Liu Fen looked very different from when she first got divorced. Once a thin, gaunt rural woman, she had now filled out and gained a healthier complexion.
The Liu family was known for their attractive facial features, though they tended to be short in stature. Liu Fang had been the most striking among them, which explained her marriage to Liang Bing’an. Liu Yong was also good-looking, and though Li Fengmei had a second marriage, she wasn’t old at the time. She could have found someone better off financially than Liu Yong, but she was immediately drawn to his handsome appearance, causing her to lower her other standards.
Liu Fen had been thin since their youth, and years of hard work had stripped away any trace of beauty. Even after a year of better living, she only looked marginally better than when Xia Xiaolan first met her. While she was certainly different from the gossiping women of Dahe Village when standing before someone as privileged as Ji Ya, Liu Fen’s less-than-fair skin and overall demeanor still emanated a certain “rusticity.”
The female customers at Lan Fenghuang didn’t find Liu Fen unsophisticated – they quite liked her clothing recommendations! But Ji Ya was different; she naturally exuded high-end fashion and elegance. Unlike the other women in the commercial district, Ji Ya had lived abroad for over a decade. She wouldn’t have given someone like Liu Fen a second glance on the street. From Liu Fen’s facial features, which resembled Xia Xiaolan’s, Ji Ya had already guessed her identity. She found it incredible that such a woman could have entrapped Tang Hong’en.
Tang Hong’en was, after all, the mayor of the Special Zone now. If he wanted to find a woman, surely he didn’t need to settle for a rural woman! When Ji Ya dated men abroad, she had considered the possibility of Tang Hong’en remarrying. However, according to the Ji family’s intelligence, Tang Hong’en had remained single all these years… This was also why the Ji family could maintain their hold over him through Ji Jiangyuan – Tang Hong’en had no other children; Ji Jiangyuan was his only son!
The party who initiates divorce tends to compare themselves with their ex-spouse’s new partner. If Tang Hong’en had found someone superior to Ji Ya, she might have grudgingly accepted it. But looking at his choice… Ji Ya felt humiliated. Though extremely thin herself, her gaze was intense as she stared directly at Liu Fen.
When facing conflict, Liu Fen’s first instinct was to back down. She was the type to question herself if someone gave her a second look, but for her daughter’s sake, she wouldn’t yield an inch. She couldn’t yield – she hadn’t done anything wrong!
Xiaolan said she wasn’t wrong, Grandma Yu told her to stand tall for her daughter’s sake, and the senior official said she wasn’t wrong, so she wasn’t wrong. Liu Fen stared right back.
Ji Ya unconsciously tightened her grip on her sister-in-law’s hand. Not only did this rural woman dare to appear in such a setting, but she also dared to challenge her – all because Tang Hong’en had spoiled her. Was Tang Hong’en trying to humiliate her by suggesting that she, Ji Ya, was inferior even to a rural woman?
“Ah…” Ji Lin’s wife let out a small cry as Ji Ya suddenly squeezed her hand hard.
This sound broke the silence in the room.
Ji Lin was the first to express his displeasure: “Mayor Tang, today’s matter concerns only our two families. It’s inappropriate to have others present!”
Though Ji Lin had apologized to Xia Xiaolan, she remained unyielding. While he felt his sister was in the wrong, his impression of Xia Xiaolan wasn’t particularly positive either.
Before Tang Hong’en could respond, Grandma Yu let out a light scoff: “Then why did you drag uninvolved people into your family quarrel? Back then, why didn’t you talk about being reasonable? Now you’re afraid of being embarrassed in front of others?!”
Grandma Yu’s face clearly expressed “You’re the real joke here.” With her silver hair meticulously combed, she sat solemnly in her chair, her silence intimidating, and when she spoke, her words cut straight to the heart.
Ji Lin didn’t know this elderly woman’s background but felt stifled by her retort.
Though the situation was somewhat inappropriate, Xia Xiaolan wanted to laugh. Grandma Yu had always been this blunt – when they first rented from her, every word she spoke had been confrontational. She had offended all the neighbors, and only because Xia Xiaolan chose not to take offense and Liu Fen’s naturally good nature could they coexist for over a year.
Grandma Yu wasn’t lacking in emotional intelligence; her confrontational speech was a self-protective mechanism, a carefully crafted persona. Previously, Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen had also been objects of Grandma Yu’s wariness, naturally never hearing a kind word from the old lady. Now that the mother and daughter had warmed the old lady’s heart, seeing her trademark moves directed at others made Xia Xiaolan feel refreshed!
Tang Hong’en also wanted to laugh – Ji Lin arguing with an elderly woman would be a loss even if he won. Moreover, Grandma Yu wasn’t wrong; she had quickly and accurately identified the core issue.
Tang Hong’en cut in: “This is indeed a matter between our two families, but since Ji Ya insisted on dragging others into it, if we want reconciliation, naturally everyone needs to sit down together to discuss. Let’s get to the main point – as I’ve said before, I’m grateful to the Ji family for raising Jiangyuan, but you deliberately cut off contact between my son and me, preventing me from seeing Jiangyuan for twelve years. Now, in Jiangyuan’s presence, let’s clarify all past matters!”
Ji Lin’s expression darkened, while his wife tried to mediate: “It’s all in the past. For Jiangyuan’s sake, why bring it up?”
Grandma Yu let out another soft “hmph,” irritating Ji Lin’s wife. Who was this old lady to insert herself into the affairs between their families?
When it came to speaking her mind, Grandma Yu could rival Ji Ya as a master. At her age, with limited years left, she spoke completely without restraint: “Xiaolan, you should learn from this – this is what they call ‘cultured people from scholarly families!’ Learn what? Learn their thick skin! Without such thick skin, their way of doing things wouldn’t be so easily self-justified! If you don’t forgive them, you’re the one being petty… These face-conscious people, once they say sorry, no matter how many unpleasant things happened before, everything can be written off. Well, they’re cultured people – their face is worth more than others, what can you do?”
The Ji family couldn’t even reconcile without being stiff-necked, and Grandma Yu couldn’t stand their pretentious manner.
What kind of family were they?
They just happened to have an educated father! They were so full of themselves just for that? When the People’s Republic was established, all noble families fell. The Ji family had only lasted three generations – the second generation couldn’t maintain their status, and the third generation’s worth remained to be seen. Grandma Yu really couldn’t understand what the Ji family was so proud of.
Xia Xiaolan listened to the old lady’s teachings, thinking they were brilliant and wanting to applaud. Clapping at this moment might seem inappropriate and uncultured… but Xia Xiaolan didn’t care. If the Ji family could act as they pleased, why couldn’t she follow her inclinations?
“You spoke so well!” Xia Xiaolan started clapping.
Their coordinated performance greatly agitated Ji Ya, who yanked her hand away from her sister-in-law: “Such disrespect in your old age – who do you think you are to criticize the Ji family!”
“Ji Ya!” Ji Lin sharply rebuked her.
Grandma Yu adjusted her sleeve buttons and dusted off her hands: “I’m just a street sweeper, naturally an irritating old thing.”
The old lady looked Ji Ya up and down, her expression indescribable.
“Decades ago, when I was studying in Beiping, there were classmates too poor to eat. Who among them hadn’t eaten the food I provided? Ji Huaixin ate plenty of my meals too. Now that he’s dead and gone, his daughter can point at me and call me an old thing… Heh, I’d say Ji Huaixin’s scholarship was decent enough, but his character wasn’t much!”