TBIJWFB: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Bringing the Two Little Ancestors Home

Li Dasao hurried into the yard, but her face fell the moment she saw it was Han Wen. "Who told you to come here? You're not welcome in our home. Get lost!" she snapped, turning to go back inside.

"Wait, Li Dasao, please!" Han Wen called out anxiously.

Li Dasao stopped and looked back at her, suspicion etched on her face.

Han Wen explained with sincere earnestness, "I know you dislike me, and it's all because of how poorly I treated the children. But after this incident, I've decided to change. I will truly change, I promise. Li Dasao, please just watch my actions. If I mistreat them again, you can take them back and tell Wang Hao to divorce me."

"How do I know if you're truly changing or just pretending? Wang Hao left the children in my care. If I send them back with you only to be abused again, he'll never forgive me," Li Dasao retorted, her guard clearly still up.

Just then, Xiao Long came running out and clung to Han Wen's leg. "Mom! Are you here to take me and brother home? I knew you wouldn't abandon us!"

Hu Zi rushed out right after him, grabbing Xiao Long's arm. "Are you stupid! After all she's done to you, you still want to go back with her? Do you want her to beat you to death? How did I end up with such a foolish little brother!"

Xiao Long, unbothered by his brother's scolding, looked up at Han Wen with innocent eyes. "Mom, will you promise not to hit me anymore? I'll be good, I'll do the laundry and wash the dishes. I promise I won't break any more bowls." He held up three tiny fingers in a solemn vow. "I swear, Mom."

Upon hearing Xiao Long's plea, the slight softening in Li Dasao's expression vanished, replaced by a dark scowl. "Go on, get out of here! I must have been out of my mind to even consider believing your lies."

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Xiao Long looked pitifully at Li Dasao. "Auntie, please don't send my mom away. I'll go back with her."

"Dasao, please, let me take them home. I promise I won't lay a hand on them. Hu Zi, you come back with me too. If I treat you poorly, you can come straight back and tell your auntie. How does that sound?" Han Wen negotiated carefully with Hu Zi.

"Brother, please come back with us~" Xiao Long added, pleading with Hu Zi.

Unable to resist his brother's pitiful look, Hu Zi's heart softened, and he nodded reluctantly. "Fine!"

"Auntie, I'll go back with her." He then walked up to Li Dasao and whispered, "If she dares to hit me again, I'll tell my dad he has to divorce her, or else I won't acknowledge him as my father anymore. Auntie, don't worry, I'll protect myself and my brother."

Han Wen stood by, watching the two whisper. Hu Zi is still too naive. If I really wanted to hit him, would I let him run away? Fortunately, she had no such intention, only wanting to treat them well now.

"Alright, we can go back with you now," Hu Zi declared to Han Wen with a haughty tone.

Xiao Long, holding Han Wen's hand, waved goodbye to Li Dasao. "Auntie, we're going home now. Goodbye!"

Han Wen said respectfully, "Dasao, we'll be off then."

Li Dasao watched as Han Wen led the children away and let out a long sigh. "Ai! Who knows if this Han Wen has truly reformed? I can only hope so. If she abuses those children again, how will I ever face Wang Hao?" Muttering to herself, she turned and went back inside.

Back in the house, Li Dasao's son, Da Guo, noticed she was alone. "Mom, where's Hu Zi? Why didn't he come back with you?"

"He went back with that stepmother of his."

Da Guo stomped his foot in frustration. "What's wrong with you? Letting them go back with that vicious woman! Aren't you afraid she'll abuse Xiao Long again?"

Scolded by her own son, Li Dasao felt wronged and defended herself, "It... it might be different this time? She sounded very sincere earlier."

"No wonder Dad says you're soft-hearted and easily fooled."

Initially feeling a bit guilty, Li Dasao instantly flared up at being called 'easily fooled' by her own child. "You brat! Is that any way to talk to your mother?!"

"I'm just telling the truth! I'm going to check on Hu Zi, make sure he doesn't fall for that woman's tricks!" he said, making a dash for the door.

Li Dasao grabbed him. "Enough! That's their family business. If you're worried, go check on him tomorrow. Maybe... maybe his stepmother really has changed for the better."

"Really? Fine then, I'll go see Hu Zi tomorrow. But if anything happens to him, you'll have to answer to his dad! I'm going out to play!" Da Guo said, leaving Li Dasao sitting alone.

"That Han Wen had better truly reform," she muttered under her breath. "Otherwise, my husband will never let me hear the end of it."

---

Han Wen walked ahead, holding Xiao Long's hand, with Hu Zi trailing behind. She thought about calling Hu Zi to walk with them, but seeing his defensive posture, she decided to let him be. The compound was safe, after all.

Once home, Han Wen told them to go wash their hands while she went to the kitchen to get the noodles. Xiao Long, after washing up, followed her in, reaching for the bowls and chopsticks.

Watching him clumsily trying to carry all three sets, on the verge of dropping them, Han Wen quickly called out, "Hu Zi! Come help your brother with the bowls!"

Hearing Han Wen order him to work, Hu Zi immediately went on the defensive. "You vicious woman! I knew you were lying! We just got home and you're already making us work!"

Han Wen...

Han Wen stood still, holding the noodles, and replied with remarkable calmness, "Hu Zi, did I hit you? Did I scold you? It's time to eat. Is it so wrong to ask you to help set the table? Hurry up, or your brother is definitely going to drop them."

Seeing that Han Wen wasn't intentionally trying to bully them, Hu Zi didn't talk back further. He ran over to Xiao Long with a look of disgust. "Fine, I'm going. You're so useless. Can't you just take your own? Rushing to do work the moment we get back, no wonder she always picks on you."

He took the bowls and chopsticks and slammed them onto the table with a loud smack!, making Han Wen jump. This little brat! If it weren't for my promise not to hit him, I'd have done it by now.

Hu Zi demanded, "What did you make?"

Being treated like this by Hu Zi put Han Wen in a sour mood. "Noodles," she answered curtly.

Lacking any tact, Hu Zi continued to pick a fight. "You're just giving us plain noodles?"

"What else did you want to eat?" Han Wen shot him a cold glance.

"I want to eat lots of things!"

Han Wen mentally chanted, Don't get angry, don't get angry. If people find out I hit a child now, I'll never be able to stay here. Suppressing her fury, she asked gently, "Then think about it carefully and tell me what you'd like tomorrow. Xiao Long, you think about what you'd like to eat tomorrow, too."

Hu Zi was taken aback. Since when did she become so reasonable?

"Fine, I'll tell you after I've thought about it."

Xiao Long said obediently, "Mom, I'll tell you after I think about it too."

"Alright," Han Wen said, serving each of them a bowl of egg noodles.

Hu Zi took a small taste. It was actually quite good. Since when did she learn to cook so well? She just never wanted to cook properly for us before. She's only being nice to me and my brother now because she's scared Dad will divorce her. He schemed, Just see how I'll make things difficult for her. If she can't take it, it'll be the perfect reason for Dad to divorce her.

"Hey! I want to eat egg pancakes for breakfast tomorrow and chicken for dinner!"

Xiao Long lifted his face, smeared with noodles. "I want egg pancakes too!"

Han Wen picked up a towel and wiped Xiao Long's face. "Fine, I'll make them for you tomorrow."

"But Hu Zi, you have to get up and help me with the fire tomorrow."

She still hadn't gotten used to the earthen stove and needed someone to help her.

Hu Zi looked displeased. "I won't—"

Han Wen wasn't about to indulge him. If he wanted to eat, he had to help. "I'm not used to that earthen stove. If you won't help me tend the fire, then I won't cook."

Hu Zi paused for a moment, thinking it over, before reluctantly agreeing.

After that, the only sound at the dinner table was of three people eating. Xiao Long glanced at his brother, then at Han Wen, and finally decided to just focus on eating. Both of them are scary.

After the meal, Han Wen started clearing the table. Xiao Long instinctively moved to help.

It was clear the original host had left deep psychological scars on Xiao Long, making him constantly try to please her, walking on eggshells in her presence.

"Xiao Long, you don't need to help Mama with this. Go and play."

"Mom, I can do it," he said, cautiously tugging at the hem of Han Wen's clothes.

"Hu Zi, come take Xiao Long out to play," Han Wen called to Hu Zi, who was busy examining his slingshot.

She then bent down and patted Xiao Long's head affectionately. "Xiao Long, Mama isn't going to abandon you. You don't need to help today. How about you help Mama with the fire tomorrow?"

Xiao Long nodded vigorously. "Mhmm! I'll help Mama with the fire!"

Hu Zi pulled his brother away. "She tells you not to work, and you still stick to her? How did I end up with such a stupid little brother."

"Hu Zi, stop picking on your brother. And don't forget to do your homework."

---

As she washed the bowls, Han Wen thought, It looks like I'm really staying here. In that case, I'll just have to treat these two children well. They're quite pitiful, never having known a mother's love. I'll make it up to them on behalf of the original host. Consider it a good deed for taking over her body.

But that child Xiao Long has been made too sensitive and timid by the original host. How can I help him change? Ay yah, this is so troublesome.

After finishing the dishes, she returned to the main room to find Hu Zi and Xiao Long playing with building blocks. Han Wen glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already 8 PM. Hu Zi was in second grade now, and he hadn't even started his homework.

"Hu Zi, did your teacher assign any homework today?"

Hu Zi's hands stilled for a second. "No," he said, then picked up another block.

Sensing something was off, Han Wen pressed, "Really?"

"Ugh! Why are you so annoying? Even Dad doesn't bother me about this, why do you care!" Hu Zi had never really been disciplined. Wang Hao was always away with the army, and his birth mother only cared about her own family, never about him. It was a miracle the boy hadn't turned out worse.

(End of Chapter)