Chapter 23 You Refusal to Participate in This Game

"If I weren't calm, would you have remained single until today?" Xu's mother felt that her patience had been worn down by this troublesome person in front of her. "Look at you, all these years, relatives, friends, neighbors and villagers have seen you not getting married, and I don't know how many rumors have circulated. If I hadn't shielded you, would you have had such a good life all these years?"

Xu Zhuwen knew that although her mother's words were harsh, she was also very tolerant of her. She picked up a toothpick, stuck a fresh green grape in it, and handed it to her. "Mom, you've been talking for so long, you must be thirsty. Have a grape to soothe your throat."

"I'm not eating!" Xu's mother sat down in the chair angrily. "It's fine if you don't have a boyfriend, but now that you're so in a stable relationship with Qian Song, why aren't you getting married? What are you trying to do?"

When it comes to marriage, Xu Zhuwen feels bitter.

At this age, she has done what she was supposed to do and had what she was supposed to do. All these experiences have made her deeply understand that she needs both freedom and companionship.

Therefore, after settling down with Qian Song, she observed him for a while and felt that the two were compatible in all aspects and could get along well, so she thought it was not impossible to get married.

Unfortunately, Qian Song wasn't keen on getting married.

So annoying!

She can't force someone to get married, can she?

Doesn't Xu Zhuwen have any pride?

Because of her pride, she couldn't admit that she wanted to get married, but Qian Song didn't.

"Once everything is arranged, we will get married."

"Make the arrangements. I see you really care, so don't bother making any more arrangements. Let me and Qian Song's mother handle it." Xu's mother was decisive and efficient. In her opinion, not doing something that needed to be done was like having a fire burning your eyebrows. "I guarantee you'll have a beautiful wedding before the end of the year."

"Mom, you should take a rest," Xu Zhuwen advised gently. "My sister-in-law is about to give birth, how can you have time?"

That's true.

Xu's mother kept quiet.

When Xu's mother wasn't looking, Xu's father secretly winked at Xu Zhuwen.

Xu Zhuwen picked up his wine glass and clinked it with his father's.

I've been worrying about this for ages, and the father and daughter have even started drinking. It's outrageous!

The anger that Xu's mother had just suppressed began to rise again. "Have you and Qian Song found a house you like? If you find a suitable one, hurry up and pay the deposit and make a reservation. At your age, you don't know how to think about how to live your life properly. Every day, your salary is wasted on eating and drinking."

Xu Zhuwen was speechless for a long time, then said with a chill running down her spine, "I will see it, I will see it."

Xu's mother felt as if her anger had struck a large ball of cotton, and inside that ball of cotton was a large steel plate.

After all these years, how could she not know her daughter?

What she wants to do, she can't be stopped no matter how much she tries; what she doesn't want to do, she won't do no matter how much she urges her.

They can say anything, but they won't do a single thing.

She glared at her husband across from her, who was silently drinking without saying a word, and said, "Stop drinking and go get the package."

"I'll go after I finish eating." Mr. Xu turned slightly to the side, avoiding Mrs. Xu's blazing glare.

Xu's mother: "What sins have I committed to deserve this day after day?"

"The old ones do nothing all day long but drink and scroll through Douyin. The older ones don't get married or have children, while the younger ones, even after getting married and having children, live like they've married into someone else's family. Out of 300 days a year, they spend 300 days living at their parents' house with their wives and children. I'd rather have given birth to a piece of barbecued pork than be driven to death by you two!"

Mr. Xu, with a deadpan expression, said, "I'm finished eating. I'm going to pick up the package."

Xu Zhuwen pushed the cup forward, picked up her phone and checked her messages. "I have something to take care of at work."

...

Xu Zhuwen turned and ran into her room, slamming the door shut.

She lay in bed, raised her hand to touch her neck, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

She suddenly felt so lonely and helpless, as if the whole world was against her.

After crying silently for a while, she took out her phone and sent a few messages to her boyfriend.

Wenwen: My mom asked us if we'd found a place for our wedding, and I didn't know what to say.

Wenwen: Is your house being renovated?

Wenwen: Are you very busy?

I sent several messages, but Qian Song didn't reply to any of them.

Xu Zhuwen moved her operations to the "Business Mutual Praise Fairy Group".

Artist Xu: I've found that if we have troubles, we should never go home to see our parents, because we'll only get double the troubles.

Audrey: What's wrong?

Artist Xu: I get pressured to get married and have children as soon as I get home. It's so annoying.

Audrey: Oh, that's how parents are.

Artist Xu: Why do parents insist on urging their children to get married and have children, and why do they insist on scaring us with the question, "What will you do when you get old if you don't have children?"

Qi An Yi Chi: Only when you are married and have children can the narrative of "raising children to provide for old age" be valid and complete.

Audrey: Once you have your own "children" to "protect yourself in old age," these parents who like to urge you to get married can naturally and smoothly stand on the moral high ground of "Now you help me protect myself in old age."

Qi An Yi Chi: If you adopt the attitude of "I will not get married, I will not have children, and even if I have children, it is not for them to support me in my old age", then these parents will immediately be placed in the unjust position of "I gave birth to you and raised you not because I love you, but just because I invested in a retirement insurance".

If you refuse to participate in this game, the narrative of "raising children to provide for old age" no longer holds true.

The statement "If you don't have children, no one will take care of you when you get old" may seem to be creating fear in you, but it actually reflects the deep-seated fear in the parents' hearts: "When I get old, you can't abandon me."

Audrey: @QiAnYiChi, are you in a better mood?

Qi An Yi Chi: For now, things are not bad.

Artist Xu: Have you talked it over with your aunt and the others?

Qi An Yi Chi: Yes, they are all very supportive of me.

Audrey: Great!

Artist Xu: That's great.

Qi An Yi Chi: We still need to express ourselves honestly to our parents. If we express ourselves honestly to them and let them understand our pain, they can actually understand and support us.

Artist Xu: Have you planned to tell your family? I didn't even dare to tell my mom today.

Qi An Yi Chi: Don't tell my aunt and uncle yet. Let's talk about it after I've dealt with my mess here.

Artist Xu: Okay.

Audrey: Nonviolent communication is very good.

Artist Xu: Not necessarily. Their logic system is already established. If it were logically sound, the problem would have been solved long ago.

Xu Zhuwen always has something to complain about when it comes to her relationship with her parents.

Every family has its own troubles. When it comes to topics like the family of origin and the relationship between parents, it's like a child without a mother—it's a long story.

Audrey: I went to the hospital for a check-up today.

Artist Xu: What's wrong?

Qi An Yi Chi: Are you alright?

Audrey: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a bit difficult to manage.

Audrey: Want to come over for drinks? My boyfriend isn't here.