Chapter 56

Pei Nuo timidly peeked at An Zimo. The wound on his face from yesterday hadn't fully healed, and the abrupt scar stood out starkly against his fair skin.

Pei Nuo bit her lip, her long eyelashes slowly drooping.

She wasn't a bad child, and she knew it was wrong to hit people with stones. She should apologize, but she couldn't bring herself to say it because the image of the little sparrow dying kept haunting her mind, and just thinking about it made her feel terrible.

Pei Nuo didn't understand why the way to save a life was to let it die, when the little sparrow clearly wanted to live.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she stole several glances at him.

An Zimo didn't care about Pei Nuo's inner thoughts at all, and looked up at An Xiang, "Aren't we going to the store? Aren't we leaving?"

After being reminded, she remembered her main job and casually struck up a conversation with Pei Chen: "We're going to the store, Pei Chen, would you like to come along?"

"Speaking of this..." Pei Chen scratched his head sheepishly, "This afternoon we were going to a charity gala. Nuo Nuo and Yanyan were supposed to perform a show at the gala, but Pei Yan suddenly fell ill, and Nuo Nuo was too scared to go on stage alone..."

As she spoke, her gaze kept drifting towards An Zimo's face.

An Xiang immediately understood. "You want Zimo to replace Yanyan in the performance?"

"That's right." Pei Chen nodded. "After all, it's something we agreed on, so we can't go back on our word. It's just a children's song. Nuo Nuo can sing it, and Zimo can accompany him on the instrument. With his intelligence, he can learn it in no time."

An Xiang looked troubled. "... The problem is that our Zimo has never learned a musical instrument." The people in the village haven't even finished elementary school, let alone know how to play a musical instrument. She did remember that the original owner's maternal grandfather used to play the suona in the funeral procession, but An Zimo was intellectually disabled a few years ago, so he probably couldn't learn to play the suona, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to perform it on stage.

Pei Chen didn't see this as a problem at all, and directly boasted on An Zimo's behalf. "With your intelligence, Master Mo, learning a mere piano is a piece of cake." He then smiled obsequiously, "Right, Master Mo?"

An Ziming felt comfortable being addressed An Zimo".

He lazily raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting intentionally or unintentionally towards Pei Nuo. After a moment, his gaze shifted, and he said in a flat voice, "Ask her, don't ask me."

The little girl was still feeling wronged, An Zimo's nonchalant tone immediately made her pout and say sullenly, "I don't want to perform with the bird killer."

"Ha, who cares?" An Zimo hooked An Xiang's hand and forcefully pulled her outside.

An Xiang grabbed him helplessly. "Momo, wait a minute, Pei Chen and the others are still here."

An Zimo turned his head away, his face cold.

Pei Chen kept pleading with An Xiang's eyes, and even Nuo Nuo looked pitiful. She really couldn't bear to see the little girl so sad, but she also didn't want An Zimo to compromise. After all, the two of them had their own thoughts and positions on this matter, and it was meaningless to talk about right and wrong.

"Nuo Nuo, come here." An Xiang and beckoned to the little girl.

Pei Nuo walked up to her, tilted her head back, and obediently called out, "Great-Grandma~"

This address made An Xiang's ears burn, and she quickly corrected her, "Nuo Nuo, I'm not your great-grandmother, you can't just call me that."

"If you're not Great-Grandma, why did you have a baby with Great-Grandpa?" Pei Nuo's big eyes were full of ignorance as she pointed at An Zimo beside her and asked, "Could it be that Zimo is an illegitimate child?"

Children don't understand how malicious that word can be, but adults do. Pei Chen's expression changed instantly. He grabbed Pei Nuo and slapped her on the bottom, warning her in a low voice, "Pei Nuo, don't talk nonsense to me."

"I didn't say anything wrong, isn't that what they say on TV...?"

"Don't watch TV randomly anymore, go apologize!"

Pei Nuo knew she shouldn't have said those things and immediately realized her mistake. She rubbed her slapped bottom and walked to An Zimo, raising her eyelashes and slowly pouting, "Grandpa, I'm sorry~"

She's very well-behaved, and her sweet little voice is so endearing.

An Zimo's face remained tense, her expression extremely indifferent.

"I won't say anything out of line anymore, and I won't let Stone Tou lay a hand on me, okay?" Pei Nuo said, reaching out to grab An Zimo's hand.

He brushed her aside, crossed his arms, and ignored her.

Pei Nuo ran over again, unwilling to give up, "Grandpa, don't you want to be friends with Nuo Nuo anymore?"

An Zimo turned his back to her and said, "We were never friends to begin with."

Pei Nuo, seemingly unfazed by the fatigue, turned around again to look at his face, tilting her head as she said, "But I've always felt we're friends."

An Zimo: "I don't care what you think, I care what I think. I think we're not suited to be friends."

Pei Nuo's eyes flickered, and finally, biting her nails, she said in a soft, sweet voice, "So what you think is yours, and what I think is mine. I think Grandpa and I are good friends."

"..."

Pei Nuo is quick-witted and has her own set of logical arguments. She doesn't lose out to her genius grandfather with an IQ of 150 at all, and her last sentence leaves him speechless.

"I've already apologized to you, please forgive me~" Pei Nuo grabbed An Zimo's arm and started to act coquettishly.

He remained unmoved. "No." Why should we accept someone else's apology? There's no such thing as that in this world.

Let go, I'm leaving.

Pei Nuo blinked, but stubbornly refused to let go.

"Will you let me go or not!" An Zimo's eyes widened in anger, his impatience reaching its peak.

He shouted, but Pei Nuo yelled even louder, "My hand doesn't understand human speech, so if you're so capable, talk to it! Why are you yelling at it!"

The young girl was unreasonable yet arrogant, An Zimo's breath caught in his throat, all his anger seeping into his chest.

An Xiang watched in disbelief. So, to deal with a brat, you really need to use another brat? She had never seen her son get such a humiliation before, but to be honest, it felt pretty good.

"Okay, okay, stop arguing." An Xiang a little afraid that her son would get too angry and hit someone, so she quickly stepped forward to separate them. "Nuo Nuo, is it true that you won't bother Momo as long as he goes to perform with you?"

"Yes!" Pei Nuo nodded emphatically, "Grandpa and I are good friends, and Nuo Nuo wants to perform a show with Grandpa."

She had just said that An Zimo was the bird killer and she didn't want to be with him, but the TV said that girls are fickle, Pei Nuo decided not to mention the bird anymore and to reconcile with her grandfather.

Moreover, there would be many children of similar age to her at the banquet. Pei Nuo was inherently a shy and reserved girl, and since she was in an unfamiliar place with no one there and her brother wasn't around, she would naturally be scared. But if An Zimo would be with her, she would feel completely at ease.

"That Momo..."

"OK."

He agreed readily, which surprised An Xiang. When did her son become so easy to talk to?

An Zimo smiled maliciously, "However, I can't play the piano, but I can play the suona."

Suona, suona??

An Xiang gasped in surprise; she and her son could actually play the suona.

Pei Chen looked at him with an expression that said, "Are you trying to cause trouble?" Although the charity gala was privately organized and not overly elegant, it was still a proper occasion. Playing the suona amidst a symphony orchestra—who were they trying to send off?

"An Zimo, don't try to fool me. How could someone so young possibly blow that thing?"

Believe it or not, it's true or it's true.

An Zimo was gifted with a wide range of talents from a young age, and he learned everything quickly, including music theory. He was naturally good at piano and violin, and he learned to play the suona by listening to his great-grandfather perform funerals. Although he was mentally challenged at the time, he remembered everything after he regained his senses. He would definitely not be able to learn difficult songs, but he had no problem with simple children's songs.

Pei Nuo just wants him to be a tool, so be it?

Pei Chen's lips twitched uncontrollably. He was just about to suggest getting his sister a different partner when he saw the little fool clinging to An Zimo's neck like a koala, her smile radiating happiness. "The suona must be the suona! Grandpa will play the suona, and Nuo Nuo will sing for Grandpa."

"Sis, why don't you just play a solo?" Pei Chen was worried sick. The organizer of this banquet was Pei Yizhou's long-term partner. Playing the suona was fine; he could play it however he wanted at home.

The key issue is that there are many people and distractions at the banquet. If he upsets everyone, it will result in losses for the business, and he can't bear the responsibility of being scolded by his great-grandfather.

"No!" Pei Nuo shook her head. "I don't want to be alone, I'm scared!"

She was afraid. She was afraid that she would get nervous, and if she got nervous, she would embarrass herself, and if she embarrassed herself, the other children would laugh at her.

The atmosphere was tense, and Pei Chen was caught in a dilemma.

At this moment, An Xiang stepped forward and said, "Should we ask Mr. Pei? If he says it's no problem, then let's do it this way." Thinking about it carefully, it's quite cute for a child to play the suona. People in that setting are probably used to piano and violin, so the suona will attract their attention.

"Then... then you ask?" Pei Chen was a little timid, afraid of being scolded by his elders.

"Okay, I'll ask."

Without saying a word, An Xiang sent a message to Pei Yizhou.

[An Xiang: You heard about Pei Nuo's performance, right? Pei Chen wants Momo to replace Pei Yan, but Zimo only knows how to play the suona, so he wanted to ask if it would be feasible for her to perform at the banquet.]

Pei Yizhou: Okay.

[An Xiang: Won't this cause you any trouble?]

[Pei Yizhou: No, they wouldn't dare find me troublesome.]

[An Xiang:...]

This guy is really arrogant.

An Xiang shook her head helplessly and continued typing: [Okay, I'll have Momo go with you this afternoon.]

[Pei Yizhou: Momo is with me, can you rest assured?]

This question stumped An Xiang.

She was definitely worried about letting her son go to such an event, but it wasn't convenient for her to go along herself.

[Pei Yizhou: I need a female companion.]

[An Xiang:?]

[Pei Yizhou: I think I've made it very clear.]

She gripped her phone tightly, glanced at the two children still nagging, then looked down at the screen, and finally spoke tactfully, "[I can't dance, and I don't have a dress. How about I wait for you outside, and you can bring Momo out after his performance.]"

This was the most suitable solution she could think of.

Unexpectedly, the man made the decision for her directly. "[I'll have the stylist go over later. You tell them to start practicing the piece now.]"

"..."

She wasn't given a chance to refuse at all.

An Xiang lowered her arms and loosened her shoulders. "He agreed, but I want to go with him as his date."

It would have been better if this hadn't been brought up, because it made Pei Chen jealous again.

He regretted not being a few years younger! But now that their child is old enough to run errands, there's nothing he can do about his jealousy.

Soon, the stylist arranged by Pei Yizhou arrived at the house, along with his assistant who came to deliver the suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument). An Xiang was getting her hair and makeup done at home alone, while An Zimo took the suona to the next room to practice her music.

The building has decent soundproofing, but even the best soundproofing can't stop the penetrating power of a rogue's musical instrument. Luckily, only the two families live in the building, otherwise they would definitely be the subject of complaints.

While getting her hair done, An Xiang listened to the sounds coming from the next room. The piece seemed to be called "The Little Worm Flies," which was originally a peaceful and moving piece, but An Zimo had managed to make it sound like a funeral dirge.

An Xiang was lying in a chair with a face mask on, started to panic. Was it really okay for her son to perform this piece on stage?

The more An Xiang thought about it, the more uneasy she became, so she couldn't help but send a message to Pei Yizhou to confirm again.

[An Xiang: How about having the two children play together? I don't think the suona is quite suitable.]

[Pei Yizhou: It's alright, it's quite unique.]

[An Xiang:.]

[Pei Yizhou: I'm still working on a project. I'll pick you up when I'm done.]

[An Xiang: Aww.]

Pei Yizhou patted my incredibly smart head.

An Xiang stared at the screen for a long time. "..." Something's not right.

While she was lost in thought, she heard a soft laugh above her. She lifted her eyelids and saw that the stylist was smiling ambiguously, clearly having seen everything on the screen. Caught red-handed, An Xiang felt her face burning and quickly covered her phone screen with her chest, no longer allowing anyone to peek.

"President Pei speaks to you so sweetly."

"Doesn't he get along well at work?" An Xiang with a hint of curiosity.

The stylist shook his head. "President Pei isn't easy to get along with. The lower-level employees rarely see him; even the higher-ups are quite afraid of him. Even we, who do his hair and makeup, don't dare to talk to him."

Pei Yizhou's aura was so strong that ordinary people didn't dare to approach him, and even the staff who could get close didn't dare to get too intimate.

An Xiang couldn't help but say in surprise, "I thought he would be very popular with girls."

The stylist laughed and said, "Girls are more afraid of President Pei. Have you met Secretary Zhao? She told me that her happiest time of day is after work, and that if it weren't for the salary, she wouldn't want to spend a single minute with President Pei."

An Xiang still found it hard to believe. In her memory, Pei Yizhou, though aloof and taciturn, was a gentle and gentlemanly man, and also handsome.

Thinking of how passionate he looked, An Xiang a dryness in her throat and quickly closed her eyes to stop her mind from wandering.

They were quietly getting their hair and makeup done undisturbed when suddenly a loud knock on the door drew everyone's attention.

The makeup assistant went to open the door, and Pei Yan was standing outside.

The little guy was wearing pajamas, hugging a teddy bear, and had a fever. He had snot hanging from his nose, but he didn't have time to wipe it away.

"Think about it..." Pei Yan walked unsteadily to her side.

An Xiang turned her head and looked over. That pitiful look immediately softened her expression, and she asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Pei Yan coughed a few times, his voice weak. "It's too noisy over there, can I sleep here?" One minute it was An Zimo playing high notes on the suona, the next it was Pei Nuo practicing her singing. His heart was like it was on a roller coaster, going up and down, so exciting!

An Xiang roughly understood the situation and patted his head. "Then you can sleep in Momo's room, but you might not be used to his bed."

"It's okay, I'm not picky."

Pei Yan sneezed again, took out a tissue from his pocket, obediently wiped his nose, and turned to walk into An Zimo's room.

Pei Yan, who had just said he wasn't picky, fell silent as he looked at the large coffin placed in the center of the house.

Although he wasn't human, he wasn't actually a ghost either.

Pei Yan, with a long face, didn't bother to be picky and climbed over the small steps into the coffin.

--Actually, it's quite comfortable...

As I drifted off to sleep, the sound of the suona horn began again.

"The dark sky hung low..."

"Followed by countless bright stars..."

Pei Yan's eyelids twitched. He straightened up, found the button to control the coffin lid, and pressed it twice. The two lids slowly closed from both sides.

He breathed a sigh of relief and had just closed his eyes—

"The Little Worm Flies... the Little Worm Flies..."

As Pei Yan lay in his coffin, listening to the suona horn, he had a vague feeling that he was about to die young.

He might be that insect, destined to be sent away once the song ends.

A strange sadness welled up in Pei Yan's heart, and she turned over and began to sob.

"Oh dear, Mommy, please take me away! I don't want to live anymore."

**

Three hours later, An Xiang finally finished her styling. At the same time, the practice next door also ended, and the three children came over together.

The stylist waved to them, "Come and see if she looks good!"

An Xiang turned around, clutching her skirt, too embarrassed to look up, and asked nervously, "W-how is it?"

The room was silent, and everyone's eyes were on her.

An Xiang, at the center of attention, wore a starry fishtail dress. The backless, fitted style perfectly showcased her curvaceous figure, and the slit in the skirt revealed glimpses of her fair legs. Her hair was simply styled in natural, slightly wavy curls that draped over her shoulders, revealing her sexy and alluring collarbone beneath her black hair.

She was undeniably beautiful; her features, enhanced by light makeup, were as exquisite as a painting.

Pei Chen, the inexperienced young man, was stunned, and even An Zimo stared at her, unable to look away.

An Zimo's mother was wonderful, more wonderful than he had ever seen before.

Her figure was enveloped in sunlight, but her smile was warmer than the sun itself. Her eyes held starlight and the Milky Way, gentle and captivating, making one irresistibly drawn to her.

An Zimo walked a few steps away, lost in thought.

But before he could get there, Pei Nuo pounced on An Xiang and threw himself into her arms.

"Great-Grandma, you're like Disney princess."

"Pfft." An Xiang couldn't help but burst out laughing, pinching her soft cheek and saying with a smile, "It's not that exaggerated."

She grinned and hugged An Xiang tightly, rubbing against her repeatedly.

An Zimo stopped, pursed his lips, and returned to his original position.

"Momo, do Mommy look pretty like this?"

An Xiang's claim of being her Mommy startled the group of people who came. Then, noticing the resemblance between An Zimo's eyebrows and Pei Yizhou's features, the stylists exchanged a Momo glance.

"It's alright," An Zimo replied perfunctorily, with a listless expression.

"Okay, you can't hug your sister anymore, or your dress will get wrinkled." The stylist pulled Pei Nuo away and took out a pair of low-heeled shoes with only three centimeters in height. "President Pei said your foot was recently injured, so he didn't dare prepare shoes that were too high for you. These shoes are very comfortable, you can try them on."

An Xiang sit down and change her shoes. They were a pair of understated yet luxurious crystal sandals, and you could tell they were expensive just by looking at the craftsmanship of the soles.

These shoes are very light on the feet. Although they are studded with many small rhinestones, they don't feel cumbersome or uncomfortable, and they are very comfortable to walk in.

"How are you feeling, Miss An?"

"It's fine." An Xiang, then tried to walk a few more steps.

As they were talking, the doorbell rang again, and this time it was Pei Yizhou who came.

She turned around, and their eyes met.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Pei Yan: Who still remembers me?

Pei Yizhou: I have a name! I have a name!!!!!

**

Two hundred yuan red envelope.

This is a double update combined!!

I caught some insects.