Chapter 163

Hu Qianqian never imagined that Liang Yi would actually propose to her!

She had sensed that Liang Yi liked her. She wasn’t oblivious—just not academically inclined, not stupid.

But in her eyes, the age gap between them was too big. She was divorced with a child, while Liang Yi was not only handsome and charismatic but also a top-tier lawyer earning over a million a year. With looks and money like that, he could easily find a girl in her early twenties. Why… why would he choose her?

Seeing his mother’s stunned expression, Wei Sheng felt a wave of discomfort.

His mom was amazing. Why wouldn’t she be good enough for Liang Yi?

“Mom, you’re still young. Remember when we opened the rustic restaurant? A bunch of people thought you were my sister. And Uncle Liang has his own law firm, sure, but you’ve got two companies under your name too. Why wouldn’t you be a good match for him?”

At that moment, Wei Sheng felt like an overprotective father. When his daughter wanted to get married, no man in the world seemed good enough. But if she didn’t want to marry, he’d worry she’d end up alone for the rest of her life.

Especially with his mom still looking so youthful, Wei Sheng didn’t know when he’d find his own partner. But he had never underestimated the power of in-law drama. As a self-proclaimed “Friend to Women,” he’d seen too many families torn apart by mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts.

He couldn’t promise he’d never get married. But the moment he did, he knew he’d be forced to choose between his wife and his mom. That whole “treat them equally” idea? Total fantasy. Even biological mothers and daughters bicker sometimes—how could in-laws be any different?

So, just like Liang Yi had said, Wei Sheng couldn’t stay by his mother’s side forever. And Hu Qianqian couldn’t keep her son tied to her forever either.

Rather than waiting until he got married and had his own family, leaving his mom all alone, it was better to make sure Hu Qianqian had someone to rely on while he was still single.

Wei Sheng had once believed his mom would never remarry. That’s why he had put everything—his two pre-marriage companies, shares in a tech firm, the family’s online store, and their commercial properties—all under her name. He firmly believed that while money couldn’t solve everything, it could solve at least 90% of life’s problems.

A mother-in-law with money could buy gifts, offer support, hire help during postpartum recovery, and get a nanny instead of taking care of grandkids herself. With money, many in-law conflicts simply didn’t exist.

He had already planned out how to handle future in-law issues. But Liang Yi—he was the one variable Wei Sheng had never expected.

Who would’ve thought such a high-quality man would be waiting here for his mom?

Though it made him a little uncomfortable, Wei Sheng had to admit: if Hu Qianqian missed this chance, at her age, she might never meet someone better suited for remarriage than Liang Yi. That’s why, no matter how conflicted he felt, he never voiced any objections.

But now that the moment had finally come, faced with his mother’s disbelief and hesitation, Wei Sheng couldn’t help but soften.

Swallowing his complicated feelings, he gently encouraged her.

“I think Uncle Liang’s great. He’s a good man, has solid values, a great job, and he’s not bad-looking either. Why don’t you give it a try, Mom?”

Hearing her son speak with such thoughtfulness, Hu Qianqian felt a bittersweet ache in her heart. At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel proud of him. When she thought of the Wei family and Wei Zhiyong now, all she felt was disgust and revulsion. There was no affection left.

Yet, she had never once regretted marrying Wei Zhiyong.

Because without him, there would be no Wei Sheng in this world.

When she learned that Liang Yi had liked her all these years, she felt both surprised and regretful. But if she could live her life over again, she wasn’t sure she’d avoid Wei Zhiyong and wait for Liang Yi to grow up. She knew that wasn’t fair to Liang Yi, but if she had to choose between a man and her son, she would choose her son every single time, without hesitation.

But could someone like her really be worthy of someone as loyal and devoted as Liang Yi?

Having lived more than half her life, Hu Qianqian was well past the age of romantic daydreams. So when faced with Liang Yi’s passionate pursuit, she chose to be honest.

When Hu Qianqian began awkwardly baring her soul, admitting that she “might not like Liang Yi as much as she thought,” Liang Yi was stunned for a moment. Then he nearly burst out laughing, holding it in until his stomach hurt.

Good grief! How could someone be so adorable? Was he supposed to be jealous of a kid like Wei Sheng?

Besides, Qianqian probably never realized that sons and partners were two entirely different things. For every woman in the world, their children were their lifeblood. But every mother eventually had to face a harsh truth—

As children grew up, whether boys or girls, they would go on to have their own lives, their own lovers, friends, colleagues, and—well—buddies.

Children would one day leave their parents’ world. But a parent’s life shouldn’t revolve solely around their children.

“Silly Qianqian! Do you really think that marrying me means I’ll stop you from being good to Wei Sheng? No way. I promise you, if you marry me, Wei Sheng won’t lose a mother—he’ll gain a stepfather who’s willing to take on that responsibility.” Liang Yi looked deeply into her eyes. “I won’t pretend I can treat him exactly like my own son. After all, he’s a grown kid now, not someone you can win over with toys and snacks, ahem…”

“But I can promise you this: as long as I’m here, no one will dare bully the two of you.”

“Remember what I told you before? If anyone dares mess with Wei Sheng, I’ll send them a lawyer’s letter!”

“That promise still stands—for life.”

“But… at my age, I might not be able to give you a child…” Hu Qianqian hesitated, finally voicing her biggest concern.

Liang Yi had never been married, and he was the only son in the Liang family. If she didn’t have children, wouldn’t that mean the Liang family line would end with him?

Liang Yi blinked, then suddenly burst into laughter. “So you think a lifelong bachelor like me actually wants kids?”

He sighed, then boldly reached out and took Hu Qianqian’s hand, smiling warmly into her eyes.

“Qianqian, Wei Sheng is amazing. I’m lucky to have a son like him. He’s grown up, and you’ve raised him so well—smart, upright, and kind. I didn’t have to change a single diaper, and I still get such a great son. What more could I ask for?”

“Qianqian, life is short. Remember, all we need to do is live well in the present. Whether or not we have children is up to fate. What I’ve always wanted… was never a child. It was you.”

The Hu family was about to celebrate another wedding!

Thirty years after the last one, Hu Yuanzheng was once again giving away his precious daughter.

Only this time, she wasn’t marrying far away. She was marrying the man next door—the one from the Liang family.

Who would’ve thought that the most eligible bachelor in the neighborhood would end up with a divorced single mom like Hu Qianqian?

When the invitations went out, the other mothers in the neighborhood with daughters of marriageable age were beside themselves with regret, practically beating their chests in frustration.

If only they’d known Liang Yi was open to marriage! With a catch like him, even if their daughters had to chase after him, it would’ve been worth it. How did they let Hu Qianqian snatch him up?

But on the wedding day, when they saw Lawyer Liang grinning like a fool, eyes glued to Qianqian like she was the only person in the world, those mothers could only sigh.

Forget it. Salted vegetables meet tofu—every pot has its lid. Liang Yi had never shown interest in any woman all these years. Some even spread rumors that he liked men! But now? Clearly, he’d had someone in his heart all along.

Otherwise, why did he swoop in the moment Hu Qianqian got divorced?

Looking back, maybe Hu Yuanzheng shouldn’t have married off his daughter so young after all.

Being well-matched in background really does matter.

Just look at the Hu Family’s new son-in-law and you’ll understand.

The Hu Family and the Liang Family were truly a match made in heaven.

Both were long-time locals of J City and among the earliest to benefit from urban redevelopment. Between the two families, they owned at least ten relocated properties in the provincial capital. Think about it—if a couple holds ten apartments in a major city, even without working, just living off the rental income would be more than enough for a comfortable life.

And to top it off, Liang Yi was no slouch. At a young age, he had already co-founded a major law firm, bought a villa outright, and drove a luxury car worth over a million yuan. When Hu Qianqian married him, she moved straight into a ready-made villa and became the lady of a law firm. From then on, her life was set for endless comfort and ease.

Just as the neighbors were busy gossiping with envy about Hu Qianqian “marrying into wealth,” they were stunned silent the next second by the sheer extravagance of her dowry.

Grandpa Hu was marrying off his daughter for the second time, and to someone as well-off as the Liang Family no less. Hu Yuanzheng wasn’t about to let his daughter be looked down upon, so he went all out with the dowry.

He gifted her two commercial apartments in the provincial capital, worth nearly five million yuan in total, along with a million yuan in savings as a nest egg.

Grandma Hu also contributed a full safe of gold jewelry as part of the dowry.

What no one expected was that Wei Sheng, her son, also prepared a dowry for his mother: a Porsche worth over a million, two commercial storefronts, and a bank certificate with 1.88 million yuan.

As for the shares in the online store and the tech company, before registering her marriage with Liang Yi, Hu Qianqian insisted on transferring them back under Wei Sheng’s name.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Liang Yi—she just didn’t trust herself.

Even though Liang Yi said he didn’t care whether they had children or not, Hu Qianqian thought it over and decided to stop using birth control and let nature take its course.

At her age, there was no guarantee she could still get pregnant, but if she did, then emotionally and morally, she would have to keep the child.

Even if not for Liang Yi, surely Uncle Liang and Auntie Liang would want this child too?

Once she had a child with Liang Yi, she wouldn’t be just Wei Sheng’s mother anymore.

People’s hearts change easily. She couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t end up like those muddle-headed mothers on TV, who, out of love for their younger child, would siphon resources from the elder to support the younger. So Hu Qianqian insisted on transferring everything that rightfully belonged to Wei Sheng back to him before her second marriage.

The online store and the tech company were businesses Wei Sheng had built with his own sweat and tears. No matter what the future held with Liang Yi, Hu Qianqian would never take those things into her new marriage.

Wei Sheng couldn’t win against his mother’s insistence and had no choice but to accept. After all, even if she remarried, she was still his mom. Who could stop him from spending money on his own mother?

Hu Qianqian’s second wedding was a grand affair. The Hu Family was pleased, the Liang Family was satisfied, and both sides had nothing to complain about. But of course, there were always a few people who just couldn’t stand to see others doing better than them.

Liang Yi, with his good looks and wealth, was the very definition of a high-quality bachelor. Not just people in the neighborhood, even relatives from the Liang Family had been eyeing him for years. After he and his groomsmen picked up Hu Qianqian and brought her back to the Liang home, relatives and friends crowded into the new house, eager to catch a glimpse of the bride. Once they had their look, they sat down contentedly, waiting for the banquet to begin.

That’s when one of the relatives, Fourth Aunt, couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.

“The bride doesn’t look too old, but her son’s already that big. Can she still give Yi a child?”

“Hey, if she can’t have kids, wouldn’t all of Liang Family’s wealth—billions, mind you—end up going to that Wei Sheng boy?”

That wasn’t a small amount. Several properties in the provincial capital, two villas, easily worth over a billion yuan. On top of that, Liang Yi co-owned a prestigious law firm that raked in more money than one could count. The Liang relatives had been coveting that fortune for years and had introduced countless potential matches to Liang Yi.

Take Fourth Aunt, for example. Her sister-in-law had four daughters. The eldest was a bit older, but the younger three had all been paraded before the Liang Family at some point.

Fourth Aunt was the wife of Liang Yi’s father’s cousin. Her own family was in dire straits. Her only brother was a good-for-nothing drunk and gambler. The two-story house they lived in was built with money pooled together by his sisters.

She had long set her sights on Liang Yi, thinking that if one of her nieces could land him, then the Liang fortune would practically become theirs.

Who would’ve thought that Liang Yi would pass over her three young, beautiful nieces and instead fall for Hu Qianqian, a divorced woman with a child?

The thought of all that wealth going to an outsider made Fourth Aunt feel like she couldn’t breathe.

Since her own family hadn’t benefited, she quickly shifted her focus to the issue of “heirs.”

She didn’t believe the family patriarch would just sit by and let all that wealth fall into the hands of someone named Wei. If Hu Qianqian couldn’t have children, they might just adopt one from within the family.

After all, her two daughters-in-law had given her four grandsons!

Thinking of this, Fourth Aunt suppressed the glee rising in her chest and, on this joyful occasion, began sighing and fretting over Hu Qianqian’s fertility, as if failing to give Liang Yi a son would be some kind of mortal sin.

Wei Sheng, who had come with his mother to offer toasts, overheard the whole thing from the next table. The smile on his face instantly vanished.

That old hag! What a vicious mouth. Whether my mom can have kids is none of your damn business. Your sons gave you four grandsons? Good for you.

But let’s do the math. These days, each grandson’s wedding would cost at least two million. Four grandsons—that’s eight million!

And with your family’s situation, you’ve got the nerve to worry about others? You should be out begging with a broken bowl.

Don’t come crying when your two sons go bankrupt trying to marry off their kids and end up with nothing left for your retirement. With two sons, you won’t qualify for government assistance, and you might not even get welfare. Your twilight years will be bleak indeed. Better worry about yourself first!

Fuming, Wei Sheng glanced at Liang Yi. He wanted to see if Liang Yi would stand up for his mother when that nosy relative inevitably ran her mouth.

If the Liang Family dared let their own kin insult Hu Qianqian, Wei Sheng wouldn’t care about saving face. He’d take his mom and walk out right then and there. Wedding or not, it didn’t matter.

Sure enough, when the toasting group reached Fourth Aunt’s table, the old bat couldn’t hold it in and started questioning the bride’s ability to bear children.

Before Hu Qianqian could respond, Liang Yi stepped in with a cheerful smile and cut her off.

“Wow, Fourth Aunt, I didn’t know you cared so much about me! That’s great! You know, even though I run a law firm, the economy’s been tough these past few years. Business isn’t what it used to be.”

“We’ve nearly burned through all our savings. Just feeding the adults is a struggle, let alone bringing a gold-eating monster into the world.”

“But since you’re so concerned about our family line, and we’re a bit tight on funds at the firm right now, how about this—why don’t you lend me a million or so to tide us over?”

“Don’t worry! Once Qianqian and I have a kid, we’ll be sure to bring them by to pay respects during New Year. And you’d better prepare a big red envelope!”

His words left Fourth Aunt’s face drained of color.

“Oh, come on now, Yi, how can you joke like that with your elders? Our family doesn’t have that kind of money!”

“No money, yet you’re worried about someone else having kids? Worry about yourself first! Four grandsons—you’re not stressed, but I’m stressed for you…” a nearby relative quickly pulled her back into her seat.

They’d seen enough to know—there’s no winning against a lawyer. Just look at Liang Yi. Say a few words about his wife, and he’ll come asking for a loan!

Lawyers deal with contracts all the time—who knows if he might pull something shady with the loan agreement? If they lend him money, there’s a good chance they’ll never see it again.

With that thought in mind, the relatives chuckled awkwardly, offered a few compliments to the bride, and obediently sat down to eat and drink.

If they didn’t sit down now, what if Liang Yi tried to borrow money from them again?

“Don’t worry, I don’t have any debts, and I’m not short on money right now,” Liang Yi said softly as he helped Hu Qianqian back to their room after the toasts. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

“I know,” Hu Qianqian replied with a small smile, lips pressed together. She hadn’t expected Liang Yi to stand up for her like that in front of his relatives.

That was something she had never experienced in the Wei family. Wei Zhiyong was the type who cared more about appearances than life itself. He was stingy with his wife and kids, yet never hesitated to buy the most expensive gifts for every relative, just to hear a few words of praise during the New Year.

Hu Qianqian had no interest in that kind of hollow pride.

She much preferred someone like Liang Yi, who valued substance over show.

(End of Chapter)