When Xinyue Zhn returned, there was a sense of curiosity among her children.
But as she stepped back to her seat, her expression stiffened slightly, as though the decision she was about to make weighed heavily on her.
There was a hint of embarrassment in her straight-faced demeanor, almost like she was about to do something she knew was unfair but was too proud to back down from.
"Here, take this," she said, her voice firm as she passed something to Wang Xiao.
"???"
Wang Xiao blinked, momentarily confused, as he reached out to take what looked like a sleek ck card with a tinum metallic design.
All three siblings leaned forward, trying to get a closer look.
As he examined it, Wang Xiao quickly recognized it—an ICBC diamond card.
''This is a credit card…?'' Wang Xiao thought, ncing up at Xinyue Zhn, his eyes full of question marks.
"It''s capped at 1 million yuan," Xinyue Zhn said, her voice matter-of-fact. "Keep your monthly spending within 100,000 yuan. It''s registered in your name, so I won''t know what you spend it on."
Wang Xiao stared at her, still processing the sudden generosity.
Seeing his expression, Xinyue Zhn hesitated for a moment, adding, "You can use it on anything… just make sure it''s not something illegal." She had almost said something more lenient but caught herself, worried that too much freedom might lead him down a bad path.
"Mom, what?" Wang Xueying''s voice broke out, filled with disbelief.
Her face flushed as she hit the table with both hands, the sudden outburst startling everyone.
Xinyue Zhn, however, acted as though she hadn''t heard a thing, maintaining herposed facade.
"I only get 20,000 yuan a month! And he''s getting five times that? This ispletely unfair!" Wang Xueying protested, her voice rising with indignation.
She red at their mother, her disbelief evident.
Even Wang Mei, who had been silent until now, exchanged a look with Wang Xueying, her own surprise clear on her face.
Wang Mei''s monthly allowance was only 10,000 yuan, which had always seemed reasonable for her age.
But now, hearing that Wang Xiao was going to receive 100,000 yuan per month, she couldn''t help but wonder if their mother was finally revealing a long-held bias.
Wang Xueying continued, her surprise barely contained. "You''re just outright showing favoritism now! Even Jiarong doesn''t get anywhere near this amount..."
Xinyue Zhn pursed her lips, clearly feeling the stare of her daughters'' judgment.
Wang Xiao''s sisters stared at their mother in disbelief, as though they had finally glimpsed the unspoken truth—this wasn''t just favoritism; this was outright patriarchy.
Wang Mei''s brow furrowed.
Her mother had always been subtle about her favoritism toward Wang Xiao, but this?
This wasying it out openly, almost as if she were dering that, as the son, he was entitled to more.
''Mom''s ying favorites in broad daylight now,'' Wang Mei thought, feeling a strange mix of confusion and resignation.
Wang Xiao, meanwhile, remained calm, though the situation amused him.
He could feel the tension radiating from his sisters, but to him, it was just another example of the dynamics that had always existed in their family—his mother had always treated him differently, more delicately, because he was her son.
Now, though, it seemed she was no longer trying to hide it.
Wang Xueying, on the other hand, seethed. ''How is this fair?'' she thought, ring at Wang Xiao, who sat there, his face calm as ever.
Her mother had always favored him, but this tant disy of bias was too much to handle.
"You still get your sry, don''t you? In fact, I''m starting to think I shouldn''t give you any pocket money at all…" Xinyue Zhn''s voice was firm, cold as she turned to address Wang Xueying, her decision clear.
"!"
"That''s..." Wang Xueying was stunned into silence.
She pressed her lips together, feeling a wave of disbelief.
Her sry as a research assistant was only 10,000 yuan a month. Combining that with the 20,000 yuan she received in pocket money, her total ie of 30,000 yuan was more than enough for her usual spending.
But if her mother were to suddenly cut her allowance, she would be practically broke.
"..."
Across the table, Wang Mei pretended to focus on her noodles, silently eating to avoid getting involved.
She could feel the unfairness of it all, but what could she do?
Xinyue Zhn clearly had no ns to disguise the favoritism she was showing toward Wang Xiao, and there was a sense that this was her way ofpensating for the seven years Wang Xiao had been away.
Wang Xiao remained calm, observing the increasing tension.
He knew his mother had a very high sry—around ten million yuan annually as a partner in aw firm, even after adjusting for intion.
It wasn''t out of the ordinary for someone in her position, but seeing her openly favor him made him pause.
For a brief second, he entertained the absurd idea that Xinyue Zhn might be using him as a tool for some sort of tax evasion.
''No… that''s ridiculous,'' he thought, shaking the notion away.
But still, something about the way she was handling all of this made him uneasy.
As he looked at his mother now, something felt different.
Usually, it was Eleanor who spoiled him with favors and wealth, but now, Xinyue Zhn seemed to be ying her own hand, revealing her cards piece by piece.
And something told him she wasn''t finished yet.
The air in the room grew tense, but Xinyue Zhn remainedposed, as though her decision was already made, regardless of anyone''s feelings.
Wang Xueying stared down at her te, frustrated but unwilling to argue further. S
he knew better than to push back when her mother was in this mood.
Wang Xiao, for his part, simply leaned back, a faint smile ying on his lips. ''So this is how Xi''er feels...being favoured unfairly..''
Wang Xiao couldn''t suppress the urge tough.
Everything felt so absurd—sitting in his own home, surrounded by the familiar yet distant.
It was his house, his family, and yet, after being away for so long, everything felt strangely foreign.
He noticed the faint fragrance lingering in the vi, something delicate and floral.
The house had been renovated since he''dst seen it—the chandelier had been reced with golden candlelight designs, the flooring swapped forrger white tiles.
So many small changes, little touches he hadn''t been there to witness.
The third floor, once unused, now seemed well-maintained.
His mother likely spent time there, unwinding after work, gathering the family whenever she had a moment to spare.
Her workload was unpredictable, but it was clear she did her best to make time for them.
Wang Xiao leaned back, observing his surroundings with narrowed eyes, taking in all the details.
But as his gaze flickered to his mother, he noticed something odd.
Her eyes seemed slightly wet as she looked at him, not in the usual way, but as if she had been crying earlier.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
Whether it was tears of joy or pain, he couldn''t tell.
''That exins why she took so longing back, he thought. ''She must have been emotional.''
A sudden wave of guilt hit him, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a twinge of respect for her.
Maybe, just maybe, she was turning into a good mother after all.
Buzz...
Her phone vibrated, snapping him out of his thoughts. Xinyue Zhn picked it up and spoke mechanically, "Hmmm, stay outside, we''reing." She cut the call swiftly, her expression calm, though her cheeks flushed slightly, betraying her embarrassment.
Everyone stared at her, sensing something was off.
Wang Mei and Wang Xueying exchanged confused nces, their minds running wild.
''Could this get any more absurd?'' they wondered.
Suddenly, Xinyue Zhn stood up. "Xiao Wang,e with me outside," she said with a smile, her voice unusually pleasant. Then, turning to her daughters, she added, "You two, as well."
"??"
Wang Xiao nodded, slipping the card into his pocket before standing.
As they followed Xinyue Zhn toward the door, Wang Xueying sidled up to him, shing him a mischievous smile.
"Brother ~!" she cooed sweetly.