Han Ju sighed in regret, "It’s all my fault as your mother is from the lowly background, and I am not even married to your father. For others, I am just a ...."
"Mother!" Xi Cheng interrupted his mother as he sat up. "I am feeling better now. I will go back to my room, and you should sleep too."
Saying Xi Cheng left the room in a hurry. He didn’t want to hear his mother calling herself a mistress.
Han Ju could feel her son was upset, but he won’t show it. Her heart hurt for her son, who was one nice man and always knew his limits. The only thing she could do was to blame herself for being helpless.
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The next morning, after breakfast, Xi Guiren informed everyone about the company’s small event, where he would introduce Xi Guo as the President. It was the time that Xi Guo should start taking everything in his hands, and Song Meilin was happy that her husband at least took one right decision.
Xi Cheng congratulates his younger brother, and he was happy for him, but soon his happiness disappeared, seeing what happened next.
Xi Guiren and Xi Guo left to go to the office while Xi Cheng had to accompany his mother to the doctors. When they were about to leave, Song Meilin called for Han Ju.
"Elder sister, do you need any help?" Han Ju asked as she stood up in front of Song Meilin, sitting on the sofa.
"So many times, I have told you not to call me elder sister. Though we live in the same house, we are strangers," Song Meilin warned.
"My apology, elder sister."
Ignoring it, Song Meilin instructed coldly, "I don’t want you and your son to be the part of the event meant for my son."
"But...."
Song Meilin raised her hand, signaling Han Ju not to talk further as she continued.
"I don’t want the entire world to laugh at me seeing my husband’s mistress and his illegitimate son there. Allowing two of you to be in this home is more than enough, so don’t be so greedy and be content with what you get here."
Han Ju nodded lightly and turned to leave while Xi Cheng felt terrible for his already sick mother. It was not the first time this happened, but suddenly Xi Cheng thought it was unfair for his mother.
So many years passed by, and he accepted all the insult coming to his and his mother’s way, but that day he was hurt and wanted to scream and scold the other person for mistreating his mother.
"Stepmother, my mother is sick so you can be gentle with my mother," Xi Cheng said calmly.
Song Meilin glared at him, "I am tolerating you two since long already, so don’t teach me what to do or not. Tell me what one should call your mother if not the mistress. Did she marry the man? Is she even in our family register?"
"I know, but still...."
Song Meilin interrupted him; her words like a sharp knife pierced through his heart, but what she said was the truth. Xi Cheng could do nothing but swallow this insult as he clenched his fists.
Song Meilin added, "I never said anything to you as you still share the same blood as my kids, but you should know your identity that what others call you. Do you want me to tell you what you are?"
Xi Cheng continued looking at Song Meilin as he could do nothing. Seeing her son feeling hurt and getting angry, Han Ju spoke, "I am not feeling good. We should go to the doctor soon."
Xi Cheng came back to his senses as he felt worried about his mother and swallowed the insult. "Don’t worry, mother; I am here."
When they sat in the car, Han Ju spoke, "Don’t mind her words, son."
"Don’t you feel hurt, mother?" Xi Cheng asked as he continued driving.
"I do, but there is no use feeling bad as the reality is brutal, and we can’t change it," Han Ju replied as she added, "Don’t worry, one day it would be your time and your mother will make it happen."
"You just care about your health, mother," Xi Cheng commented.
One after other the things got complicated and started hurting Xi Cheng. Though he was not the heir of the business, he was assisting his father, and soon he had to help his younger brother in the business.
He knew everyone in the company talked on his back whenever he went to the office, but the news of Xi Guo taking over the business resulted in adding to their courage. No one hesitated to talk bad about Xi Cheng and his mother, even in his presence, that started to anger him. The worst thing was he could do nothing to stop it forever as he was still a nobody.
---------
Soon the event was conducted when Xi Guo became the leader, and that day one mother and son were sitting at home as instructed by Song Meilin.
After that, the conditions for Xi Cheng got worse in the office that continued adding to his anger as his so-called father never did anything for it, and he was busy paying attention to his legal son. Most of the time, Xi Cheng brushed off these thoughts thinking Xi Guiren was not his biological father, so why he even expect anything from him but that attachment of so many years was not easy to get rid of.
He often thought, why was he even there, after knowing he was not the son of this family? And the answer was always the same, his mother and her happiness. How can he let the world know that his mother was raped and she had one bastard child after that? He was sure, his mother won’t be able to take it ever, and to protect everything, he needed the power.