The atmosphere fell into a deathly silence. Everyone, including Lin Ziyuan and Lin Cheng, looked up at her—except for Xu Ming, who was already staring.
Lin Ziyuan didn’t know about the truth regarding her parents and Ye Xingmian’s mother, but she still instinctively looked at the girl and frowned. It wasn’t just because this was the first time she had ever heard the girl ask for her mother’s contact information—a mother who had only ever existed in her parents’ stories—but for another reason as well…
For some reason, she felt a sense of… crisis?
Was “crisis” the right word? It didn’t seem quite appropriate. Regardless, seeing the intense longing in the girl’s eyes to speak with her mother made her feel irritable.
‘Is it because every time this topic comes up, it reminds me that she’ll leave one day?’
*Clack.*
The sound of chopsticks being slammed down suddenly rang out. For some reason, her mother’s expression had become grave. Xu Ming turned her head toward the girl, her face flickering through a myriad of complex emotions—from initial surprise to anger, and finally settling into her current solemnity.
“What do you want that for? If you have something to tell her, just tell us and we’ll pass it on to your mother. You don’t even have a phone, so you can’t contact her anyway.”
The girl was stunned by those words. She almost blurred out the fact that she already had a phone to her foster mother. ‘If they find out about it, the phone will definitely be confiscated, right?’
Becoming even more nervous, the girl’s expression grew distressed.
“The… the school has a public phone… I… I just want to chat with my mother…”
“Why? Why so sudden? It’s not because you… heard some gossip, is it?”
Should she deny it? Denying it might seem suspicious. But she absolutely couldn’t confirm it; if they found out she knew they were scamming her mother for money, she would be finished.
Her mind raced, and the girl finally came up with a neutral response.
“What…? I don’t know…”
She put on a look of confusion. Looking at her foster parents’ reactions, she knew she definitely wasn’t getting her mother’s phone number today. Right now, her priority was to ensure they didn’t become suspicious.
Xu Ming didn’t speak. She just stared at her for a while longer, her gaze seemingly trying to pierce the girl’s soul. Xingmian couldn’t help but feel guilty and lowered her head. She knew Xu Ming’s suspicion hadn’t vanished; if anything, it had grown stronger.
“I’m… I’m sorry… I don’t want it anymore…”
In the eyes of her foster parents, she had always been a cowardly child. Given such a scare, it would be normal for her to cry and run away, wouldn’t it?
The girl tried to use the opportunity to escape, but Xu Ming suddenly grabbed her hand, preventing her from leaving.
Her wrist was gripped so tightly it hurt. She turned her head stiffly, and this time, she really was on the verge of tears. Moisture brimmed in her pink eyes.
Her heart felt bitter and heavy. She had been so hopeful just moments ago. Now, the situation had deteriorated so much that she could barely protect herself. ‘Why… why did it turn out like this…?’
‘Is it my fault? Is it a mistake to miss my mother and ask my foster mother for her phone number?’
She couldn’t help but wonder.
Xu Ming looked at the girl and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her inner shock and suspicion. She had thought Ye Xingmian found out about the truth, but the girl’s behavior didn’t suggest it. Besides, even if she did know, what could she do? She was alone and helpless. Even if she went to the authorities for help, they would likely just tell her to keep the peace. When that time came, they would make sure Ye Xingmian learned what she should and shouldn’t do.
And asking for her mother’s phone number was definitely something she shouldn’t do.
After a moment of thought, Xu Ming forced a stiff smile.
“Be good and listen. You’re leaving in less than half a year anyway. Your mother’s number isn’t necessary right now. You’ve waited over ten years, so can’t you wait another six months?”
The priority was to stabilize Ye Xingmian and make her stop thinking about it. Otherwise, if she kept bringing it up, it would be a massive headache.
The girl kept her head down. Hearing Xu Ming’s words, she knew the woman intended to drop the subject. After a moment of silence, she had no choice but to nod.
“Good. Now go do your chores.”
Xu Ming smiled and reached out to pat the girl’s head to comfort her, but Lin Ziyuan, who had been frowning the entire time, suddenly spoke up and interrupted her.
“Hey, Mom, it’s just a phone number. If she wants it, why not just give it to her?”
Even though she felt a strange irritability whenever the girl mentioned her mother, Lin Ziyuan was even more confused by why her parents were being so secretive about a simple phone number. She didn’t understand, so she asked directly.
Her intervention immediately disrupted Xu Ming’s plan. Xu Ming frowned, about to scold her, but the anger quickly vanished when she saw Lin Ziyuan’s face. Her doting love for her daughter made it impossible to snap at her. She sighed instead.
“It’s not just about a phone number… sweetie, do you understand?” She winked at Lin Ziyuan, but the gesture did nothing but make the girl’s frown deepen.
“How am I supposed to understand if you don’t tell me? Just tell me directly.”
Xu Ming was momentarily speechless. Tricking someone out of their money by exploiting their love for their child was, after all, a shameful thing to admit. Especially to her own child—she was afraid Lin Ziyuan would look down on them, making their already cold relationship even worse.
Even though most of that stolen money went toward buying Lin Ziyuan’s toys, delicious food, and the household’s expenses.
How could she possibly say it?
Sighing, she could only be vague.
“Sweetie… now isn’t the time for you to know… When you grow up—no, when you get into college, I’ll tell you why, okay?”
Lin Ziyuan stared at her in disbelief for a while longer, clearly disagreeing with the suggestion. As for Ye Xingmian, she stood to the side, silently listening to the two of them.
For some reason, the bitterness in her heart faded slightly, replaced by a faint urge to laugh.
A cold, mocking laugh.
‘Are you actually feeling awkward about your daughter’s question because of something so immoral, my foster mother?’
She felt as if she had opened a door to a new world. This feeling of insight into the human heart was something she had never experienced before, and it was strangely pleasant.
However, the words Xu Ming spoke next caused that feeling to vanish instantly.
Seeing her daughter’s gaze, Xu Ming knew she couldn’t settle the suspicion without a better solution. She sighed and brought out another plan.
“Then how about this, Xingmian? I’ll use my phone to call your mom. You tell me what you want to ask, and I’ll relay it for you. How does that sound?”
Eh?
The girl was stunned. She looked up blankly, staring at Xu Ming in disbelief.
Even though it was far from what she had imagined, this was a rare opportunity to communicate with her mother.