Ma Shenglian forced a smile. "It's alright, it's alright. It's normal not to know each other since it's the first time we meet. We're all family. We'll keep in touch and get to know each other better."
Liu Guilan smiled and shook Ma Shenglian's hand vigorously a few times. Seeing Ma Shenglian's face twitch a few times from the pain of her injuries, her smile became even more enthusiastic. "Weiwei's second aunt, what are you still standing at the door for? Come in and sit down, come in and sit down!"
After saying that, she forcefully pulled Ma Shenglian inside, almost causing Ma Shenglian to stumble.
As if she had just realized she had used too much force, Liu Guilan suddenly let go of her hand. She watched as Ma Shenglian swayed and almost fell, and then pretended to want to reach out and help her up but hesitated.
Once Ma Shenglian had regained her balance, she said apologetically, "Second Aunt Weiwei, please don't mind. We country folk are used to working in the fields all day long, and we're quite strong. We don't always know our own strength, so please don't take it to heart."
Ma Shenglian was so speechless that she couldn't utter a single word.
She was so angry she was practically fuming, but the other person kept apologizing and explaining so thoroughly that she couldn't vent her anger.
All I could do was keep thinking about the purpose of my trip and try to convince myself to hold back. I had to hold back.
"It's alright, it's alright, in-law, you don't need to be like this. I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges. Weiwei knows that best, doesn't she?"
Ye Weiwei was enjoying the show when Ma Shenglian suddenly brought up the topic with a single sentence. She immediately put on her superb acting skills and said with a smile, "Yes, Mom, you don't know, my second aunt is the most understanding and kindest elder in the family. My grandma always praises her."
Liu Guilan immediately understood the meaning behind those words, and her dislike for Ma Shenglian grew even stronger.
If Ma Shenglian could raise a daughter like Ye Wanwan, what kind of person could she be?
She could tell at a glance that this woman was no pushover!
It seems that when they were in Beijing, they did a lot of badmouthing of Weiwei's family in front of Weiwei's grandmother.
She had grown up alongside the young lady since childhood and had witnessed many of the sordid affairs and power struggles within wealthy families; she was not some ignorant countrywoman.
"I really have to thank her second aunt for taking care of my Weiwei." Liu Guilan looked at Ma Shenglian with a smile, warmly invited her to sit down, and went back into the house to pour her some water.
Ye Weiwei quickly said, "Mom, you rest, I'll do it."
Liu Guilan did not refuse and praised Ma Shenglian with a smile: "Weiwei is such a diligent and filial child. Your family has really raised a good daughter."
Ma Shenglian scoffed inwardly. It was just to pour a glass of water; why all the praise? She was just a maid; no matter how diligent and filial she was, she would still get married eventually.
Besides, I've never seen this brat so diligent when we were at home!
However, this was only in her mind. Ma Shenglian still agreed with her words, saying nice things: "Weiwei has been smart and sensible since she was little, and she is also good-looking. Everyone who sees her praises her!"
snort!
So what if she's smart, sensible, and beautiful? She still married a peasant and will be stuck in this godforsaken place for the rest of her life!
Ye Weiwei made two cups of sugar water and added something to Ma Shenglian's cup.
Her kind second aunt had traveled a long way to see her, how could she not treat her well?
Ma Shenglian was already incredibly thirsty. Without thinking twice, she took the water and gulped down most of it. After finishing, she smacked her lips, finding it sweet and satisfying. She was finally a little more satisfied with Ye Weiwei.
They do have some sense.
Liu Guilan took her glass of water, sipped it a few times, then put the glass aside and looked at Ma Shenglian with a faint smile.
Ma Shenglian instantly felt outshone.
She felt like her eyes were playing tricks on her. How could she have just sensed a certain quality from this rural woman that she had only ever felt from her sister-in-law before?
She silently sized up Liu Guilan. Although the woman in front of her was wearing a faded old cloth dress with a patch on the sleeve, she couldn't sense the slightest bit of inferiority or awkwardness that rural people often felt in front of city people when facing her, who was dressed in fashionable new clothes from the capital.
Especially the way she drank water just now, every move she made was like the discipline she had been trained in since childhood in a large family. Compared to her, my own actions just now seemed crude.
But how could that be!
Ma Shenglian's mind raced with thoughts.
Finally, he snorted inwardly and cursed under his breath: "Pretentious!"
Just like her sister-in-law!
"Father-in-law, did you come here this time because of Weiwei's cousin's matter?" Liu Guilan saw that Ma Shenglian hadn't spoken for a long time and wondered what she was up to, so she took the initiative to change the subject.
Upon hearing Liu Guilan mention Ye Wanwan, Ma Shenglian's expression darkened for a moment. Then, she pretended to rub her eyes before looking at Ye Weiwei: "Weiwei, you and your cousin are usually very close. Tell your second aunt, what exactly happened? How could your cousin just suddenly be gone?"
Ye Weiwei sighed, "Second Aunt, didn't my cousin write to tell you?"
Ma Shenglian frowned. "Tell us what?"
Ye Weiwei hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "Forget it, my cousin is gone. Let bygones be bygones. I won't hold it against her for what's past. It's all in the past."
Ma Shenglian's eyes widened in surprise, and she asked with displeasure, "What do you mean by that?"
When Liu Guilan saw Ma Shenglian questioning Ye Weiwei, her face darkened, and she slammed her hand on the table: "Second Aunt, what kind of attitude is this? Everyone in the village knows what good things your good daughter Ye Wanwan has done. Weiwei doesn't want to pursue the matter because she's magnanimous, and she doesn't want to bring up the past because she's dead, so she's giving her some face. You don't think that her accident has anything to do with my Weiwei, do you?"
Seeing Liu Guilan's cold face, Ma Shenglian felt a throbbing pain in the places where she had been hit earlier. She quickly explained awkwardly, "That's not what I meant. I just wanted to understand what happened!"
"Ha—" Liu Guilan scoffed, "What happened? There's a lot to it! Second Aunt, you really raised a fine daughter!"
Then, Liu Guilan told Ma Shenglian about all the things Ye Wanwan had done after going to the countryside, one by one. After she finished, she sneered, "You know, Weiwei is such a good and kind child, without a single bad thought. I don't know how Ye Wanwan could be so heartless. She actually bribed the village thugs to try to ruin Weiwei's reputation. If my third son hadn't happened to be passing by, I don't know what would have become of Weiwei! I still feel scared when I think about it now!"
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