Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“What kind of person complains about such a place but comes here anyway?” The old lady was seething because she had never met such an unreasonable person before. ‘She thinks she’s so great just because she has that bit of money? If she has what it takes, why not take out her family’s money and see if she can compare with our mighty Qi family!’
“Don’t get angry, there are all sorts of people nowadays,” Aunt Liu consoled her immediately and continued walking up.
A few steps later, Grandmother Qi let out a ‘tsk’ before remarking, “Why does that woman look so familiar?”
Plenty of people attended the previous day’s wedding, and as the prestigious elderly couple that they were, Grandfather and Grandmother Qi were seated at the first table, so there were not many people who dared to bother them. The Yu family was not at all important compared to the Eight Great Families, so they were placed further behind. Grandmother Qi must have seen Liang Lihua but only had a vague impression of her.
During the wedding, the old lady took the liberty to dress herself up really well, and she had even applied makeup on her face. However, she did not do the same when visiting Song Yu’s parents, since she was worried that doing so would intimidate them. Dressed simply and devoid of makeup, she looked no different than any other old lady. Thus, it was only natural that Liang Lihua was not able to recognize her.
Meanwhile, Xiao Fan – the driver – recognized Liang Lihua. He told Grandmother Qi, “She’s the lady from the Yu family, the mother of Miss Yu Keyao, whom madam introduced to Young Master Cheng.”
Those words made the elderly lady’s expression turn incredibly ugly. “Hmph! Xia Wenna just had to introduce someone like that! The daughter won’t be any different if the mother has that kind of attitude!”
The old lady then took out her phone and called Xia Wenna.
Xia Wenna picked up and could only manage to say ‘Mother’ before the old lady’s unhappy voice began nagging into the phone. “Don’t you dare think about setting up that Yu Keyao with Chengzhi! Don’t you know what kind of people their family are? Her mother is an unreasonable and rude person. Did you expect the daughter would be better? Things will be a mess if our families are related by marriage!”
“Haven’t you learned anything from what happened to Chengze? Why must you insist on shoving someone to Qi Chengzhi? Must my older grandson suffer the same fate for you to be happy?” the elderly lady vented emotionally and stomped her foot on the stairs. The thought of her dead grandson, and her elder grandson who was not even allowed to find someone he genuinely loved, made her eyes red and teary.
“Mother, what are you talking about? What happened? Did you bump into Mrs. Yu?” Xia Wenna felt so innocent and wondered why she had to suffer such a rebuke for seemingly no reason.
“My point is, I won’t accept Yu Keyao as a granddaughter-in-law!” the elderly lady blurted out and hung up resentfully. She then placed the phone back into the pocket and continued climbing the stairs.
…
…
Song Yu led Qi Chengzhi to the sofa. The home was not big: it was a two-bedroom apartment that was about a hundred square feet at most. It was crowded when there were five people in the living room, but that did not seem to change even after Liang Lihua had left.
Qi Chengzhi was sitting upright on the sofa, and his expression was a stern one. Most of the time, he appeared unapproachable because of his unsmiling tendencies, and at that moment, a layer of sternness to his countenance made him seem like someone who was looking for trouble.
Yu Qianying dragged Song Donglin and sat opposite Song Yu and Qi Chengzhi. All those years of life in retirement had led Song Donglin to adopt a principle; ignorance is bliss. However, at that moment, his face was filled with a sternness that had not made an appearance for many years.
“Remember what you said to me when Jian Yi came and told me that something might be going on with the both of you?” Yu Qianying looked at Song Yu with a very serious expression. She felt lied to, and there was even a touch of hurt as well as disappointment in her eyes.
“Mom, at that time, we weren’t together yet.” Song Yu made direct eye contact with Yu Qianying and did not feel anxious at all. During that period, they truly were not together yet. At most, it was Qi Chengzhi who was having his way with her, to which she did not reciprocate.
Yu Qianying looked intently at Song Yu. “I don’t care what your relationship was at that time, but you couldn’t have been unaware of our family’s relationship with the Qi family. Even if we put all of this aside, you were once Qi Chengji’s fiancée. Now that you’re with his elder brother, what would other people say about you? They’ll be saying all kinds of terrible things, and you’re willing to go through all of that?
“And about the Qi family.” Yu Qianying took a deep breath and looked at Qi Chengzhi’s abnormally stern yet handsome face. “I don’t believe that your family will agree to this. When our Song family went bankrupt, your family did not spare any time in cutting off ties with us. I’m angry, but not too much. After all, even my own siblings did the same, so who am I to blame the Qi family, who is neither my family nor enemy?
“Would the Qi family agree to the both of you in light of Song Yu’s earlier relationship with Qi Chengji? Also, our family now is just like any other ordinary family you’d meet in the street. We have nothing, and even our savings is only that tiny, little, sad amount. All these years, Song Yu was the one who worked hard to earn money, and whatever she earned, I saved them for her dowry. All that money combined, the most you’ll be able to afford is an average car. I don’t think your family would even want to look at such a small amount.
“Will the Qi family agree to us when we have nothing to offer? If they had agreed, they wouldn’t have cut off ties with us in the past. Song Yu is my daughter. I don’t want my daughter to be facing all kinds of accusations or insults. Your family would most likely want the both of you to break up!”
Song Yu intended to say something, but she felt her hand being kneaded softly. She looked down and saw his fair, well-defined fingers clutching her. Surges of warmth were transmitting from his palm; it was comforting and reassuring.
“My side will not have an opinion on this.” Qi Chengzhi’s rich voice was firm and forceful. The room was quiet and the only thing that could be heard was his resonant voice. “I dated Song Yu because I want to marry her. I won’t let her suffer those accusations and insults.”
“Can you speak for the Qi family?” Yu Qianying twitched her lip.
“I can’t.” His directness came as a surprise to Yu Qianying.
Qi Chengzhi then continued, “I won’t speak for them either. This is my business. They cannot make decisions on my behalf. Even if they object, what of it? I won’t decide against marrying her just because of something they said. They aren’t capable of doing that to me.
“I’m not going to be the stereotype that has to get their family’s blessing to get married. Even if they don’t give their blessing, I’ll still marry the person I want to marry. I won’t let Song Yu spend her days suffering with me, nor will I cause her to feel wronged. Everything will remain as it is before the official marriage.”
“Where are you going at?” Song Yu could no longer take it. Her ears were already red and she did not know why the topic had changed to marriage all of a sudden. “I brought you here today to meet my parents, to let them know of our relationship, not for you to propose marriage.”
His firm hand held her tightly and his black pupils – obscured somewhat by his lashes – glanced at her lightly. “Coming here today was to let uncle and auntie know of our relationship, but other than that, I wanted to let you both know that I am serious with Song Yu. I’m in a relationship with her because I want to marry her.
“I haven’t discussed this with her yet, but I’m guessing she doesn’t want things to proceed so quickly and would want us to start with dating first. I understand this, which is why I haven’t said anything to her about it.”
Yu Qianying noticed Qi Chengzhi’s hand holding Song Yu’s. His five fingers were slender and long, and each finger joint was clear and discernible. The ring he wore on his middle finger was incredibly obvious against the backdrop of his fair fingers.
She looked at Song Yu’s left hand, which was placed on top of her knee, and noticed the same ring on her middle finger.
Yu Qianying felt suffocated. In the depths of her heart, she did not agree to them being together because she had no way of finding out whether Song Yu might be suffering all kinds of unsavory verbal abuse from the Qi family.
The Song family had nothing, not even a good familial background nor a high social standing. If the Qi family began treating Song Yu badly, there may not be anyone to support her, since they would be regarding her as someone who just wanted to claim connections with the Qi family. She could be easily bullied because she had no position in the Qi family.
Yu Qianying was about to open her mouth to say something when the doorbell rang again.
After glancing at the two of them, she got up and headed for the door.
She opened the door and saw an old lady standing outside. Yu Qianying was stunned for quite some time before she finally regained her senses. ‘This old lady looks really familiar. Is she Qi Chengzhi’s grandmother?’
It had been years since they last met, and the old lady, who did not wear any makeup, looked much older than before. At that point, Yu Qianying was doubting herself.
“Xiao Yu!” Grandmother Qi greeted with a smile.
“And you are…” Yu Qianying looked at the plain-looking old lady in front of her. Then, her eyes shifted to the people behind, all of which were carrying plenty of stuff in bags of various sizes.
“You don’t remember me? I’m Qi Chengzhi’s grandmother.” Grandmother Qi was all smiles as she asked, “Are you free? You’re not busy, are you?”
Yu Qianying was so shocked that she froze and had no idea how to react. It had never occurred to her that the Qi family’s matriarch would show up in person.
The old lady swiveled her neck and raised her left hand to gently strike her own shoulder. “Sigh, we old people simply have to accept our limits. I was just carrying this little thing and I’m already so tired! My hip can’t stand it.”
It was then that Yu Qianying snapped out of it and saw the old lady grimacing at the door. The old lady then placed the thing that she was carrying on the ground and subsequently began massaging her hip.
That box, however, did not seem heavy at all. There was even an audible rattle, as though it was rather empty when it was placed onto the ground.
Seeing how Grandmother Qi brought bags of this and that over to meet them, it seemed like she came in peace. ‘Did she come here to try and convince me not to let Song Yu be with Qi Chengzhi?’
‘If she is, shouldn’t she have just written a cheque?’
‘What’s all this stuff for?’
Yu Qianying did not know what to think. The only thing she could do was invite the old lady in.
The old lady happily allowed both Aunt Liu and Driver Xiao Fan to carry those things into the house. As she walked, she said, “These are some things for you to eat and drink. See if there’s any suitable place to put these? Or better yet, just put them in the kitchen!”
She ordered Xiao Fan to bring everything into the kitchen without even waiting for Yu Qianying’s reply.
“I didn’t even inform you that I was coming, so hasty of me. I didn’t bother you, did I? I’ve known for quite some time that you’re staying here, but I was just too embarrassed to come here in a hurry.” The old lady grasped Yu Qianying’s hand warmly and did not give Yu Qianying the opportunity to say anything; she just went on and on like a machine gun.
On the day Qi Chengzhi brought Song Yu home, it was confirmed to them that she was the girlfriend that he spoke of. It was obvious that the Qi family would not just sit around doing nothing. They made sure to dig up every single one of Song Yu’s details in the past year.
Naturally, her parents’ home was not something that could be hidden from the Qi family.
Every single time Yu Qianying wanted to speak, Grandmother Qi’s blabbering forced those words back in again, and eventually, Yu Qianying did not bother to reply.
They were walking into the living room anyway, and once the old lady entered, she was given quite the shock when she laid her eyes on her grandson, who was sitting as motionless as a rock on the sofa.
“Oh dear, why are you here?” she exclaimed in astonishment. She patted her chest a couple of times and was grateful that she did not go there to break the happy couple apart. However, would she face her eldest grandson if she had done that?
She tried remembering the things she said to Yu Qianying just moments earlier. There was nothing inherently unpleasant in what she said, so she did not have to worry about risking Qi Chengzhi’s unhappiness.
Qi Chengzhi cocked an eyebrow. He heard everything his grandmother said, of course, so he could roughly guess why she intended to show up. His lips curled up slightly, erasing the stern lines that were originally present.
“I came here to propose marriage.” Qi Chengzhi’s voice was mellow and calm, his then smiling face was no longer there, and his expression looked especially serious.
Grandmother Qi, “…”
Song Yu, “…”
Yu Qianying, “…”
Song Donglin, “…”
“I came here to visit my in-laws. You, though, why did you come all the way here, Grandmother?” Qi Chengzhi looked at his grandmother half-smilingly and stopped her in her tracks completely.
Yu Qianying twitched her lips. ‘In the beginning, he said he came here to introduce himself as her boyfriend, how did it suddenly turn into a marriage proposal? Just how thick-skinned is he?’
‘In-laws? I haven’t even agreed to their relationship. Isn’t that a bit too early?’
However, it was the next sentence that left Yu Qianying utterly speechless, and it came from the elderly lady’s lips.
“I’m meeting my family-in-law.” She sat her bottom on the sofa without waiting for Yu Qianying to say anything. She glanced at the coffee table and asked, “Dear, do you have a glass? It’s really cold outside and I’d like to have a cup of hot tea.”
“Please… Please don’t say it like that. I’m not used to it,” Yu Qianying replied and put on a bold face. She could not possibly be swayed by a few words from the grandson-grandma duo. “Also, about your grandson and our daughter, we haven’t agreed on anything. He’s just met us today and we haven’t even talked about it. Calling us your family-in-law would be too early.”
Yu Qianying remarked and left to the kitchen. She took three cups and invited Aunt Liu as well as Driver Xiao Fan to have tea too.
The old lady pursed her lips and was not too happy with what Yu Qianying said. She took the cup and sipped a few rather audible mouthfuls of tea. Once the tea had warmed up her body, the old lady felt comfortable enough to begin speaking, hence she placed the teacup down.
“Xiao Yu, look at me. I’m old enough to be your mother, so I’m considered your elder. Please don’t be hasty. Listen to what I have to say.” The old lady rubbed her hands and glanced at the cup, as if unsure where to begin. “Look at my eldest grandson. He’s handsome, his attitude is admirable, and for so many years he has never been with a woman before. Not even those entertainment and gossip newspapers could get a picture of him doing anything bad. What does this mean? This means our Chengzhi is a very, very self-respecting person. Men like him are difficult to find nowadays.
“Men like him wouldn’t search for just any lady, but if he finds one that he likes, his heart will be set on her.” The old lady then sighed. “I’m not bragging or anything, but in that aspect alone, a person like him – someone who treats a woman with one mind and one heart – is a woman’s dream. How many women have cracked their heads for something that they admire but can never get?
“I won’t lie to you; I felt the same way when I found out about them and didn’t agree to it. Your Song Yu was previously engaged to our youngest grandson, and I’ve already treated her as my granddaughter-in-law at that time. I still keep her in my heart even though we’ve lost contact over the last few years. When she reappeared so suddenly at our home the other day, and Qi Chengzhi said that she was going to be our granddaughter-in-law. However, in all honesty, I was briefly unable to accept it at that time.
“It goes without saying that the whole thing is a mess. People outside would be saying all sorts of things, be it about both our families or my grandsons,” the elderly lady said calmly and drank a few more sips of tea due to her thirst.
“But when I think of it, my grandson really likes Song Yu. Will the unsavory gossip last if they get married? My point is, these two kids love each other, and as long as they’re happy, why should we care about what outsiders say? Am I right, Xiao Yu?”
The old lady then became emotional, and her imagination began running wild. There was a certain radiance to her expression when she continued, “Soon after their marriage, I can hug my great-grandchild and you can hug your grandchild. All of us can live our own lives happily, and there’s no reason for us to care about what others say. It’s not like we have to rely on what people say in order for us to be happy, right? That’s obviously not possible, and our kids will have to suffer because of that. It isn’t worthwhile for us to deprive our kids of happiness just because of some gossip, now is it?”
The crux of it was how hard it was for Qi Chengzhi to find a girl that he truly liked. There was nothing bad about Song Yu, the only issue being her previous engagement with Qi Chengji. Song Yu’s family were good people, and she had a pleasant character too. The old lady had always liked her, and she was deeply regretful when the engagement with Qi Chengji was called off.
There was nothing more important to Grandmother Qi than holding her great-grandchildren in her arms. She did not care much for anything else.
“Xiao Song, Xiao Yu, which date do you think would be best?” The old lady took out a Yellow Calendar from her bag and said, “I even brought a Yellow Calendar 1 with me.”
“Madam, this is…” Yu Qianying did not know what to say to the old lady.
Grandmother Qi was the oldest and most senior out of everyone there, so Yu Qianying found it inappropriate to say anything too harsh.
“Grandma, you’re not objecting to us?” Qi Chengzhi’s enigmatic eyes were filled with gentle happiness.
“If I object, are you going to break up with her?” The old lady rolled her eyes as if to say ‘duh!’
The whole family could object for all he cared, Qi Chengzhi would still go to the civil administration office and register his marriage. What use would objecting be?
Qi Chengzhi smiled and said, “Han Zhuoli is investing in a new movie. He’ll be shooting at the family home, and they’re looking for an old lady to act with the female lead in one scene. Are you interested, Grandmother? If you are, I’ll let Han Zhuoli know so that he can end his search. There aren’t many lines in the script, it’s just two scenes and it’ll be done in a day, so it won’t tire you.”
“Really?” The old lady’s eyes lit up and she leaned forward slightly. “What kind of role is that? Let me have one that’s a bit challenging. For instance, my children are not filial and took all my money without caring for me, so my character is forced to live off scraps. Or, or, I can play the role of a woman with Alzheimer’s, someone who’s a bit cuckoo in the head, also discarded by the children. Anything’s fine as long as it’s challenging and I can show my fine acting skills.”
The old lady then sat up straight and smoothened her clothes. “Look at my personality, my energy. One look and you know I’m not some ordinary old lady. It would be such a waste if I’m given a boring role. I’ll only accept something that’s strongly contrasting. Only then will my acting skills be put to the test and I can unleash my specialties.”
She leaned forward once more and took a sip of tea before pointing in front of her. “Have I told you before? I was part of an acting group when I was young. I played Sanmao 2 , I played The White-Haired Girl 3 , I even played the part of Tiemei 4 from The Legend of the Red Lantern. After my retirement, I would go and help out once in a while, and there was once I even played the part of Grandmother Li [4].”
“I don’t really know the specifics, but I’ll ask Han Zhuoli. Or maybe I can tell him to come to the home directly, so both of you can talk about the kind of role you want. If the role is too minor for you, and you want to be the lead, you can tell me and I’ll let him make the necessary amendments.” Qi Chengzhi took the teapot and poured tea for his grandmother, as well as for Song Donglin and Yu Qianying. He even did so for Aunt Liu and Xiao Fan.
Aunt Liu and Xiao Fan were quite overwhelmed by that small courtesy, and their hands were shaking while holding their cups.
Yu Qianying could not help but stare at him. It scarcely crossed her mind that Qi Chengzhi would perform such a personal gesture towards everyone there.
