"That woman is no match for Jiang Li at all. What on earth do you see in her?"
Even through the door, Qin Yaoyao could detect the sarcasm in Su Jialan's words. "Finding a woman like this is no different from randomly pulling someone off the street for a blind date and marriage."
Flinging this out angrily, she then said coldly, "Jiang Li, wheel me out for some fresh air and let him reflect on his own."
Jiang Li lowered her head in assent and got up, planning to open the door first and then wheel Su Jialan out.
The moment she opened the door, Qin Yaoyao stood there, her face ashen. Clearly unable to hold back any longer, humiliated to the extreme, tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down.
"Auntie, it's my fault. I've let you down. It's all my problem. It has nothing to do with A Yan. Please don't take it out on him."
Su Jialan was taken aback. She hadn't expected Qin Yaoyao to be eavesdropping outside the door. The disgust on her face was even more palpable.
With a solemn look on her face, her voice grew colder. Her eyes landed on Qin Yaoyao. "I didn't say it wasn't your problem either."
"Didn't your parents ever teach you that it's impolite to eavesdrop on others?"
This was an unreserved insult, causing Qin Yaoyao to stagger. Biting her lip, her voice began to choke. "It has nothing to do with my parents. Please respect them."
As if hearing a joke, Su Jialan said with a half - smile, "Respect is earned, not given out of charity, little girl."
—
This meeting that night was anything but pleasant.
Qin Yaoyao threw herself into Xiao Yanzhi's arms and sobbed. Her tears soaked his shirt, but she still felt extremely aggrieved.
After she had cried her heart out, Qin Yaoyao's voice was choked, and her crying - swollen eyes were glistening. "A Yan, am I so useless that I've disappointed Auntie?"
Xiao Yanzhi lowered his eyes, looking a bit absent - minded.
Only after a moment did he reply in a low voice, "No, you're very good."
Qin Yaoyao bit her lip. Her body trembled uncontrollably from crying so hard. "But Auntie hates me so much. She likes Sister Jiang Li better."
Thinking of the contrast between Jiang Li's and her own performance just now, as well as the words Su Jialan had said, she felt as if she had been slapped hard.
The gap between her and Jiang Li made her feel a deep sense of inferiority.
Qin Yaoyao had always known that Jiang Li was far more outstanding than her.
But because of Xiao Yanzhi's favor, she had almost forgotten about this gap.
Xiao Yanzhi took out a tissue and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. His voice was nonchalant. "She can like whoever she wants. It's not about what I like."
Hearing this, Qin Yaoyao stopped crying.
She blinked her eyes, blushed slightly, and pursed her lips shyly. "Then A Yan, who do you like?"
Xiao Yanzhi was silent for a while, then pursed his lips and smiled, looking into her eyes.
His voice was deep and always sounded good when he said sweet words. He said each word very seriously, "Don't you know best who I like?"
Only then did Qin Yaoyao smile happily and shyly bury herself in his arms.
...
Sitting in the long - wheelbase and wide - bodied business car, Jiang Li remained silent throughout the journey.
This car was specially prepared for Su Jialan because of her mobility issues. It needed to be spacious enough to accommodate her wheelchair.
"Jiang Li, you must have guessed this outcome a long time ago," Su Jialan said in a determined tone after her emotions had calmed down and she had returned to her usual gentle self.
Jiang Li lowered her eyes and replied softly, "Madam has her own plans. I don't intend to speculate on your intentions."
From beginning to end, Jiang Li's expression remained calm.
Su Jialan took a deep breath and rubbed her temples tiredly. "I thought this time A Yan had seriously found a suitable girl."
Jiang Li still chose not to respond.
After getting along with Su Jialan for so long, she had learned to be calm and composed.
"To be honest, I feel so unfair for you," Su Jialan said, her expression looking a bit better. Then she continued earnestly, "You've been with A Yan for so long, but in the end, you can't compare to a young girl. It's really a pity."
The tone of regret seemed to imply a hint of sowing discord.
Jiang Li didn't mind. "Madam, I don't think it's a pity."
Under Su Jialan's gaze, she said slowly, "On the contrary, I'm glad that Mr. Xiao has found the one he loves."
"Actually, I don't want to marry into the Xiao family as much as you think," she said calmly and unapologetically. "Moreover, I'll probably terminate my contract with Jiangyu soon."
Hearing this, surprise flashed across Su Jialan's face.
She had heard some rumors that Jiang Li was planning to terminate her contract with Jiangyu, but she hadn't taken them seriously, thinking they were just media gossip.
Jiang Li staying with Jiangyu was a great honor for her. How could she be willing to leave this big tree that had sheltered her?
Jiang Li pursed her lips, and her speech slowed down. "Thank Jiangyu for its cultivation over the years, and thank you, Madam, and Mr. Xiao for your teachings. I'll always remember them."
At the end, her tone suddenly turned cold and polite. "For future occasions like this, Madam, you don't need to invite me."
"This is the last time. I have no obligation to be anyone's shield. I hope you understand."
She spoke boldly and simply, with her own unique pride.
Actually, Jiang Li received Su Jialan's invitation the day before.
The moment Qin Yaoyao proudly said that she would have dinner with Su Jialan that night, Jiang Li understood Su Jialan's plan.
It was nothing more than making the two of them fight so that she could benefit.
Neither Jiang Li nor Qin Yaoyao was the daughter - in - law she had in mind.
But Jiang Li didn't care.
Her resistance and refusal were gentle but firm, leaving no room for compromise.
It was a long time before Su Jialan snapped out of her daze after Jiang Li got out of the car.
...
When Jiang Li got home, she felt completely exhausted.
It was a different kind of tiredness from a whole day of filming. It was the exhaustion that came from the bottom of her heart.
This kind of scheming and calculating life was really wearing her out.
Jiang Li changed into her slippers at the entrance. Dragging her tired body through the living room, her eyes caught sight of the vase on the table.
The red roses in it had withered.
She leaned over, took them out, and threw them into the trash can.
When she walked into the bathroom and lifted her hand to tie up her hair, she smelled a faint fragrance on her fingertips.
Although the flowers had withered, the fragrance still lingered.
She looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly smiled.
Just as she turned on the faucet to wash her face, her phone on the sink vibrated. A text message came in.
[Dr. Qiao: How's your health recently? Remember to take your medicine on time.]