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Wen Qian was at home washing the new clothes she had made for Lu Chen, hanging them out in the yard to dry under the sun. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Thinking it was Chi Xuecha returning with someone, she got up to open the door.
However, when she opened it, she found not Chi Xuecha but a middle-aged woman instead. The woman's face looked somewhat unwell as she forced a smile at Wen Qian, as if compelled to do so.
"Can we come in and talk?"
"Who are you?"
"I am Chi Xuecha's mother. I have something to discuss with you. Can we come in?"
Wen Qian hesitated for a moment but eventually opened the door to let her in. However, she did not close the yard gate. While she wasn’t afraid of the woman taking action against her, she was concerned about her possibly pretending to be ill and turning the situation against her. If that happened, no matter how many explanations she offered, it would be futile.
Chi Xuecha's character made it hard not to question what kind of person her mother truly was. It was always wise to keep an eye out.
Chi Xuecha's mother noticed Wen Qian’s cautiousness and managed a strained smile, though there was little she could do about it. The two women settled down in the living room.
Chi Xuecha's mother looked Wen Qian over, her eyes betraying a hint of mockery. How could someone like this dare to compete with her daughter? She wondered if Lu Zheng was blind or simply had poor judgment. This woman wasn’t even half as good-looking as her own daughter!
"Just say what you need to say!" Wen Qian said, picking up a cup of water and taking a sip.
Chi Xuecha's mother smiled, seemingly trying to put Wen Qian in an awkward position first. "I suppose I’m considered your elder! I come to your home as a guest, and there isn’t even a cup of water for me? Even Lu Zheng would respectfully call me 'Auntie' if he saw me."
Wen Qian rubbed the cup in her hands, watching as it slowly turned and the water inside rippled like waves. Suddenly, she laughed out loud, as if she had heard something particularly amusing.
The expression on Chixue Chaniang's face stiffened for a moment before she composed herself, staring blankly at Wen Qian.
"Auntie, I’ll call you that not because I truly regard you as an aunt, but to give Lu Zheng some face. Let’s just leave it at that.
You barged into my home, demanding an explanation, but let’s not dwell on that. You know very well what kind of relationship your daughter has with me. Do you really think I can treat you with respect after all this?
If you want a drink, feel free to pour yourself one; the cups and teapot are right there. But don’t expect me to serve you a glass of water—that’s simply out of the question."
Chixue Chaniang's expression darkened, her hands clenched tightly under the table, yet she suddenly burst into laughter, as if she had been angered to the point of amusement.
"They say children’s issues shouldn’t involve their parents. Surely you understand such a simple principle?"
"Whether I understand it or not is irrelevant! What matters is how I choose to act. Lu Zheng can do as he pleases; it has nothing to do with me. Likewise, my Lu Zheng has no say in my matters."
Although Chixue Chaniang appeared anxious, the depth of her eyes betrayed her true feelings. "What’s wrong? Is there trouble in your marriage? Do you need me to mediate?"
Wen Qian maintained a faint smile. "Auntie, you’re joking! Our marriage is perfectly fine. However, even the best of couples should respect each other, don’t you think?
Besides, I wouldn’t dare let you mediate for me. What if your daughter takes advantage of the situation? My little family, which we’ve worked so hard to reunite, would be ruined! It would be better for you to manage your own daughter."
Wen Qian's words left no room for face-saving for Chixue Chaniang. Though both wore faint smiles, the atmosphere between them was charged with intensity.
"Wen Qian, I’ve treated you like a junior and spared your feelings; don’t push your luck by speaking out of turn."
"Oh? If you truly regarded me as a junior and were concerned about my feelings, you wouldn’t have come looking for me in the first place. Since you’re here now, don’t pretend to treat me like a junior; it sounds grating to my ears."
Wen Qian scoffed coldly and slammed her cup down on the table, causing water to slosh over the rim.
If she truly thought of her as a junior, she wouldn’t have come alone behind Lu Zheng’s back. This was merely an attempt to intimidate her into retreating.
Did she really think she was someone easy to manipulate?
Such tactics might have worked on her before when she had fled from Lu Zheng, but now that she had returned—
They were utterly useless!
Chixue Chaniang trembled with anger as she pointed at Wen Qian. "You… don’t go too far! How could I not treat you like a junior? If I didn’t regard you as one, I could easily deal with you right now without wasting my breath!"
As she spoke, Wen Qian didn't mind engaging in a bit of back-and-forth with her.
"Auntie, ever since you stepped into this house, you've been looking for trouble, trying to assert your authority as an elder. You even want to use Lu Zheng to provoke me and create discord between my husband and me. The most unacceptable thing is your lack of self-awareness!
What has Chi Xuecha done to our family? What has she done to my son? Has your family made any statements about that?"
Wen Qian coldly stared at Chi Xuecha's mother, her words slicing through the air like a knife. "Your family has done nothing, yet you come here claiming to be an elder. Where do you get such audacity? I feel embarrassed just saying it myself, and yet you still have the face to show up today."
After delivering her remarks, Wen Qian took a sip of water, quietly observing Chi Xuecha's mother's reaction and expression.
Seeing her eyes redden with anger and her hands tremble as she pointed at herself, Chi Xuecha's mother exclaimed, "You... you are going too far! No matter what, I am the daughter-in-law of the team leader. You are just the wife of a subordinate and should treat me with respect. How can you say such things to me?"
"I can go find Lu Zheng," she continued, taking deep breaths to steady herself while still glaring at Wen Qian with a flushed face. "When the time comes, I'll have him deal with you and apologize on my behalf. Does he not have the right to do that?"
Wen Qian casually turned her cup. "Go ahead, let me see just how capable you are. At worst, you'll convince Lu Zheng to divorce me and marry your daughter instead. Wouldn't that make everyone happy?"
Her mocking words echoed in the room and rang in Chi Xuecha's mother's ears. She hadn't expected this daughter-in-law from the countryside to be so sharp-tongued; her words were indeed powerful.
"Don't speak so harshly," Chi Xuecha's mother retorted. "Maybe it's because of you that Lu Zheng and Xiao Xue's relationship has been delayed. What's wrong with staying in the countryside? Coming here is just asking for trouble; a woman from the countryside shouldn't even think about comparing herself to my daughter."
Chi Xuecha's mother held herself high above others, which only made Wen Qian want to laugh. And laugh she did—she couldn't help but burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.
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