Chapter 8: Qin Xingwan and Qin Yunshu, Whom Will He Choose?

Qin Xingwan pulled her finger back, a mocking smile on her face: "No need. You stay here and keep your good friend company; don't let me cause any unpleasantness between you two."

She actually wanted to ask him: was the "matter to attend to" that he spoke of just coming to find Qin Yunshu?

But this sentence rolled through her heart several times, and in the end, she didn't ask it.

It was obvious; there was no need to invite humiliation.

Chu Li, however, insisted: "I will go with you."

The smile on Qin Xingwan's face vanished. After the scene they had just made, there was really no need for him to put on a show of being a loving husband.

After all, the truth of this marriage was so sordid.

Qin Nainai had difficulty walking and spent most of her time in her room; at this moment, she leaned on her cane and stood up to reach the doorway.

Qin Xingwan hurried to help her grandmother back to her room, her eyes already turning red before she could even speak.

"Nainai." She called out with a choked sob, throwing herself onto the old woman's lap.

Qin Nainai stroked her granddaughter's hair, asking repeatedly what was wrong.

Her heart was full of worry.

Qin Xingwan quickly reined in her emotions, wiped away her tears, and held her grandmother's hand: "I'm fine, Nainai. I just missed you."

"You child, if you missed me, you could have just come to see me," Qin Nainai sighed.

She knew in her heart that her granddaughter must have been wronged to be crying so sadly.

And that grievance... Qin Nainai looked up at Chu Li in the doorway.

Chu Li walked in and called out, "Nainai."

Qin Nainai nodded, her words directed at Qin Xingwan: "The maid in the kitchen has stewed some soup; go help me see if it's ready."

Qin Xingwan obediently went.

Qin Nainai gestured for Chu Li to sit, her aged voice turning serious: "Back then, when they wanted Xingwan to marry you, I did not agree."

Chu Li lowered his eyes, his hands resting on his knees, looking as if he were listening to a lecture.

Qin Nainai continued: "Now that Yun Shu has returned, I will ask you one thing: what are your thoughts?"

She was asking Chu Li who he would choose.

No emotion could be seen on Chu Li's cold and indifferent face, save for his fingers curling slightly against his palms.

"Xingwan and I will not divorce."

This was the promise he gave the old woman.

"What if Xingwan wants a divorce?" the old woman pressed.

A sudden irritation surged in Chu Li's heart: "Don't worry, Nainai, we will continue on well."

He gave an ambiguous answer.

Qin Nainai sighed, her heart aching for her granddaughter, yet she was powerless to help.

She could only do her best to entrust him: "If one day Xingwan wants her freedom, please do not make things difficult for her."

Chu Li's throat tightened, and he could not make a sound.

Almost everyone felt that he would divorce Qin Xingwan.

Qin Xingwan thought so too.

But if he said it out loud, he feared no one would believe him: he had never once had the thought of divorce.

His feelings for Qin Yunshu were merely the affection of growing up together in their youth.

Protecting her was to repay the debt of her saving his life back then.

"Nainai, the soup is ready." A gentle voice came.

Qin Xingwan brought the soup bowl in, not even giving Chu Li a glance as she passed him.

Chu Li sensed her coldness.

Three years of marriage—from the beginning of following an agreement to later becoming one in body and soul, they actually understood each other well enough.

"Nainai, I will step out first. Xingwan, I will wait for you outside." He left politely.

Qin Xingwan did not answer, only feeding the soup to her grandmother.

Qin Nainai studied her granddaughter's pale complexion, knowing she must have suffered many grievances again because Qin Yunshu had returned.

That couple had always been terribly biased.

"Xingwan, I heard what you said outside." Qin Nainai lowered her voice, tears flashing in her eyes, her heart filled with guilt: "It is Nainai who has dragged you down."

Qin Xingwan gripped the soup bowl tightly, her heart surging with emotion, but her tone remained light and playful: "Nainai, this has nothing to do with you. Besides, arguing is good for physical and mental health."

Qin Nainai sighed.

Qin Xingwan stayed in the room with her grandmother for a long time, only leaving when it was time for her grandmother's nap.

Outside, the servants had already prepared lunch.

"Come eat." Lady Qin greeted Qin Xingwan, without much closeness.

They had only just torn off the mask of civility not long ago; maintaining politeness toward this daughter was already Lady Qin's limit.

"I won't eat, I..." Qin Xingwan wanted to refuse.

"After becoming A Li's wife, you haven't learned anything else, but you've certainly learned to put on airs. What, is the food at home not good enough for you?" Qin Jianguo, who had just arrived home, scolded with a stern face.

Qin Xingwan remained silent; her grandmother was here, and she did not want to continue arguing and make her grandmother worry.

But looking at her father's stance, he would not let it go if she didn't eat this meal.

So she walked to the table in silence and sat down.

Qin Jianguo was even angrier: "I don't know what I owed you in my past life, putting on a long face the moment you get home."

"Alright, stop talking." Lady Qin urged.

The atmosphere at the dining table was stifling.

Qin Xingwan could sense the look of disgust Qin Shen cast upon her, likely thinking it would be better if she hadn't appeared here.

Disturbing the happy harmony of their family.

"Sister, drink some soup." Qin Yunshu carefully placed a bowl of pork rib soup in front of Qin Xingwan, her voice gentle and soft, ingratiating and well-behaved.

Qin Xingwan gave no response, simply lowering her head to pick at the food in her bowl.

She did not even touch the bowl of soup.

Qin Yunshu bit her lip, her eyes beginning to redden, looking aggrieved and upset.

Qin Shen immediately threw down his chopsticks, pointed at Qin Xingwan, and scolded, "Qin Xingwan, are you ever going to stop?"

Qin Xingwan looked up, her expression indifferent: "What have I done now?"

"Yun Shu is talking to you, and she kindly served you soup; are you deaf or blind?" Qin Shen was full of rage.

Qin Xingwan looked down at the bowl of pork rib soup: "Must I drink it just because she served it? Is it a crime against heaven not to drink it?"

Her calm counter-question was more uncomfortable to hear than hysteria.

"Enough." Qin Jianguo slapped the table, his anger erupting, "Can't you even eat a meal in peace? What are you all trying to do?"

He stared at Qin Xingwan and said coldly, "If you don't want to eat, then get out."

Qin Xingwan stood up immediately, "I never intended to stay for dinner in the first place."

If she hadn't been afraid of disturbing Grandma, she would have left long ago.

Now that she was being told to leave, she couldn't be happier.

"Qin Xingwan, you stop right there." Qin Shen walked over and grabbed Qin Xingwan, "Drink the soup before you leave."

He had always felt that Qin Xingwan possessed an air of arrogance that was particularly annoying.

It was as if she had nothing to do with this family from beginning to end.

So today, she would drink this soup whether she wanted to or not.

"Forget it, brother." Qin Yunshu came over to pull at Qin Shen, choking with sobs as she said, "Sister isn't feeling well, don't make things difficult for her."

"You're still speaking up for her?" Qin Shen looked at his sister, frustrated by her lack of backbone, "She ruined your birthday party, even publicly accused you of stealing her dress, and then gave the clothes to a waiter afterward, causing you to be mocked."

"Now she's trampling on your sincerity, and you're still defending her?"

"Xingwan, Yun Shu truly wants to be good to you as a sister." Chu Li walked over, blocking the aggressive and relentless Qin Shen, and urged Qin Xingwan in a deep voice.

That bowl of soup was a younger sister's gesture of affection toward her older sister, and Qin Xingwan should show some appreciation.

"We are all very sorry about the child, but no one expected such a thing to happen." Lady Qin sighed and joined in the persuasion, "You and A Li are still young; there will always be more children."

"You were pregnant and should have stayed home properly, but you insisted on running out; now that the child is gone, instead of reflecting on yourself, you blame others. Is this how we raised you since you were small?" Qin Jianguo's expression was sharp, filled with nothing but dislike for this daughter.