Chapter 1536 - 1495: The Evil Mother-in-Law Arrives 22
Chapter 1536: Chapter 1495: The Evil Mother-in-Law Arrives 22
Xia Man thought Li Wanping was crazy.
Really, that’s exactly how she felt.
A normal person would never interfere with their son’s marriage like this under such circumstances.
Li Wanping didn’t raise Xi Jingchen, their mother-son relationship was actually not good, emotionally speaking, there really was no real attachment. In such a situation, unless one is foolish, they should strive to have a good relationship with their son’s girlfriend to take the opportunity to get closer to their son.
Moreover, Li Wanping can be said to be besieged from both sides now.
Above is Anning, her mother-in-law, who clearly overshadows her, and below, she has a stepdaughter who’s quite formidable as well.
Despite this, she’s still making enemies, which is really not a wise choice.
With someone whose mind is unclear, probably already insane, Xia Man had nothing more to say.
"Auntie, actually, there’s nothing much to see in this garden, just those flowers. If you want to look at them, they’re everywhere, why expose yourself to the sun here, it’s too hot."
Xia Man smiled a little, picked a flower and held it in her hand, plucking the petals one by one: "Auntie, this kind of vine needs support, or else it won’t survive, much like Auntie who needs to rely on something. But I’m different, I’m not a delicate flower; I don’t need to rely on anyone to thrive."
After saying this, Xia Man threw the flower to the ground and stomped on it: "It’s too hot, I need to go inside and cool off for a while."
She ignored Li Wanping and walked towards the house.
"What kind of attitude is this?" Li Wanping was really furious: "With this attitude, you still want to marry my son? You’re daydreaming."
Xia Man turned a deaf ear and kept walking forward.
Once inside, she saw Anning and Xi Jingchen talking and laughing together.
Xia Man raised a smile: "Grandma, what are you and Jingchen talking about?"
Anning took Xia Man’s hand: "Quite hot outside, look how red your face is from the sun, quickly sit down. Sister-in-law Li, pour Manman a glass of juice."
Sister-in-law Li agreed and brought over a cool glass of juice for Xia Man.
Xia Man thanked her, took a large sip to quell the anger stirred by Li Wanping.
Li Wanping walked in later, immediately calling out to Xi Jingchen: "Jingchen, come over, I have something to tell you."
Xi Jingchen glanced at Anning.
Anning waved her hand: "Go ahead."
Only then did he get up and follow Li Wanping upstairs.
Watching the two of them head upstairs, Anning gently patted Xia Man’s hand with a smile: "Were you wronged?"
"No." Xia Man chuckled and shook her head: "Grandma, do I look like someone who gets wronged?"
Anning burst into laughter: "You child... Li Wanping is the sort of person whose words are bound to be unpleasant; she’s too selfish. Don’t stoop to her level, with Grandma here, she can’t overturn the tide. Don’t mind what she says, just treat it as if she’s spewing nonsense."
These words made Xia Man go from initially being quite upset to unbothered now.
"Grandma is right, Jingchen treats me well, you treat me well, too, so why should I be upset over one or two people? Besides, I’m not a banknote, not everyone has to love me, even if I were, there’d still be people who loathe the smell of money."
"As long as you can stay open-minded." Anning hugged Xia Man’s shoulder: "Some people, some words, if you don’t take them seriously, they don’t amount to much."
Speaking of this, Anning remembered something: "By the way, didn’t the old man say you and Jingchen should choose a car? Go pick two cars together later."
Xia Man was startled and quickly waved her hands: "No, no need, we can’t use them right now, let’s talk about it later."
"It’s okay." Anning smiled gently: "Pick them and store them in the garage here, you can use them whenever you need."
Li Wanping took Xi Jingchen to a small parlor on the second floor.
After entering, she sat down, Xi Jingchen sat on the opposite small sofa: "Mom, why did you call me, is something up?"
Li Wanping looked at Xi Jingchen: "Jingchen, how did you and Manman meet?"
Xi Jingchen chuckled: "We were classmates, one time I was late from tutoring and ran into her on the road, then we met a couple more times and gradually became familiar."
"So actually, your relationship isn’t that deep." Li Wanping said self-assuredly: "Jingchen, you can see how vast the Xiao Family business is, your older brother can’t handle it alone and will need your help in the future. You definitely have to join Xiao Family as an executive. With that kind of status, Xia Man won’t measure up. Besides, our family is small, it’s just your brother... I think you’re handsome and talented, if you lower your stance a bit, you could surely find a well-bred girl, to assist your brother. Also, if you marry a well-bred girl, you won’t have to struggle for at least twenty years. By the way, do you know the Hu Family? They have only one daughter, if you..."
"Mom, what are you talking about." Xi Jingchen interrupted Li Wanping angrily before she finished: "I decide my own matters, the depth of my and Manman’s relationship is ours to determine. Mom, don’t meddle. Besides, should I even join Xiao Family as an executive as you assume? I’ve never wanted that, I want to start my own business."
"Even if you start your own business, marrying the Hu family’s daughter is still immensely beneficial." Li Wanping, annoyed from dealing with Xia Man, was determined to gain her composure with Xi Jingchen: "Marrying Xia Man gets you what? She’s nothing but a drag."
"I want to." Xi Jingchen trembled with anger: "Even if I fail, living a poor life, it’s my choice, I’m willingly accepting it, and I like Manman..."
At this moment, Xi Jingchen remembered Li Wanping and Xia Man went out before.
He was startled: "Mom, what did you say to Manman?"
"Can I say anything?" Li Wanping sneered: "I just said you two aren’t suited, and that brat was not only disrespectful but back answered me multiple times, just because of that I can’t let you be with her."
Xi Jingchen’s heart sank: "Who told you to talk to her about that? What right did you have to say those things? Who are you to her? I’m your son, even if you only bore me but didn’t raise me, because you are my mom, I can tolerate you. You can say things I don’t like, but you have no right to dictate to Manman, you didn’t bear or raise her, so you can’t meddle."
"I’m your mom, why can’t I have a say in what kind of woman you marry?"
Li Wanping’s temper flared, she shouted at Xi Jingchen: "Did your grandma say something to you? She did it on purpose, lured you with her hypnotic talk. She’s not considering your future..."
"My grandma cares for me. She raised me from childhood." Li Wanping’s criticism hit Xi Jingchen’s sore spot: "You just accused Manman of disrespecting you, but isn’t Grandma your elder? Why don’t you respect her? How dare you demand Manman does what you can’t even do yourself?"
After saying this, Xi Jingchen walked away without looking back.
He headed downstairs, took a deep breath to quell his anger, then smiled at Anning: "Grandma, my teacher just called, I need to go back to school for a bit."
"Then hurry up."
Anning stood up: "Xiao Wang, bring Jingchen’s things over."
The driver Xiao Wang brought several boxes over.
Anning smiled: "Take these, they’re gifts for Manman’s parents from me."
Xi Jingchen and Xia Man took them: "Grandma, we’ll head out now, we’ll come see you another day."
"Alright." Anning stood to see them off, Xia Man hurriedly waved: "Grandma, you sit down, we know the way."
Anning smiled and sat back, watching them leave.
Leaving Xiao Family, Xia Man asked Xi Jingchen: "What’s up at school?"
Xi Jingchen said nothing until they got into a taxi, where he finally reached over and hugged Xia Man: "Sorry you had to go through this, don’t mind what my mom said, it won’t change my mind, nor affect our relationship."