CHAPTER 388: CHAPTER 388; YES, MOMMY

After breakfast, Tang Fei gathered her things, a sleek black handbag, her phone, and the car keys. The children finished their meals and collected their school bags, the familiar morning routine unfolding with practiced ease.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Tang Fei called out, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Yes, Auntie!" Qin Xinyu responded enthusiastically, adjusting his backpack straps.

Minghao simply nodded, her expression thoughtful as she double-checked that she had everything she needed.

"Qing Qing, stay at home and if you feel bored, you can tell Nanny to accompany you, or watch TV." She kissed her goodbye. Qing Qing wasn’t done with her food yet.

"All right, Auntie..." She happily nodded, waving goodbye to them.

Qin Xinyu and Minghao waved back at her while walking away.

They filed out through the side entrance that led to the private garage. The space was expansive, housing the Huo family’s impressive collection of vehicles, everything from bulletproof sedans to luxury sports cars. Tang Fei bypassed the more ostentatious options and headed straight for an understated black SUV that was practical yet elegant.

She clicked the key fob, and the vehicle’s lights blinked in response.

"Shotgun!" Twilight called out with a grin, moving toward the passenger side.

"That’s not fair, you always get the front seat," Minghao protested half-heartedly, though there was affection in her tone.

"Early bird gets the worm, little one. Back seat fits you better..." Twilight teased, ruffling Minghao’s hair as she passed by her.

Tang Fei couldn’t help but smile at their little banter. It was these small, normal moments that made everything else worthwhile.

She slid into the driver’s seat, adjusting the mirrors and seat position while the others settled in. Twilight buckled up beside her, immediately pulling out her phone to check messages. In the back, Qin Xinyu and Minghao arranged themselves comfortably, their school bags tucked at their feet.

"Mommy... It’s very rare for you to drive. I wonder how good your skills are! But please be careful, I still have several years to live!" Minghao teasingly muttered, gazing at her mother. Truly, she hadn’t seen her drive often.

"Don’t worry! I’m the best of the best..." Tang Fei giggled as she adjusted everything and started the engine.

"Hey hey... Missus!"

"Hold up!"

Huo Qi’s voice suddenly rang out, stopping them as he rushed over from the side entrance, slightly out of breath.

Tang Fei paused, her hand still on the gear shift, and rolled down her window. "What’s the matter, Huo Qi? The children will be late for school!"

"Missus, please, let the chauffeur drive you," Huo Qi said urgently, gesturing toward one of the waiting drivers who had already started moving toward another vehicle. "You should go back inside and wake Master Huo. There are some urgent matters that require both of your attention immediately."

Tang Fei’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in her eyes, something cool and unyielding. "Urgent matters?" she repeated, her tone light but with an edge. "Then you should handle them yourself, Huo Qi. You’re more than capable, that’s why you are his right-hand man."

"But Missus, Master Huo specifically needs to....."

"If it’s so urgent, then you wake him up," Tang Fei interrupted smoothly, her smile never faltering but her eyes hardening. "I’m taking my children to school. That’s my priority right now."

"Missus, please...."

"Huo Qi." Her voice dropped slightly, just enough to carry weight. "I’m driving out. Now."

Before he could protest further, she shifted into gear and pressed the accelerator. The SUV lurched forward smoothly, heading toward the garage exit.

"Missus, wait!" Huo Qi called out, but she was already moving.

As they approached the main gate, two guards stepped forward, hands raised in a stopping gesture. They’d clearly been alerted by Huo Qi through their communication devices.

Tang Fei didn’t slow down.

"Uh, Mommy?" Minghao’s voice carried a hint of nervousness from the back seat.

"Hold on, darlings," Tang Fei said calmly, her eyes fixed on the gate ahead.

The guards hesitated, uncertain whether to actually physically block the Missus’s vehicle. In that moment of hesitation, Tang Fei smoothly maneuvered around them, the SUV gliding past with practiced ease.

"Open the gate!" one guard shouted into his radio.

The heavy iron gates began to swing open, not fast enough for normal passage, but Tang Fei timed it perfectly, slipping through the gap with inches to spare on either side.

"Whoa!" Qin Xinyu gasped from the back seat, gripping his seatbelt.

Twilight glanced at Tang Fei with raised eyebrows but said nothing, a small smile playing at her lips. Was her momma finally getting a grip and acting bad ass?

In the rearview mirror, Tang Fei could see Huo Qi sprinting back toward the garage, shouting orders into his phone. Within seconds, two black sedans roared to life and shot out of the garage in pursuit.

"Looks like we have an escort," Twilight observed dryly, watching the vehicles fall into formation behind them.

"Of course we do," Tang Fei replied, her voice carrying a mixture of amusement and resignation. "Huo Qi would never let me drive around unprotected, even if I don’t want the attention."

The two security vehicles maintained a discreet but constant distance behind them, close enough to intervene if necessary, far enough not to be intrusive. Professional. Protective and inevitable.

"Everyone buckled?" Tang Fei asked, glancing in the rearview mirror, though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, Mommy," Minghao confirmed, though her eyes were wide with the excitement of their dramatic exit.

"Yes, Auntie," Qin Xinyu echoed, still looking a bit stunned.

"Good." Tang Fei’s expression softened as she guided the vehicle onto the main road. The SUV purred smoothly beneath her hands, responsive and powerful. She navigated with easy confidence through the morning traffic.

The Huo estate was situated in one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods, surrounded by high walls and advanced security. As they merged into the flow of traffic on the wide boulevard, the morning sun painted everything in shades of gold.

Behind them, the two security vehicles followed like silent shadows, their presence a constant reminder that even in rebellion, she was never truly free.

But for now, for these few precious moments, she was just a mother driving her children to school.

And that was enough.

The city was already awake and bustling despite the relatively early hour. Morning traffic flowed steadily along the wide boulevards lined with autumn trees, their leaves painted in shades of gold and crimson. The air held that crisp quality unique to late autumn mornings, cold enough to see your breath but not quite bitter.

Tang Fei drove with easy confidence, navigating the streets with the skill of someone who knew every shortcut and back road. Her hands rested lightly on the steering wheel, her posture relaxed despite the tension she carried internally.

"So, Xinyu," Twilight said, turning slightly in her seat to look at her brother. "Have you thought about what kind of modeling you want to do? Is it Fashion? Commercial? Editorial?"

Qin Xinyu’s face lit up at the question. "I’m not sure yet. What do you think would be best for me to do?" He was just a teenager and knew too little about the entire career chain, he only knew he had looks.

"Well, you’ve got the height and bone structure for high fashion," Twilight mused, studying him critically with a professional eye. "But you also have that boy-next-door quality that works really well for commercial campaigns. Maybe we start with some test shoots, build a portfolio, and see what endorsements will respond."

"That sounds good," he agreed eagerly.

Minghao, who had been quietly looking out the window, suddenly spoke up. "Will you still have time for school and homework? Modeling seems like it would take a lot of time."

It was a practical question, very much in character for the serious young girl.

"Don’t worry, Minghao," Twilight assured her. "I’ll make sure his schedule doesn’t interfere with his education. School always comes first. The modeling will be weekends and holidays only, at least until we see how things go."

"Good," Minghao said with a firm nod, satisfied with that answer.

Tang Fei smiled, listening to them talk. There was something deeply comforting about these mundane conversations, career planning, school schedules, and normal teenage concerns. It was so far removed from the blood and violence of last night that it almost felt like a different world entirely.