My Youth Began With Him

The twins began worrying about their parents as soon as they went upstairs.

Little Bean: “Sis, don’t you think something seems wrong about Mommy and Daddy these days?”

Pudding: “Even a blind man would’ve noticed something.”

Little Bean: “Um, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Pudding: “It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Little Bean: “At least we could’ve investigated the source.”

Pudding: “The lives of adults are very complicated, we shouldn’t interfere. Plus, Daddy and Mommy are extremely intelligent people. So, we should mind our own business.”

Little Bean: “I’m still worried that something might happen.”

She then looked upstairs; her expression filled with worry.

Pudding: “Like what?”

Little Bean: “What if they get divorced? Are we going to live with Mommy or Daddy? I would rather live with Daddy, Mommy can be scary sometimes.”

Pudding: “Don’t worry, they’re not going to get divorced. You’re thinking too much.”

Before Pudding could say anything else, Little Bean interrupted, “Sis, I know you want to say that they love each other so much that the world would end before they get divorced, right?”

Pudding: “No, I wanted to say that they’re not really married, so how are they going to get divorced?”

Little Bean almost spat out the milk in her mouth. She opened her eyes wide. “Sis, are you saying that we were illegitimate children this whole time?”

“No, I mean they’re legally married, but they never held a ceremony… you knew that!”

“Oh, right, I forgot about that… I really hope nothing bad will happen, or else our lives would suck. Daddy’s always been an iceberg and he’s so quiet even when he and Mommy fight. Mommy has a hot temper, and if a war breaks out, I don’t want to be inflicted…”

The twins continued to chit chat downstairs; even the twins could tell that something was wrong.

That evening, Huo Mian and Qin Chu talked for an hour and thirty minutes inside the study. No one knew what they talked about, but when Huo Mian came out, her expression wasn’t pretty.

They didn’t even come out holding hands, nor did they call each other ‘honey’.

“Come on, bath time.” Huo Mian held the twins’ hands as they headed upstairs to their bedroom. Qin Chu, on the other hand, took out his jacket and headed towards the door.

“Chu, it’s late, where are you going?” Mrs. Qin asked.

“I have some business to tend to.”

“Drive safe and come home soon, alright?”

After Qin Chu left, Mrs. Qin looked up at her daughter-in-law and grandchildren, and then towards the door her son left from not so long ago.

She felt unsettled…

“Honey, something’s wrong.”

“What’s wrong?” Mr. Qin looked up from his newspaper upon hearing that.

“Something’s off with Mian and Chu recently…”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not sure either, but… they didn’t use to be like that. You should ask Chu if he’s been under pressure at GK or going through something rough… We wouldn’t want work to interfere with their relationship. Mian’s done so much for our family, I really don’t want her to go through anything else.”

Qin Chu’s mother was more and more understanding of Huo Mian’s hardships over the years.

-Upstairs, inside the bathtub –

“Mommy, we’ve been in here for five minutes and you’ve blanked out three times. What’s wrong?” Pudding asked Huo Mian calmly.