Chapter 173: Chapter 169: A Stepfather Isn’t a Good Person Either

Lin Lan looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong, son? Did you get into a fight with Little Kai?”

Little Douzi shook his head and looked at Li Xiangyang. “Uncle Xiangyang, they said you’re going to be my stepdad. Are you really going to be my stepdad?”

Lin Lan froze. She couldn’t believe those people had nothing better to do than to tell a child something like that.

On his way home from school today, he had run into a few neighborhood aunties. They told him his mom was getting married and that he’d soon have a stepdad who was a butcher. They said his family would never have to worry about not having meat to eat again.

They also said it was no wonder he was getting taller and chubbier—the butcher must be giving his family meat all the time.

Some even said his mom would love her new stepdad and wouldn’t love him anymore.

Little Kai said his mom told him stepmoms are really mean, so stepdads probably aren’t good people either.

Little Yun said that if you can have a stepmom, you can have a stepdad, and once he had a stepdad, his own mom would become a stepmom, too. But he knew his mom loved him very much; she would never become a mean stepmom.

Li Xiangyang didn’t answer him directly. Instead, he crouched down to his level and asked, “Little Douzi, do you like Uncle Xiangyang?” He’d known since the day he took the boy out to play that Little Douzi was a child with a mind of his own.

Little Douzi thought for a moment before giving an honest nod. “I do!”

Li Xiangyang reached out, lifted him into his arms, and said gently, “Uncle Xiangyang likes you a lot too, Little Douzi. Would you let me be your dad?”

Little Douzi looked from him to Lin Lan. “I like Uncle Xiangyang, but I don’t like having a dad. Dads are bad people. They always hit Mom and steal her things.”

In his young mind, all he could remember was his father stumbling home, arguing with his mother, and hitting her. He remembered his mother holding him while she cried, and his father grabbing things from around the house before leaving.

Other kids’ dads gave them horsey rides, but his dad only knew how to hit people, drink, and make his mom angry!

After his dad died, his mom stopped crying. She smiled more, planted vegetables in the yard, and made delicious things like fried broad beans and pastries. He even got to go to preschool…

“Little Douzi…” Standing off to the side, Lin Lan felt tears stream down her face. How could he remember so much at his age?

Lin Yuezhen leaned against the kitchen doorframe, wiping away her own tears.

Li Xiangyang’s heart ached hearing this. He looked the boy in the eye and said, “Don’t you worry, Little Douzi. Uncle Xiangyang will never hit your mom, and I’ll never hit you. I’ll take you out to play, give you horsey rides, and protect you and your mom. If you don’t like the idea of a dad, you can just keep calling me Uncle Xiangyang. You don’t have to call me Dad.”

“I… I…” Little Douzi was torn. He twisted to look at Lin Lan and saw her red-rimmed eyes. He began to struggle in Li Xiangyang’s arms. “Mommy, don’t cry! I’ll be good!”

Li Xiangyang handed him over to Lin Lan, his heart aching for them both.

Lin Lan took him, gave him a tearful kiss, and forced a smile. “Mommy’s not crying. I’m just so happy that I have the best, most obedient treasure in the whole world, the tears are falling out all by themselves!”

’He hasn’t said anything like that in so long. Hearing all that gossip must have made him feel insecure again.’

Little Douzi said shyly, “Put me down. I’m getting too heavy for you.”

Lin Lan set him down and ruffled his hair. “I can still carry you for now. When my Little Douzi gets a little bigger, then I really won’t be able to hold you anymore.”

Little Douzi nodded. “I’ll eat three bowls of rice at every meal from now on, so I can grow up fast and protect you.”

Lin Lan beamed and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be waiting for you to protect me.”

Li Xiangyang looked at him and smiled. “Little Douzi, until you’re all grown up, how about I protect you and your mom?” He watched the boy nervously for a reaction.

Little Douzi glanced from him to Lin Lan, then gave a cheerful nod. “Okay!”

Li Xiangyang breathed a sigh of relief. He happily scooped the boy up and lifted him onto his shoulders. “Time for a horsey ride!”

Little Douzi wrapped his arms around Li Xiangyang’s head and pointed happily at a large tree beyond the backyard. “Mom! I can see the bird’s nest in the tree!”

“Mhm!” Lin Lan replied, watching them with a happy expression of her own.

Lin Yuezhen wiped her tears away and handed a letter to Lin Lan.

“It’s from Uncle Chen!”

Lin Lan quickly tore it open. Old Chen wrote that he had gone to the provincial hospital and consulted a top specialist in the ENT department. The doctor said to bring her in for an examination, adding that if it was treatable, it was best to do it while she was still young.

Old Chen had told her to call his house or send a telegram before she left, and he would meet them at the station. A phone number was written at the bottom.

Lin Lan happily passed the letter to Lin Yuezhen. “Sis, Uncle Chen found a specialist! You should go to the provincial capital for a check-up as soon as you can.”

Lin Yuezhen quickly waved her hands, gesturing, ’I’m not going. It’s been so many years. Don’t waste the money.’

Lin Lan looked at her and said earnestly, “Sis, don’t you worry about the money. You’re still young. As long as there’s even a little bit of hope, you should go get it checked. Then you won’t have any regrets later on.”

Lin Yuezhen touched her throat. ’She wanted to be treated, of course, but ever since she’d arrived, Lin Lan had been taking such good care of her, giving her the best food and drink. How could she be so shameless as to let her spend even more money on her medical bills?’

’Besides, Lin Lan’s business was so busy right now. A trip to the provincial capital to see a doctor wasn’t something that would be over in a day or two. How much business would she miss out on? And she still owed Xiangyang money for the house!’

’I’m not going,’ she gestured. ’It’s just not being able to talk. I’m used to it.’

“Sis, I know you’re worried about spending my money. Don’t worry, I’ll just deduct it from your wages later on.”

Li Xiangyang and Little Douzi walked over. He looked at the two women and asked, “What’s going on? Who sent a letter?”

Lin Lan handed the letter to Li Xiangyang. “See for yourself. Uncle Chen helped us get in touch with an ENT specialist. He wants my sister to go to the provincial capital for an exam, but she won’t go.”

After reading it, Li Xiangyang said, “Yuezhen, are you worried that if you and Little Lan leave, the business will suffer?”

Lin Yuezhen hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Li Xiangyang thought for a moment. “How about this? I’ll ask Brother Yong to accompany you to the provincial capital. He knows his way around the city. I can come and help Little Lan out while you’re gone.”

Lin Lan thought it was the perfect arrangement. Seeing Lin Yuezhen still hesitating, she added, “If you’re really worried, I can send word to my mom. I’ll ask her to come with my older brother and his family in a few days to help out for a bit.”

Lin Yuezhen thought for a moment, then looked at Lin Lan with tears in her eyes and gestured her thanks. ’Thank you, Little Lan. I’ll never be able to repay the kindness you and your aunt and uncle have shown me in this lifetime.’

Lin Lan stepped forward and gave her a hug. “Sis, we’re sisters. We’re family, so don’t talk like we’re strangers.”

Little Douzi came forward too, taking both of their hands. “Mom, Auntie, and me too!”

The two women held his little hands, and Lin Lan laughed. “That’s right! We have our Little Douzi, too!”

Watching the three of them holding hands, Li Xiangyang felt a warmth spread through his chest. “Little Lan, you’ll need a travel permit to go to the provincial capital. I’ll head back and talk to Brother Yong, and then I’ll ask Xiuyun to help get the permit issued. You two should decide on a good day to leave.”

Lin Lan had completely forgotten about needing a travel permit. She thought for a moment and said, “If we’re going, we might as well go soon. I’ll head to the brigade office in a bit to call Uncle Chen. We can set off tomorrow. What do you think?”

Li Xiangyang nodded. “Good. You can take the afternoon train and get there before dark. My old man is waiting for me for dinner, so I should get going.”

Hearing that, Lin Lan looked at Lin Yuezhen. “Sis, are the buns done steaming?”

Lin Yuezhen nodded and hurried back into the kitchen to get the freshly steamed buns.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep