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CHAPTER 476
By the close of day, Ye Cheng returned home as usual. Unlike most times when he came home with Li Jing, this time he did not since she spent most of her day at her own company.
"Hello love," he greeted the second the door slammed shut.
"Hey, honey, welcome back."
"Thanks dear. How was work today?"
"It was okay. You know the usual. Yours?"
"It was okay as well. Where is my mum?"
"I do not know, honey. I just got back myself and quickly went to take a shower. Having headache."
"It is alright. You can rest. I would go check up on her."
"Alright but shouldn't I come with you?"
"No. Stay. I do not want her to embarrass you further. Let me check if she has calmed down again. Then perhaps we can go see her later in the evening or tomorrow morning."
"Alright then. Let me be get cooking."
"Thanks darling."
"Anytime hon."
***
He failed to tell his wife the main reason of wanting to see his mother because he did not want her to be bothered.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in."
He turned on the doorknob and walked in after opening it. "Good day mother."
"Hello, son. Good day to you too."
0_0
He was surprised that she answered him without any grudge or malice in it.
"What? Did the cat get your tongue?"
"No mum. Nothing. How are you today?"
"I am fine, just the same way you left me."
"I see you are doing great then?" She did not say anything to him. Rather, she continued to fix her gaze on the television screen.
"Umm, mum, have you by any chance gone out since?"
"Why this question all of a sudden or did your wife report anything to you?"
"D not be like this ma. She did no such thing."
"Ah," she turned her head in his direction as though she just recalled something. "Yes, she couldn't even come pay her respect to me this morning. Or did her mother not teach that simple etiquette?" letting out a deep sigh, she continued. "Even now you are here, yet she is nowhere to be found. What unruly daughter-in-law I have."
"Mother! Please stop it. She is my wife!"
"Then teach her common respect."
"She has it. A whole lot more than you can think of or imagine."
"I doubt that."
"I was the one who made her not come and see you."
"Why? It is a lie. I do not believe you."
'What do I stand by lying to you?"
"To paint her good before me."
'There is nothing to paint when she is naturally just like that. She is good, too good in fact."
"I told her not to see you because I knew how you would react seeing her. You would embarrass her and in the process hurt me, except perhaps you really look forward to not having a son anymore."
"Ye Cheng! Watch your words."
"I could say the same to you mum. It is my wife, my future and my happiness we are talking about here. If you as my mother would not support me, then I wonder who in this world I can lean on."
"Sweetheart, it is not like that."
"Then tell me how it is. You know what, you want to know ow exactly I feel? Rehn let me tell you. I have a father who all he cares about me is using me to build and secure a business proposal and you on the other hand that I thought was better, you want to use me to fulfill a promise you not I, you made to a friend. Have any of you for once sat down to think about my feelings in all this? No."
"Ye Cheng." She was sad, she knew she actually did not do well as a mother but she was hurt too.
"No, do not call my name, ma. You two never once thought about me through your decision making."
"That is a lie. I did. I gave you this house, all my shares in the company and…"
"That were just material things. I needed my mother. I needed you as dad needed you but you were just too selfish to give us up for a friend. How can you know tell me you love me when you did that?"
"It is not fair. I did not abandon your father and you."
"No? You didn't?" He too a step forward so she could look at him clearly. By now his eyes already brimmed with tears threatening to spill and break lose.
"Ma, you locked everyone out. I needed my mother and not money or shares. I needed your love. At a young age I was made to take care of myself, fend for the family because dad turned to womanizing when he lost you emotionally. I was alone. Yet you two now think you have the right to decided my fate and marital life? Nah, let me shock you, hell no."
"Ye Cheng, you are hurting me."
"Mother, I have protected you all these while but you refuse to see it. I tried to understand from your own point of view but let us call a spade a spade. You were too scared to face the reality of their loss and so you stayed hidden in your mind and shut every other aspect out. I still did not blame you. For once, let me do that which I want to do that makes me happy and that is my wife."
He paused nd brushed his fingers through his hair. "Ma, do you know how much I love her? I love her so much that when she wasn't here it felt like I would go mad. Sometimes it felt like I could not breath and I would choke up. Those were times when I needed you too."
"I'm sorry, Ye Cheng. I really am."
"I know and that is why I never blamed you but I blamed father for not being stronger and stayed with you in your trying times but please, do not make me lose you two because I do not want to choose between my wife and my mother. I love you both dearly, ma."
"Alright. I understand. I am sorry. I should never have left you with that monster and stayed away but I felt I was doing what was best for you."
"You did but the most important aspect, you didn't."
"Please, Michael."
"I am okay. If you really want my forgiveness, then please get along with her. You would love her once you get to know her."
"Okay, I'll try."
"Thanks." He moved in and went to hug her. He hated to see her cry but what more could he do now that he too was crying?
'Get yourself together, Ye Cheng.' He scolded himself in his head.
After some brief silence and petting he pulled back and looked at her with a lovely smile. "You know what… I am not here to argue anything about respect, or my wife and you.
"Then why did you come?"
"Two reasons though."
"Namely?" she asked expectantly.
"One to check up on my mother and two…" he paused, taking in a deep breathe. "Father knows you are here."
"What?"
"Yes. And I am betting he wants to use this opportunity to meet you and condemn you for breaching your contract then perhaps use that medium to take the CEO position from me or make you leave."
"Then I would leave."
"No."
"Michael, but."
"No buts," he interjected "You are my mother and you have the right to be with your son. What right has he to determine that with my position or threaten my position? He maybe the chairman of the company but I own more shares and most importantly, I have made the most contribution to the company in the past years than he has."
"But Michael…"
"Ma, let him take me to the stakeholders and all… I would win him."
"He can bribe them."
"I believe if they weigh the future of the company with me and him, they would know whom to choose better. They stand the risk of losing most investors brought in by myself and my wife especially."
"Really?"
"Yes. I can make them lose."
"No, I mean your wife. She is that good?" Li An was surprised by his praise for Li Jing. She actually thought she was brainy but not that great.
"Yes. She is exceptional and excelleth above all. You know My Kang?"
"Yes. What about him?"
"He agreed to do business with us only because of her. He happened to come across a marketing slide of hers and since then he believes any business she initiates or is affiliated with would do great."
"WOW!"
"Yep. I told you she was exceptional and that is just one. Wait you should know all these since you virtually keep tabs on me."
"No I do not."
"Yes you do. I have caught all your spies."
"How come they didn't say anything?"
"Because I won them over.. I am your son you know," he bragged.
