"Mom, Grandpa used to always let us know where he was going, but this time it's very unusual. Should we ask Dad?"
Qi Bowen can't care about the Qin family girl anymore; he's afraid his grandfather will find out something.
His eyelids have been twitching non-stop for the past two days.
“Bowen, you can’t just ask about your grandfather’s whereabouts. Besides, you know your dad’s temper.”
"He won't say anything about work-related matters. I know you're worried about your grandfather, but don't worry, he'll be fine."
Li Ci comforted him, knowing that if her husband knew Bowen had been asking about these things, he would definitely get angry again.
She knew her man was meticulous at work, so she didn't dare ask too many questions about what he was secretly inquiring about.
Besides, this was already a strained relationship between father and son.
Qi Bowen fell silent. His mother said nice things, but she still put her man first.
He felt that if that day ever came and she had to choose between him and her man, she would definitely choose Qi Feng.
"Alright, Bowen, you talk to Lingling." Li Ci glanced at him, his eyes filled with an unyielding determination.
Even though Qi Bowen was unwilling, he knew he couldn't upset his mother. His grandfather was very strict with him, hoping that he could support the Li family.
His father isn't close to him; he always treats him with disdain. In this family, only his mother is currently on his side.
If he contradicts his mother and hurts her feelings, he won't be able to stay in this family anymore. Before he takes control of the Li family, he can't afford to turn against them now.
"Okay." Qi Bowen nodded reluctantly, glancing at the Qin family girl beside him with disdain in his eyes.
“We’ve met before, back in school. I was in my first year of high school and you were in your second. We went to the same school.”
Qin Lingling lived in Beijing with her grandmother since she was a child.
She knew Qi Bowen when she was in school; everyone knew he was the only descendant of Marshal Li.
He was fair-skinned and, although not tall, looked scholarly. Qin Lingling herself was big and burly, but she liked fair-skinned and slender men very much.
She was thrilled when she heard that her family was going to arrange a marriage for her with Qi Bowen.
"Really? That's quite a coincidence." Qi Bowen felt a surge of sarcasm upon hearing her words.
Back in school, who didn't know who he was? He had a lot of admirers, and someone like her wouldn't have even given him a second glance before.
He could see the love in her eyes at a glance. If she were of higher status or prettier, he might have reluctantly agreed.
He must have been blind to agree to marry someone as useless as her.
His mother seemed to be under a spell; no one knew what she saw in the Qin family.
Qin Lingling could sense Qi Bowen's perfunctory attitude, and she was very disappointed. However, she was happy again when she thought that Aunt Li liked her very much.
"Brother Bowen, are you free tomorrow? Let's go see a movie together?" Qin Lingling was very straightforward. She felt that since she liked something, she didn't need to be too coy.
It's the new century now, and everyone is free to date. Many of her classmates only told their parents about their relationships after they had fallen for each other.
She was passionate and decisive, and didn't see anything wrong with it.
“I have to go to work tomorrow. As a member of the Li family, I have to set a good example. Everyone is watching. How can I just take leave like that?”
Qi Bowen was actually thinking about watching a movie with her. He felt ashamed, and if someone he knew saw them, they would definitely laugh at him behind his back.
"Alright then, let's make another appointment when Brother Bowen is resting." Qin Lingling was disappointed; she could tell that Qi Bowen was rejecting her.
Li Ci listened secretly in the kitchen, and she couldn't help but sigh in her heart. It seemed that there was really no hope.
She really liked the Qin family girl, believing that a good wife should be virtuous, and that the Qin family girl looked like she would be easy to raise.
Qin Lingling has many siblings, and she looks like she has a large frame. Since ancient times, it has been customary for women to marry into higher social classes or lower social classes, so in every aspect, their two families are the most suitable for each other.
But no matter how much she said, her son still didn't like it. Life is for the two of them, and nothing is more important than her son.
Li Ci left when he saw that the atmosphere had become awkward, and changed his attitude towards Qin Lingling.
They were still very enthusiastic, but the intimacy of the past was gone. After seeing the person off, Li Ci glared at her son.
"You brat, what kind of child are you looking for?" Li Ci was extremely worried. At Bowen's age, any child younger would already be running around.
"Mom, I just want to find someone who is a good match in terms of social standing and looks good." Qi Bowen was also afraid that his mother would find someone like the Qin family again, so he made his request directly.
"What do you mean by 'marrying someone of equal social standing'? Your grandfather would get angry if he heard that, and your father hates that kind of thing too. They value character more."
"Your maternal grandfather was a marshal, and you still want to find a girl from a commander's family? Don't tell me that girls like that are hard to find, and you also want her to be beautiful. It's not that easy!"
“When I was with your dad, he had nothing, he was just a poor boy. Now look at him, no one in Beijing dares to mess with him.”
“Bowen, relying on a mountain is risky; if the mountain collapses, relying on a person is risky; we must rely on ourselves.” Li Ci gently taught her son, holding his hand.
She knew her son was simple-minded and naive, and she also knew her father's high status had raised his standards too high.
Getting married isn't a job, it's not a transaction!
"Mom, if I marry someone who can't compare to the family in any way, who knows what people will say, and Grandpa will lose face too."
Qi Bowen knew that no one was home at this time, and his father wouldn't be back at this hour, so he no longer hid anything from his mother.
"What face? Your grandfather would never think that way. You're overthinking it." Li Ci pointed at Qi Bowen's head, full of affection.
This child suffered a lot from birth; she went to great lengths, even going crazy, to keep him alive.
For ten months out of the year, she spent her time traveling to the hospital, and thankfully her father gave her support.
Otherwise, this child would have died long ago. Bowen is her life; she has devoted so much of her heart and soul to him.
More than anything else, she hoped her son would have a smooth life.
"Oh, Mom, you love me the most. I heard that the former Premier has a granddaughter. Could you help me find out about her? I don't like the Qin family at all."
Qi Bowen had his own plans. His maternal grandfather was the top leader of the military region, and even though the military region had long since changed its name, everyone still called him the old marshal.
He felt that the former premier's family was a good match for him, since the military and the government have always been one family, and his maternal grandfather and the former premier had a good relationship.
If they were to marry, it would be a double blessing, and he had seen the former prime minister's granddaughter; she was quite pretty.
She's at least better than that girl from the Qin family!
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