Li Ping cautiously scanned my expression, but in the end, she submissively took her seat. Once seated, she was the picture of awkwardness, her hands and feet seemingly having nowhere natural to rest. Finally, she pressed her legs together and wedged her hands between her thighs.
I found a spot to sit as well. The three of us—Jiang Shitian, Li Ping, and I—each sat on separate Huanghuali wood chairs in the corners of the room, maintaining a distinct distance from one another.
Auntie Lan brought tea to Li Ping. She took the cup and hurriedly took a sip to mask her fluster.
“Careful, the freshly brewed tea is a bit hot,” Auntie Lan reminded her gently.
Li Ping indeed found it scalding; she immediately spat the tea back into the cup. Her tongue darted out from the heat as she fanned her mouth with her hand, yet she didn’t forget to offer a compliment: “Good tea, wonderful tea.”
I kept my head low. I couldn’t bring myself to say that having such a mother was embarrassing, mostly because my own dignity wasn’t exactly towering to begin with. I simply didn’t dare look at Jiang Shitian.
Jiang Shitian, however, didn’t seem bothered by the breach of etiquette. He said grandly to Li Ping, “We have plenty of tea leaves. If you like it, take two tins home with you later.”
“Yes, yes!” Li Ping agreed excitedly. Then, realizing she had agreed too quickly to be considered refined, she added weakly, “How could I? You’re far too kind, Mr. Jiang.”
I remained silent throughout. Jiang Shitian, showing remarkable patience, asked leadingly, “So, did you come today simply to see your daughter?”
Clearly, the old business fox had seen through her. He was skillfully baiting her into revealing her true intent.
Li Ping tucked her hands between her legs again, looking more constrained than ever. She stammered, searching for words:
“It’s… it’s like this. My health isn’t good. I don’t know if Lili told you, but I had surgery recently and need medication to recover. Buying medicine every month costs money. It’s not easy for us factory workers. I… I just wondered if Lili might have some extra funds. Actually, I don’t need much—just one or two thousand. Whatever Lili can give is fine. Of course, Lili is a filial child; she’s given me money occasionally before to fulfill her duties.”
As she spoke, she kept her palms pressed between her knees, but I could see her palms rubbing together nervously. I was genuinely speechless at her inconsistent story—five thousand had suddenly become one or two.
Jiang Shitian held his teacup, sipping slowly and observing her every move. When she finished, a heavy silence filled the room. The awkwardness grew palpable; Li Ping tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, becoming increasingly fidgety.
I stared at her messy hair—streaked with gray, lusterless, and clearly neglected.
Jiang Shitian set down his cup and let out a couple of soft laughs. I looked at him suspiciously, unsure of what those laughs were supposed to mean. Then, with practiced ease, he pulled out a checkbook and a pen. After a few quick “swish-swish-swishes,” he handed a check to Li Ping with a smile.
“Here is one hundred thousand.”
He looked every bit the “smiling tiger.”
Li Ping didn’t care about the subtext. She grabbed the check and began nodding and bowing to Jiang Shitian. She stroked the paper, counting the zeros several times. Once she confirmed the amount, she looked as if she were in a dream.
“This… how could I?” she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and greed. “Mr. Jiang, can I really take this?”
Jiang Shitian stopped smiling. He looked at her seriously. “What I give you, you can take. Is it enough? If not, I can give more.”
Li Ping counted on her fingers, muttering, “Medicine is a thousand a month, so over ten thousand a year… a hundred thousand is enough…” She only had an elementary school education and couldn’t quite do the math instantly. But she had enough “small-town cunning” to leave some wiggle room.
She responded cautiously: “It’s—it’s enough for now. If it’s not enough later, we’ll see.”
Jiang Shitian seemed to see right through her petty schemes. He gave a short, mocking laugh. “If it’s not enough, just come and ask me directly.”
Li Ping gripped the check tight, her expression shifting. She wasn’t stupid; she understood the implication in his words. However, her skin was thick enough to be bulletproof. She tucked the check away decisively and gritted her teeth. “In that case, I’ll come to you if I have needs in the future, Mr. Jiang.”
She followed up with more flattery: “You’re such a good man. Lili is so lucky to have married into your family.”
Jiang Shitian gave a cold snort and resumed drinking his tea, offering no response. Seeing that her goal was achieved, Li Ping slung her bag over her shoulder and stood up.
“I’m going now. Lili, I’m heading back. I’ll come see you another day.”
I kept my head down, refusing to look at her. Jiang Shitian gave a dry cough. Li Ping smiled sheepishly and made her exit. As she was leaving, the door pushed open and Jiang Jun walked in.
Li Ping and Jiang Jun nearly collided. I noticed that Mianmian wasn’t behind him this time. Jiang Jun clearly hadn’t expected an outsider. He looked back and forth between Li Ping, me, and his father in shock.
Jiang Shitian ignored him. Li Ping, acting as if they were old friends, patted Jiang Jun’s shoulder. “Son-in-law! Ah, you’re back. Good to have the family together. Go on and eat. I’m leaving now.”
As she patted him, the check Jiang Shitian had given her slipped out of her pocket. In her haste earlier, she hadn’t put it in her bag, but had simply stuffed it into her pocket. With the sudden movement, it drifted to the floor.
On the ground, Jiang Shitian’s official seal on the check was unmistakable.
Jiang Jun snatched it up first. He looked at the amount and then glared at his father with a look of intense crisis. I knew his monthly allowance was exactly one hundred thousand. Because he hadn’t come home for a few days, Jiang Shitian had even withheld this month’s payment.
He gripped the check tightly, seemingly with no intention of returning it. Li Ping grew frantic, reaching for the check.
Jiang Jun exploded. He yelled at Jiang Shitian, “You won’t give me money, but you’d rather give it to these outsiders? Do you even consider me your son?!”
Li Ping argued desperately, “I’m not an outsider! Son-in-law, you’ve met me. Last time at the factory, I told Boss Yao right in front of you—I’m Lili’s mother. I’m your mother-in-law!”
She lunged to grab the check back. Jiang Jun gave her a violent shove. Li Ping stumbled, and her head slammed directly into the edge of the doorframe.