Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss-Chapter 549 - 523: Clearing the Air

After the gathering, Mr. Liao went to get the car, while Jia Xiufang and her group stood by the roadside waiting.

"I wonder if Uncle Liao’s car can fit all of us. Why didn’t Minglang drive over?" Jia Xiufang asked Yu Minglang.

"He doesn’t drive after drinking," Qian answered for Yu Minglang.

"True, we’ll just squeeze in somehow. Minglang, are you going to call a cab?"

Yu Minglang coughed, and while Jia Xiufang wasn’t paying attention, nudged Qian from behind.

Qian found it amusing that although he was eager, he pretended to be calm. She wanted to tease him but couldn’t bear to.

"I’ll ask Minglang to take me back to school."

"Chen, Qian!" Jia Xiufang gritted her teeth. Don’t think she didn’t hear, this girl wanted to spend the night at Yu Minglang’s place again!

Her daughter said yesterday she would return to school, but today she came over less than 10 minutes after a phone call, surely she’s already spent a night with Yu Minglang.

It’s not good to do this without being married. Jia Xiufang knew her daughter and Yu Minglang had probably done it, but to say directly she wouldn’t go home, in front of his mother no less, was too bold.

"Mom, I know what I’m doing, don’t worry about me, just take care of yourself."

Yu Minglang chimed in cheerfully, "Auntie, don’t worry, I’ll definitely get Qian back to school safely."

But that would be tomorrow.

They had agreed on one day and two nights, wouldn’t short a minute, that’s principle.

"It’s so late, can’t you just stay for the night?" Jia Xiufang hinted at Qian.

Yu Minglang felt his beloved Mei was about to spread her wings and fly away. His future mother-in-law seemed intent on breaking up the lovebirds.

Qian waved her hand, signaling him to take Chen Zilong away; she wanted to talk to Jia Xiufang alone.

"Mom, do you know what Uncle Liao does?"

"We’re talking about your situation, why bring him up?" Jia Xiufang didn’t understand why her daughter suddenly mentioned this.

"Since I was 18, I was clear on everything I did, but you don’t even know who is around you. So, this Uncle Liao, do you know what he does?"

"He works in the court, how am I supposed to not know?"

"Do you know his rank?"

"A job’s a job, what rank... I just see that their work benefits are nice, the holiday fruits they gave aren’t even finished yet."

Jia Xiufang, despite being newly wealthy, knew little about such things, like a blank slate. She just knew that benefits involving fruit meant good treatment.

"Talking about a judge’s ranking might be confusing, so let me put it plainly; he’s got the equivalent of a vice-ministerial rank, similar to the mayor of a midsize city. To put it in terms you might understand, he’s like the prefect you see in those TV dramas, not just a county magistrate. Do you get it?"

Jia Xiufang was greatly surprised.

"You’re saying, we live next to an honorable official who bargains for cabbage?!"

"The exact rank isn’t calculated like that, but his treatment is roughly about that level. I just gave you a comparable exchange."

Using terms Jia Xiufang could grasp, Qian explained that, in reality, there wasn’t a direct comparison, but by Qing Dynasty officer standards, he was akin to a fourth or fifth rank official, a mid-level cadre.

"Oh my, what a surprise! How does such an official live in a two-bedroom old apartment and still bargain for cabbage... and his son’s car isn’t even as good as my son-in-law’s!"

In Jia Xiufang’s mind, these kinds of people were exceedingly mysterious.

"Even officials come as good ones and otherwise. Your neighbor who bargains for cabbage is clearly an upright one, probably doesn’t earn as much as you, but he’s honorable, modest, and his rank is above ours."

"Qian’er, what are you trying to say?"

"I’m not against you finding a new partner, but it should be based on mutual understanding and happiness. I don’t want you to be unhappy in a second marriage. If there’s no shared background, you should at least have shared language like Yu Minglang and I do. Neither you nor Uncle Liao has that. I hosted dinner for them today just to clear any debts owed, do you understand?"

Jia Xiufang’s eyes widened. She felt like her daughter had just said something unbelievable, wanting to counter with a ’kids shouldn’t talk nonsense,’ but it felt like cotton was lodged in her throat, making her speechless.

Maybe Qian just broke the layer of pretense in her mind.

"I’ll say it again, I know what I’m doing and I hope you do too. A person with no long-term worries must have immediate fears."

Qian wasn’t bringing this up because she wanted to spend the night with her boyfriend and divert her mom’s attention. It was the right time for this talk, especially after the experience with a disappointing father. Qian hoped her mother, who wasn’t very shrewd, could live a stable and happy life for the rest of her years.

However, when the words came out, seeing her mother’s reaction, it seemed she’d dealt a heavy blow, making Qian feel like an absolute villain.

But if not now, should she wait until her mother was hurt?

So, suppressing her reluctance toward her mother, Qian rationally said,

"There are many paths one can choose. When you’re young, mistakes can be corrected, but at your age, there’s not as much time and emotion left for re-choosing. I hope every step from here on is the right one for you."

Jia Xiufang was moved to tears by her daughter’s words, wanting to say something but at a loss for words, she could only tilt her head up to keep the tears from falling.

After finishing, Qian felt she had been overly emotional tonight, and it was all because Yu Minglang led her astray!

Mr. Liao drove up, beckoning Jia Xiufang to get in the car.

"No need to trouble you, I’ll take a cab with my son..." Jia Xiufang turned her body away, not wanting the Liao family to see her losing composure, as she was about to cry.

"It’s on the way, how could it be trouble?" Mr. Liao hadn’t noticed Jia Xiufang’s odd mood.

"Thank you, Uncle Liao, but really, there’s no need. My mother has already been a bother to you before, and I feel bad about it," Qian spoke like she was grateful, but there was an underlying meaning.

Mr. Liao was a wise man and got the message. He got out of the car and approached Qian directly.

"Qian, why so formal?"

"I’m not being formal, I’m sincere. They say distant relatives can’t match close neighbors, but since we’re not related, it’s not appropriate to always trouble you. My fiancé will help my mother choose a more suitable place, where the environment will be better for her and my brother."

"I understand..." Mr. Liao caught the nuance in Qian’s words, remained silent for a moment, then looked at the neighbor with his back to him, said his goodbye, and drove off.

When his car was far away, Jia Xiufang turned around. Seeing her mom’s eye expression of reluctance, Qian imagined a thousand alpacas were running through her mind.

Why did she feel like The Queen Mother of the West, creating a Milky Way with a hairpin? And why did her mom’s expression resemble that of a weeping Weaver girl, watching the Cowherd drive off in a shabby car with his son to the north, silently choking up in tears?

Having played the bad guy, Qian sought some comfort from Yu Minglang, darting a glance in his direction. It almost made her nose wrinkle in frustration.