Chapter 84 Palm: How to Torture One’s Own Father

Xue Chengdong’s expression froze.

Xue Qingyin then walked forward from behind, almost unable to hold back her laughter.

“Mother, it’s been a while, you can’t even recognize Father anymore?” Xue Qingyin said sweetly.

Mrs. Xue, upon seeing her, understood immediately. She couldn’t help but glare at her, then stood there, unsure of how to react.

Having been married young, Mrs. Xue hated Xue Chengdong deeply, but hatred was born from love.

Rarely seeing Xue Chengdong so humbled, Mrs. Xue felt both ironic and heartbroken.

Should she take the opportunity and go back? Or should she insist on breaking with him?

Mrs. Xue couldn’t decide.

Actually, it didn’t matter, Xue Chengdong would think for her.

Xue Chengdong took her hesitation as a silent refusal.

Mrs. Xue wasn’t good at communication.

When she got angry, she would usually vent her anger all at once. In terms of her ability to truly solve the problem itself, she might not be as strong as Xue Qingyin.

For her, she had almost never seen Xue Chengdong like this.

And Xue Chengdong was the same.

She stood there, head bowed, lips pursed. A layer of frost covered her face.

She didn’t glare with anger or curl her lips.

She simply stood there silently, but it held more power than any expression or words.

Xue Chengdong was momentarily dazed, recalling the appearance of Mrs. Xue when she first married him.

But quickly, that image vanished from his mind.

He couldn’t stay here… Xue Chengdong took a step forward and said in a low voice, “Azhi, let’s go inside and talk.”

These words were not actually meant for Mrs. Xue, but for Xu Qi and the others who had arrived late.

Xu Qi always revered his son-in-law, and upon hearing this, he quickly said, “Yes, yes, let’s go inside and talk. What’s the point of standing outside like this?”

Mrs. Xue turned coldly and strode inside. Halfway through, she paused and turned back, extending her hand.

Xue Chengdong’s eyes moved slightly.

The next moment, he heard Mrs. Xue say, “Qingyin, come here.”

Xue Qingyin obediently walked over and hugged Mrs. Xue’s arm.

The mother and daughter then walked forward, leaning on each other intimately.

Xue Chengdong: “…”

Xu Qi awkwardly touched his beard, “Ha, haha. My sister has always been fond of Qingyin.” He said, trying to make conversation, “Son-in-law, are you not busy at the Ministry of Revenue today?”

“The Ministry of Revenue knows that I have a lot of things going on at home recently, so they allowed me to relax for a few days.” Xue Chengdong said, then “concernedly” asked Xu Qi, “I heard that Xiru and the young master of the Ji family in Yingzhou have taken a liking to each other. Why is the Ji family hesitating? The young master’s uncle has been in his position for quite a few years. I have a few friends at the Ministry of Personnel…”

Xu Qi was a little surprised, thinking to himself that his son-in-law’s words were much more pleasant to hear now!

Xiru was Xu Qi’s daughter, but she lived with her grandparents all year round and was not in the capital.

Over here, they were talking.

Over there, Mrs. Xue was also asking Xue Qingyin, “Do you want to go back or not?” She said, “Mother will listen to you.”

Xue  Qingyin smiled, “I’m afraid we have to go back this time.”

Mrs. Xue also remembered, “Yes, otherwise, what will you do on your wedding day?”

Xue Qingyin shrugged, “But it doesn’t mean that we can’t leave after we go back.”

Mrs. Xue’s thoughts suddenly became clear, and her mouth almost reached her ears. She said happily, “You’re so clever!” She paused and then said, “Then I’ll agree to your father later.”

Xue Qingyin shook her head, “Mother, how easily you’re persuaded?”

Mrs. Xue didn’t understand, “Didn’t you say we’re going back?”

“That doesn’t stop him from trying to coax you. All these years, it’s been Mother who has been taking care of the family, it’s his turn now.”

This was exactly what Mrs. Xue was thinking.

Her lips curled up again, but she still said, “But your father is too smart. Your little tricks probably won’t fool him.”

Xue Qingyin nodded, “Of course he won’t be fooled, Father knows what I want to do. But precisely because he’s so smart, he’ll understand that by lowering his head, he can keep the face of the Xue family intact. Why bother arguing with me about it?”

Mrs. Xue sighed, “He’s like that… He doesn’t lower his head because he knows he’s really wrong. It’s because after calmly weighing everything, he knows what decision will best solve the current situation.”

As she spoke, a hint of disappointment flashed across her eyes.

Xue Qingyin said, “So Mother needs to grind him down, that way you’ll feel better. When one day you’re too lazy even to grind him, you can simply divorce him and go find something more enjoyable to do.”

Mrs. Xue wanted to say that it wasn’t that easy, but thinking about how Xue Qingyin had even made her father lower his head today… Mrs. Xue swallowed her words.

As long as you live long enough, what’s impossible in this world?

Mrs. Xue suddenly felt that the world had opened up.

Seeing that they were about to reach the flower hall, Xue Qingyin whispered, “Mother, when you talk to him later, don’t get angry.”

Mrs. Xue frowned, “Why? Didn’t Qingyin say I should grind him down?”

“Because someone like Father, the angrier you are, the calmer he’ll be. Mother, think about it, every time you get angry, then you see him standing there calmly, doesn’t it make you even angrier?”

“…Yes.” Mrs. Xue gnashed her teeth.

“Mother, you should learn from him, just like you were standing there, looking at him without saying anything.”

Mrs. Xue felt like she had learned something.

When they entered the flower hall, Xue Chengdong indeed wanted to talk to Mrs. Xue alone.

Xue Qingyin pretended to want to follow, but was pulled back by Xu Qi.

“Your parents are talking, you don’t need to go and eavesdrop.” Xu Qi pulled her back and quickly told Xue Qingyin what Xue Chengdong had said to him earlier.

“Qingyin, you really have some tricks, Uncle discovered! Your father now has to look at your face.”

“That’s called borrowing strength.” Xue Qingyin corrected.

Xu Qi didn’t care about borrowing strength or not, he was in a good mood and said, “If you can solve your cousin Xianru’s marriage, I’ll have one less worry.”

Xue Qingyin said, “It’s best not to listen to my father.”

“What?”

“He’s using benefits to lure the Ji family. Those who are lured by benefits will naturally prioritize them.”

“This…”

“Since the Ji family is hesitant, find another family.”

“Where can you find such a good family?”

“Uncle, it’s better to be single before marriage than to be miserable after marriage.” Xue Qingyin said this sincerely.

Xu Qi sighed, “I’ll discuss it with your aunt.”

Xue Qingyin suddenly realized.

What’s going on with you guys? Why are you all coming to ask my opinion?

It’s like you’re treating me as the main decision-maker.

On the other side.

Xue Chengdong and Mrs. Xue entered the Xinyi Pavilion one after the other.

Then they closed the door behind them.

Mrs. Xue coldly said, “What else do you have to say? Say it.”

Xue Chengdong walked forward and took something out of his sleeve.

It was a flat and long box.

He opened the lid, revealing a jade hairpin inside.

Xue Chengdong said, “Every time I return home from the Ministry of Revenue these days, I feel lonely.”

Mrs. Xue wanted to criticize him, thinking that when she was still at home, she felt even lonelier.

But remembering Xue Qingyin’s words, she swallowed them back and just stared at him coldly.

Xue Chengdong pushed the box in front of Mrs. Xue and continued, “On the second day of our wedding, I bought this and put it in your hair myself. But later, as the years went by, you gradually stopped wearing it.

“I kept it and hid it in my study. Occasionally, when I reminisced about that time, I would take it out and play with it.

“But the other day, I accidentally knocked over the box, and the hairpin broke in half. It’s like our love, broken like this.

“That day, I thought… I would come to the Xu family to pick you up.”

Mrs. Xue wanted to ask why he didn’t come, but she held back.

She looked down at the broken hairpin, and some memories were also evoked.

They were indeed loving back then.

Xue Chengdong was also a rare man who didn’t lust after beautiful women.

He bought her hairpins, rouge and powder, drew her eyebrows, and even protected her in front of the unwelcoming elders of the Xue family.

But it was precisely because of this that later, when others gave him beautiful concubines, which almost caused her and Qingyin to lose their lives… It made her truly go mad, and she even forgot her own soft face from that time.

Mrs. Xue’s eyes turned red, and she felt a little uncomfortable.

But she still held back, she didn’t say anything.

Xue Chengdong saw the tears in her eyes that were about to fall, but he also saw her pursed lips and cold expression.

She would no longer be moved by his tenderness.

At this moment, Xue Chengdong truly showed a look of astonishment.

The hand holding the box tightened, even making a creaking sound.

It was as if countless needles were piercing his brain.

He took a step forward, and another new hairpin he had bought from his sleeve fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

But Xue Chengdong forgot to pick it up, and he also forgot to say anything that would make Mrs. Xue soften her heart.

His throat tightened, and for a moment, he even felt that Mrs. Xue really didn’t want to go back with him.

Mrs. Xue took in his appearance.

How rare.

Mrs. Xue thought about it and felt extremely happy.

In the flower hall, Xue Qingyin slowly ate a piece of pastry. She thought, just because of recognizing the young master as her godfather last time, Xue Chengdong was already furious. If Mother really finds another stepfather for herself, wouldn’t Xue Chengdong be so angry that he dies?