yes."
"Then where have you been all these years? If you didn’t want me in the first place, why come back now?" Mu Qinian suddenly became angry, struggled out of her embrace, and turned to leave.
Gu Qili silently watched his retreating figure and sighed.
Early the next day, Mu Qinian was discharged from the hospital. Gu Qili packed up his things for him; he walked ahead sullenly, ignoring her.
At the entrance of the hospital, Yuan Yi was already waiting. Seeing her, he respectfully called out, "Madam."
Yuan Yi was used to this address, and couldn’t change it right away. Although Gu Qili minded a bit, she didn’t say anything.
"Brother Yuan, long time no see."
"Yes, it has been a very long time." Yuan Yi said with a smile as he opened the car door for them. Mu Qinian climbed in first.
The car was driving towards Jingshan, Gu Qili glanced at Mu Qinian who, after getting in the car, sat in the corner looking at the scenery, then suddenly said to Yuan Yi: "Brother Yuan, could you please make a trip to the cemetery?"
Yuan Yi didn’t ask why and drove straight towards the outskirts of the city.
Although Mu Qinian did not turn his head, he was grumbling to himself, not understanding what she wanted to do there.
On the way, Gu Qili bought a large bouquet of violets. Finally, Mu Qinian couldn’t help but ask: "What are you buying flowers for?"
"To visit someone."
Mu Qinian did not ask who it was, and turned his head away to continue being bored.
After arriving at the cemetery, Mu Qinian did not get out of the car. Gu Qili stood by the car door, bending over: "Qini, come out."
"I don’t want to go down."
"Okay then, just don’t open the car door if someone suddenly comes knocking on the window later, this place is desolate and full of graves..."
Before she finished speaking, a small figure had already jumped down, and even took the bouquet in her arms: "Really, you can’t even carry a bunch of flowers, leaving me to take action at the crucial moment."
The flowers were too big and heavy. Gu Qili looked at Mu Qinian who was struggling to carry them, then quickly took a few steps to catch up. "Did you realize you are actually scared of ghosts?"
Mu Qinian, his little secret poked, couldn’t help but glare at her, "You’re the one who’s afraid of ghosts."
Gu Qili raised an eyebrow and smiled. He was just speaking contrary to his true feelings.
The wind at the mountaintop blew coldly. Gu Qili tightened Mu Qinian’s coat around him, stopping in front of a smooth tombstone. She pointed with her hand: "Qini, put the flowers here."
Mu Qinian didn’t retort this time and obediently placed the flowers in front of the tombstone. Seeing the photo on it, he asked, "He looks a little like you, doesn’t he?"
"He’s my dad, your granddad, his name is Gu Dezhong."
Mu Qinian pursed his lips, didn’t say anything, but looked carefully at the person in the photo. He recognized the words and saw the name Gu Qili written on the tombstone.
"Why is there another small monument here?" Mu Qinian looked to the side, and when he saw the words on it, he was a bit confused. The small monument said "Tomb of beloved son Niannian, mother Gu Qili."
"You have another son?"
Gu Qili stared at the small monument, the past flooding her heart like a tide; she squatted down and hugged Mu Qinian tightly, her voice choked with emotion: "Qini, this was made by Mommy for you, because... because Mommy thought you were no longer with us. That’s why she left you for four years. If Mommy had known you were still alive and well, she would never have abandoned you. Can you forgive Mommy?"