Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

Back in the living room again.

Within just ten minutes of departure, the four mothers had somehow already gathered around the mahjong table and begun playing.

Xu Qingfan stood behind Zhang Chunxue. When it was Auntie's turn to draw a tile, he lent her a hand.

"Auntie's calling Hu so quickly, watch me help you draw a ghost card."

"Cough...Fa Cai is ready to play."

He awkwardly discarded the lush green Fa Cai in his hand.

"Fa Cai Kong!"

"Hahaha, Xiao Fan, did you discard the Fa Cai on purpose because you saw Auntie had three of them?"

Laughing heartily, Zhao Yue Min flipped over her three fa cai tiles, took back the card he had just played, and declared a bright kong.

Xu Qingfan smacked his forehead in regret. "Ah, Auntie, I really didn't do it on purpose."

"I saw it was a sweet potato and just played it without noticing there wasn't a single Fa Cai on the table!"

"Give me another chance, Auntie, I guarantee a self-drawn win next round!"

After all, he was no longer a child; it was okay for them to address him as a younger brother when the mothers brought it up themselves, but to do so usually would be somewhat disrespectful.

Zhao Yue Min, still cheerful, pushed her tiles forward with a laugh, "No more chances, Xiao Fan—Auntie here has Kong upon Kong!"

The three mothers, who lost money, glared at him, with Lin Jing taking the lead in joking, "Xiao Fan, go join your dad next door, and don't disturb our mahjong game!"

"Tsk tsk, blame me. It must be because I teased Xiao Fan earlier; now he's seeking revenge!" Wen Wanqing patted her forehead.

"Xiao Fan, it's alright, come sit with Auntie. If Auntie wins some money, I'll share half with you," Zhao Yue Min said, beckoning to him with a grin.

Zhang Chunxue just gave him a look and hid her smile without a word.

Receiving the hint, Xu Qingfan immediately said, "Oh dear, I forgot the tea—Aunt Lin just reminded me!"

He then hurriedly scooted off to fetch tea and water, to the great amusement of the four mothers.

"Really, Xiao Fan is so thoughtful. Among his peers, I've never seen anyone quite as considerate as he is." Wen Wanqing had invited business partners to eat, and they often brought their children, but most of them his age would just stick to their phones and play games.

"You're telling me. Remember that time I had a high fever late at night just before the New Year? It was windy and thunderous outside. I wanted to take some medicine and wait until dawn.

But after Wenwen told Xiao Fan, he and his dad suddenly showed up in the middle of the night, carrying me up and down the stairs. When I was seated and receiving IV fluids, I saw Xiao Fan's face drenched with rain. I didn't know what came over me; I just started crying and Xiao Fan had to comfort me for a good while, hahaha."

Zhao Yue Min recounted the event quite placidly, but as she spoke, her eyes imperceptibly reddened again.

"That's just the kind of boy he is, not just paying lip service. He truly honors us like his own mothers," Lin Jing remarked, wiping a moist corner of her eye though it was unclear when it had become damp.

"Hahaha, speaking of which, it reminds me of the 2008 financial crisis. My husband Lin was so worried, his hair turned half white, and he suffered from countless sleepless nights. We were even preparing to sell the car and house through an agent.

Then one day, my daughter suddenly came with a bank card and told me, 'Mom, there's a lot of money in the card, the money Brother Qing Fan and I made from drawing comics...'"

Zhang Chunxue watched Xu Qingfan's silhouette rinsing the tea leaves, the corners of her mouth lifted in a faint gentle smile. The bond between her and Xu Qing Fan didn't need to be explained to others.

...

"Eh?"

"No way, it's just a five-yuan mahjong game. Could it really make you all cry?"

When Xu Qingfan returned with the tea, he found four mothers with red-rimmed, moist eyes.

"We were talking about you, Xiao Fan. We thought it would be nice to have you as our son. What do you think?" Lin Jing explained with a smile.

"What a thing to say, whether it's good or bad, I might call you Auntie, but in my heart, I've always treated you all like my own mother!"

"Don't you all feel the same way about treating me like your own son?"

Xu Qingfan showed a pleasing smile and served tea to each of them in turn.

"It's too bad Xiao Fan doesn't know the Clone Technique, otherwise we could make six of him, one for each of us to take home. Then Wanning wouldn't need to call every night to say goodnight, and we could save a lot of money on phone bills," Wen Wanqing said, gazing at him intently as if truly considering the possibility of the Clone Technique.

"It's not that complicated. How about this: from Monday to Friday, we take turns, and on Saturday and Sunday, Xiao Fan goes back to stay with his own mom. How does that sound?"

Zhao Yue Min still had tears in her eyes as she looked at Xu Qingfan, almost as if a mother-in-law was looking at her son-in-law.

"I have no objections, but I'm afraid Aunt Ping might not be happy about us trying to lure Xiao Fan away," Lin Jing said, glancing in the direction of the kitchen with a laugh.

"That's true. If I had a son like Xiao Fan, I wouldn't want him to be taken away by some girl outside, either," Wen Wanqing added.

"Absolutely, I guess I would cry all night and all day if he got a girlfriend!" Zhao Yue Min agreed.

As the conversation became increasingly wild, Xu Qingfan blushed from the excessive praise. He hurriedly interjected, "Okay, okay, moms, put away your Divine Skills. I won't go anywhere in this life; I'll just stay with you all."

Everyone was chuckling now, but no one really believed it. In time, they would see that not all men are just talk.

"How could he not go anywhere for his whole life? Auntie wants to see our Xiao Fan get married and wear a suit. By that time, Auntie will be old too," Lin Jing said, patting the back of his hand.

"Eh~ I still remember the first time I saw Xiao Fan, just over a meter tall, delicate like a porcelain doll. As soon as I got back, he called me sister, and my heart melted on the spot."

"And to think, he's grown so much now without us realizing."

Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Wen Wanqing's pupils refocused once again.