CHAPTER 89 — Operation Protect Mommy
Morning sunlight spilled across the Mu estate's dining room, turning the glass table into a sheet of gold. The three three-year-olds sat on tall chairs—legs too short to touch the floor, expressions far too serious for their tiny faces.
This was no ordinary breakfast.
This was a meeting.
A meeting with an agenda.
A meeting with a mission.
A meeting Rui himself had declared as—
"Operation Protect Mommy."
Shi Yichen sat with his little arms folded, looking like a miniature CEO copying Rui's posture. Shi Qing'er swung her feet beneath the chair, clutching her rabbit plush like a second-in-command. Mu Rui sat at the head of the table, back straight, brows slightly furrowed.
His siblings waited.
He cleared his throat.
"We have a problem," he announced gravely, in a tone that most grown-ups would kill to have.
"What kind of problem?" Yichen whispered dramatically.
"A Mommy problem," Rui answered.
Qing'er gasped. "Did Mommy cry again?"
Rui's heart squeezed at the memory of last night—when he'd woken up at midnight and found Yunxi in the hallway near the guest room, sitting silently with her arms wrapped around herself.
She hadn't sobbed.
She hadn't spoken.
But her shoulders shook just enough for Rui to know.
She had been hurting.
He didn't know why.
But he knew it scared him.
Rui nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Yichen frowned, nervous. "Is she sick?"
"No."
Qing'er leaned forward. "Then is she sad?"
Rui hesitated.
Slowly, he nodded.
The twins deflated instantly.
"But why is Mommy sad?" Yichen whispered. "We're all safe here. Daddy is nice. The rooms are big. And—and we can eat chocolate mousse after breakfast!"
Qing'er tugged her rabbit's ear. "Did we do something wrong?"
Rui shook his head, expression firm.
"No. Mommy told me we didn't."
He paused, breathing in as if preparing for something big.
"But Mommy is hiding something."
The twins' eyes widened.
"Hiding what?" Yichen whispered.
"I don't know," Rui admitted, honesty shining through his young voice. "But she hides lots of things. When we ask things about before we were born… Mommy changes the topic."
"That's true…" Qing'er murmured. "When I asked about Daddy the first time, Mommy said he lived in the stars."
"She told me Daddy was a good dream," Yichen added.
Rui nodded. "She never told us anything real. Why she left the Shi family. Why she sometimes looks scared when someone knocks on the door. Why she cries when she thinks we're sleeping."
The twins looked down, small faces serious.
Qing'er whispered, "Mommy is scared of something."
"And sad," Yichen said softly.
"And hiding it because she wants us to be happy," Rui finished.
They all fell silent for a moment.
Then Yichen asked, "So what do we do?"
"What we always do," Rui said, puffing out his tiny chest. "We protect Mommy."
"Yes!" Qing'er squeaked, raising her little hand like she was joining the army.
"Protect Mommy!" Yichen repeated.
Rui nodded firmly.
"Good. Then we need a plan."
He leaned forward, lowering his voice even though they were completely alone.
"I know Mommy doesn't want Daddy to worry," Rui said. "But Daddy is the only person Mommy doesn't fear."
Qing'er blinked. "But Mommy gets nervous when Daddy is too close."
"Yeah!" Yichen agreed. "And when he looks at her for too long, Mommy's cheeks get red."
Rui frowned. "That's not fear. That's… adult weirdness."
"Ohhh," the twins said in unison, instantly accepting that explanation.
Rui continued.
"Daddy is strong. He can protect Mommy from the people she hides from. But Mommy doesn't want to tell him everything. So we—"
"We spy?" Yichen said eagerly.
"We investigate?" Qing'er whispered.
"We watch Mommy carefully," Rui corrected. "If she gets scared, we tell Daddy."
Yichen nodded vigorously. "We can do that!"
"Also," Rui added, "I think Mommy is scared of the Shi family."
The twins stiffened.
"Those scary people from the bad house?" Qing'er whispered.
Rui nodded. "Yes. Mommy never talks about them. But every time their name is mentioned, she looks… like she can't breathe."
Yichen hugged his arms around himself. "Then we must stop them."
Rui took a deep breath. "Yes. But we're small. So…"
He glanced toward the hallway.
Right on cue—they heard measured footsteps approaching.
Soft. Even. Warm.
Mu Lingchen.
The twins perked up instantly.
"What timing!" Yichen whispered.
Rui smirked in satisfaction. "Good. He's part of our team now."
Lingchen entered the dining room with a soft smile as soon as he saw them awake.
"Good morning," he greeted.
He wore a simple black sweater today, sleeves pushed to his elbows, hair still slightly tousled from sleep. He looked… gentle. Approachable. Almost too perfect for an early morning.
The children exchanged glances.
Operation Protect Mommy required a Daddy.
They had one.
Rui hopped off his chair and marched toward Lingchen with the seriousness of someone preparing to hand over classified information.
Lingchen blinked, amused. "What is it?"
Rui pointed at him. "We need to talk."
Lingchen raised an eyebrow but crouched down to his level. "I'm listening."
The twins rushed over too.
Qing'er grabbed Lingchen's sleeve. "Daddy, Mommy is sad."
Lingchen froze.
Yichen added urgently, "And hiding things!"
Lingchen straightened slightly, expression shifting. "Hiding… what things?"
Rui crossed his little arms. "We don't know. But we're going to find out."
Lingchen looked between the three tiny, serious faces and felt something tighten in his chest.
They were worried for their mother.
They were frightened.
And they were trying to shoulder it all themselves.
He gently touched Rui's hair. "You don't have to carry that alone."
Rui shook his head stubbornly. "Mommy is our Mommy. We must protect her."
Lingchen's eyes softened — deeply. Painfully.
"And I must protect all four of you," he said quietly.
Qing'er's eyes sparkled. "So you'll help us?"
Yichen nodded eagerly. "You're tall! You can reach things!"
Lingchen huffed a soft laugh. "Yes. I can reach things."
"And you can chase bad people!" Qing'er added.
"Yes."
"And Mommy smiles when you're around," Rui said thoughtfully.
Lingchen's breath caught.
He swallowed.
"Then," he said, voice low and steady, "let's protect her together."
The children cheered, throwing their hands in the air.
"Operation Protect Mommy — START!"
Lingchen blinked, startled, but a slow, warm smile spread across his face as Rui grabbed his hand, Yichen latched onto his sleeve, and Qing'er clung to his leg.
The plan was childish.
Messy.
Chaotic.
And yet—
It was brilliant.
Because Lingchen now knew the truth:
Something was haunting Yunxi.
Something she was terrified to speak.
Something she didn't want to burden him with.
But he wasn't going to wait for her fear to consume her.
He was going to find out.
And when he did…
He would tear down anything that dared hurt her.
The triplets weren't just protecting their mother.
They had awakened the full force of the Mu family's heir.
And nothing — absolutely nothing — would stand against that.