Chapter 52: A Failed Life

Pei Qizhou's gaze was deep and profound as he fixed his eyes on Pei Yi, his tone filled with deep concern and anticipation.

He asked softly, "Pei Yi, I hope you can tell me honestly what your true feelings are toward your mother right now." Pei Qizhou's words exuded a father's sense of responsibility and a profound love for his son.

Tonight, Pei Yi appeared remarkably different from usual. Filled with doubt, Pei Qizhou eagerly longed to understand his son's inner world at this very moment.

"I don't know." A hint of confusion laced Pei Yi's childish voice as he gently shook his head, looking somewhat helpless.

Yet, deep within Pei Yi's heart, his feelings toward Yao Shan were complex.

Despite an indescribable aversion toward Yao Shan, perhaps due to the unbreakable bond of blood, an ineffable pain welled up inside him every time he thought of her leaving him soon.

Right now, even Pei Yi himself struggled to describe his own emotions.

All he knew was that when Yao Shan returned home with him today, he felt a long-lost sense of peace in his heart.

"Do you want Mom to leave us?" Pei Qizhou continued to press, understanding that Pei Yi was still young and might not be able to articulate complex emotional issues very clearly.

Therefore, Pei Qizhou decided to ask simple, direct questions to better comprehend his son's thoughts.

"No." Pei Yi shook his head once more, a trace of firmness in his voice.

However, he immediately added, "But I don't like her either." He candidly expressed the contradictory feelings buried deep in his heart.

"What about Xu Miao?" Pei Qizhou furrowed his brow slightly, as if deep in thought.

He wanted to know what kind of affection Pei Yi held for Xu Miao.

"I like Mommy Miao Miao very much!" At the mention of Xu Miao, a brilliant smile bloomed on Pei Yi's face.

His eyes sparkled with excitement, as if merely mentioning Xu Miao instantly lifted his spirits and made him exceptionally happy.

"Playing with Mommy Miao Miao makes me so happy!" His voice was brimming with delight and satisfaction.

Pei Qizhou's brow furrowed even deeper, shadowed by a sense of worry.

He could clearly see that Pei Yi's affection for Xu Miao now far surpassed his feelings for Yao Shan.

Pei Yi's reliance and fondness for Xu Miao made him feel somewhat uneasy.

He was well aware that Xu Miao spent her entire day simply playing with Pei Yi without attending to anything else.

However, deep down, Pei Qizhou did not wish for Xu Miao to constantly spend her days playing with Pei Yi.

After all, Pei Yi was still a child; he needed more learning and growth.

Pei Qizhou worried that if Pei Yi grew overly dependent on Xu Miao, it might adversely affect his independence.

Yet, Xu Miao was Pei Yi's savior, leaving him unable to say much to her.

"Darling, go to sleep." Pei Qizhou gently reached out, lightly stroking Pei Yi's hair.

Having thoroughly grasped Pei Yi's thoughts, he understood his emotions and state of mind. It was getting late, and Pei Yi indeed needed to go to bed.

"Daddy." Pei Yi opened his large eyes, which glittered with curiosity and anticipation, and looked at Pei Qizhou. "Will Yao Shan leave tomorrow?"

Even Pei Yi could not understand why he could not bring himself to say the word "Mom" right now, forcing him to address her by her full name instead.

"I don't know either, sweetheart." Pei Qizhou shook his head helplessly.

Yao Shan was an independent individual, and he could neither control her decisions nor her actions.

A hint of helplessness permeated Pei Qizhou's words; he deeply understood Pei Yi's complicated feelings toward Yao Shan and knew this was not a question he could easily answer.

Sighing softly, Pei Qizhou gazed tenderly at Pei Yi, attempting to convey comfort and affection through his eyes.

Hearing this reply, a flicker of disappointment crossed Pei Yi's eyes, yet he behaved very sensibly, nodding gently and whispering, "Okay, I understand."

He turned and walked toward the door, his steps carrying a hint of hesitation and reluctance, as if pondering what tomorrow would bring and whether Yao Shan would truly leave.

After leaving, Pei Yi did not return straight to his own bedroom.

Instead, he slowly walked toward the doorway of the guest room and lingered there for a long time.

Standing there as if deep in thought, his heart was filled with hesitation and uncertainty.

In the end, summoning his courage, he gently knocked on the door.

Inside the room, Yao Shan was tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep no matter how hard she tried.

At that moment, she heard the knocking coming from outside.

Frowning slightly with a touch of puzzlement, she wondered who could possibly be looking for her at such a late hour.

"Come in," she said softly, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Pei Yi pushed the door open, his small figure standing in the doorway, looking somewhat indecisive.

Instead of stepping into the room immediately, he stayed right there, as if waiting for something.

"Pei Yi?" Yao Shan sat up, clearly surprised by Pei Yi's appearance at this hour. "Why aren't you asleep yet so late at night?"

With his head lowered, Pei Yi nervously twisted the hem of his shirt with both hands and whispered, "I... I just wanted to know, are you leaving tomorrow?"

Never expecting Pei Yi to ask such a direct question, Yao Shan paused for a moment before gently replying, "Pei Yi, Mom hasn't decided yet. Why aren't you in bed sleeping at this hour?"

Lifting his head with a mixture of anticipation and worry in his eyes, Pei Yi said softly, "I... I just wanted to know."

Gazing at Pei Yi's childish face, a complex wave of emotion surged within Yao Shan. Sighing lightly, she said in a gentle tone, "Mom has her own things to do; she can't stay here forever."

Her meaning was abundantly clear: she would not remain here indefinitely.

Even if she didn't leave tomorrow, she would depart sooner or later.

"Whatever you want." Pei Yi's voice turned cold, like the piercing and merciless wind of a winter day.

At that moment, his aversion toward Yao Shan deepened by another fraction, as if the feeble flame in his heart had been ruthlessly extinguished, leaving only cold ashes behind.

Unprepared for such a reaction from Pei Yi, Yao Shan felt a pang of sorrow pierce her heart like a sharp blade, causing her excruciating pain as she looked into his indifferent eyes.

Biting her lip gently, she wanted to say something, yet she had no idea how to begin, as if all language had become pale and powerless in this exact moment.

Without lingering any longer, Pei Yi turned and left. His retreating figure gradually vanished down the end of the hallway, leaving Yao Shan alone in the room with a bitter smile.

To manage to be so thoroughly disliked by her own son could certainly be considered a skill of hers, she thought to herself.

Perhaps Pei Yi never wanted her to stay in the first place, and his visit today was merely to test the waters.

Yao Shan felt that her life was an absolute failure.