I sent Xiao Tang a bonus for working overtime, and also messaged two junior classmates who had free time to do part-time jobs. We created a temporary group chat and made general arrangements for the flower shop.
Then, he said to Lin Shengmiao, who was wearing a straw hat, holding a hoe, and preparing to go to the mountain to dig for wild vegetables with her great-aunt, "I have something to do outside. I'll be back before lunch."
“Okay,” Lin Shengmiao nodded with a smile, without asking what she was going to do. Since she wasn’t going to say, there was no need to. Besides, if she were to pry into everything, it would not only lack trust, but also be too boring.
Xu Xingyan went over and hugged her, nuzzling her neck affectionately, and whispered, "Is there anything you want to eat? I'll bring it back later."
"...I don't know what good food is around here, but this morning my aunt said that the pan-fried tofu at the street stall next door is really good."
Xu Xingyan glanced at the impatient old lady, smiled, and whispered in her ear, "Don't rush to do the work. My aunt is very healthy and knows the way up the mountain better than you. Just follow behind her, listen to her instructions, and then find a chance to slack off."
“I understand,” Lin Shengmiao replied, suppressing a laugh.
...
[Luo Jing: Fuya Garden, Room 1. Your mom and my mom are both here. Don't bring Lin Shengmiao!]
It was obvious that Miss Luo was very nervous when she sent this message, and not long after, Xu Xingyan received a call from Ms. Fang Yi.
This is also why Xu Xingyan has always felt relatively at ease. Neither President Xu nor Ms. Fang Yi, due to their respective family upbringing and personal cultivation, would allow them to bypass Xu Xingyan and directly talk to Lin Shengmiao, let alone cause trouble for Lin Shengmiao because of this.
Xu Xingyan glanced at the messages on her phone one last time, smiled, started the engine, and drove towards Fuya Garden.
Inside VIP Box Number One.
Luo Jing sat opposite Fang Yuan and Fang Yi with her eyes lowered and her fingers neatly placed on her knees, looking like she was obediently accepting a joint trial.
Fang Yuan: "When did they start dating?"
Luo Jing said cautiously, "The day before yesterday, but if you want to delve deeper, that was ten years ago."
Fang Yi rubbed the dark circles under her eyes from staying up all night, closed her eyes briefly, and asked wearily, "Then why didn't they end up together back then?"
Luo Jing blinked. "It's probably because... Lin Shengmiao discriminates against rich kids."
She was completely unaware that Lin Shengmiao had just considered reconciling with her last night, and even thought that what she said was perfectly reasonable, after all... inferiority complex is also a form of discrimination.
Fang Yuan & Fang Yi: "..."
Fang Yuan then asked, "Are you sure Yan Yan only likes girls? Has she ever liked anyone else?"
Luo Jing: "Yes, I liked two people, one from China and one from abroad."
Fang Yi sat up straight: "Who is it? Male or female?"
Luo Jing sincerely said, "The one in China is called Huang Rong, and the one abroad is called Hermione. Although they are both girls, I've always suspected that she is actually an stoic..."
Fang Yi: "..."
She learned for the first time from this niece what it meant to talk nonsense.
...
"Mom! Auntie!" Xu Xingyan rushed over as soon as she entered the private room, giving each of them a hug, seemingly unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
"Mom, our neighborhood was locked down yesterday. Luckily, I was at my aunt's house, otherwise I wouldn't have seen you today... Auntie, I miss you so much. It's been so long since I've seen you. The last time we met was during the Mid-Autumn Festival. I wanted to call you, but I was afraid of disturbing your work..."
Fang Yi held her daughter, and listening to her uniquely soft voice, the anger that had been building up in her heart unconsciously dissipated a little. "Have you had your nucleic acid test? Are you feeling unwell?"
In her mind, her daughter's health was naturally more important than things like sexual orientation.
Xu Xingyan then told him that her nucleic acid test result was negative.
Fang Yuan patted her hair. "Let's do it again today. I had Xiao Jing bring the reagents over. Sit down first. Your mother and I have something to talk to you about."
This is... let's get straight to the point.
Xu Xingyan's smile remained unchanged. She glanced at the two tall, reserved-looking guards standing behind Fang Yuan, responded softly, and sat down directly next to Luo Jing.
The two of them sat together, facing Fang Yuan and Fang Yi, creating a subtle confrontation.
As I said before, Luo Jing is a good older sister.
This means that as long as Xu Xingyan is certain she wants something, Luo Jing will do her best to fulfill it.
--------------------
Author's Note:
I'd love for a comment from a lovely lady and a pat on the back~
Chapter 30 If I don't help you, who will?
Fang Yuan: "Is there anything else you'd like to say to us?"
To be honest, Secretary Fang's posture and expression when he said those words were extremely oppressive.
But Xu Xingyan could ignore the pressure that filled the room, picked up her teacup, and said with a light laugh, "Why is Auntie so serious? We're not here to debate today. We just haven't seen each other in a long time, so we're having morning tea together and chatting about some minor issues."
Fang Yuan took a sip of tea. "A small problem?"
“Isn’t that right?” Xu Xingyan looked at Fang Yi and smiled. “For Mom and Aunt, aren’t they more concerned about Miaomiao as a person than about gender?”
Fang Yi sighed, her demeanor exuding both the delicate sensibilities of an artist and the refined air of a well-bred lady. "Are you sure you only like girls?"
Xu Xingyan: "Confirmed!"
Anyway, she only likes Lin Shengmiao, and Lin Shengmiao is a girl. Therefore, it can be inferred that she does indeed only like girls. This viewpoint is valid and completely correct.
“I’m not so surprised,” Fang Yi said, rubbing her forehead. “No wonder you’ve always loved watching pretty girls dance and drawing portraits of ladies since you were little.”
Xu Xingyan: "..."
Ms. Xu was speechless and felt very uncomfortable. She wanted to say: It was just a simple appreciation of beauty, and you were the one who took me there in the first place, under the guise of cultivating aesthetic sense.
“Although it’s a cliché…” Fang Yi frowned and said, “But I still have to ask, does it have to be that girl? Some of my old friends also have very smart and outstanding girls.”
Even if he only likes girls, with Ms. Fang Yi's extensive social circle and status, she could still provide her daughter with many suitable and well-known candidates.
"Mom!" Xu Xingyan immediately interrupted her, saying sternly, "Miaomiao's excellence and hard work are no worse than anyone else's, and may even be better! You can't nitpick on that!"
This is not only a denial of Lin Shengmiao as a person, but also a contempt for the efforts she has made over the years!
"I'm sorry, baby," Fang Yi knew she had said the wrong thing as soon as the words left her mouth, and apologized immediately without hesitation.
But she still said, "I've seen her information, but from a mother's perspective, this is precisely what makes me uneasy. Her background forces her to put in even more effort, so her success is very precious!"
"But! This also means that she has to spend more time and energy to maintain these things, including a lot of work time and even her health! Baby... Mom doesn't need you to have a partner who is hardworking and outstanding. I just want her to always be with you, take care of you, not cause you any trouble, and always be happy."
As she finished speaking, Fang Yi's voice gradually lowered, tinged with sadness, as she poured out her wishes for her daughter's future life. Her loving motherly heart was heartbreaking.
Xu Xingyan remained unmoved and asked bluntly, "Then why did you marry my father in the first place!"
Despite his busy work schedule, Mr. Xu is still going strong. In terms of family background, the Xu family, which had only been established for about ten years, was nothing more than a nouveau riche compared to the Fang family.
Fang Yi, caught off guard by her daughter's attack, suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Your father and I fell in love at first sight!"
"Then Miaomiao and I are the same!" Xu Xingyan retorted sharply, "Mom, that's a double standard!"
Fang Yuan coughed lightly and reminded her, "Yan Yan, talk to your mother properly."
Luo Jing narrowed her eyes and immediately said, "Mom, you're not allowed to take sides!"
The mother and daughter exchanged a glance. Fang Yuan remained expressionless, while Luo Jing's eyes held a defiant glint, each displaying a fierce defense of her sister, creating a dramatic scene.
“Mom… I’m not a person lying in bed needing 24-hour care. I have hands, feet, and a brain. I can take care of myself!”
Xu Xingyan softened her tone and said sadly, "After all these years, am I still a useless person in your heart who can't live without someone to take care of me?"
Therefore, no matter how positive my life is, how optimistic and enthusiastic I am towards those around me, or how seriously and independently I handle problems...
In your heart, nothing can make up for that innate deficiency. There are no possibilities for me, simply because everything was predetermined at birth. Others come into this world to fight and live without regrets, but I am different. I can only be an observer, or a pretty vase to decorate the background... right?
"Yan Yan, relax!" Luo Jing stood up and hugged Xu Xingyan, who was starting to sob and gasp for breath. "Drink some water first, don't rush, that's not what your aunt meant..."
"Yes, yes, that's not what Mommy meant..." Fang Yi said cautiously, "Baby, don't get too excited!"
"I...I'm fine!" Xu Xingyan gritted her teeth. "Don't always be so tense..."
Fang Yuan also left her seat and came over, holding her shoulder and saying softly, "Your mother is just like any mother in the world who loves her daughter. She just wants to arrange a safe and peaceful path for you, preferably one that you can see the end of without any twists and turns. This has nothing to do with your health; it's just her wish as a mother."
Xu Xingyan looked at her with red eyes, her obedient gaze making one's heart ache.
“Yes,” Luo Jing also squatted down and coaxed, “They say raising a child is a worry for ninety-nine years of life, and your aunt would worry until she’s one hundred and one. No matter who you find, she won’t feel at ease. Hmm… she doesn’t know your Miaomiao very well yet. Once we let them meet a few times and get to know each other well, her attitude will naturally change…”
Upon hearing this, Fang Yuan gave her daughter a deep look.
Xu Xingyan: Really?
Fang Yi: "..."
Fang Yuan concealed a hint of a smile in her eyes, lowered her head and kissed Xu Xingyan's forehead tenderly.
Unlike Fang Yi, she didn't pay much attention to Lin Shengmiao himself from the beginning. She only wanted to know one thing: how much her niece liked him and what she was willing to do for him. Nothing else mattered.
It's just dating, what's the big deal?
Just as Yan Yan said at the beginning, this is just a small problem.
She had her headaches dealing with her niece, who had been sickly since childhood but did not cherish her health, and who had become extremely irrational and even resorted to unscrupulous means to the point of almost destroying herself. But after all, she was her sister's daughter, and she could not help but love her.
Later, seeing her gradually soften her rough edges and begin to cherish herself, Fang Yuan knew that she must have met someone who made her willing to reconcile with the world and with her naturally frail body.
She only learned how to love herself when she truly fell in love with someone.
...
We respectfully saw off Secretary Fang, who was extremely busy with her affairs, and Ms. Fang Yi, whom she took along along the way.
Watching the car exhaust drift away, Xu Xingyan and Luo Jing exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Xingyan patted Luo Jing's shoulder: "I'll take you back to the hospital."
After getting into the driver's seat, Xu Xingyan didn't start the engine immediately. Instead, she leaned back in the seat and exclaimed, "Sister Jing, your timing was perfect!"
Luo Jing sighed, "It's mainly because you know your aunt too well."
“Hey, after all these years, don’t you know my mom’s personality?” Xu Xingyan said, “I don’t even need to come here; I can guess what she’s going to say.”
If Xu Xingyan were really so easily offended, getting sick from a few careless words from Ms. Fang Yi, she wouldn't have lived this long; she would have died of anger long ago.
“However…” Xu Xingyan turned her head to look at her and smiled, “I still have to thank you for cooperating with me.”
“If I don’t help you, who will?” Luo Jing smiled. “Besides, I also think that your aunt should stay away from her 27-year-old daughter’s life.”
No matter how close a mother and daughter are, as the child grows up and develops their own choices and thoughts, the mother should be prepared to gracefully step back, stop seeing the child as part of herself, give the child the right to make their own choices, and respect those choices.