QT: Against My Will-Chapter 600 - 10.12 - The Doors Will Always Be Open For You - Rebirth Of The Heart
XiaoPu joined the line of children heading into the school building. He couldn’t help but look back one last time, catching the sight of his family’s smiling faces cheering him on.
His birth parent’s dream was for him to attend this school, so here he was. A school that was exclusively for children from wealthy and influential families.
In his first class, the teacher instructed the students to introduce themselves to one another.
The room buzzed with polite but distant exchanges as children from affluent families shared their names, family backgrounds, and their parents’ impressive titles and accomplishments.
Student 1: "I’m Jessica, from the Smith family. My dad’s the CEO of a big tech company, and I can speak three languages fluently."
Student 2: "I’m William, from the Andersons. My mom’s a famous lawyer, and I’ve won several national piano championships."
When it was XiaoPu’s turn, he stood up and introduced himself with a cool and somewhat detached demeanor, "I’m Xuan Yun Pu. My family..." He thought about what his parents have accomplished besides accepting bribes from the Ashtors, "Well, they’re just my family. I like watching TV."
The room fell silent for a moment as his classmates exchanged curious glances, "Did you hear what he said?"
Surprisingly, XiaoPu’s detached and indifferent demeanor made him quite popular among his classmates. He was an intriguing mystery they wanted to uncover.
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"How was school? Do you need some help with your homework?" Bing Shi walked down the stairs to welcome XiaoPu together with the one year old Stinky Bun.
"I can handle it on my own," XiaoPu used his bracelet to unlock the door to the Ashtor’s villa. Instead of them picking him up, he would now take the hover car and visit them for three days on his own, and then return on his own.
He dropped his bag near the front door, and went to the living room to turn on the TV.
Stinky Bun held up a bag of chips, "Pupu!" Let’s eat this together!
"Could you watch over him for a while?" asked Seraphine as she put on her red coat, "Edward will be right back, I have some business I need to attend urgently."
XiaoPu helped Stinky Bun to open the bag of chips, "Sure, leave him with your personal babysitter like always. It’s not like I’m your real son or anything."
Bing Shi, who was already on her way out, halted in her tracks, "It’s not just about watching over him. Stinky Bun adores you, and I was hoping you’d play with him, you know, have some fun together." She walked into the living room to pick up Stinky Bun, "If you only see your time with Stinky Bun just as babysitting, than that’s not okay," she said and quietly left the villa.
XiaoPu watched as Seraphine’s expression shifted from surprise to hurt. He had never seen her look so ’angry’ before. Guilt welled up inside him, and he suddenly regretted his words.
"Mommy, mommy?" Stinky Bun asked, his small hand reaching out to touch his mother’s face, confused by her tears.
"Stinky Bun is so observant," Bing Shi wiped away her tears and offered Stinky Bun a reassuring smile, "XiaoPu and Mommy hurt each other with our words. Did Stinky Bun notice?"
She wouldn’t usually get emotional over such things, but she suddenly felt an overwhelming disappointment and anger from XiaoPu, and it made her tear up.
"Mommy, mommy." Stinky Bun didn’t. The boy pumped up his fist, finding an immediate solution either way, "Mommy, mommy!" Mommy and XiaoPu should say sorry to each other!
Bing Shi shook her head, "Remember how Stinky Bun apologizes? It’s after you admit you are wrong, right? Well, mommy isn’t ready to admit mommy’s wrong yet."
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Later that day...
"What are you doing?" XiaoPu’s face bore a look of utter confusion and bewilderment as he watched Edward pack his belongings and carry them to the hover car.
"Just making sure nobody gets comfortable with disrespecting my wife," Edward put down the bag he was holding and crouched down to be at eye level with the young boy, "You are already big enough to come on your own so we will no longer force you to stay with us for three days. Whenever you’re ready to visit, you’re welcome to do so. Our doors will always be open to you, but whether you get kicked again depends on your attitude."
XiaoPu’s sharp mouth was laced with defiance and a hint of aggression, "Why would I even want to come back? I’m not interested in playing house with you, so what does it matter?"
Edward sighed, "Do you think I would let the person, who treated me like you, off this easily? It’s just because I look at you as my son that you are still alive, buddy."
He easily lifted the boy and threw him inside the hover car then patted its doors to send it away.
"Hey!" XiaoPu banged on the window. "I’m never coming back! You just want me around to feel like you’re doing some charity work, don’t you? Well, forget it! I don’t care about you!"
Once the hover car disappeared into the distance, XiaoPu stood there, his small shoulders slumped. Alone now, the brave facade he had put on crumbled.
He slapped his own mouth. His eyes welled up, and he finally allowed himself to cry, tears spilling down his cheeks as he realized the weight of what had just happened, "Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut?!"
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Upon seeing their son’s distress, XiaoPu’s birth parents immediately rushed over to him. "What happened, sweetheart?" his mom asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"It’s noth—"
His dad cut in, "Was it Seraphine and Edward again? I knew they weren’t to be trusted."
"Exactly," his mom chimed in, "they think they can just swoop in and play family? They don’t know the first thing about what you need."
Their words, intended to comfort him, only deepened the guilt gnawing at XiaoPu’s heart. He couldn’t bring himself to say that he didn’t have to visit them anymore.
So instead of visiting his godparent’s home three days a week, XiaoPu would stay in an internet cafe with his friends, playing video games and chatting online.
Yet, even amidst the laughter and the digital world he immersed himself in, a sense of emptiness nagged at him when he had to spend the night alone in an unfamiliar place.
"XiaoPu?" The familiar male voice startled XiaoPu awake.
XiaoPu jerked upright in his booth and rubbed his eyes. "Uncle William?"
"Hey, Kiddo," William grinned at the eight years old boy, standing next to the booth where XiaoPu had fallen asleep, "Seraphine got worried sick when she found out Edward kicked you out of the house for making her cry."
XiaoPu felt a lump form in his throat. "She is not mad anymore?"
William chuckled, "Well, ’not mad’ might be pushing it, but she is worried about you. Love and family are complicated, kiddo. Sometimes, even grown-ups don’t have a clue."
"Is that why you’re still single?" XiaoPu asked, his words unexpectedly sharp as he followed Uncle William out of the cafe shop. "Or are you just too messed up for anyone to love?"
"..." William’s smile wavered, and he cleared his throat. "Well, you’ve got quite the mouth on you, don’t you? No wonder you made your godmother cry."
XiaoPu blinked, realizing the impact of his words, and he looked down at the ground, "Do you think... could I stay at your place tonight?"
"Ah? Of course, kiddo," William led XiaoPu to his hover car.
