Chapter 284: Kinship

The morning sun bathed the winding mountain path, stretching their three shadows long and thin.

The journey down the mountain felt much lighter than the ascent. The Daoist priest’s words had put all three of them at ease.

Chen Xi walked with a spring in her step, a radiant smile she couldn’t hide gracing her face.

She kept glancing back, her eyes lingering on Chen Mo and Su Yuqing walking side by side. The curve of her lips widened with every look.

The phrase “a match made in heaven” seemed to stamp a golden seal on her deepest hopes, soothing her so completely that even the verdant mountains seemed especially beautiful.

After coming down the mountain, the family enjoyed a nice meal together. Then, Chen Xi dropped Chen Mo and Su Yuqing off at home, tactfully choosing not to stay and be a third wheel.

However, just as she was about to leave, Chen Mo suddenly stopped her.

“Mom, you and Dad came back for my college entrance exams. When are you planning on leaving?”

“What’s this? Are you tired of your mother after seeing me just a few times?” Chen Xi teased, shooting Chen Mo a playful look.

“What are you talking about? I’m not annoyed in the slightest. I was actually hoping you could stay a little longer.”

“But I know you probably can’t stay for as long as you’d like, so I just wanted to know your plans ahead of time. Before you go, you have to at least let me cook a meal for you. We don’t get to see each other often, and as your son, I haven’t had many chances to do something for you two. You have to give me the opportunity,” Chen Mo replied with a smile.

Chen Xi, who usually had such a carefree and boisterous demeanor, suddenly turned her head away after hearing his words.

‘Normally, a boy Chen Mo’s age would be the most annoyed by his parents’ supervision.’

‘During the rebellious phase of puberty, the last thing kids want is their parents nagging them endlessly. They’d be thrilled to have their parents gone.’

‘Chen Xi had assumed Chen Mo would find her and Chen Miao annoying. That’s why, even though they saw their son so rarely, she had reined in her desire to see him every day since she got back, trying her best not to upset him.’

‘But she never expected him to be so sad to see them go. He was so thoughtful, even offering to cook a meal for them himself.’

In that moment, a wave of emotion washed over her, and Chen Xi’s eyes instantly welled with tears.

Had this been the original high-school-aged Chen Mo, he probably would have thought his parents’ absence was a great thing.

High school is a time when one’s sense of self is at its peak, and the need for freedom is greatest.

At that age, any command or attempt at management from a parent feels like a repulsive invasion of their personal space.

It’s only natural for a teenager to push back against that.

But the Chen Mo of today had returned from a future life as a criminal police officer. He understood better than anyone the importance of friendship, family, and romantic love.

Without those things, a person might as well be a walking corpse.

He deeply missed the parents he so rarely saw and longed for them to stay for good.

Even if staying together for the long term would inevitably lead to conflicts due to generational differences in lifestyle and habits, it was still far better than being apart.

That was why Chen Mo couldn’t bear the thought of his parents leaving.

Most importantly, he had already experienced the pain of losing his grandparents.

He valued this rediscovered family bond more than ever before and cherished it with all his heart.

“Your birthday is in about half a month, isn’t it? Even if your dad and I leave, we’ll be back to celebrate with you.” Chen Xi took out a handkerchief, turned her back to Chen Mo to wipe her tears, and then faced him again, her expression full of adoration for her son.

She and Chen Mo usually just bantered and joked around; she rarely assumed the traditional role of a mother with him.

‘For one, they hadn’t seen each other in so long that she worried being too formal would feel awkward.’

‘For another, acting like a mother could easily make her words sound pressuring.’

‘She much preferred for her son to feel a sense of closeness with her.’

But this time, in a rare display of maternal affection, she reached out, cupped Chen Mo’s face in her hands, and stroked his cheeks gently. “You’re a grown-up now. In the future, you’ll need your father and me less and less. I just hope you won’t find it annoying when we do show up.”

“I never will,” Chen Mo said with a gentle smile, taking his mother’s hands in his.

The pair, whose interactions usually consisted of playful bickering, shared a rare, serious moment.

Chen Xi paused, her gaze tender and earnest. “Momo, remember this: no matter how old you get or how far you go, in your father’s and my hearts, you will always be our child.”

“We may have… we may have missed many important moments as you were growing up. We couldn’t be there for you every day like other parents, and that’s our biggest regret.”

“But our love and concern for you have never lessened, not even for a second.”

She slowly pulled back her hands and patted Chen Mo’s firm shoulder, as if trying to pour all her love and hopes into him with the gesture. “You’ve grown up. You’ve really grown up. You know how to be considerate, how to cherish what you have, and how to understand… that life isn’t easy for anyone.”

“That’s enough. That’s more than enough.”

“As for that meal, I’ll hold you to it! But I’m afraid we won’t have time for it on this trip. Your dad and I have to head back this afternoon.”

“On your birthday, I’ll come back and taste your cooking. After all, a child’s birthday is the day their mother suffered most. I’ll make you longevity noodles, and you can make me a thank-you meal. That sounds wonderful.”

With that, Chen Xi took a deep breath, as if forcing all her emotions back down. In an instant, her usual energetic expression returned, though the corners of her eyes were still damp. Her smile, however, was exceptionally genuine and warm. “Alright, I really have to go now. There’s an important meeting waiting. You two behave yourselves at home, and no fighting! Qingqing is a wonderful girl, so you treat her right!”

She gave Chen Mo one last, deep look, a gaze filled with a thousand unspoken words—pride, relief, reluctance, and blessings. Then she turned, her steps even lighter than before, and left, filled with a sense of settled satisfaction and hopeful anticipation.

Chen Mo stood in the doorway, watching his mother’s back disappear around the corner. He couldn’t bring himself to say a single word, but the tender smile on his face lingered for a long, long time.

He could almost still feel the warmth of his mother’s palm on his cheek. The sensation sent him back to his childhood, to the feeling of being coddled and cherished in his mother’s arms.

‘Even though Mom had always pushed him to be self-reliant, she was never short on affection when it mattered.’

Recalling his childhood brought a wave of nostalgia over Chen Mo.

‘Those carefree days of being able to act like a spoiled child without a single worry in the world… they were gone forever.’