"Oh."
I replied. Mom had been so happy when she accepted the bouquet of flowers, but now her expression was stern. I felt the atmosphere turn strange, wondering if I had done something wrong or said something I shouldn't have. I sat down on the sofa, my heart pounding with anxiety.
Mom then sat down on the adjacent single sofa. She crossed her beautiful legs with an elegant posture, her slender waist perfectly outlined by her belt, connecting the bewitching curves of her upper and lower body. Her long legs, wrapped in black stockings under her skirt, had lines as smooth and even as silk satin. The stockings shimmered with a captivating sheen. The originally conservative knee-length skirt was now hiked up nearly twenty centimeters above her knees. Her bent sitting posture revealed half of her full, round thighs, sheathed in ultra-thin, sheer black stockings. At the lace trim of the stockings, a small patch of delicate, fair skin was clearly visible, so white it seemed to glow between the black stockings and her black skirt. Her beautiful feet were casually in house slippers, her rounded ankles and fair, smooth insteps also encased in black stockings, appearing delicate and slender under the light.
As I looked at the gorgeous and captivating mother before me, I felt a sense of unease for some reason, a premonition of something bad. Unable to hold back, I blurted out, "Mom, about the second test you mentioned last time..."
"Mmm, Mom did promise you," she said calmly.
I looked at her smooth, rounded forehead, her willow-leaf eyebrows that slanted like a painting, her long, slightly upturned eyelashes, her cold, captivating phoenix eyes, her beautiful, straight nose, and her full, soft lips that turned up slightly. She was so breathtakingly beautiful, my heart trembled.
"Then..."
"Before that, there's one more thing Mom needs to ask you one last time. You said the evidence from Jiang Weixin's company was something you obtained all by yourself to give to me. Is that true?"
Her enchanting eyes locked onto me.
I was stunned for a moment. My mind raced. I didn't expect Mom to ask again at this critical juncture, but now I had no other choice. The words flew out of my mouth, "Of course, Mom! I risked everything and snuck into their company all by myself to get it. For you Mom, I'd risk any danger, no matter how great!"
I declared with righteous indignation, staring at her beautiful face without revealing a trace of guilt.
Mom stared at me for a moment, then sighed softly. She crossed her arms over her full chest, her pretty face icy. After a moment of silence, she said flatly, "Alright, Xiao Bin. You said you wanted to go through Mom's second test, right? Mom will tell you the content of the test now, but there are some things Mom needs to say to you first."
I watched her quietly as she spoke, "Xiao Bin, the adult world is very complicated. You're not independent yet, and you're far from mature. As your mother, you are my only precious son, so of course, I will love you, cherish you, and hold you in the palm of my hand. But you are my biological son, and I am your biological mother. That is a fact that no one can change."
"Before, you approached Mom as a son, because what we share is a mother-son bond, not a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. What I feel for you is also a mother's affection for her son, and absolutely nothing more. That's why, during the first test, I could not accept your improper thoughts about me."
Mom spoke calmly, word by word. My heart sank, her tone didn't sound good.
"Mom has asked you several times, but you continue to have these romantic feelings for me. Mom has thought about it and decided I can't really blame you. You're still young, and you've seen too little of this dazzling world. It's inevitable that you'd develop feelings of attachment, or even love, for me."
"But Mom only has motherly affection for you. In a romantic relationship, what Mom needs is a man who is mentally and physically mature, who has my approval, and who can satisfy me in every way — not a child I need to take care of as my man."
She looked into my eyes, biting her lower lip lightly. "Whether it's a test or anything else, Mom can never accept your pursuit."
I was utterly disappointed. My heart sank to the bottom. There wasn't even a test yet, and Mom had already rejected me outright. Was I completely finished?
Mom gently brushed a lock of hair by her ear, inadvertently revealing the charming allure of a mature woman. Seeing my ashen face, she said softly, "However, since Mom promised you, I will keep my word. I will give you the chance for a second test."
My sinking heart rose again, hope rekindling. I nervously swallowed.
"But this test will be much more difficult than the last one. You need to be mentally prepared, understand?" Mom asked.
"Of course! Mom, no matter what the test is, I will do my absolute best!" I nodded with all my might.
Seeing my determined expression, Mom shook her head slightly, a look of helplessness on her face. The top two buttons of her black blouse were undone, and at the open, low neckline, her snowy, deep cleavage was clearly visible. Her full, ample breasts trembled slightly.
To my surprise, Mom actually took out her phone and made a call. Even the way she held her phone was exceptionally elegant, her pink-white fingers cradling it. Every gesture, every movement, exuded an air of grace and poise.
"Hello, Xiao Liang? It's Auntie Gu." Mom said to the person on the other end of the line.
My heart jolted. Xiao Liang! Who was that? Could it be Yao Liang? Why was Mom calling him!?
"That matter you mentioned last time, I've thought it over. Come over in 30 minutes. Room 3601 at the Haojing Lika Grand Hotel."
Mom hung up quickly. I was stunned, having no idea what Mom was doing.
Mom looked at my astonished face, took a sip of her now slightly cooled coffee, and said calmly, "Mom already investigated it. The data from Jiang Weixin's company was obtained by Yao Liang, who used his family's connections and his own computer skills, risking getting caught in the process."
My heart skipped a beat as I heard her continue, "He was almost caught by the security at Jiang Weixin's company and even got a little hurt. He was hospitalized, but fortunately, it wasn't serious. Mom even went to see him in the hospital a while ago. But Xiao Bin, you claimed you got it all by yourself. You lied to Mom."
Every word she said made me break out in a cold sweat, and my mouth went dry. Her beautiful phoenix eyes stared at me, and her bright gaze seemed to see right through all my thoughts, leaving my lies nowhere to hide.
"Mom never asked you to do anything, Xiao Bin. I know you just wanted to make me happy, but lying to Mom, taking credit for someone else's work just to gain my favor and an opportunity to get close to me... Xiao Bin, this is not how a person of good character behaves. This is downright despicable."
Mom said gravely, her tone rising sharply on the last few words as she sternly rebuked me.
"How could you be such an irresponsible boy, lying to Mom's face? So immature! What kind of real man are you!? Mom is very disappointed in you!"
Every word from Mom was like a heavy hammer, violently striking my heart. I was completely dumbfounded.
Mom took another sip of coffee, paused, and looked at me, who was speechless. She said nonchalantly, "Actually, Mom and Yao Liang have been in contact for a long time. Ever since we added each other on WeChat at his place that time, he has been in very close contact with me. He's quite a persistent boy."
"In contact for a long time? You and him...?" I said in disbelief.
"Mmm, for the past few months, we've been in contact on WeChat almost every day. Although he's still a bit immature, he has been pursuing me openly as a man. He has helped Mom out several times, and Mom has given him a few tests of his own, which he passed very quickly."
A hint of a smile appeared on Mom's lips. "He has done so much for Mom, and I am very grateful. Of course, I know he has ideas about me. That kid can be annoying sometimes, but I never imagined he would dare to do anything so audacious."
I felt like I could barely breathe when I heard Mom's charming, moving voice continue, "Yao Liang asked Mom out on a date today, and Mom agreed."
"You agreed to go on a date with him!?" I jumped up and shouted in disbelief.
"Mmm, just now, Mom agreed to him, and I will be meeting him at the hotel soon. Tonight, Mom will spend the night with him."
"Not with you."
Mom's beautiful phoenix eyes stared directly into mine, her gorgeous face without a ripple of emotion.
"How could you do this!! How can you!?" I yelled, my voice trembling, my heart in chaos.
"Mom told you before, Mom is single now. You are my son, and you have no right to interfere in my private life. You had improper thoughts about me, and Mom indulged you again and again. Now you lie to me, trying to win my favor. Looking back, my indulgence has only harmed you."
Mom said to me coldly. As she spoke, her beautiful face seemed to be covered in a layer of frost, an expression I had never seen before.
I knew that things had reached this point, and I was finished. But I still couldn't accept it. I yelled in shame and anger, "No! Even so! You can't go on a date with him! He's my classmate, someone you've watched grow up! There's such an age gap between you! How can you!?"
The thought of Yao Liang going on a date and sleeping with Mom made my mind explode.
"That is also Mom's private business. You have no right to interfere in what kind of man Mom chooses."
Mom ignored my tantrum, just looking at me coldly. Seeing the look in her eyes, I knew I was just making futile efforts.
Tears were welling up in my eyes. I just stared blankly at Mom. After a moment, I collapsed back onto the sofa like a deflated ball, my whole body seeming to sink into the cushions. I said with a half-crying voice, "Then... then Mom, the test... what is the test! What am I to you!"
"Then Mom will tell you the content of the test."
She looked at me, haggard and on the verge of a breakdown, without a trace of sympathy or care in her eyes. She said coldly, "I have installed surveillance cameras in that hotel room. I can send the feed to you later, so you can watch the scene of Mom and Yao Liang's date."
Mom said.
"What!?" It was as if I had heard something from a fantasy novel. I could hardly believe my ears.
"Mom has already installed surveillance cameras in every corner of that hotel room. You will be able to see the entire process of Mom and Yao Liang's date clearly. You must watch it carefully. This is Mom's test for you, and also your punishment for lying to Mom."
*****
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