Chapter 164 Try Again
Ren Limeng remembers that she flew back from school to celebrate her mother Wu Murong's birthday. Not long after sitting down, they happened to talk about her employment. Her mother had too many plans and persuasions, and she talked nonstop for a while.
Ren Limeng endured and endured again. Her silence without rebuttal was reflected in her mother's eyes as a sign of indifference, and her whispered explanation was reflected in her mother's mouth as a sign of disobedience and rebuttal, until the taut string could no longer be broken.
Wu Murong asked louder and louder, "Why are you silent again? You just don't take your father and me seriously." Ren Limeng finally avoided her father's eyes that asked her to be patient for the sake of her mother's birthday, and slowly opened her mouth to express her determination to be a host.
The result was naturally a big quarrel and a bad breakup.
Ren Limeng didn't even have time to take out the gift from the suitcase, so the costume was left deep in the closet.
Until this time, Ren Limeng once again decided to have a good talk with her mother and asked Yan Fangshu to help her get the costumes from her room.
"The other day, I told Uncle Ren I'd get you some clean clothes, so I went to your house while they weren't around. If you hadn't given me the key, I'd have looked like a thief. I went to the store to get them cleaned a couple of days ago. Take a look at them, they look exactly like new. Mengmeng, the patterns on your clothes are so detailed, they never look outdated, and they're so exquisite. The costume designer at the store even asked if our troupe wanted to change costume designers!"
"This costume is probably the pinnacle of my craftsmanship. I will never be able to make it again in my lifetime."
Ren Limeng looked at the costumes that were familiar yet a little unfamiliar, and couldn't help but sigh. The year she graduated from college, she decided to give her mother such a gift, thinking about feeling the complex emotions of her parents as they were angry while embroidering the gift for her. She tried to use this method to let her parents feel her care and sincerity, hoping to impress her parents and reconcile with all the past.
She learned embroidery for three whole years and finally started to embroider the costumes. It took another three years to finish it. Unexpectedly, it was delayed again and again. For so many years, delivering this costume was as difficult as resolving a dispute in their family.
This time, she must show her sincerity and try to communicate one last time.
"Mengmeng, have you prepared any other gifts?"
"I'm planning to transfer money and send flowers like in previous years, but actually... I'm bringing this costume as a gesture."
Ren Limeng carefully put the costume back into the gift box, picked up the coffee, and said with a hint of melancholy, "Fangfang, I've made up my mind. I won't avoid the problem anymore, but... I'll only try this once."
Just this time, she came back to Mei City and put all her effort and sincerity into communicating and reconciling with her parents, especially her mother. So many years of explanations and arguments, cold wars and hesitations made Ren Limeng exhausted. Even last night, Ren Limeng couldn't help thinking about this matter while lying in bed.
This heavy emotion even overwhelmed Shen Xingzhi who repeatedly emerged in her mind, becoming a problem that she could not get over for so many years.
Only family affection can make Ren Limeng so helpless.
"Some things can't be forced. I tried my best. Maybe... even in a mother-daughter relationship, some things are just destined to be apart."
Ren Limeng has never been entangled in one thing and gone over it for so long. She really wants to communicate with her parents and try her best to make them support her decision to become a host, just like the many times when she was practicing acting since she was a child. No matter how difficult the practice process was, she would eventually show a perfect performance, get her parents' approval, and see her mother's satisfied eyes.
But this time it was too difficult.
In the drama of life, she can't satisfy everyone.
Over the years, Ren Limeng has tacitly accepted it. When she realized that she needed to choose her own way forward, from the moment she resolutely took back the initiative in her life, she had to face the drastic changes in her family relationships.
She was bound to face this unsolvable situation because she couldn't fulfill both her parents' wishes and her own.
Like a strangler vine wrapped around her body, its roots had already penetrated into her bones. The soft tendrils that wrapped her in her childhood had gradually transformed into a thorny noose, entwining all of Ren Limeng's breaths with her parents' sighs.
The more she struggled, the tighter the vines tightened, until even the pain became the rhythm of her breathing.
"Mengmeng..."
Ren Limeng gently stirred the coffee in her hand. She lowered her eyes to hide all expression. Her bitter voice couldn't hide any sadness, but her low tone was full of determination. "Before satisfying my parents, I have to be myself first. If it still doesn't work, then let it be. Maybe this is the best outcome."
I no longer have the intimacy with my parents as a child, and I keep a distance from them that is neither too close nor too far. Perhaps this is the price of becoming an adult.
Ren Limeng was unwilling to accept it, but not everything in the world goes as planned. Things that cannot be achieved are contrary to her wishes, so she...accepts it.
It was already 9:45 when Ren Limeng returned to the B&B. She walked into the training room with Guan He, whom she met at the door. All the guests were in place, and Li Chuyue and Han Tai were already sitting in the corner. Seeing Ren Limeng enter, Han Tai hesitated for a moment and said, "Limeng, I saw Master this morning. He asked me to invite everyone to have lunch together for Master's wife's birthday. How about we all go to Limeng's house for lunch? It's on the other side of Meixiang, not far from here."
Ren Limeng was slightly stunned and her eyes fell on Han Tai. Such a ostentatious invitation didn't seem to be her parents' character?
After she and her parents failed to communicate again last night, the two sides were once again deadlocked.
Ren Limeng was a little unsure of Han Tai's words for a moment.
"Teacher Han, did Li Meng's father tell you? You have such a close master-disciple relationship in the theater, but did you tell Li Meng about this invitation in advance? Uncle is really something, he even hid it from Li Meng."
Chen Xi caught the surprise that flashed across Ren Limeng's eyes. There was an exploratory curiosity in her tone, and her deliberate words made the camera subconsciously focus on Ren Limeng and Han Tai. Even though Han Tai's smile showed a hint of embarrassment, Chen Xi was still unwilling to stop there.
"Uncle...you don't treat you like a son, do you? I heard you don't have a girlfriend? Li Meng, why don't you consider Teacher Han? Teacher Han is so outstanding, your parents will definitely be very satisfied with this son-in-law."
The laughing and teasing words did not resonate with everyone in the room. The room suddenly became very quiet. Only Chen Xi's pretended loud laughter remained, and he looked at Ren Limeng with a hint of ill intent.
Ren Limeng guessed that Chen Xi was targeting and making things difficult for her today, but she didn't expect that Chen Xi was more petty than she thought. He actually pressed on step by step, setting traps for her every time he spoke, waiting for her to be careless.
Ren Limeng's face was filled with confusion. She frowned slightly and was about to open her mouth to explain, but she heard Shen Xingzhi's cold voice, "Chen Xi, have you finished practicing "Couple Watching Lanterns"? Do you have time to find a matchmaker?"
Chen Xi's face turned pale. She didn't expect Shen Xingzhi to be so ruthless in front of the camera. She stared at Ren Limeng, who blinked innocently beside her, and she felt even more hatred in her heart.
"Brother Xingzhi, although Sister Chen Xi misunderstood, she meant well."
Ren Limeng explained anxiously, "Sister Chen Xi, Brother Han Tai and I only added each other on WeChat after returning this time. You might be overthinking it. Brother Han Tai's face turned red. Let's hurry up and train!"
"I think too much? Maybe."
Chen Xi stared at Ren Limeng pointedly, then suddenly smiled. "Then we're sorry to bother you at noon. Limeng, what does your mother like? What gift have you prepared for her? This is our first time visiting your house, so we shouldn't come empty-handed."
"You can pick up two more bottles of Honghua milk. It's the brand sponsor, so it saves money and tastes great!"
Guan He's eyes turned and fell between Ren Limeng and Chen Xi, and he tried to ease the somewhat delicate atmosphere with a laughing voice.
"Everyone wants to go? Li Meng, will it bother your parents too much?"
After listening to Chen Xi and Guan He, Shen Xingzhi tilted his head and looked at the smiling Han Tai thoughtfully.
"...No, my parents and I welcome everyone to our home, but..."
Ren Limeng's tone seemed to be filled with hesitation. "The performance is the day after tomorrow. Wouldn't it be a waste of time if you came to my house? If it affects everyone's training, then my dad's good intentions would be jeopardized."
Chen Xi looked at Ren Limeng and couldn't help but suspect that Ren Limeng was pointing out the Huangmei Opera performance clips that she still had problems with. Noticing the evasion in Ren Limeng's words, as if she just wanted everyone to train and ignore Han Tai's suggestions, Chen Xi smiled slightly, suppressing all her dissatisfaction. She slowly stepped forward and held Ren Limeng's hand.
"How much time can we waste on lunch? Uncle is so kind, it's hard to refuse. So let's do as Guan He said and bring some milk as a gift. Okay, or we can allocate some money and let Li Meng and Teacher Han buy some other gifts. Teacher Han, Li Meng works away from home and may not understand Uncle and Aunt's current preferences. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Anything is fine. As long as it's from everyone's heart, I believe Master and his wife will be very happy!"
Listening to Chen Xi's question, Han Tai glanced at the back of his head hesitantly, and then secretly observed Ren Limeng who remained calm beside him.
In the morning, Ren Limeng's father Ren Shunan did mention inviting guests to lunch, but he didn't say it to him privately. Instead, he asked him to take him to the program crew.
His invitation just now was not only the idea of Ren Limeng's father, but also the result of discussions between the program team and Meixiang Theater. Han Tai had a feeling that this matter was directed at Ren Limeng.
However, he couldn't care less. The guests of "Shan Hai" would leave Mei City tonight, and he had to seize the last possible opportunity.
Han Tai thought silently, his eyes still unconsciously looking at Ren Limeng.
"Li Meng, you've practiced these few times without any problems. How about you go buy the gift first and we practice a couple more times?"
Near noon, after practicing again, Guan He looked towards Ren Limeng. Noticing the kindness in Guan He's words, Ren Limeng smiled with some gratitude. She was about to open her mouth to refuse, but Chen Xingzhi next to her had already responded lightly.
"Alright, Li Meng and I are almost done with this part, so let's split up and act accordingly without wasting time."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
