“Chixuan…” Gu Mengmeng started to speak but was interrupted by Chixuan.
He held a faint smile, which was gentle, yet distant and bitter at the same time. Paired with his slightly slanted eyes, he displayed just the right amount of elegance. “You still have Elvis, Lea and my other brothers by your side. Even without me, you will not be lonely. But him… apart from me, he has nothing.”
Gu Mengmeng gnashed her teeth. She never imagined that the first guy to tell her “He/She needs me more than you” would be her own son.
She could have accepted it if that “needs me more” was a female. But why did it have to be Cole?!
“Chixuan, you clearly know…”
Chixuan nodded. “I know he is a bad guy in your eyes. You don’t like him and never thought of trying to accept him or understand him. But that is between the two of you. It has nothing to do with me.”
Gu Mengmeng kept silent. She just wrinkled her brows at Chixuan, the unease in her heart growing stronger and stronger.
“He is an important person to me. I cannot just cast him aside. So Mother, please go back.”
Gu Mengmeng bit her bottom lip and gradually relaxed her tightly-clenched fists. She didn’t want to push her son further away. The only thing she could do was just to stand there unmoving. Forcing a smile, she looked at Chixuan. “Mmm, my son is so dashing.”
Taking a deep breath, Gu Mengmeng felt her chest was quivering. If not for Elvis standing behind her, supporting her, she felt that she might not be able to remain upright.
But, what could she do?
A mother cannot control a son who has grown up…
“Your father and I will go back first. I will keep that secret tunnel open always. Anytime you miss Mummy, just come back and visit me… okay?” Every word dripped with plea. Gu Mengmeng had never behaved so pathetically in front of anyone before. She had not begged like this even when her father had abandoned her mother and her. And not even when her mother threw her out of the house thereafter.
Family was her most vulnerable weak spot.
Faced with Chixuan, she could not help behaving so humbly.
Chixuan frowned slightly. He took two steps forward and held Gu Mengmeng by the shoulders. After hesitating for a second, he hugged her. “Mother, don’t be like that. No matter where I am, I am always your son.”
“Mmm.” Gu Mengmeng grunted as she struggled to hold back her tears.
Elvis took Gu Mengmeng over from Chixuan and pressed her into his own chest. After gently cleaning her tear-streaked face, he looked at Chixuan. “Good luck.”
With that, Elvis carried Gu Mengmeng into the secret tunnel and followed the original route back.
After Gu Mengmeng and Elvis left, Cole’s face darkened.
He walked in front of Chixuan and clutched at his neck.
“I said before… I am the only one who can make her unhappy.” An iron-like grip squeezed Chixuan’s neck as he lifted the boy off the floor. Chixuan’s face turned red from the lack of oxygen but he didn’t struggle. He appeared resigned to the coming of death, but his eyes remained placidly fixed on Cole.
“Little Xuan, don’t think you can push my buttons just because I am nice to you. Be a good boy and don’t make me angry, got it?”
Chixuan nodded with some difficulty. Cole finally released his grip and turned around. Sitting on the stone chair, his gaze fell languidly across the “Thirty-Six Stratagems” on the wall. No one could guess what he was thinking.