Chapter 333 - 294: In-laws
Chapter 333: Chapter 294: In-laws
As expected, once Wu Xiaorui had the keys to the new apartment in hand, the look she gave Wu Xiaowen was no longer one of deep-seated hatred. Instead, she offered a light smile and, at Lin Aizhen’s urging, said cheerfully, "Thanks, Sis."
Wu Xiaowen had just begun to feel a bit relieved when Yang Qianrong started making a fuss again. Wu Xiaoyang, his face taut, came over to Lin Aizhen. "That apartment is a three-bedroom unit," he said. "It’s plenty big and should be saved for Wu Xiaofeng and his wife. They’re a family of four with a crying baby. They could live there and not bother anyone, especially since Dad needs absolute quiet for his scholarly work. Wouldn’t that be perfect? Why give it to Xiao Rui? She’s a girl; she just needs to marry into a family that has a house. Are we really going to use one of our properties as her dowry? If we do that, never mind what will happen when Chang Yi grows up and needs a place for his own family. Even right now, it’s not good for all of us to be crammed together like this, is it?"
As soon as Wu Xiaoyang finished, Wu Xiaorui exploded. She retorted sharply at her brother, and the two siblings began to argue. Yang Qianrong and her daughters then joined in to back him up, and the scene devolved into a chaotic shouting match. The commotion was only quelled when both Wu Yu Xuan and Lin Aizhen finally lost their tempers.
Wu Xiaowen watched Wu Xiaoyang, who had always been so protective of his younger sister growing up. Now, he stood firmly with his wife and daughters, his gaze toward his sister grim and cold. Wu Xiaowen couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness and disappointment. ’Everything has changed,’ she thought. ’This family is no longer the warm, familiar home I once knew. It can’t protect me anymore. There’s no reason to hold on. I need to get back to the Tang family as quickly as possible. That’s a much safer bet.’
Early Sunday morning, Wu Xiaowen gave Tang Yaxuan ten yuan and told her she could go shopping with friends after finishing her homework. Then, she got herself dressed up and proactively helped Lin Aizhen double-check all the gifts, preparing to head out.
The last few times they had tried calling the Tang Mansion, a staff member had always answered, explaining that it was an inconvenient time and that Mr. Tang wasn’t home to take the call. They were told to leave a message and that he would call back when he was free, but a return call never came. So this time, Wu Yu Xuan and Lin Aizhen decided against calling ahead. They simply took the gifts, got into a taxi with Wu Xiaowen, and went directly to the Tang Mansion.
The guard on duty at the gate, however, was a new face. He didn’t recognize Wu Xiaowen and refused to listen to her explanations, insisting they state their names and wait patiently to be announced. Wu Yu Xuan stopped Wu Xiaowen from losing her temper with the guard, reminding her that they should follow procedure. So, the three of them waited in front of the large iron gate. Before long, a staff member came out to invite them in.
Just before going inside, Wu Xiaowen shot an angry glare at the young guard, who stood ramrod straight, staring fixedly ahead. ’The moment I move back in,’ she fumed internally, ’I’m getting this blind, idiotic blockhead fired.’
Wu Yu Xuan and Lin Aizhen breathed a sigh of relief, their spirits lifting. ’After all, we’re family through our children,’ they thought. ’Any obstacle can be overcome!’
Only upon entering the living room did they discover that the Tang family had other visitors. Five or six people, a mix of old and young, were sitting on the sofa. One guest, a grandfather, had even brought his grandchildren along. Several children were laughing and chasing each other in and out of the room, with no one trying to stop them. Wu Xiaowen scanned the guests. They were all unfamiliar faces she didn’t recognize, and she assumed they didn’t recognize her either.
With a faint smile, Tang Renqian walked forward a few steps to greet Wu Yu Xuan and his wife. Wu Xiaowen opened her mouth to speak, but Tang Renqian simply gave her a slight nod before turning his full attention to her parents. He busied himself with shaking their hands and exchanging pleasantries, leaving Wu Xiaowen no opportunity to interrupt. She had no choice but to swallow the "Dad" she had been about to say.
Tang Renqian gestured for Wu Yu Xuan and Lin Aizhen to sit on the sofa and introduced them to the other guests. However, he didn’t mention they were relatives. He only described them as university professors and talented scholars who had achieved remarkable things.
The crowd offered a round of polite compliments. As a staff member brought out fresh hot tea, pastries, and fruit, Lin Aizhen, while smiling and chatting with the person beside her, shot a meaningful glance at Wu Xiaowen. Wu Xiaowen caught her meaning instantly—she’d already had the same idea. Slipping into the role of the dutiful daughter-in-law, she took the tray from the staff member’s hands. She moved with light-footed grace between the coffee tables, setting down plates of pastries and fruit. With a gentle smile and poised demeanor, she invited the guests to help themselves. When she reached Tang Renqian’s side, she deliberately raised her voice and asked with an air of concern,
"Dad, where’s Mom? Is she not home? Where did she go?"
The five or six guests who had arrived earlier, though they had some connections with the Tang family, were not frequent visitors to the home. For some, it was even their first time at the Tang Mansion. None of them had ever met Wu Xiaowen. So, when they suddenly heard her call Mr. Tang "Dad," everyone froze for a second, their eyes fixed on her.