Chapter 37.1

Guilt. Right now, guilt was all she felt.

Ruan Mingfu turned her head, unable to meet his gaze. If there was a crack in the ground, she would have gladly slipped right in.

But Wu Yunhua became even more intrigued after hearing her explanation.

“Mingfu, tell me, how exactly did Xiao Xie pester you?”

She looked over at Xie Yanzhao with a playful smirk, as if to say, “Who would’ve thought you were that kind of person?”

If Ruan Mingfu didn’t know that Wu Yunhua was just teasing Xie Yanzhao, she might have thought the old lady knew the truth and was here to watch her squirm.

“Oh, I’d like to know as well,” Xie Yanzhao added.

He had originally come down to serve tea, but upon hearing Ruan Mingfu spreading rumors about him to Wu Yunhua, he sat down to listen to what else she might make up.

Ruan Mingfu was nearly in tears.

Spreading rumors and being overheard by the subject of the rumor—could anyone be more unlucky than her?

But there was no turning back now.

Seeing Wu Yunhua’s expectant face, Ruan Mingfu pursed her lips and braced herself.

“Ah, it’s kind of embarrassing to say… but I liked him too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have agreed.”

Technically, she wasn’t lying.

After all, it was the scoundrel who had brought up marriage first.

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Xie Yanzhao’s eyes darkened as he glanced at Ruan Mingfu, who had her head lowered.

Wu Yunhua, however, was delighted.

“Good, good,” she said, pleased that despite the distance between them, the two had found each other and become husband and wife. “This is great. You two live well together, and your grandpa and I can rest easy.”

Ruan Mingfu smiled awkwardly, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Inside, she was full of regret.

She really needed to work on this habit of speaking without thinking!

If this happened again, her heart wouldn’t be able to handle it.

But the scoundrel didn’t expose her.

Sob sob sob… He truly was a good man.

He knew how to save face for his wife in front of others. Sob sob sob… She liked him even more now.

Ruan Mingfu glanced at Xie Yanzhao sitting beside her and flashed a grateful smile.

At least she got through this moment.

But he looked at her with a mysterious expression, a hint of danger lurking in his eyes.

Ruan Mingfu’s heart skipped a beat.

A sense of foreboding rose within her, but before she could think further, Wu Yunhua changed the subject.

“Mingfu, how are things in the countryside…?”

Relieved that the conversation had shifted, Ruan Mingfu engaged Wu Yunhua in a discussion. Time passed quickly, and soon the attendant had finished preparing the meal. Wu Yunhua invited Ruan Mingfu to join them. “Come, let’s eat.”

Although the elder was a commander, the meal was simple.

Four people, four dishes, and a soup.

Two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, all in generous portions and tasting quite good.

Halfway through the meal, a noise came from outside.

Ruan Mingfu peeked out and saw a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties walking in with a well-dressed woman by his side.

As soon as they entered, they greeted Commander Li and Wu Yunhua, calling them “Mom” and “Dad.”

Xie Yanzhao, however, remained still, as if the two didn’t exist.

Ruan Mingfu took note and understood.

Clearly, the scoundrel and this couple didn’t get along.

Judging by the looks of it, their relationship was beyond repair.

Commander Li glanced indifferently at the couple. “Why are you back?”

“Why do you say that?” The man laughed awkwardly. “It’s been a while, so we came to visit you and Mom.”

Commander Li said no more.

Wu Yunhua glanced at him. “Have you eaten?”

“Oh, we already ate before we came,” the man’s wife, Ye Qiu, quickly replied, but her eyes were on Ruan Mingfu. “So this is Xiao Xie’s wife. She’s really pretty.”

Ruan Mingfu couldn’t figure out what the woman wanted, so she politely nodded.

“Where is Xiao Xie’s wife from?”

Though Ye Qiu smiled, Ruan Mingfu could sense the disdain in her eyes.

“Whatever you want to say, say it after the meal,” Xie Yanzhao interrupted, placing a piece of fish into Ruan Mingfu’s bowl without even looking up.

Ye Qiu’s face flushed with embarrassment, and a flash of anger passed through her eyes.

“Oh, I was just curious,” she said with a forced laugh, covering her mouth. “Newlyweds really are protective. I’m not going to bite, you know. What are you so afraid of?”

Commander Li gave her a brief glance. “Whatever you want to say, say it after the meal.”

Ye Qiu pursed her lips.

Though she was clearly displeased, she held her tongue.

Ruan Mingfu glanced at Xie Yanzhao beside her, but he seemed completely unaffected, as if the couple weren’t even there.

When she noticed his gaze, she picked up another piece of fish and said, “This is your favorite.”

Ruan Mingfu, seeing this, nonchalantly started eating.

After finishing the meal, Commander Li, holding a cup of tea, cast a murky glance at Xie Yanzhao and said, “Alright, we’re done eating. You don’t need to keep us company. You two can go about your business.”

“Dad!”

Xie Yanzhao said nothing, but Ye Qiu was visibly agitated.

“Go on,” Commander Li said, ignoring her, and looked at Xie Yanzhao.

Xie Yanzhao nodded and said in a deep voice, “I’ll come to see you again in a few days.”

With that, he took Ruan Mingfu’s hand and turned to leave.

Ye Qiu watched Xie Yanzhao’s retreating figure, her eyes filled with frustration.

“Dad,” Ye Qiu furrowed her brows, “Why didn’t you tell me about Xiao Xie’s marriage?”

When she first heard the news, she didn’t believe it.

Only when everyone confirmed it did she rush over to verify the truth, only to encounter Xie Yanzhao with his new wife.

Now there was no need to verify it further.

“Tell you?” Wu Yunhua shot her a disdainful glance, “Tell you so that you could destroy their relationship?”

Ye Qiu was frustrated, “Mom!”

“You have to think about Xiuxiu too. She is your granddaughter.”

Wu Yunhua gave her a scornful look, “The couple has a good relationship. I warn you, stay out of their business.”

Ye Qiu, angry and unsure of how to respond, tugged at her husband’s sleeve, frowning deeply, “Say something!”

Wu Yunhua glared at him immediately.

Li Jian, feeling nervous, tried to speak up, “… Mom, Ye Qiu does have a point…”

“Shut up!”

Wu Yunhua was furious, “It is because of shameless parents like you that you raise such a foolish daughter. You two fools should bear the consequences of your actions and stop harming Xiao Xie.”

“I’ll be the first one to say no!”

Compared to Li Xiuxiu, whom they rarely see, Xie Yanzhao is closer.

What’s more, Li Xiuxiu’s fate was entirely her own fault.

Wu Yunhua’s eyes flashed with disappointment.

This situation had a long history.

Years ago, Li Xiuxiu impulsively followed a male classmate to the countryside to become an educated youth.

She worked like a servant, contributing money and effort, even giving her body. In the end, he abandoned her for the daughter of a leader and returned to the city. Stuck in the countryside, with no one to turn to, Commander Li had to step in and rescue her.

At this point, Wu Yunhua and Commander Li were at most angry at her for having poor vision and having misjudged her.

But Li Xiuxiu was deeply infatuated with that classmate. When Commander Li reprimanded him, she attempted suicide to force him to not take action and insisted that Commander Li find him a job.

It turned out she was pregnant with his child.

Commander Li and Wu Yunhua, despite their age and experience, had never encountered such a bizarre situation.

To their surprise, this couple agreed to let her keep the child.

Commander Li, who had been upright all his life, was troubled by such matters in his old age. He had fought all his life and wasn’t one to compromise. Despite Li Xiuxiu’s cries, he sent that classmate to a remote farm.

Originally, that was the end of the matter.

Yet, Ye Qiu and her husband, the neurotics, wanted Xie Yanzhao to marry Li Xiuxiu.

Commander Li would not let someone with an unstable mind hinder Xie Yanzhao’s future, so he rejected the idea outright.

The couple did not give up and actually found Xie Yanzhao, using the kindness shown to Commander Li to blackmail him.

Commander Li and Wu Yunhua were furious and ordered them to leave.

“Mom, Xiuxiu is still your real granddaughter. You should consider her.”

As Li Xiuxiu’s child grew, the rumors and gossip intensified. Most criticisms were aimed at Commander Li. Ye Qiu and her husband saw Xie Yanzhao as the perfect solution.

They didn’t mind that Xie Yanzhao was stern and older. He was a suitable match for Xiuxiu.

They had also been working on Xiuxiu’s mindset, hoping that if Xie Yanzhao and Ruan Mingfu divorced, the arrangement could go through!

“I have plenty of grandchildren. I don’t need this one.”

Wu Yunhua had two sons and a daughter. Her eldest son was quite accomplished, living with his family outside. Her youngest daughter had married into the capital and had children, with no complaints.

The second son, her husband, was mediocre.

He was unremarkable but content and not troublesome, which was acceptable. However, he was smug and thought himself exceptionally clever.

His actions were often problematic.

Ye Qiu’s anger flared, “Dad, Xiuxiu is your own granddaughter.”

She emphasized “own,” making her meaning clear.

Commander Li slammed his tea cup down and pointed to the door.

“Get out!”

“Dad,” her husband didn’t understand the old man’s reasoning, “That new daughter-in-law is flashy and obviously not respectable. The marriage won’t last. Xiuxiu is your own granddaughter, why…”

Before he could finish, the tea tray thrown by the old man hit him.

Fortunately, it was made of wood. Otherwise, it could have caused serious harm.

Li Jian was also a little annoyed, “Dad, even if Xiao Xie is good, he’s still an outsider. You can’t favor outsiders over your own.”

“Li Jian is right!”

If Ye Qiu were to say, these two old men are just stubborn.

Isn’t Li Xiuxiu closer than Xie Yanzhao?

She even began to doubt whether her husband was truly the biological child of her in-laws.

“Get out!” Commander Li pointed towards the door, his aging face flushed with anger. “Get out right now!”

Wu Yunhua feared that the old man might suffer some health issues due to his anger.

She gestured to his chest and urgently said, “Xiao Wu, please escort these two out!”

Xiao Wu was their personal attendant.

Hearing Wu Yunhua’s command, he quickly entered from outside and stood before the couple, saying, “Please leave.”

Seeing Commander Li’s face reddened with rage, Wu Yunhua felt both furious and anxious.

She was especially worried that her husband might have some serious trouble.

They had weathered over sixty years together, which was not something this troublesome son could compare to.

“Xiao Wu, notify the gatekeepers not to let these two in from now on.”

“Mother!”

The son was thoroughly exasperated.