Jiangyuan Village was a relatively bustling settlement. While it lacked any particularly scenic attractions, it offered plenty in terms of food. It could only be described as a comfortable and peaceful place to live. The village was home to over eight hundred households—a considerable number, making it quite populous.
East of the village center stood a two-story pavilion. This house had been built by Xu Ruizhi's grandfather, originally intended as the marital home for Xu Ruizhi's parents. Unfortunately, after a tragic car accident, it could no longer serve that purpose. Ten years ago, unable to accept the reality of his son's death, Xu Ruizhi's grandfather had stubbornly cared for the boy for two or three years before falling ill himself. In the end, he too succumbed, passing away.
Xu Ruizhi's grandmother, heartbroken by the successive losses of her husband and son, also passed away two years later.
Thus, Yang Zhurou and Xu Ruizhi, mother and son, continued to live in this house.
After dinner, around nine o'clock, Xu Ruizhi and Yang Zhurou were watching TV in the living room. Xu Ruizhi gazed at his mother's beautiful face. She was wearing a pink-and-white nightgown, her long, jet-black hair cascading around her. Her peach-blossom eyes were enchanting and captivating, almost as if they could steal one's soul, radiating an extraordinary sensuality. Looking further down, the neckline of her nightgown was slightly open, revealing a deep cleavage. Beneath the thin fabric of her nightgown, the faint outlines of two soft, snow-white mounds were visible, their tips like cherry-like peaks. The sight made Xu Ruizhi's blood boil.
No bra?! Xu Ruizhi's eyes widened in shock, nearly popping out of their sockets.
In his heart, he was screaming: Mom, I'm not a kid anymore! Can't you be a little more cautious around me? Have some awareness!!!
But even as he thought this, he felt no real dissatisfaction. Instead, he felt a sense of relief, even a wild joy. At least his mother hadn't started avoiding him because of his age. Perhaps she was just used to it.
Continuing his gaze downward, he admired her beautiful legs beneath the nightgown—fair, tender, and slender. One leg was bent and stretched, while the other was curled up, both positioned in an irregular yet alluring manner that made her long legs appear incredibly seductive.
Further down were her ankles. His mother's ankles were exceptionally beautiful—two delicate, jade-like feet with plump, rounded toes that gleamed like pearls. The soles of her feet were pale and smooth, flawless in every way. Even Xu Ruizhi, who wasn't particularly a foot enthusiast, found it hard to resist.
"She's truly stunning!" Xu Ruizhi thought to himself.
I have to act quickly, he mused inwardly. I need to win Mom over as soon as possible. Those divorced men in the village—even some who've never been married—are all eyeing her. Even though she had me out of wedlock, many people still covet her. After all, she's too beautiful. Besides, she and Dad never had the chance to register their marriage, so technically, she isn't even considered divorced.
As for Xu Ruizhi himself, he was just a half-grown boy—an extra mouth to feed and send to school. Most families in the village could barely afford that. Moreover, the compensation from his grandparents and the driver at fault in the accident amounted to at least several hundred thousand yuan. There was also the two-story pavilion, which likely belonged to Xu Ruizhi. But if someone were to be with his mother, they couldn't very well kick her out, could they?
So, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Yang Zhurou was a beautiful and well-off woman.
For many years, Yang Zhurou had been the dream girl for all the bachelors in the village. Even now, if someone married her, they wouldn't have to worry about money for the rest of their lives, as long as they spent it wisely.
Xu Ruizhi stared at the two prominent points on his mother's chest, his thoughts drifting far away...
It wasn't that Yang Zhurou intentionally didn't wear a bra; it was just that her breasts were indeed quite full. Due to the epidemic situation in the neighboring village, their own village hadn't received any shipments for ten days to half a month. Even when deliveries did come, they were mostly food supplies. Although people could still go out, the streets were mostly empty except for those going to work or school.
Coincidentally, she had felt her breasts growing a bit larger these past few days. At first, she thought it was just her imagination—after all, at her age, the chances of a second growth spurt in the breasts were very low. She wasn't pregnant either, so she didn't pay much attention to it. But after seven or eight days, her breasts had become even fuller. Originally a D-cup, she had now grown to an E-cup, which left her quite puzzled. She went for a check-up, but nothing was wrong. Even the doctor was surprised.
When she wore her old bras, her breasts felt tight and uncomfortable after just a day or two. So, she simply stopped wearing one and only wore this set of pajamas. At first, she felt a bit embarrassed, especially since her son was now grown up. But later, she became more at ease with it—after all, he was her precious son, and they had been through so much together over the years. There was no need to feel awkward now.
Suddenly.
"I love you, please marry me," the TV played a line from some cliché romantic drama, snapping Xu Ruizhi out of his thoughts.
"Mom," Xu Ruizhi called out after regaining his composure.
Yang Zhurou seemed not to hear him and continued watching TV. Xu Ruizhi shook his head helplessly. This was his mother's old habit—whenever she focused on something, she would ignore everything else. Even shouting through a megaphone wouldn't get her attention. Fortunately, this habit was somewhat controllable and only manifested in front of him. Otherwise, it could be dangerous.
A sudden thought crossed Xu Ruizhi's mind—a thought that was both wicked and perverse.
Xu Ruizhi sat down beside Yang Zhurou and quietly placed a hand on her fair, slender, and beautiful leg.
He glanced furtively at his mother, who hadn't noticed him, and grew bolder. His hand slowly moved up her leg until it reached the upper part of her thigh. The touch felt cool, incredibly smooth, and firm, with no trace of excess fat.
At this point, Xu Ruizhi wasn't afraid of being caught, as his mother was engrossed in the TV. Even if he called her, she wouldn't respond.
Xu Ruizhi gently stroked the upper part of his mother's thigh. Though the pajamas provided a barrier, he could still feel the smooth texture of her skin.
As the TV drama neared its end, Xu Ruizhi had had his fill of touching. If he continued, his mother would surely notice.
So, he quickly withdrew his wandering hand and called out to his mother again. Still no response. After waiting for his arousal to subside, Xu Ruizhi walked over to Yang Zhurou and blocked her view of the TV screen. With a hint of complaint in his tone, he said, "Mom, what's wrong with you? It's getting worse and worse."
Yang Zhurou finally snapped back to reality and spoke slowly, "Monomania—when a person becomes deeply engrossed in something, they lose awareness of their own condition." She continued, "And my case is particularly severe. Fortunately, over the years, I've maintained enough vigilance to keep my thoughts normal when I see outsiders, so it hasn't affected my ability to think or make judgments."
Hearing his mother's explanation, Xu Ruizhi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. This was the first time he had heard of such an illness, and he had never encountered it before. Frowning, he asked, "Is there really no cure?"
A flicker of complex emotion passed through Yang Zhurou's beautiful eyes as she sighed softly, "Ruizhi, do you know what caused my illness?"
Xu Ruizhi thought for a moment and said, "Was it because of Dad's car accident?"
Yang Zhurou nodded and continued, "Yes. In the days after your father died in the accident, my emotions were extremely unstable. I was haggard and wept constantly, crying day and night. Later, it developed into depression, and I even contemplated suicide several times."
"What happened after that?" Xu Ruizhi pressed anxiously.
"It was because of you," Yang Zhurou said, looking at Xu Ruizhi with a mix of maternal love and an indescribable emotion. She gently stroked his hair and went on, "During those days, your grandparents were taking care of you. I was just sitting by the window in my room, lost in a daze, feeling completely numb." She paused, as if lost in a memory, then continued, "I remember one morning—it was the third day after your father's death—your grandparents went out to look at burial plots for him. The first two days had been spent cooperating with the police investigation into the accident. They were incredibly busy, and although Aunt Song came during the day to take care of you and cook lunch for me, when your grandparents returned in the evening, exhausted, they still had to cook for me while comforting me."
As she spoke, crystal-clear tears began to stream down Yang Zhurou's cheeks—tears of gratitude and heartache, for these two elderly people had truly cherished her beyond measure.
Yang Zhurou raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, took a deep breath, and continued, "That day, when Aunt Song came to help me cook, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of panic. Just then, the door burst open, and a boy rushed in, saying you had accidentally fallen into the well. As soon as I heard those words, I dashed out without a second thought. When I reached the well, I found you crying and calling for me."
She took another deep breath and went on, "At that moment, my mind went completely blank. Without thinking, I jumped straight into the well, lifted you up, and pulled you out. Thankfully, the water in the well was shallow and rarely used, or the consequences could have been unimaginable."
Xu Ruizhi quickly asked, "What happened after that?"
Yang Zhurou's face showed lingering fear as she said, "Although nothing serious happened, you were only about two years old at the time. When I rescued you, you were unconscious. The doctor said you were just severely frightened and overstimulated, and that you'd recover after a few days of rest."
Xu Ruizhi fell silent. Although he had a vague awareness of the matter, hearing his mother recount it in detail was still deeply shocking.
"What happened after that?" Xu Ruizhi couldn't help but ask.
Yang Zhurou smiled bitterly and said, "After that incident, I could never bring myself to entrust you to anyone else again. Even though Aunt Song took good care of you during those two days, the trauma from what happened left me with a lingering fear. I never dared to let you out of my sight again. From that day on, if I woke up and didn't see you, I would feel panicked. If I didn't see you for half a day, I would feel physically uncomfortable—just like the feeling I had when your father first passed away. I truly don't know how I would cope if I didn't see you for an entire day."
Xu Ruizhi hugged his mother tightly, his heart aching. "So that time I came home late, and you held me and cried when I returned?"
Yang Zhurou nodded slightly, leaning against Xu Ruizhi's shoulder. With a gentle smile, she said, "I wonder what your future wife would think if she had a mother-in-law like me? She'd definitely be jealous." As she spoke, she playfully pinched Xu Ruizhi's nose, her eyes filled with tenderness.
Xu Ruizhi chuckled. "Then I won't get married. I'll stay with you for the rest of my life."
Yang Zhurou gave him a coquettish glare and teased, "You little rascal! How old are you? Where did you learn such sweet talk?"
Xu Ruizhi was genuinely amused by his mother. One moment she was tearful, and the next she was laughing. He shook his head, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and gently stroked her soft side. "I mean every word. I don't care—I just want to be with you every day, okay?"
Yang Zhurou smiled too, though her eyes grew red. "Silly boy, you're still so young. How can you say such things?"
She knew that her son would eventually start a family and build a career of his own. He couldn't stay by her side forever. The thought of him marrying someone else made her heart ache unbearably.
She knew her feelings were selfish, even somewhat abnormal, but she couldn't control them. She was afraid that once her son married, he would forget about her.
Seeing his mother's sorrowful expression, Xu Ruizhi almost blurted out, "I won't marry anyone else. The one I love is you!"
But he held back. He knew his mother wasn't ready to accept such a confession yet. He would wait until the time was right to reveal his feelings—perhaps when things were already settled, so she wouldn't be able to object.
If he confessed now, it would only cause her pain, confusion, and wariness. It might even drive her away from him.
Not wanting his mother to sense his true feelings, Xu Ruizhi changed the subject. "Mom, what about your depression...?"
Yang Zhurou composed herself and smiled. "It gradually improved from that day onward, though there were lingering effects—what I mentioned earlier, the 'single-track mind syndrome.' But it only manifests when I'm with you. Around others, I'm just as normal as ever."
"How did I even grow up? With your condition, I feel like..." Xu Ruizhi looked at Yang Zhurou with a smile, curious to know how he had managed to grow up under such circumstances.
Yang Zhurou looked at Xu Ruizhi with a smile and said, "Have you forgotten? There are still your grandparents and others. Besides, even though I might show symptoms when I'm around you, it doesn't mean I'll neglect you. Every time you need me, I'll appear right by your side. I always pay attention to everything about you." By the end of her words, her voice trembled noticeably, revealing just how deeply she loved her precious son.
She didn't know why, but whenever her son needed her, she could sense it. In those moments, only one thought filled her heart: her son needed her. It was an inexplicable, almost mystical feeling, yet it was undeniably real.
Hearing this, Xu Ruizhi silently hugged his mother tighter, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions—gratitude, tenderness, sorrow, and more—swirling in his heart.
He truly felt fortunate to have such a wonderful mother.
"Alright, alright, let's not dwell on these unhappy things," Yang Zhurou patted Xu Ruizhi's arm and smiled. "Why talk about all this today? I'm getting old, always reminiscing about the past."
Xu Ruizhi couldn't help but smile wryly at her words, thinking to himself: You're so beautiful and young. If you call yourself old, isn't that a subtle jab at those aunties who try too hard to act youthful?
After chatting a bit more with Xu Ruizhi, Yang Zhurou went to take a shower. Xu Ruizhi watched TV for a while until his mother emerged from the bathroom.
Xu Ruizhi stared wide-eyed at his mother. She was wrapped in a white towel that covered her impressive chest, her steps graceful and alluringly seductive. As she walked, her fair, delicate feet seemed to stir endless fantasies, making one's blood race. Just one glance was enough to set Xu Ruizhi's heart pounding.
After her shower, Yang Zhurou dried her hair and sat on the sofa while blow-drying it. Xu Ruizhi watched her, swallowing hard before saying, "I'm going to take a shower." With that, he fled toward the bathroom as if escaping.