“You can go ahead and open the door,” Qi Chengzhi replied as if he was oblivious to what Qi Chengji was trying to hint at.
The issue was no longer brought up again by Qi Chengji. He opened the door and went in first.
Grandmother Qi did not mention anything about Qi Chengzhi bringing his girlfriend back, and although she was still worried that Yu Keyao’s presence would create an awkward situation, she hoped that Yu Keyao would leave as soon as possible, preferably before lunch.
That was why Grandmother Qi was giving all sorts of hints. At first glance, she seemed to just be having a normal conversation with Yu Keyao, saying that she was worried about Yu Keyao’s health and stuff like that. The truth, however, was that Grandmother Qi was trying to get Yu Keyao to leave. A normal person would have been able to understand that and leave discreetly, but Yu Keyao seemed unaware of those hints and remained glued to the sofa.
Grandmother Qi also wondered why Xia Wenna would introduce another lady to Qi Chengzhi when the young man already had a girlfriend. It was clearly an attempt to destabilize their relationship!
Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna’s bad habits were resurfacing again. Did they insist on finding someone who was well-matched in familial status because they looked down on the ‘commoner’ status of Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend?
Grandmother Qi’s hatred of their attitude went a long way back. Her words fell on deaf ears and were even refuted by way of preposterous reasonings. She was so fed up with them that she no longer brought up the issue, and that was why she never passed down her generational bracelet to Xia Wenna.
The old lady told Qi Chengji just to go out and have a look: if Qi Chengzhi really did bring his girlfriend back, Qi Chengji could inform the family and let everyone prepare themselves mentally.
It was at that moment that there was the sound of a door being opened. The old lady ran to the door and saw Qi Chengji. She asked, “Where are they?”
Qi Chengji could only rub his nose because he had absolutely no clue as to what he was supposed to tell his grandmother. He was afraid of the possibility that his words would provoke her.
He could barely give her a heads-up in time, as Qi Chengzhi had brought Song Yu inside already.
“Grandmother,” Qi Chengzhi greeted.
The elderly lady looked over emotionally, but her facial expression then froze. She steadied her spectacles and looked intently at Song Yu, before asking curiously, “Isn’t this the Song girl?”
Song Yu gulped nervously and greeted unconfidently, “Grandmother.”
Her voice, however, was not as calm as she imagined. It was clearly faltering.
“Why are you…” It was only when she noticed them holding their hands tightly that she came to a sudden realization.
Excitement disappeared from her heart immediately, leaving behind only a chilly coldness.
“The both of you…” She gazed at back and forth from their hands to their faces.
“Oh dear, oh dear!” The old lady massaged her forehead. “Why is my head hurting all of a sudden.”
Those inside heard the ruckus and was curious about what happened outside. They then saw Qi Chengji supporting the old lady as they walked, and immediately behind them was Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu.
Xia Wenna’s expression changed immediately. It did not cross her mind that when Qi Chengzhi left, it was to bring Song Yu home!
Qi Chengyue’s face turned hideous, and her eyes were wide open in disbelief. The whites of her eyes were so clearly visible, and she was staring at Song Yu in exasperation.
‘She dared to come here?!’
‘How shameless!’
Out of everyone else there, however, Yu Keyao’s expression was the most shocked.
“Cousin?” Yu Keyao’s jaw dropped and she could not contain her trembling. She could not believe that she was looking at Song Yu, and at the two of them holding hands.
Yu Keyao then remembered: Qi Chengzhi told her that he had a girlfriend.
She then thought back about the other night in Dynasty where she saw Qi Chengzhi walking with Song Yu’s family. Although her first thought was that it was sheer coincidence, she now knew that it was not the case.
From Song Yu opening the door while they were having a meal, to Qi Chengzhi following the Song family out to Dynasty’s entrance for a smoke and watching as the Song family called a cab in the cold wind: none of that was a coincidence.
Hidden inside the folds of her dress, Yu Keyao’s hands balled into a tight fist.
‘How could it be Song Yu?’
‘The Song family was done for!’
‘Song Yu has nothing now!’
‘How could I lose to Song Yu!’
She thought about what Liang Lihua told her, that the Song family went through so much simply because of Song Yu’s engagement to Qi Chengji. If Song Yu was together with Qi Chengzhi, was that a sign that the Song family was making a comeback?
Yu Keyao had no intention of relinquishing her status to Song Yu. She fixed her eyes on Song Yu and stared directly at her face.
Yu Keyao, who was still raging at the bombshell, did not immediately realize the passion in Song Yu’s expression. The latter’s lips were still swollen—an indication that the two of them were doing ‘something’ out there.
She had wanted to do that ‘something’ with Qi Chengzhi from the moment she laid eyes on him!
Song Yu shot Yu Keyao a cold stare and felt that the latter was not a threat to her. Instead, all her thoughts were focused on the Qi family’s elders.
“Chengzhi.” Qi Zhongliang’s face was sullen, but he opened his mouth and called out.
Qi Chengzhi did not give his father the liberty of continuing to speak. He held Song Yu’s hand even tighter and said, “This is Song Yu, my brother’s ex-fiancée; now she’s my wife-to-be.”
“…”
A moment of silence followed his introduction since no one knew what to say to him.
Their faces though did not look happy at all.
Qi Zhongliang’s face was sour. He did not even look at Song Yu and was itching to give Qi Chengzhi a good beating. Meanwhile, Xia Wenna had mixed emotions—there was disapproval, and also disappointment. She looked at Song Yu, pursed her lipstick-coated lips, and shook her head.
Grandfather Qi let out a cold ‘Hmph’ and roared hoarsely, “What trouble are you trying to cause?”
Grandmother Qi sighed; she wanted to say something but could not bring herself to do it.
Song Yu held his hand and shuffled herself closer to him in order to lean against his arm.
She did not expect Qi Chengzhi to introduce her in such a way. When he told the neighbor outside that she was his ‘girlfriend’ whom he ‘looked forward to marrying’, Song Yu thought that he was saying it because it sounded nicer and allowed the neighbor to take them seriously.
However, introducing her to his family as his wife-to-be was a bit too direct, and Song Yu could not help but look down and focus her gaze on the couple ring on her left hand.
Qi Chengzhi was far more serious in the relationship than she had first envisioned.
She looked up at him and saw his handsome face. His expression was stern at that moment, and although he did not look at her, he grasped her hand tightly and made her feel calm.
Faced with his family’s speechlessness, Qi Chengzhi’s lips curled up in a smile. He held nothing back when he uttered in his rich voice, “Come on, we have to keep the goodies within the family, right!”
Song Yu, “…”
As emotional as she was moments ago, that sentence left her speechless too.
Qi Zhongliang stood up abruptly. For years, he had never shown an unhappy face to Qi Chengzhi.
Qi Zhongliang had the utmost confidence whenever it came to Qi Chengzhi. As long as the decision was Qi Chengzhi’s, Qi Zhongliang would never interfere, but on that particular day, Qi Chengzhi had the nerve to do something that was so against decent human principles!
“COME WITH ME RIGHT NOW!” Unable to contain his booming voice, Qi Zhongliang roared so loudly that there was a resonant hum in everyone’s ears immediately after.
Qi Chengzhi paid no heed to the order and stood there without leaving Song Yu’s side.
Song Yu massaged the thin skin of his palm and whispered, “Go. I’ll be alright by myself here.”
Seeing Qi Chengzhi glued to the spot, Qi Zhongliang nearly rushed out of the living room. He froze midway and neither advanced nor retreated, making for a very awkward sight.
Grandmother Qi said, “Oh dear,” and continued, “Just go there. Nothing’s going to happen if you leave the Song girl here, right? I’ll look after her. It’s not like anyone’s going to eat her.”
“Go,” Song Yu urged softly.
In the end, Qi Chengzhi walked to Qi Zhongliang, but before he left, he still managed to knead her hand.
His movement, though small, was not done with the intention of being covert. Other than Qi Zhongxun and Guan Liya, who were unable to spot it due to their position, the rest of them saw his action clearly.
It was the first time Qi Chengzhi treated a girl so lovingly. He was so protective of her, even when he was dealing with his own family—a fact which shocked everyone there.
Qi Chengzhi left, and all Song Yu could do was stand awkwardly there.
“The Song girl, sit down,” the old lady said.
By then, Song Yu felt uncomfortable no matter where she sat.
It was all the same, whether she sat beside Xia Wenna or Yu Keyao.
A tiny head popped up from behind the kitchen door. Qi Youxuan was busy eating his watermelon in the kitchen when he heard some noise in the living room. His great-grandfather seemed to be really angry, so he was afraid of going out.
When everything was quiet again, Qi Youxuan bravely stuck out his head to check on the situation.
He was pleasantly surprised to see Song Yu standing there, although she did look at bit lonely.
Qi Youxuan went back into the kitchen, grabbed his half-eaten watermelon, and ran out.
“Auntie!” Qi Youxuan called out with glee. His chubby arms held the watermelon, and his movements caused the juices from the watermelon to splash all over his chest and sleeves. His other chubby hand was grasping a ladle, and he brandished it while running over to Song Yu.
When he reached where Song Yu was, he inserted the ladle into the watermelon and used his free hand to hold Song Yu’s hand. “Auntie, when did you arrive?”
“Just a while ago.” Song Yu glanced at him and found it surprising that there was still someone in the house who genuinely welcomed her presence.
“Auntie, come and sit down.” Qi Youxuan’s eyes scanned the surroundings. He intended to bring Song Yu to sit beside his father, Qi Chenglin, but there was no empty space there. In the end, he led her to the space that Qi Zhongliang had previously been sitting at.
Yu Keyao looked at Song Yu with an unpleasant expression. ‘Why wasn’t Qi Youxuan as friendly as he was toward me when I came!’
Hearing him call Song Yu ‘auntie’ was incredibly revolting for Yu Keyao. If only she could sew the boy’s mouth shut!
“Auntie, would you like some watermelon?” Qi Youxuan scooped up some watermelon. His words were meant for Song Yu, but the scoop was directed toward his own mouth. If Song Yu said yes, he would have to give away that watermelon sincerely.
“No, thank you. You go ahead and eat.” Song Yu smiled, and Qi Youxuan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t eat so much, otherwise you won’t be able to have a proper meal later.” Qi Chenglin could not help but grumble at his son.
At that time, Grandmother Qi was so at odds over Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu that she could care less about Qi Chenglin.
Conflicted and confused, she found herself in a hard place. It was incredible enough that Qi Chengzhi had a girlfriend whom he was serious about marrying. If things went smoothly, Grandmother Qi would have a great-grandson in her arms, but why did the girlfriend have to be Song Yu? What was he trying to do by getting married to his brother’s ex-fiancée?
The old lady was still at a loss for words when Qi Zhongliang’s voice roared from the study room. “What’s going on in your mind! He’s your brother’s ex-fiancée for God’s sake, isn’t there any other woman in the world? What’s wrong with you!”
When everyone remembered that Yu Keyao was still there, their faces turned awkward.
“Keyao.” Xia Wenna turned around and had an unhappy expression. “Since things have turned out like this here, I’m afraid it’s not convenient for you to have a meal with us.”
Song Yu’s status may soon be revealed to the public because Qi Chengzhi’s character would render separating them difficult. It was, after all, a blemish to the family, so none of them would want an outsider like Yu Keyao to hear them all.
In fact, Yu Keyao understood that Grandmother Qi’s earlier hinting was to get her to leave, but at that time she played dumb.
Xia Wenna’s words, however, were all too clear. Yu Keyao had no choice but to hide her unwillingness and dissatisfaction at being asked to leave. She smiled, stood up, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and remarked openly, “I understand. It’s inappropriate for me to be here.”
There was nothing else that Xia Wenna could have said. Her upbringing meant that there was no way she could say anything bad about Song Yu in front of Yu Keyao.
More so, when Song Yu was the daughter of her friend.
After sending Yu Keyao off, Xia Wenna sat back down. However, she chose to sit beside Qi Chenglin, on Song Yu’s opposite, leaving only Song Yu and Qi Youxuan looking quite lonely by themselves.
That was when Song Yu truly appreciative and was thankful for Qi Youxuan. He may be a young boy, but by being at her side, he made her feel less lonely than if she were alone.
“Song Yu,” Xia Wenna finally spoke after a lengthy silence.
Xia Wenna pursed her lips, and her teeth were clamping down on the parts of her lip within her mouth. “When we met at Dynasty the other day, we didn’t have the chance to talk. Are your parents well?”
“They are. They’re used to living a normal life. There are perks to the simple life: they don’t need to worry about company matters, they don’t have to attend all sorts of events. Without all that, my father has nothing much to do, so he spends his time analyzing his kifu and talking to the neighbors. He looks more energetic than he was last time even though he’s aged since then.” The hardships and inability to adjust to that life were more prevalent during the period immediately after the bankruptcy, but they left all that in the past because it was many years ago.
“Your mother, she… Is she still angry with me?”
Song Yu thought for a moment before replying, “I think that’s out of the question because everything’s much calmer now. After all, when such a big business is gone so suddenly, I don’t think there’s anyone who could keep their cool at the time. In fact, my mother did come to a realization that help should not have been expected. Besides, the Qi family would have had their own things to worry about. The Song family’s debt was too much, even my mother’s relatives simply looked at us without doing anything. They severed all ties with us as fast as they could. There was no point for us to blame anyone.”
“Song Yu.” Xia Wenna looked down for a moment before looking up at Song Yu. “Whether you believe me or not, I genuinely wanted to help you. When I introduced Yu Keyao to Chenghzi, it was my hope that the Yu family would make amends with the Qi family. As in-laws, I’d be in a position to plead the Yu family to help the Song family.”
“I really do regret what happened to your family, but I cannot agree to your relationship with Chengzhi. I think you understand too, that people would be saying stuff about someone who was once engaged to our youngest son but is now in a relationship with our eldest. Even though there are no blood relations between you two, this… This is too messy!”
“What mess is there? I brought Song Yu here today for Grandfather and Grandmother to meet her. I never considered whether you’d agree or not.” Qi Chengzhi had completed his conversation with Qi Zhongliang, and the former walked out right after the latter did.
Qi Zhongliang’s face was sour because Qi Chengzhi did not seem to fully appreciate their prior discussion.
Qi Chengzhi maintained his composure as though nothing happened at all.
He went and sat beside Song Yu immediately, his insipid gaze turning warm and tender the instant he laid eyes on Song Yu.
Xia Wenna could see the change with utmost clarity. She felt shocked because she never thought that Qi Chengzhi would treat Song Yu so specially. That tender gaze was something Xia Wenna had never seen in her son’s eyes.
Song Yu calmed down immediately after seeing Qi Chengzhi, despite her being somewhat uncomfortable at first. As her eyes met his gaze and felt its lovingness, a surge of warmth erupted from within the depths of her heart.
She was particularly desperate to lean against him at that time.
Qi Chengzhi shifted his attention to Qi Youxuan, but his gaze reverted to the pre-Song Yu coldness. Devoid of emotion, he narrowed his eyes and lifted Qi Youxuan by the collar.
“Oi, uncle, what are you doing!” In the midst of enjoying his watermelon, Qi Yuoxuan’s handheld the fruit tightly when he was suddenly lifted up into the air. His other hand held the scoop and was about to attack Qi Chengzhi’s hand with it.
Just before the scoop came into contact with Qi Chengzhi’s hand, the man placed Qi Youxuan on Xia Wenna’s lap and squeezed himself in between her and Song Yu, thereby separating the two women 1 .
Xia Wenna pursed her lips tightly and wondered if he was afraid that she would pick on Song Yu.
‘Did he have to be so protective of her?!’
The sofa became exponentially more crowded after Qi Chengzhi sat down. Qi Youxuan was still a small boy so he did not take up a lot of space, however, Qi Chengzhi inserted himself quite stiffly in the middle.
Xia Wenna was made to shift her position to the side.
Song Yu sat with more composure because she was once again close to Qi Chengzhi. She did not know what to say, so she simply kept her head low. A fair hand then stretched over and covered her hands which were placed on her knees.
Those bony fingers of his were slender and handsome; such hands would look exceptionally elegant when playing any musical instrument.
His well-defined fingers held her hand and tunneling through the spaces between her fingers using her fingertips. Meanwhile, his thumb was rubbing gently on the back on her hand.
The familiar warmth and reliance he emitted caused Song Yu to reciprocate his grip.
“Grandfather, Grandmother. I brought Song Yu here today to meet the both of you.” Qi Chengzhi looked at his grandparents and continued plainly, “If you don’t agree, then there won’t be anyone else whom I can father children with.”
“This…” The elderly lady’s heart sank and she could not say anything further.
Her biggest wish was to see her grandchildren getting married and bestowing many great-grandchildren for her. There was nothing else she wanted.
However, her eldest grandson’s words suggested that there was no one else for him other than Song Yu.
If there was no Song Yu, Qi Chengzhi declined to find anyone else who could give birth to great-grandchildren for them. What then?
Grandmother Qi was conflicted.
Grandfather Qi looked at Qi Zhongliang, then at Qi Chengzhi. He then looked at Song Yu, and finally at Qi Chengji, exclaiming, “I’m going for a walk!”
‘All this is nonsense!’
“Chengzhi, how could you say that to Grandpa and Grandma!” Xia Wenna chastised unhappily. “Are you using your future child to threaten us?”
“If you want to look at it that way, Mother, it’s fine with me.” Qi Chengzhi tugged on Song Yu and stood up. “It’s not easy for me to find someone I like. I am in no position to say that I might or might not meet another person that I like as much as her. If I could’ve made do with anyone earlier, I would’ve done so. There’s no need for me to wait until now.”
Qi Chengzhi paused and looked at his grandmother in earnest. “Grandmother, I’m thirty-four this year. Oh, wait. It’s already the new year so let’s just go with thirty-five. If everything goes smoothly, I’m nearing my late thirties by the time I get to marry and father a child. If this is dragged even longer, I really don’t know if I can father any children by then.”
“Oh dear!” The old lady placed a hand to her heart and crashed to the sofa in a bout of agony. She turned her face to the side and did not even look at anyone else.
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Qi Zhongliang lost his temper and stood up. “GET OUT! You just had to look for your brother’s ex-fiancée! You’re not even afraid that people will gossip behind your back! We can’t control you anymore, you’ve gone mad with that love of yours! If you don’t want to have children, don’t! We’re not demanding it from you, now are we? Get out!”
“You can go ahead and open the door,” Qi Chengzhi replied as if he was oblivious to what Qi Chengji was trying to hint at.
The issue was no longer brought up again by Qi Chengji. He opened the door and went in first.
Grandmother Qi did not mention anything about Qi Chengzhi bringing his girlfriend back, and although she was still worried that Yu Keyao’s presence would create an awkward situation, she hoped that Yu Keyao would leave as soon as possible, preferably before lunch.
That was why Grandmother Qi was giving all sorts of hints. At first glance, she seemed to just be having a normal conversation with Yu Keyao, saying that she was worried about Yu Keyao’s health and stuff like that. The truth, however, was that Grandmother Qi was trying to get Yu Keyao to leave. A normal person would have been able to understand that and leave discreetly, but Yu Keyao seemed unaware of those hints and remained glued to the sofa.
Grandmother Qi also wondered why Xia Wenna would introduce another lady to Qi Chengzhi when the young man already had a girlfriend. It was clearly an attempt to destabilize their relationship!
Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna’s bad habits were resurfacing again. Did they insist on finding someone who was well-matched in familial status because they looked down on the ‘commoner’ status of Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend?
Grandmother Qi’s hatred of their attitude went a long way back. Her words fell on deaf ears and were even refuted by way of preposterous reasonings. She was so fed up with them that she no longer brought up the issue, and that was why she never passed down her generational bracelet to Xia Wenna.
The old lady told Qi Chengji just to go out and have a look: if Qi Chengzhi really did bring his girlfriend back, Qi Chengji could inform the family and let everyone prepare themselves mentally.
It was at that moment that there was the sound of a door being opened. The old lady ran to the door and saw Qi Chengji. She asked, “Where are they?”
Qi Chengji could only rub his nose because he had absolutely no clue as to what he was supposed to tell his grandmother. He was afraid of the possibility that his words would provoke her.
He could barely give her a heads-up in time, as Qi Chengzhi had brought Song Yu inside already.
“Grandmother,” Qi Chengzhi greeted.
The elderly lady looked over emotionally, but her facial expression then froze. She steadied her spectacles and looked intently at Song Yu, before asking curiously, “Isn’t this the Song girl?”
Song Yu gulped nervously and greeted unconfidently, “Grandmother.”
Her voice, however, was not as calm as she imagined. It was clearly faltering.
“Why are you…” It was only when she noticed them holding their hands tightly that she came to a sudden realization.
Excitement disappeared from her heart immediately, leaving behind only a chilly coldness.
“The both of you…” She gazed at back and forth from their hands to their faces.
“Oh dear, oh dear!” The old lady massaged her forehead. “Why is my head hurting all of a sudden.”
Those inside heard the ruckus and was curious about what happened outside. They then saw Qi Chengji supporting the old lady as they walked, and immediately behind them was Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu.
Xia Wenna’s expression changed immediately. It did not cross her mind that when Qi Chengzhi left, it was to bring Song Yu home!
Qi Chengyue’s face turned hideous, and her eyes were wide open in disbelief. The whites of her eyes were so clearly visible, and she was staring at Song Yu in exasperation.
‘She dared to come here?!’
‘How shameless!’
Out of everyone else there, however, Yu Keyao’s expression was the most shocked.
“Cousin?” Yu Keyao’s jaw dropped and she could not contain her trembling. She could not believe that she was looking at Song Yu, and at the two of them holding hands.
Yu Keyao then remembered: Qi Chengzhi told her that he had a girlfriend.
She then thought back about the other night in Dynasty where she saw Qi Chengzhi walking with Song Yu’s family. Although her first thought was that it was sheer coincidence, she now knew that it was not the case.
From Song Yu opening the door while they were having a meal, to Qi Chengzhi following the Song family out to Dynasty’s entrance for a smoke and watching as the Song family called a cab in the cold wind: none of that was a coincidence.
Hidden inside the folds of her dress, Yu Keyao’s hands balled into a tight fist.
‘How could it be Song Yu?’
‘The Song family was done for!’
‘Song Yu has nothing now!’
‘How could I lose to Song Yu!’
She thought about what Liang Lihua told her, that the Song family went through so much simply because of Song Yu’s engagement to Qi Chengji. If Song Yu was together with Qi Chengzhi, was that a sign that the Song family was making a comeback?
Yu Keyao had no intention of relinquishing her status to Song Yu. She fixed her eyes on Song Yu and stared directly at her face.
Yu Keyao, who was still raging at the bombshell, did not immediately realize the passion in Song Yu’s expression. The latter’s lips were still swollen—an indication that the two of them were doing ‘something’ out there.
She had wanted to do that ‘something’ with Qi Chengzhi from the moment she laid eyes on him!
Song Yu shot Yu Keyao a cold stare and felt that the latter was not a threat to her. Instead, all her thoughts were focused on the Qi family’s elders.
“Chengzhi.” Qi Zhongliang’s face was sullen, but he opened his mouth and called out.
Qi Chengzhi did not give his father the liberty of continuing to speak. He held Song Yu’s hand even tighter and said, “This is Song Yu, my brother’s ex-fiancée; now she’s my wife-to-be.”
“…”
A moment of silence followed his introduction since no one knew what to say to him.
Their faces though did not look happy at all.
Qi Zhongliang’s face was sour. He did not even look at Song Yu and was itching to give Qi Chengzhi a good beating. Meanwhile, Xia Wenna had mixed emotions—there was disapproval, and also disappointment. She looked at Song Yu, pursed her lipstick-coated lips, and shook her head.
Grandfather Qi let out a cold ‘Hmph’ and roared hoarsely, “What trouble are you trying to cause?”
Grandmother Qi sighed; she wanted to say something but could not bring herself to do it.
Song Yu held his hand and shuffled herself closer to him in order to lean against his arm.
She did not expect Qi Chengzhi to introduce her in such a way. When he told the neighbor outside that she was his ‘girlfriend’ whom he ‘looked forward to marrying’, Song Yu thought that he was saying it because it sounded nicer and allowed the neighbor to take them seriously.
However, introducing her to his family as his wife-to-be was a bit too direct, and Song Yu could not help but look down and focus her gaze on the couple ring on her left hand.
Qi Chengzhi was far more serious in the relationship than she had first envisioned.
She looked up at him and saw his handsome face. His expression was stern at that moment, and although he did not look at her, he grasped her hand tightly and made her feel calm.
Faced with his family’s speechlessness, Qi Chengzhi’s lips curled up in a smile. He held nothing back when he uttered in his rich voice, “Come on, we have to keep the goodies within the family, right!”
Song Yu, “…”
As emotional as she was moments ago, that sentence left her speechless too.
Qi Zhongliang stood up abruptly. For years, he had never shown an unhappy face to Qi Chengzhi.
Qi Zhongliang had the utmost confidence whenever it came to Qi Chengzhi. As long as the decision was Qi Chengzhi’s, Qi Zhongliang would never interfere, but on that particular day, Qi Chengzhi had the nerve to do something that was so against decent human principles!
“COME WITH ME RIGHT NOW!” Unable to contain his booming voice, Qi Zhongliang roared so loudly that there was a resonant hum in everyone’s ears immediately after.
Qi Chengzhi paid no heed to the order and stood there without leaving Song Yu’s side.
Song Yu massaged the thin skin of his palm and whispered, “Go. I’ll be alright by myself here.”
Seeing Qi Chengzhi glued to the spot, Qi Zhongliang nearly rushed out of the living room. He froze midway and neither advanced nor retreated, making for a very awkward sight.
Grandmother Qi said, “Oh dear,” and continued, “Just go there. Nothing’s going to happen if you leave the Song girl here, right? I’ll look after her. It’s not like anyone’s going to eat her.”
“Go,” Song Yu urged softly.
In the end, Qi Chengzhi walked to Qi Zhongliang, but before he left, he still managed to knead her hand.
His movement, though small, was not done with the intention of being covert. Other than Qi Zhongxun and Guan Liya, who were unable to spot it due to their position, the rest of them saw his action clearly.
It was the first time Qi Chengzhi treated a girl so lovingly. He was so protective of her, even when he was dealing with his own family—a fact which shocked everyone there.
Qi Chengzhi left, and all Song Yu could do was stand awkwardly there.
“The Song girl, sit down,” the old lady said.
By then, Song Yu felt uncomfortable no matter where she sat.
It was all the same, whether she sat beside Xia Wenna or Yu Keyao.
A tiny head popped up from behind the kitchen door. Qi Youxuan was busy eating his watermelon in the kitchen when he heard some noise in the living room. His great-grandfather seemed to be really angry, so he was afraid of going out.
When everything was quiet again, Qi Youxuan bravely stuck out his head to check on the situation.
He was pleasantly surprised to see Song Yu standing there, although she did look at bit lonely.
Qi Youxuan went back into the kitchen, grabbed his half-eaten watermelon, and ran out.
“Auntie!” Qi Youxuan called out with glee. His chubby arms held the watermelon, and his movements caused the juices from the watermelon to splash all over his chest and sleeves. His other chubby hand was grasping a ladle, and he brandished it while running over to Song Yu.
When he reached where Song Yu was, he inserted the ladle into the watermelon and used his free hand to hold Song Yu’s hand. “Auntie, when did you arrive?”
“Just a while ago.” Song Yu glanced at him and found it surprising that there was still someone in the house who genuinely welcomed her presence.
“Auntie, come and sit down.” Qi Youxuan’s eyes scanned the surroundings. He intended to bring Song Yu to sit beside his father, Qi Chenglin, but there was no empty space there. In the end, he led her to the space that Qi Zhongliang had previously been sitting at.
Yu Keyao looked at Song Yu with an unpleasant expression. ‘Why wasn’t Qi Youxuan as friendly as he was toward me when I came!’
Hearing him call Song Yu ‘auntie’ was incredibly revolting for Yu Keyao. If only she could sew the boy’s mouth shut!
“Auntie, would you like some watermelon?” Qi Youxuan scooped up some watermelon. His words were meant for Song Yu, but the scoop was directed toward his own mouth. If Song Yu said yes, he would have to give away that watermelon sincerely.
“No, thank you. You go ahead and eat.” Song Yu smiled, and Qi Youxuan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t eat so much, otherwise you won’t be able to have a proper meal later.” Qi Chenglin could not help but grumble at his son.
At that time, Grandmother Qi was so at odds over Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu that she could care less about Qi Chenglin.
Conflicted and confused, she found herself in a hard place. It was incredible enough that Qi Chengzhi had a girlfriend whom he was serious about marrying. If things went smoothly, Grandmother Qi would have a great-grandson in her arms, but why did the girlfriend have to be Song Yu? What was he trying to do by getting married to his brother’s ex-fiancée?
The old lady was still at a loss for words when Qi Zhongliang’s voice roared from the study room. “What’s going on in your mind! He’s your brother’s ex-fiancée for God’s sake, isn’t there any other woman in the world? What’s wrong with you!”
When everyone remembered that Yu Keyao was still there, their faces turned awkward.
“Keyao.” Xia Wenna turned around and had an unhappy expression. “Since things have turned out like this here, I’m afraid it’s not convenient for you to have a meal with us.”
Song Yu’s status may soon be revealed to the public because Qi Chengzhi’s character would render separating them difficult. It was, after all, a blemish to the family, so none of them would want an outsider like Yu Keyao to hear them all.
In fact, Yu Keyao understood that Grandmother Qi’s earlier hinting was to get her to leave, but at that time she played dumb.
Xia Wenna’s words, however, were all too clear. Yu Keyao had no choice but to hide her unwillingness and dissatisfaction at being asked to leave. She smiled, stood up, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and remarked openly, “I understand. It’s inappropriate for me to be here.”
There was nothing else that Xia Wenna could have said. Her upbringing meant that there was no way she could say anything bad about Song Yu in front of Yu Keyao.
More so, when Song Yu was the daughter of her friend.
After sending Yu Keyao off, Xia Wenna sat back down. However, she chose to sit beside Qi Chenglin, on Song Yu’s opposite, leaving only Song Yu and Qi Youxuan looking quite lonely by themselves.
That was when Song Yu truly appreciative and was thankful for Qi Youxuan. He may be a young boy, but by being at her side, he made her feel less lonely than if she were alone.
“Song Yu,” Xia Wenna finally spoke after a lengthy silence.
Xia Wenna pursed her lips, and her teeth were clamping down on the parts of her lip within her mouth. “When we met at Dynasty the other day, we didn’t have the chance to talk. Are your parents well?”
“They are. They’re used to living a normal life. There are perks to the simple life: they don’t need to worry about company matters, they don’t have to attend all sorts of events. Without all that, my father has nothing much to do, so he spends his time analyzing his kifu and talking to the neighbors. He looks more energetic than he was last time even though he’s aged since then.” The hardships and inability to adjust to that life were more prevalent during the period immediately after the bankruptcy, but they left all that in the past because it was many years ago.
“Your mother, she… Is she still angry with me?”
Song Yu thought for a moment before replying, “I think that’s out of the question because everything’s much calmer now. After all, when such a big business is gone so suddenly, I don’t think there’s anyone who could keep their cool at the time. In fact, my mother did come to a realization that help should not have been expected. Besides, the Qi family would have had their own things to worry about. The Song family’s debt was too much, even my mother’s relatives simply looked at us without doing anything. They severed all ties with us as fast as they could. There was no point for us to blame anyone.”
“Song Yu.” Xia Wenna looked down for a moment before looking up at Song Yu. “Whether you believe me or not, I genuinely wanted to help you. When I introduced Yu Keyao to Chenghzi, it was my hope that the Yu family would make amends with the Qi family. As in-laws, I’d be in a position to plead the Yu family to help the Song family.”
“I really do regret what happened to your family, but I cannot agree to your relationship with Chengzhi. I think you understand too, that people would be saying stuff about someone who was once engaged to our youngest son but is now in a relationship with our eldest. Even though there are no blood relations between you two, this… This is too messy!”
“What mess is there? I brought Song Yu here today for Grandfather and Grandmother to meet her. I never considered whether you’d agree or not.” Qi Chengzhi had completed his conversation with Qi Zhongliang, and the former walked out right after the latter did.
Qi Zhongliang’s face was sour because Qi Chengzhi did not seem to fully appreciate their prior discussion.
Qi Chengzhi maintained his composure as though nothing happened at all.
He went and sat beside Song Yu immediately, his insipid gaze turning warm and tender the instant he laid eyes on Song Yu.
Xia Wenna could see the change with utmost clarity. She felt shocked because she never thought that Qi Chengzhi would treat Song Yu so specially. That tender gaze was something Xia Wenna had never seen in her son’s eyes.
Song Yu calmed down immediately after seeing Qi Chengzhi, despite her being somewhat uncomfortable at first. As her eyes met his gaze and felt its lovingness, a surge of warmth erupted from within the depths of her heart.
She was particularly desperate to lean against him at that time.
Qi Chengzhi shifted his attention to Qi Youxuan, but his gaze reverted to the pre-Song Yu coldness. Devoid of emotion, he narrowed his eyes and lifted Qi Youxuan by the collar.
“Oi, uncle, what are you doing!” In the midst of enjoying his watermelon, Qi Yuoxuan’s handheld the fruit tightly when he was suddenly lifted up into the air. His other hand held the scoop and was about to attack Qi Chengzhi’s hand with it.
Just before the scoop came into contact with Qi Chengzhi’s hand, the man placed Qi Youxuan on Xia Wenna’s lap and squeezed himself in between her and Song Yu, thereby separating the two women 1 .
Xia Wenna pursed her lips tightly and wondered if he was afraid that she would pick on Song Yu.
‘Did he have to be so protective of her?!’
The sofa became exponentially more crowded after Qi Chengzhi sat down. Qi Youxuan was still a small boy so he did not take up a lot of space, however, Qi Chengzhi inserted himself quite stiffly in the middle.
Xia Wenna was made to shift her position to the side.
Song Yu sat with more composure because she was once again close to Qi Chengzhi. She did not know what to say, so she simply kept her head low. A fair hand then stretched over and covered her hands which were placed on her knees.
Those bony fingers of his were slender and handsome; such hands would look exceptionally elegant when playing any musical instrument.
His well-defined fingers held her hand and tunneling through the spaces between her fingers using her fingertips. Meanwhile, his thumb was rubbing gently on the back on her hand.
The familiar warmth and reliance he emitted caused Song Yu to reciprocate his grip.
“Grandfather, Grandmother. I brought Song Yu here today to meet the both of you.” Qi Chengzhi looked at his grandparents and continued plainly, “If you don’t agree, then there won’t be anyone else whom I can father children with.”
“This…” The elderly lady’s heart sank and she could not say anything further.
Her biggest wish was to see her grandchildren getting married and bestowing many great-grandchildren for her. There was nothing else she wanted.
However, her eldest grandson’s words suggested that there was no one else for him other than Song Yu.
If there was no Song Yu, Qi Chengzhi declined to find anyone else who could give birth to great-grandchildren for them. What then?
Grandmother Qi was conflicted.
Grandfather Qi looked at Qi Zhongliang, then at Qi Chengzhi. He then looked at Song Yu, and finally at Qi Chengji, exclaiming, “I’m going for a walk!”
‘All this is nonsense!’
“Chengzhi, how could you say that to Grandpa and Grandma!” Xia Wenna chastised unhappily. “Are you using your future child to threaten us?”
“If you want to look at it that way, Mother, it’s fine with me.” Qi Chengzhi tugged on Song Yu and stood up. “It’s not easy for me to find someone I like. I am in no position to say that I might or might not meet another person that I like as much as her. If I could’ve made do with anyone earlier, I would’ve done so. There’s no need for me to wait until now.”
Qi Chengzhi paused and looked at his grandmother in earnest. “Grandmother, I’m thirty-four this year. Oh, wait. It’s already the new year so let’s just go with thirty-five. If everything goes smoothly, I’m nearing my late thirties by the time I get to marry and father a child. If this is dragged even longer, I really don’t know if I can father any children by then.”
“Oh dear!” The old lady placed a hand to her heart and crashed to the sofa in a bout of agony. She turned her face to the side and did not even look at anyone else.
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Qi Zhongliang lost his temper and stood up. “GET OUT! You just had to look for your brother’s ex-fiancée! You’re not even afraid that people will gossip behind your back! We can’t control you anymore, you’ve gone mad with that love of yours! If you don’t want to have children, don’t! We’re not demanding it from you, now are we? Get out!”
