Wen Ran's eyes widened in shock, unable to find the words to describe the feelings surging through her heart.
Aunt Zhang let out a soft sigh. Even after all these years, she still found it hard to believe what had happened. "That's right. Madam jumped from the building on the young master's birthday, and he witnessed it with his own eyes."
Wen Ran's mind flashed with the image of Mo Xiuchen's handsome face. Her brow furrowed instinctively. She couldn't begin to imagine how cruel it must have been for an eight-year-old boy to watch his own mother take her life.
"Then… has he celebrated his birthday all these years?"
A sudden wave of uncertainty washed over her. She had prepared this meal to celebrate Mo Xiuchen's birthday, but would he truly be happy? Perhaps, for him, every birthday was nothing more than a painful reminder of that tragic day.
"For the first three years, the young master couldn't accept it. But after he was kidnapped at the age of eleven and barely escaped with his life, he seemed to have changed. From then on, he no longer expressed grief over Madam's passing. At least, none of us could see it anymore."
Aunt Zhang and her husband had worked for the Mo family for most of their lives and had watched Mo Xiuchen grow up. They knew better than anyone how much hardship and pain he had endured.
Wen Ran pressed her lips together in silence and turned back to continue frying the fish, yet her heart was far from calm.
By the time Wen Ran had finished cooking three dishes and Aunt Zhang had prepared the soup, it was just past ten o'clock.
Because of what Aunt Zhang had told her, Wen Ran suddenly changed her mind about waiting for Mo Xiuchen to come home for lunch. Instead, she decided to bring the meal to his office.
Aunt Zhang fully supported her decision and happily helped pack the food into an insulated lunchbox. She even ladled out two servings of soup and rice before reminding her son, Xiao Liu, to drive carefully.
"Young Madam, the young master will definitely be happy to eat the meal you prepared for him," Xiao Liu said with a grin as they drove.
Before learning that Mo Xiuchen's birthday coincided with his mother's death, Wen Ran had been full of confidence. She had secretly prepared this meal, hoping to surprise him.
But after hearing Aunt Zhang's story, a heaviness settled over her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
Hearing Xiao Liu's words, she forced a faint smile. "I hope so."
Xiao Liu spoke with certainty. "The young master will definitely be happy. Ever since you moved in, he's changed—he's not as cold as he used to be. He even smiles now."
Wen Ran blinked in surprise. She hadn't noticed any change in him before.
But now that Xiao Liu mentioned it, she thought back to when Mo Xiuchen had approached her, offering to help her save the Wen family's pharmaceutical company in exchange for marriage. Back then, he had been ruthless and indifferent.
Even on the day they registered their marriage, he had been distant and cold.
But in the past couple of days, he really had seemed different. He wasn't as icy anymore, and he even smiled occasionally.
The most dangerous part?
When he smiled, he was devastatingly charming. More than once, she had found herself momentarily dazed just from looking at him.
When she arrived at MS Group, Wen Ran told Xiao Liu to head back while she carried the insulated lunchbox inside.
She hadn't called Mo Xiuchen in advance, so she assumed she would be stopped at the front desk.
To her surprise, the receptionist immediately recognized her and greeted her warmly. "Mr. Mo gave orders that no matter when you come looking for him, we are never to stop you."
Wen Ran thanked the receptionist before making her way to Mo Xiuchen's office.
When she reached his door and raised her hand to knock, she hesitated—stopping mid-motion as she heard voices coming from inside.