Reborn in the 80s: My Whole Family Secretly Hears My Thoughts and Goes Wild with Success! - Chapter 136

Li Yan was heartbroken. “Yue Mingde, I gave birth to two sons for you! Is this how you treat me?”

Yue Mingde took a deep breath and looked at her. “Li Yan, be honest. In these ten years, have I treated you well? Was there anywhere I failed you?”

“You treated me well, and you didn’t fail me. But was I not good to you? Did I ever do anything to wrong you?”

“Li Yan, if it weren’t for your family, we would have been fine. We wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Li Yan immediately flared up. “Yue Mingde, what do you mean by that? What’s wrong with my family? I asked you to help my brother. If you don’t want to, just say so. Why bring my family into it?”

“It seems you still don’t understand where the real problem lies.” Yue Mingde felt utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally. He waved his hand. “Forget it. Maybe we’ll never see eye to eye on this.”

“Li Yan, just go. Your family’s affairs have nothing to do with me anymore. Don’t come looking for me again.”

He wanted nothing more to do with Li Zhigang or Li Zhiqiang. Whatever misfortune befell them was their own doing, the consequences of their own actions.

Considering how Li Zhigang had tried to harm Xiaohui, and the things Li Yang had said and done, there was no way he would lift a finger to help them. He wasn’t some saint who repaid evil with kindness, spending money and effort only to naively hope Li Zhigang would see the light.

Some people were just rotten to the core, with not a shred of goodness in them. Saving them would only turn him into the foolish farmer or the gullible Master Dongguo from the fables.

“Yue Mingde, you bastard!” Li Yan rushed up to him, raising her hand high as if to slap him.

Yue Mingde caught her wrist and pushed it away forcefully. “Li Yan, I don’t owe you anything, let alone your family! Stop making unreasonable scenes in front of me, again and again!”

“I told you before, Li Zhigang’s foul mouth would get him into serious trouble one day. What happened to him now is because of your mother’s and your endless indulgence!”

“He’s just the beginning. Li Zhiqiang won’t be spared either, and that nephew of yours, Li Yang, is the same!”

Yue Mingde wasn’t cursing them; he was simply stating the facts. Li Zhigang had no filter, was a gambling addict, and drank heavily whether he won or lost, spouting utter nonsense when drunk. Before, he’d only run into people who chose not to bother with him, but it only took encountering one truly ruthless person to finish him.

Li Zhiqiang loved to bully others, acting like he was invincible, looking down on everyone, and never knew when to hold back, always taking things to the extreme.

The fact that the two of them had survived this long was purely due to sheer luck, or perhaps their ancestors watching over them from the grave.

By saying all this, Yue Mingde actually hoped Li Yan would see her family for what they really were, to stop confusing right and wrong before she ended up getting dragged down herself.

But he knew Li Yan wouldn’t listen. And he blamed her mother for all of it, for teaching her since childhood that Li Zhigang and Li Zhiqiang were her pillars, that she had to unconditionally dedicate herself and sacrifice everything for them.

Even hateful people had their pitiable sides. Yue Mingde did feel sorry for Li Yan. It was precisely out of this pity that he had married her, wanting to protect her.

But he had overestimated himself. He thought he could be the hero who saved Li Yan, never imagining that he would instead be dragged into the mud by her family, almost implicating his own sons in the process.

After hurling a stream of abuse at Yue Mingde, Li Yan, realizing there was no hope of borrowing money, turned and hurried away to find someone else who could help.

Yue Mingde watched her retreating figure, feeling a profound sense of loss for a long time.

This time, he had probably truly broken her heart. She likely wouldn’t come looking for him again.

He didn’t want to be so harsh, but he couldn’t think of a better way.

——-

Meanwhile, Yue Guohuai and the others returned to the compound.

Yaya was unbearably hungry, but she still felt so tired she didn’t want to open her eyes or wake up.

Torn between hunger and sleepiness, Yaya whimpered softly.

A soft bottle nipple gently nudged the corner of her mouth. Yaya opened her mouth, latched on, and began sucking hungrily.

After her fill, she felt much better and slept for another three hours, not waking up until almost six in the evening.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Huo Jiusi on the verge of tears, his blue-purple eyes glistening. Yaya, mid-yawn, widened her big eyes in surprise.

[Little demon, what’s wrong? Who bullied you?]

[Who dares to bully you? Tell me who this reckless soul is! I must go and pay my respects.]

“You little heartless thing.” Huo Jiusi sniffled and pinched Yaya’s cheek gently. “Yaya, why did you sleep for so long? I thought you were…”

[Thought I was what? Oh~ you thought I kicked the bucket, didn’t you?]

[Relax, relax, I’m perfectly fine.]

Yaya waved her little fist, which was caught by Huo Jiusi, who brought it to his lips and kissed it. “Yaya, please don’t scare me like that again, okay?”

[I wasn’t trying to scare you! I was just really tired.]

Yaya let out a big yawn. [Still so sleepy. I want to sleep more.]

[Oh, right! I can understand what other animals are saying now too. It’s so fun.]

[Hehe, from now on I can silently ‘eat melons’!]

“Eat melons? Do you want watermelon juice? I’ll get some for you.” Huo Jiusi made a move to get up.

Yaya tugged on his finger, explaining the slang to him. [‘Eating melons’ means gossiping, watching the drama. Get it?]

“Yaya, you like ‘eating melons’?”

[Of course! It’s so interesting.]

Huo Jiusi’s lips curved into a smile. “Then I’ll eat them with you from now on.”

Without exaggeration, Yaya instantly felt like the world brightened, filled with the sound of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

Her round eyes stared in a daze. She couldn’t help but raise her little hand, wanting to touch Huo Jiusi’s face.

Sensing her intention, Huo Jiusi leaned his face closer. Yaya gently touched his cheek and giggled.

Back when she was a little kitten, she loved touching his face, especially when he leaned in close to rub noses with her.

In those moments, she would gaze into his eyes. His blue-purple pupils would be right before her, like falling into a magnificent galaxy.

Huo Jiusi’s eyes, from a distance, resembled gems; up close, they were like lakes; and when extremely near, they transformed into nebulae.

“Yaya, why is your face so red?”

Huo Jiusi noticed Yaya’s little cheeks growing redder and redder, like tiny apples. He touched one—it felt a bit warm, and he grew worried.

Yaya felt embarrassed by his question. [Ahem, it’s nothing. Just a bit warm from waking up. Quick, fan me, let this little cat cool down.]

“Yaya, is this okay?” The palm-leaf fan was right beside him. Huo Jiusi picked it up and began fanning her gently.

Yaya lifted her face, enjoying the breeze. [Not bad, not bad. Little Demon, you’re getting better and better… wait, no, you were always good.]

[Little Demon, I want to hear a story.]

“Okay.”

Ye Zhiqiu entered the room and saw this scene: by the window, the setting sun cast a soft, glowing halo over the two children.

Huo Jiusi sat beside Yaya’s small bed, holding a book in one hand and gently fanning her with the palm-leaf fan in the other.

They glanced at each other from time to time, their eyes holding only each other.