Xu Mey’s lips parted but she couldn’t say anything. Several times she tried to say something but something would get stuck in her throat. She wasn’t able to say it.

  But since her heart was not getting a way to show how she felt her tears trickled down to show her feelings.

  In a low voice, she whispered, "Are you upset with mom?"

  Jie heard her words but didn’t react because he knew she was talking to Juan.

  "You should be upset with mom. But why are you punishing yourself for mom’s foolishness?" She sniffled and continued, "I’m really sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have said all that without clearing things up with you. As a mother, I should have believed in you. I should have stood up for you. Stand by you. But I was muddleheaded. I really didn’t think before speaking. So, forgive mom this once, eh? Just this once. I promise I won’t do it again. So, please wake up!"

  She wiped her tears and continued in a broken voice, "Even if you want to stay upset with my mom, it’s okay. I know I can’t ask for forgiveness just like this. You don’t have to forgive me so easily. But you have to wake up and give mom another chance. So, I can try to fix everything. So that I can make it up to you. I know you have a lot of complaints. I’m willing to listen to everything you have to say. And I promise I’ll try to change."

  Her elbows were propped up beside Juan’s arm as her hands covered her face and she kept sobbing. Her shoulders were shaking as she kept speaking in a raspy voice, "I know I have done a lot of mistakes. And mom has hurt you as well. I know it all now. I understand it. However, don’t get back at mom by stayed quiet like this, eh? Mom is used to listening to your voice that echoes in our house. Wake up and tell me what I am doing wrong. You have the right to do it. You’re my only daughter and I should be listening to you. I will listen to you. Please, open your eyes and say something."

  Even Bao who had been sitting quietly could see his dad’s discomfort from his position. He could tell his dad’s heart was swaying with his mother’s tears and he wasn’t even surprised at it. The way Jie kept rubbing his forehead and kept stealing glances at Xu Mey, clearly told the situation of what was going on in his heart.

  However, for once, Jie was trying with all his might to fight his feelings. He couldn’t let his heart rule him at this moment. He needed to stay sober and deal with this situation rationally. If his emotions got the best of him, he’d really fail. But how was he supposed to deal with the way his heart shook every time he heard her sob?

  Finding his dad’s predicament quite amusing, Bao walked out to his mother and patted her back. Since she was almost leaning on the bed, he could easily reach her with his height. Feeling a touch, Xu Mey looked up with her tear-stained face and saw her son. She pulled him in a hug and sobbed harder. With no expression on his face, Bao kept patted his mother’s back.

  "No matter how much she’s upset with you, she won’t like to see you cry, mom."

  Xu Mey looked at his face and hesitated before asking, "You think so?"

  He nodded his head twice to emphasize his point. "I can assure you that she doesn’t want to see you cry." With his small hands, he rubbed her tears and said, "Your tears might even make her more upset. So, stop crying. Aren’t you the strongest and most awesome Xu Mey? How can you cry so easily?"

  Instead of stop crying, she cried harder as she hugged him even tighter, "Strongest Xu Mey? Most awesome Xu Mey? While trying to become the best, I really didn’t realize when I left you both behind. I’m really sorry!"

  "Why are you apologizing to me?" questioned Bao curiously.

  "For being a bad mother," she replied. "I’m really not a good mother, right?"

  Bao pressed his lips together and thought about what to say before carefully replying, "Whether you’re a good mother or not, is something only you know. You need to ask this to yourself." He took a pause before adding, "As for being a bad mother…… We can never call you a bad mother. Because to us, you’re the only mother we have. And in our hearts, you’ll always be the best. We are proud of you for all your achievements. It’s just that, sometimes we do miss you."

  Xu Mey’s heart clenched listening to her son’s words. She cupped his face and kissed his forehead saying, "I’ll try to do better. No, I’ll do my best from now."

  Bao nodded his head, "That’s enough then. It’s not like we need you to stick to us all the time. We just need your time once in a while. In your busy schedule, we just want to fit somewhere."

  Xu Mey squished his cheeks, "What? Who said you need to fit in my schedule? My schedule should work around my babies. After all, they are my life."

  Bao finally smiled at her and said, "It’s good to hear that." He looked at his father who was gesturing with his eyes and Bao shook his head before wiping Xu Mey’s tears again. "So, stop crying now. It doesn’t suit you. Have you ever seen me cry so easily? How can you embarrass your son like this?"

  While Xu Mey pouted at him, Jie threw him a look as if trying to remind him that he also cried just a few hours ago. However, Bao would definitely not like to recall such a dark history. And he would make sure his father doesn’t repeat it ever again.