“Our Jitong is, after all, the chairman of the Pei Group. You took over as mistress, and our Jitong divorced his wife. We hoped you would be able to fulfill your promise to us as soon as possible, but it looks like we won’t be getting our wish. For over ten years, you’ve just been a parasite to the Pei family. Besides completely severing our relationship with the Chi family, what else have you done? Now, I discover that your future daughter-in-law is the chairman of the Imperial Phoenix Group. The Imperial Phoenix Group, for God’s sake! Even if they only help us out a little bit, it will still be a huge boon to us. But you couldn’t even persuade a young girl who has yet to marry Chi Yang into helping us out. Why are you still part of our family?”
Zhou Ruxue’s expression had just recovered a little from Nuannuan’s retorts, but after hearing Grandma Pei’s words, her face turned pale again.
“Mom…”
“Don’t call me Mom. You’re not my daughter-in-law! I don’t have a daughter-in-law like you who only brings shame to the Pei family!”
“Mom!”
Pei Jitong’s voice suddenly came from behind.
Zhou Ruxue turned around to look at her husband. He was backlit by a faint golden light, and he looked to her eyes like he was descending from the heavens.
Pei Jitong walked to the flustered Zhou Ruxue’s side and stretched out his hand to pull her into his embrace. He then said to Lan Huifang, “Mom, why are you doing this? Since Ruxue married into the Pei family, she has treated my children as her own and loved them all dearly. She has raised them all well. Just that alone proves how much she has done for our Pei family.”
“Jitong!” Zhou Ruxue almost died of gratitude when she heard her husband’s gentle words. She looked at him with an expression of appreciation.
Pei Jitong did not look back at Zhou Ruxue. Instead, he patted her shoulder lightly, silently telling her to stay strong.
“Mom, Ruxue is my wife. She is not a pawn of yours. If the Pei family needs money and power, I, the Chairman of the Pei Group, should be the one to earn it for us. I cannot force my wife to work toward giving the Pei family a successful future.
“Mom, I have told you many times not to drag Ruxue into Chi family matters. She already stands in an awkward position with them. If you ask her to talk to them, things might backfire.
“That child, Chi Yang, was still young when this all happened. His grandfather had brainwashed him into hating Ruxue. Right now, we need to work on repairing their relationship, not making things worse. Chi Yang has yet to accept Ruxue himself, so how can you expect his fiancee to be on Ruxue’s side? She hasn’t even married him yet. Also, since she is the chairman of the Imperial Phoenix Group, do you think she’s easily manipulated? If you force Ruxue to try to make nice like this, all the parties involved will definitely end up angry.”
Grandma Pei now had an embarrassed expression on her face. She no longer had the arrogant and bossy attitude she was exuding in front of Zhou Ruxue earlier.
“Look at you. I only said a few words about her, and you jumped eight feet high to her defense. You’re picking your wife over your own mother?!”
Pei Jitong put a gentle smile on. He did not let go of Zhou Ruxue, whom he was holding with his right hand, as his left hand wrapped around Grandma Pei.
“Look at yourself. You’re already so old, yet you’re as jealous as a toddler in a playground right now. If Ruxue and I were the kind of people to forget about Mom after getting married, would we be standing here chatting like this right now? You know the answer to that, right? Look, Mom, we’re all family. Let’s not curse one another out.”
