The beloved but ungrateful girl is reborn: This time she has truly changed.

"Knock knock knock".

The knocking was neither too loud nor too soft, three times.

The sound of slippers slid in from inside grew louder as they approached.

The door opened a crack, and Qi Weiwei's mother-in-law, Zhang Qingtian, revealed her plump, white face.

She was wearing a navy blue wool coat, her hair was neatly combed and slicked back with hair oil, glistening in the dimly lit stairwell.

With that fake smile, the same kind of mask she wore as the deputy director of the Women's Federation, she said, "Who is it? At this hour..."

Upon seeing that it was Qi Weiwei, her narrow eyes immediately narrowed, her smile vanished instantly, and the corners of her mouth turned down forcefully.

"Oh, who do we have here?"

Zhang Qingtian snorted through her nose, opening the door wider but showing no intention of moving aside.

"So, the daughter-in-law who was faking illness has arrived?"

She raised her voice, clearly speaking to the people inside the room.

After saying that, without waiting for Qi Weiwei's reaction, he turned around and walked inside, his slippers pattering on the cement floor.

Qi Weiwei pushed the door open and went in, closing it behind her.

The room was even tidier than she remembered—or rather, it was tidier in a somewhat deliberate way.

The octagonal table was polished to a shine, and on it sat a chipped enamel tray with several glasses bearing the words "Labor is Glorious."

A bust of the leader hangs on the wall, and below it are several certificates of merit, all from Tang Qu.

On the five-drawer chest against the wall sat a brand-new Red Lantern brand radio, the most valuable item in the Tang family, which Zhang Qingtian had often flaunted in his previous life.

"They really dare to come knocking on our door."

Zhang Qingtian plopped down on the wicker chair against the wall, crossed her legs, and let her feet, encased in nylon stockings, swing around.

"I thought you ran off with the money and never came back."

Qi Weiwei didn't reply, her gaze sweeping across the room.

The study door was ajar, and the sound of papers being turned over could be heard inside.

Sure enough, the door opened a few seconds later.

Tang Qu came out.

He was wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit today, with the collar buttoned up tightly, and a fountain pen clipped to his left breast pocket.

His hair was neatly combed, his forehead was broad, and his eyebrows and eyes did indeed resemble Tang Aijun by about five or six points, except that his eyes were more gloomy, his nasolabial folds were very deep, and the corners of his mouth habitually drooped down, giving him a perpetually unhappy look.

Perhaps because he had spent too long in the quarrying committee, he had an indescribable fierceness about him, and when he looked at people, his gaze was like a knife scraping across their faces.

"Weiwei's here," Tang Qu said, his voice neither loud nor soft, revealing no emotion. "Sit down."

He pointed to the wooden stool next to the octagonal table.

Qi Weiwei didn't stand on ceremony and went over to sit down.

The wooden stool was icy cold; you could feel the chill even through your thick cotton trousers.

Zhang Qingtian scoffed from the side, "You actually dare to sit there? You've really got some nerve!"

Tang Qu glanced at Zhang Qingtian, his eyes filled with warning.

Zhang Qingtian pursed her lips and stopped talking, but her eyes were still fixed on Qi Weiwei, as if she wanted to stare two holes through her.

Tang Qu sat down opposite Qi Weiwei, with an octagonal table between them.

He placed his hands on the table, his fingers lightly tapping the back of his hands—a gesture he often made when he was thinking.

"I've sent people to inquire at all the hospitals in Beijing."

Tang Qu got straight to the point, his tone calm, but every word was like shards of ice.

"Tuberculosis? Ha, you don't have any tuberculosis at all!"

He leaned forward slightly, and a sense of oppression emanated from him.

"Qi Weiwei, I thought you had run off with the Tang family's money and were never coming back."

What, have you had enough of your carefree time outside?

Or... have you finally remembered whether your parents are alive or dead?

Qi Weiwei met his gaze without flinching.

In her past life, such a gaze would have made her legs go weak, and she would have wanted to kneel down and explain.

But now, she just finds it laughable.

"I was away for a while," Qi Weiwei said steadily. "To take care of some things."

"Taking care of business?" Tang Qu raised an eyebrow. "What could be more important than your man and your two sons? You've been gone for so many days without even a word. Qi Weiwei, do you even care about your family anymore?"

"Home?" Qi Weiwei repeated the word softly, a very faint smile playing on her lips. "Director Tang, you don't seem to care much about your son's life or death."

Tang Qu stopped tapping his fingers on the table.

He squinted and carefully examined his daughter-in-law.

The blue cotton-padded jacket was a little faded from washing, but it was clean and tidy.

Her hair was tied into a simple ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead.

His face was pale, probably from the cold on the way, but his eyes... his eyes were surprisingly bright, without the timidity and fawning he used to have, but instead a calm coldness.

Is this still the same Qi Weiwei who didn't dare to breathe loudly in front of him?

"What do you mean by that?"

Tang Qu's voice turned somber.

"Xiao Jun is my son, how could I not care?"

"But you, as a wife, are not virtuous and are running around everywhere, and now you're here making sarcastic remarks!"

"Am I being sarcastic?"

Qi Weiwei laughed, a soft laugh that inexplicably made Tang Qu's heart tighten.

"Director Tang, let's not beat around the bush. I'm here today to ask only one thing—"

She paused, then said, slowly and deliberately, "You parents know about Tang Aijun's affair with Tang Tiantian, right?"

"Clang—!"

Zhang Qingtian was pretending to wipe a vase when she heard this. Her hand trembled, and the enamel vase with peony patterns on it fell straight to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Zhang Qingtian's face turned pale instantly, and her voice became shrill and piercing.

Qi Weiwei! Are you crazy?!

That's your man!

What good will it do you to ruin his reputation?

What good will that do for your two sons?

She bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, pointing her finger at Qi Weiwei's nose and yelling:

"I think you've been possessed by a demon since you went out! You're spewing nonsense!"

Sweetie is a child we've watched grow up, and her relationship with Xiaojun is like that of siblings!

You, you jealous woman!

"If you can't win a man's heart, you'll throw dirty water on others!"

Qi Weiwei ignored Zhang Qingtian's clamor and kept her gaze fixed on Tang Qu's face.

Tang Qu's initial shock had subsided, and fine beads of cold sweat glistened on his forehead in the dim light.

But he was a cunning old fox after all, and he quickly regained his composure, even managing to force a cold smile.

"Vivi."

He sighed, putting on a pained expression.

"I know that Xiaojun has been a bit cold towards you lately."

Men are often busy with work and under a lot of pressure, so it's common for them to neglect their families.

But you can't let this lead you to wild thoughts and make up such immoral and indecent nonsense!

He leaned back slightly, spreading his hands out in a gesture of utmost sincerity:

"Yes, Tian Tian and Xiao Jun grew up together, so they are naturally closer than ordinary siblings."

That child is thoughtful and caring.

Xiao Jun takes good care of her, but that's only because she's been an orphan since she was little.

How could you think that way?

If word gets out, how will Sweetie ever face anyone again?