1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 232 Cherish her, don't let her down.
"Okay, stop crying. Crying too much is bad for the baby."

Seeing that her emotions had stabilized considerably, Lin Xiyu felt a little relieved: "Don't leave today, stay at my house. Gu Bin isn't here, we can sleep together."

"Ah."

A look of gratitude flashed in Wu Meng's eyes. She wiped away her tears and smiled.

-

After settling Wu Meng in, Lin Xiyu thought it over and decided to call Gu Bin and ask him to tell Li Liang where Li Liang's wife was.

Li Liang arrived faster than expected, knocking on Lin Xiyu's door that very evening.

"Li Liang, although it's not appropriate for me to say some things as an outsider, and you might feel uncomfortable hearing them, I still have to say it. Mengmeng has waited for you for so many years, it really hasn't been easy for her."

When Lin Xiyu opened the door and saw it was him, she immediately lost her temper and launched into a tirade of complaints.

"She works very well in Shanghai and has many eligible men pursuing her. It's not that she doesn't have the opportunity to choose a better life, but she has always had you in her heart and truly loves you, which is why she has waited for you for so many years without any regrets."

I don’t know how hard your parents have worked, so I can’t easily judge them, but no matter how important they are to you, you can’t mistreat your wife because of that.

"Mengmeng is your wife and the mother of your future child. She is willing to give up everything and come back from Shanghai because she loves you. She also wants to have a child that belongs to both of you because she loves you."

"Whether the child is a boy or a girl, it is the fruit of your love, the continuation of your feelings, and an inseparable bond."

"Sometimes I really envy you. You can have your own children so easily, while it's a luxury that Gu Bin and I can't even achieve no matter how much we pray."

“Cherish it, don’t disappoint Mengmeng, don’t hurt her again. If you still can’t make the right choice this time and completely resolve the conflict between her and her mother-in-law, I will send her back to Shanghai, away from that home, that place that has exhausted her, made her lose her smile, and taken away her former joy.”

-

"I know my mom really went a bit too far this time. Could you let me in so I can say a few words to Mengmeng?"

Li Liang was thoroughly scolded by her, leaving him somewhat embarrassed. His dark face, tanned from years of training and exposure to the elements, took on a bluish-purple hue.

“What your mother did wasn’t just a little excessive, it was excessive.”

Lin Xiyu was still not satisfied and stood blocking the doorway without moving.

"I know"

Li Liang gave an awkward twitch of his lips: "Mengmeng has been wronged this time."

"Mengmeng has been suffering all the time."

Lin Xiyu felt sorry for her friend: "I know her personality best. Once she sets her mind on someone, she will devote herself to him wholeheartedly and think about him with all her heart."

"She treats outsiders the same way. If someone is kind to her, she will repay them tenfold. She never has any ulterior motives or wants to scheme against anyone."

"If your family hadn't bullied her so badly, would she have been able to bear it? She ran away from home crying like that, and she was pregnant! The child is innocent. Your mother made her have an abortion; isn't she afraid of committing a sin and suffering retribution?"

-

“My mom was just saying that in a fit of anger; she didn’t really want to abort the child.”

Li Liang felt guilty and uneasy, and subconsciously defended his mother.

"If she didn't think that way, she wouldn't have said it."

Lin Xiyu scoffed: "Let me give you a piece of advice: when you see Mengmeng later, it's best not to say things like that. Mengmeng won't believe such excuses anymore. She's already been hurt enough by you. Don't try to fool her with these insincere words."

"Cough cough."

Li Liang was embarrassed and coughed awkwardly twice.

"Xi Yu, who's here?"

Grandma Gu listened to the conversation outside through the window in the living room. When she felt the time was right, she pretended not to know anything, lifted the curtain, and glanced towards the front door.

"Mengmeng's boyfriend came to see her."

Lin Xiyu understood immediately and stepped aside to open the door.

"Is that Xiao Liang? What are you doing standing at the door? Come in quickly."

Grandma Gu remembered Li Liang; he was Gu Bin's childhood friend and often came to play at their house when they were young.

Hello, Grandma!

Li Liang felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and stepped across the threshold as the old lady wished.

"It's been quite a few years since we last met."

Grandma Gu smiled kindly and gently: "Xiao Liang looks much stronger than before. When you walk down the street, Grandma doesn't even recognize you."

Grandma, you still look so young!

Li Liang smiled and flattered, "More than ten years have passed, and you haven't changed at all."

"Grandma is over seventy years old, her hair is all white, she can't deny that she's getting old."

Grandma Gu was delighted to hear this, and her eyes crinkled with laughter.

Where is Rui Rui?

Li Liang glanced into the living room: "Why don't I see him? Isn't he home?"

"He went out to play and hasn't come back yet."

Grandma Gu pretended to complain: "That's a mischievous little rascal too, even wilder than you were when you were kids. Once he runs away, he doesn't want to come home."

"Boys should be a little mischievous."

When Li Liang mentioned the word "boy," his eyes lit up noticeably: "Mischievous children are often the smartest, just like Gu Bin was when he was little."

"Xiao Bin is too naughty; he's giving me a headache."

Grandma Gu narrowed her eyes and deliberately steered the conversation toward girls: "Speaking of which, I actually prefer girls from the bottom of my heart. You only realize how good daughters are when you get old. No matter how filial a son is, he can't be as considerate as a daughter."

"Grandma is right."

Li Liang's eyes flickered, and his smile became a little stiff.

"If you think it makes sense, then that's fine."

Grandma Gu looked at him quietly and smiled meaningfully.

For some reason, Li Liang felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Grandma Gu's smile, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Mengmeng is inside, come in."

Grandma Gu stopped there and said no more.

"Hey, good."

Li Liang breathed a sigh of relief, chuckled sheepishly, lifted the curtain, and went inside.

-

Lin Xiyu and Grandma Gu moved a small stool to sit in the yard, fanning themselves with large palm-leaf fans, seemingly enjoying the cool air, but actually keeping a close eye on what was happening inside the house.

Not long after, Wu Meng's sobbing could be heard coming from the living room.

Lin Xiyu subconsciously stood up from the stool, wanting to get closer so she could hear more clearly.

Grandma Gu mistakenly thought she wanted to go inside, grabbed her, and shook her head at her.

"Mengmeng has a soft heart"

Lin Xiyu looked worried: "I'm afraid she'll be fooled by Li Liang and go home with him again before anything is resolved."

"That's a matter between the two of them."

Grandma Gu knew perfectly well: "We shouldn't interfere too much. We've already said what we needed to say. Whether she goes back or not is up to her own heart." "If she compromises again this time, she'll really have no good days ahead."

Lin Xiyu said worriedly, "Her mother-in-law is no kind person. Even if she doesn't say anything because of her son, she won't give her a good look. If Mengmeng makes even the slightest mistake, it will cause trouble again."

"That was her own choice."

Grandma Gu sighed sadly, "A couple's life is full of ups and downs. If one person is strong, the other has to be patient. If they want a peaceful life, one of them always has to give more."

"You have to get something in return for your efforts."

Lin Xiyu deliberately spoke loudly so that everyone in the room could hear: "You can't just keep giving. You have to see if the person is worth it. If you keep making yourself miserable, you won't get anyone's sympathy. You'll only make your life more bitter, more tiring, and more stifled."

"That's true."

Grandma Gu saw through her thoughts and raised her voice, echoing her sentiment: "A woman's life is not easy. It's better to think more about yourself. In this day and age, as long as you have money, no one can't live without a man."

"Grandma, you're absolutely right."

Lin Xiyu and Grandma Gu exchanged a knowing glance, and Lin Xiyu continued to shout into the living room, "The stupidest thing a woman can do is give up her career for her family. Being a full-time housewife sounds nice, but it's not much different from being a full-time nanny. You have to take care of the whole family. If you happen to have a husband who treats his wife well, that's fine, but if you run into a husband who's blinded by greed and only sides with his relatives, treating his wife like an outsider, then life will be unbearable."

"For a couple to live a good life, the most crucial factor is the husband."

Having lived a long life, Grandma Gu saw things more clearly: "If the head of this family can't support himself, and he keeps giving in when something happens, his wife and children will suffer as a result."

"I think Gu Bin did a good job in this regard."

While teasing someone, Lin Xiyu also praised her husband: "When we're together, he has never let me suffer any grievances. No matter what happens, he always puts me first, trusts me, and supports me."

My husband used to be a good man too.

Grandma Gu quickly caught up with the rhythm and continued to praise: "Don't look at him when he was young, when he was in the army, he wasn't very educated and he looked like a big shot. He was really good to me. We've never had a fight in our lives. Even if we had a little disagreement, he would always give in to me. He has never made me sad or cry."

-

The grandmother and grandson sang in unison, and the crying in the living room gradually subsided until there was no more noise.

A moment later, Li Liang, his face dark, lifted the curtain and came out: "Please take care of Mengmeng for now. I have some things to do at home, and I'll come to see her again in a couple of days."

"Row."

Lin Xiyu knew her plan had worked as soon as she saw his expression.

Wu Meng finally figured it out and didn't give in easily. He coaxed her home with a few words.

"You're leaving already?"

Grandma Gu also stood up from the stool, smiling, and said, "Don't you want to stay a little longer? Talk to your daughter-in-law a little more?"

"No."

Li Liang forced a smile and said, "Grandma, you should rest early too. I'll treat you to a meal when Gu Bin comes back to properly thank you."

"Don't thank me."

Grandma Gu feigned reproach: "Don't be so polite with Grandma. I've watched you all grow up since you were little, and I've never treated you like an outsider. Don't worry about Mengmeng staying here; I'll treat her like my own child."

"Thank you, grandma."

Li Liang gave an awkward laugh, exchanged a few more polite words, and left the old house.

-

living room.

"Mengmeng, how was your chat?"

"What did Li Liang say? Did he agree to buy the house?"

Lin Xiyu and Grandma Gu watched her leave the courtyard, then turned around almost simultaneously and rushed into the living room.

"He agreed."

Wu Meng's eyelids were swollen from crying. When she saw the two people enter, she awkwardly wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.

Lin Xiyu handed her a tissue and smiled with relief: "It's good that you agreed. I was just afraid that you would be too soft-hearted and, seeing that he came so late at night, you wouldn't be able to bear disappointing him and would go back with him without solving anything."

"I still have to thank you all."

Wu Meng looked grateful: "At first I hesitated a bit, afraid that Liangzi would really be swayed by his mother and want to marry another woman to have a son for him. It was what you said outside that woke me up and made me make up my mind to confront him."

"What did you tell him?"

Grandma Gu pulled up a chair and sat down, watching her with great interest.

"I said."

Wu Meng felt a little embarrassed to speak because of her gaze.

"what did you say?"

Grandma Gu, under the guise of showing concern, openly inquired about gossip.

"Actually, I didn't say anything."

Wu Meng touched her nose and smiled sheepishly: "I only said one thing: if you don't buy a house and move out to live on your own, I won't go back with you."

"That's right."

Grandma Gu nodded in agreement: "You've hit the nail on the head. Separation is the most important thing. As long as you don't live together, your mother-in-law can do whatever she wants. Out of sight, out of mind."

"Uh-huh."

Wu Meng listened with delight and nodded repeatedly.

"It probably won't be easy for Li Liang to persuade his mother."

Lin Xiyu saw things even more clearly: "There will be more commotion in the next couple of days, so you need to be prepared. The house will most likely still have to be bought by the two of you."

I've thought about that too.

Wu Meng nodded: "If all else fails, we can sell the apartment in Shanghai and buy a new one in Jinan."

Lin Xiyu looked surprised: "You sold the house and are going back to live in Shanghai?"

"I won't be going back to Shanghai."

After hesitating for a long time, Wu Meng gave an unexpected answer.

"why?"

Lin Xiyu said in disbelief, "Didn't we agree before that if their family bullied you again, you would go back to Shanghai and not stay with them anymore?"

"I've thought about it."

Wu Meng's round face showed a rare determination: "I can't just give up like this, make room for another woman. As long as Liangzi doesn't mention divorce, I won't divorce him. I'll find ways to treat him well so that he can't live without me."

"As for his family, the more they dislike their daughter, the more I want to give birth to her, raise her to be plump and healthy, and show her around every day. As long as I don't get angry, they're the ones who will be angry."

"I want them to see with their own eyes how well my daughter and I are doing, how sweet our family of three is. I want to use this method to prove that my choice was right, that all these years of waiting were worthwhile, that I have the ability to manage my marriage well, and that I have the ability to protect my child."

-

"Clap clap clap."

Lin Xiyu clapped her hands in appreciation: "Mengmeng, you've finally figured it out! Your explanation is truly impressive."

"That's right."

Grandma Gu's eyes lit up, and she praised him generously: "With your words, Grandma is relieved. You won't suffer any losses in his family in the future, and you won't have to live under your mother-in-law's thumb anymore."