Chapter 18: Mother-in-law arrives and the difficulties escalate

On the third day after Huo Tingxiao left, Su Wanqing gradually found her own rhythm. She began to try to truly "live" in this house, rather than just "stay there." In the mornings, she would prepare a simple breakfast for herself, rather than relying on the often cold meals delivered by the orderly. In the mornings, she read, searched online for various courses, and planned her future possibilities. In the afternoons, she would spend some time tending to the slightly wilted pots of flowers in the yard, or trying to cook some complex dishes.

The traces of her daily life and the smell of fireworks are gradually seeping into this space that was once freezing cold.

However, this fragile tranquility was suddenly broken on an afternoon when the sun was slightly dazzling.

When the doorbell rang, Su Wanqing was sitting on the living room carpet, several design books borrowed from the library spread out in front of her, a notebook beside her, and the screen showing the enrollment page for a vocational training program. She was a little surprised; usually no one would come by at this time of day.

She stood up and walked to the access control display.

The face of a well-maintained, delicately made-up, middle-aged woman appeared on the screen, revealing a stern expression. Her features bore a resemblance to Huo Tingxiao's, but the lines were colder and more demanding. Her eyes were sharp, and she was frowning slightly with a hint of impatience.

Su Wanqing's heart sank suddenly.

It was Huo Tingxiao's mother, her mother-in-law, Qin Meilin.

They had a very brief encounter at the wedding, when the mother-in-law simply glanced at her with an appraising gaze and said, "Behave yourself from now on," before continuing without further communication. Huo Tingxiao had almost never mentioned his mother, knowing only that she had lived abroad for many years and didn't seem to have a good relationship with Old Master Huo.

Why did she come here suddenly? Besides, Huo Tingxiao had just left.

An ominous premonition crept into her heart. Su Wanqing took a deep breath, straightened her casual home clothes, and opened the door.

"Mom... why are you here?" She tried her best to make her tone sound respectful yet natural.

Qin Meilin was wearing an expensive Chanel tweed suit and carrying a limited edition handbag. Her eyes swept over Su Wanqing like a searchlight, passing over her unmade-up face, simple home clothes, and finally fell on her bare feet. Her brows suddenly furrowed even tighter.

"Why did you take so long to open the door?" She said in a cold tone with a hint of obvious displeasure. She did not respond to Su Wanqing's greeting, but pushed her away and walked in in her high heels. Her heels tapped on the smooth floor, making a crisp and aggressive sound.

As soon as she entered the room, her eyes quickly scanned the entire living room like a radar.

When her eyes fell on the painting of the Jiangnan water town on the living room wall, the embroidered tablecloth on the coffee table, and the vase with wild flowers, her face instantly darkened.

"What are these?" She pointed at the small items Su Wanqing had carefully arranged, her voice suddenly rising with undisguised disgust. "They're out of place! Who gave you permission to mess with the decor here? Did Tingxiao know? This house was designed by an international designer, and every detail was meticulously crafted! Look at what you've done. They're cheap and tacky, and they really bring down the whole atmosphere!"

Her voice was sharp and mean, and every word came like a whip.

Su Wanqing stood there, her fingers slightly curled. She hadn't expected that the little bit of life she had carefully added would be so unbearable in the eyes of the other party.

"I just think... adding something will make it feel warmer." She tried to explain, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

"Warmth?" Qin Meilin sneered, as if she had heard something ridiculous. Her gaze grew sharper. "This is the military commander's residence, not a place for you petty idiots to play house! What do you want for warmth? We need solemnity and grandeur! Look at what's in that vase? Roadside weeds? Throw it away! And that rag, that ugly painting, take it all away! Return it to its original state!"

Her commanding tone was exactly the same as Huo Tingxiao's, but it contained a hint of ruthless humiliation.

Su Wanqing's face turned pale, and a bitter feeling welled up in her chest. But she didn't refute immediately, just stood there in silence.

Qin Meilin did not give up. She began to pace around the house, finding fault everywhere.

Walking into the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and saw it was filled with fresh ingredients and several containers of Su Wanqing's homemade side dishes. Her brows furrowed again, "Why are you cooking so many dishes? Tingxiao isn't home, do you need to eat so much by yourself? What a waste! Also, are these leftovers still edible after being left overnight? They don't care about hygiene at all! What's the purpose of an orderly? Can't they deliver your meals on time?"

Walking into the study, she saw the books on the shelf that Su Wanqing had placed that had nothing to do with military or politics, and she looked at them with disdain: "What's with all these messed-up books? Is Tingxiao's study a place for you to keep these useless things? Don't put women's books with his. Move them away!"

Every word she said, every look she gave, ruthlessly denied Su Wanqing's existence and her efforts to establish some trace of a "home" here, labeling all her actions as "petty", "unruly", and "unpresentable".

Su Wanqing followed behind her, listening silently. The flames in her heart were ignited little by little, but she forced them down. She knew that any rebuttal at this moment might trigger a bigger storm.

Finally, Qin Meilin sat down on the main seat on the sofa in the living room, her posture elegant but full of oppression. She looked up at Su Wanqing standing beside her, her tone slightly softened, but the content was even more heartbreaking:

"Wanqing, I'm not saying anything bad about you. Your ability to marry into the Huo family is a great blessing for the Su family, and you should cherish it. What is Tingxiao's status? His wife, every word and action represents his reputation and that of the Huo family. You must always be mindful of your status, be careful with your words and actions, don't cause him any trouble, and don't adopt those petty habits that make people laugh at you."

She paused, her eyes sweeping across the decorations with a hint of meaning. "Tingxiao has a cold personality and is busy with work, so he doesn't have time to bother with these trivial matters. But you must be self-aware. Staying within your means and fulfilling your duties is the greatest help to him. I heard that your sister Manning used to be very sensible and generous. You should learn from her."

It was Su Manning again. The substitute bride again. It was like a constant reminder that she was just a second-best option, a substitute who had to tread cautiously and tread cautiously.

Su Wanqing lowered her eyelashes and dug her nails deep into her palms.

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

Su Wanqing took a deep breath and went to open the door.

The person standing outside the door was Lin Weiwei, holding a bunch of fresh lilies and smiling like a flower.

"Aunt Qin! I heard from Sister Ting that you're back, so I came to see you!" Lin Weiwei's voice was sweet and warm. She first took Qin Meilin's arm affectionately, and then greeted Su Wanqing with a smile as if she had just seen her. "Sister Su is home too."

As soon as Qin Meilin saw Lin Weiwei, the ice and snow on her face melted away, revealing a genuine smile: "Weiwei is here! Come in and sit down! You are such a thoughtful child, remembering to come and see me."

Lin Weiwei handed the flowers to Su Wanqing, her tone as natural as a hostess: "Sister Su, please find a vase to put them in. Aunt Qin loves the scent of lilies the most."

She sat down affectionately next to Qin Meilin and took out an exquisite gift box from her handbag: "Aunt Qin, this is a set of skin care products I brought you in France. I know you often use this brand."

"Oh, kid, you are always so wasteful." Qin Meilin patted Lin Weiwei's hand with a smile on her face. The two of them were chatting excitedly, completely ignoring Su Wanqing beside them as a transparent person.

Su Wanqing held the bouquet of flowers and stood there, looking at the scene of "deep love between mother and daughter" in front of her, which was in sharp contrast to the harsh criticism and difficulties she had just received.

She silently found a vase, filled it with water, and placed the lilies in it. The rich fragrance of the flowers filled the air, but it made her feel suffocated.

Lin Weiwei glanced casually at the living room and said to Qin Meilin with a smile, "Aunt Qin, look how thoughtful Sister Su is. She even decorated the house. She's quite thoughtful."

This seemed like praise, but in fact it once again drew Qin Meilin's attention to the arrangements that she disliked.

Qin Meilin's smile faded as expected, and she snorted coldly: "Intention? You're putting your heart into it in the wrong place! You've messed up a nice house."

Lin Weiwei immediately said softly, "Aunt Qin, don't be angry. Sister Su might have just arrived and doesn't know the rules yet. We'll teach her slowly in the future." As she spoke, she looked at Su Wanqing with a subtle hint of superiority and pity in her eyes. "Sister Su, if you have any questions in the future, you can ask Aunt Qin or me."

Su Wanqing raised her eyes and looked at Lin Weiwei calmly, then at Qin Meilin who looked unhappy.

She suddenly laughed softly, her voice not loud, but clearly heard by both of them: "Thank you, Miss Lin, for your kindness. However, this is my home and the chief's after all. I think we still have our own ideas and preferences for how to decorate it. Don't you agree, Mom?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the smiles on Qin Meilin and Lin Weiwei's faces froze at the same time.

The air in the living room dropped to freezing point in an instant.