Chapter 227: Hands Are Moving: The Qin-Dong Showdown, Huo and Ma Join the Fray

Current girlfriend!

Those few words struck right at Dong Xuan's pressure point—already mentioned before, Dong Xuan's Achilles' heel was breaking up with Yan Li.

Even after the last time Dong Xuan spoke with Yan Li and learned that Qin Lan had taken advantage of their breakup (from Dong Xuan's perspective), her hatred for it deepened.

In her heart, if she and Yan Li hadn't broken up, Qin Lan would have had nothing to do with him—and none of Fan Xiaopang's messy women either.

The two of them would have lived happily together, perhaps even married by now.

Yan Li's current state? That's all thanks to these fox spirits seducing him.

Of course, Dong Xuan deliberately or inadvertently ignored why they broke up in the first place.

Even if she remembered, the blame was all Huang Shengyi's.

It was that little bitch who first led Yan Li astray and caused their breakup, triggering all the events that followed—so Dong Xuan hated Huang Shengyi the most, her dislike for her being more than ten times greater than her combined hatred for Fan Xiaopang and Qin Lan.

Still, for Dong Xuan, it was painful enough that Qin Lan—the other beneficiary of the breakup—was now jumping in.

Dong Xuan sneered: "Current girlfriend? I've never heard of you."

Saying that, she turned and coordinated with Guan Yue: "Old Guan, have you heard of her?"

Guan Yue, Dong Xuan's longtime friend, matched her perfectly: "I haven't even heard rumors about her—who knows what random street spirit popped up?"

"You haven't heard of me, but I've heard of you."

Qin Lan looked at Dong Xuan and spoke slowly, word by word: "The universally recognized ex-girlfriend."

The three words "ex-girlfriend" were deliberately emphasized, making Dong Xuan's temples throb as she gritted her teeth.

"Whether ex-girlfriend or current girlfriend, if Yan Li accepts you, who the hell are you? Does anyone even know you?"

Qin Lan used "ex-girlfriend" to disgust Dong Xuan; Dong Xuan countered by stabbing her with Qin Lan's "invisibility."

After all, Dong Xuan and Yan Li's relationship was acknowledged by both parties and known to everyone.

But Qin Lan and Yan Li's relationship? It's still only whispered among a few, with occasional online leaks carrying little influence.

So while both knew the truth, publicly speaking, Qin Lan was "unworthy" to face off against Dong Xuan.

Guan Yue, fiercely protective of her friend, stepped forward to attack: "What kind of random flirts are swarming here? Know your place."

Dong Xuan had backup; Qin Lan wasn't alone either—Huo Siyan stepped forward to respond.

"Who are you talking to? An ex-girlfriend is just an ex-girlfriend—it's all in the past. What's all this drama for?"

If it were anyone else, fine—but Dong Xuan saw Huo Siyan, the little pest she'd already punished, and spoke coldly.

"Didn't I teach you enough last time? You're asking for another beating, aren't you?"

Huo Siyan still had psychological trauma from Dong Xuan and grew nervous facing her directly; Qin Lan had to step in to protect her.

"What's going on? Gangsters?"

Looking at the deflated Huo Siyan, Qin Lan felt genuinely exhausted.

This useless piece of trash brags and incites behind the scenes, but when it comes to action, she's nothing.

Aside from Wang Ou, who always avoids conflict, Qin Lan led her in two fights—one against Dong Xuan, one against Fan Xiaopang—and Huo Siyan, whether from deep trauma or sheer incompetence, got wiped out instantly each time.

Now look at Guan Yue beside Dong Xuan, full of fighting spirit—she finally understood the value of a good teammate.

But luckily, today wasn't just Huo Siyan—there was also Ma Yili beside her.

Qin Lan gave Ma Yili a signal: Old Ma, go.

Ma Yili hesitated—she was indeed good friends with Qin Lan, but she truly didn't want to get involved in this.

She actually knew Dong Xuan too, though not well; they'd interacted before, and she didn't want to speak harshly or offend her pointlessly.

And there was Tong Dawei—she got along well with him; her role in "Struggle" came partly thanks to him; now she'd be directly clashing with his girlfriend—how would they ever get along in the group again?

Huo Siyan was single and fully committed to clinging to Qin Lan's leg; Ma Yili had her own solid career and good reputation.

Though she was willing to stay on good terms with Qin Lan, it didn't mean she was fully tied to Qin Lan's boat.

After much hesitation, Ma Yili finally acted—but not to help Qin Lan, rather to mediate.

"We're all here to visit the set; no need to cause bad feelings. Give me and Dawei a favor—keep it peaceful…"

Ma Yili didn't just plead herself—she dragged Tong Dawei along too, since both sides had come to visit because of them; as a mediator, it was natural for her to smooth things over.

Tong Dawei, reminded by Ma Yili, quickly joined in to persuade.

He, as a man, had no business intervening while the women were arguing.

If it were anyone else, he'd naturally side with Dong Xuan and his girlfriend—but Qin Lan's status was too sensitive.

The Dong-Qin conflict was a family matter within Yan Li's circle; a few girlfriends taking sides was understandable.

How could he, a man, step in? What if Qin Lan later complained to Yan Li that he'd bullied her? What if Yan Li couldn't handle the women but took it out on him?

So earlier, Tong Dawei had just stood by, afraid to get involved.

But now Ma Yili offered a way out—he finally had room to act.

He couldn't join the fight, but he could pull them apart.

Anyone experienced knows arguments are dangerous when bystanders cheer them on—things escalate fast, and physical fights aren't rare.

But if someone intervenes to cool things down, except for a few who get more fired up, most people respond positively.

Qin Lan never wanted to clash with Dong Xuan—she'd been pushed into it and couldn't back down, so she had to force herself forward.

Dong Xuan, of course, was even less willing to retreat—it was a chance encounter on a narrow path; she couldn't show fear.

After a brief exchange, they both knew the other wasn't an easy target.

Either keep fighting, tearing the place apart in broad daylight, or take the easy way out—go home and settle it later.

For Dong and Qin, these two choices weren't hard—they were ready to follow Tong and Ma's lead.

"We're on someone else's set today; don't disrupt their work. Any debts can be settled later."

"Fine, I'll give Old Ma and Dawei a favor—but remember, this isn't over."

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan each threw down final threats, then prepared to leave.

At that moment, a petite girl came from the direction of the parking lot, and upon seeing everyone, she ran over with evident delight.

"Wow, everyone's here—what a lively scene."

Li Xiaolu, a popular rising star and cast member of The Struggle, loved to play around and was skilled at socializing.

She knew almost everyone present.

Tong and Ma need no explanation—they were from the same crew; her closest friend was Huo Siyan, whom she met through her boyfriend Li Chen. Both were sociable, often going out to eat and shopping together, and got along well.

Qin Lan also met Li through Huo Siyan, but they'd only gone shopping once and weren't particularly close.

Dong Xuan was slightly better off— they'd met at a university classmate's birthday party, and Guan Yue had also met Li Xiaolu then.

Afterward, Li Xiaolu had actively invited Dong Xuan out; Dong Xuan had accepted two invitations, and their relationship was decent, though not especially deep.

The problem was right here!

Since everyone knew each other but wasn't truly close, Li Xiaolu assumed she could talk to anyone, yet knew little of the actual circumstances.

For instance, she knew Dong Xuan and Yan Li had once been exes, but was unaware of their true current relationship.

Qin Lan knew even less about Yan Li—they'd met only once. Though Huo Siyan was close to Qin Lan, she wouldn't blab about Qin Lan's private affairs.

To curry favor, you must keep your mouth shut; Huo Siyan wouldn't casually reveal anything about Qin Lan.

The only one she clearly wanted to bring into the sisterhood was Xiong Naijin; she'd asked Qin Lan's permission before mentioning anything, and Zhao Ke, having starred in The Great Qing Imperial Harem, already had some idea.

None of them understood the underlying conflict, and Li Xiaolu's mother, who had just come to visit and then left, wasn't part of the crew and knew nothing of the backstory.

Seeing the group gathered here, Li Xiaolu thought they were just chilling and chatting, and called out to join them.

"Sister Lan, Sister Xuan, long time no see—don't leave yet. I'll treat everyone to dinner; let's all get together."

"..."

Ma Yili was stunned—just as things were about to wind down, now you're dragging everyone back together. She hurriedly said:

"Let's get together another time. We're all busy. It's time to go."

"No way! It's still early. It's rare for someone to come visit the set—you've all finished talking, but I haven't even spoken yet. Nobody's leaving. I'll ask Director Zhao for leave—we're not stopping until we're drunk."

Li Xiaolu was well-known and came from wealth; her grandfather and father were both production directors and directors at the August 1st Film Studio, her mother had been an actress before going into business. Her family's connections in the industry weren't the strongest, but certainly far better than those of an average actor.

Everyone else, including Tong Dawei, were tense around Zhao Baogang—only she, relying on her father's old connections, could afford to be a little spoiled.

Since Li Xiaolu insisted no one leave, and the matter involved privacy, Ma Yili couldn't openly explain.

Finally, Dong Xuan, who had been silent all along, spoke up and laid it bare.

"Lulu, I appreciate your kindness, but I really can't sit at the same table as certain people. Let's skip this one—I'll treat you next time."

Qin Lan wasn't having it—you refuse, fine, but why drag me in? She declared outright:

"Xiaolu, if someone doesn't want to go, fine. Sister'll eat with you. People you can't get along with? Just ignore them from now on."

Dong Xuan stared coldly at Qin Lan: "You go if you want. You grab whatever others discard—so fond of eating leftovers, are you?"

Qin Lan's eyebrows shot up, sneering: "Oh? At least I don't eat grass I've already spit out—then go back and eat it again. You call me eating leftovers? What are you eating, swill?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"I'm talking to you!"

Dong and Qin had just stepped back from the confrontation, but that didn't mean their anger had faded—they were both simmering, originally planning to go home or target someone specific.

Now, Li Xiaolu's interruption delayed them.

Like blowing hard on a pile of smoldering ashes, the embers scattered and reignited with even greater force; their outbursts were fiercer than before.

Watching Dong and Qin start bickering again, Li Xiaolu was baffled—what even was this? They'd just started fighting.

But the information was massive.

Ma Yili cursed inwardly, but had to step in again. Yet the same old lines? Once was enough—this time, their effect was greatly diminished.

Dong Xuan shoved aside Ma Yili, who was trying to mediate, and pointed straight at Qin Lan's nose.

"I've tolerated you long enough. You, a homewrecker, standing here showing off to me."

Qin Lan spat at her through Ma Yili: "I was legitimately dating Yan Li. You're shameless—broke up but still clinging on. You're the homewrecker."

As the principals quarreled, their allies didn't hold back. Guan Yue immediately launched into Huo Siyan:

"What a broken pot for a broken lid—what kind of person hangs out with what kind of person? Born to be a pair of trash."

Huo Siyan had trauma around Dong Xuan, but she wasn't afraid of Guan Yue—so what if she was Tong Dawei's girlfriend? She had protection; she wasn't scared of Tong, so she fired back:

"Can't compare to you—dung beetles sworn brothers, stinking together in one pile."

"You little bitch, you dare talk back?"

"Then what are you gonna do? A lackey—what's so great about you?"

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan still held back slightly, content with verbal sparring.

But Guan Yue had no patience—once pushed too far, she lunged to scratch Huo Siyan, who didn't back down, rushing forward to grab her hair.

Fortunately, Tong Dawei was there—he immediately hugged Guan Yue and shouted at Li Xiaolu: "Are you just standing there? Stop them!"

"Oh."

Li Xiaolu replied, stepped forward, and grabbed Huo Siyan—seemed to be pulling hard, but in reality exerted almost no force. Her eyes gleamed with excitement, hoping they'd all just start fighting so she could watch.

Because Li Xiaolu held back, Huo Siyan gained the upper hand. Though she didn't land a hit on Guan Yue, she struck Tong Dawei a few times.

Now Guan Yue was furious—how dare that little bitch hit my man!

Ignoring Tong Dawei's hold, she kicked wildly at Huo Siyan. Tong Dawei feared she'd fall, so he held her tightly, which meant Guan Yue didn't have to worry about falling—she could unleash freely.

Huo Siyan, overeager, didn't expect this move—got kicked square in the leg.

Li Xiaolu steadied her, whispering quietly: "Use your bag."

Huo Siyan snapped to attention, took off her shoulder bag, and swung it like a mace at Guan Yue's leg.

On the other side, Dong Xuan saw the fight had escalated and Guan Yue had taken a hit—she rolled up her sleeves and moved to join in. Qin Lan, worried for her best friend, yanked off her bag and charged forward with it.

Ma Yili was near tears—these goddesses were all more trouble than the last.

Li Xiaolu nearly burst out laughing, pretending to pull them apart while secretly wishing he could kick them both.

The unluckiest was Tong Dawei, trapped in the middle by several women, becoming a human shield—most of the blows landed on him, while the women barely got hit.

As the physical struggle grew fiercer, a Mercedes G-Class sped toward them.

"Fuck!"

Li Xiaolu thought it was going to crash into them and shouted for everyone to dodge, but everyone's faces darkened when they saw the car.

Screech—

The G-Class screeched to a stop several meters away, its tires biting the ground, then out stepped a tall young man in casual clothes—Yan Li.

He glanced at the scene, especially the disheveled state of the women, understood the situation, and his expression turned black.

Looking at Qin Lan and Dong Xuan, he forced out: "Go home."

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan exchanged glances but didn't move. Yan Li raised three fingers.

"I'll count to three. If you don't get in, don't come back. One…"

"Fine, we won't go back."

Guan Yue, resentful of Yan Li's domineering tone, couldn't hold back—after all, this mess was his fault—and snapped back.

Yan Li gave her a cold glance, ignored her completely, and bent his second finger.

"Two."

Guan Yue opened her mouth to speak, but Tong Dawei clamped a hand over it. Ma Yili tugged at Qin Lan, who, seeing Dong Xuan still standing firm, gritted her teeth and held her ground. Dong Xuan, seeing she didn't move, pressed her lips together and refused to budge.

"Three."

Yan Li finished counting. Seeing their stubbornness, he turned on his heel and walked toward the car without another word.

When Qin Lan saw Yan Li actually getting in to drive off, panic seized her—she couldn't hold out any longer, stepped forward quickly. Seeing her move, Dong Xuan, who had held back to her limit, also strode toward the car.

Both fixed their eyes on the front passenger seat. Qin Lan yanked open the door to get in, but Dong Xuan grabbed the door handle. They glared at each other, neither willing to yield.

Yan Li looked at the two: "Sit in the back."

Qin and Dong exchanged glances again, locked in stalemate. This time Yan Li said nothing—he grabbed each by the arm and shoved them into the car, warning them.

"No fighting. No shouting."

After getting them settled, Yan Li rummaged through their bags for the car keys, then turned back to the group. He handed Qin Lan's key to Huo Siyan.

"Drive your Lan-jie's car home."

Huo Siyan nodded without protest. Yan Li turned to Guan Yue, who said nothing but reached out and took the key.

Even if she resented Yan Li, Dong Xuan was already in the car. If she spoke up now, she'd just cause trouble for her best friend—so she swallowed her anger.

Yan Li looked at Tong Dawei, covered in multiple footprints, patted his shoulder, and said, "Good job."

Then he turned to Ma Yili and Li Xiaolu: "Sorry to make you witness this mess."

"It's fine."

Ma Yili waved it off, adding, "It's just a small disagreement, nothing serious. Don't get too worked up—go home and talk it out."

Yan Li nodded, apologized again to everyone, promised to treat them all later as compensation, and asked them not to spread family gossip.

After receiving nods and promises from the group, Yan Li got into the car. Seeing Dong and Qin sitting coldly on opposite ends of the backseat, he honked once and drove off.

…

After Yan Li left, the group exchanged glances and dispersed.

Tong Dawei and Guan Yue walked back. Guan Yue brushed dirt off him, grumbling about Yan Li, yet also worrying whether Dong Xuan would be mistreated.

"Stop worrying so much. They're both willing—Dong Xuan didn't say a word herself. Why did you argue with Yan Li?"

"I can't stand how he acts. This whole mess started because of him, yet he acts like he's the one accusing others. What kind of person is he?"

"You need to change your mindset."

Tong Dawei advised his girlfriend: "Don't keep seeing Yan Li as that broke college kid. He's a big boss now. If Dong Xuan keeps sulking, she might drive him away—and then Qin gets the advantage for free."

As previously mentioned, Guan Yue had known Yan Li too long and had watched him and Dong Xuan grow up together.

So she naturally saw them as equals, ignoring the vast gap in their current realities.

Though over the past two years, as Yan Li's career soared, Guan Yue's attitude had softened and her tolerance for him had grown, deep-rooted views don't vanish overnight. Add today's lingering anger, and she'd gotten carried away—hence snapping at Yan Li.

Now, she regretted it, afraid it would hurt Dong Xuan.

Tong Dawei didn't take it seriously—he didn't think Yan Li would blame or resent Guan or Dong over this.

Even if there was an impact, Dong Xuan wouldn't blame Guan Yue—after all, Guan had defended her and even fought for her.

That kind of best-friend loyalty was exactly what worried him: if he and Guan Yue fought, Dong Xuan would come after him like a vengeful demon.

He didn't have Yan Li's power!

Thinking of how Yan Li had counted to three, and how Qin and Dong had immediately stopped fighting and followed him into the car, Tong Dawei's eyes flickered with envy.

"A true man should be like this!"

"What did you say?"

Too quiet. Guan Yue hadn't heard. Tong Dawei forced a smile: "I said, I'm better, right? At least I don't make you fight."

"Hmph. All men are the same—once they get money, they turn rotten. You're no better."

Guan Yue sneered, but reached out and rubbed his arm—someone had scratched him earlier.

Damn, it's not their men—they don't hold back at all…

On the other side, Ma Yili, Huo Siyan, and Li Xiaolu left together, heading to the parking lot.

Seeing Huo Siyan struggle with reversing, Li Xiaolu—proud of her own driving skills—offered to drive her home.

Ma Yili nodded. As Huo Siyan was about to get in, Ma Yili pulled her aside, as if to say something, but finally sighed and waved them off.

Whether arguing or fighting, Ma Yili had her reasons, and her actions had served the bigger picture and benefited Qin Lan.

But they were close sisters—Guan Yue and Huo Siyan had rushed to Qin and Dong's side without hesitation, while she had only tried to mediate. Compared to them, Ma Yili knew she'd lost major points.

Qin Lan's thoughts were unclear for now, but Huo Siyan's attitude toward her had clearly grown colder.

"Ah, what a mess."

Ma Yili felt she was purely suffering unjustly—she was just filming peacefully, then got caught up in all this, ended up doing all the work without any appreciation, and it was driving her crazy.

In the car, Li Xiaolu began gossiping with Huo Siyan about Qin Dong and Yan Li.

She'd just barely understood the situation from pulling them apart, but the full details were still unclear; she'd volunteered to drive Huo Siyan home specifically to get the scoop.

Huo and she had always gotten along well, and during the fight, Li Xiaolu had held back and warned her, making Huo Siyan feel she was on her side.

Since Li Xiaolu had already seen Qin Dong fighting, there was no point hiding it, so Huo Siyan shared only what she could say.

Of course, Huo Siyan's version was heavily biased, lavishing praise on Qin and slandering Dong.

Even though Li Xiaolu hadn't known much about this before, she sensed something off.

After all, she'd dealt with Dong Xuan before—clearly, the woman wasn't anything like the "vile woman" Huo Siyan described.

But Li Xiaolu said nothing, silently listening to the gossip, her expression gradually brightening, occasionally asking a few questions, and finally expressing a faint sense of satisfaction and reflection.

"Damn, what a show!"

Compared to Qin Lan and Dong Xuan, Li Xiaolu was now more interested in Yan Li.

Eating from one bowl while eyeing the pot, stepping on two boats, promiscuous—this man was no good.

But then again, such a bad man really had some punch, some flavor.

Recalling Yan Li's domineering behavior when he counted to three and demanded they get in the car, Li Xiaolu's eyes sparkled—if this were her boyfriend Li Chen, he'd never have that kind of aura or determination.

Hmph, he's barely even dared to step on two boats—if he had, she'd cut that thing off for him…

Uncertain of Qin Lan's intentions, Huo Siyan didn't let Li Xiaolu drive her to Qin Lan's; she went home instead.

Li Xiaolu didn't leave after dropping her off, saying she was in high spirits and wanted to hang out with Huo Siyan.

Huo Siyan thought Li Xiaolu was loyal, and with so much happening today, she still had plenty to say—she gladly agreed.

The two bought cooked dishes, cold platters, and alcohol, then ate and chatted freely at Huo Siyan's place.

While they were enjoying their meal, the atmosphere among Yan Li's trio, who had been circling around the "Struggle" set all day, was tense.

Qin and Dong were in a cold war, silent; Yan Li said nothing too—so they just dragged their feet, since he had nothing else to do today.

After more than half an hour, Yan Li was even considering stopping for gas, when they passed a public restroom and Dong Xuan couldn't hold back.

"Stop—I need to use the restroom."

Qin Lan muttered: "Lazy ass, always needing to pee and shit."

Dong Xuan didn't coddle her, firing right back: "At least I don't just eat without pooping."

Yan Li tapped the center console: "If you two keep squabbling, I'll throw you both out and walk home myself."

Dong Xuan grumbled: "You keep threatening people like it's nothing."

Qin Lan added: "Exactly—earlier we gave you face, you think we're actually scared of you?"

"Fine then, since there's no one else here, you don't need to give me face—get out, I'm going home to eat."

Dong Xuan and Qin Lan fell silent. This big fight had gone too far; they weren't sure if Yan Li was truly angry or just trying to control them.

If he really was angry, and they kept fighting, they'd just hand the advantage to Fan Xiaopang.

To be honest, whether it was Dong Xuan or Qin Lan, each considered Fan Xiaopang their number-one rival.

That seductive fox was putting too much pressure on them!

If today's opponent had been Fan Xiaopang, Yan Li's "count to three" trick wouldn't have worked nearly as well.

But Fan Xiaopang wasn't here, creating a situation where the onlookers gained the upper hand—and neither dared to gamble.

Not just losing the gamble—even if that seductive fox got the first move, it would be enough to ruin them.

Seeing them quiet, Yan Li slightly softened his expression.

In such situations, you must know when to press and when to ease up.

These two had just fought—they were low on confidence, but he himself was even less in the right; as the instigator of everything, Yan Li had always been fully aware of his position.

So a bit of intimidation was fine—to deflate their arrogance—but he couldn't keep pressing, or it would backfire and turn the fire onto himself.

"Just hold on a bit longer—come to my place, and have dinner with my parents."

Yan Li felt he'd hammered them enough; he wanted to use this chance to test their limits.

He knew both wanted to be his family's daughter-in-law—but whether they could peacefully coexist as his family's daughters-in-law was exactly what he wanted to understand and foster.

"…."

Hearing they were going to Yangjiaodeng Hutong, both Qin and Dong felt uneasy, but under Yan Li's pressure and unwilling to show weakness in front of each other, they said nothing.

When they arrived at the Sihe Academy in Yangjiaodeng Hutong, only Zhang Hong and Old Yan were home.

They were watching TV—CCTV-6 was airing the movie "Raise Your Hands," where Pan Changjiang's Japanese soldier was being chased by a stone roller.

The couple was laughing loudly when they saw Qin Lan and Dong Xuan walk in together—their smiles froze on their faces.

"Mom, Dad, Huanhuan and Lanlan are here to visit you."

Yan Li called Dong Xuan by her nickname smoothly enough, but "Lanlan" for Qin Lan sounded awkward—he rarely used it.

But since he'd used Dong Xuan's nickname in front of his parents, he couldn't call Qin Lan by her formal name—so he stuck with the pet name.

"Oh, sit down quickly."

Zhang Hong snapped out of it, inviting them to sit, and chatted with them a bit awkwardly.

How to put it—she'd seen both daughters-in-law many times recently and was familiar with them, but they'd never come together before; Zhang Hong naturally felt tense and uneasy.

After a few minutes of chatting, Dong Xuan went to the restroom—Yan Li had told her to go right after arriving, but she refused to let Qin get ahead, holding it in until now.

But as soon as she left, Qin Lan seized the opening and lavished attention on Zhang Hong.

"Auntie, I heard from Yan Li that you've been thinking of me—I've missed you too. A friend recently gave me a beauty card—I'll take you for a treatment soon…"

Zhang Hong smiled. She had some reservations about Fan Xiaopang, preferred Dong Xuan, but didn't reject Qin Lan.

How to put it? Although Qin Dong had no aura of being a university professor, Zhang Hong still approved of her in many aspects—her personality, appearance, and family background.

In Zhang Hong's heart, Dong Xuan would be the ideal daughter-in-law; if it were Qin Dong, she wouldn't object either.

As for Fan Xiaopang… if her son truly liked her, she couldn't stop it, but she personally held reservations…

After a while, Dong Xuan returned, saw the two chatting happily, and immediately stepped forward to speak.

"Auntie, Yan Li said you've been muttering about me at home—why didn't you call me? I can come visit you even after work."

Why do I keep muttering so much!

Zhang Hong glanced at her son—she'd given birth to this little bastard just to screw her over.

Yan Li cleared his throat: "I'll go find out where Grandma is."

Yan Li slipped away, and Old Yan followed right behind: "It's crowded at night—I'll go check if there's enough food."

Zhang Hong: "..."

The Yan family really has no good people at all!

Then again, even if the Yan father and son didn't dodge, Qin Dong and Dong Xuan's primary targets were still her or Yan's grandmother.

After all, they came here to build good relations with Yan Li's elders—no need to bother with Yan Li himself. Old Yan is the father-in-law, so a daughter-in-law shouldn't get too close to him; that leaves only the mother-in-law and grandmother to court.

Zhang Hong had no choice but to endure the two daughters-in-law's flattery.

To be fair, though being surrounded by two daughters-in-law gave her a headache, Zhang Hong secretly felt a tiny bit of satisfaction.

This is what it means to be a mother-in-law!

Throughout her life, Yan's grandmother never had three daughters-in-law so filial.

Her sister-in-law, Yan Li's eldest sister-in-law, also had a difficult daughter-in-law—Yan Li's cousin Yan Yi was completely dominated by his wife, and Yan Li's eldest sister-in-law had often complained to her about how her son forgot his mother after marrying.

Her own family was much the same—everyone said rural mothers-in-law were cruel, but there were plenty of dominant daughters-in-law too; conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were common, even cases where the mother-in-law was driven out of the house.

That's why Zhang Hong favored obedient, well-behaved daughters-in-law—she'd seen too many mothers-in-law bullied by them and didn't want to end up the same way.

But now it seemed she didn't need to worry—her son could handle it, and she could just enjoy the good life.

Yet, after dinner ended, Zhang Hong abandoned this thought.

Sihe Academy was too cramped—mainly because Qin Dong was too delicate and refused to share a bed with Yan Li.

So Yan Li planned to take Dong Xuan and Qin Dong home, but just like last time when he dropped off Dong Xuan and Fan Xiaopang, the order of who went first became a point of contention between the two women.

Yan Li once again dragged his parents in as guarantors, swearing he'd follow all the rules.

Dong Xuan blinked, said she trusted Uncle and Auntie, and generously offered to let Yan Li take Qin Dong first.

When Yan Li returned from dropping off Qin Dong and picked up Dong Xuan to take her home, about an hour later, Qin Dong called Zhang Hong, saying Yan Li hadn't called to confirm whether he'd gotten home, and she was worried he'd had an accident on the way.

"Uh, he's back, seems like he's asleep—I'll have him call you back tomorrow."

After dealing with Qin Dong, Zhang Hong turned to Old Yan: "Let's pack up and head back to our hometown in a couple days. If we stay any longer, my reputation for half a lifetime will be ruined."

This little bastard lying to us is one thing—but using his two wives as guarantees, and then getting caught out—what will they become?

Old Yan nodded in deep agreement: "Let's go back. This little bastard keeps bringing home two at a time—I'm starting to crack under the pressure."

"Look at the two of you—so pathetic."

Yan's grandmother tapped her cane, glancing disdainfully at her son and daughter-in-law.

Zhang Hong sighed: "If you weren't so terrifying, you could stay by yourself—but I'll warn you: if those three ever meet up, your old bones won't hold up."

"Exactly."

Old Yan patted his belly: "Besides, I'm sure that little bastard is holding something back—there's no telling when a fourth or fifth one might show up."

"..."

Yan's grandmother fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "Xiaoman is coming soon, then Mangzhong—time to harvest the wheat."

"We don't grow wheat! Besides, Mangzhong is still half a month away."

Old Yan said this reason wasn't enough, but Zhang Hong slapped him: "My family grows wheat—Yan Li hasn't set foot in the fields in ages; he doesn't even remember when to harvest."

Yan's grandmother tapped her cane firmly: "That's settled—we're going home to harvest wheat."

(End of Chapter)