Free Web NovelChapter 258: Chapter 258: Request to Withdraw the Lawsuit
Little Tang Mo had just been startled, but he calmed down after Su Li spoke.
Su Li soothed Little Tang Mo before leaving the room.
After closing the door, Su Li rubbed her throbbing temples. She shook her dizzy head, trying to wake herself up.
"Who is it?" Su Li asked.
"It’s me." Tang Yuanxiao’s voice came from outside.
Su Li frowned. She glanced back at the closed bedroom door, then, after a moment’s thought, opened the front door.
Tang Yuanxiao looked at Su Li and asked hoarsely, "Can I come in?"
’Of course he can’t come in. It would be bad if Little Tang Mo heard his voice.’
After a moment’s thought, Su Li stepped outside, leaving the door cracked open behind her.
Tang Yuanxiao needed to know about Little Tang Mo’s condition. Just as Su Li was about to tell him, Tang Yuanxiao spoke.
"The people from the court went to the family compound yesterday."
Su Li nodded. She wasn’t surprised.
Tang Yuanxiao’s hands slowly clenched into fists. "My mom was so scared she fainted. They had to rush her to the clinic to revive her."
Su Li’s already indifferent expression grew cold. She stared at Tang Yuanxiao without saying a word.
When she didn’t respond, Tang Yuanxiao fell silent for a moment before forcing himself to continue.
"Su Li, my mom... she regrets it. She’s truly learned her lesson this time. She’ll never do it again, and she’ll treat Momo well. She won’t lay a hand on him again..."
Su Li cut him off.
"I believe she truly regrets it, but..." Su Li said with a humorless smile, "her remorse always has a very short shelf life. It passes quickly. I have experience with this, and you’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you?"
’Back in Xinghua Village, when she misunderstood and thought I had sold Little Tang Mo, Mrs. Tang was filled with regret, wasn’t she?’
’Her regret was genuine, but it was also brief. Soon after, she caused that scene trying to catch me with another man, instantly forgetting all her prior remorse.’
’After that... Mrs. Tang regretted it again, sick to her stomach with remorse.’
’But... what good did it do? After we came here to the Imperial City, what did she do next?’
Su Li had seen right through Mrs. Tang. "Her regret is a fleeting thing. She’ll go right back to her old ways. I don’t believe her."
Thinking of the past, Tang Yuanxiao was utterly ashamed.
"Su Li, this time is different. It won’t be like before. I’ve explained Little Mo’s origins to her. I swear she won’t treat him that way again..."
Su Li cut him off again. "No, she will."
Su Li’s expression turned serious. "Tang Yuanxiao, don’t you think there’s something wrong with her? She will never change. She has a sadistic streak... a penchant for tormenting people."
Tang Yuanxiao shook his head vehemently. "No, she’s not. She wouldn’t. That was just because she was angry. It was an accident."
Su Li sneered. "No, she is. That’s *exactly* what she is!"
’Mrs. Tang is exactly that kind of person. In her last life, she abused me. In this life, she turned to Little Tang Mo...’
’At first, I also thought she just got radical when she was angry. But after seeing Little Tang Mo, I was certain. Mrs. Tang is sick in the head!’
’The victim was different, but her methods were almost identical!’
Tang Yuanxiao looked at Su Li’s face, feeling both angry and powerless. "My mom... she’s just ignorant, short-sighted, and impulsive. But she truly loves Momo. She’ll be just like she was before."
Listening to him, Su Li felt a profound sense of helplessness as well.
"Go back to loving Little Mo like she did before? Tang Yuanxiao, are you insane, or am I just not awake yet?"
Su Li looked up and sighed, unable to even begin to describe her feelings.
’It was true. She too had once believed Mrs. Tang’s love for Little Tang Mo was unshakable. But who could have known that everything would change, that all that love would disappear, simply because he wasn’t related by blood?’
’Mrs. Tang’s love was so narrow-minded, based on nothing but blood. Six years of affection, gone in an instant...’
’Loving Little Mo like she did before? What a joke.’
Su Li didn’t even know why she was bothering to argue with Tang Yuanxiao so early in the morning.
"What is it you really came for?" Su Li asked bluntly.
’It can’t be what I think it is, can it?’
Under Su Li’s stare, Tang Yuanxiao lost the energy to argue. He gritted his teeth and forced the words out.
"I... I just wanted to ask if you could drop the lawsuit..."
He couldn’t continue, faltering under Su Li’s gaze.
Staring at Tang Yuanxiao, Su Li was once again at a loss for words to describe her feelings.
"I thought that, no matter what, you wouldn’t be able to bring yourself to say it... I can’t believe you actually did."
’After all that beating around the bush, I had a feeling this was coming. But hearing him actually say it felt different.’
"I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. Goodbye."
Su Li turned to go back inside, but Tang Yuanxiao grabbed her arm.
Tang Yuanxiao was in agony as he looked at Su Li’s impassive face.
"Su Li, I know she deserves to be punished. I didn’t say anything before, but she’s old. The court officers only just came yesterday, and she was so scared she fainted. The doctor said her condition is critical."
"He said she can’t handle any more emotional stress, or she could just... Su Li, I’m terrified she’s going to die."
"She’s not a brave woman. If she has to stand trial, let alone go to prison, she’ll really just..."
Tang Yuanxiao squeezed his eyes shut. "I can’t let her die like this... I just can’t..."
Su Li watched him, silent.
His hands were trembling. "I know what she did is unforgivable, and I know she deserves to be punished. I’m not trying to shield her, really. But I’m her son. I can’t just stand by and watch her die."
"She’s suffering so much right now; she’s already being punished. Su Li, please, just this once. Can’t you forgive her this one time?"
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t know how he managed to get the next words out.
"If you spare her this once, I’ll give up custody of Momo. I know what you’re afraid of. I’ll give him to you, and I’ll watch my mom. I’ll make sure she never does it again, okay?"
"I swear she’ll spend the rest of her life repenting and atoning for her sins..."
Su Li’s voice cut through his pleading. "And what if I don’t drop the suit?"
Her voice was terrifyingly calm, terrifyingly cold.
"Tang Yuanxiao, were those last words a threat?"
Tang Yuanxiao squeezed his eyes shut. "No, Su Li, I wasn’t. I’m not threatening you. I’m just out of options. She’s my mother. No matter how wrong she is, she’s still my mother. I can’t..."
"If I could, I’d go to prison in her place and atone for her sins... Su Li, please, just this once. This one last time. If she ever does it again, I swear I won’t give a damn if she lives or dies."
Tang Yuanxiao’s body was trembling as he summoned all his strength to continue.
"Really, just this once. Su Li, please, drop the suit? Momo is out of the hospital now, he’s all better..."
Hearing that last sentence, Su Li felt a knife twist violently in her heart.
She violently shook off his hand. "Momo’s better? Tang Yuanxiao, who told you he’s better?"
Tang Yuanxiao froze. "He... wasn’t he discharged? I just went to the hospital to ask. They said he was discharged, so I came straight here..."
"Yes, he was discharged! But Tang Yuanxiao, why didn’t you ask a few follow-up questions? Why didn’t you ask if he was discharged because he was *cured*?"
Su Li’s voice suddenly turned shrill.
"Tang Yuanxiao, he was discharged, but he isn’t better! He’s gone mute! He might never speak again for the rest of his life!" freewebnøvel.com
Tang Yuanxiao swayed on his feet.
"What? What did you just say?"
