Chapter 136: Obedience

Words : 1306 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

But Yun Shifei, who had been hurt by Xu Ya many times before, no longer wanted to hear anything Xu Ya had to say. Even if Xu Ya seriously explained herself, her actions and words would still be two entirely different things. She hated Xu Ya as a mother—hated her intensely. "Why did you come over today? Is there something you need?" "I came to pick up some things..." Xu Ya answered. The last time Xu Ya and Yun Sisi moved out, they still left quite a few belongings behind. For example, her household registration booklet was kept with Yun Tiancheng, and recently Xu Ya needed it for some paperwork. So Xu Ya came back to retrieve the booklet and pack up the rest of her scattered possessions to take away. Yun Shifei opened the door, and her pet dog rushed over immediately. Xu Ya and Yun Sisi were startled to see the golden retriever. "You got a dog?" Yun Shifei nodded. "Having a dog means you’ll have to walk it—how troublesome," Xu Ya remarked. Yun Shifei disliked how Xu Ya always spoke in a lecturing tone. "Dad thought the house was too quiet, so we got a puppy." She replied lightly. Xu Ya froze when she heard that. Was it because she had taken Yun Sisi away, leaving the house feeling so desolate? Indeed, it wasn’t lively to begin with, and now the house had only Yun Tiancheng and Yun Shifei. Yun Tiancheng had work to attend to; he was often late coming home on busy days and sometimes had to travel for business. Most of the time, this house was left to Yun Shifei alone, facing the solitude, unaccompanied. Getting a puppy was actually a good idea. Xu Ya said nothing further and went upstairs to retrieve her things. Yun Sisi disliked being in the same room as Yun Shifei, so she followed Xu Ya upstairs. Meanwhile, Yun Shifei quietly sat alone in the living room, watching TV. While Yun Sisi and Xu Ya were upstairs getting their things, Yun Sisi couldn’t resist saying to Xu Ya, "Mom, how did my sister become like this? She hasn’t called you ’Mom’ even once since seeing you—so rude." If Yun Sisi hadn’t brought it up, Xu Ya wouldn’t have noticed that Yun Shifei hadn’t called her "Mom." She paused in surprise, "Really?" Yun Sisi wanted to stir up Xu Ya’s anger, make her hate Yun Shifei even more, so she exaggerated her explanation. "Yes, my sister is so disrespectful now. When you were still at home, she wasn’t like this at all. Have you noticed how different she’s become today compared to before?" Though Yun Sisi’s comment wasn’t blatant, she knew Xu Ya was sharp enough to understand the hint. She wanted Xu Ya to believe that Yun Shifei was a calculating person—before, when Xu Ya was still at home, Yun Shifei intentionally acted obedient and docile to curry favor. But now that Xu Ya had separated from Yun Tiancheng and the household and assets all belonged to Yun Tiancheng, Yun Shifei no longer needed to pretend. What Yun Sisi didn’t realize was that Xu Ya wasn’t thinking along those lines. Instead, Xu Ya remembered how Yun Shifei used to be so well-behaved—even forgiving her, despite being physically reprimanded. But ever since Xu Ya moved out, during both the last visit and this one, Yun Shifei had become distant and polite toward her. It was unmistakable that Yun Shifei was deeply, profoundly disappointed in her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be acting this way now. Xu Ya blamed herself. Recently, she had spent a lot of time reflecting, even thinking about finding an opportunity to meet Yun Shifei. But then she felt she had hurt her too much to deserve seeing her. She decided to use this moment to try and talk to Yun Shifei. After packing her things, Xu Ya placed everything in her car. She turned to Yun Sisi and said, "Sisi, wait for me in the car. Mom wants to speak with your sister for a while." Yun Sisi was internally unwilling, worrying that Xu Ya might reconcile with Yun Shifei during their conversation and grow close again. But she couldn’t stop it. She could only obediently say, "Okay." After that, Yun Sisi’s gaze drifted toward the Mu Family’s direction. Recalling the scene of Mu Chengzhu standing alongside Yun Shifei earlier, her heart felt deeply torn. Once she got home, she resolved to have a good cry. She thought she’d ask Mu Jiayu on Monday what was really going on. She wondered if Mu Chengzhu’s sudden coldness toward her was because Yun Shifei had said something to him. Yun Shifei was playing with her dog. After Xu Ya and Yun Sisi left, she tossed a ball on the floor to entice her dog to fetch it back. By now, her dog had learned how to retrieve the ball and even shake hands. It was growing smarter by the day. Suddenly, the door clicked open. Having been immersed in play, Yun Shifei watched the cheerful expression on her face fade slightly as she saw Xu Ya come back in. Xu Ya noticed how Yun Shifei’s joy disappeared instantly, feeling even more uncomfortable inside. It was as if someone’s hand was gripping her throat—she felt stifled. "Shifei, do you have some time? Could Mom talk to you for a bit?" Her tone became unusually polite. "Sure." Yun Shifei directed her dog to play on its own, then washed her hands and made a cup of red tea for Xu Ya. "Shifei, do you hate Mom a lot?" Yun Shifei shook her head. "What you do is your own business." Had she stopped hating her altogether? Xu Ya’s heart twisted tightly. How utterly disappointed must she be? "Mom didn’t want to leave you, but given the situation back then... Your dad didn’t like Sisi, and if I hadn’t taken her away, your dad would’ve handed Sisi back to her biological parents," Xu Ya confessed. "Shifei, you have to understand your mom. After raising a child for over ten years, how could I bear to give her away to her biological parents?" "Your dad chose you, so I could only choose Sisi." While speaking, tears streamed down Xu Ya’s face. Yet Yun Shifei didn’t feel any sorrow—not even the slightest urge to console her. If it had been in the past, when she still yearned for maternal love, she might have felt sad and reassured her that it didn’t bother her. But now, after Xu Ya chose Yun Sisi and left their home, Yun Shifei knew she could never truly be okay with it. "Whatever state of mind you were in when you made that choice has nothing to do with me. All I know is that you didn’t want me because of Yun Sisi. So, I won’t want you either." I won’t want you either... I won’t want you either! Saying those words, Yun Shifei felt her chest loosen, as though she had finally let go of something entirely. Xu Ya, however, felt her mind go blank. Her biological daughter had pushed her away. She always thought that blood ties were unbreakable—a cord that couldn’t be severed no matter what. But now, it had snapped so effortlessly. Leaving her no room to save it. "Sisi must have been waiting outside for a while now. It’s cold out there; you should head back soon." Yun Shifei stood up, signaling that it was time for her guest to leave. Looking at the indifferent Yun Shifei, Xu Ya wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out. Once, Yun Shifei had been so sweet and obedient, calling her "Mom" with such ease—even forgiving her after being hit. But now, she was so distant that she wouldn’t even utter "Mom."

Chapter 136: Obedience

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