Chapter 25: Who Is the Real Villain?

You never would’ve guessed—before Wen Xuxu even finished her sentence, the aunt had already coldly thrown out those three words.

Instantly, Wen Xuxu froze in place. Words stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

She was… afraid of this aunt. Back when she was little, the woman radiated the aura of a refined scholar’s daughter—so polished, so untouchable. Wen Xuxu had never dared speak to her. Now, as an adult, she felt even worse—her family’s downfall had dragged down this once-proud aunt, and guilt gnawed at her like a constant ache. She couldn’t even look her in the eye anymore.

In the end, Wen Xuxu left with her two kids, moving into a temporary apartment she’d found nearby.

After she was gone, the two people lingering in the courtyard exchanged a quiet moment of silence.

“Abei,” the man said softly, “are you still… holding it against her? She was just a kid back then. She didn’t know any better…”

“Xiao Jun’s coming home,” she cut in, voice icy. “Do you really want chaos in this house?”

Liu Bei gave her husband on the wheelchair that sharp reply, then turned and walked inside without another word.

Xiao Jun—the cousin, Wen Xuxu’s cousin, the one who had hated her with every fiber of her being back then.

—

Wen Xuxu soon moved into her new place—a modest apartment in the old district, close to a daycare center.

“Momo, Ruoruo,” she said, gently brushing her daughter’s soft cheek, “Mommy’s already signed you up for the daycare here. Tomorrow we start school, okay?”

“Wait… Mommy?” Ruoruo gasped, clutching her long-eared bunny doll tightly. Her eyes widened in shock. “We’re not going back? We’re staying here?”

The little girl was sentimental—she’d made real friends at her old daycare, and Miss Hua, the teacher, had always been kind to her.

Wen Xuxu smiled, ruffling her daughter’s hair. “No, sweetie, we’re just staying here for a little while. Mommy has to work now, so we’ll have to be brave and tough for a bit.”

“Okay…” Ruoruo pouted, then nodded. “I’ll go to the new daycare tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Momo was busy—head buried in his iPad, digging through files on Huo Group and that “big bad guy.” He’d made up his mind: he *had* to meet this man face-to-face. He needed to figure out who the hell this guy was.

This guy was evil. And if he kept hurting Mommy, Momo wouldn’t stand for it.

But when he finally pulled up the high-res photo of the man—using China’s domestic network—the screen froze in front of him.

What… the hell?

That man looked *exactly* like him.

Like they were carved from the same mold.

Could he… be his dad?!

Momo’s tiny brain short-circuited. His crescent-shaped eyes popped wide open.

“Momo?” Wen Xuxu called, struggling to pack boxes. “Can you come help me? I need someone over here!”

She waved him over. After several calls, the boy finally snapped out of it, shut his tablet, and wandered over with a dazed expression.

“Mommy,” he asked quietly, “you said… my dad and your brother are both dead, right?”

“That’s right,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow, no hesitation. “Why?”

She’d told them that story ever since they were young. Living abroad for five years, alone with two kids—it wasn’t easy. People asked about their father. The kids grew older and started asking too.

So she’d told them the truth: their father was dead. Dead beyond repair.

And wasn’t he? That bastard.

But something about Momo today… he seemed off. When she said “dead,” he just stared into space, silent. Then after a long pause, he asked again:

“How did he die?”

“What?” Wen Xuxu blinked. “Uh… car accident?”

Momo stared at her.

Seriously? Asking *if* your husband died with a question mark? That was a lie. Plain and simple. Stupid mommy!

So… was that big bad guy… actually his dad?

Momo felt his blood boil. He was furious—not just at the man, but at Mommy for lying.

He decided then and there—he *had* to find that man. He needed answers.

Who was he?

Why was he tormenting Mommy?

And why the hell did he abandon his own children?

Wen Xuxu had no idea what was swirling in her son’s head. She was too busy packing, rushing to get everything ready before heading back to the shabby apartment.

Just as she was putting the last box away, her brand-new phone on the table rang.

“Hello?”

“Ma’am, it’s Xiao Lin.”

Speak of the devil—here came the dog’s assistant.

Wen Xuxu tensed instantly. “Sorry, Xiao Lin—I haven’t seen my aunt and uncle in ages. They wouldn’t let me leave, insisted I stay for dinner… I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t worry, Ma’am,” Xiao Lin said smoothly. “I’m not calling to rush you back. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Huh?” Wen Xuxu frowned. “About what?”

She was stunned. *Talk to her?* About *something?*

With her status, how could they possibly *discuss* anything? Ever since that dog caught her, it had always been force, possession, domination—no negotiation, no conversation.

Now this? What game was this?