Volume One, Chapter 11: Why Didn't You Protect Xiao Yu When You Hit Him?

At those words, the teacher and Song Qingyin looked at the woman in disbelief.

Xiao Yu’s eyes instantly reddened.

This person is so rude! He already apologized, so why hit him?

“Auntie, how can you hit me!” Xiao Yu said tearfully.

Song Qingyin quickly pulled him into her arms. “Xiao Yu, don’t cry, don’t cry. Let me see your hand…”

“Mama Yinyin, it hurts!” Xiao Yu wiped away tears and held out his hand.

Song Qingyin hugged him tenderly, trying to soothe him.

Shen Shuhe was just a step too late.

Watching this scene of “mother and child at peace,” she froze in place, suddenly losing the strength to speak.

Pei Jingmo arrived just in time to see this scene.

Xiao Yu was curled up crying uncontrollably in Song Qingyin’s arms, who held him tightly, her expression anxious and heartbroken.

Nearby stood an unfamiliar woman, gesticulating wildly and shouting insults at the two.

In contrast, Shen Shuhe stood calmly to the side, like a mere onlooker.

Pei Jingmo’s anger flared instantly.

“Mr. Pei, you’re here!” The teacher was the first to notice the man at the door and hurriedly greeted him.

Hearing the voice, everyone looked up.

Song Qingyin and Xiao Yu seemed to find their anchor and immediately rushed to his side.

“Jingmo, I’m sorry—I didn’t take good care of Xiao Yu…” Song Qingyin bit her lip and spoke first.

Though still crying, Xiao Yu defended Song Qingyin, “It’s not Mama Yinyin’s fault! That auntie hit me!”

“She hit the back of my hand! Dad, look, it hurts so much!”

Pei Jingmo looked down and indeed saw a clear red mark on the young boy’s small hand.

He took Xiao Yu’s hand gently, rubbing it softly.

Pressing his lips, he glanced at the silent Shen Shuhe beside him, then finally looked to the teacher.

“Teacher, please explain what exactly happened here.”

The teacher didn’t dare delay and quickly recounted the entire situation.

When mentioning Song Qingyin and Shen Shuhe, the teacher paused for a few seconds before continuing, “Xiao Yu’s mother offered to cover the medical expenses, but Xiao Kai’s mother refused and demanded an apology from Xiao Yu.”

Hearing this, Pei Jingmo pretty much guessed what had followed.

He looked down at the softly sobbing Xiao Yu, rubbing the back of his hand with his fingertip, then suddenly shot a sharp gaze at the dark figure nearby.

“So, you want Xiao Yu to apologize?”

Hah. Because that woman’s son, who is of noble status, refused to apologize, does that mean his own son must lower himself and apologize?

Moreover, Xiao Yu was not at fault—it was purely an accident. Offering to pay for medical expenses was the normal way to resolve this.

Why then was Xiao Yu being forced to apologize?

Pei Jingmo instantly felt that Shen Shuhe’s spineless personality was truly unsuited to raising Xiao Yu.

How could one raise a boy to be weak and indecisive?

“Shen Shuhe, if you like apologizing, you can do it yourself. Don’t drag Xiao Yu down with you…”

Before he finished speaking, someone tugged at Pei Jingmo’s sleeve.

He looked down and met Song Qingyin’s hesitant expression.

“What is it?” Pei Jingmo asked softly.

Could it be that Shen Shuhe had done something else embarrassing?

“Jingmo, sorry,” Song Qingyin said awkwardly, “Xiao Yu wanted to make up with his classmate, and I thought it was normal for children to play and argue, so I agreed to have him shake hands and reconcile. Who knew…”

After saying this, Song Qingyin glanced cautiously at Pei Jingmo.

But his expression was strange.

After a few seconds, Pei Jingmo’s gaze finally settled on Shen Shuhe.

Since he arrived, her expression and actions hadn’t changed.

From beginning to end, Shen Shuhe hadn’t spoken. When he looked her way, she lowered her crossed arms and calmly said, “Since you’re here, handle the rest.”

Then she turned and left the office.

Today was mainly to deal with Xiao Yu’s matter; everything else could wait.

After all, his impression of her had always been—

Weak, hypocritical, vain, scheming…

She was used to Pei Jingmo’s “misunderstandings” about her.

Shen Shuhe took a deep breath, looked at the azure sky, and walked step by step through the corridor toward the school gate.

Inside the office.

Pei Jingmo was unusually silent.

But soon, the teacher’s voice pulled him back.

“Mr. Pei, why don’t you take Xiao Yu to the infirmary for a checkup?”

“What’s there to see? No cuts, no bleeding. My son’s face got scratched!”

At that moment, the woman in red who had been watching the commotion spoke up again.

Hearing her voice, Pei Jingmo looked over.

In an instant, the woman in red felt a chilling coldness wash over her.

The man’s expression was dark, his aura cold, especially his deep, pitch-black eyes that dared no one to meet directly.

The woman quickly looked away, mumbling, “That’s just how it is!”

Pei Jingmo glanced at the boy in her arms.

Thankfully, his eyesight was good; otherwise, he wouldn’t have even noticed that it was just a scratch.

Because of this, not only had she spoken rudely to Xiao Yu and Qingyin, but she had also demanded that Xiao Yu kneel to apologize.

She even laid hands on Xiao Yu!

Pei Jingmo wished he could throw this woman into the river right now!

“Ms. Zhao, right?” Pei Jingmo held Song Qingyin and cradled Xiao Yu, then directly stated the solution, “Regarding today’s incident, I will sue you for intentional injury and malicious defamation. Wait at home for my lawyer’s call.”

Having said that, he took Song Qingyin’s hand and prepared to leave.

The teacher was stunned into silence by this statement, only the yelling of Xiao Kai’s mother startled her back to reality.

“Why would you sue me!”

“Your son was the one who hurt my son first! And yet you won’t make your son apologize! How dare you sue me first!”

“Besides, what did I say that was wrong? Isn’t it true he has no mother? He’s grown up not even knowing who his own mother is!”

Such words were unbearable to hear.

Song Qingyin’s face was full of embarrassment.

Pei Jingmo’s face darkened further. He turned around, his tone icy as if forged from ice, “Today, my son will not apologize to you!”

“And you? You will soon be begging to apologize everywhere.”

With a cold snort, Pei Jingmo ignored the woman’s furious screams and curses, and left with the two.

Inside the office came Xiao Kai’s crying and the woman’s yelling.

……

In the school parking lot, Shen Shuhe opened the car door to get in but suddenly felt someone hold her back.

Startled, she turned and saw Pei Jingmo.

“What is it?” she frowned.

“Why didn’t you protect Xiao Yu just now?” Pei Jingmo asked with tight lips and an expressionless face.

Shen Shuhe was puzzled.

She glanced past the man’s figure toward not far away where Song Qingyin held Xiao Yu looking over.

“Who said I didn’t protect Xiao Yu?”

Shen Shuhe didn’t name anyone because she didn’t want to speculate excessively.

Unfortunately, someone deliberately twisted her words.

“No need to hint at Qingyin—she wouldn’t speak ill of others behind their backs.”

So, this was an insinuation against her?

Shen Shuhe nearly laughed.

She didn’t want to say another word to Pei Jingmo, but if it wasn’t her fault, she wouldn’t take the blame.

“I stopped Xiao Yu immediately and didn’t let him apologize. I offered to pay the expenses, but that woman refused.”

“Xiao Yu was probably scared by her and wanted to resolve the matter quickly, so he agreed to apologize.”

That matched what the teacher and Qingyin had said.

Pei Jingmo thought to himself that she was somewhat sensible and hadn’t lied.

However, she was still at fault.

“Xiao Yu is still young and doesn’t understand the complex malice involved. How can you not see that woman’s malicious intentions?”

“If Xiao Yu wants to apologize, you just go along with it? Aren’t you afraid that woman might suddenly do something unpredictable and hurt Xiao Yu?”

“Shen Shuhe, what kind of mother are you?”