Chapter 29: Stepfather
Mu Jia Shu could sense that Wen Shihe seemed particularly hostile toward him. He felt that the reasons Shen Ze had given last time for Wen Shihe’s hatred of Shen Shu weren’t enough—he was starting to get interested in the reason behind this animosity.
As the only person currently known to have ties to both the Shen Shu of the past and his own previous self, Mu Jia Shu felt that with a bit of careful guidance, this man’s identity could be quite useful.
He gave a slow smile and suddenly turned to look at Li Qing, finding the other glaring at him. He retracted his gaze and said nonchalantly, “That’s only natural. With the status of people like Wei Shao and Wen Shao, how could someone like me ever hope to curry favor even if I wanted to? I don’t have many skills, but ‘self-awareness’ is the one thing I possess.”
Not only did Li Qing look embarrassed, but even Wen Shihe’s expression changed. Though reluctant, he felt compelled to explain, “I can’t be compared to Wei Shao… You… if you don’t understand things, don’t talk nonsense.”
In this capital city, families like the Wei and Mu families had deep roots, occupying the top positions for generations. As for the Wen family, their pedigree was far inferior. No matter how mysterious their background or how powerful their backers, among those old-money families with generations of heritage, they would always be viewed as upstart nouveau riche.
Furthermore, he had already offended Wei Xun over something previously. After being taught a lesson, Wen Shihe couldn’t hide fast enough whenever he heard that name, let alone dare to compare himself to Wei Xun.
Forget about him not daring to compare himself; if Mu Jia Shu’s words actually got out, it would be enough to cause him a massive headache.
Mu Jia Shu let out a soft laugh. “Wen Shao is too modest.”
He said this with a mix of apparent sincerity and mockery. Wen Shihe was momentarily at a loss for words. Before he could react, Mu Jia Shu said, “I won’t take up any more of Wen Shao’s time. I’ll be going.”
He turned and left without a second glance. Li Qing couldn’t help but take a step forward. “Hey!”
But it was too late. Mu Jia Shu had long legs and a fast stride; in just a few moments, his figure had vanished into the night. It seemed as though he might have looked back, or perhaps he hadn’t; either way, Li Qing didn’t hear a response.
Wen Shihe looked in that direction thoughtfully, then reached back to hook his finger under Li Qing’s chin, sneering, “Babe, it looks like your old flame isn’t so warm toward you anymore.”
Li Qing’s expression was awkward, but he didn’t dare talk back to Wen Shihe, so he could only manage a strained smile.
Mu Jia Shu, walking briskly toward the supermarket, tucked away the knowing smile on his lips. He shrugged and pushed a shopping cart.
He bought some groceries and headed up to the apartment. The hallway was extremely dim without lights. Before Mu Jia Shu reached the door, he could see a tiny red glow from a cigarette on the top step of the stairs from a distance.
Behind the glow, a blurred silhouette emerged, appearing like a ghost sitting there. Mu Jia Shu was brave; far from being afraid, he intentionally leaned closer to see the man’s face clearly.
Sitting there was actually Song Quan, Shen Shu’s mother’s ex-husband and Shen Shu’s nominal father.
He must have been sitting on the stairs smoking. Upon seeing Mu Jia Shu, he immediately stood up, crushed the cigarette, and called out, “Shen Shu.”
Mu Jia Shu snapped out of it and gave a quick nod, saying politely, “Oh, it’s Mr. Song. What a coincidence. Excuse me, I need to get home.”
Song Quan: “…”
After a moment of silence, he let out a helpless sigh, showing a conciliatory attitude. “I came to find you. Your Grandma gets angry every time she sees me, so I didn’t go in. Can you come out and sit with me for a bit?”
Mu Jia Shu thought about it and nodded.
He dropped the groceries at home, helped Wang Xiufang set the table and bowls for dinner, and then made a quick excuse to leave. He followed Song Quan to the nearest cafe.
The lighting earlier had been poor, but now that they were sitting face-to-face, Mu Jia Shu noticed the man was dressed in a suit and tie, looking quite suave. Having grown up in luxury, Mu Jia Shu could tell at a glance that the outfit was worth a fortune.
Song Quan was only about twenty years older than the original Shen Shu. Combined with the fact that he looked younger than his actual age, it was hard to see him as a father figure.
Mu Jia Shu couldn’t help but remember that he had asked Wei Xun to investigate who the legendary “rich woman” supporting this man was. The results showed that he kept a very low profile and was never seen in public with any women. The rumors of being “kept” were likely just gossip made up by neighbors who noticed Song Quan had suddenly become wealthy.
However, the investigation wasn’t a total waste; the man’s background was actually quite unusual…
Thinking of this, and seeing that Song Quan had no intention of speaking yet, Mu Jia Shu simply took the initiative. “May I ask why Mr. Song is looking for me today?”
Song Quan looked at him with a gaze that seemed filled with reminiscence. Compared to the hostility of their last encounter, his attitude was much improved.
No, it should be said that his demeanor, gestures, and grace were all different from last time. It was as if he had intentionally acted like a coward in front of Wei Xun before, but Mu Jia Shu didn’t let his surprise show.
Song Quan, hearing the lack of warmth in Mu Jia Shu’s question, seemed to understand what he was thinking. He sighed and explained, “Last time, on the day of Qingming, I had a bit too much to drink and was in a bad mood. Don’t take it to heart. Dad didn’t have anything specific today; it’s just been a long time since we’ve been in touch, and I wanted to see you.”
Mu Jia Shu: “…”
He felt like he had just been insulted for no reason.
He arched an eyebrow, casually stirring his coffee with a small spoon. “I’m not your biological son. I’m sure being a father was something Mr. Song was reluctant to do in the first place, so why bother putting on an act now?”
Song Quan froze.
Mu Jia Shu calmly observed his reaction. “I’ve seen your marriage certificate with my mother. You were married on October 22nd, twenty-one years ago. And my date of birth is June 10th of the following year… the timing is a bit off, isn’t it?”
Song Quan’s heart tightened as soon as the words hit his ears. He almost blurted out “Nonsense,” but under Mu Jia Shu’s burning gaze, he felt extremely flustered and involuntarily turned his head away.
He was also a bit shocked that he felt a sense of oppression from a young man so much younger than himself. It seemed that in the time he hadn’t been paying attention, this foster son had changed a lot.
Or perhaps it was a guilty conscience.
In reality, the birth date had absolutely nothing to do with whether Shen Shu was Song Quan’s biological son, but Song Quan clearly hadn’t thought that far ahead and exposed his flaw instantly.
Mu Jia Shu shook his head casually. “Judging by what you said when you ‘lost your composure’ that day, you must have known for a long time that I am not your biological son. However—”
He paused intentionally, asking with a smile, “I’m a bit curious. Did you find out I wasn’t your child after the marriage, or did you already have an idea before the wedding?”
A look of shock flashed across Song Quan’s face. He straightened his back slightly, leaning toward the edge of his chair.
Even though he managed to control his expression quickly, his subtle body language clearly conveyed his wariness and tension.
Mu Jia Shu smiled faintly and politely lowered his gaze.
Song Quan seemed to realize that at this point, he couldn’t hide anything from him. After a moment of silence, he gave a bitter smile. “Yes, I knew before I married her—she was pregnant, but the child wasn’t mine. Your mother told me herself.”
Mu Jia Shu had expected the first part, but the last sentence surprised him. “She told you herself? Then she toward you… then why did you marry her?”
Song Quan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared at him for a long time, neither speaking nor smiling.
Mu Jia Shu calmly sipped his coffee, letting the man study him.
Song Quan said softly, “Xiao Shu, you’ve changed a lot.”
The use of that nickname made Mu Jia Shu feel a bit awkward, but he replied nonchalantly, “There were things I didn’t understand before, but I’ve figured them out now. I don’t think anyone could remain indifferent after learning the truth about their own birth.”
Song Quan gave a faint smile. “Alright. If you want to know, I don’t mind telling you.”
The story he told Mu Jia Shu wasn’t particularly groundbreaking. A young man from a good family ran away from home after an argument. Penniless and caught in a rainstorm with nowhere to go, he was taken in by a girl seven years older than him. From then on, he fell in love with her.
Unfortunately, in that girl’s eyes, he was just a child, like a younger brother. She fell in love with a more mature, handsome noble son, but the relationship ended quickly.
Sometime after it ended, the girl discovered she was pregnant. She didn’t want an abortion, yet she didn’t want her child to be born without a father and be mocked by others. At that moment, the young man stepped forward without hesitation, offering to marry her and become the child’s father—he was just twenty that year. ①
Song Quan came from a high-status background; his parents and relatives were all prominent figures. They couldn’t accept him marrying such a wife, so they cut ties with him. Nevertheless, he insisted on living with Mu Jia Shu’s mother and became Shen Shu’s stepfather.
Mu Jia Shu said flatly, “Since you knew everything from the start, why were you so resentful toward her?”
He still remembered the tone Song Quan had used last time; it certainly didn’t sound like a devoted man who had no regrets. It was a far cry from the image he was painting for himself today.
After a long while, Song Quan gave a bitter smile. “You… do you really not understand, or are you just pretending?”
His tone held a hint of intimacy and an undetectable sense of helplessness. In that instant, Mu Jia Shu suddenly realized that the relationship between Song Quan and Shen Shu wasn’t exactly the mutual loathing he had previously assumed.
Recommended Reads
![[ABO] After Accidental Marking, I Became Everyone’s Darling](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ABO-225x300.jpeg)
