Transmigrated as a vicious stepmother, I raised a child who became a heartthrob.

Jiang Zhuhua was speechless after hearing these words.

How could she talk to him about the bullying in society and the discrimination against single mothers?

How can I tell him that he did nothing wrong, and that he suffered this today because of those people's unwarranted malice?

Jiang Ji was just standing there when a group of children surrounded him and mocked him, even resorting to physical violence, simply because they heard he didn't have a father.

Jiang Zhuhua hesitated for a few moments, but still didn't know how to start.

Jiang Ji may not need a father, but he began to be bullied because of his lack of a father.

A simple act of malice.

"Mom, do you need a husband?"

Jiang Ji had been thinking for a while about whether this family needed an adult male.

But he didn't understand; there were still many things he didn't understand. So he couldn't figure it out.

“I don’t know. An’an, sometimes I feel like I need someone to rely on, but most of the time I feel like I can manage on my own. Because I’m strong enough, I don’t think I need to rely on anyone else. At the same time, I don’t want to rely on anyone else.”

Jiang Zhuhua should try to be serious and tell this story.

When you're alone at night, you might think it would be great to have a partner, or when you're lusting after someone's good looks, you might think that if that person were your partner, you could legitimately take advantage of them.

Or when you're walking home alone at night, or when there's no one suitable to listen to you.

Everyone wants to find a partner.

But most of the time, Jiang Zhuhua felt she didn't need it. No one to cook for her? She could hire a nanny or have a restaurant do it. Money can always buy someone to provide emotional support. An'an could leave the lights on at home too.

Sometimes, a partner can become someone you can do without in your life.

Jiang Zhuhua also fears whether her relationship with the other party is based on self-interest, and she is also afraid of all the troubles that will follow marriage.

Therefore, her perception of objects is complex. Just like Huo Wang.

They date in private, but once it comes out into the public eye, it becomes something to be discarded.

She would be reluctant, but the two sides of the scale are not equal.

"Mom, do you like Huo Wang? If you do, please invite him to our house."

Jiang Ji sat on his own little stool, speaking calmly as if he were talking about something that wasn't his own, his composure unlike that of a child.

However, Jiang Zhuhua did not agree with great enthusiasm. He remained calm as ever.

“An’an, don’t wrong yourself for the sake of others. The first thing I’m teaching you is not to lie, but to have the courage to express your feelings and emotions. The second thing is not to hurt yourself for the sake of others’ sympathy. The third thing is not to wrong yourself for the sake of others when appropriate.”

Jiang Zhuhua had seen the grown-up version of Jiang Ji, who was actually Pei Hui. Therefore, she hoped even more that Jiang Ji would grow up to be a good person.

"If you have a handful of candy and a child asks for some, you can refuse if you don't want to give it to them. That's not selfishness. If you have extra candy, you just need to share it. Taking care of your own senses should be the priority."

Children are still young, so they shouldn't be subjected to hardship when they're young. Otherwise, they'll develop all sorts of timidity when they grow up.

Once this happens, it will happen again. When he gets older, you can teach him to be generous to his friends, teach him all kinds of friendship skills, and let him experience all kinds of emotions.

However, at this moment, Jiang Zhuhua did not want him to suffer any injustice.

"But Mom, I don't want you to be sad, just as you don't want me to be sad."

Jiang Ji couldn't describe the feeling in her heart; she only felt a dull, aching pain in her chest.

He knew his mother was unhappy. After Huo Wang left, his mother had been absent-minded several times and checked her phone more often. She had unintentionally mentioned Huo Wang many times.

"Honey, don't overthink it. You deserve to be happy."

Jiang Zhuhua calmly stated this sentence.

This was something he had once longed for but could not obtain, yet now he was willingly offering it to Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji nodded obediently and grasped Jiang Zhuhua's hand.

"Mom, today the teacher told us about the Little Prince. I want you to be a rose, so I can watch over you every day."

The topic changed quickly, and Jiang Ji seemed to be happier as well.

Why roses?

"Because roses are so beautiful! And Mommy is so beautiful too! There's only one rose on the Little Prince's planet, just like... just like... An An's world."

Jiang Ji's childlike words were amusing. Jiang Zhuhua's cold, hard exterior slowly melted away, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I want to be the kind of person who wouldn't mistake a snake that swallowed an elephant for a hat."

Jiang Zhuhua spoke softly.

……

Pei Hui woke up groggily, his fingers aching terribly. The painkillers had worn off, and even bending and flexing his fingers was difficult.

I lifted my heavy eyelids and saw the money on the bed, and couldn't help but laugh. Then I looked at the note on the bedside table; it was just a phone number.

What is this? What is it? A little bit of kindness, but an unwillingness to take responsibility?

Pei Hui felt both mocked and pathetic. But there was also an indescribable sense of relief.

I placed my cane next to the bedside and called the front desk to ask them to bring up a pack of cigarettes.

He paid the bill, then sat on the edge of the bed and slowly smoked.

What was this all about? A dying act of redemption? A fleeting, yearning for affection?

Pei Hui stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, turned on the TV, and randomly tuned to a channel.

What's even more annoying is that once you open it, it opens a financial channel where the Pei family has recently developed a new technology, and Pei Hong, as a special guest, is talking about it at length.

Pei Hui immediately turned off the TV. How come this old man is still alive?

But thinking back on my life before, it doesn't seem like there was anything wrong with it. Apart from the unfortunate ending, I enjoyed every aspect of life I was meant to have, and everything I did was exquisite.

Pei Hui lay back down on the bed, exhausted. His fingers were stiff and trembling as he gripped the note. His hands ached so much that even holding a piece of paper was difficult.

He rarely looked so disheveled, lying in bed like a dead fish.

The characters on this do not resemble Jiang Zhuhua's handwriting at all.

In his memory, Jiang Zhuhua was arrogant, contemptuous, crazy, desperate, and indifferent. Her handwriting was also flamboyant and elegant.

But the handwriting on this piece of paper is neat and tidy, yet carries a hint of sharpness. There's an invisible frame, like some untouchable yet omnipresent principle.

Pei Hui chuckled, his arm giving way, and he fell onto the bed. The note floated lightly into the trash can.

Pei Hui did not retrieve it.