When Li Yan heard Yue Guohuai say he intended to invite both Huo Yingnian and Ling Chao, her heart instantly twisted with resentment.
Just a measly one-month celebration for some bratty girl, and they’re not only inviting guests but even VIPs like these?
What’s so special about her? At that age, such grand fortune might crush her.
“Aiyo, Yaya’s such a lucky girl,” Li Yan cooed, oozing sarcasm. “Her celebration just happens to coincide with Dad’s promotion—unlike our Xiaoxin and Xiaohui, who only had family at theirs.”
The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable. Everyone present understood exactly what she meant.
Yue Minghui, who’d always disliked Li Yan, opened her mouth to retort—but Shen Zhiqiu beat her to it:
“Sister-in-law, why not let Xiaoxin and Xiaohui celebrate their one-month again with Yaya?”
Yue Minghui burst out laughing first, and soon, the others joined in.
“Yes! Sister-in-law, Zhiqiu’s idea is brilliant!” Yue Minghui chimed in, egging her on. “Let Xiaoxin and Xiaohui relive their one-month celebration!”
Yue Youxin’s eyes lit up. He tugged at Li Yan’s sleeve excitedly. “Mom! I wanna celebrate with Yaya!”
“Celebrate what? You’re way past that age!” Li Yan snapped.
Confused, Yue Youxin turned to Yaya. “Then why can she do it?”
Qin Feng patiently explained, “Xiaoxin, it’s because Yaya just turned one month old. For babies, the first month is called ‘manyue,’ the hundredth day is ‘bairi,’ and after a year, they start celebrating birthdays yearly. Manyue and bairi are both big milestones.”
“Ohhh!” Yue Youxin grinned at Qin Feng. “Wow, Xiaofeng, you’re so smart! How do you know all this?”
Qin Feng scratched his head sheepishly. “Hehe, my mom and dad taught me.”
“So, Xiaoxin,” Yue Minghui teased, “still wanna share Yaya’s celebration?”
Blushing, Yue Youxin waved his hands frantically. “Nope, nope! I’m good!”
That should’ve been the end of it—but Li Yan couldn’t shake the belief that Yue Guohuai and Wan Jiayin were blatantly favoring Shen Zhiqiu and Yaya, gnawing at her until she decided: If I’m unhappy, nobody gets to be happy.
“Xiaoxin,” she pulled her son closer, sighing dramatically, “you really need to learn from Xiaofeng and Yaya, understand? Look at you—bad grades, zero charm. What’ll become of you?”
“Huh? Who says I’m not likable?” Yue Youxin pouted. “Everyone at home and school likes me! You’re the only one—oh, and Grandma and Uncle—who don’t!”
“Nonsense! Your grandma and uncle adore you!”
Li Yan’s resentment stemmed from her belief that Yue Guohuai and Wan Jiayin treated her husband, Yue Mingde, worse than his brothers (Yue Mingli and Yue Mingyuan)—and by extension, neglected Yue Youxin and Yue Youhui while doting on Qin Feng and Yaya. Meanwhile, her mother and brothers supposedly “spoiled” her sons.
“Uncle always steals mine and Xiaohui’s toys for Yangyang! And Uncle hits us! Grandma’s the worst—she gives Yangyang fresh snacks but makes us eat the spoiled ones!”
“Lies! When did that ever happen?”
“Last month! Grandma said the pastries were ‘a little off’ but ‘too good to waste,’ so she fed them to us while Yangyang got new cookies! I wanted some too, but she called me a greedy beggar!” Yue Youxin clutched his stomach. “That night, Xiaohui and I had terrible stomachaches!”
“You probably ate junk outside and blamed your grandma!” Li Yan jabbed his forehead. “If only you put this much creativity into studying, you’d at least top your class!”
“Pfft! If I did, you’d demand I top the grade next, then the district!” Yue Youxin stuck out his tongue. “You never even got first place—why bully us about it?”
With that, he bolted, dragging Yue Youhui with him.
“YUE YOUXIN!”
Li Yan bellowed, scanning the room for a weapon before yanking off her high heel to chase him.
Yue Mingde grabbed her arm. “Stop taking things out on the kids! Besides, he’s not wrong!”
“Oh, so I’m the villain?” Li Yan shoved him away, jabbing a finger at his face. “Like father, like son! Useless, both of you! I should’ve strangled them at birth!”
“Mom,” Yue Youxin sighed from a safe distance, “you’re the one choosing to be angry. At this rate, you’ll float away like a balloon.”
Yue Youhui tugged his sleeve, signaling him to shut up.
“Giggle—!” Yaya couldn’t help laughing.
[Xiaoxin’s hilarious! Such a wild imagination.]
She’d intended to stay a quiet little beauty, but the mental image of Li Yan as a balloon was too much.
[Who’d guess such a cheerful boy would later battle severe depression, becoming even quieter than Xiaohui?]
[All because of Yangyang—he dragged Xiaohui into the water and drowned him, yet Aunt Li blamed Xiaoxin!]
[She made him live in guilt, tormented beyond what medicine could fix…]
Fuming, Yaya’s cheeks puffed up like a goldfish’s.
Yue Youxin and Yue Youhui exchanged stunned glances, nodding in silent agreement.
“Mom!” Yue Youxin blurted. “Xiaohui and I wanna stay at Grandma’s tonight!”
“But your uncle’s taking you and Yangyang fishing tomorrow!”
Exactly why we’re staying. If they went to Grandma Li’s, they’d be forced to join Yangyang’s trip.
“We’re not going.” Yue Youxin waved dismissively. “Didn’t you say we should learn from Xiaofeng and Yaya? We’re staying to study.” He gripped Yue Youhui’s hand. “Both of us.”
“Study? You just want to play!”
“Uncle and Yangyang would just take us to play anyway! What’s the difference?”
Anticipating Li Yan’s next move, Yue Youxin yanked Yue Youhui behind Yue Guohuai and Wan Jiayin’s sofa.
“Grandpa! Grandma! HELP!”
