Qin Xingwan pulled her hand away, a mocking smile on her face. “No need. Stay here with your dear friend. I wouldn’t want you two to fall out because of me.”
She had really wanted to ask him if the matter he’d said he had to take care of was coming to see Qin Yunshu.
The question turned over in her mind several times, but in the end, she didn’t ask.
It was obvious. There was no need to humiliate herself.
Chu Li insisted, though. “I’ll go with you.”
The smile vanished from Qin Xingwan’s face. After the scene they’d just made, there was no need for him to put on an affectionate act.
After all, the truth of their marriage was so sordid.
Grandma had difficulty walking and spent most of her time in her room. Now, she rose with the aid of her cane and made her way to the doorway.
Qin Xingwan hurried to help her Grandma back into the room. Before she could speak, her eyes were already red.
“Grandma.” Her voice caught as she threw herself against the old woman’s legs.
Grandma stroked her granddaughter’s hair and asked her again and again what was wrong.
Her heart was full of worry.
Qin Xingwan quickly got hold of herself, wiped away her tears, and took her grandmother’s hand. “I’m fine, Grandma. I just missed you.”
“You silly child. If you missed me, you should’ve come to see me,” Grandma sighed.
She knew her granddaughter must have been deeply wronged to be crying so bitterly.
And the one who had wronged her… Grandma looked up at Chu Li in the doorway.
Chu Li came in and greeted her. “Grandma.”
Grandma nodded, then spoke to Qin Xingwan. “The helper made soup in the kitchen. Go see if it’s ready.”
Qin Xingwan obediently went.
Grandma motioned for Chu Li to sit. Her aged voice turned stern. “When they wanted Wanwan to marry you, I didn’t agree.”
Chu Li lowered his eyes, bracing his hands on his knees as he listened, like a man receiving a reprimand.
Grandma continued, “Now that Yunshu has come back, I’ll ask you plainly: what are you thinking?”
She was asking him to choose between them.
Nothing showed on Chu Li’s cold, impassive face, but his fingers curled slightly against his palm.
“Xingwan and I won’t divorce.”
That was the promise he gave the old woman.
“And what if Wanwan wants a divorce?” she pressed.
A sudden irritation rose in Chu Li’s heart. “Don’t worry, Grandma. We’ll make a good life together.”
His answer was evasive.
Grandma sighed. She felt for her granddaughter, but there was nothing she could do.
All she could do was urge Chu Li as earnestly as she could: “If one day Wanwan wants her freedom, please don’t make things difficult for her.”
Chu Li’s throat tightened. He couldn’t find his voice.
Almost everyone thought he would divorce Qin Xingwan.
Qin Xingwan thought so too.
But no one would believe it if he said he had never once considered divorce.
What he felt for Qin Yunshu was simply the bond of having grown up together.
He protected her to repay the debt he owed her for saving his life back then.
“Grandma, the soup is ready.” Qin Xingwan’s gentle voice came from outside.
She came in carrying a bowl of soup and didn’t so much as glance at Chu Li as she passed him.
He could sense how cold she was toward him.
After three years of marriage, they had gone from following the terms of an agreement to being joined in body and soul. By now, they knew each other well enough.
“Grandma, I’ll step out first. Xingwan, I’ll wait for you outside.” He left politely.
Qin Xingwan didn’t answer. She just fed her Grandma the soup.
Grandma studied her granddaughter’s pale face. She knew Qin Xingwan must have suffered even more because of Qin Yunshu’s return.
That couple had always played favorites.
“Wanwan, I heard what you said outside.” Grandma lowered her voice. Tears glimmered in her eyes, and guilt weighed on her heart. “I’m the one who’s held you back.”
Qin Xingwan gripped the soup bowl tightly. Her heart surged, but her voice was light and playful. “Grandma, this has nothing to do with you. Besides, a little arguing is good for your health.”
Grandma sighed.
Qin Xingwan stayed with her for a long time. She didn’t leave until her Grandma was ready for her nap.
Outside, the servants had already prepared lunch.
“Come eat,” Madam Qin said to Qin Xingwan, without much warmth.
They had only just fallen out, and maintaining polite courtesy toward this daughter was already the limit of Madam Qin’s patience.
“I’m not eating. I…” Qin Xingwan started to refuse.
“Since becoming A-Li’s wife, you haven’t learned much, but you’ve certainly put on airs. What, is the food at home too shabby for you?” Qin Jianguo had just arrived home. He glared as he scolded her.
Qin Xingwan fell silent. Her Grandma was here, and she didn’t want to keep arguing and worry her.
But judging by her father’s attitude, he wouldn’t let it go if she didn’t eat.
So she silently walked over and sat down at the table.
Qin Jianguo grew even angrier. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this in a past life. You come home and immediately pull a face.”
“Enough. Stop,” Madam Qin urged him.
The atmosphere at the table was oppressive.
Qin Xingwan could feel the disgust in Qin Shen’s gaze. He was probably thinking how much better it would be if she hadn’t shown up.
She was disrupting their happy family.
“Here, Sister. Have some soup.” Qin Yunshu carefully set a bowl of pork rib soup in front of Qin Xingwan, speaking softly and sweetly, ingratiating and meek.
Qin Xingwan gave no response. She simply lowered her head and picked at the food in her bowl.
She didn’t touch the soup, either.
Qin Yunshu bit her lip. Her eyes began to redden, hurt and aggrieved.
Qin Shen immediately tossed down his chopsticks and pointed at Qin Xingwan. “Qin Xingwan, are you ever going to stop?”
Qin Xingwan looked up, her expression cool and distant. “What did I do now?”
“Yunshu spoke to you. She went out of her way to serve you soup, and you can’t even respond? Are you deaf or blind?” Qin Shen was furious.
Qin Xingwan looked down at the bowl of pork rib soup. “She served it, so I have to drink it? Is refusing a crime?”
Her calm retort was more upsetting than an outburst.
“That’s enough.” Qin Jianguo slapped the table, his anger flaring. “Can’t we even have a meal in peace? What are you trying to do?”
He fixed Qin Xingwan with a cold stare. “If you don’t want to eat, get out.”
Qin Xingwan stood up at once. “I never planned to stay for lunch.”
If she hadn’t been afraid of disturbing her grandmother, she would’ve left long ago.
Now that he was telling her to leave, she couldn’t be happier.
“Qin Xingwan, stop right there.” Qin Shen came over and grabbed her. “Drink the soup before you go.”
He had always felt that Qin Xingwan carried herself with an air of pride that made her especially irritating.
As if she had never belonged to this family at all.
So she was going to drink the soup today, whether she wanted to or not.
“Forget it, Older Brother.” Qin Yunshu came over and pulled at Qin Shen, her voice choked. “Sister isn’t feeling well. Don’t make things difficult for her.”
“You’re still speaking up for her?” Qin Shen looked at his sister in exasperation. “She ruined your birthday party. She even told everyone you’d worn her dress without permission, then gave it to a server afterward and got you laughed at.”
“And now she’s trampling on your sincerity, and you’re still defending her?”
“Xingwan, Yunshu truly wants to be a good younger sister to you.” Chu Li came over and stepped between Qin Xingwan and the furious, unrelenting Qin Shen, speaking to her in a low, conciliatory voice.
The soup was a gesture of her younger sister’s affection. Qin Xingwan should accept it.
“We’re all very sorry about the baby, but none of us could have known that would happen,” Madam Qin sighed, joining in to persuade her. “You and A-Li are still young. You can have another child.”
“You were pregnant, but instead of staying home, you insisted on going out. Now the baby is gone, and rather than reflecting on your own actions, you blame other people. Is that how we raised you?” Qin Jianguo’s expression was severe, his face full of dislike for his daughter.