Qiao Wengang looked Shen Yunchu over from head to toe.
Helpless, Shen Yunchu reached out and pushed him farther away. “I’m fine. Go check on Lihua instead…”
Qiao Wengang scratched his head. “What’s wrong with Lihua? Did she fall again by accident? Does it hurt? Take good care of the injury. When she’s better, Dad will buy you candy…”
He scooped the little girl up in his arms and leaned in close as he spoke, making Lihua giggle. Lihua liked her father very much. Whenever her father was home, Grandma would also treat her especially well and buy her lots of tasty treats.
In the past, Shen Yunchu would definitely have changed the subject and let Qiao Wengang continue believing that.
But this time, Shen Yunchu didn’t want to anymore.
Before, she only had the Qiao household as a place to stay. But now, she was recuperating properly in the hospital, receiving the best care from her mother. Afterward, her mother had even found a suitable place to live.
She and Lihua were no longer homeless. They had somewhere to go.
So she lowered her head and said nothing.
That made Qiao Wengang, still holding his daughter, instantly anxious. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Nan Lingyi had been sitting quietly for quite a while. She had figured it out by now—this so-called son-in-law could only see her daughter and granddaughter. Everyone else might as well not exist!
Still, she didn’t speak up. What came next was something the couple needed to handle themselves.
So she calmly sat there eating imported cherries.
Just a few of these probably cost an ordinary person a month’s salary.
Shen Yunchu didn’t speak, which made Qiao Wengang even more anxious. When he saw his wife lowering her head and tears falling one after another, he became completely flustered, scratching his head in distress.
“Oh, my little ancestor, don’t cry…”
Qiao Wengang wished he could use all eighteen tricks he knew just to coax his wife.
Only then did Shen Yunchu lift her head, tears clinging to her lashes, and say, “Lihua’s injury wasn’t from a fall. It was your mother who pushed her.”
“My mom?”
Qiao Wengang frowned, then suddenly thought of something and sucked in a sharp breath. “Lihua’s always injured here and there—was it my mom who did it?”
A son knows his mother best. In the past, Shen Yunchu had tried to hide things and divert attention. Although Qiao Wengang was often away from home, he paid close attention to his wife and daughter when he was around. He knew their physical condition very well.
“I kept wondering why you two were always injured for no reason. I even asked people about it—they said it might be a vitamin deficiency. I specifically had someone get medicine for you, but it never worked. So that’s it… so that’s how it was. Heh…”
Qiao Wengang let out a cold laugh, then continued, “When Lihua was born, I already knew my mom despised her for being a girl. She even wanted to call her Little Grass. But my, Qiao Wengang’s, daughter is not some Little Grass—she’s precious pear blossom! My daughter is just as precious as a son! Wife, don’t worry. I will definitely give you an explanation for this.”
Lihua looked up at her parents, glancing from one to the other. Her little head was full of big confusion.
Before, Mama had always said their injuries came from falling accidentally. Why did she say today that Grandma pushed her?
Qiao Wengang carefully asked Shen Yunchu more about the health of both mother and daughter. Shen Yunchu simply handed him the medical reports. The more Qiao Wengang read, the worse his expression became. His clenched fist even gave off cracking sounds.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know… When I married you, I promised I would take good care of you and protect you. I didn’t keep that promise.”
Qiao Wengang was full of guilt.
Shen Yunchu squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault. I was scared. I knew that if I told you, you would definitely seek justice for me and Lihua. But Lihua and I still had to live under my mother-in-law’s roof…”
Qiao Wengang’s heart ached even more. After a moment of thought, he made a firm decision. “I’ll work harder and apply with my work unit to see if we can get allocated housing. When that happens, we’ll move out and live on our own.”
Shen Yunchu was stunned. “But you’re the only child in your family. If we move out, the neighbors will definitely point fingers and criticize us.”
Qiao Wengang rubbed her hair and said with a smile, “You think too much. We just need to live our own lives well—who cares what others say? My mom is my mom; she didn’t raise you, so you don’t need to be filial to her. At worst, I’ll run back and forth—that’s my responsibility, what I should worry about. Alright, stop frowning. You’re sick right now and need to keep a good mood to recover… Smile?”
Shen Yunchu couldn’t help but laugh through her tears.
Qiao Wengang even tried to sneak a kiss on his wife. If they were at home, that would be fine—but here…
Shen Yunchu glared at him in embarrassment and pointed in a certain direction.
Only then did Qiao Wengang notice Nan Lingyi and stupidly ask, “Is this elder lady staying in the same room as you?”
Shen Yunchu twitched her mouth. Nan Lingyi also shook her head—this son-in-law really was sometimes sharp, sometimes clueless.
“This is my mom!”
Shen Yunchu stomped her foot.
Qiao Wengang pointed at Nan Lingyi, then turned back in confusion. Knowing exactly what he was thinking, Shen Yunchu added directly, “My biological mom!”
Qiao Wengang: “!!!”
“M-Mom?”
Nan Lingyi sat in the chair and responded crisply, “Mm.”
Since Old Madam Qiao was inhuman but this son-in-law was actually decent, she didn’t act ferocious. She pushed the cherries beside her toward him. “Imported from Chile. Want some?”
Qiao Wengang hurriedly took them with both hands, then said earnestly, “I’m sorry about earlier… Mom, I swear, my feelings for Yunchu are genuine. Don’t worry—I will properly handle those matters and absolutely won’t let Yunchu suffer any injustice.”
Nan Lingyi nodded. Life was full of friction and trials. When a couple was united, they could overcome anything.
She had no intention of breaking them apart.
After popping a cherry into her mouth, Nan Lingyi handed him a mangosteen. Qiao Wengang took a bite straight through the peel. The sour, astringent taste left him unsure whether to spit it out or swallow.
Shen Yunchu burst out laughing.
Lihua tilted her head, leaning against her father, took another mangosteen herself, and used her little hands to pry it open, revealing the garlic-clove-like white flesh inside. “Daddy, you eat it like this. Grandma said it’s called mangosteen!”
Qiao Wengang took a bite fed by his daughter and exclaimed in surprise. Hey—this tasted really good!
Nan Lingyi cleared her throat and said, “All these years, my foolish daughter meeting you was also fate and good fortune. As long as the two of you share a good relationship, I’ll be happy. However, I personally witnessed your mother harming my granddaughter. I can’t swallow that grievance. After Yunchu and Lihua are discharged from the hospital, I’ve already discussed it with them—they won’t be going back to the Qiao household for now. They’ll live with me instead…”
Qiao Wengang immediately said, “That’s no problem. But, mother-in-law, I have to ask clearly—I won’t be implicated, right? If I miss my wife and daughter, can I go see them?”
(End of Chapter)