Chapter 227: A Treasure to Cherish Forever
Hearing Chen Xi’s words, Su Yuqing felt a gentle tug on her heartstrings. She paused for a few seconds before slowly beginning to speak.
The past she had buried deep in her heart, things she rarely spoke of to outsiders, now seemed to have found an outlet.
She felt a strange sense of closeness to Chen Xi—not like an elder one had to look up to from a distance, but more like a dear older sister with whom you could let down all your guards and open your heart.
Her very presence was comforting and relaxing.
Su Yuqing softly explained why that form of address made her tense up subconsciously. Those fragmented memories of her mother, a mixture of longing and bitterness, slowly unfurled in the warm steam of the bathroom.
She didn’t deliberately play up the sadness, but the deep-seated sense of loss was still clearly palpable.
As Chen Xi listened, waves of sympathy washed over her.
She hadn’t expected that the name she’d chosen to close the distance and sound friendly would carry such complex and heavy meaning for Su Yuqing.
When Su Yuqing’s voice trembled as she spoke of the painful parts, Chen Xi couldn’t hold back any longer. She gently pulled the girl into her arms, letting her cheek rest softly against her warm, soft chest.
She stroked Su Yuqing’s smooth back with one hand, her voice filled with motherly tenderness. "Good girl, it’s all in the past now. From now on, you’ll never have to feel that kind of loneliness and hurt again.
I’ve always hoped for a caring daughter, and if you don’t mind, you can think of me as your real mom.
In our family, you’ll be just as important as Momo. You’ll be our treasured baby forever."
These direct and warm words flowed into Su Yuqing’s heart like a warm current.
A blush instantly spread across her face, deepening her shyness, but mixed in with that shyness was an immense sense of relief and joy.
Being held and caressed so gently by Chen Xi felt so familiar, yet so foreign. It was as if the warmth of her mother’s embrace from deep within her memory had been rekindled, yet it also carried Chen Xi’s unique blend of cheerfulness and tenderness.
The nervousness and cautious distance she felt toward her "future mother-in-law" during their first meeting quietly melted away in this honest conversation and warm embrace.
A great weight that had been pressing on her heart for a long time finally, slowly, lifted.
The water trickled, and the dense steam enveloped them both.
Chen Xi’s embrace was warm and strong. Su Yuqing’s tense body gradually relaxed, and she even unconsciously leaned her head deeper into that warm harbor.
Sensing her growing attachment, Chen Xi’s lips curved into a gentle smile, and her touch became even softer.
"Good girl, don’t keep things bottled up inside in the future," Chen Xi’s voice sounded exceptionally soft in the steam. "You can tell me, or you can tell Momo. Just think of us as one family. There’s no need to be a stranger."
"Mm..." Su Yuqing mumbled in reply. Her voice was a little thick and nasal, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible sob, but it was filled more with a sense of release.
She looked up, her eyes slightly red, but a genuine, slightly shy smile bloomed on her face. "Thank you, Auntie..."
"Why are you crying now?" Chen Xi immediately reached out to wipe away her tears.
"They’re happy tears," Su Yuqing said, forcing an incredibly blissful smile through her teary eyes.
"As long as you’re happy!" Chen Xi said with a smile, reaching out to gently pat Su Yuqing’s head.
Soon, Chen Xi even began to wash Su Yuqing’s hair for her, a gentle act that gave her the feeling of a loving mother and daughter together.
Ripples once again spread through Su Yuqing’s heart, and her eyes stung with tears again.
The feeling of Chen Xi’s soft fingers gently massaging her scalp was almost identical to what her own mother used to do when she came home.
The image of her mother in her memory unexpectedly overlapped with the future mother-in-law before her.
After washing Su Yuqing’s hair, Chen Xi had Su Yuqing scrub her back and wash her hair in return.
It was a quick way to build intimacy between them.
And it was indeed very effective.
Before entering the bathroom, stripped bare together, Su Yuqing had been incredibly nervous and unsure of what to do. But after they came out, she showed Chen Xi the same kind of attachment and trust a daughter has for her mother.
This just went to show how skilled Chen Xi was at connecting with people.
After their bath, the two changed into comfortable pajamas and lay side by side on Su Yuqing’s soft, large bed.
"This bedding isn’t cheap. No wonder that boy asked me for so much money before. It seems he’s really thoughtful and cares a lot about you," Chen Xi said with a laugh.
It was her own son, after all, so this was a classic case of singing her own family’s praises.
Su Yuqing smiled and nodded. She knew better than anyone in the world how well Chen Mo treated her.
She would never betray Chen Mo’s feelings for her.
The lights were turned off, with only the hazy moonlight filtering in from the window.
The darkness seemed to make it easier for people to open their hearts.
The two began to chat idly.
As Su Yuqing chatted with Chen Xi, she felt herself growing closer to her. Lying beside Chen Xi, she brought up something she was curious about.
"Auntie..." Su Yuqing turned on her side to face Chen Xi, her voice especially clear in the darkness. "What was... what was Chen Mo like when he was a kid?"
Hearing this, Chen Xi’s eyes immediately lit up. This was her favorite topic!
"Oh, that boy was so naughty as a child! Let me tell you, when he was three..."
She enthusiastically began to recount all sorts of embarrassing and funny stories from Chen Mo’s childhood, her descriptions vivid and her tone exaggerated but full of affection.
Su Yuqing listened with great interest, letting out soft, low chuckles from time to time.
Those childhood years of Chen Mo’s that she had never been a part of came to life through Chen Xi’s lively descriptions.
She pictured the small, adorable faces of Chen Mo she had seen in photos, and her heart filled with a soft warmth.
’So he had his clumsy and mischievous moments too.’
As Chen Xi continued her stories, her tone suddenly shifted, becoming a bit teasing. "Qingqing, has that boy Momo bullied you at all while you’ve been living here? If he has, you tell Auntie, and I’ll deal with him for you! Don’t be fooled by how tall and strong he is now. To me, he’ll always be just a little brat!"
"No, no," Su Yuqing quickly shook her head, her face growing hot again in the darkness. "Chen Mo... he’s very good to me. Exceptionally good."
Recalling everything Chen Mo had done for her lately, her soft voice filled with deep gratitude and love.
"That’s good." Chen Xi patted her hand, satisfied. "Qingqing, Auntie genuinely likes you. You’re a good girl. It’s Momo’s good fortune to have met you. From now on, this is your home. Don’t feel burdened, okay?"
"Mhm!" Su Yuqing nodded emphatically, a lump forming in her throat as an intense sense of belonging enveloped her completely.