Lu Qingfeng shook his head and smiled at the memories that flashed through his mind. It had been glaringly obvious that even when they were younger, he really didn’t have the ability to deny her of anything. He hit the pause button and the music in his ears ceased playing before he entered the Yun Mansion.

As he entered the kitchen to take a drink, he found Yun Qingrong in a daze as she waited for her coffee to finish brewing. She was still dressed in her nightdress with a robe wrapped around her.

Su Xiaofei was right. Lu Qingfeng thought. Her mother had been preoccupied lately, and he always found her like this whenever Yun Qingrong thought she was alone.

“Good morning, Aunty Qing.” He said, announcing his presence. Lu Qingfeng was also curious what caused Yun Qingrong to act like this.

Yun Qingrong snapped out of her daze. She turned her head and found him standing at the door.

“Xiao Feng, you are back. I already asked the cook to prepare your breakfast before you leave for work. Is there something you need?” She replied.

Lu Qingfeng shook his head and strode towards the refrigerator to get a drink to hydrate himself again.

“Aunty shouldn’t have bothered, but thank you.” He paused for a moment, considering his words.

“Aunty, Feifei said that their return would be delayed. Something came up during the photoshoot yesterday, so they need to push back the schedule.”

Yun Qingrong smiled, as if she was pleased with something Lu Qingfeng didn’t quite understand.

“Xiao Feng is too kind to me and Feifei. Might as well call me ‘Mother’ instead.” She giggled, which turned into a full-blown laughter when she saw Lu Qingfeng’s flustered face. It wasn’t every day that someone could see Lu Qingfeng with this expression.

“It’s because Aunty Qing and Feifei are important to me.” He replied bashfully.

Yun Qingrong smiled, took her mug of coffee and leaned against the countertop behind her. Her eyes bored into her hot drink as she contemplated her next words.

“I’m happy for you and Feifei. I knew from the moment she brought you home that you are special to her.” She said after a long silence.

Lu Qingfeng wasn’t sure why Yun Qingrong was saying these, but if it would give him some of the answers he and Feifei needed, then he was willing to give it a try and listen to her. There was no one around to eavesdrop to their conversation anyway.

“I should also thank Aunty Qing for giving us your blessing.” He knew how important it was for Feifei to know that her mother approved of their relationship. After all she had done in her previous life, Lu Qingfeng wouldn’t doubt that Su Xiaofei wanted to rectify her mistakes, especially towards her mother this time.

Yun Qingrong smiled and nodded. This only proved that her daughter got along really well with Lu Qingfeng.

“It’s because I’m confident that you would treat Feifei right and won’t forsake her.” She said. “I hope you will forgive me for not giving you my answer before you left for Shenjing. At that time, when you announced your intention to marry Feifei, I thought that you were making a reckless decision as you and Feifei were still too young to consider marriage. However, I can see that your resolve to take her as your wife remained the same. How could I deny the two of you if I know that being together makes you both happy?”

“I understand, Aunty Qing. There’s no need to apologize for it.” Lu Qingfeng answered. He didn’t hold it against her, and understood her unspoken answer at the time.

“I’m not sure if Feifei has already told you this, but I’m not the person who gave birth to her.”

When Lu Qingfeng remained silent, Yun Qingrong lifted her gaze and saw the answer on his face. So he knew… Perhaps Su Xiaofei had already told him the truth and this showed how deeply they both trusted each other.

“Still, I did my best to become a good mother to her…”

“Aunty Qing, please don’t doubt yourself. Seeing how much Feifei loves you, I don’t think you failed her as a mother.” Lu Qingfeng couldn’t help but say when he sensed Yun Qingrong’s uneasiness of her not being Feifei’s real mother.

“Thank you, Xiao Feng. Of course, I know that, and I’m deeply honored to be given a chance to become her mother. I used to wonder what it would feel like having your own child and becoming a mother before having her. When I adopted Feifei and held her for the first time as her mother, it was the happiest day of my life.”

As she said these, Yun Qingrong’s eyes brimmed with tears. Lu Qingfeng didn’t dare to cut her this time and waited patiently for her to continue. If it would make her feel better, then he was willing to be her tree hole and keep her secrets this time.

“I want to be there at every milestone in her life. Be there on her first day of school, witness as she walks up to the stage on her graduation day, watch as she falls in love for the first time. Of course, I wouldn’t want to see her heartbroken. I don’t think I would be able to take it if someone hurt her.”

At this, Yun Qingrong laughed, but her tears were now streaming down her face uncontrollably.

“I want to see her walk down the aisle as she gets married, to be on her side as she gave birth to her first child, assure her that everything is alright, and she would also be a great mother. She isn’t anything like her mother, who abandoned her at infancy.”

Lu Qingfeng didn’t know what to say this time. Surely, something happened to warrant this kind of reaction from her.

“But I can’t now, even if I want to.”