On the huge dining table,
Shang Xi was not there.
Baby Shang sat next to his dad, drinking milk and eating small pieces of beef.
He was obviously happy, his little short legs swinging under the table, and the little tuft of fur on his head swaying too.
The black tails, upon learning what had happened last night this morning, now looked at the cub with guilt and fear, all keeping silent.
They were afraid, afraid the cub would hate them.
That goddamn stupid Gray Tail wolfman, killing a wolf!
Shang Xi was so pretty and nice, yet he actually attacked her. In their eyes, even if Gray Tail didn't really mean to bite anyone and only wanted to scare Shang Xi, it was still going too far.
They ate the homeowner's food and lived in the homeowner's house.
Who was Shang Xi? She was the homeowner's cub's mother!
To whisper in secret, they all treated her as the homeowner's mate, so they respected her, welcomed her, and treated her sincerely.
That Gray Tail wolfman was really an idiot. His actions not only hurt Shang Xi and the cub, but also stabbed the homeowner, putting him in an awkward position.
Gu Wen ate very little today. Most of the time, he just kept his head down, quietly watching his cub.
After the cub finished eating,
Gu Wen pursed his lips and spoke slowly in a low voice, "The human name... your mother gave you..."
"Is called Baby Shang," the cub lifted his head, seeming somewhat proud. "Mom gave me the name Baby Shang."
"Not bad, the name," Gu Wen nodded lightly.
Baby Shang smiled, his lips curving up, "Dad thinks it's not bad too, I think so too! My mom is so capable!"
Gu Wen pressed his lips. His throat rolled as he said, "...Baby Shang, I must tell you something, you have the right to know."
Hearing this, the black tails all tensed up with the meat in their mouths, feeling the meat was no longer fragrant.
Here it comes.
It's coming.
Oh, I really want to crawl under the table to hide.
Don't want the cub to hate us! Such a cute little furball!
They haven't finished giving all the little human world gifts they bought.
Hearing his dad had something to say, Baby Shang oh'ed and sat up properly, staring at his dad attentively, completely focused.
Mom always said to listen carefully when someone is talking.
"I should apologize to you, Baby Shang. It was my negligence. Last night a wolfman hurt your mother." Gu Wen stared at the cub and continued, "She wasn't hurt badly. That wolfman has left this place. I assure you this kind of thing won't happen again."
Baby Shang froze.
He thought of the strange smell coming from mom's body, seeming to be some medicine, and of how unusually mom was still sleeping in this morning...
Why hurt mom? Do they dislike her?
Mom is the best person in the world, why would anyone dislike her?
He turned to look at the other wolfmen at the table, then looked back at his dad, his eyes now hinting at strangeness.
Without saying anything, he ran upstairs.
In the huge hall, aside from the pitter-patter of the cub's little feet, all was perfectly silent.
After a while, Black Tail scratched at his head, "We're done for, he hates us now."
Red Tail whined, his eyes turning red, "The cub must think we're threats too. Oh heavens...he won't let me hold him anymore, right?"
"Getting injured inside the house, they must be disappointed in us now..." Green Tail said sorrowfully.
Gu Wen's pupils enlarged slightly. Disappointed?
So it was disappointment?
Was Shang Xi's attitude from yesterday actually disappointment?
She felt so unwelcome here that she insisted on leaving after half a year?
...
Baby Shang ran all the way to the bedroom door before stopping, catching his breath for a moment, then pushed open the door and walked in softly.
Mom had already changed sleeping positions, now lying flat on her back.
There was a white bandage strip on her forehead, and some bruises on her arms and legs.
She was sleeping with her eyes shut.
Baby Shang stared intensely at mom, his eyes wet, hands tightly fisted at his sides.
A wolfman here hurt mom. Who could guarantee it wouldn't happen again?
He wanted to take mom away from this place. He didn't want the cold sweet drinks anymore if enduring pain was what it took.
But...he was too small.
Mom wouldn't agree. He was too weak, unable to do many things, also unable to protect her.
Suddenly, the cell phone on the bedside table rang - it was the alarm.
Baby Shang hurried over to press pause.
The 8 AM alarm. At the latest it was time now to take him to preschool.
She still wanted to take him to school.
It was as if he could hear mom gently saying: time to go to preschool, it's time, any later and you'll be late!
The school he went to now compared to previously, he only felt it was bigger, brighter, prettier, not much different otherwise.
But mom was very happy, very delighted for him.
Baby Shang clenched his little hands, silent for a moment. He kissed mom's face.
Silently turned and left the room.
Gu Wen stood outside the door, quietly watching him: "If you don't want to go to school I'll call you in sick."
"I want to go." Mom hoped he would.
"Okay."
Reaching the top of the stairs, Baby Shang stopped.
At the bottom of the stairs, the wolfmen stood clustered about, leaning against the wall, waiting for something.
Seeing the cub, they opened their eyes wide, mouths agape, stunned speechless.
Baby Shang felt this scene seemed familiar.
When he first arrived the wolfmen were like this too.
Would there really still be other wolfmen here that would hurt mom? Eyeing the wolfmen downstairs he grew uncertain again.
Living with mom since little, never having met mom's relatives, people who were good to him were few. But after coming here these strange wolfmen all treasured him like he was the moon and stars.
Chatting with him, giving him little gifts.
...Could he trust them?
He lifted his gaze to the father beside him, lowering his eyes, "Can I...trust you? My mom won't get hurt again, you... can really guarantee it?"
"I can."
Gu Wen reached out to stroke the cub's hair. "I can."
All present wolfmen heard their conversation clearly. Unable to restrain himself, Black Tail shouted, "Cub, we all like humans, we all like your mom, we warmly welcome her!"
Green Tail added anxiously, "Do you understand? Not all wolfmen are the same. Don't be afraid, don't hate us, okay?"
Red Tail whined, "Cub, will you still let me hold you?"
Baby Shang was silent for a bit, then nodded.
He chose to trust.
He must trust his own feelings.
"Mom always said you can't condemn everyone for one person's actions. That would be mistaken injury." He pursed his little lips, blinking wet eyes once, "Condemning everyone would lead to mistaken injury."
Mom was hurt by a certain wolfman, but not by these wolfmen before his eyes.
The wolf pack howled happily, raising their hands and cheering, tails wagging wildly in joy.
Only Gu Wen kept silent.
All these years he firmly believed all pure humans were fickle and falsehearted. Was he also...
Gray Tail harmed Shang Xi. He thought the cub would hate and distrust all wolfmen, including himself.
He was even thinking how to regain the cub's trust.
Yet the cub said condemning everyone would lead to mistaken injury.
For the first time, Gu Wen began reflecting whether his own firmly held views were actually correct.
"Such an awesome cub!"
"Right, each of us wolfmen is an independent individual. What Gray Tail did was condemn everyone."
"The cub is so good, he didn't learn that behavior."
"From now on whenever I see Gray Tail I'm going to beat him up!"
Green Tail sighed feelingly, "Shang Xi taught so well! Pretty, nice, and can even teach the cub. *sob* So cool, I really like her!"
After speaking, he suddenly felt the homeowner's sharp gaze glance his way.
Uh...
Oh wait...
Does the homeowner still dislike pure humans? Is he still prejudiced against Shang Xi?
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