This agonizing choice tore at the boy's heart.
He didn't know what he should do.
It seemed that ever since his mother had fallen ill, he'd never known what to do.
He hated how useless he was.
"Rui Rui!"
The woman stepped forward to hug the boy. "It's okay. If they don't want Rui Rui, then they don't want him."
"Mom wants Rui Rui."
"Rui Rui is Mom's precious boy."
But the boy shoved her away, opened the door, and ran out.
"Rui Rui!"
The woman cried out. She wanted to chase after him, but a sudden fit of coughing stopped her.
She pressed a hand to her chest and bent over, coughing so hard she could barely catch her breath.
Her vision blurred.
Rui Rui.
A cup of water suddenly appeared in her field of vision. She froze, so utterly startled that even her violent coughing stopped.
Rui Rui...?
The woman jerked her head up, but the smile at the corner of her mouth stiffened before it could bloom.
"Who are you?"
"Have some water first."
Xiao Xiao gestured for the woman to take the cup.
Though she was utterly baffled, the young man's refined, gentle air and mild manner put her at ease before she could feel too wary.
Besides, her son had suddenly run off, she felt unwell, her throat hurt, and then there was that phone call earlier. She had no energy left to think about anything else.
She reached out and took the cup from him.
As she raised it and the water touched her lips, she glanced at the young man opposite her, her gaze somewhat complicated.
"Sorry. I took the liberty of using your thermos."
Xiao Xiao explained calmly, "I thought warm water would be better for you."