Yang Yun paused for a moment before she coughed a few times. The lamplight caught the embarrassed expression that crossed her face as she hesitated a while longer before she said, “Miss Chen, Shaoqian had a girlfriend when he was 18 years old. They met in school, fell in love, and had been dating for four years. We’ve also met the girl’s parents and they were about to get engaged but later, Shaoqian was presumed dead…so…”
Yang Yun’s voice trailed off and she didn’t elaborate any further because she saw that Chen Yan was crying and her eyes were brimming with tears.
He Xiyan balled her trembling hands into fists and her lips were quivering.
Gu Shaoqian’s mother’s words had clearly hit a nerve.
She bit her lips and her face was pale and sad under the lamplight.
She tried to paste a smile on her face just like she had done earlier, but she realized she could not even bring herself to smile awkwardly.
“I see, aunty…” she said softly. Then, she turned away as though she didn’t want this middle-aged woman to see how upset she was.
Yang Yun reached out to pat He Xiyan’s shoulder as though she was comforting a child and said gently, “Don’t be upset. I’m only letting you know more about his past but I’m not asking you to leave him. Shaoqian had already told me that he has chosen to stay with you and as his mother, I will respect his decisions. I hope that you’d be able to invite your parents over for a meal one day. You’ve already lived together for three years but have not officially collected your marriage license, right? It is better for the elders to handle such an important matter. Shaoqian is no longer a young boy and would have to have children of his own one day.”
Yang Yun said with a small smile. She wasn’t too satisfied with this daughter-in-law her son had bought in the village but the heavens had blessed her by returning her precious son to her so she didn’t want to have any conflict with her son. Since this was what her son wanted, she would respect his decisions even if she didn’t agree with them.
He Xiyan did not respond but only nodded gently. She had also forced her tears back.
She suddenly felt extremely cold, as though she had fallen into an ice cave. She was so cold that she started shivering.
He Xiyan hugged the blankets tightly to her after Yang Yun left. However, that didn’t help and the chill merely intensified.
She was not a fool and could understand the underlying meaning behind Jiahang’s mother’s words. She also understood why his mother had told her that he used to have such a loving girlfriend.
He Xiyan felt her heart clench in pain as she looked around this strange room and felt as though something had been wrenched away from her.
Someone knocked on the door and a masculine voice said, “Yan Yan, open up.”
It was Chen Jiahang who had just returned from visiting his grandfather.
He Xiyan looked at the door that was tightly shut but she did not get up to open the door.
“Yan Yan, open up. I’m sleeping here too,” Jiahang said as he knocked on the door once more.
He had assumed that Yan Yan would sleep together with him, so he was surprised to learn that she was sleeping in the guest room.
