A Photo

Shen Qingyun entered the study, where Mo Xuan was already waiting for her. Shen Qingyun had never denied that she would not object to Mo Xuan being with either of her daughters.

She didn't care about his family background; Mo Xuan wasn't the kind of gold-digging man looking to marry into the Luo family, and she had a good sense of that.

"Sit down," Shen Qingyun said.

She could see that Mo Xuan was nervous meeting her, likely because she had been too cold towards him in the past. Mo Xuan sat down on the sofa awkwardly, while Shen Qingyun remained standing, leaning against the desk and looking at him.

Being stared at like that made Mo Xuan feel uncomfortable, and he lowered his head to look at the floor.

"To be honest, I still don't agree with this situation," Shen Qingyun sighed, her tone a mix of helplessness and resignation. "But the children are grown, and I can't control them anymore. It would be difficult to separate you now."

"I'm entrusting my daughter to you. I don't want to say much else. Mo Xuan, if you hurt them..."

Shen Qingyun didn't finish her sentence, but Mo Xuan understood what she meant. He looked up, his eyes firm, and said, "You can rest assured, it won't happen."

Those words sounded so familiar...

Shen Qingyun vaguely remembered that Mo Xuan had said something similar the first time she met him. Back then, he was only 13 years old...

"Mo Xuan, can you tell me why you lost your memory?" Shen Qingyun asked, thinking about the past. "Do you really not remember?"

"No, I don't remember. I was told that I got into a conflict with someone and was beaten up," Mo Xuan replied with a bitter smile. "You know, I was trained by my master in martial arts, so I might have been arrogant before my memory loss and got taught a lesson."

Shen Qingyun nodded, but thinking about those past events still left her feeling uneasy.

At 15 years old, even as a disciple of Master Zhang, a renowned martial artist, Mo Xuan's abilities were terrifying. It was unclear whether it was a surge of adrenaline or his incredible talent, but he had managed to protect Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi at great personal risk.

If not for Mo Xuan's desperate efforts to shield them, the sisters might have been sacrificed.

Shen Qingyun looked at Mo Xuan with a complex expression. This boy could have avoided being involved, and even if he had left Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi behind, Shen Qingyun wouldn't have blamed him.

But he didn't. Instead, he risked his life to protect the sisters.

"I'm going to check on Wei'er and Xue'er, and then I'll head back," Shen Qingyun said, deciding not to pursue the topic further. "I heard you joined Rongxing. Even though you're working from home, don't be careless. I don't expect you to become some big CEO or chairman, and I know that's not your interest, but don't waste your education."

"Aunt Shen, won't you stay for dinner?" Mo Xuan glanced at the time. "I'm cooking tonight. If you're not picky, you can stay and join us."

"No, they probably wouldn't want me to stay," Shen Qingyun said, her tone tinged with bitterness. After a moment of silence, she took out a photo and handed it to Mo Xuan. "I feel like I should let you see this, though I'm not sure if it's appropriate..."

Mo Xuan was puzzled but still politely accepted the photo with both hands. The moment he saw it, his temples throbbed, and his grip on the photo tightened involuntarily.

"Don't be angry. Sometimes, parents aren't the most understanding relatives; they can be the sharpest blades that pierce your heart," Shen Qingyun said self-deprecatingly. "Keep it. If you need anything, you can let me know. Mo Xuan, don't think it's your fault. Losing you is Qin Ni's loss."

"You... know her?"

Mo Xuan suppressed the anger in his heart and looked up at Shen Qingyun. She nodded. "We were college classmates. I know a bit about her situation. Don't take it too hard. She didn't love Mo Changshan, and she didn't love this man either..."

Shen Qingyun glanced at the photo. Mo Xuan's anger was triggered by the date in the bottom right corner.

Twenty-one years ago, the day she sent him to his grandmother's house, the photo was well-preserved. Qin Ni looked younger in it, posing intimately with a man.

That meant on the day she sent him away, she didn't care whether he would adapt or not, as she was only eager to find this... lover.

He remembered that day very clearly, as his grandmother had told him. And at nearly three years old, Mo Xuan actually had some memories. He clearly remembered his mother leaving him behind without a word, turning around and walking away.

Even though he had already given up on them in his heart, Mo Xuan still felt an overwhelming sense of frustration that he couldn't let go of.

Anger, sadness, or something else, he couldn't quite put it into words.

"Thank you, Auntie Shen," Mo Xuan exhaled deeply, as if releasing his negative emotions. "How did you get this photo?"

"I just wanted to help my daughters, that's all," Shen Qingyun said as she walked to the study door. "Mo Xuan, whether you believe it or not, my daughters love you deeply. Even if their love is... heavy, I can say with certainty that no one loves you more than they do."

"If you need my help, you know how to contact me. I also know the current whereabouts of this man."

As Shen Qingyun opened the door, Luo Muqi was standing outside, watching her with some suspicion. Shen Qingyun smiled and didn't say anything, just reached out and patted her daughter's face. "I'm going to see my granddaughter."

Luo Muqi didn't respond, just watched her mother leave and then walked into the study, throwing herself into Mo Xuan's arms. She looked up at him with her almond-shaped eyes. "Brother, did my mom give you a hard time?"

"No, of course not," Mo Xuan said softly, gently wrapping his arms around her. "Tired? I'll go cook. What do you want to eat?"

"You..."

With a fierce bite, Luo Muqi grabbed Mo Xuan's collar and kissed him deeply...

(A bit short, but I'll add another chapter...)

(Another book has been released, just one chapter, and you can find it on my profile page. If you think it's good, I'll update that one too. Thank you.)