Chapter 85 Meeting the Parents: Zhou Xubai and I have already broken off our engagement...
A month later, Gu Qingyan's injuries had basically healed. As the Lunar New Year's Eve approached, he was discharged from the hospital, and Lin Yuwei drove him back to his apartment in Cuihu Garden.
The apartment, which had been uninhabited for a long time, was inevitably cold and deserted. Lin Yuwei arranged for a cleaning lady to thoroughly clean it in advance. The two of them then went to the supermarket together to buy some fresh ingredients and daily necessities to add a touch of warmth and life to the upcoming New Year.
Just as Lin Yuwei finished paying at the cashier, her phone rang. It was her mother, Lin Yulan, calling. Lin Yulan sounded cheerful on the phone, saying that she had already returned home from the rehabilitation center and was busy decorating the villa in preparation for the New Year. She reminded Lin Yuwei to bring Zhou Xubai home for the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve.
Lin Yuwei then realized that she had devoted all her energy to Gu Qingyan for the past month and had forgotten to tell her mother about her important decision to break off the engagement and be with Gu Qingyan.
On the other end of the phone, Lin Yulan didn't hear a response from her daughter, so she asked again, "Weiwei, will you be able to come back on time for New Year's Eve the day after tomorrow?"
Lin Yuwei subconsciously turned around and glanced at Gu Qingyan, who was quietly putting the items into the shopping cart. She immediately made a decision. She didn't want to cause a dispute on the festive New Year's Eve, so she decided to go back a day early and be honest about everything.
“Mom,” she said calmly, “I will go back to see you tomorrow.”
Lin Yulan, unsuspecting, was very happy: "Okay, okay! I'll have Sister Wu prepare your favorite dishes. Oh, and I've also prepared a lot of New Year's goods. Remember to take some for Xu Bai's parents..."
Lin Yuwei didn't say much on the phone, only gave a soft reply, and then hung up.
"Was that your mother on the phone?" Gu Qingyan followed, pushing the shopping cart, keenly noticing the subtle change in her emotions after she finished the call.
Lin Yuwei nodded, and Gu Qingyan pointed to several gift boxes he had specially selected in the shopping cart: "I bought some tonics and tea, you can take them back tomorrow. I'll walk you to the door and pick you up after the New Year."
His thoughtfulness warmed Lin Yuwei's heart, but that wasn't what she wanted. She stopped, turned around, and looked at him calmly and firmly: "Qingyan, will you come back with me tomorrow?"
This invitation was clearly unexpected for Gu Qingyan.
A hint of surprise flashed across his face, quickly replaced by a complex mix of trepidation and flattery: "Me, come along? Is that... appropriate? Aunt Lin... probably doesn't want to see me. It's the New Year, and I don't want my presence to upset her and ruin everyone's holiday."
His concerns were reasonable, but they made Lin Yuwei frown slightly. She reached out and gently placed her hand on the back of his hand as he pushed the shopping cart, her gaze intense: "Aren't you ready to face all of this with me?"
"No! Of course not!" Gu Qingyan hurriedly denied, her tone urgent and sincere: "I promised you that no matter what happens in the future, I will never be separated from you again. I just... didn't want to put you in a difficult position."
“Since we’ve decided to be together, we’ll have to get past my mother sooner or later.” Lin Yuwei’s tone softened. “I’m going back tomorrow to tell her our decision in person. It would be best if we could convince her. If she can’t accept it for now…” She paused, then tightened her grip on Gu Qingyan’s hand. “That won’t change the fact that we’re together. Please believe me, and believe in yourself.”
Seeing the complete trust and support in her eyes, Gu Qingyan's hesitation vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of warmth and an unprecedented sense of responsibility.
He released the shopping cart, squeezed her hand back, and his gaze became calm and firm: "Okay, I'll go back with you. I will do my best to prove to Aunt Lin that I have the ability to make you happy and that I am worthy of her entrusting me with this."
****
The following morning, Gu Qingyan drove to Lin Yuwei's apartment to pick her up, and they went to the Lin family villa together. The car stopped outside the imposing and familiar wrought iron gate. The two looked at each other and saw the same determination in each other's eyes.
The doorbell rang, and Lin Yulan responded joyfully from inside: "Coming, coming! Weiwei, Xubai, you're here so early today..." Before she could finish speaking, the door opened, and Lin Yulan, beaming with happiness, appeared in the doorway.
However, when she realized that the person standing next to her daughter was not Zhou Xubai, but the tall and upright Gu Qingyan, the smile on her face froze instantly, as if covered by frost, and her eyes suddenly became cold and distant.
"Hello, Aunt Lin." Gu Qingyan seemed oblivious to the sudden drop in temperature and maintained the proper courtesy of a junior, bowing slightly in greeting.
Lin Yulan ignored him completely, stepping aside to let Lin Yuwei in, and made a move to close the door, completely shutting Gu Qingyan out.
"Mom! What are you doing!" Lin Yuwei reached out and blocked the door, frowning as she asked.
"Weiwei, where's Xubai? Why didn't he come back with you?" Lin's mother interrupted her abruptly, deliberately avoiding looking at Gu Qingyan at the door.
Gu Qingyan remained expressionless, carrying the prepared gifts, and calmly followed Lin Yuwei into the living room. He gently placed the gifts in a corner, and Lin Yuwei walked directly to his side, took his arm, and led him to her mother. Her voice was clear and calm: "Mom, Zhou Xubai and I have broken off our engagement. Now, Qingyan is my boyfriend."
"What?" Lin Yulan was struck as if by lightning; the color drained from her face instantly, turning her ashen.
She stared at her daughter in disbelief, her voice rising abruptly with shock and anger: "Lin Yuwei! You...do you even consider me your mother anymore? Marriage is a serious matter, how can you treat it like this, changing it so easily? You didn't even consult me! I'm going to call and find out, does Xu Bai know? Does the Zhou family know?" She reached for her phone as she spoke.
"Mom! Stop hitting him!" Lin Yuwei stepped forward and stopped her mother, her tone resolute: "I have already made things clear with Zhou Xubai and his parents. This matter is over. I'm just telling you now. If you insist on driving Qingyan away today, then I will leave with him."
These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Lin Yulan's raging anger, but bringing her even deeper disappointment and heartbreak. She stared at her daughter's stubborn face, as if she were truly seeing her for the first time. After a long while, she seemed to have all her strength drained away, and slumped down on the sofa in the main seat of the living room, waving her hand at Aunt Wu, who was standing by at a loss.
After Aunt Wu left, Lin Yulan looked at her daughter again, her tone more weary and heartbroken than ever before: "Weiwei, are you threatening your mother? Fine, fine... you don't have to marry Zhou Xubai, I won't force you, but," her gaze swept coldly over Gu Qingyan, and she said harshly, "since ancient times, marriage has been about matching social status, that's the foundation of a stable and happy life! I absolutely disagree with you being with this kind of... this kind of scheming person who has used some unknown means to bewitch you!"
"Mom! I've already decided to be with him, please respect that!" Lin Yuwei's face darkened instantly, her voice filled with barely suppressed anger.
Just then, Gu Qingyan gently pressed Lin Yuwei's hand, signaling her with his eyes to calm down. He stepped forward and stood in the center of the living room, his posture upright like a pine tree, his gaze calm and honest as he met Lin's mother's scrutinizing eyes.
“Mrs. Lin.” He used the most formal and respectful address and said in a steady voice, “I understand that in your heart, I, Gu Qingyan, am not worthy of your daughter. My mother did work as a maid in the Lin family and raised me to adulthood through hard work. I have never thought that this matter needs to be hidden. On the contrary, I have always been proud of my mother’s resilience.”
When he mentioned "mother," a complex and indescribable expression flashed across Lin Yulan's face, as if a hidden corner of her heart had been touched, but it was quickly covered by a deeper arrogance and prejudice.
“Back in college, I was young and impetuous, and I wasn’t mature enough in handling relationships. I secretly lived with Weiwei, causing her to suffer a lot of grievances that she shouldn’t have had to endure. I still feel deeply guilty about this, and I sincerely apologize to you again.” He bowed slightly, his attitude sincere, but his back remained straight. “But today, I’m standing here not to beg you to accept me out of pity or because of past feelings. I want to implore you to temporarily put aside your prejudices against me and see what kind of person Gu Qingyan really is.”
His gaze was sharp and frank, unwavering: "In terms of family background, I am indeed not as illustrious as Mr. Zhou. I have no family legacy to inherit. Everything I have, Qichen Technology, started from scratch, struggling to survive on the brink of death several times, and now it has gained a foothold in the industry. Every bit of it is earned by me and my team through our own abilities, sweat, and perseverance. Its scale may not be impressive to you yet, but it represents my ability, my reputation, and the unlimited potential for my future development."
He shifted his tone, getting straight to the heart of the matter, his words calm yet carrying immense weight: "Mrs. Lin, I know that in your eyes, wealth can be accumulated, and status can be earned, but one's background seems to be an indelible mark. However, please ask yourself honestly, what do you truly hope Weiwei will receive deep down? Is it an empty shell of a marriage that merely meets the 'matching social status' standard, seemingly glamorous but potentially leaving her lonely and unhappy? Or is it someone who truly understands her, respects her, appreciates her, resonates with her soul, walks alongside her, never lets go of her hand in good times or bad, and gives her genuine happiness and security?"
He paused for a moment, letting the power of his words settle. His voice lowered, yet became even more firm and powerful, filled with unwavering sincerity: "I love Weiwei, I respect Weiwei. This feeling transcends my love for life and my career. This affection has nothing to do with who my mother is, nothing to do with my background. It only concerns Weiwei and me, two hearts. I cannot choose my birth, but I can assure you with my entire future that I will do everything in my power to create conditions that will make her happy, to build a solid and warm happiness based on mutual respect, deep understanding, and shared growth."
Finally, he bowed slightly to Lin Yulan again, his posture extremely humble, his tone extremely sincere and earnest: "So, Mrs. Lin, I implore you to give me a chance, a chance to prove my vow with time and action, and I also ask you to give your daughter a chance so that she can follow her heart and choose the happiness that she truly wants and that belongs to her."
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Author's Note: Vivi's mom, please just agree to them... [pity]
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