NOVEL WEB
Chapter 182
Yu Shu reallocated her time and energy, devoting more attention to her family. As a result, the one vying for attention with Yu Mo became Shen Youlin.
As the seasons changed, Yu Mo evolved from four-wheel drive mode into two-wheel drive, brimming with boundless energy that could exhaust Dou'e several times over.
Every evening after dinner was designated for walks, taking both the child and the dog out.
Yu Mo was unrestrained, and Yu Shu watched her charge headlong into the crowds of children, then looked at Dou'e on the leash and Shen Youlin by her side, and sighed: "Instead of grasping at sand that slips through your hands, better to let it go."
Shen Youlin burst into laughter, taking Yu Shu's hand. "Who do you think Mo Mo takes after?"
Yu Shu shrugged. "Certainly not me. I wasn't like that when I was little."
"What were you like as a child?"
Yu Shu pondered. "A paper tiger, all bluster and show."
She had matured early, with a sensitive mindset. With her family's poverty and her fierce mother, she lived in constant trepidation, outwardly defiant but inwardly timid and insecure—nothing like Yu Mo's fearless courage.
The group of children erupted in cheers, responding to Yu Mo's rallying cry as she waved her little hand, leading them to build sandcastles. The parents and nannies followed suit. Yu Mo turned at the front of the pack, seeing Yu Shu and Shen Youlin trailing behind with Dou'e, and marched onward with renewed vigor.
Yu Mo was different. Her daring fearlessness stemmed from the unwavering support and reassurance behind her.
Over the years, Ye Ping and Yu Feng spent most of their time traveling abroad. Last year, perhaps feeling weary, they came to stay with Yu Shu's family for a while. Initially, it was fine, but as time wore on, Ye Ping's true nature surfaced, wanting to meddle and control everything.
However, Yu Shu no longer allowed Ye Ping's attitude to evoke negative emotions. She calmly told her, "If you cannot adapt to our way of life, please do not live with us."
In the end, Ye Ping and Yu Feng left early. Yu Shu understood that some things could not be changed, so she did not force the harmonious facade of a filial family.
Yu Fanxing and Shen Chaowen raised Wenwen and Gu Xingyu, while trying to make amends for their shortcomings with Shen Youlin. But Shen Youlin no longer needed it, maintaining his previous attitude. The couple then shifted their attention to Yu Mo and Yu Shu, and Shen Youlin's demeanor gradually softened.
At least they no longer exasperated him to the point of sprouting gray hairs every time they met.
While nurturing Yu Mo, Yu Shu and Shen Youlin also healed themselves and reconciled with their parents.
As Yu Mo grew older, she became the antithesis of a "homebody," acting cute at home but bold outside. This stemmed from her first day of school.
The little girl who had been showered with affection became involved in a minor unpleasantness with a classmate on her first day of preschool. The teachers had calmed both girls, but the other girl's older brother, a burly little boy, decided to seek justice for his sister through sheer force, pushing Yu Mo to the ground.
Yu Mo, who had never faced such mistreatment, clutched her bruised bottom in shock.
Unexpectedly, the usually gentle little girl didn't cry. After realizing what had happened, the fierce genes inherited from her parents instantly awakened. She grabbed a small bench and mounted the chubby boy, pummeling him until he cried for his parents.
Yu Shu and Shen Youlin never anticipated being summoned by the teachers so suddenly and so early.
Yu Mo attended the best private preschool in the city, with the children's parents all being either wealthy or prestigious. The chubby boy's mother, dressed in a dazzlingly expensive brand-name outfit, refused to back down and demanded an explanation from the teachers, even becoming physical in her agitation. The principal and several teachers could barely restrain her.
One of the teachers tried to protect Yu Mo but was scratched in the face by the woman's long nails, leaving three shocking bloody streaks.
Yu Shu and Shen Youlin arrived at this chaotic scene.
Yu Mo, who had been trembling in the teacher's arms, finally burst into tears upon seeing her parents, tugging at Yu Shu and Shen Youlin's heartstrings. Shen Youlin quickly scooped her up, soothing her. "Don't cry, don't cry. Daddy's here. Let Daddy see if you're hurt."
Yu Mo cried breathlessly, raising her little hand to show her parents the scrape on her finger—from gripping the bench while hitting the boy.
Shen Youlin's heart ached as he gently blew on it. "Daddy will blow on it, and it won't hurt anymore."
Yu Shu watched Yu Mo's minuscule wound and then the bruised, swollen chubby boy in the corner, marveling that Yu Mo was indeed their daughter—she took no nonsense and didn't back down easily.
The woman sniffed disdainfully as she straightened her clothes, looking down her nose at Yu Shu and Shen Youlin's plain attire. "What kind of school is this, admitting children from all kinds of families? A vulgar little country bumpkin with no manners."
Yu Shu regarded the chubby boy's mother with equal disdain. "I don't know, what kind of family are you from?"
"Me?" The woman proudly proclaimed, "My husband's family is the Lins, of Lin's Enterprise. Your daughter hit the family heir of Lin's Enterprise."
Shen Youlin scoffed, "Oh, a family heir? I thought he was inheriting a throne."
"You! Who are you to speak so brazenly? Do you believe I..."
Shen Youlin cut her off. "I'm surnamed Shen, of the Shen Group."
Yu Shu smiled coyly. "I'm surnamed Yu, of the Yushu Group."
Yu Mo sniffled through her tears. "And I... I'm also surnamed Yu. Yu Shu's Yu."
Shen Youlin wiped away Yu Mo's tears. "My precious daughter may lack manners, but she couldn't have harmed your family heir. Perhaps we should find a royal tutor to educate him in the palace."
"How dare you?"
Yu Shu said, "Because this preschool also belongs to the Shen family."
Yes, Shen Chaowen had invested in establishing the preschool, as well as an elementary and middle school, specifically for his granddaughter's education.
The chubby boy's father hurried over, profusely apologizing and berating his wife for her shortsightedness. He also made his son apologize to Yu Mo.
Shen Youlin patted the little one in his arms. "Mo Mo, do you want to forgive this little friend?"
Yu Mo huffed, burying her face in Shen Youlin's shoulder, clearly still upset.
Shen Youlin sighed. "My precious daughter had to suffer such grievances."
Yu Mo nodded in agreement from his shoulder.
On the way home, Yu Mo asked, "Are Mom and Dad really powerful? Lin Zi'ang's parents were so scary, but they were afraid of Mom and Dad."
Yu Shu and Shen Youlin exchanged a glance, and Shen Youlin said, "It's quite formidable, but it's not just your parents who are formidable; all of your family members are very formidable. This kind of formidability is not for you to bully others at will, but to protect you from being bullied by others."
Yu Shu and Shen Youlin's expectations for Yu Mo were simple: being healthy, happy, and safe was enough. It didn't matter whether she was smart or not; even if she was just a little fool who only knew how to spend money, it was fine.
Yu Shu said, "Your family all loves you and gives you the courage and confidence to do what you like. You have unlimited chances to try and fail, and even if you make mistakes, it's okay."
Shen Youlin coughed, "Ahem, but we still can't do anything illegal or unruly."
Yu Mo pondered for a moment, "I want to be very formidable too. I don't want to be bullied by others! Mom, I want to learn that... that kicking thing!"
Yu Mo sat in her safety seat and demonstrated lifting her leg high.
Yu Shu didn't understand and looked at Shen Youlin.
Shen Youlin explained, "Taekwondo. A few days ago, Wenwen took her to watch a taekwondo competition."
Yu Shu suddenly recalled that Wenwen's new boyfriend was a professional taekwondo athlete.
After Wenwen became an adult, her boyfriends were like shooting stars to Yu Shu, a source of family pride.
She was currently the most popular female game streamer, making her way through the world with her caustic tongue and appeal to both genders. She had learned Shen Youlin's true teachings and wouldn't hold back her criticism, not giving any face to anyone. Yet, no one could touch her—the live streaming platform she was on was one Yu Shu had invested in.
She and Gu Xingyu were currently Yu Shu's two biggest money trees.
Yu Mo adored Wenwen, and whenever Wenwen had time, she would take Yu Mo out to play. The aunt and niece had a great relationship.
Yu Mo said, "I don't like white clothes. Can I wear pink clothes?"
Taekwondo uniforms didn't seem to come in pink, but what did that matter?
Shen Youlin replied, "Dad will have someone make a custom one for you."
Yu Mo had a close relationship with Wenwen since childhood, and Yu Shu had high expectations for her—the old Yu family had to produce a female Sea Queen who wouldn't suffer from the pain of love.
But the result greatly disappointed her.
When Yu Mo was in middle school, one day after class, she came home carrying many braised snacks and even brought a large bone for Dou'e, the family dog.
The family of four gathered around the tea table, gnawing on the bones, and everyone except Dou'e was panting from the spiciness.
Yu Mo said, "I brought them from the snack street by the 14th Middle School. Aren't they delicious? Mom, can I transfer to the 14th Middle School? After that, I can bring you delicious food every day when I get out of school."
Yu Shu, sipping Shen Youlin's icy milk to soothe the burn, replied, "No need, thank you. If I eat that every day, I'll get a stomach ulcer."
Yu Mo persisted in promoting the street, "That snack street has a lot of delicious food, like stir-fried yogurt, roasted chicken wings, iron plate tofu... I can bring a different dish every day for a whole semester without repeating any."
Shen Youlin sensed something was amiss, "Why would you go to the 14th Middle School after school? It's not on the way home."
"Hehehe..." Yu Mo attempted to get through with a cute act.
Yu Shu wasn't fooled by that and said with a wry smile, "Tell the truth."
Yu Mo confessed, "I like the school hottie at the 14th Middle School. I met him during the physics competition."
Yu Shu and Shen Youlin simultaneously took off their food gloves and leaned back, staring at Yu Mo, waiting for her full confession.
Yu Mo then started promoting the school hottie even more enthusiastically than the snacks.
"Super, ultra, cosmic-explosion level of handsome!" Yu Mo took out her phone and showed her parents the secretly taken photos.
The boy in the photos had a noble and aloof air, and his appearance was...
So handsome that even Yu Shu's not-so-young heart skipped a beat or two.
Yu Shu cleared her throat, "Approved."
Shen Youlin disagreed, "But you're still so young, and..."
Yu Shu interrupted him, "What do you know? A Sea Queen has to be trained from a young age."
What Yu Shu didn't expect was that the school hottie, who she thought would be the starting point for Yu Mo to become a Sea Queen, turned out to be her final destination.
A few years later, at Yu Mo's wedding, Shen Youlin cried uncontrollably in Yu Shu's arms, "Wife, I feel like someone has dug out my heart and liver."
Yu Shu replied, "...Aren't I your heart and liver?"
Shen Youlin suddenly felt a sense of foreboding... How to answer? Waiting online, it's quite urgent.