“Sister Enruo, why do you think my mother is like this? She treated Yuan Qiang almost like an insult the first time she met him. I’m really surprised.”

Mao Xiangling cried her heart out, tears streaming down her face. Xia Enruo and Ge Qiuqin stood beside her, feeling distressed as well.

"Xiangling, did Yuan Qiang do or say something that made Auntie feel uncomfortable? Is that why you're acting like this?"

"No way! It was the first time they met. I sat there listening the whole time. Yuan Qiang was very polite. He answered all my mother's questions truthfully and didn't say anything unpleasant."

Xia Enruo also frowned. What exactly was going on? Logically speaking, Yuan Qiang was very outstanding and came from a good family. Any mother-in-law should like such a son-in-law.

"Could it be that your aunt thinks you're in school and shouldn't be dating yet, that's why she said that?"

This is the only reason Xia Enruo can think of right now.

Mao Xiangling wiped away her tears and looked up at the two of them.

"No, sister. She was happy to know I was in a relationship and said she would take me home to meet her. I never expected it to turn out like this."

Ge Qiuqin couldn't hold back any longer and patted Mao Xiangling on the shoulder.

"Xiangling, just tell me, do you like Yuan Qiang or not?"

"Of course I like it, otherwise why would I be crying here?"

Are you sure you want to marry him?

Mao Xiangling sniffed and nodded.

"Then we need to think of a way to get Xiangling's mother to agree to the two of them being together."

Ge Qiuqin gave Xia Enruo a wink.

“Sister-in-law, you make it sound so easy. Didn’t you hear what Xiangling said? Auntie gave her a tough choice: she has to choose between her mother and her boyfriend.”

Ge Qiuqin smiled.

“You young people are still inexperienced, so why don’t we just force her to accept Yuan Qiang?”

"How can we force her? It might just make Auntie dislike Yuan Qiang even more!"

Xia Enruo was surprised that Ge Qiuqin could come up with a solution in this regard. She was curious to hear what brilliant ideas she had.

Ge Qiuqin was quite a distance away from the two of them.

"Watch my performance!"

The two men turned around and stared at her.

Ge Qiuqin pretended to be pregnant and walked over, supporting her belly.

"Mom, I'm pregnant with Yuan Qiang's child now. If you don't agree, then just kill me. That way, both of us will die."

"puff……"

Xia Enruo covered her mouth and laughed.

Mao Xiangling's originally mournful face was also amused by Ge Qiuqin's performance, and she started to smile.

"Sister-in-law, you're so clever! You actually thought of that!"

Ge Qiuqin stood up, looked at the two of them with a smile, and said.

"You young people don't have much experience. In our village, several families have gotten together like this. They made it a fait accompli, and even if the woman's family didn't agree in the first place, they eventually did."

"Sister-in-law, you didn't get together with Brother Zhang Xin for this reason, did you?"

Xia Enru smiled, her face slightly flushed.

"How could I? If my father hadn't forced me to marry him, I wouldn't have married him. Let's not talk about that anymore, just tell me what I think, okay?"

Ge Qiuqin glanced at Mao Xiangling.

Mao Xiangling shook her head.

"Sister-in-law, your idea is too risky. I haven't even graduated yet, how could I get pregnant while still in school? If word gets out, people will laugh at me to death. Besides, my mother might really beat me to death if she gets angry."

She always told me that girls must be mindful of their reputation. I would never dare to do that.

"I didn't actually get you pregnant, so you just put a small pillow there. Who would know?"

Ge Qiuqin was a little anxious.

"Sister-in-law Qiuqin, let's think of another way. I think this method is too extreme. It might make Auntie faint from anger, and being hospitalized would be even more embarrassing. That would further damage Yuan Qiang's image in her mind."

Xia Enruo pulled Ge Qiuqin back, telling her to stop talking, as this method would definitely not work.

"Alright then, that's all I can think of. You guys use your brains for the rest. If you need anything from your sister-in-law, I'll definitely help you."

Xiangling, your marriage involves all aspects of both families, so you'd better think it through. Unlike your current relationship, which is just between the two of you.

My sister-in-law's life was a complete mess after marriage. Thanks to Xia's help, I learned to be self-reliant.

So, as someone who's been through it, let me tell you, marriage isn't a game. Do you know how difficult a marriage without your parents' blessings can be?

Ge Qiuqin finally spoke her mind. Mao Xiangling didn't know how hard she had suffered these past few years, but Xia Enruo could.

In just six months of dating, their family was constantly fighting and there wasn't a single peaceful day. Such a marriage was practically a tomb.

After having children, divorce becomes much more difficult; Ge Qiuqin is right.

Mao Xiangling wiped away her tears and nodded. She then poured out her heart to the two of them, and felt much better.

Yuan Qiang also suffered greatly in the army alongside Gu Shaoxuan.

He himself couldn't understand why Mao Xiangling's mother disliked him so much.

Since being kicked out of the army, he has been frowning and has lost his former smile.

Gu Shaoxuan also noticed something was wrong. He had known him for so many years and had never seen him like this before.

Taking advantage of his free time in the evening, Gu Shaoxuan invited Yuan Qiang to his dormitory. The two had a drink and prepared some side dishes.

Yuan Qiang then recounted his ordeal.

"I told you, you're fearless, yet you're afraid of your future mother-in-law."

Gu Shaoxuan patted his brother on the shoulder and laughed.

"You know what, I was really scared. You didn't see how Xiangling's mother looked at the end, her face turned black, like she was going to eat someone alive. She grabbed my things and practically pushed me out the door."

Xiangling tried to pull me aside and say something for me, but her mother grabbed her and dragged her into the house, slamming the door shut. Just thinking about it now is terrifying.

Yuan Qiang's cheeks were flushed from drinking, and his description was anything but exaggerated.

"Did you do something wrong and get caught?"

Yuan Qiang waved his hand.

"Absolutely impossible. I've never even met her mother, we don't know each other at all. How could she have done something wrong and been caught? Besides, I haven't done anything wrong either."

Old Gu, just tell me what kind of person I, Yuan Qiang, am!

"Good!"

Gu Shaoxuan replied.

"I, Yuan Qiang, am 1.8 meters tall, and I'd say I'm quite a handsome man, wouldn't you say?"

"My brother is incredibly handsome."

"You know my family's situation. My parents both have jobs and we don't have any worries. So why does Xiangling's mother look down on me?"

Yuan Qiang was on the verge of tears when Gu Shaoxuan put his arm around his neck to comfort him.

"Brother, this is nothing, it will all pass. I'll go home and talk to your sister-in-law, and ask her to think of a way to help you and Mao Xiangling."

I think there must be some misunderstanding that hasn't been cleared up, otherwise things wouldn't have come to this.

"Old Gu, do you think I'll never get married in this lifetime? I finally met someone I like, but her mother dislikes her and doesn't approve."

"My life is so miserable!"

Yuan Qiang had drunk too much and became so emotional that he started crying.

This was the first time Gu Shaoxuan had seen him like this. If he hadn't been heartbroken, how could he have cried with such a low alcohol tolerance?