Free Web NovelChapter 247: Chapter 247: The Custody Battle
Su Li rushed back to the Imperial City at nine o’clock.
She took Little Tang Mo to the hospital as fast as she could.
After showing the previous doctor’s diagnostic records to the ER doctor there, he immediately arranged for the boy to be admitted.
Su Li paid the fees, completed the paperwork, and got Little Tang Mo started on an IV drip. Then, she borrowed some pots and pans from the people in the next room to make some congee for him.
To accommodate families from out of town and help them save money, a room had been sectioned off in the inpatient building’s hallway, specifically for patients’ families to cook meals.
The hospital director had specially set up this room after a few incidents. Some family members who had traveled from far away ran out of money for food on top of the medical bills. Some were found rummaging through trash cans, which made them sick, while others had even fainted from hunger right there in the hospital.
People could bring their own cookware, or use the ones provided by the hospital if they didn’t have any.
Su Li made some congee in the hallway kitchen, waiting for Little Tang Mo to wake up and eat.
Unfortunately, Little Tang Mo never woke up.
Following the nurse’s advice, Su Li could only wet his lips with a water-dipped cotton swab.
Around dawn, when the doctor on duty came for his final rounds, he saw Su Li and carefully checked on Little Tang Mo before trying to reassure her.
"It’s okay, don’t worry too much. He’s just exhausted and fast asleep. Sleeping like this is actually good for his recovery. He’ll wake up tomorrow."
"Okay, thank you," Su Li said hurriedly.
Su Li walked the doctor out, and as soon as she reached the door, she saw Tang Yuanxiao standing outside.
The smile on Su Li’s face vanished in an instant.
"I came to see Momo," Tang Yuanxiao said, his voice hoarse.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was utterly bleak.
Su Li shot Tang Yuanxiao a cold glance. "Go ahead and look. Look from the doorway. Just don’t let your voice scare him."
She didn’t move from her spot blocking the doorway. After Tang Yuanxiao had a look, she turned and shut the door to the room.
Tang Yuanxiao clenched his jaw, struggling to control his emotions.
"Did you get the message I had the manager relay to you?"
Tang Yuanxiao nodded, his voice tight with restraint. "I did."
"I mean what I say." Su Li stared into Tang Yuanxiao’s eyes. "Whether it’s about your mother or custody."
"Of course, if you don’t want to go to court with me over Little Mo, there’s another way. You can admit that Little Mo is not a biological child of the Tang Family and voluntarily give up your custody rights. Everything will be resolved. The choice is yours."
Tang Yuanxiao couldn’t bring himself to ask Su Li not to sue Mrs. Tang. He simply said,
"Su Li, Momo wouldn’t want this either..."
Su Li cut him off. "I’m just informing you of the situation. All you have to do is give me an answer and make a choice."
"Tomorrow, I’ll start preparing the lawsuit. If you haven’t given me an answer before I file, I will proceed with legal action. I’ll also arrange for an international paternity test."
Tang Yuanxiao closed his eyes. "Momo is my son. I won’t give up custody of him."
Su Li closed her eyes as well, then pointed at the hospital room door. "After seeing Little Mo like that, can you still say those words?"
"If you don’t give up custody of Little Mo, then what will you do about your mother? Have you ever tried to see it from his perspective? From Little Mo’s point of view, how can you expect him to accept going back to that house?"
Su Li clenched her jaw tightly. "Little Mo trembles at the mere sound of your mother’s voice now. How can you make him go back? How can he go back to the room where he nearly died?"
"Tang Yuanxiao, do you want your mother to rot in prison, or do you want Little Mo to die?"
A wave of grief washed over Tang Yuanxiao. "That won’t happen. Su Li, believe me, it won’t."
Su Li shook her head. "No, I don’t believe you. If you don’t want Little Mo to die, then let him go."
A vein throbbed on Tang Yuanxiao’s forehead, but he didn’t yield.
Su Li looked away from him and said flatly, "There’s no point in talking anymore. You should go."
She turned to leave, but Tang Yuanxiao grabbed her arm.
"Su Li, I know you’re good to Momo, but you can’t raise him. How old are you... and Little Mo isn’t even your biological son. What will it look like for you to be raising him? You’ll want to get married again someday... What if someone looks down on him?"
"I’m Little Mo’s father. I should be the one to raise him. I promise, I will treat him well for the rest of my life and I’ll make sure he never gets hurt again."
Su Li turned back and pried his hand away, piece by piece. "You don’t need to worry about my affairs. Even if I never marry, I will raise Little Mo well."
’If Little Tang Mo were happy and healthy, I might have been able to let go. But that wasn’t the situation at all!’
’I won’t give up on Little Tang Mo again this time.’
’Every time I hesitated, every time I tried to distance myself from Little Tang Mo, something like this would happen.’
’This time, Little Tang Mo barely made it out alive. Who could guarantee he would be so lucky next time?’
’Time and time again... it’s been enough.’ fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
’This must be fate. It must be destined that I can’t keep my distance from Little Tang Mo.’
’Seeing him like this, how could I possibly let go?’
’I can’t bear to, and what’s more, I simply can’t.’
’Aside from my naive years before I turned eighteen, Little Tang Mo was the entire focus and meaning of my previous life.’
’I can’t send Little Tang Mo to his death.’
Su Li didn’t leave Little Tang Mo’s bedside all night.
Tang Yuanxiao stood guard outside the room all night.
The next day, Su Li and Tang Yuanxiao came face-to-face once again.
"Have you made up your mind?" Su Li got straight to the point.
"Su Li, I can’t give up on Momo," Tang Yuanxiao said, shaking his head.
Su Li let out a long breath. "Little Mo isn’t your biological son, is he?"
Tang Yuanxiao shook his head. "No, he is my biological son."
’He is my biological son. I can spend my whole life watching over just this one son.’
Su Li stared at Tang Yuanxiao for a long time without speaking.
"Tang Yuanxiao, for the first time, I am so thankful that I divorced you."
When Su Li spoke again, her tone was eerily calm.
’What a joke. "He is my biological son." To say that at a time like this is just laughable.’
’I made myself so clear last night, I asked him so plainly, yet today he still has nothing to say.’
’All he can say is that he can’t give up on Little Tang Mo, that "he is my biological son." Just that one dry, repetitive line. He hasn’t said a single word about what he’ll do about Mrs. Tang’s actions.’
’No promises, no countermeasures. Just one sentence: "I won’t give up on Little Tang Mo."’
’Heh...’
’Su Li suddenly thought that even if Little Tang Mo hadn’t been lost in her previous life, neither she nor the boy would have ever been happy.’
’Because sooner or later, the truth about Little Tang Mo’s parentage would have been revealed, and a situation like this might still have been unavoidable...’
’A mother-in-law like Mrs. Tang, plus a man like Tang Yuanxiao.’
’How could she and Little Tang Mo ever have been happy?’
’After being reborn, Su Li found herself getting to know Tang Yuanxiao all over again, time after time. Today was no different.’
Su Li didn’t want to waste any more words.
She ignored Tang Yuanxiao’s stunned gaze and changed the subject.
"I have my own understanding of the relationship between Mo Jianjun and Little Mo."
"I don’t know what you all went through back then, or how Little Mo became your son. I’m sure you have your hardships and your reasons. But none of those are reasons for me to give up on Little Mo. A paternity test will tell me whether he’s your biological son or not, and the court will decide who gets custody based on the circumstances."
"Tang Yuanxiao, I’ll see you in court."
