novelraw Chapter 732 - 734 Ending Two
Chapter 732 - 734 Ending Two
Chapter 732: Chapter 734 Ending Two Yang Qian was also quite embarrassed. He had scarcely heard of having an older sister as a child, and even after growing up when he heard about her, he hardly had any contact with her.
Now, his parents wanted him to curry favor with his sister, but Yang Qian didn’t know how to do that; their relationship was estranged, and trying too hard to be close would only come off as unnatural.
So, compared to Xiao Shanyue’s biological mother and stepfather’s eagerness, Yang Qian was somewhat more reserved. Xiao Shanyue nodded to this younger brother, exchanged a few words of concern, and then there was nothing more to say.
Xi Beilei, on the other hand, was not happy in her heart. Her relationship with her older sister was also distant and awkward.
She only knew how capable her sister was, but it had nothing to do with her. Xi Beilei didn’t feel envious; she didn’t want to push herself relentlessly and live such a tiring life like a strong woman.
Before, her mother didn’t want her to be close to her sister. Now, she constantly reminded her to please her older sister, which annoyed Xi Beilei.
Moreover, she was the cherished one in the family, but now both her father and mother sided with her sister, making Xi Beilei unhappy.
At this moment, Xi Beilei glanced at Yang Qian with disdain. Even though Yang Qian came from a good family, he was average-looking. Plus, since he was her older sister’s half-brother, Xi Beilei was even less inclined to give him another look.
However, as for this brother-in-law, Xi Beilei paused for a moment, her gaze swiftly flicked to Shitou, and then she immediately withdrew it, feeling flurried inside.
Tall and handsome, his aura was mature and restrained, yet he possessed a natural nobility and elegance as though he were a born ruler.
She had seen this brother-in-law before, but now he was stunning to the point of being intimidating, making one feel the urge to look up to him.
Shitou’s piercing gaze swept over quickly without directly looking at Xi Beilei, but it still subtly brought her a sense of pressure and warning.
Xi Beilei’s heart tightened, not daring to linger on him, even feeling somewhat transparent in Shitou’s presence.
She wasn’t the type to harbor thoughts about her brother-in-law, nor did she approve of such things. However, her heart seemed uncontrollable, especially at such a close distance, she couldn’t help but wanted another glance, and just looking at her face would turn it red.
At this time, no one noticed Xi Beilei, while Xiao Shanyue felt extremely uncomfortable. Previously, her parents on both sides were indifferent, seldom calling her actively. But now, their sudden warmth felt as though the absence of parental love for over twenty years was being compensated for at once.
Xiao Shanyue didn’t like this abrupt change; she was even uncomfortable with it and felt the meal was too long. She wanted to leave desperately. Although she was smiling at the moment, her smile was somewhat stiff.
Especially when looking at the shrimp, crab, sea cucumber, abalone, chicken, duck, fish meat, including a large drumstick in her bowl, all picked up by her biological mother and stepmother with public chopsticks.
Xiao Shanyue had lost her appetite, even feeling dyspeptic. She preferred her parents to be indifferent as before, not wanting to see such warmth now, nor was she accustomed to this version of her parents.
Since she was a child, having parents was like having none. Xiao Shanyue didn’t know how many times she had cried secretly behind people’s backs, especially during the quiet of the night when she was alone, she would quietly wipe away tears.
For over twenty years, from childhood to adulthood, when she needed their care, they were absent.
They divorced, each had their own new families and children, and she became the redundant one. Even during holidays at home, the laughter and joy of the household had nothing to do with her.
She had learned not to care, to remain indifferent, and even to feign strength.
She was also past the age of needing parental love. Looking at her refined and gentle biological father and her tender and virtuous mother, Xiao Shanyue lowered her eyes, hiding the unusual look within them.
Xiao Shanyue was startled, her gaze falling on Xi Beilei, her expression becoming serious.
When had this little sister developed such thoughts? Xiao Shanyue frowned lightly. Although her sister was a few years younger, she was indeed at the age where emotions begin to blossom.
Xi Beilei looked up again, this time meeting Xiao Shanyue’s gaze. Her pupils shrank, and she averted her eyes guiltily. But at this moment, the look she gave her older sister carried an unprecedented scrutiny.
Her sister, though beautiful and pretty, appeared indifferent. Besides, being in the military, she surely wasn’t tender.
Once she started to find fault, it was that her sister had a serious face, had a bad temper, her sister wasn’t pleasant to look at, her expression was too cold, she was difficult to get along with.
Xiao Shanyue was oblivious to Xi Beilei’s inner criticisms. She was thinking about having a serious talk with her stepmother later and did not want to encourage such thoughts in her little sister.
Xiao Shanyue had not forgotten the incident with Qian Xiaomei. She disliked little sisters-in-law who developed a crush on their brother-in-law, and she didn’t want Xi Beilei to turn out that way.
Her little sister was still young, and Xiao Shanyue hoped she would soon recognize these inappropriate feelings and snuff them out promptly.
Even a long meal eventually comes to an end; this one lasted nearly two hours. Before leaving, Xiao Shanyue still found a moment alone with Assistant Qian, giving her a hint about Xi Beilei’s feelings and expressing the hope that Assistant Qian would pay attention.
Assistant Qian stiffened at these concerns, thinking Xiao Shanyue was being overwrought, but it also reminded her of an incident with her own sister from over a decade ago, so she made a mental note of it.
Xiao Shanyue’s birth mother, seeing her daughter speaking privately with Assistant Qian and not being as close to her, felt some dissatisfaction but knew better than to rush things.
Shitou and Xiao Shanyue didn’t stay long; they made an excuse and left.
After their departure, the atmosphere between the two families in the Xi household turned awkward. Xiao Shanyue’s birth mother’s family didn’t stay much longer either.
Assistant Qian had the maid clear the table and, without waiting for Dr. Xi, pulled her daughter into the room for a talk.
"Mom, what nonsense are you talking about?" Xi Beilei snapped angrily.
Yet Assistant Qian’s heart turned cold. Her daughter was her own flesh and blood; how could she not understand her? Assistant Qian had once fancied the marriage-minded Dr. Xi, who she felt lacked proper values.
But she had been disgusted by her own sister’s behavior and was repulsed by the thought of it. Moreover, a son-in-law like Shitou wouldn’t be easy to control.
And with a son-in-law who had experienced death and radiated a killing aura, Assistant Qian wasn’t without other choices; no matter how good Shitou was, she didn’t want her daughter to marry him.
Her daughter was pampered and a bit petulant at home, with a spoiled temper. Of course, her daughter’s little quirks were endearing to a mother, but Shitou couldn’t handle such a personality.
Having lived most of her life, Assistant Qian was confident in her judgment of people, and she was no longer the reckless woman of her youth.
Moreover, her own family background wasn’t good; Dr. Xi was the best prospect she had met and the closest.
But it was different for her daughter. Her daughter came from a good background and finding a husband with good conditions wouldn’t be difficult. Compared to the cold Shitou, Assistant Qian preferred a more considerate son-in-law.
So, with a stern face, Assistant Qian said, "I don’t care what you’re thinking; you need to stop. He’s your brother-in-law, not someone for you to covet."
Xi Beilei, red with shame and anger, yelled, "Are you even my mother? Now that Xi Shanyue is married well, you can’t wait to throw yourself at her to become her mother, can you? She already has a mother; why do you have to cozy up to her? If it weren’t for her marriage to Gao Peize, what would she amount to? What’s so great about her?"
Slap—Assistant Qian’s hand struck her daughter’s face.
Xi Beilei was taken aback, covering her face and looking at Assistant Qian with tears in her eyes, sobbing, "You hit me; you’ve never hit me before. Now you hit me for Xi Shanyue. I don’t need a mother like you."
Xi Beilei’s shout echoed as she ran out.
Assistant Qian chased after her but couldn’t bring her daughter back. Dr. Xi asked, "What are mother and daughter quarreling about?"
Assistant Qian’s expression was unnatural, and she, of course, couldn’t tell Dr. Xi about her conversation with her daughter.
Over there, Xiao Shanyue’s birth mother told her son Yang Qian, "Shanyue is your blood sister. When mom got divorced, Shanyue went with her father, and you two siblings rarely saw each other. You have her number; from now on, you two should keep in touch."
Xiao Shanyue’s stepfather also nodded his agreement.
Yang Qian agreed, having no dislike or aversion toward this sister; mostly, he was curious about her.
Meanwhile, Shitou and Xiao Shanyue had already driven off. Shitou squeezed Xiao Shanyue’s hand and said, "Don’t think too much. You’re married now; in the future, just think more about your husband."
Xiao Shanyue smiled and explained, "I’m just not used to them acting that way, and I can’t adapt right away."
"You’ll have to adapt in the future. As long as they don’t harm you, the occasional visit is harmless." Shitou understood Xiao Shanyue’s family situation very well; he never expected them to be very close to Xiao Shanyue—he just hoped they wouldn’t do her any harm.
Although Dr. Xi was a proud and difficult person to get along with, he was simpler than Xiao Shanyue’s stepfather. Both families cared about keeping up appearances, so maintaining superficial relations wasn’t too difficult.
"Let’s go back to the old house. My grandparents have gone travelling, and I don’t know if my parents are home. I want to eat what the auntie cooks."
Xiao Shanyue just wanted to return to the Gao family home, caring little for anywhere else. She still cherished the warmth and laughter at the Gao home, its sincerity and simplicity, free from false calculations.
Feiyang and Li Min had indeed returned. Their son and daughter-in-law were off on their honeymoon the next morning, so as parents, they couldn’t just focus on work without considering their children.
Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing weren’t home; aside from the maid, only Feiyang, Li Min, and Beibei were in the house.