Chapter 54: Turning Hostile

As Su Ning expected, Ding’s mother gave her a disdainful look, as if to say, Little girl, liar—you expect me to believe you?

After a brief silence, Su Ning stayed quiet, and Ding’s mother feigned a casual tone.

“Su Ning, I’ve spent a few days with you and think you’re quite nice. I wonder, what do you think of our Xiaoyu?”

Su Ning’s temples throbbed—trouble never comes alone. She glanced at Qiao Duoduo, who was intently observing, eyes darting like she was meditating, ready to witness everything.

Of course, this was a tricky situation—who could easily say anything here? Could Su Ning really just blurt out, Sorry, Auntie, I don’t think your son is good?

After a moment, Su Ning looked at Ding Guangyu, who didn’t dare speak, then met Ding’s mother’s confident gaze and said:

“I think… he’s not good.”

In an instant, Ding’s mother’s face changed dramatically. She stood abruptly, staring at Su Ning. Ding Guangyu, hearing this, also looked shocked and stood beside his mother.

In truth, Ding Guangyu had hoped Su Ning would reject his mother’s plans. But her words left no face for his mother to save. With her temperament, Ding’s mother was unlikely to take it lightly.

Thinking this, Ding Guangyu urgently signaled Su Ning, silently urging her to explain herself.

Seeing the signal, Su Ning let out a small laugh.

“Ding Guangyu, are your eyes twitching?”

Ding’s mother snapped her head around, glaring at Ding Guangyu, then turned to Su Ning, teeth clenched:

“Little girl, what is wrong with my son?”

Feeling her authority challenged, Su Ning also stood, slightly lowering her head to meet Ding’s mother’s gaze, her tone dripping with provocation.

“Auntie, if I tell you, what do you plan to do?”

Su Ning refused to back down today. She had only been pretending for a few days to be polite and gentle, yet she had been pushed around like this. Truly, good people are often taken advantage of.

If she didn’t put this mother and son in their place today, she might as well not leave her apartment tomorrow.

Ding’s mother, full of force, would probably have acted if they were outside the city. But here in the safe zone, without the means to enforce her will—and with Su Ning backed by Qiao Duoduo and Houyang—she had to restrain herself. She softened her tone:

“You’re only saying it. If Xiaoyu isn’t good, he can change. If he is wrong, he will remember it.” She then slowly sat down.

Su Ning found it both infuriating and laughable. Truly, they were taking advantage of her kindness. She let out a quiet chuckle.

“Auntie, that’s funny. I don’t even think he’s particularly bad. I just think… he’s not a man.”

“What did you say?”

Before Su Ning finished, Ding Guangyu stepped forward, eyes wide, glaring at her.

Qiao Duoduo immediately stepped back and pulled Su Ning with her. Houyang also stepped in front to shield them.

Feeling protected, Su Ning leaned behind Houyang, stretching her neck casually and said:

“I said, he’s not a man. If he’s not a man, how can we even talk about good or bad? Coward.”

Ding’s mother’s face turned ashen. She never expected that the little lamb she had her eyes on would turn out to be a big wolf.

Ding Guangyu was furious, trying to move forward to grab Su Ning, but Houyang shoved him onto the sofa.

“Say what you want, just don’t get too close.”

Faced with Houyang, Ding’s mother was incredulous.

“You—both of you—conspired to lure us here and humiliate us? Are you bullying us, a mother and son with no one to rely on?”

Su Ning shot back immediately:

“Auntie, what kind of world is this that you’re still trying moral blackmail? How are we bullying you? You asked me to say your son is not good, I said it. Your son wants to hit me, and my friend stopped him—what’s wrong with that? Should he be allowed to hit me while I’m not allowed to defend myself? Isn’t this double standards going too far?”

Su Ning’s words made Ding’s mother stagger back, one hand on the sofa, the other pointing at her, eyes filled with rage.

“You say it! Tell me, how is my son not a man?”

“Auntie, you insisted I say it. Don’t claim we’re bullying, humiliating, or taking advantage of a mother and son with no one to rely on.”

Su Ning’s tone was teasing, but Ding’s mother spat out every word, furious beyond measure.

“Say it.”

“Fine. Why your son is not a man:

First, since we met, you’ve asked me countless personal questions. Every time Ding Guangyu tried to stop you, you brushed him off with a word—or sometimes just a look.”

“I am his mother!”

“Fine. Second, Li Huanran—how did she leave? Doesn’t it concern you at all?”

“She wasn’t suitable for my son.”

“Haha, in our company, everyone knows that Li Huanran was Ding Guangyu’s girlfriend, pursued by him with repeated confessions and care. She was his treasure, his beloved. Yet at such a time, she left because of a quarrel?”

“She left because I let her. So what? She was too willful and never gave Xiaoyu any respect. Should I have kept her?”

Ding’s mother spoke with certainty, showing no guilt.

“Mom, didn’t you say Huanran left on her own after throwing things?”

Hearing this, Ding Guangyu felt a chill run through him. No wonder Huanran left a single breakup message, blocked him, and departed without hesitation.

“Mom, how could you?”

Ding Guangyu’s tone was full of helplessness. He knew Huanran came from a good family and was proud. She would probably never have anything to do with him again.

But Ding’s mother changed her tone, speaking sharply:

“What’s wrong with me? I did it for your good, so you wouldn’t suffer your whole life. That girl, besides being pretty, is no proper person. Dressing like that, shoulders and back exposed, indecent. If I didn’t make her leave, who knows how many green hats you’d wear?”

“Mom…”

Ding Guangyu could only sigh and cover his face, sitting down—a grown man with tears in his eyes.

Su Ning continued:

“Almost thirty, yet can’t protect the woman he loves. What kind of man is that?

Almost thirty, yet manipulated by his own mother, unable to choose friends freely. What kind of man is that?

Almost thirty, yet too afraid to refuse a woman he doesn’t like when pushed by his mother. What, is he a dog being forced to mate at the right age? Man? Ha… human?”

Just as Su Ning finished, Ding Guangyu stood and said:

“Enough. You delicate little princess, only child—you have no idea how hard my mother worked raising me alone. She treated me as everything in her life. Even if she occasionally overstepped, I should understand. This is none of your business.”

“Total nonsense.”

Su Ning ignored him. People like this, who drag others into fire under the guise of love, were best avoided.

Qiao Duoduo, seeing the conversation nearing its end, spoke to Ding’s mother and son:

“It’s getting late. I won’t keep you any longer.”

Ding’s mother stayed silent, letting Ding Guangyu escort them out. As they left, Su Ning noticed Ding’s mother’s murderous glare and added:

“I know all the nearby roads—be careful on your way out!”