Mu Jingzhe and the other four kids raised their heads, but they didn't see anything.
"Where? Where?"
"There!" When Shao Xi shouted, he even saw his father turn around.
That man turned around and glanced at them. Shao Xi could clearly see that it was his father.
However, when his father turned around and saw them, he turned back and left without hesitation.
Shao Xi wanted to run after him, but his hands were tied with a rope. As he ran, he pulled Shao Dong along with him and caused the latter to fall down.
Due to this delay, as well as the fact that there were many people at the night market, by the time they went over, the man had completely vanished from view.
Shao Xi gasped, and his expression was ugly. "I saw him. I really saw him."
"Maybe you're seeing things." Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Xi and quickly comforted him, feeling bad for him.
In the book, Shao Qihai had never returned. If he was still alive, he would have definitely come back.
"No, I'm not seeing things. I know what I saw. That was Daddy!"
Shao Xi lost his temper. "I saw him clearly. I shouted at him, and he even turned around. He just… doesn't want us anymore."
Mu Jingzhe started. "Shao Xi…"
Shao Xi took two deep breaths to calm down. He lowered his voice and said, "I'm not lying to you. I didn't see wrong either. That really was Daddy.
"It's just… he was with another auntie. He had another kid in his arms. I called him, and when he turned around, he saw me. He just doesn't want us."
Shao Xi repeated himself word by word. "He's not dead. He just doesn't want us anymore."
Shao Dong's gaze darkened. He believed Shao Xi's words. Shao Xi had the best eyesight. He couldn't have seen wrong.
Shao Nan, Little Bei, and Xiao Wu didn't say anything.
Mu Jingzhe felt helpless as she saw them looking like withered eggplants. She could only comfort them again.
"No, he couldn't have abandoned you. He loves and values you very much. It's just that he had no choice but to leave you guys. Shao Xi, you must be seeing things."
"I'm not." Shao Xi clenched his fists, his entire body trembling. "He just doesn't want us anymore. Death is just his excuse. Other people become corpses when they die, but not him. He's simply not dead."
Shao Xi wanted to restrain himself, but the anger and grievance he felt at that moment still made his eyes turn red and caused tears to fall from them.
Shao Xi, who had obeyed his father all along and wouldn't cry, couldn't control himself.
"I hate Daddy. No, from now onward, I don't have a father anymore. He's not my father. I don't want him anymore."
Since their father didn't want them anymore, Shao Xi didn't want him either.
Shao Xi was usually an evil little prince. He could be very scary when he decided to put his vicious tongue to good use. He didn't care about anyone else other than his siblings. Amenable to coaxing but not coercion, he had a stubborn personality and looked kind of happy-go-lucky on the surface.
This was the first time he had revealed such a weak side.
"Stop crying, Shao Xi, stop crying."
Mu Jingzhe racked her brains but didn't know how to comfort him. Though Shao Xi claimed to have seen his father, he was indeed gone.
She wiped away his tears and all she could do was hug him.
Shao Xi leaned into Mu Jingzhe's embrace and finally cried to his heart's content.
This warm embrace was different from his older brother's comfort. It was as if he could be at ease and cry all he wanted.
"Boohoo… I don't want him anymore. I hate him."
Mu Jingzhe sighed and hugged him to comfort him.
After a while, Shao Xi calmed down and fell asleep from exhaustion after all that crying.
It was the first time Shao Xi, who was like a little hedgehog, fell asleep so obediently in her arms. It seemed that he was gravely wounded.
Mu Jingzhe could only put down Xiao Wu and piggyback Shao Xi.
Since the sugar figurines had been paid for, and because Mu Jingzhe thought that Shao Xi would be happier to see the figurine when he woke up, she went back to get the sugar figurines.
On the way back, the atmosphere was very depressing. The excitement and good mood that taking Little Bei to the city to perform at the broadcasting station had brought were both gone.
Mu Jingzhe carried them back to the guesthouse. She didn't notice that Shao Xi, who was on her back, had already opened his eyes.
His eyes were red as he looked at his siblings.
Mu Jingzhe returned to the guesthouse and asked them to wait while she went to turn on the water herself. She ran up and down to wash their faces and feet.
After she went out, Shao Xi opened his eyes under the covers.
Shao Dong and the others sat by the bed. "You really saw him." Shao Dong's tone was affirmative.
"Mm," Shao Xi replied softly. Everyone's expressions turned even uglier.
Although they seemed to have accepted Mu Jingzhe's explanation that he had seen wrong on the surface, in their hearts, they were certain that Shao Xi had seen what he claimed.
"I don't want Daddy anymore either." Little Bei's eyes were red as she held back her tears.
"Mm." Shao Nan bent down and hugged Little Bei. "Cry if you want."
"No, I don't want to cry for him." Little Bei sounded choked up, but she refused to let her tears fall.
From this day onward, the children would no longer mention their father or Shao Qihai.
They hated their father for abandoning them.
They sat around the bed and leaned on each other. Their fists were clenched tightly, and there was hatred in the depths of their eyes.
Since he didn't want them, they didn't care about him either.
The children made up their minds one by one. They had to be successful in the future and make Shao Qihai regret it!
There was no need to say these words. The children could understand this themselves.
Upon hearing Mu Jingzhe's footsteps, Shao Xi closed his eyes and the other four kids dispersed.
"Wash your faces and feet first."
Shao Dong, Shao Nan, and Little Bei knew how to wash themselves. Mu Jingzhe washed Xiao Wu, then took a hot towel and carefully wiped Shao Xi's face.
Shao Xi felt her gentleness and, for the first time, he was glad that they still had Mu Jingzhe.
With Mu Jingzhe around, despite facing the huge blow that their father wasn't dead and merely didn't want them anymore, they could still live well.
Mu Jingzhe felt Shao Xi's eyes move. "What are you dreaming of?"
She mumbled softly and looked at Shao Xi's curly eyelashes. She couldn't help but touch them. "Your eyelashes are so long."
Shao Xi almost couldn't help but open his eyes. He had pretended to be asleep because he felt embarrassed and wanted to calm down.
That night, the children were troubled. Shao Dong and Shao Xi didn't sleep at all.
Little Bei had said that she wouldn't cry, but her pillow still ended up getting wet. The next day, her eyelids were even a little swollen.
Mu Jingzhe saw that they were listless and prepared to return to the county city with everyone.
They had packed their luggage and were about to get in the car when the dance teacher who had brought them here rushed over and informed them excitedly, "The television station is looking for Little Bei."
It turned out that a client wanted to shoot an advertisement. The television station had recommended a list of children that fit their requirements and advertising plan. Little Bei was on that list.
Although Little Bei had only been one of the backup dancers previously, this dazzling child was the most eye-catching among all the children.
Because Mu Jingzhe had personally done her styling, her appearance was all the more attractive and pleasing to the eye. Therefore, Little Bei had been recommended to participate in the audition. In the end, the advertiser would decide who to cast.
This commercial was an advertisement for facial wipes. The advertisement would feature a family to indicate that children could use the product too. The child had to be pretty and likable.
Other than Little Bei, there were four other children. One of the five children would be chosen in the end.
The other four children were from the city. Little Bei was still wearing the clothes she had worn on the stage yesterday, whereas the other four children had already changed into a new costume.
The little girls were wearing little dresses, while the little boys were wearing pants and suspenders. Each one of them looked very nice and gracious.
However, Little Bei's costume wasn't inferior to theirs.
The children took turns auditioning. They could see the process from above, but they couldn't hear anything.
There were a few adults below, and the children took turns standing on the stage and introducing themselves to them. They would then talk about their strengths and could even perform to show their talent.
The time they spent on the stage varied. Some danced, and some sang, but all of them looked more or less nervous or scared.
They didn't say anything when they returned to the waiting room, so those waiting didn't know what was happening up there. Soon, it was Little Bei's turn.
Mu Jingzhe told Little Bei not to be nervous. "We'll just go back if you're not selected. Little Bei, you can sing, dance, or do whatever you want."
Little Bei had only learned to dance for a short time and hadn't undergone professional singing training. Compared to the other children, she was at a disadvantage. Mu Jingzhe was afraid that she would feel too much pressure.
"Okay, I'm not nervous." Little Bei was really not nervous. She liked to go on stage and have everyone's eyes on her.
Just like that, Little Bei went on the stage. After introducing herself, she sang the alphabet song to show her talent.
As she sang, she improvised some movements on the spot, looking very relaxed.
The interviewers seemed pleased to watch such a cute child. After she was done with her performance, she was told that she may leave.
Little Bei knew that this was about shooting an advertisement, so she hesitated for a moment and didn't go down. Instead, she said, "I heard that you guys are going to shoot an advertisement. I can also perform for an advertisement."
"How? Go ahead and show us."
Little Bei rarely watched television, but she was familiar with the radio now, and there were many advertisements on it. Thus, she started mimicking them vividly.
She had tried mimicking the male and female voices in the advertisements, as well as the voices of the elderly.
She had a good memory and spoke with a lot of different expressions.
The director and advertiser's attention was captivated. What an interesting child. She could even imitate people very well.
Little Bei's imitation ability made everyone laugh. This enhanced and deepened their impression of her.
Little Bei was the child who was on stage the longest. Although the other four children couldn't hear her performance on stage, they saw the smiles on the director and the advertiser's faces.
The moment Little Bei returned, the four children looked over at her more cautiously than before.
They remembered Little Bei. They were from the city's art school and had been on stage with Little Bei and her classmates yesterday.
Previously, when they'd heard that ten children from the county would be dancing with them, they had been very worried that the kids from the county would drag them down.
In the end, the costumes of the kids from the county weren't inferior to theirs at all. Even though they were a tad timid, they didn't make any mistakes on the stage.
They were filming an advertisement today, and Little Bei was actually among them. Furthermore, based on her performance, Little Bei was not inferior at all. In fact, she had performed even better than them.
This knowledge made them ignore Little Bei.
On the other hand, there was a little girl in red with short hair that reached her ears. She didn't seem to care much about the result and couldn't help but ask Little Bei, "Where did you buy your clothes? I heard from the people who came with you yesterday that your mother made them. Is your mother very good at making clothes?"
She liked Little Bei's clothes and wanted a set.
Little Bei secretly glanced at Mu Jingzhe at the door and nodded. "Yes, she helped make all the clothes for the kids from our county. She's very impressive."
Little Bei didn't say 'Mommy' and instead used 'she' as a substitute.
The short-haired girl was envious. "Your mother is amazing. My mother only knows how to buy stuff. Can I buy clothes from your mother too?"
Little Bei hesitated and didn't answer. At that moment, a little girl wearing a dress who had been sitting quietly next to them couldn't help but speak up.
"She's not your mother at all. I heard you call her 'Auntie' yesterday!"
The little girl in the strapless dress had just performed a dance. She was also cute, and the director and advertiser had seemed very fond of her.
At first, she had been very confident that she would shoot the advertisement. After doing so, she would be able to see herself on TV and show off to her classmates.
In the end, when Little Bei had auditioned, the adults had laughed even more happily. She felt like she had been defeated.
Strapless Dress was outstanding and had received attention from a young age. Seeing that made her feel a little uncomfortable, so she couldn't help but expose Little Bei's lie. "Good children shouldn't lie."
Little Bei's smile froze. She knew that good children shouldn't lie, but everyone was accompanied by their mothers, and it would be strange if she was the only one calling Mu Jingzhe 'Auntie'. Besides, she felt very proud to hear everyone praise Mu Jingzhe.
She couldn't help but silently imply that she was her mother.
Seeing that she wasn't saying anything, the little girl snorted and asked, "Is she really your mother? If she's not, that makes you a bad child."
Little Bei panicked for a moment. "I'm not a bad child!"
No one liked bad children. Their father no longer wanted them. If Auntie found out that she was lying, she might not want them either.
Was it because she was a bad child that Grandma and Eldest Aunt didn't like her and her father didn't want her?
Little Bei's eyes were red. Then, she saw Mu Jingzhe looking over and felt even more despair.
Auntie had heard their conversation. She had heard her lie and knew that she was a bad child. She wouldn't like her anymore.
Tears instantly rolled down Little Bei's cheeks. She gazed at Mu Jingzhe in panic and trepidation, and there was also a hint of prayer in her eyes.
Silently, she begged, 'Don't leave me alone. Please don't dislike me…'
When Mu Jingzhe saw Little Bei crying and saw her gaze, her heart couldn't help but ache. She couldn't care less and quickly went forward to pick her up.
"Don't cry, Little Bei."
As she comforted Little Bei, she looked at Strapless Dress and explained, "Little Bei is not a bad child. She's very good and obedient. She called me 'Auntie' because we were practicing shooting a commercial. We used to do the same in the past. Sometimes, she would even call me 'Aunt' or 'Sister'."
Strapless Dress thought about having to call a stranger 'Dad' or 'Mom' when filming an advertisement, so she didn't suspect anything and even apologized obediently. "Then it was my fault. I'm sorry."
"Little Bei, say it's alright."
After Little Bei said that, Mu Jingzhe stroked Strapless Dress's head. "You apologize when you find out you're in the wrong. You even know that you can't lie. How obedient."
Strapless Dress straightened her back proudly.
Mu Jingzhe then carried Little Bei to the washroom and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and mucus.
"Hush, hush."
"I'm sorry, Auntie. I lied. I said you were my mother."
"I heard you. Little Bei, it's understandable, so it's alright this time. However, we can't lie on a whim in the future, alright?"
In the novel, Shao Bei was always acting and lying. Half of the words that came out of her mouth were lies. No one knew if she was telling the truth or lying, so she was often called a liar behind her back.
However, right now, Little Bei was apologizing for telling such a lie.
"Okay, I won't lie again. Don't dislike me."
Little Bei grabbed Mu Jingzhe's clothes gingerly.
Mu Jingzhe's heart softened. "Little Bei, you're still young, and it's normal for you to want a mother. I won't dislike you as long as you don't lie on a whim in the future, especially by telling harmful lies. After all, you're going to have to back up every lie you tell with countless more lies. It's never going to end.
"Lies are just like a snowball that gets bigger and bigger. In the end, you might get crushed by it. Little Bei, let's not roll a snowball, alright?"
As they grew up, people would often be forced to lie or say things they didn't mean. No one could speak the truth all the time.
However, some lies couldn't be told. This had to be made clear.
"Okay." Little Bei nodded obediently. "I'll remember. I won't lie on a whim anymore."
This was the first time someone had taught Little Bei like this. What Zhao Lan used to call teaching was just hitting and scolding. It was not teaching at all.
Shao Dong and Shao Xi had also taught her some things, especially Shao Dong. He had taught her a lot, but not in this way.
Little Bei was a little afraid, but she liked this feeling.
She involuntarily hugged Mu Jingzhe. "Auntie, I won't lie anymore. Please don't dislike me."
"I don't dislike you. Little Bei, you're so obedient. I've always been fond of you." Mu Jingzhe hugged her and rocked her.
Mu Jingzhe's words encouraged Little Bei and made her say the words she had kept bottled up inside.
"Then can I call you Mommy from now on?"
Little Bei wanted to call Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy', like all the other children.
After Little Bei asked that, she carefully looked at Mu Jingzhe, afraid that Mu Jingzhe would refuse or that she would be unhappy. She was very nervous.
Her father no longer wanted them. Would Auntie disdain them too?
Mu Jingzhe hadn't expected to hear this question.
Call her Mommy? It wasn't any other form of address. It was 'Mommy'.
Mu Jingzhe hesitated. This went against her original plan.
She'd only planned to take care of them for the time being. She felt that she hadn't done enough, that she was far from being a mother.
However, she hesitated when Little Bei said that she wanted to call her 'Mommy'.
After all, it wasn't a casual form of address. The meaning behind it was significant. It represented unlimited responsibility.
If she agreed, it might add to her responsibilities in the future. She wasn't sure if she was up to the task or not.
Mu Jingzhe's hesitation made Little Bei's face turn pale.
"Auntie, I was joking. I didn't mean to cling onto you. My brothers said that we're a burden and can't keep holding you back. I was just kidding."
She really liked Auntie, but she couldn't force her to let her call her 'Mommy'. Even their father didn't want them, so on what grounds should they ask Auntie to keep on taking care of them?
She had already done enough for them.
Little Bei smiled and wanted to dismiss her words as a joke, but she was still young. She couldn't hide the sadness on her face, nor could she keep her eyes from reddening.
"Auntie, let's go out. I'll apologize and explain this to them."
Mu Jingzhe felt very upset as she looked at Little Bei, who was forcing a smile and holding back tears.
"No, Little Bei, I'm just afraid that I can't play the role of a mother well and will only disappoint you. That's because I've never done it before. It's not because I find you burdensome."
Mu Jingzhe said seriously, "You've never been a burden, so as long as you want to and aren't afraid of disappointment, you can call me 'Mommy'."
Mu Jingzhe took a deep breath. "I'll try my best to be a good mother."
In her previous life, she had also been very envious of other people who had mothers. This time, she had transmigrated into a book, and the heavens had compensated her with a set of parents in the form of Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng, who treated her very well.
Since the heavens had compensated her, she should perhaps also help Little Bei.
Little Bei's face was full of disbelief. "Really? Can I really do that?"
"Yes." Mu Jingzhe nodded.
When she heard this, Little Bei's eyes lit up. She pounced on Mu Jingzhe. "Mommy!" Her voice was extremely loud.
Mu Jingzhe quickly hugged Little Bei. "You're really happy, huh."
She had mixed feelings and couldn't help but laugh when she heard Little Bei shout.
"Yes, Mommy!"
Little Bei was elated and called her 'Mommy' a few times before sneakily planting a kiss on Mu Jingzhe's face.
Her soft little mouth melted Mu Jingzhe's heart, and her mind went dizzy from the kiss. At that moment, she wished she could give the entire world to Little Bei.
Mu Jingzhe looked at Little Bei's adorable little face and couldn't help but say the standard line of a domineering CEO. "Little vixen."
Wasn't Little Bei a little vixen now? She was making her dizzy with her charm and all that.
She had only come to be a nanny, but now, she had lost her heart to them and found herself becoming a mother.
"Then Mommy is a big vixen." Little Bei's ears were sharp.
Mu Jingzhe: "Uh…"
Mu Jingzhe carried Little Bei, who was sticking to her side, back. The minute they got back, they were notified that Little Bei had been chosen by the advertisers.
Little Bei wanted to apologize to the children, but they had already left.
The advertisers had thought of the advertisement plan and all that. They had also decided on the adult actors long ago. Little Bei was cast in the morning, and filming would begin in the afternoon.
The process was very efficient.
Little Bei didn't have experience facing cameras, but after some teaching, she quickly grasped it.
It was as if she had been born to face a camera, and she wasn't afraid or awkward at all.
Some people were usually alright, but they would feel uncomfortable when facing a camera. This wasn't the case for Little Bei.
They filmed several takes, but everything went smoothly. The shoot ended in one afternoon.
Because of this, Little Bei even received products from the advertisers. They said that they could be used by both adults and children, so Little Bei could use them too.
Little Bei specifically asked for seven boxes, one for her and each of her siblings, one for Mommy, and one for Young Uncle.
"Mommy, this is for you."
"Thank you, Little Bei."
The advertiser promptly gave Little Bei's remuneration to Mu Jingzhe after the shoot.
Mu Jingzhe took the excited Little Bei back to look for her brothers.
Outsiders were not allowed to enter during the filming process. They were still waiting in the guesthouse, and a teacher was taking care of them. From afar, they could hear Little Bei calling out 'Mommy'.
Mu Jingzhe even responded to it.
Shao Dong, Shao Xi, and Shao Nan glanced at each other speechlessly.
"…"
Their gazes were complicated, while Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with envy.
When Little Bei came in, she chatted with them about that day's experience and accidentally called Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy'.
After calling her that, Little Bei looked at her brothers sheepishly. However, none of her brothers said anything about it.
Little Bei heaved a sigh of relief.
Likewise, Mu Jingzhe touched her nose guiltily when she saw the boys' gazes.
She kept having the feeling that she had abducted Little Bei and coaxed her into calling her Mommy.
However, she really hadn't done that.
While Little Bei was in the washroom, Mu Jingzhe quickly explained this to Shao Dong.
"Err, Shao Dong… I didn't do it on purpose. Something happened this morning, so Little Bei changed her form of address and started calling me 'Mommy'."
Shao Dong had a complicated look in his eyes. "I know."
Little Bei may look like she was smiling without a care in the world, but he knew his younger sister. Her intuition had always been accurate, and ordinary people couldn't fool her.
Little Bei called her 'Mommy' because Mu Jingzhe treated her well and because she wanted to.
Mu Jingzhe did a good job, so it was normal for her to change the way she addressed her.
When Mu Jingzhe saw that Shao Dong wasn't angry, Shao Xi only snorted, and Shao Nan merely curled his lips and didn't say anything, she finally heaved a sigh of relief.
She patted her chest and left in peace. She didn't see Shao Dong hesitating to speak.
Since Little Bei had already changed her form of address, shouldn't they do the same since they were siblings?
He wanted to ask this, but he was afraid that Mu Jingzhe wouldn't agree.
Mu Jingzhe had always liked Little Bei more and had never asked them to call her 'Mommy'.
Maybe she wouldn't be willing?
Shao Xi snorted, sharing the same thoughts as Shao Dong. Since Little Bei had changed her form of address, why hadn't she just told them to follow suit?
They were siblings, but now Little Bei was calling her 'Mommy', while they were still calling her 'Auntie'. It was too strange.
Shao Nan… Shao Nan couldn't stand Little Bei's joyful and smug look, nor could he stand Mu Jingzhe's guilty and happy expression.
Wasn't she just calling her Mommy? How hard was it to call her that?! He could call her that too.
That was what he thought, but Shao Nan didn't say anything ultimately. In the end, the three brothers didn't change how they addressed her.
By the time they returned to the county city, it was already dark. Mu Jingzhe was a little hesitant to decide whether she should rush back overnight or stay the night. She decided to rush back to class tomorrow morning.
Shao Qiyang had left the bicycle with them at the art school, afraid that it would be too hard on the children.
"Let's go back. We can rest better at home," Shao Dong said.
Actually, he was afraid of spending more money on accommodation at the guesthouse. Mu Jingzhe had already spent a lot of money over the past few days.
"Right, we can wake up later tomorrow." Shao Xi agreed.
"Then let's rush back at night."
It was summer now, so it wasn't too cold at night.
Shao Dong and Shao Xi took turns helping with the torchlight, while Mu Jingzhe transported them home on the bicycle.
They chatted happily along the way. Unexpectedly, they ran into Shao Qiyang on the way.
Shao Qiyang had come to pick them up.
Mu Jingzhe had said that they would return on Sunday. Seeing that they hadn't returned, Shao Qiyang knew that they must have been delayed by something.
He was afraid that they would have to travel back during the night, so he had come to pick them up.
When Mu Jingzhe saw Shao Qiyang, she was pleasantly surprised but couldn't help but say, "If we didn't plan on coming back, wouldn't you have wasted a trip?"
Those days, there were no cell phones, and it was particularly inconvenient to contact people.
Shao Qiyang smiled. "Well, I didn't make a wasted trip, did I?"
Although Mu Jingzhe was strong, he was still worried, as she was a woman carrying five children. He was glad that he had come to pick them up.
"We nearly spent the night in the county."
"That's good too. If you guys don't want to come back, I'll just go to town. I'll consider that an early departure. I have to work too."
Shao Qiyang had borrowed a bicycle from the village. Even if he hadn't managed to meet them, he would still have had to return the bicycle, yet he spoke in a breezy manner.
With Shao Qiyang around to share the load, it was much easier for Mu Jingzhe, and her speed increased.
At around 10 p.m, they finally returned home.
Everyone in Great Eastern Village was asleep, and it was extremely quiet. Xiao Wu, who was on Mu Jingzhe's back, was also asleep.
When they got home, she woke Xiao Wu up and asked him to go to the toilet before carrying him back to coax him back to sleep.
Xiao Wu was in a daze and refused to let go of Mu Jingzhe. "Mommy… I want to call you 'Mommy' too. Can I also call you 'Mommy'?"
Half-asleep, Xiao Wu asked the question that he had been pondering.
When he'd heard Little Bei call her that, he had wanted to follow suit.
Mu Jingzhe: "Sure, go ahead."
Since Little Bei had already set a precedent, she might as well also let Xiao Wu call her that.
It made no difference if one kid called her 'Mommy' or two kids did.
Xiao Wu grinned and fell asleep with peace of mind.
Mu Jingzhe couldn't help but smile.
Shao Qiyang had cooked for them before going to fetch them. After the meal, Mu Jingzhe took out the money Little Bei had earned while Shao Qiyang was around.
"This is the money Little Bei received for dancing and shooting the commercial. There's only a small subsidy for dancing. However, there's quite a lot of money for the commercial. At least a hundred yuan."
A hundred yuan was a lot of money in that era.
"Little Bei is amazing." Shao Qiyang was very happy. "She can even shoot commercials."
"I'll appear on TV in the future. Uncle, you have to remember to watch out for me."
"Okay."
"I'm going to have to earn more money and then buy a TV so we can watch it at home."
Owning a television was something to be proud of, a blissful event for the village kids. Even in her sleep, Little Bei dreamt of buying a television.
Now that she had been praised for earning money, her first reaction was wanting to buy a television.
"Alright, buy a television in the future."
After buying a bicycle, they wanted to buy a television. Indeed, a person's wants and needs were never-ending.
Mu Jingzhe supported Little Bei's idea. "In that case, I'll save this money for you so that you can buy a television in the future. Should we hand it over to your brother for safekeeping?"
Mu Jingzhe didn't mention Shao Qiyang. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but she was afraid that Zhao Lan would come to steal his money or demand to have it again.
Little Bei looked at her older brother, then at Mu Jingzhe, and thought for a moment. "No, Mommy can help me keep it safe."
"Yes, you can keep the money for her. You spent quite a bit of money this time." Shao Dong nodded in agreement.
Mu Jingzhe thought for a moment. "Then you can safeguard your money yourself, Little Bei. Next time, when we go to the county city, I'll take you to the bank to open an account."
She wouldn't use the money earned by Little Bei, nor would she use any money earned by the children unless she absolutely had no other alternative.
After all, she was still capable of earning money herself.
"Let's save Shao Xi's money too. From now on, I'll save up all your royalties. The same goes for the rest of you. I'll save up your money for you."
She didn't need the children to earn money to support the family.
Mu Jingzhe made a decision and asked them to go to sleep.
Meanwhile, Shao Qiyang waited for Mu Jingzhe to hand her the living expenses.
"I have delivered a lot of letters ever since I got the bicycle. This is my bonus."
"You have to save some money too. Don't go hungry."
"Yes, I will. I remember what you've always told me. Good health is a prerequisite for work."
Shao Qiyang was delighted to hear Mu Jingzhe's concerned reminders.
His heart was warm and full.
Now that Mu Jingzhe and the children were back, this home felt like a home again. Two days ago, when they hadn't been around, he had felt very empty, and his heart had also felt vacant.
"I'll be back tomorrow night if nothing goes wrong, Jingzhe," Shao Qiyang informed her.
In the past, he'd had complicated feelings about home. Whenever he returned, he would feel tired. He'd still have to face Zhao Lan's nagging and criticism every day, as well as the pressure she put on him. Alas, he had no choice but to return. Every time, he would drag his feet there, never once looking forward to it.
However, ever since they'd split up the family assets, he had started to look forward to returning home. This was because there was piping hot food and laughter waiting for him at home.
This was the life he had dreamed of. This was his most ideal home. When he returned home, it was as if all his exhaustion vanished. He felt driven and motivated, and he wanted to give them more and strive hard for the future.
His colleagues and leaders said that he was currently completely different from before. Shao Qiyang hoped that things would stay this way.
He wasn't even willing to call Mu Jingzhe 'Second Sister-In-Law' anymore. He had subconsciously started calling her by her name a while back.
It seemed as if this would slowly dilute their relationship as brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Shao Qiyang felt that Mu Jingzhe probably understood his feelings too…
Mu Jingzhe… didn't understand.
Compared to being addressed as Second Sister-In-Law, she preferred to have him call her by her name. She hadn't noticed that anything was amiss and only thought that Shao Qiyang was unwilling to call her Second Sister-In-Law because of the original Mu Jingzhe's actions.
She nodded and took this opportunity to tell Shao Qiyang about Shao Xi seeing Shao Qihai.
"Shao Xi saw him at the night market. There were a lot of people around, and I didn't see him, but Shao Xi was crying really hard. He said that he saw him with his own eyes. He was very upset and even said that his father didn't want them anymore."
Shao Qiyang hadn't expected such a thing to happen. "Second Brother? Was it really Second Brother?"
"I'm not sure, but I think he probably saw wrong."
Shao Qiyang nodded. "Mm, he must have seen wrong. If he was alive, Second Brother wouldn't have left his kids behind."
Second Brother wasn't such an irresponsible person.
Speaking of Second Brother, Shao Qiyang glanced at Mu Jingzhe to see how she was feeling.
Mu Jingzhe was also looking at Shao Qiyang. As she observed his flawless face, she couldn't help but nod.
He was really handsome. No wonder many ladies in the village had a crush on him.
Shao Qiyang was good-looking, had a nice personality, was kind-hearted, responsible, and had a good job. Although he wasn't an official employee, it was better than being a farmer.
He was really quite eligible. Therefore, previously, people used to always come to inquire openly and covertly, asking Shao Qiyang what he thought and if he was keen on proposing marriage.
In the past, Mu Jingzhe had felt that it wasn't appropriate for her to meddle in the affairs of her younger brother-in-law and that they ought to ask him in person.
However, everyone had said that the Eldest Sister-In-Law was like a mother. Since Zhao Lan and Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao couldn't be bothered and Mu Jingzhe had yet to leave, she was the only one who could help make it happen and therefore shouldn't wash her hands off of this.
Now that the kids called her 'Mommy', Mu Jingzhe might have to stay with the Shao Family for an extended period. In that case, she couldn't ignore everything anymore.
The main reason was that her younger brother-in-law, Shao Qiyang, was really not bad.
Since they were discussing this topic, Mu Jingzhe probed. "Shao Qiyang, have you met any suitable girls recently? Do you have any thoughts on this matter?"
In other words, it was time for him to find a marriage partner.
Shao Qiyang, who rarely got a chance to be alone with Mu Jingzhe, couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. "Wh-What?"
He'd thought that Mu Jingzhe had sensed his thoughts and she had the same intention. His heart trembled.
Thinking of the possible obstacles and gossip in the future, Shao Qiyang took a deep breath. He wanted to say something, but he then heard Mu Jingzhe speak.
"I don't know how to beat around the bush either, so I'll just tell you directly. There are many ladies in the village who think that you're not bad and want to marry you, so they've asked me before about it.
"I don't know what you think about this, so I didn't dare say something for sure. Let me ask you today. What are your thoughts? Are there any girls in the village that you like? Or have you met a suitable girl at work?"
Upon seeing Shao Qiyang's stunned reaction, Mu Jingzhe quickly said, "You don't have to be shy. If there's anyone, just tell me. This concerns your life's happiness. You have to like the girl.
"Do you have anyone in mind? I'll help you scout. I'll do my best to help you."
The blood in Shao Qiyang's body instantly turned cold.
His heart sank.
His heart was racing for her, yet she wanted to set up a marriage arrangement for him as his sister-in-law?
Did she really not have any feelings for him? Could she not sense his feelings for her?
Or had she sensed them and deliberately used such a method to make him give up?
Either way, it wasn't something to be happy about.
Shao Qiyang's expression was ugly, and his body stiffened. He replied in an uncontrollably stiff tone, "No."
Mu Jingzhe touched her nose and sighed in her heart. It seemed like he hadn't forgotten Mu Xue.
However, Mu Xue belonged to Tang Moling, while Shao Qiyang was only the supporting male character. There was no way he could win her over. Surely, he couldn't possibly refuse to marry for the rest of his life because of her?
Mu Jingzhe softened her tone. "I don't mean anything by it. It's just that everyone thinks you're pretty eligible. I thought you could actually interact more with other girls. You have to interact with a person to know if they're right for you."
'There are other fish in the sea, dear.'
Mu Jingzhe tried her best to persuade him. "Tell me what type of girl you like. I'll help you keep an eye out. You two can meet and spend some time getting to know each other. It's fine even if it doesn't work out eventually, alright?"
She had put it very nicely, but the more she spoke, the darker Shao Qiyang's countenance became.
"No need," Shao Qiyang replied stiffly.
Upon seeing Mu Jingzhe's embarrassed expression, Shao Qiyang even had an impulse to blurt out his true thoughts.
"You…" Shao Qiyang swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
After he calmed down, he softened his tone and said, "This matter is not urgent. I'll see to it when the time comes."
"Okay." Mu Jingzhe scratched her head and went to rest.
She had been busy for the past two days, so she quickly fell asleep. Before drifting off to sleep, she even thought of Li Fang, who she was really fond of. If Li Fang became her younger sister-in-law, the two of them could do business together. One could make the accessories, and the other could sell them. It would be awesome if they worked together.
Unfortunately, Li Fang was interested in Shao Qiyang, but Shao Qiyang didn't seem to have any feelings for her. Now that something had happened to Li Fang's family, this matter was probably impossible.
The demeanor of the devoted supporting character made Shao Qiyang unable to forget Mu Xue. She could try talking to him about it again after Mu Xue and Tang Moling got married.
Mu Jingzhe hugged Little Bei and fell asleep.
However, Shao Qiyang didn't sleep the entire night.
Countless times, he wanted to get up and wake Mu Jingzhe up to tell her his intentions, but when he thought of his identity, he lay down again.
He didn't dare to. He'd had a good impression of Mu Xue previously, but because of his older brother, he hadn't even had a chance.
At the time, he had been very depressed and had thought that was the most painful moment. However, it was only when he'd met Mu Jingzhe that he'd realized what despair was.
Mu Xue had been only a prospective second sister-in-law. Even then, everyone had said that he stood no chance. Mu Jingzhe was his real second sister-in-law.
She was his sister-in-law. Shao Qiyang knew that he shouldn't continue falling for her.
"It's time to wake up. Shao Qiyang, you should wake up after tonight no matter what."
It would be absurd if he still didn't wake up.
Shao Qiyang forced himself to give up and wake up. He left the house before dawn.
However, when he got on the road and saw the road he had taken last night, he couldn't help but think of Mu Jingzhe.
He knew that he shouldn't think about her, but he couldn't help it. Only after snapping out of his reverie did Shao Qiyang realize there was a smile on his lips.
He stopped and laughed bitterly.
This relationship was like addictive poison. He clearly knew that he shouldn't go near it, but he couldn't help letting himself sink into it.
At the same time, in the Shao Family…
"Little Bei, it's time to get up and go to school."
Little Bei was originally in a daze, but she suddenly thought of something and bolted upright.
"Alright, let's go to school!" She couldn't wait to tell her classmates that she had been on TV and had even shot an advertisement!
Little Bei got up swiftly.
Mu Jingzhe had just opened the door when Xiao Wu pounced on her.
Before he could even put on his pants, at the sight of Mu Jingzhe, Xiao Wu shouted excitedly, "Mommy!"
When Xiao Wu woke up in the morning, his memories returned to him, and he ran over excitedly to greet Mu Jingzhe.
"Mommy, I wasn't dreaming, right? Mommy, you really allowed me to call you 'Mommy', right?"
Mu Jingzhe didn't expect him to be so thrilled and enthusiastic this morning. She quickly lifted him up.
"Right, right. But why didn't you put on clothes? What if you catch a cold?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she bumped into Shao Dong, who was chasing after Xiao Wu while holding his clothes.
Shao Dong looked at her with a faint gaze.
Mu Jingzhe: "…"
She was feeling guilty again.
"Just… Just last night, before Xiao Wu went to sleep, he asked if he could call me 'Mommy'. I was afraid he would cry, so I agreed."
She had just told him yesterday that she hadn't lied to Little Bei, but Xiao Wu was calling her 'Mommy' today too.
She wondered if Shao Dong would think she was a big liar.
Shao Dong handed the clothes to Mu Jingzhe, nodded casually, and left.
Mu Jingzhe quickly carried Xiao Wu back to the room and helped him put on his clothes.
Seeing that Shao Dong hadn't spoken, Xiao Wu got excited and kept calling her 'Mommy'.
Little Bei glared at him. 'Why did Xiao Wu also call her Mommy?!'
Her exclusive form of address was gone in just a day!
Little Bei wasn't petty or domineering, but she was still a little unhappy.
In order to prove that she had grown up, she'd put on her own clothes and shoes, while Mu Jingzhe helped Xiao Wu wear them.
"Mommy, help me put on my clothes too!"
She ran over and pushed Xiao Wu away. "I was the first to call her that. Go and stand behind me."
Xiao Wu chuckled. "Okay, Sister."
He didn't mind and obediently agreed. He even called her 'Sister'.
Upon seeing Xiao Wu be so obedient, Little Bei couldn't say anything. She could only turn her head and ask Mu Jingzhe, "Mommy, do you like me more, or do you like Xiao Wu more?"
Mu Jingzhe: "???"
Why would she ask such a question? It was like asking a child, 'Do you like Mommy more, or do you like Daddy more?'
The answer was, of course… "I like all of you. I like both Little Bei and Xiao Wu."
"Liar. Mommy, you obviously like Xiao Wu more. You're the nicest to him."
Little Bei wanted Mu Jingzhe to like her more instead of liking them equally. "Mommy, you're biased."
Xiao Wu was young and hadn't known how to speak previously, so it was natural for Mu Jingzhe to take care of him more. Little Bei had noticed all of this.
In the past, Little Bei hadn't said anything, but today, she was a little jealous.
Mu Jingzhe: "No, it's just that Xiao Wu is the youngest, so I take care of him more. I treat all five of you the same way."
After saying that, she heard a scoff. She turned around and saw Shao Nan's ugly countenance. "The same?"
He shook his head and left with his school bag. Shao Xi and Shao Dong glanced at Mu Jingzhe and also left without saying anything.
Mu Jingzhe: "Uh…"