Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 61 Became the brightest light in his dark heart

People often found him aloof, his eyes cold like a wary young wolf, lacking the innocence of other children and carrying a hint of hostility. Due to his infrequent interactions with others, both he and his younger brother seemed invisible in the village, lacking any notable presence. As a result, few kids wanted to play with them.

However, things had changed recently.

Suddenly, the two brothers appeared in flashy new clothes, new shoes, even their backpacks were trendy double-shoulder bags. Their conspicuous appearance immediately drew the attention of many peers. Some girls even began to approach them proactively.

But Zhou Yue Dong found that he still disliked women, except... for that person.

Upon returning home, they heard from Granny Zhang that Granny Liu and their aunt had come to cause trouble for their stepmother. Then, their father and stepmother had gone to the city, and they had no idea how things were going.

Hearing his younger brother sigh, Zhou Yue Dong glanced at him. His brother, who had never been fond of their stepmother, mentioned her in nine out of ten sentences ever since she bought him clothes. For instance: "Brother, what do you think she'll cook today?", "Brother, I accidentally stained my clothes, what if she gets angry?", "Brother, she gave me cookies today, she must not hate me, right?", "Brother... she's really nice."

Zhou Yue Dong never responded to his brother's remarks because he understood his brother's feelings well.

After finishing his homework, Zhou Yue Dong began to clean the house, making sure everything was spotless inside and out.

Because... their stepmother loved cleanliness.

The two children were distracted, while Yao Yao held out a big White Rabbit candy to Da Huang, babbling as if saying, "Eat, eat."

Da Huang lazily rested his front paws on his hind legs, squinting at the candy in the little girl's hand. He sniffed at it half-heartedly before moving his gaze away, his tail wagging occasionally. Yet, he didn't drive the little girl away.

Suddenly, the sound of a motorcycle approaching came from outside. In an instant, both Da Huang and the three siblings turned their heads to look. On that cool motorcycle was the person they had been worried about.

Both children paused their activities, eyes fixed on the figure approaching. Little Dou Ding joyfully skipped towards her, her little buns bobbing on her head.

Da Huang stood up, stretching lazily with an "just woke up" look in his eyes. His front paws reached out as if stretching but his gaze was fixed on the newcomer.

His dog mom, his dog mom was finally back QAQ.

Looking at the varied expressions in the eyes of Yi, Er, San, and Si (Da Huang), Shen Nian's eyes softened slightly.

At first, she merely hoped to improve her relationship with the children, at least so they wouldn't resent her or seek revenge in the future. But now, she genuinely cared for these kids.

Seeing Yao Yao happily fiddling with the iron gate, Shen Nian quickly got off the motorcycle. However, after riding for nearly an hour, even if her butt wasn't sore, her legs felt numb. As soon as her feet touched the ground, they gave way.

Just as Zhou Yue Shen parked the motorcycle, he instinctively reached out to steady her. His hand touched her arm, which felt incredibly soft, almost as if it could break with just a little force. He quickly withdrew his hand and rubbed his fingers.

At this moment, Zhou Yue Dong opened the iron gate, and Yao Yao stumbled towards them. Shen Nian took a couple of steps forward, lifting the child and planting a kiss on her cheek. Yao Yao giggled in delight, shaking with laughter. Then, she pointed at her father's motorcycle, babbling excitedly.

Though she hadn't seen one before, seeing the two adults arrive on it, she found it fascinating, just like the horse they rode on that day. Even though she couldn't speak yet, she already had memories.

Shen Nian raised an eyebrow. "Yao Yao, do you want to ride Daddy's motorcycle?"

Yao Yao nibbled on her fingers and nodded her little head.

Shen Nian smiled and handed her over to Zhou Yue Shen. "Take Yao Yao for a ride."

Zhou Yue Shen looked at the little bean sprout in his arms, who was curiously touching the motorcycle, exploring every nook and cranny with his little hands, clearly excited.

A tender warmth flashed in Zhou Yue Shen's eyes. Though these children weren't biologically his, he genuinely cared for them. He realized he had failed them by letting them get bullied and mistreated. He used to think that once the children grew up a bit and became more independent, things would get better. But now he understood that his own busyness had caused him to miss many opportunities to care for them, resulting in their current timid and withdrawn demeanor.

He used to attribute their behavior to their family background, but now he recognized that it was his own shortcoming. Shen Nian was also a novice at parenting, but she seemed to be doing a better job than him. Zhou Yue Shen felt deep gratitude towards her. Her presence had brought warmth and color to their once cold home, and the children's eyes now sparkled with her influence.

Simple gestures that he could easily do now became precious memories for the children. As Zhou Yue Shen turned the key to start the motorcycle, he felt a tug on his pants.

Looking down, he saw Little Er with bright, expectant eyes, filled with both anticipation and nervousness. "Daddy, want to ride," the boy said.

Zhou Yue Shen was taken aback for a moment. Looking over to where Zhou Yue Dong stood by the iron gate, the oldest and most mature of the siblings, the admiration and anticipation in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

Boys naturally gravitated towards such things. A chuckle escaped Zhou Yue Shen's chest. He reached back with one hand to lift his son behind him and said in a rare, joyful tone, "Hold on tight, Daddy's going to ride."

Zhou Yue Han immediately wrapped his arms tightly around his father's waist, his little face pressed against his father's broad back. His excitement and joy turned his cheeks red, making them look like little apples.

Zhou Yue Dong stood at a distance, watching with envy as his younger brother fearlessly held onto their father. Unlike his brother, he couldn't bring himself to speak up or reach out. He had grown accustomed to holding back, to keeping things to himself, confining himself to his own small world and never daring to step out of it. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't voice it.

But the next moment, their stepmother, who had silently approached, gently nudged him from behind, prompting Zhou Yue Dong to take a step forward instinctively.

"Go, hold onto your brother, it's safer," she said softly.

Zhou Yue Dong halted, turning to look at her. The sky was overcast with dark clouds, no rain yet, but the gloom pressed down without a hint of sunshine. Yet, the woman standing there seemed to break through the darkness, shining into his dim heart, becoming the brightest beam of light within him.

His heart pounded, his breathing grew shallow, and with nervous steps, he approached the motorcycle. His father's towering figure was right before him. Gathering his courage, he clenched his tiny fist and called out, "Daddy."