It was the first time Chen Feng had ever seen his mother so flustered. His heart sank, and his eyes widened. "Mom, the Uncle Shen we met that day we went to the movies... is he Shen Zhengfeng?!"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Mom, it doesn’t matter where I heard it. You and him... doesn’t he have a wife and child?"

Faced with her son’s aggressive questioning, the restraint Li Xiaomei had been holding deep down almost shattered.

She gritted her teeth and said, "Xiao Feng, did someone come talk to you? What kind of nonsense did they fill your head with! How could you believe an outsider over your own mother?! Your Uncle Shen and I are just friends. Can’t your mother have male friends?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

As she spoke, the rims of Li Xiaomei’s eyes began to turn red.

Chen Feng was taken aback and quickly said, "Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean I don’t believe you!"

"My life is so hard... I raised you all by myself, and now you listen to other people and slander your own mother like this..."

Li Xiaomei started to cry, then turned, covered her face, and ran into her bedroom, leaving Chen Feng completely at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Li Xiaomei cried by herself for a while. Seeing her son truly flustered and unsure of what to do, her sobs gradually subsided.

A moment later, she came out and said between sobs, "I do know your Uncle Shen. We were classmates back in the day, and we ran into each other here. What’s wrong with talking a little? Did you offend someone? Is that person trying to hurt the two of us! My life is so hard."

Chen Feng’s mind was in turmoil, but seeing his mother’s red, swollen eyes from crying made his heart ache for her even more.

His thoughts turned to Qin Jiao and Shen Yi. ’It had to be them. Ever since that incident at the guesthouse, Qin Jiao had hated him because of Lin Nian. And of course, Shen Yi was on her side, which is why he’d say something like that! They must be spreading these vicious rumors on purpose!’

Chen Feng immediately said to Li Xiaomei, "Mom, don’t worry. I won’t let the people who are badmouthing you get away with it, and I won’t believe them!"

Li Xiaomei nodded tearfully and finally said with grave earnestness, "But Xiao Feng, life isn’t easy for a widow and her son. We shouldn’t go around making enemies. You’re a good student now, and next year you have to get into a top university. You can’t get into fights. What if you get a demerit on your record?"

"I know. I won’t get physical with them. I’ll reason with them."

"Mm," Li Xiaomei sighed softly, sniffled, and said with great sorrow, "It’s all my fault. I failed to give you a complete home, and now you have to suffer for it."

Hearing his mother say this, Chen Feng felt even more guilty, and at the same time, his resentment for Qin Jiao and Shen Yi grew immensely.

’Those two were horrible. How could they slander his mother like that!’

So, the next morning, when he arrived at school, Chen Feng saw Qin Jiao and Shen Yi arriving together at the school gate. He didn’t know when it started, but the two of them had become inseparable.

Chen Feng blocked their path. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was furious. "Qin Jiao, don’t you ever spread rumors and slander my mom again! If there’s a next time, I don’t care if you’re a girl, I won’t go easy on you!"

Before Qin Jiao could say a word, Shen Yi stepped forward and shielded her behind him.

Shen Yi said coldly, "Who are you not going easy on? Chen Feng, if you dare touch a single hair on Qin Jiao’s head, I’ll beat you so bad your own mother won’t recognize you!"

Chen Feng was so furious he reeled back. "You... you two! One of you just knows how to spread rumors and cause trouble, and the other just knows how to use his fists! Do you think no one can keep you in line?!"

It was just the time when students were arriving for school. Many of them saw the confrontation, and a crowd quickly gathered, pointing and whispering.

Qin Jiao finally understood what was going on.