The Cage Of The Past

"You want to find mother love for Han, you can get married, find a gentle kind woman to take care of your son!"

"Let me ask you too, why don't you find a man? Why don't you look for a man to marry you and take care of you and your son? You have been a single mother of your child for years and have been suffering so hard to raise him and give his needs, what is your purpose of being a single mom?" His words were as heavy as a blunt instrument and suddenly broke into her. Deep inside her inner being, hovering in her ears.

"I am not a qualified woman to be a housewife, I think!" She turned her face away and looked at the flashing street scene outside the window of the mall, but her heart has suddenly become lonely. From the day she lost her innocence at the age of nineteen, she lost her confidence to become a wife to any man.

His hand holding the items they bought for their kids suddenly tightened, pause for a while and faintly asked, "Do you have a hidden grudge in your heart?"

"Rouzhen my personal life has nothing to do with you!" The secret buried deep in her heart. She doesn't want to tell it to anybody, she will never share it with him. She agreed to be a woman of Mr. Fox for three months just because of her son. She begged that person to let her see her son, she can bear all the humiliation for three months for the sake of her beloved son.

"Maybe everything is not as bad as you think, Xiaoxi! There are so many different women trying to jump into my bed but they are not like you. You are a soft-hearted woman that bewitched me the first time I laid my eyes on you. I don't know what I'm going to do to win your trust and love, but I look forward you will give me a chance to be your man," His words were ambiguous and loneliness flashed in his handsome face.

Xiaoxi simply shut up, she can't look directly in his eyes because she's afraid Rouzhen could see her real feelings. She doesn't know what she'll be going to say because she's not qualified to be her woman.

She looked towards the direction where the two children happily playing trying to ignore what Rouzhen had said. She stood quickly and walk towards the corner of the arcade where Chao and Han busy playing around.

Suddenly she saw Chao sitting in the corner, lowered his head, looked very unhappy. She immediately felt the pain her son had suffered. That incident last night had a big impact on Chao and Xiaoxi had noticed his sudden depravity.

Rouzhen had followed her and when he looked at Chao's direction he feels guilty for being so insensitive. He knows that Chao is a vibrant kid while Han is introverted. Rouzhen witnessed how lively Chao was. He was so sad for him, making things difficult for the young boy.

He pulls Xiaoxi's hand. "Don't worry, Chao is a strong child, he can overcome what had happened last night. I sincerely asked an apology!" he lowers his head.

They walked carefully towards Chao's direction and heard him talking to a toy puppet.

Xiaoxi suddenly stopped because the image of her son was too lonely, her heart was bleeding too and she did not notice that Rouzhen was holding her little hand at the moment.

She saw that Chao's head was hanging down, she's wondering was her son muttering in his mouth and his whole face was so lonely. Chao's brows were wrinkled together and Xiaoxi thinks her son's action seems so vulnerable.

He picked up the little puppet from the toys inside the arcade where Han and he has been playing. "You must have been abandoned by your Mommy because you're alone too like me. They don't like you. You might not obey them and hesitate to do their orders. We are in the same situation, I was lost and my parents left me,"

Xiaoxi's heart slammed up. She heard what her son was saying. It turned out that it made a hollow in his young heart.

Rouzhen looked at the other direction for a while, he can't bear to see Chao's in this situation. He stared back at the young figure wanting to ease his pain. His lips squirmed and sighed. His heart was sullen and his throat was hurting too because he controls the tears that about to burst.

"Little dolphin you are worse than me because you don't have a Mommy like me. She took care of me from the day she had found me and I don't want my real Mommy to come into my life. I only need my current Mom and she's enough for me. Little dolphin from now on I will be your friend!"

Xiaoxi's heart was beating faster and her tears swirled in her eyes and she almost whining at that moment.

Rouzhen took her shoulders and gave her support.

"Little dolphin, like me you should be a good boy too and don't think about your real Mommy. I have a good Mom who took me as her child and I will be with you too, let's both forget that our real Mom doesn't like us, right?"

Xiaoxi couldn't help it anymore, she runs fast towards her son. "Chao!"

Chao looks up once he heard Xiaoxi's voice. He saw her Mom running to him with tears in her eyes. "Mommy, how come you went to me?"

"Son!" Xiaoxi hugged him and took him into her arms. "You will never want other Mom, I will be here for you and we will be together. Silly boy, you are my child and Mommy loves you so much. Why you don't believe me?"

"But Mommy, later on, you will want to have your children. I will wait for a little brother and little sister. Uncle is holding your hand maybe soon you will get married to him," Chao saw that Rouzhen has been holding her Mom's hand and he thought they have a mutual understanding.

Xiaoxi looked back and noticed that Rouzhen has been holding her little hand. "Why are you holding my hand? Your taking advantage of me in front of my son!"

"You were so busy thinking of something and lonely, I just give you comfort," he said and slowly release her hand.

"Chao even Mommy has other children in the future, you're my one and only little boy! No one can replace you in my heart," she said

Chao lowered his head and seemed to be thinking about something. Then Xiaoxi heard his voice, Mommy, Chao knows that you love me. I only felt pity for this little dolphin because I think we are in the same situation!"

Xiaoxi wasn't convinced with Chao's words that deep inside his heart there's sadness thinking that he was an abandoned child. Xiaoxi silently said to herself that no matter what happened even though she could get back her biological son her love for Chao as her own remains the same.

"Chao you go play now. Look at Han, he is busy playing around,"

"Okay! I will go now. Mommy don't be sad Chao is okay and I only have you as my Mom, deep in my heart," The child quickly response in a lively voice while looking at both of them.

"Chao, Uncle is the boss of a big company. It's okay for me not to work anytime!"

"But Mommy is not your employee anymore why you still with her?"

Rouzhen feels that the little devil wanted to embarrass him in front of Xiaoxi. "Uncle ask your Mommy's boss to take a day off today since we are close friends he let your Mom went out!"

"Oh! I think you like my Mom, you chased her won't you?"

Xiaoxi suddenly blushed when she heard her son's words. "Chao you go now, play!"

"Mommy I haven't done talking to this uncle, he had rejected us last time but you took care of him when he was sick the other day," Chao frowned.

"Little boy doesn't worry uncle is sincere but your Mom refuses me! I think I need your help to convince her. You like me to be your father, won't you?" Rouzhen squatted down and asked Chao directly.

Chao patted his shoulder and said. "Uncle chasing woman should be done alone to prove your love to her, it's not good that you are going to use me to persuade my Mom to marry you!"

"Hahaha! You're naughty! You talk like an old guy! You are too smart!" Rouzhen laughs loudly.

Rouzhen looks up at her then tries to pull her hand but she quickly dodges. She knows that Rouzhen has been chasing her to be the mother of his child but she also knows the status difference between the two of them. She's not qualified to be the mistress of GU Family and she agreed to be with Mr. Fox for three months to get back her own child.

"Chao your Mom really rejects me but I will never give up! Come here give uncle a hug!" Rouzhen just felt that holding this child in his arms bring some unexplainable warm into his heart something he didn't feel to his son Han. He had this weird feeling that this little boy somewhat has so many similar habits as him.

Rouzhen thought of it several times the moment he laid his eyes on Chao. It's strange to think about and it brings too much pressure in his mind. A hidden smile broke at the corner of his lips once tiny arms encircled in his neck. He thinks it is too much sympathy for the child after he had hurt his young heart.

He held the child in his arms tightly and whispered. "I will cherish you as my own child because I love your Mom! Hopefully, we can get along together in the future!"

"Uncle you hold me tight! Let go now!" Chao complains the way he hugged him.

He loosened some strength and still hugged him. "Uncle wanted to feel the warmth from you! You are like my own son!"

"Uncle you said you like me?" Chao asked.

"Of course, uncle likes you so much!" Rouzhen slightly pinches his tiny nose. He noticed that Chao had tender and porcelain-like skin the same as Xiaoxi. A sudden flash of memory five years ago reminded him of her. "You don't like uncle, are you? So you hate uncle?"

"I didn't say that I don't like you! But you must be a good man so don't hurt my Mom, okay?" Chao said and he saw her Mommy's face blushed.

"But...But Mommy is not my real Mom. I know it!" He was still very uneasy uttering those words.

Xiaoxi quickly holds his tiny hand. "Chao doesn't think about it, you are Mommy's child, look we have so many similarities!"

Rouzhen's heart is even heavier! It turned out that the truth he heard last not caused too much damage to Chao. "Who said that you are not your mother's son? You are her child! We are only joking yesterday don't take it seriously. Your Mommy is right, you two have a big resemblance!"

"Uncle, is it really a joke?" Chao still asks because he did not believe what his Mom said.

"Of course, if uncle lies to you then I will no longer show up in front of you!" He tried to convince him.

"Then that means Mommy telling the truth, uncle?" Chao asked.

"Yes! Your Mom is telling the truth and you can ignore what uncle had said last night! As I said I only tried to joke with her," Rouzhen thought he needs to convince Chao to help Xiaoxi ease her son agony and melt the shadow of heartbreaking truth.

"Uncle, you're only comforting me. I know it!" Chao is not an ordinary child. How can he fool this young little boy who already heard some shocking revelation of his past?

"Why would uncle dare to fool you just to comfort your heart. Uncle is telling the truth!" Rouzhen raised his eyebrows, but his heart was very frustrated. It was really a headache to meet a genius baby.

"Thank you uncle, I am fine! You don't have to comfort me, you better comfort my Mommy because she looks sadder than me," a smile shown in Chao's face while looking at him.

"Uncle let me ask you again, do you like my Mom?" Chao looked at his eyes and asked seriously.

"Does uncle looks like not in love with your Mommy?"

"Okay don't need to elaborate it. I know that uncle likes Mommy so much because I saw you holding her hands a while ago!" Chao said and glance at Xiaoxi who standing next to Rouzhen.

"Hey, little boy don't you said you like uncle? It seems now you're betraying me!" Rouzhen looked at him in a positive aura waiting for his response.

"Uncle let me think about it! I haven't forgotten what you've done for us last time!" Chao shrugged his shoulders.

"Little devil you're cruel to uncle!" Rouzhen frown his eyebrow

"I am not cruel, it's you who is not fair enough. Hmm! I can't forget it easily. You need to sacrifice and please Mommy before you can get my approval," Chao said.

"But your Mommy needs someone to take care of her!" Rouzhen said again.

"I can take care of my Mommy!" Chao sneered at him.

"But your Mom needs a man!"

"I will be a man soon!"

"But you are her son!"

"Yeah! I am her son so what's wrong with it? Children need to take care of their parents when they grow old!" Chao asked inexplicably, then examined him for a long time, then said in a serious way: "I understand, uncle like my Mommy so much and had chased her, but for now the answer is No!"

"Then I will never stop chasing your Mommy until such time I can prove to you that I am sincere enough. Hey, little devil, don't you like Han to be your little brother? He needs an older brother like you! We can be a happy family if I marry your Mom!" He said seriously to Chao.

"Rouzhen Gu! Stop persuading, my son! You know my answer very well," Xiaoxi interrupts their conversation.

Rouzhen really feels a sudden headache after hearing Xiaoxi's word. Why does she keep avoiding him? While other women wanted to be with him! Ah, this woman is really unique and strong!

"Uncle my Mommy is a decent woman even though we are poor she raised me in her own way! So whoever tried to hurt or bully my Mom I will hate him and will not accept him easily. Like you! I know you bullied my Mom at work even if she hadn't told me. So, for now, try a little harder to court her!" Chao smiled at him devilishly.

"Hey little devil let me ask you one more, did someone come to your Mom and court her?"

Chao laughed. "Uncle, are you afraid someone will steal Mommy's heart?"

"Sort of! So you must think twice from now on! If another man will become your stepfather it would be not easy. But if you choose me, hmmm I think it's good because we know each other and Han like you a lot as to his elder brother,"

"Uncle, little Han is like a baby so he loves everyone easily. But honestly, I like him too!"

"Then how about you help me to get your Mommy's sweet yes to me and tell her to accept me?"

"Uncle I said it's NO for now! Try a little harder and do it your own way to get her heart. It's not good you are going to use children to get your woman, Am I right?" Chao happily bullied Rouzhen this time.

Xiaoxi looked at him suddenly. Waiting for his reaction to what Chao had said. She realized that her little boy acts accordingly and protected her from Rouzhen's overbearing actions.

Rouzhen saw that Chao's face was full of smiles and the little child looked very happy and become vibrant again. He remembers that earlier when they pick up Chao at the school the teacher thought he was the father of Chao. He heard the teacher told Xiaoxi that she's happy seeing them coming to pick up their son. He feels happy hearing it but he remains silent and didn't correct what the teacher had said. Their several cases even last time when Chao came to his company his own employees thought the same, that he is the father of this child.

Xiaoxi also didn't say anything to the teacher, she only showed her most sweet smile and then hold Chao's hand.

Earlier at Chao's school when Xiaoxi picked him, he was surprised then asked.

"Mommy, do we really skip my class today?"

"Well, I have already taken the time off and Uncle invited us to come with him. Mommy has to accompany you!" She looked at Rouzhen and she was thinking that she needs to pay him back since he saved her earlier to the man who wanted to take advantage of her at work.

"Xiaoxi let's go now! We are going to pick up my son too!" Rouzhen said and suddenly he felt so harmonious after she went out with him.

"Mommy, are we going to take uncle's car?" Chao had some expectations but didn't dare to speak, he waited for his mother's confirmation. He is looking forward to riding in Rouzhen's car because he knows it is one of the most expensive and luxury cars in the whole world.

Xiaoxi couldn't bear to refuse, she just nodded.

"Oh! Great!" Chao said.