Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Lin Shishi had a face full of exquisite makeup and was dressed in a red Qipao that exuded her unique charm.
She sat down by the dining table to have her meal, her long and slender figure making her appear ethereal, as if she’d just walked straight out of a painting.
After breakfast, the pair of newlyweds paid Tuoba Gucheng’s parents a visit at their mansion, then did the same for Tuoba Shuo.
Those were just formalities that were a part of the traditional customs.
An Xiaoning and the other bodyguards tagged along.
Shi Xiaoyu was particularly fond of Lin Shishi, evident from the fact that she constantly held onto the latter’s hand while grinning from ear to ear.
“How did you sleep last night?” Shi Xiaoyu asked, seemingly hinting at something.
“Very well,” Lin Shishi answered.
Shi Xiaoyu nodded and said, “Gucheng may be quiet and reserved but he’ll treat you extremely well. I’m very certain about that. Am I right, Son?”
She shifted her gaze onto Tuoba Gucheng while asking the rhetorical question.
“That goes without saying,” Tuoba Gucheng answered.
“Hurry and try for a child. I know I’m being a little impatient since you two just got married yesterday, but you’d have to give birth sooner or later anyway. I’ll help you take care of the child once he’s born. You two may continue to do whatever you’d like afterward,” Shi Xiaoyu said, smiling.
“I’d like for us to spend some time together alone for a while before trying for a child,” Tuoba Gucheng refused.
“My thoughts exactly. I’d like to first nurture my feelings with Hubby and allow us to get to know each other better,” Lin Shishi chimed in.
“Alright then. Okay, you don’t have to accompany me anymore, you two may go ahead to visit your uncle,” Shi Xiaoyu said with a grin.
“Alright, we’ll get going then, Mother.”
“Hurry along.”
Once they exited the mansion, Lin Shishi held onto Tuoba Gucheng’s arm abruptly and said, “Hubby, Mother is so pushy. We just got married and yet she already wants us to give birth to a child.”
“She just has the mentality of an old person.”
“Mother isn’t that old. She’s going to get infuriated if she hears what you said.”
“She’s not here now anyway, she can’t hear me,” he answered calmly.
“Hubby, you’re so mean…” Lin Shishi exclaimed coquettishly while Tuoba Gucheng kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead with a straight face.
Once they arrived at Tuoba Shuo’s mansion, An Xiaoning quickly slid Tuoba Shuo a piece of note while no one was paying attention.
She requested Tuoba Shuo to sketch her a detailed drawing of Shi Xiaoyu’s bedroom and its floor plan.
Tuoba Shuo gave her a nod after reading the message on the note, allowing An Xiaoning to feel much more at ease.
—
Mo Li had been suffering from a poor appetite ever since she was forced to drink the talisman water.
She lost weight rapidly within just a few days.
Due to the fact that she was severely malnourished, she had to be put on an intravenous drip.
Mrs. Mo came over to accompany her daughter whom she took pity on and felt sorry for while resenting Mrs. Ye at the same time.
Yet, there was nothing she could do to help.
All she could do was to give her daughter sound advice.
Mo Li changed into a fresh set of clothes and put on some makeup bright and early in the morning, then informed her mother that she would be going out.
Sensing that something was amiss, Mrs. Mo said, “Mo Li, don’t do anything foolish.”
“Mother, if I really wanted to commit a foolish act, I would have done it long ago. I wouldn’t have waited until now. I just finally saw through some things and decided to go out to take a breather. It’s really boring to stay at home all day.”
“I can rest my mind then. Remember, you still have Jiani.”
“I know. Mother, things are busy at the bistro. You don’t have to accompany me, I’ll be fine. You may go back first, lest you get upset at the sight of that evil old hag.”
The amused Mrs. Mo burst into laughter upon hearing Mo Li label Mrs. Ye as an evil old hag. “She’s an evil, old hag all right. Okay, I’m much more at ease to know that you’ve gotten over it. Make sure you air any grievances you have. Don’t bottle them up.”
Mo Li nodded and left the house with her purse.
In actual fact, Mo Li did not know where to go since she did not have a social circle or any friends at all.
She had no choice but to stroll around aimlessly on the streets, in a bid to get rid of her negative emotions.
However, there was no way she could snap herself out of her gloomy mood.
She felt just like she had reached the dead end of a road, having nowhere to escape to for her enemy was standing at the only exit with a lethal weapon, threatening to take her life.
Mo Li was in low spirits, often feeling melancholic and morose. She felt that she would not be able to live a long life.
Mo Li absolutely regretted ignoring An Xiaoning, who had been kind toward and of so much help to her in the past.
There should be a clear boundary between friends and family.
Wasn’t that so?
Mo Li hailed a taxi and headed to Wei Ni Estate.
It was the only place she could go to anyway.
“Oh, it’s you, Mo Li. Tianze has already left for the office,” said Mei Yangyang. The first thing that came to her mind was that Mo Li was here to look for her husband.
“Yangyang, I’m here to look for you, not Tianze.”
“Come in.” Mei Yangyang turned around and instructed the servants to serve some tea.
“Do you have something to ask of me?”
“Could you give me Xiaoning’s mobile number?” Mo Li asked.
“My Sis’? What do you want her phone number for?”
“Yangyang, I’m not intending to ask her to read my fortune. I’d just like to become friends with her again and apologize to her for not acknowledging her presence the previous time we met,” Mo Li said softly.
Slightly taken aback, Mei Yangyang asked, “Is it because… my Sis is no longer married to Jin Qingyan and there would thus no longer be any conflicting interests between your husband’s, is that why…”
Shaking her head, Mo Li answered, “It used to be that way in the past because I used to feel like I was put in a spot. But I don’t think that way anymore. Even if she’s still Jin Qingyan’s wife, I’d nevertheless continue to be friends with her. Well, because, I think it’d be my loss to lose a friend like her.”
Noticing that Mo Li seemed to be rather sickly despite having makeup on, Mei Yangyang asked, “Mo Li, did something happen to you?”
“Yangyang, could you give me Xiaoning’s number first? I’ll tell you what happened to me afterward.”
Mei Yangyang nodded and gave her An Xiaoning’s number before saying, “My Sis is not in A City now.”
“Where is she then?”
“You may ask her yourself.”
Mo Li tried to give An Xiaoning a call, which went through very quickly.
An Xiaoning was surprised to receive a call from Mo Li.
“Why did you call me?”
“Xiaoning, I’m sorry.”
An Xiaoning was taken aback by her sudden apology, not sure what it was for.
“Why are you apologizing to me? I don’t think you did anything to let me down, did you?”
“I didn’t say hi the previous time I saw you.”
“That happened ages ago. I didn’t take it to heart. Well, I wasn’t surprised by the way you acted since your husband and my ex are rivals in business. It’s only normal that you would refrain from speaking to me. Did you call me just to apologize?” An Xiaoning said casually.
“No. Xiaoning, may I continue being friends with you?” Mo Li asked.
“Of course you may,” An Xiaoning answered.
For An Xiaoning, friends could be classified into several categories. There were those she could confide in, as well as some who were only platonic.
“Thank you. Whenever I think about the past, I can’t help but feel grateful yet guilty toward you. I’ve always aspired to become an independent woman like you but never managed to do so. Xiaoning, where are you now?”
“I’m overseas.”
“Alright, I won’t disturb you any further then. By the way, I got your number from Yangyang.”
“Okay, don’t take those trivial matters to heart. I’ve long forgotten about them. We’ll still be friends from now on,” An Xiaoning comforted Mo Li, seemingly able to tell from her voice that she was in low spirits.
“Alright.”
After ending the call, Mo Li looked at Mei Yangyang while tears welled up in her eyes.
She poured her heart out to Mei Yangyang.
Mei Yangyang felt extremely indignant for Mo Li after hearing her story. “What the heck, why is your mother-in-law such a tyrant?” Mei Yangyang scorned in disdain toward Mrs. Ye.
