Chapter 488: Chapter 488: The Zheng Family’s Intention

The 1980 Spring Festival was the first one after Li Wan and Su Qing returned to the Li family. It was also the Li family’s first true reunion.

On top of that, Li Wan and Gu Xinsheng’s wedding was set for the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, so the Li family’s home was even more bustling this year. A steady stream of guests came to pay their respects, and Su Qing felt like her face was going to freeze from all the smiling.

It couldn’t be helped. Su Qing and Li Huan had gotten into Beijing University, which was the envy of many in the residential compound. Since it was also the Spring Festival, many of Mr. Li and Mrs. Li’s old friends and comrades brought their grandsons and granddaughters over for a visit. It was as if they hoped their own descendants could absorb some of the pair’s scholarly aura and get into a good university the following year.

As a result, Su Qing and Li Wan could only dutifully stay by the old couple’s side to greet the guests.

But what the Li family hadn’t expected was that the Zheng family would also show up to pay a New Year’s visit.

Mr. Li and Mrs. Li didn’t have any particular objections to the Zheng family, their former in-laws. Mr. Zheng was a straightforward man, not one for scheming. As for his two sons, Zheng Jian Country was an honest man, and Zheng Jianjun conducted himself with integrity. If that hadn’t been the case, Mr. and Mrs. Li would never have married Li Yuan into the Zheng family. Back then, they had been impressed by the Zheng family’s upstanding character.

But who could have known that the crooked one was Li Yuan herself? She had not only stolen the life of their biological daughter but had also secretly harmed Li Wan and Su Qing.

After the truth about Li Yuan came out, the way the Zheng family handled the situation hadn’t disappointed the Li family. However, the matter of Li Yuan’s two sons stood between them, so the relationship between the two families naturally grew distant. They’d had almost no contact for over six months. It was a surprise, then, when Mrs. Zheng showed up on the first day of the New Year with her eldest daughter-in-law, Lu Wenyi.

A guest was a guest, so Mr. and Mrs. Li treated them like any other visitor. What the Li family didn’t expect, however, was for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from the Zheng family to visit again on the third day of the New Year.

After two consecutive visits, Mr. and Mrs. Li knew they had something on their minds.

Sure enough, Mrs. Zheng was the first to speak. "I’ve come today because there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. It’s about one of the children."

Mrs. Li said, "Is it about Jianjun’s two children? Those boys have nothing to do with our Li family anymore."

Regardless, Zheng Jiang and Zheng Hai were still Li Yuan’s sons. For that reason alone, the Li family could never be close to the two boys. Seeing them would only remind Mrs. Li of how her own biological daughter had been tormented for all those years by Li Yuan and her brother.

"No, no, not my second son’s boys," Mrs. Zheng said quickly. "It’s about my eldest son’s child, my second grandson, Zheng Lin."

Now that the subject was out in the open, Mrs. Zheng didn’t mince her words. "You know," she began, "we were once in-laws, and what happened was something none of us could have ever expected. But we always got along so well before. I was wondering... if it’s possible... could we become in-laws again? My second grandson, Zheng Lin, is twenty this year. He’s also in university and will be graduating next year. He has a bright future ahead of him. We were thinking that Zheng Lin is about the same age as your Su Qing, and they’re both university students. If you’re open to it, perhaps we could let the two of them spend some time together and see what happens."

Lu Wenyi chimed in with a smile, "That’s right. My second son is quite handsome, does well in his studies, and is very popular at school."

The Li family was stunned by what the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had said.

Mrs. Li’s mouth opened and closed. After a long moment, she finally said, "You want your Zheng Lin to court our Qingqing?"

"That’s right." Mrs. Zheng nodded.

In truth, Mrs. Zheng wasn’t at all confident. After all, what Li Yuan had done was truly detestable. While the Zheng family weren’t accomplices, Li Yuan’s two sons were still part of their family. Ultimately, a rift had formed between the Zhengs and the Lis, and their relationship had grown cold.

Mrs. Zheng had thought her family’s relationship with the Lis would simply continue to fade. But then, to her surprise, her own second grandson developed feelings for Su Qing. He even told his mother, her eldest daughter-in-law, hoping the family could help play matchmaker for him.

At first, the family had tried to talk him out of it. The whole thing seemed impossible. The Li family would surely be unwilling to marry another of their granddaughters into the Zheng family, least of all Su Qing. After all, Zheng Jiang and Zheng Hai’s mother was the one who had ruthlessly gone after Su Qing and her mother.

But they couldn’t withstand Zheng Lin’s constant pleading. In the end, Mrs. Zheng and Lu Wenyi had to swallow their pride and come give it a try. If it worked out, it would be a joyous outcome for everyone. If not, it would at least force Zheng Lin to give up the idea.

Mrs. Li thought for a moment before replying, "This isn’t something we elders can decide. As you know, we’re in a new era now. The young people believe in choosing their own partners. When our Qingqing finds someone in the future, she has to be the one to make the choice. Our job as elders is just to make sure he’s a good person. We don’t plan on meddling otherwise. And that’s not just for Qingqing; we don’t intend to interfere too much in any of our children’s love lives."

Hearing Mrs. Li’s words, Mrs. Zheng knew the proposal was almost certainly a failure. She managed a smile and said, "You’re absolutely right. To be honest, it was only because my second grandson expressed an interest in your dear Qingqing that we shamelessly brought this up today. Since that’s how it is, let’s just pretend I never said anything. If the two of them are fated to be together in the future, then we elders will naturally support them."

"Indeed." Mrs. Li nodded with a smile. ’She held no ill will toward the Zheng family. They were forthright and did things openly, never resorting to scheming. She and Mrs. Zheng had once gotten along splendidly. What a pity...’

’Though she felt a sense of loss, Mrs. Li knew that some things were simply a matter of fate. It seemed her Li family and the Zheng family just weren’t meant to be connected in that way.’

Since their discussion had come to nothing, Mrs. Zheng and her daughter-in-law sat for a short while longer before leaving. After they were gone, Mrs. Li turned to Su Qing. "Qingqing," she said, "come to think of it, this is the first time a family has come to propose a match for you. Since this has happened today, let me tell you something, as your grandma. The family won’t meddle too much in you finding a partner. As long as you like him, that’s what’s most important. But, there is one thing: you must let the family meet him first. After all, we elders are older than you and are better judges of character. We can at least help you avoid making a big mistake."

Su Qing smiled. "Don’t worry, Grandma. I understand."

Li Huan, standing nearby, laughed. "Qingqing, when Grandma met Beize, she said he had honest eyes and must be a good man. So you should trust Grandma’s judgment!"

Su Qing laughed. "Yes, yes, your Cheng Beize is the best."

Li Huan immediately blushed. "Well... of course he is! He really is wonderful."

Watching the two cousins playfully tease each other, the rest of the Li family smiled until their eyes crinkled, the matter of the Zheng family’s marriage proposal already forgotten.

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