Free Web NovelChapter 144: Chapter 144: Hostility
Su Li was speechless. She felt a strange sense of kinship with this Aunt Chang.
"I almost got a divorce back then, too, but in the end, it didn’t happen. I was much older than you are now, but..."
Aunt Chang looked at Su Li with a complicated, somewhat puzzled expression.
For some reason, she felt the young woman before her could understand her words and her feelings. She had an inexplicable urge to confide in her.
They were clearly from two different generations.
"Little Su, can you tell me your real reason for wanting a divorce?"
Su Li was silent for a long time before she spoke.
She didn’t say much, only briefly mentioning the two times she had been misunderstood.
She didn’t embellish the stories, just recounted them simply, but Aunt Chang’s expression slowly darkened.
"No wonder... no wonder..." Aunt Chang murmured, suddenly reaching up to tuck a stray strand of Su Li’s hair behind her ear.
She then patted Su Li’s shoulder. "My child, you’ve suffered."
The compassion and understanding in her voice made Su Li’s heart ache.
’In two lifetimes, this is the first time an elder has ever shown me such compassion and understanding.’
"I understand the situation now. I won’t try to persuade you anymore. It’s just that my old man is a bit stubborn. I’m afraid he won’t give up and will keep trying to talk you out of it or delay things..."
Su Li frowned, and Aunt Chang chuckled when she saw it. "Don’t frown at such a young age. And don’t be in such a hurry to achieve everything at once."
"Aunt Chang..." Su Li said, exasperated.
"You have to wear my old man down. If you get all anxious and flustered, you’ll drive yourself crazy with anger. I know this, I have experience. Just you wait!" free𝑤ebnovel.com
Aunt Chang suddenly smoothed her hair and gave a mischievous wink. "Just wait until I use a little pillow talk."
Su Li couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at? Your Aunt Chang still has her charms!" Aunt Chang protested.
That was just how Aunt Chang was—open-minded, humorous, and a little mischievous.
Aunt Chang didn’t leave until it was time to make dinner. "I’m going back to make dumplings. I’ll bring some over for you later."
Just as Aunt Chang predicted, when Tang Yuanxiao returned, he said there was no resolution yet.
Tang Yuanxiao looked outside. "Did any of the other wives come by to chat today?"
Everywhere he went today, people had been envying him, saying his wife was beautiful and his son was adorable. A few of the wives he knew had also asked him about Su Li.
He saw a few of them looking at his front door and assumed it must have been busy at home today.
To his surprise, Su Li shook her head. "No, no one came except for Aunt Chang."
Tang Yuanxiao found that a bit strange. ’Usually, when a new wife arrives, everyone goes to visit, don’t they...?’
’Still, it’s better that no one came.’
Just as he was thinking this, there was a knock on the door.
"Captain Tang."
Tang Yuanxiao turned and opened the door. He looked at the person and thought for a moment. "Miao Zhi?"
"It’s me. You still remember me, Captain Tang." The young woman named Miao Zhi had a bob haircut that reached her ears, straight bangs, and almond-shaped eyes. She was wearing a white blouse and black skirt—a typical student’s outfit.
And she was, in fact, a student—eighteen years old.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Tang Yuanxiao asked, standing in the doorway with no intention of inviting the young woman inside.
Miao Zhi’s eyes darted around. She stood on her tiptoes to peer over Tang Yuanxiao’s shoulder. "Who’s that inside?"
Only then did Tang Yuanxiao step aside to let her see. "Who else would it be? My wife."
Su Li forced a smile and stood up. Just as she was about to greet her, Miao Zhi let out a long, meaningful "Ohhh."
She sized Su Li up from head to toe. "They weren’t kidding. You really are pretty and fashionable."
Tang Yuanxiao’s brows knitted together. "Miao Zhi, do you need something?"
"Mhm," Miao Zhi grunted, quickly walking up to Su Li to ask curiously, "I heard you took the college entrance exam too, Sister-in-law? How did you do?"
Although the young woman feigned curiosity, her youth betrayed her, and her hostility towards Su Li was plain to see.
Su Li didn’t know why this young woman was so hostile towards her, nor did she have any interest in finding out.
The faint smile on her lips vanished immediately. Instead of answering, she looked directly at Tang Yuanxiao.
"About me taking the college entrance exam... did you announce it at your broadcasting station or something?" ’Why does this girl know about my exam?’
Tang Yuanxiao’s brow furrowed. "No. I haven’t told anyone."
Su Li’s expression was clearly one of disbelief. At that moment, Miao Zhi, who had been ignored, finally spoke up, annoyed.
"Taking the college entrance exam isn’t something to be ashamed of, so why can’t Captain Tang talk about it?" Miao Zhi pouted. "Don’t wrongly accuse Captain Tang. I overheard it."
Seeing Tang Yuanxiao’s dark expression, Miao Zhi shrank back a little and explained, "You were with Brother Yu at the time. He was peeking at your letter from behind you and blurted something out, so I heard it."
After hearing this, Tang Yuanxiao’s expression didn’t improve. He apologized and explained to Su Li.
"I should have been more careful. I’m sorry..."
Miao Zhi muttered unhappily from the side, "What’s there to apologize for? Taking the exam isn’t shameful, unless... you overestimated yourself and did really poorly..."
"Miao Zhi," Tang Yuanxiao’s face darkened.
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t know Su Li’s score. Seeing that she never mentioned her results, he assumed they weren’t good and hadn’t brought it up himself.
Hearing Miao Zhi speak so recklessly, he immediately cut her off.
Su Li glanced at Tang Yuanxiao and pursed her lips.
Miao Zhi pouted. "Sister Jia Ren heard her nephew was here, so she asked me to pass on a message. She said Aunt Cui really misses her grandson and wants to know if she can come to the base to see him, or if he can be brought to see the old lady."
This was something that should have been said away from Su Li, but Miao Zhi didn’t bother.
The Sister Jia Ren she mentioned was the biological younger sister of Little Tang Mo’s birth mother, Cui Yun. Aunt Cui was Little Tang Mo’s biological maternal grandmother.
Su Li knew of this Grandma Cui.
Back in Xinghua Village, before the New Year, they would receive a gift forwarded by Tang Yuanxiao, sent by this same Grandma Cui.
Little clothes, little shoes, little toys—it was never much, but they were all heartfelt gifts from Grandma Cui.
After Little Tang Mo was born, Cui Yun had left. Grandma Cui had only seen Little Tang Mo once before he was a month old and hadn’t seen him since, for over six years. It was only natural that she’d want to see him now that she heard he was here.
Su Li had never met the Cui family and had no particular feelings about them, good or bad. She didn’t think anything of it, so her expression remained unchanged.
Tang Yuanxiao, however, shot a quick glance at Su Li and said in a low voice, "I understand. Is there anything else?"
He was afraid Miao Zhi would say something else unpleasant.
This young woman, Miao Zhi, had been spoiled by her family growing up. She was naive and impulsive.
But naive as she was, Miao Zhi wasn’t stupid. How could she not understand Tang Yuanxiao’s unspoken intention to get rid of her?
"What are you so protective for..." she muttered, shot a sidelong glance at Su Li, and huffed. Then she said loudly, "Of course there’s something else."
"Go on," Tang Yuanxiao said.
"I got my acceptance letter! I got into university! My dad says it’s a huge cause for celebration and wants to invite everyone to a banquet in the Imperial City."
Miao Zhi lifted her chin and puffed out her chest, finishing proudly. She shot a look at Su Li. "Captain Tang, Sister-in-law, you have to do us the honor and come. The whole family, together."
She emphasized the words "the whole family" with particular weight.
She was doing it on purpose, deliberately showing off.
