Chapter 43: Confessing to Wang Liru

Wang Liru and Zhuo Lanlan were both at home. Zhuo Wengang was working overtime at the factory during lunch. After Zhuo Nan arrived home, Wang Liru, who was preparing a meal, came to greet him and said with a touch of complaint, "Nannan, why are you only just getting back?"

Zhuo Nan was slightly puzzled and asked, "What’s wrong? School ends at this time, doesn't it?"

"Your homeroom teacher just left. Honestly, she didn't even give a heads-up about a home visit, leaving me completely unprepared. I asked her to stay for lunch, but she insisted on leaving. If you had come home earlier, you could have persuaded her. It’s lunchtime, after all; it feels so rude not to keep a guest for a meal. And why is your phone unreachable again?" As she spoke, she carried a dish back into the kitchen.

Zhuo Nan took out his phone and realized it was out of battery. He wondered who the teacher was. Could it be Xia Qianrou? It certainly wasn't Old Zhou; he had already graduated, so why would he visit? But Xia Qianrou had injured her foot—had she recovered so quickly? He hoped she hadn't come to lodge a complaint. Feeling a pang of regret for how he had treated her that day, he hurried to the kitchen and asked, "Mom, was it a female teacher?"

Wang Liru, busy at the sink, didn't turn around as she replied, "Yes, she said her name is Xia. And you have to admit, she’s truly beautiful. Even I can't compare to her."

Zhuo Nan chuckled inwardly. Women were always particularly sensitive about their looks, even someone as unambitious as Wang Liru couldn't stay composed when encountering a beautiful woman.

Zhuo Nan walked up, draped his arm over Wang Liru's shoulder, and said with a smile, "Mom, in my eyes, you are the most beautiful."

Wang Liru was taken aback by the sudden gesture and felt a bit embarrassed. After all, Zhuo Nan was now a head taller than her, a young man who even had two girlfriends; she couldn't treat him like a child anymore.

"Go on with you, stop fooling around..." Though she felt happy, she still complained with a smile.

"Mom, put that down and come here, come on..." Zhuo Nan suddenly grabbed her hand, trying to pull her out of the kitchen.

Wang Liru didn't understand what he was up to and urged, "Stop it, I still have to cook."

"Mom, just put it down for a minute, it won't take long," Zhuo Nan said urgently. He had just recalled a hunch: Qin Chenfang's figure, looks, and mannerisms were remarkably similar to Wang Liru's. Perhaps there really was a connection between them.

Unable to resist him, Wang Liru wiped her hands on her apron and followed him out of the kitchen.

"Mom, stay right there," Zhuo Nan said as they reached the center of the living room.

Wang Liru laughed and asked, "I don't have time for your games, I have to finish cooking." She wasn't happy about being dragged out just to stand still, especially when she still saw him as a child.

"Mom, don't move... stay right there," Zhuo Nan commanded, pressing his hands on her shoulders.

Wang Liru had no choice but to stand still, looking at him with a sigh. "Why? You're making me look like a fool."

"Mom, don't talk." Though annoyed, Wang Liru resigned herself to standing quietly, simply because she loved her son.

The commotion caught the attention of Zhuo Lanlan, who was doing homework in the back room. She came to the doorway, looking curiously at her mother and brother, and asked, "Brother, Mom, what are you doing?"

Zhuo Nan smiled and said, "Lanlan, come here. Look at Mom, isn't she beautiful?"

Wang Liru was left speechless. She had only made a joke, and now her son was taking it seriously, obsessing over whether she was beautiful or not.

Zhuo Lanlan looked at Zhuo Nan as if he were a fool and said, "Brother, have you lost it? At the steel mill, Mom is known as the 'Factory Belle'."

Hearing her daughter's praise, Wang Liru was secretly pleased, but she feigned anger and said, "What do children know about 'Factory Belles'? Go back and finish your homework; we'll eat soon."

Zhuo Lanlan stuck her tongue out at her mother and huffed off to her room.

"Are you done yet? I'm going to cook. Are you two not planning to eat?" Wang Liru turned to head back to the kitchen, preferring that to playing along with Zhuo Nan.

"Mom, stay still," Zhuo Nan said urgently, pressing down on her shoulders again. He untied her apron and loosened her long hair, which had been tied back, gently smoothing it out.

To Zhuo Nan, this was a normal gesture, but it left Wang Liru feeling incredibly awkward. The intimate act between mother and son caused a blush to spread across her cheeks, yet she didn't know how to stop him, as he seemed unaware that his behavior was a bit excessive.

***

After doing this, Zhuo Nan stepped back twice and saw the blush on Wang Liru's face. He realized his actions were perhaps inappropriate, but he didn't dwell on it, instead staring intently at her.

This made Wang Liru even more uncomfortable. Although Zhuo Nan called her "Mom," there was no blood relation between them; she was merely his aunt.

Zhuo Nan frowned, studying her for a long time before asking, "Mom, do you have any sisters?"

Wang Liru was baffled. "Sisters? What sisters?"

Realizing his question was abrupt, Zhuo Nan gathered his thoughts and continued, "Mom, I mean, do you have any biological sisters, maybe one or two years younger than you?"

Wang Liru laughed, reached for her apron, and tied it back on. "You silly child, you know I'm an orphan. How would I know if I have any sisters?" With that, she headed back to the kitchen.

Zhuo Nan didn't stop her this time, standing aside to consider the situation. Qin Chenfang was also an orphan, but why did she have the surname Qin? He hadn't asked. Wang Liru had the surname Wang because, according to her, she had been found with a note containing her birth date and surname.

Zhuo Nan decided to ask Qin Chenfang if she had a similar note. If she did, they might very well be sisters. Seeing Wang Liru oblivious in the kitchen, he decided not to tell her just yet.

During dinner, Zhuo Nan asked, "Mom, after Teacher Xia came, what did she say?"

Wang Liru shook her head, placed a piece of cabbage into Zhuo Lanlan's bowl, and said, "Nothing much. She just wanted to understand our family situation, check the environment, and ask about our jobs. Oh, right, does Teacher Xia have a leg injury? She seemed to be walking a bit strangely."

At these words, Zhuo Nan felt an inexplicable ache. Thinking of Xia Qianrou limping, the stinging sensation intensified.

Seeing him silent, Wang Liru asked, "Nannan, what's wrong?"

Zhuo Nan snapped out of it and shook his head. "She just twisted her ankle a couple of days ago, probably hasn't fully recovered."

Wang Liru nodded understandingly. "What a pity for such a beautiful girl to have that kind of ailment." Zhuo Nan stopped listening, his mind already on going to school in the afternoon to discuss a transfer with Xia Qianrou.

Just then, Zhuo Lanlan spoke up cautiously, "Mom, the school is setting up a computer lab in a couple of days and teaching us how to use them. Can I have a computer?"

Wang Liru was startled. She knew that she and Wengang’s greatest disadvantage in life was their lack of education; naturally, she wanted her children to be educated rather than just being lowly factory workers. She knew what computers were, but they were incredibly expensive—costing over ten thousand yuan. It was difficult for their family to afford one, but seeing the expectation in Zhuo Lanlan's eyes, she couldn't bear to refuse.

Watching Wang Liru's conflicted expression, Zhuo Nan felt a wave of guilt. He hadn't yet told his family about his success. Just this morning, he had thrown away 350,000 yuan for a woman, yet his own sister's wish for a computer was impossible to fulfill.

Wang Liru finally decided: a computer was out of the question. They didn't have the spare funds, and she hoped to wait until Lanlan was in high school. Just as she was about to speak, Zhuo Nan smiled at his sister: "Lanlan, Brother will buy you one tomorrow, okay? A laptop."

Wang Liru immediately interrupted, saying angrily, "What are you talking about? Where would you get the money?" She turned to Lanlan: "Lanlan, let's talk about the computer later, okay?"

Zhuo Lanlan pouted, unhappy. "Dou Dou's mom and Dian Dian's mom both promised to buy them one. Why won't you?"

Wang Liru flared up. "Others are others, you are you. I said no, and I mean no!"

Zhuo Lanlan burst into tears. This only made Wang Liru more flustered. It wasn't that she didn't want to buy it, but she felt it was too early. Seeing her daughter cry, she raised her chopsticks to tap Lanlan on the head: "Stop crying!"

Zhuo Nan pulled Lanlan away, blocking the chopsticks, and comforted her: "Lanlan, don't cry. If Mom won't buy it, I will."

He then looked at his mother and chided, "Mom, what are you doing? It's just a computer."

Wang Liru, at her wit's end, shouted at him, "Do you think I don't want to? We don't have the money! The factory is failing, and we could be laid off any day. Plus, you have university in two years—don't you think I have to plan for the future?" As she spoke, she felt wronged, her eyes turning red and tears sliding down her cheeks.

Zhuo Nan felt a sense of déjà vu. The crying Wang Liru and the sobbing Lanlan in his arms looked exactly like the last time he saw them in his "previous life." A parent's heart is always the most selfless. At that moment, guilt, self-reproach, and heartbreak flooded his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he released his sister and opened his backpack. He pulled out two stacks of cash and placed them on the table. He had withdrawn the money from the bank before coming home; he was in the habit of carrying cash.

Wang Liru didn't understand what he was doing until she saw the money. She gasped, her first reaction being that Zhuo Nan must have done something illegal. How else would he have so much money?

Zhuo Lanlan tilted her head, looking at the money with one thought: Brother has money, so he'll definitely buy me a computer.

"Nannan, this money?" Wang Liru asked sternly.

Zhuo Nan walked to her side and nodded. "Mom, I earned this money. I haven't told you about it, but listen to me now."

"You know Du Fanhao, right? We partnered to open an internet company." When he mentioned the internet, Wang Liru looked confused. Zhuo Nan explained, "The internet is related to computers." He continued, "Business has been good since we opened. I earned some money, but I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd worry."

Wang Liru had stopped crying and asked skeptically, "Nannan, don't lie to me. Where would you get the money to start a company?"

Zhuo Nan smiled. "I didn't have money, but I provided the technology. Do you remember me writing things down before?"

Wang Liru searched her memory; she did recall seeing him write things on paper once.

Zhuo Nan continued, "What I wrote was software, something very popular on the internet now. That's how I bought into the company."

Wang Liru still wasn't convinced. "Nannan, are you telling the truth?"

Zhuo Nan nodded with a smile. "Mom, why would I lie to you?" Inwardly, he thought: *I have to lie. If you knew your son was a mob boss, you'd never sleep again.*

Wang Liru stared at him, and seeing his sincere expression, she remained half-convinced, thinking she should call Lan Qian to verify it later. She then asked, "So, how much did you earn?"

Zhuo Nan tilted his head. He couldn't tell her the real number, or she'd be terrified. "Not much, about two million."

Upon hearing this, Wang Liru felt her blood pressure rise, her head spinning. She felt faint and her vision blurred, nearly collapsing. Zhuo Nan quickly steadied her. "Mom, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

Wang Liru sat in a chair, panting. "Nannan, are you serious?"

"Mom, I'm telling the truth. I really earned two million." *Good thing I only said two million,* he thought. *If I said two hundred million, I'd probably never see you again.*

Zhuo Lanlan danced around, crying, "Oh, Brother is amazing! We have money! We have money!" She had completely forgotten the earlier unpleasantness.

Wang Liru and Zhuo Nan looked at the happy girl and shared a smile.

"Nannan, where is the money?" To Wang Liru, a child shouldn't have so much money; it had to be put away.

Zhuo Nan replied casually, "It's in the bank."

Wang Liru insisted, "Give me the bankbook. You're just a kid, why do you need so much money? I'll keep it for you until you get married."

Zhuo Nan understood her intention and laughed. "Mom, don't worry about keeping it. You guys spend it."

Wang Liru said solemnly, "Don't talk nonsense. Your father and I won't waste your money."

Zhuo Nan chuckled. "Mom, really, spend it. Du Fanhao will give me dividends every year. There will only be more money, not less, so feel free to use it." He took his checkbook from his bag, wrote a check for two million, and handed it to her. "Mom, listen to me just this once. Consider this my filial piety. Buy a big house, renovate it, and we'll all move there."

Wang Liru dazedly took the check. Looking at the "2" followed by six zeros, a wave of bittersweet emotion washed over her. The hardships of these years had not been in vain.