Cole took a couple steps forward and squatted down with half his chest pressing against Gu Mengmeng’s back. He placed one hand on Gu Mengmeng’s shoulder while the other gently covered Gu Mengmeng’s hand on the top of Chixuan’s head. He smiled at Chixuan. “Little Xuan, good boy. Don’t be afraid. Your mother and I will be by your side. She will not leave you and neither will I. But you must recover quickly and not let your mother worry. Because if she is worried… we will all be very upset, right?”
Chixuan nodded obediently. He gazed at Gu Mengmeng, as if waiting for her to answer.
This gaze forced Gu Mengmeng to endure the strong urge to just fling Cole far away.
Waves of discomfort and disgust radiated from the part of her in contact with Cole, but Gu Mengmeng didn’t wish to up upset Chixuan. Hence, she gritted her teeth and forced a smile. She comforted Chixuan. “Be a good boy. Mother will be by your side.”
“Owooo…” Chixuan cried out weakly again.
Gu Mengmeng couldn’t understand what he was saying and turned to look at Elvis, only to see his face completely black. He glared at Chixuan as he gnashed his teeth. “Don’t push your luck.”
Gu Mengmeng frowned and looked towards Lea, who also looked grim but kept his mouth shut.
Left with no choice, Gu Mengmeng turned to Cole.
Cole chuckled. “This kid is just a bit willful. But you are the one who hit him and caused him to be in this state after all. Can’t you just put up with his bit of willfulness, and make amends for it? Ha, I forgot that the great Elvis’ motto in life is ‘only the strong should survive’. You will never give way even when faced with a wolf pup whom Ah Gu cares so much for.”
With that, Cole turned back to Chixuan with a stern expression. “Xuan, you cannot be rude to Mister Elvis. He is your mother’s first partner. If you behave like this… your mother will be upset.”
Chixuan sniffled pathetically and whimpered. Not expecting Elvis and Lea to translate for her, Gu Mengmeng directly looked at Cole. “What did my son say?”
Cole smiled with a mild expression. “Little Xuan is afraid of Mister Elvis and Mister Lea. So he hopes that the two of them could leave. Although they are just the ignorant words of a child, Elvis here did nearly kill Xuan with one punch. Ah Gu, you have to forgive Xuan for being so scared, after all… he is still a child. Don’t take offense to a child’s babbling nonsense.”
Gu Mengmeng’s heart twisted. Cole sounded like he was Chixuan’s real father, while Elvis was a stranger.
“I don’t need you to apologize for my son.” Gu Mengmeng’s displeasure was written all over her face.
Cole remained unperturbed and just lowered his head. “I have overstepped my boundaries. But, if you must punish someone, please punish me. Chixuan… cannot bear any more torture.”
Gu Mengmeng really wished to hit someone.
Was Cole implying that Elvis and herself—Chixuan’s very own parents—were torturing him?
But…
Chixuan current injuries were indeed caused by Elvis.
Damn it. She wanted to retort but had no right to.
This damn situation.
Gu Mengmeng didn’t wish to continue wasting her breath with Cole. She shrugged off his arm and spoke gently to Chixuan. “Chixuan, good boy. Let Daddy Lea take a look at your injuries, okay?”
Chixuan looked guardedly against Lea. Lea had just taken one small step forward and Chixuan trembled all over as he struggled to stand up, looking like he was prepared to attack.