Chapter 402: She Wants to Be a Free Bird

Jiang Qi seemed stumped by this question, finding it strange that her younger brother, who was never good with words, would ask such a thing.

Marriage would imprison a woman, and children would become a woman's invisible shackles.

This was Jiang Qi's understanding.

Because from childhood to adulthood, she had seen the women around her endure in their marriages.

Her parents' marriage was considered relatively good, yet her mother had been harassed by that old hag, Nainai, plenty of times when she was young.

Just like that, she had spent a lifetime living under the same roof as that old hag for the sake of her father.

She was not the type to endure, so she could not be anyone's daughter-in-law, and naturally, she did not want to marry.

"Let's do this," Han Tengfei said, seeing that it was the New Year and Jiang Qi was about to have a falling out with her family, trying to smooth things over. "Uncle, Auntie, Nainai, please don't be angry. I'll go stay at the guesthouse instead."

He stepped out the door, and Jiang Qi followed right behind him. "Since they can't tolerate you, I'm leaving with you!"

Hu Qian was angry. "Jiang Qi! You come back here!"

"I'm not coming back! Not unless you can accept Tengfei!" Jiang Qi stubbornly tilted her chin up.

In this family, Jiang Aiguo rarely expressed his opinions, and he rarely lost his temper, but this time he couldn't help it.

"Then get out, too!"

Hu Qian patted her husband's hand with some worry; of all the children, her husband had always loved this daughter the most since she was small.

Even though they later had two sons in succession, in her husband's heart, this daughter was still the one he cared about most.

Watching her daughter's retreating back, Hu Qian was also furious.

It wasn't that she looked down on this man, but rather her daughter's casual attitude toward marriage and her own future.

Jiang Qi was always harping on about how marriage was not a necessity for women.

Hu Qian was already a relatively open-minded parent; she tried to understand her daughter, but she was also worried—not getting married was one thing, but what if something happened?

"Mom, let me go have a word with my sister!" Si Rong stood up and patted Jiang Cheng's hand. "I'll be back soon."

Just as she expected, Jiang Qi and Han Tengfei hadn't gone far, and the two of them seemed to be arguing about something.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't mean anything," Han Tengfei had originally liked Jiang Qi quite a bit, but she was truly too emotional, and when her temper flared, she was prone to impulsiveness. "We're both in a bad mood today; you should go back and keep your parents company."

It was the New Year, and she had to make such a scene, making everyone unhappy.

"I don't want to go back!"

Jiang Qi didn't like her Nainai, and she hated her various arguments about valuing men over women even more.

When she was little, she couldn't resist, but now she was grown up and could work and earn money just like a man; why should she have to keep enduring her?

Besides, her mother had always emphasized since she was small that her father loved her dearly, but if he really loved her, why did he still let that old hag come to the house for the New Year?

If she went back now, she would definitely have to listen to a long string of nagging from that old woman.

"Sister, stay," Si Rong walked up close, just as Han Tengfei pulled his sleeve out of Jiang Qi's grip and walked away as if fleeing.

Jiang Qi hadn't expected the person chasing after her to be this sister-in-law she had only met a few times, and she felt a bit embarrassed.

"You go back; I'll just walk around and clear my head."

Si Rong knew she was having a hard time, but if she let her leave now, there was no telling when she would come back.

Although she hadn't had any contact with this Han Tengfei, just from the fact that he left Jiang Qi alone on the street tonight,

he was, first, irresponsible, and second, probably didn't love Jiang Qi very much.

Perhaps he was that irresponsible biological father of Jiang Zhi.

Si Rong hoped Jiang Qi wouldn't easily give herself to such an irresponsible man, but she was also worried that her interference would affect Jiang Zhi's birth.

But it was too late for regrets now; she took Jiang Qi's hand. "Sister, if you don't want to go home now, go stay at my friend's place first. Calm down for a bit; Mom and Dad miss you very much."

"The second uncle and second aunt will probably come to pick up Nainai tomorrow."

She felt Jiang Qi must really dislike Old Mrs. Jiang, but then again, Old Mrs. Jiang's character was truly hard for anyone to like.

Hearing that Old Mrs. Jiang would be picked up, Jiang Qi hesitated for a moment.

She missed her parents, too.

Back then, to avoid having to listen to Old Mrs. Jiang's nonsense, she had specifically gone to the countryside near Gui City.

Because her performance was excellent and her job was also in Gui City, it wasn't easy to make a trip back.

"Sister, I'll go tell Jiang Cheng, and then I'll take you to my friend's house. It's not far; you wait for me, okay?"

After Si Rong finished speaking, she trotted back. Jiang Cheng was worried about her walking the night road alone, so he went with her.

Knowing that their daughter had a proper place to stay tonight, Hu Qian and Jiang Aiguo finally felt a bit more at ease.

"Rongrong is a good child; if Qiqi were half as sensible as her, it would be great," Hu Qian said.

Jiang Aiguo just sighed.

"Hmph! Spare the rod and spoil the child!" Old Mrs. Jiang was angry when she saw the couple. "She's so lawless, isn't it because the two of you spoiled her? In my opinion, you should hurry up and find her a husband to marry her off, otherwise, who knows what shameful things she'll do in the future!"

"It's the New Year, and she just runs off with some wild man; it's shameful and brings disgrace to the family!"

Xu Yan picked up a piece of candied sweet potato for her. "Nainai, don't just talk; the food will get cold in a moment."

Seeing that this granddaughter-in-law was quite sensible, Old Mrs. Jiang gave her face and sat down to start eating the sweet potato.

The sweet potato made by Wu Shen was very fragrant, sweet, and sticky to the teeth.

Old Mrs. Jiang took one bite and couldn't open her mouth, and the house fell quiet along with it.

Although Hu Qian had always been at odds with her mother-in-law, she had to admit that occasionally, what she said was quite reasonable.

A girl didn't necessarily have to get married, but she couldn't just be with any man whose background she didn't know.

If she were to suffer a loss, or accidentally get pregnant, it would be too late to regret it then.

She exchanged a look with Jiang Aiguo; it was indeed time to find a husband for their daughter to settle her down in Huaiyang.

They only had this one daughter, and they certainly hoped she could stay by their side so they could look out for each other in the future.

Fortunately, the daughter-in-law had already steadied her first.

Si Rong sent Jiang Qi to Ming Zi's place, where she still had a single bed prepared.

It had been purchased during the renovations, with the thought that Si Rong could take afternoon naps there when she opened the shop later.

Jiang Qi and Ming Zi were actually able to chat a bit; mainly because they were of similar age, and both were unmarried.

In the dark of night, Jiang Qi looked at the moon through the window and thought, she wanted to be a free bird, and nothing should ever be allowed to bind her.