“Wanqing, we know you have money, but it didn’t come from thin air. Cheng Ran is your husband, and he’s also our son. Let us do our part so we can feel more at ease,” Cheng’s father replied.
Cheng Ran didn't say much about the topic of money. He glanced at Jiang Wanqing's expression and knew that she had other plans. If she didn't pay, she would have to ask them to contribute something else as a form of exchange. As for money, it was the least of her concerns.
She rubbed her fingers together, knowing full well that the Cheng family elders wanted to contribute money simply to gain more say in the days to come when they stayed here. Since she was the one who rented the house, they were essentially living under someone else's roof. They wanted to contribute money in order to stand up for themselves. Of course, they also had a responsibility to Cheng Ran. These two things were not mutually exclusive.
However, Jiang Wanqing did not want to do as they wished, because that would put her in a passive position. So, her eyes flickered and she slightly curled her lips.
"I've been renting this place for six months, and I've already paid the landlord. There's no need for you to pay any more. If you insist on giving me something in return, I only have four words for you: watch your words and actions! I can forgive and forget the unpleasant things that happened between us before, but if you want to stay, I don't need you to listen to me in everything, but you must respect me!"
The moment the words "be careful with your words" were uttered, Cheng's mother was the first to be unable to bear it. She had never met anyone who dared to speak to her like that before, and Jiang Wanqing was one of them. After all, she was an elder...
"you……"
She was about to speak when Cheng Ran interrupted her, a slight smile on his face.
"Mom, I've actually recovered pretty much and can go back to the army anytime. You and Dad can stay here for a couple of days and then go back to Beijing. This place might not be suitable for you."
Cheng's mother choked on her breath, unable to choke back her words, feeling a mix of discomfort at having to compromise and the inability to resist her stubbornness.
She could only turn to look at Cheng's father, hoping to find a solution from her husband and that he could help her get revenge.
But Jiang Wanqing wasn't afraid. She glanced at the two of them again and spoke indifferently.
"If you can't even meet such a simple request, I don't really believe the next two of you can get along with me. If you insist on staying, I don't mind moving out and living elsewhere."
After she finished speaking, even Cheng Ran couldn't stay calm. He grabbed her hand, a little worried that she might turn around and leave in the next second, which was something she was capable of doing.
Cheng Ran's parents exchanged a glance. Normally, she would have left without a second thought, and it would have been better to leave her alone. But given Cheng Ran's current physical condition, they needed her to stay, since that kind of thing was something only they, as a couple, could handle.
Cheng's mother sighed and reluctantly agreed.
"Alright, alright, whatever you say. I'll just talk less, is that okay?"
uh-huh?
So smoothly?
Cheng Ran was somewhat surprised, but when he saw the corners of Jiang Wanqing's lips curl up, he understood her intention: a provocation. So that's what she was trying to do; she almost made him worry.
They finally breathed a sigh of relief and continued the meal. In the second half, Cheng's mother really spoke less. After eating almost all of her food, she looked at Jiang Wanqing, hesitated, swallowed, and sighed.
"You guys enjoy your meal. I'll go tidy up the room. Just let me know if you need anything."
“I’ll go too,” Mr. Cheng said, following closely behind.
Cheng Ran and Jiang Wanqing were left in the living room. She patted his hand.
"So, are you satisfied with how I handled it?"
"I'm very satisfied. Only you can handle my parents. Thank you for your trouble."
"It's okay. They're just concerned about your health, which is understandable. Besides, their staying will definitely relieve some of my stress, since I still have work to do afterward." Jiang Wanqing pursed her lips.
He hugged her and said, "You've worked hard."
That night, the Cheng family elders couldn't sleep in their new environment. There were many mosquitoes in the southwest, and all they could hear all night was the chirping of insects and birds. It was a natural environment, but it was really annoying and kept them from sleeping.
Cheng's mother opened her eyes and woke up, then turned around and patted Cheng's father's arm.
"Old Cheng, are you asleep?"
"What's wrong?"
He was asleep, but not soundly, and was just woken up by being patted.
"I forgot to ask them today how Cheng Ran's health is. Do you think... he can recover? I'm counting on them to have another child, sigh..."
"At least for now, Cheng Ran seems to be in good condition, which means Wanqing is taking good care of him. As for the rest, we can only rely on the doctor's treatment plan and the couple themselves. There's very little we can do; at most, we can serve them three meals a day and help them with some chores."
Mr. Cheng's words made sense, but Mrs. Cheng always felt that she was not putting any effort into it. When she was irritable, she would have wild thoughts and her eyes would blink rapidly. She actually came up with a "solution".
She quickly and excitedly asked Mr. Cheng, "Old Cheng, do you remember what Yuan Nian did to Cheng Ran?"
"What?" Mr. Cheng frowned. "Drugned?"
"Yes! It was drugging!"
As soon as those two words were uttered, Mr. Cheng immediately sat up, looked at her in surprise, glanced at the door, and quickly covered her mouth.
"That won't do, that's a terrible idea! You still want to mess with Cheng Ran..."
"Pah! What are you saying!" Cheng's mother slapped his hand away and glared at him. "I didn't drug him or anyone else. I drugged him and his wife to see if it would work. He loves Jiang Wanqing so much. If this doesn't work, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. If it works, then it's a lucky accident, and there won't be any other harm."
Mr. Cheng was stunned by her idea. What kind of thought process would lead someone to such a method, especially one that would be used on his own son and daughter-in-law? If the two younger generations found out, he would probably kick them out tomorrow.
"No, no, that's too risky. We were just allowed to stay. If we're exposed, Cheng Ran and his wife will hate us to death."
"What's there to be afraid of? Just don't tell them. Trust me, nothing will happen. Just do it! Go to sleep. I'll think about how to be safer tomorrow."
Mr. Cheng took a breath and watched her lie down carelessly. Suddenly, he felt a chill in his heart. He thought that no matter what he did, it was not safe, and there was a high possibility that he would ruin his reputation in his later years.
He opened his mouth, but in the end, all he could do was sigh. Given her efficiency, she wouldn't give up until she hit a brick wall. Oh well, if she's sent back, so be it. Maybe that's better than nothing. It'll save her from causing even more trouble and embarrassment later. At least she's just arrived, so the contrast won't be too great yet.
Fortunately, she wasn't so crazy as to act on it the very next day; instead, she became increasingly kind to Jiang Wanqing.
Because of this, Jiang Wanqing began to entrust Cheng Ran to their care while she went out to work. On this day, when she was about to leave, Cheng's mother stopped her and stuffed two boiled eggs into her pocket.
"Wanqing, you must come back tonight. We're waiting for you to have dinner."
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