Su Xiaorui pointed towards the avenue outside the kindergarten, under the large tree. A woman wearing a sun hat and mask, with her head bowed, was speaking on the phone. She deliberately kept her back turned away from the crowded areas.
Su Ding heard the sound and also looked over.
Hearing this, Xu Rong, on the other end of the phone, immediately hung up. At the same time, the woman under the tree hastily shoved her phone into her embrace and looked around anxiously.
"Mom..." Wang Siwei saw his mother and missed her greatly, but his resentment kept him from moving.
Just as Su Ding was about to take the children to see Xu Rong, a good-looking man, holding a little boy, walked towards Xu Rong with a smile. He put his arm around Xu Rong's waist and kissed her on the cheek.
Xu Rong's expression was still somewhat shaken. Upon seeing the man, she immediately put on a gentle smile and, pulling the little boy along, said, "Youyou, let's go home quickly!"
"Mhm, Auntie, I want to eat your sweet and sour pork ribs tonight!" the little boy said obediently.
"Okay." Xu Rong lowered her head, hiding her unease, and hurried into a nearby car.
Su Ding's steps also halted at this moment.
To be honest, she was a bit bewildered. She hadn't expected Xu Rong to be here to pick up Wang Siwei at all. Instead, she was here to pick up her boyfriend's son.
What's more, that son attended the same school as Wang Siwei.
What was this woman thinking? Ignoring her own son, she was going to take care of her wild man and his son?
"Siwei..." She lowered her head, intending to comfort Wang Siwei.
But Wang Siwei had already withdrawn his gaze from Xu Rong. His small face held a look of forbearance unbefitting his age.
However, his tightly clenched fists betrayed his emotions.
Su Ding suddenly recalled the first time she met Wang Siwei. Back then, Wang Siwei was a cheerful, lively, chubby little boy who lived carefree and was doted on.
Later, after the incident where Xiaorui was kidnapped, she had laid her hands on a child for the first time.
After Wang Siwei's father, Wang Yan, died, she had terrified and threatened Wang Siwei, forcing Xu Rong to reveal Xiaorui's whereabouts. From that moment on, Wang Siwei's personality changed.
And now, facing his only mother abandoning him and doting on another child, how must Wang Siwei be feeling?
"Auntie, let's go home," Wang Siwei said quietly, looking up.
Su Ding felt a moment of empathy.
Hadn't she felt the same way in the past? After Shao Zhenggang brought Shao Lin and her daughter home, their father, who had previously doted on her, later showed such tenderness to Shao Lin.
She sighed, ruffled Wang Siwei's hair, and smiled, "Let's go home."
Jin Xiaoxi and Su Xiaorui also seemed to understand something and spontaneously took Wang Siwei's hands.
No one mentioned Wang Siwei's mother after they returned.
Su Ding was more patient and gentle with Wang Siwei than ever before.
Wang Siwei was also more sensible than before, speaking less and seemingly lost in thought.
In the evening, after Su Ding had tucked the children into bed, Jin Ye walked into the bedroom.
When she left work, Jin Mu had asked Jin Ye to return to the old residence for dinner, so she had called Su Ding to explain the situation, saying she would be back later.
"Dingding, do you have anything planned the day after tomorrow?" Jin Ye sat on the bed and put his arm around Su Ding's shoulders.
Su Ding shook her head and asked in confusion, "Probably not, why?"
Jin Ye said gently, "My mom is going to Qingfeng Temple to burn incense the day after tomorrow and wants to take you along. Perhaps because of the bracelet I gave her last time, she's come to a realization and wants to reconnect with you?"
"About that bracelet last time, didn't I tell you not to tell her I gave it to her?" Su Ding inquired.