Chapter 234: Chapter 214: Cold War

Tang Yaxuan’s instinct for self-preservation was immeasurably stronger than Xiao Man’s in her previous life. Perhaps it was due to blood ties; she understood and saw through the true nature of her family far better than Xiao Man ever could. Moreover, she had solid backing and an escape route. Wu Xiaowen’s financial support was more than enough for her to bring Liu Fengying to heel, making this "guardian," whom Yaxuan refused to acknowledge, completely obedient to her. Thus, even if sent back to the countryside, Tang Yaxuan could still handle the situation with composure and avoid the quagmire that was the Mo family.

One could only say that in both her past life and this one, Tang Yaxuan was fortunate. She ended up with Tang Qingyun and Wu Xiaowen, receiving their affection and support. Xiao Man, on the other hand, with Wu Xiaowen as her birth mother, had been doomed to suffer. Reborn in this new life, ’how could she possibly forgive her?’

Wu Xiaowen returned to Wancheng alone and waited two days and two nights for Tang Qingyun to come back. When the couple finally met, Wu Xiaowen was full of resentment, her face etched with sorrow. Tang Qingyun, in contrast, seemed to be in excellent spirits. He had spent two happy days in Ping County with his mother and brother, feeling as if he had returned to his childhood. The two brothers had gathered around their mother, basking in her care and affection. Though the young children were now the main focus, the brothers still enjoyed the periphery of her attention, and it had been an incredibly pleasant and joyful time.

Wu Xiaowen watched Tang Qingyun walk in the door. He didn’t come over for their usual warm greeting, but instead muttered that it was too hot and ducked straight into the bathroom. The sound of rushing water, SHHHHH, went on for a long time; it seemed he was taking a shower. Wu Xiaowen couldn’t help but feel her heart sink. ’We haven’t been intimate in so long, and he’s being this cold to me?’

Gritting her teeth, she swallowed her pride and went to the closet to get him a change of clothes. She knocked on the bathroom door. Tang Qingyun opened it just a crack to take them, murmuring a "thank you." "Let me help you?" Wu Xiaowen offered. But Tang Qingyun had already closed the door, not hearing her.

Wu Xiaowen sat on the sofa, waiting for him to come out. When he did, she picked up a dry towel and started to dry his hair, casually asking, "What about them? Why didn’t they come back with you?"

Tang Qingyun took the towel from her to dry his own hair, saying flatly, "My mother and brother already took a plane back to Beijing from the local airfield."

Wu Xiaowen froze for a second, then pursed her lips. "So they had that convenience available and never let us use it? When our family of three went back to Beijing or on any long trip, we had to haul all our luggage and squeeze onto crowded trains. Honestly... they’ve just always had it in for you!"

"’They’? Who is ’they’?" Tang Qingyun’s voice held a spark of anger. "Xiao Wen, you never used to be like this. You were always gentle, graceful, and polite. You would smile and call a complete stranger ’Auntie,’ so why are you like this with my mother? I’ve been thinking about it. You never call her ’Mom’ on your own. In front of me, you call her ’the old lady,’ ’Grandma Xuanxuan,’ or ’Grandma Hao Hao.’ Is it really so hard to call her ’Mom’ and be a filial daughter-in-law, like everyone else?"

"Tang Qingyun, are you blaming me? What right do you have to accuse me?" Wu Xiaowen’s nose stung, and tears began to stream down her face. "You say I’m impolite, that I’m not filial to your mother? Take a good look at her attitude! Is there any mother-in-law in the world as vicious and cruel as her? For more than ten years, since I married into the Tang family, how much have I suffered? How much abuse have I taken? Did you not see any of it? That day, in front of the kids and guests, she humiliated me like that, so completely heartless... What more do you want from me? You want to know if I have manners, if I understand filial piety? Go ask your father! He knows better than anyone! Your mother is petty and narrow-minded; she can’t stand anyone. She deserves to be plagued by illness! She doesn’t deserve my kindness!"

"Wu Xiaowen!" Tang Qingyun flung the towel aside, his face livid. "No matter what kind of person she is, she is my mother! She’s Manman’s and Hao Hao’s grandmother! Disrespecting her is the same as disrespecting us! My mother was sick for so long and has only just started to recover. Do you have any idea how important her health is to this entire family? To say something like that... Xiao Wen, you’ve shocked me. And you’ve disappointed me. You must apologize!"

Wu Xiaowen buried her face in her hands and broke into sobs. "Qingyun... how has your mother treated me? She locked me outside the iron gate, refused to let me eat at the table, and forced me to stand to the side like a servant girl, placing food on your plates while watching you all eat... Have you forgotten all that? I’m not made of stone! Am I not allowed to feel hurt and miserable?"

Tang Qingyun turned his face away and sighed. "I haven’t forgotten. But don’t you forget, either. Before we got married, I told you the Tang family has many old rules and that you would likely be given a hard time. Back then, you said, ’Since I’m marrying you to become a Tang family daughter-in-law, I’m prepared to endure any hardship!’ A wife standing by the table to serve the elders and children while they eat is one of those rules. My mother served my grandmother the same way when she was young."

Wu Xiaowen snatched the towel from Tang Qingyun’s hand to wipe her tears, scoffing, "What era was she living in, and what era are we in now? To expect that of me... you’re unbelievable!"

Tang Qingyun stared at her. "I want you to apologize. How would you feel if I treated your parents that way, speaking so disrespectfully?"

Wu Xiaowen retorted stubbornly, "You have the gall to say that? You know perfectly well how you treat my parents!"

"What have I done? Spell it out."

"We aren’t welcome in Beijing. For all these years, only my parents have been close to us, and they’ve always doted on you like their own son—you know that. This time, with the transfer back to Beijing, did you really do your best for them? You made such confident promises at the start, getting my father’s hopes up for nothing. Now he’s so anxious his old ailment has returned, and he’s lying in a hospital bed, barely hanging on. Don’t you feel the least bit guilty?"

Tang Qingyun was silent for a moment before sighing. "Fine, say I didn’t do my best. In any case, it’s out of my hands now. Just give them a straight answer: The route through my father is closed."

"Why?" Wu Xiaowen, who had just leaned against Tang Qingyun, suddenly sat bolt upright. "Can’t you fight for it? Qingyun, you’re his son! Just talk to him! Whatever his conditions are, we’ll obey them. I’m sure it’ll work!"

Tang Qingyun shook his head, his gaze complicated as he looked at Wu Xiaowen. "Because of what happened with Manman, Father and Mother are already furious and no longer trust us. And now you’ve let my mother and brother see you keeping Xuanxuan by your side. That’s a flagrant defiance of my parents’ wishes... There’s no turning back. Now, even I can’t go back to Beijing!"

"Then what are we supposed to do? Don’t tell me you’re... you’re really..." The disbelief in Wu Xiaowen’s eyes rapidly hardened into furious resentment. She spun around, lunged toward the end table, snatched up the telephone receiver, and thrust it at Tang Qingyun. "Qingyun, do you realize that if you’re stuck in this godforsaken backwater for a few more years, you’ll be almost forty? Now is the perfect time to go back to Beijing. I refuse to believe it. How could a man as wise as your father listen to your mother’s slander and throw away your future? Call Beijing right now! We’ll talk to him together!"

"It’s no use. Someone else has already taken my spot for the continuing education program. I’m following orders from my superiors; I’m preparing for a transfer to the Wenshan District." With that, Tang Qingyun stood and walked toward the study that doubled as a guest room.

Wu Xiaowen stood stunned for a long while, her eyes red. Unwilling to give up, she dialed the number in Beijing. She tried several times, but each time it was a secretary who answered, saying only that the Director was in an important meeting and that they would relay a message. Wu Xiaowen wanted to slam the phone down. ’What kind of damn meeting are they holding this late at night? They’re obviously just blowing me off!’

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