Free Web NovelChapter 141: Chapter 141: A Talk
"Mom, what’s wrong?"
Little Tang Mo was the most sensitive. He noticed something was off with Su Li after Tang Yuanxiao left and couldn’t help but ask.
"It’s nothing." Su Li shook her head and let out a breath.
’After all, it’s a divorce. It’s only normal to feel empty inside.’
’The word ’separation’ itself is a sad one.’
’Even quitting a job feels bad, doesn’t it?’
’You might have been talking about quitting for ages, and finally leaving that company should have felt great, but when the moment actually comes, you’re filled with a mix of unpleasant feelings.’
’Emptiness... Nothing but emptiness.’
’If quitting a job is like that, it’s normal to feel empty after a divorce.’
Su Li gathered her thoughts and pulled herself together, then picked up Little Tang Mo, who was watching her intently. "Little Mo, come on, let’s have a talk."
’Let’s have a talk’ was something adults often said.
Upon hearing this, Little Tang Mo immediately put on a serious expression. "Okay." freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"Go ahead, Mom."
He looked at Su Li with earnest eyes.
"Mm-hmm." Su Li nodded.
Many children, especially very young ones, have short attention spans. They constantly fidget, and their eyes dart everywhere.
When an adult tries to tell them something, they might agree, but their lack of focus always makes you wonder if they’ve actually remembered anything.
Strangely, Little Tang Mo wasn’t like that. free𝑤ebnovel.com
He had a pair of eyes that seemed to see right through you and an earnestness that set him apart from other children.
When he looked at you, waiting for you to speak, his eyes were focused. You could be certain he was listening, certain he would remember.
Just like now.
"Little Mo, do you like your dad?"
Little Tang Mo thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I do." After another thought, he added, "But I like Mom more."
"I know, you like Mom and Grandma more," Su Li said with a small laugh.
Little Tang Mo nodded happily.
’That’s normal, too. Tang Yuanxiao spent so little time with him. If it weren’t for their natural bond as father and son, they’d practically be strangers.’
"Here’s the thing, Little Mo. From now on, you’ll be going to school here, and I’ll be going to school at the place we came from yesterday. We might have to be apart."
Su Li began to broach the subject.
"Apart? For how long? Can you come back at night?"
Little Tang Mo’s thoughts were clear.
"I can’t." Su Li was direct. "You know my school is very far from here. So, from now on, you’ll have to live here with your dad."
Little Tang Mo’s brow furrowed immediately. "No, I want to be with Mom."
"You need to be with your dad. You’ve always been with Grandma and me, and you’ve spent very little time with your dad. Now, you need to spend more time with him."
Su Li’s tone was calm but firm.
Little Tang Mo didn’t say anything, so Su Li continued.
"I don’t want to be away from you either, Little Mo, but there’s no other way. It’s just like how your dad missed you before but couldn’t be at home. Sometimes, things are just out of our hands."
Little Tang Mo’s eyes grew red. "I just want to be with Mom and Dad."
’Is it so hard for Mom and Dad to be together?’
"Little Mo, I don’t like your dad, so we won’t be living together anymore. We’re going to separate."
Su Li didn’t use the word "divorce" with Little Tang Mo, but she had to explain what it meant.
Su Li paused, trying to find the right words, not expecting that Little Tang Mo understood things more clearly than she had imagined.
He asked Su Li, "Will you still be my mom then?"
Su Li froze for a second.
Seeing Su Li’s expression, Little Tang Mo’s eyes began to well up with tears. "Will you still be my mom?"
he asked again.
"Yes, I will always be your mom," Su Li answered hastily.
"Liar." Tears dripped down Little Tang Mo’s cheeks.
"You’re lying, Mom! I know everything! If you’re not with Dad anymore, you won’t be my mom. You... you don’t want me anymore, do you?"
Su Li was completely stunned.
"Little Mo, who told you these things?"
Little Tang Mo’s vision blurred with tears. "Nobody had to tell me. I already knew. I’m not like Brother Gou Dan and the others. I have two moms. They all say you’re not my real mom."
He let out a sob. "You only became my mom because you married Dad. If you’re not with Dad anymore, you won’t be my mom, right?"
Su Li looked at Little Tang Mo, speechless.
’So Little Tang Mo knew about this all along. He understood so much more than she gave him credit for.’
Seeing the tears on Little Tang Mo’s face, her heart clenched. She frantically wiped his tears away. "Little Mo."
Little Tang Mo took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.
"When I was little, I saw that everyone else had a mom, so I asked Grandma for one. Grandma showed me a photo and said that was my mom... So I started calling the photo ’Mom’."
"But then you came, and Grandma told me that you were my mom."
"I didn’t understand back then. Later... I grew to like you, so I wanted you to be my mom... But I was always afraid you’d stop being my mom and not want me anymore..."
Su Li knew what happened after that. She just never imagined that Little Tang Mo had known all this when he was so young.
’Was this why he was so insecure? Was he always afraid she would abandon him because he understood all this?’
"Little Mo, just like you said, I’m not your birth mother. But I will not abandon you. I never will."
Su Li promised in a soft voice.
"You’re lying. You don’t want Dad anymore, so you’re not my mom."
But Little Tang Mo’s mind was remarkably clear. He grabbed Su Li’s hand. "Mom, please just be my mom, okay? Dad... Dad is really dumb, but I’ll teach him."
Su Li: "..."
She heaved a deep sigh. "Little Mo, I don’t like your dad, and I have to separate from him. But I like *you*, so I won’t ever leave you."
Little Tang Mo pouted and said nothing.
Su Li paused. "You’re just going to live with your dad for a while. It’s just like before. Dad isn’t with you every day, but he still loves you very much. It’s the same with me. I won’t be with you every day, but I love you, too."
Little Tang Mo held Su Li’s hand, still not speaking.
So Su Li had no choice but to continue. "And it won’t be like it was with you and your dad before. We can still see each other often. From Monday to Friday, you and I both have school. But on Saturdays and Sundays, we can see each other!"
Little Tang Mo’s eyes lit up. "Really? So you’ll still be my mom?"
Su Li gritted her teeth and nodded. "Yes. You can always call me Mom. After your dad and I really separate, you’ll have to call me ’Teacher’ in front of other people. But when we’re alone, you can still call me Mom."
Little Tang Mo pouted, not entirely satisfied. However, since he had always called Su Li "Teacher" at school back in Xinghua Village, he was used to the title and liked it, so he wasn’t that resistant.
Seeing his expression, Su Li let out a small sigh of relief.
"If you miss me, I’ll come see you. And you can come find me, too. It’ll be just like when you were in Xinghua Village and I was in the county town."
Little Tang Mo cut in, "But I’ll miss you every day."
Su Li: "...I’ll miss you every day, too. But there’s nothing we can do about it, is there?"
Little Tang Mo tried to find a solution himself. "Can’t I go to school with you like I used to?"
Su Li sighed. "No, you can’t. This time, I’m going to class, too. I’m a student, not a teacher."
Little Tang Mo sighed, too.
Su Li pressed on, continuing to console Little Tang Mo.
「At the same time, a serious conversation was taking place in the supervisor’s office.」
