CHAPTER 274: CHAPTER 115 OUR DEPARTURE IS ONLY TEMPORARY

Mrs. Leng returned home to find Qian Rouxuan quietly sitting on the sofa. Upon seeing her enter, Qian Rouxuan stood up quickly, "Auntie, where did you take John?"

Earlier, when she returned to the house and found Mrs. Leng and John absent, she had tried to discreetly inquire with the household staff. However, the servants, with their snobbish attitudes, completely ignored her, which served as yet another reminder that even though she was living in the Leng Family home, without status or recognition, even the help wouldn’t take her seriously.

Mrs. Leng maintained a calm expression. She had already thought of what to say on the way back; after all, it wasn’t really a big deal. Originally, the reason Qian Rouxuan had come to live here was because of how frightened John was.

But after hearing Mr. Leng Sr.’s words earlier, she suddenly came to a clear realization—what is most important.

She truly liked John, but no matter how much she cared for him, she could not neglect her son. In her heart, her son was still the most important.

Previously, she’d been swept away by the sudden arrival of a grandson, losing her sense of reason and, in a moment of madness, angering Mochen and Li Si. Now, she deeply regretted her actions.

She planned to find a way to make amends in the future. Li Si was a good child, and she believed that as long as she approached with sincerity, after all, she was still the mother-in-law—even if she overstepped before, she wouldn’t have gone too far.

"Mochen’s grandfather has returned, and asked to see me! Rouxuan, how is your mother’s health recently?" Mrs. Leng didn’t directly ask her to leave; instead, she casually inquired about her mother’s wellbeing, as though making idle conversation. She knew Qian Rouxuan wasn’t foolish and would likely catch the hint and respond accordingly.

From this remark, Qian Rouxuan picked up on a different undertone. John, standing beside her, gave her a meaningful glance, and she immediately understood. "Oh, grandpa’s back? He’s still as robust as ever, isn’t he? My mother’s been doing better lately—my brother’s told me several times how she’s been asking about John. She keeps asking when I’ll bring him over to see her! She really misses him!"

Though Qian Rouxuan had never directly interacted with Mr. Leng Sr., she had heard stories about him. Judging by the fact that Mrs. Leng had taken John to meet him and returned with a noticeably altered demeanor, it was clear he must have said something.

She felt resentment deep inside but was powerless to act. If she insisted on staying and provoked Mrs. Leng’s displeasure, it would severely hinder her future plans. Often in such situations, retreating strategically was a smarter move.

Mrs. Leng nodded with satisfaction. At least she had tact. Her tone became slightly warmer, "Mochen’s grandfather is doing very well! John is such a likable child—it’s natural for your mother to miss him. I’ve been busy lately preparing for Mochen’s grandfather’s 80th birthday celebration, so I might not have much time to care for John.

Coincidentally, sending the child to your mother can cheer her up as well. You know how it is with elders—having a sweet child nearby when they’re ill can brighten their mood and speed up recovery!"

"Grandpa’s 80th birthday will certainly keep everyone busy. Auntie, you should also take care of your health and avoid overworking yourself. I’ll head upstairs to pack our things now and take John to my mom’s later!" Qian Rouxuan rose with a thoughtful and understanding demeanor.

"Alright!" Mrs. Leng nodded, letting out a small sigh of relief. According to Mr. Leng Sr.’s intentions, this woman wouldn’t leave so easily.

Now that Qian Rouxuan was portraying herself as sensible and well-mannered, Mrs. Leng was unsure how to react.

A glint passed through Qian Rouxuan’s eyes. "John, chat with grandma for a little while and say goodbye properly. Mommy will be downstairs soon!"

John had been quietly sitting beside Qian Rouxuan, listening. He already understood that this was grandma’s way of asking them to leave. But he couldn’t comprehend—why, after meeting that old man, he and his mom had to leave? Was he really so unwanted?

Grandma’s illness was nothing serious. John preferred being at grandma’s house because here he was valued. Yet at his grandma on his mom’s side, the one who took precedence was his uncle, while he was merely an outsider.

The thought made him pout in frustration. But when Qian Rouxuan gave him a sharp, warning glare as she turned to leave, he quickly pretended to be reluctant to say goodbye to Mrs. Leng.

"Grandma, I don’t want to leave you!"

Mrs. Leng’s heart twinged with sadness. She genuinely liked this boy, but right now, there was no other choice—she could only temporarily send him away.

"John, grandma doesn’t want you to leave either. When there’s time, grandma will come visit you, okay?"

John threw himself into Mrs. Leng’s arms, his eyes reddening as he tilted his head to earnestly look at her. "Grandma, are you really going to keep your word? You’re not lying to me, are you?"

Mrs. Leng gently stroked his soft hair. "Grandma keeps her promises!" Her heart ached, as the child’s clear, innocent eyes made it impossible for her to voice certain truths.