"Why did I leave back then?" Cici finally couldn't hold back and asked the question.
Sean Kerr smiled and shook his head. "That's not a question I can answer fairly. My reply would be biased. If you want the whole truth, why not go back to China and find out for yourself?"
Go back to China...
Can I really go back?
"What happened back then was too big, I can't say exactly what went wrong. Something major happened," Sean continued. "After all, I wasn't directly involved, nor was I there to witness it, so... I'm sorry, I can't answer that question."
Cici nodded and said, "Thank you."
"If you see Rona, could you pass a message to her for me?" Sean looked calmly at Cici and said softly, "I won't make things difficult for her, and I won't break my promise. I just want to see her, even if it's from far away. I'm not the person I used to be, I've changed. From now on, she'll be the only woman in my eyes. I'll never let another woman make her sad or disappointed again."
Cici's eyes showed a faint smile. "Okay, I'll tell her."
With that, the two of them ended the topic and finished their lunch.
Sean casually chatted with Cici about life over the past few years, and suddenly realized that the woman he used to dislike wasn't so bad after all.
On the contrary, she's actually very knowledgeable.
Looks like he really was blinded by Sylvia Ran back then.
Even when Sylvia Ran died at the hands of Charles Yin, he still held a bit of prejudice against Cici.
But now, there's not a trace of prejudice left in his heart.
This woman really does have her strengths.
No wonder Charles Yin is so taken with her, to the point where he can't eat or sleep.
After lunch, Cici said goodbye to Sean Kerr and went home.
What Cici didn't know was that, shortly after she left, Sean Kerr called Charles Yin. "I've done what you asked. But Charles, are you sure just answering a few questions will really move her?"
Charles Yin held the phone, standing by the window and gazing at the beautiful view outside. He tossed his pen into the holder and replied slowly, "No, you're the catalyst. With your help, the kids have a much better chance of succeeding. Tonight is the night she'll make her decision."
After hanging up, Sean stared at Cici's departing figure for a long, long time.
Maybe he's right.
When Cici got home, she saw her two little buns standing motionless at the door, waiting for her.
Thinking about what Sean Kerr said, Cici's heart suddenly ached unbearably.
Ethan was born after ten months of pregnancy, and Miles was rescued from traffickers!
How could these two kids be so heartbreaking?
"Mom!" Ethan Yin and Miles Gu saw Cici at the same time, and their eyes lit up with hope.
From anxious waiting, to disappointment, to despair, and then to sudden joy.
The two kids looked at Cici with big, pleading eyes. They didn't say a word, but their gaze spoke volumes.
Cici slowly squatted down. "Why are you waiting outside? Where's Wendy?"
"Wendy's inside, but we wanted to see Mommy as soon as possible, so we waited outside," Ethan answered softly.
His little mouth pouted, full of grievances.
"It's okay, Mommy. We're not scared, we're not cold," Miles said, his eyes wet and longing, mixed with the fear of being abandoned again.
Cici's heart hurt so much, she couldn't say a single word.
She reached out and hugged both kids tightly. "My sons... my boys..."
Feeling Cici's arms around them, Ethan and Miles hugged her neck and started to choke up. "We thought Mommy didn't want us anymore. We thought Mommy left and would never come back. We thought Mommy... didn't like us and would abandon us again..."
"Never, Mommy will never leave you!" Cici nuzzled their necks, and the sweet scent unique to children made her burst into tears.
These are my children!
How could I bear... bear to leave them for three years!
When they needed me most, what did I do?
Three years ago, what did I go through that made me decide to leave my children?
This is simply unbelievable!
Three years ago, was I really that cold and heartless?
No, that's not true!
I could never be that kind of person!
So what exactly forced me to leave my children for three whole years?
Do I really have to go back to China and investigate the truth from back then?
"Mom, let's go home." Ethan and Miles reached out their chubby little hands and wiped away Cici's tears, so sweet it made her heart ache.
"Okay, let's go home." Cici slowly straightened up, holding one in each hand as they walked inside.
Wendy stood at the door, looking at Cici with concern. "Miss Cici, you're back."
Cici nodded, and when she looked at Wendy again, she couldn't help feeling like a fool.
Wendy knows me too, doesn't she?
But she has to pretend it's the first time she's met me. That must be hard for her, right?
It's hard for everyone to pretend, isn't it?
"Have you eaten yet?" Cici wiped her tears and said, "I ate outside, but if you haven't..."
"I've already ordered takeout for the kids," Wendy quickly added. "It'll be here soon."
Cici nodded.
The takeout arrived soon after. Ethan and Miles carefully held out Cici's favorite food with their chubby little hands, looking at her with pitiful eyes. "Mom, these are all your favorites. Have a bite."
(This chapter isn't over yet ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!)
Cici's tears almost burst out of her eyes.
These are her children!
Blood ties really are a bond that time and distance can't break.
"Mom's not hungry, you two eat," Cici said, holding back tears. "Tonight I'll make something delicious for you."
This might just be a temporary place, but it's fully equipped!
It's a typical Western open kitchen, with all the tools you need for both Chinese and Western food.
When they heard Cici would cook for them, Ethan and Miles's eyes lit up instantly.
Those bright, expectant eyes made Cici's heart ache again.
"Then we won't eat now. We'll wait for Mom to cook dinner tonight," Ethan said, his eyes red. "No matter how good the food is in the world, nothing beats Mom's cooking."
Miles nodded vigorously in agreement.
Seeing the kids refuse to eat, Cici washed her hands and quickly made two bowls of zhajiang noodles in the kitchen.
Her cooking, once disliked by Charles Yin, was devoured by her two sons without a crumb left.
"Mom's zhajiang noodles are the best we've ever had," Ethan and Miles said happily to Cici. "No contest."
Cici reached out and stroked their heads. "After you eat, don't rush to sleep. Rest a bit before your nap."
The kids nodded obediently. Anything Mommy says, they have to do.
Cici hadn't slept much last night, and after running around all day, she couldn't fight her drowsiness after lunch and drifted off to sleep.
Once she was asleep, everyone in the room spoke and walked quietly, careful not to wake her.
But after three hours, Cici slowly woke up.
As soon as she woke up, she instinctively reached out for her kids.
But the bed was empty and cold.
Where are the kids?
A jolt of fear snapped Cici wide awake.
She jumped out of bed, but before she could rush out to look for the kids, she heard voices from the kitchen: "Bro, no, that's not how you season it. When Mom made dumplings, she added the salt first. You put in the oil first."
Miles groaned in frustration, "Messed up again? Forget it, let's start over! We have to make dumplings with love for Mom!"
Ethan nodded hard, "Yeah, Mom has to taste dumplings we made ourselves and feel our love."
Miles turned around with a small bowl, about to dump everything straight into the trash.
Cici dashed out, "Don't throw it away! The order of salt and oil doesn't matter that much. If you want to learn, Mom will teach you."
"Mom!" Ethan and Miles froze, then burst into joy. "Mom's awake!"
Cici's eyes grew hot. "Yeah, I'm awake. You want to make dumplings for Mom? Such good boys."
Cici squatted down to look them in the eye, stroking their heads. "Where's Wendy?"
Miles answered, "Wendy went to buy flour. We dumped out a whole bag, but none of it worked..."
Cici looked at the messy kitchen and instantly understood everything.
This is England, so there aren't ready-made dumpling wrappers like in Chinese supermarkets. You have to make the dough and roll it out yourself.
The two kids probably used up a whole bag of flour and still couldn't get it right.
Even though the kitchen was a mess, to Cici, it was full of love.
This is the kids' way of showing love!
Even if it turned into a pot of noodle soup, she'd finish every last drop!
"Come on, I'll teach you." Cici rolled up her sleeves and taught her sons how to make filling, knead dough, and wrap dumplings.
As the family was happily making dumplings and getting ready to cook them, Ethan's phone suddenly rang.
Ethan glanced at the number, and his expression changed slightly.
He answered on speaker, "Ethan, how much longer are you going to play outside? Your great-grandmother's birthday is coming up. Why aren't you back in China to celebrate with her?"
The call was from Mrs. Yin, who is Ethan and Miles's grandmother and Charles Yin's mother.
Cici's former mother-in-law.