Chapter 27: Mother

Qiong Cang walked over and opened the door, only to find a middle-aged woman dressed in bright, fiery colors standing outside.

She was on the plumper side, wearing a red shawl over a traditional Chinese qipao. Her shoulder-length hair was dyed red and permed into loose curls. She held a red leather handbag, and both her lipstick and nail polish were a matching shade of deep crimson.

To be honest, the sudden glare of red caught Qiong Cang completely off guard.

Next to the character’s avatar, a small line of text explained: “Zhou Langxiu, Mother, 59 years old.”

Zhou Langxiu was still in the middle of knocking forcefully, her hand freezing mid-air, nearly slapping Qiong Cang right in the face.

Looking closely, her facial features did bear a slight resemblance to Wu Ming’s. However, those features looked far too masculine on a woman’s face.

“What took you so long to open the door? What are you just standing there for? Have you eaten breakfast?” Without waiting for Qiong Cang to greet her, Zhou Langxiu gave her a light shove and swept into the living room like a whirlwind. The moment she saw the absolute mess on the floor, she shrieked, “What is going on here? Why is the living room in such a state? And why are you the one cleaning up down here? Where is Li Yujia? Huh? Li Yujia! She’s nothing but a useless freeloader! Where is she!”

Before Qiong Cang could even begin to explain, Zhou Langxiu had already jumped from wild assumptions to placing the blame, muttering curses as she went looking for someone to settle the score.

“Li Yujia!” Despite her bulky frame, Zhou Langxiu was surprisingly agile. She didn’t stop moving for a second. Tossing her handbag aside, she clattered over to the foot of the stairs and bellowed at the top of her lungs, “Li Yujia! Get down here right now!”

Up until now, Qiong Cang hadn’t been able to get a single word in. Giving up on speaking, she followed at a moderate distance to see what the woman was up to.

He Jueyun walked out of the bedroom looking utterly bewildered, stopping by the second-floor banister to peer down.

Seeing him looking so relaxed and unbothered, Zhou Langxiu grew visibly angrier. The wrinkles on her face bunched together as she pointed a finger at him, screeching nastily, “You’re still not out of bed? What time do you think it is? Oh my god, you’re actually still sleeping! How can you have the nerve to sleep in when the house is in such a state? The moment the cleaner takes a day off, you turn this place into a pigsty, is that it? What kind of wife are you? Our A-Ming has to go to work and even he gets up earlier than you! Look at yourself, what on earth do you do all day!”

She spoke with rapid-fire speed and booming energy, leaving He Jueyun completely stunned and unable to react.

Though he had heard of such scenes and even witnessed them occasionally, he had never experienced this kind of onslaught firsthand. This was way out of his social comfort zone.

So, He Jueyun tilted his head and looked at Qiong Cang, silently pleading for help.

Then again, how could an outstanding man ignore such an innocent, pitiful look from his partner?

Qiong Cang said slowly, “Mom… is there a reason you’re here so early?”

“I’m taking her to see a doctor! I told her ages ago that someone recommended a highly skilled specialist who’s holding consultations today. If we go late, we won’t even get a consultation number. They don’t deal with scalpers, you have to line up yourself. I told her to meet me at six, and what happens? She’s actually sleeping in! I pulled so many strings just for her sake, and this is her attitude?” Once Zhou Langxiu started talking, she was like a faucet that couldn’t be turned off. “If I’d known marrying her would be such a hassle, I would never have agreed to the wedding in the first place!”

He Jueyun listened for a moment before it finally clicked. She wanted to take him for a gynecological exam?

…To hell with that!

He Jueyun took a sharp step back, his leg muscles tensing in a clear display of his determination to fight to the bitter end.

Qiong Cang said, “She’s not going to the hospital.”

Zhou Langxiu snapped anxiously, “Why not? Can she even get pregnant? If she can’t, she has to go to the hospital! Seven years! If I raised a dog in the countryside, I’d have several generations of puppies by now! She can’t even bear a child, and she expects me to let her live in peace? Li Yujia, get down here!”

He Jueyun’s face darkened completely.

Qiong Cang’s expression was even darker than He Jueyun’s. From head to toe, down to her very pores, she felt deeply offended.

Qiong Cang said, “If she can’t have kids, then we won’t have them. I’ve never seen someone so eager to compare themselves to beasts.”

Zhou Langxiu shrieked, “What are you thinking? Is a woman who can’t have children even a woman? Why did you marry her then!”

This single sentence managed to offend countless people, sparking an instant wave of fury.

The comment section of the Live Stream Room flashed with countless censored words, temporarily replaced by a sea of asterisks.

He Jueyun was so angry he actually laughed. He took a few deep breaths, but couldn’t find the right words to curse her out. In the end, he could only sputter, “You really have a foul mouth. Qiong… Wu Ming, control your mother!”

Zhou Langxiu scurried up the stairs, closing in on He Jueyun as she ranted, “So what if it’s foul? If you still can’t produce a child, my words will get a lot worse. Seven years! I’ve given you chance after chance, and you haven’t produced a single thing, yet you dare talk back to me? Do you want me to make Wu Ming divorce you!”

He Jueyun’s facial muscles twitched. Finally, his lips curled back to reveal a row of white teeth in a menacing grin. “I don’t care about the appointment anymore. Come on then, bring it on.”

The two faced off in the hallway at the top of the stairs.

Zhou Langxiu raised her hand high, about to step forward. Before she could exert any force, the collar at the back of her neck suddenly tightened, feeling as though someone had grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.

She turned around, only to see her son grabbing her clothes with a face as cold as ice, shoving her to the side.

“Ow, ow…” Zhou Langxiu stumbled, only stabilizing herself when she bumped against the wall. Clutching her arm, which didn’t actually hurt, she looked up in shock. “A-Ming, what are you doing!”

Qiong Cang tilted her chin, gesturing toward He Jueyun. “You want to teach her a lesson?”

Zhou Langxiu’s eyes widened. “And why shouldn’t I?”

Qiong Cang took a large step toward Zhou Langxiu, her tall frame casting a shadow that trapped the woman in the narrow corner.

“That’s right, you can’t,” Qiong Cang said coldly. “Let me make this clear. Your daughter-in-law is her own person. Does she owe you anything? Did you raise her? Her showing you respect was just her giving some face to her nine years of compulsory education¹. If you push your luck, then you’re forcing my hand. Try me, and see if I’ll keep humoring you.”

Zhou Langxiu was pinned in place by her aura, unable to move, finally realizing that her son was different from before. She shrank back uneasily, her eyes darting around as she looked for help. Suddenly, she caught sight of He Jueyun standing behind them, enjoying the show. With a sudden realization, she said, “Did she turn you against me behind my back? Ah Ming, get one thing straight: I’m your mother, and I’m trying to help you! Have you lost your mind too? Don’t you want a child?”

“If a woman who can’t give birth doesn’t count as a woman, then does a man who can’t give birth not count as a man? Those who don’t know how to behave like humans aren’t even human to begin with,” Qiong Cang said. “Since you’ve given up on being human, why bother having children?”

Zhou Langxiu couldn’t believe it. She shrieked in a shrill voice, “You’re actually teaming up with her against me?”

Qiong Cang sneered. “No need to team up. If you dare try anything else, I can handle you all by myself.”

Zhou Langxiu: “You… are you crazy?”

Qiong Cang: “I only ever drive other people crazy.”

He Jueyun was standing behind her, snickering. Qiong Cang turned around, grabbed his wrist, and led him downstairs.

He Jueyun followed her obediently for a couple of steps, feeling quite pleased. Halfway down, however, he realized something was off and struggled to pull his hand away.

“Are you trying to set me up, or do you want me to buy you dinner?” He Jueyun whispered. “I’m telling you, don’t get too into character! Don’t get too into character!”

Qiong Cang said, exasperated, “I’m not.”

Watching their whispering backs, Zhou Langxiu recalled how much Wu Ming used to trust and respect her. The massive contrast was too much for her to accept. In an instant, her unresolvable emotions turned entirely into resentment toward He Jueyun, causing her to lose control. With a loud roar, she charged at He Jueyun.

Hearing the noise, He Jueyun turned around, only to see the old woman throwing herself at him like she had nothing to lose.

The staircase in the house was already narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Seeing the red figure flying toward him, He Jueyun instinctively pressed himself against the railing to dodge.

His own physical stance was very stable; he definitely wouldn’t be shaken by such a simple push. But his current identity was Li Yujia, a middle-aged woman who lacked exercise, took medication year-round, and was sallow and thin from consuming all kinds of so-called health supplements.

Under the impact, before he could even react, half of his body was pushed over the railing.

Qiong Cang’s breath caught. She reached out to grab him, but ended up catching Zhou Langxiu, who had lunged past.

The old woman’s physical strength in this sudden burst was astonishing. Even with one hand grabbed by Qiong Cang, she still managed to throw a spiteful punch at He Jueyun.

He Jueyun flipped right over the railing.

There was a heavy thud as he hit the ground, followed by a muffled groan of pain.

He Jueyun’s vision instantly went black. He curled up, unable to get up.

Qiong Cang ran down quickly, supporting his neck with one hand as she lifted him up to rest on her lap. “He Jueyun? Are you okay?”

He Jueyun closed his eyes, hissing and gasping in pain. Only after the system-indicated period of intense pain passed was he able to speak. He shook his head and said, “I’m fine.”

The height he fell from was actually less than a meter, and looking at his landing posture, he had also avoided the more dangerous angles. Besides, the living room was covered with a thick carpet. Although it hurt, he hadn’t suffered any major injuries.

Qiong Cang looked up and glared at Zhou Langxiu on the stairs. The old woman was now feeling the aftereffects of fear, shaking her head and stepping back, not daring to get close to them. She muttered, “It’s only that short of a distance, it won’t break anyone. I fell off a windowsill before and was fine. People aren’t that fragile.”

He Jueyun didn’t even want to acknowledge her. He waved his hand and said, “I’m fine. Let me get up first.”

Qiong Cang thought he was really fine, so she grabbed him under the armpits to help him up. But just as he propped up half his body, He Jueyun’s throat convulsed, and he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, splattering Qiong Cang’s clothes a dark red.

Qiong Cang shuddered all over, almost letting go of him. Zhou Langxiu also shrieked in fright.

“Are… are… are you internally injured?” Qiong Cang reached out to press his abdomen. “Did you break a rib?”

“Internal injury my foot,” He Jueyun said weakly. “This is clearly a relapse of an old illness. The blood came from my stomach.”

Qiong Cang: “What old illness?”

“How should I know!” He Jueyun said anxiously. “Are you kidding me?!”

Qiong Cang held his limbs to keep him from moving around. “Hospital first.”

Qiong Cang was about to help him to the car when she remembered she didn’t know how to drive. She looked down and asked, “Can you drive yourself to the hospital?”

He Jueyun gasped, looking at her accusingly. Did this person even have a heart?

Qiong Cang tactfully freed a hand to search for her phone. “Okay, I’ll call an ambulance first. Hang in there, you can do it.”

Zhou Langxiu came down at this moment and said, “She said it herself, she’s the one who’s sick. She was already sick, it has nothing to do with me. Don’t say I pushed her-“

Qiong Cang interrupted her dangerously, “Have you said enough?”

Zhou Langxiu’s lips trembled. After a brief moment of quiet, her slight guilt was replaced by anger. The absolute authority she had held as a parent for so long made her feel righteous, and she cried out stubbornly, “I’m not wrong! Is this how you talk to me? Do you still remember I’m your mother? Think you’re all grown up now, do you?”

“No-” Qiong Cang was about to speak when she heard the call connect. Her tone shifted instantly. “Hello, 120²? Someone in our house is throwing up blood… Yes, throwing up blood, not just bleeding. It’s my first time seeing it outside of TV dramas. The address is…”

Qiong Cang kicked the front door shut, pulled a key out of her pocket, and slipped it under the doormat.

There was a hospital near the residential area. After waiting at the entrance for only a short while, the doctors who rushed over loaded them onto the ambulance.

Zhou Langxiu stayed inside the house and didn’t come out. When He Jueyun was being loaded up, she hid behind the curtains to peek. She didn’t show a shred of concern for his condition.

“How did this happen?” The doctor tightened his gloves and had He Jueyun lie flat.

Qiong Cang had a dark expression. She gestured for He Jueyun to explain his own injuries, then pulled out her phone and dialed the police.

“Hello, is this 110³?” Qiong Cang placed her other hand soothingly on He Jueyun’s shoulder. Though she was furious inside, her voice remained calm. “A relative of mine came to my house to pick a fight and pushed my wife down the stairs, leaving her severely injured. Can I file a report?”

The ambulance fell into an eerie silence as everyone strained their ears to listen to her end of the conversation.

Unfortunately, the voice from the receiver was muffled, making it impossible to tell what the other person was saying.

Qiong Cang quickly followed up with an address, saying, “Please come quickly. She’s still at the house. I left the key under the doormat; you can find it easily.”

“Which relative is it?” the dispatcher asked. “Are you at home right now as well?”

“That relative is my mother,” Qiong Cang said, her calm tone delivering a bombshell. “I’m heading to the hospital first. You can go ahead and do some counseling with her. We won’t accept a settlement. Let her stay at the station for a few days to experience the consequences of violence. I’ll get the injury report from the hospital and bring it over. If it constitutes a minor injury and requires criminal proceedings, please handle it according to the regulations.”

The person on the other end was taken aback and double-checked, “Are you serious?”

Qiong Cang replied, “I’m serious. That’s all, thank you.”

The doctor, who had been examining He Jueyun’s ribs, had unconsciously stopped what he was doing and was staring at her with an extremely complicated expression.

“What? Is it wrong to put justice before family?” Without a change in expression, Qiong Cang put away her phone, gathered He Jueyun’s hair that was trailing on the floor, and told him to lie still and not squirm.

“Intentional assault is a crime. No one can use violence just because they’re family. Since she firmly believes she’s in the right and refuses to listen to reason, we have no choice but to go through official channels,” Qiong Cang said. “If there are never any real consequences, she’ll do it again next time and push even further. No one deserves to be bullied by her.”

The nurse couldn’t help but chime in, “Exactly!”

He Jueyun said in a daze, “We can actually call the police?”

“Why not?” Qiong Cang asked. “Did you sign a deed of indenture when you got married?”

He Jueyun remained rational, thinking to himself, When did I ever get married?

“You’ve got a great attitude, young man. It’s just… quite impressive.” The doctor couldn’t quite find the right words to describe it. He asked, “How long have you two been married?”

Qiong Cang said, “Seven years.”

He Jueyun desperately wanted to skip this topic.

The doctor asked, puzzled, “Seven years, and the relationship has always been this bad?”

“Yes,” Qiong Cang said. “It’s all because I enabled it. I tried to smooth things over, took sides, and found it too bothersome to deal with, so I just forced my wife to bear the grievances in the name of respecting his elders. Since even I wasn’t truly good to him, it’s no wonder my parent treated him this way. I always made it look like I was caught in a difficult position, but in reality, I just lacked empathy and was completely shameless. A man like me is no good.”

Both the doctor and the nurse were stunned by her sudden, profound self-reflection.

Qiong Cang looked down at He Jueyun and asked, “Did you get that? Anyone like that is not a man.”

He Jueyun: “…”

Translator’s Notes