426. A Not-So-Happy Ending
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“I absolutely disagree!”
The uncle’s daughter spoke with a firm tone, her attitude crystal clear. She wore a stern expression, looking up at Lin Nan’s mother with a not-so-friendly face.
Lin Nan’s mother seemed at a loss, unsure of what had offended her. Lin Nan quickly stepped in, gently taking her mother’s hand in a reassuring grip.
They were all in their forties or fifties after all; could they really expect their children to stick around forever in their old age?
Lin Nan figured that once she graduated from university, she wouldn’t be living with her mother every day. If her mother ended up alone and lonely at home when she grew older, well, that was a depressing thought.
If the uncle married her, at least both of them could support each other!
“I used to think you two were just going to be companions, and that I could agree with. But marriage is absolutely out of the question,” the girl declared, shaking her head firmly.
The uncle, with a pained smile, tried to reason with his daughter, but she suddenly shot up, grabbed her handbag from the table, and turned to leave the private room. “I’m out of here!”
The other three exchanged glances, and the atmosphere in the room became increasingly awkward.
“So, what do we do now?” Lin Nan broke the silence, looking bewildered at the uncle.
He sighed, clearly distressed; his daughter, who had always been nice to Lin Nan’s mother, had unexpectedly turned on them. Though he understood, he certainly hadn’t anticipated such an outcome.
“I don’t blame her; I spoiled her too much,” he chuckled bitterly.
Lin Nan’s mother’s expression softened a bit, forcing a smile, “I can understand; after all, her mother was such a terrible person back then.”
Lin Nan was left scratching her head, “What are you guys talking about?”
At that moment, the waiter brought the dishes they had ordered to the table.
“Let’s eat while talking,” the uncle said, picking up a piece of meat and placing it in Lin Nan’s bowl before beginning his story.
Unlike Lin Nan’s mother, who married through arranged matchmaking, the uncle had experienced love in a more traditional fashion.
He and his ex-wife had gone through thick and thin together, ultimately achieving a comfortable life in this town with a house, a car, and a lovely daughter. However, ten years ago, his ex-wife cheated, and they divorced.
Typically, when one partner has a major fault like cheating, they might get less in the property division, but his ex-wife was relentless, throwing a dramatic fit. The uncle, being kind-hearted, ended up being awarded a house, while all he retained were a car and a few thousand in savings.
To add insult to injury, the ex-wife didn’t want to bear the responsibility of raising their daughter, leaving the uncle to rent a place and hustle for a living. Two years ago, he finally bought a new apartment—only the down payment, but hey, it was a start!
His daughter had proven to be quite capable, graduating with a master’s degree last year and now working in Shanghai with a steadily increasing income.
No wonder the girl reacted so strongly…
Lin Nan understood but worried that her mother might not be so forgiving.
If her mom imagined the uncle’s ex-wife was the same kind of woman, she’d surely feel wronged, no matter how carefree she tried to be.
Lin Nan looked over, and her mother’s face was indeed not looking too cheerful.
“Don’t blame my daughter…” the uncle sighed. “She’s been independent since childhood, enduring a lot. Now that life is getting better, she doesn’t want anyone disrupting that.”
Lin Nan’s mother nodded slightly but didn’t know what to say.
To her, marriage represented a commitment and security. If they couldn’t get married, then she wasn’t going to be hanging her hopes on the uncle.
Even if she liked him very much, reason told her that marriage was essential. Otherwise, she might as well live the second half of her life alone—better than getting entangled in a mess!
The meal dragged on in a somewhat awkward atmosphere, and once it was over, they exited the restaurant. Lin Nan’s mother said goodbye and hopped into a passing private tricycle. The uncle looked helpless, turning to Lin Nan, opening his mouth to say something, but ultimately just sighed instead.
“I’ll talk to my daughter. You make sure your mom doesn’t get too upset.”
“Sure.” Lin Nan had expected this outing to run smoothly, but it had gone haywire.
The uncle seemed to think the same, but now here they were, parting on such a sour note.
He lit a cigarette and walked away looking glum. Lin Nan, frustrated, pulled out her phone, preparing to text Chen Yao for advice on what to do next.
If they couldn’t win over the uncle’s daughter, they certainly couldn’t suggest her mother break up with the uncle, right? And there was absolutely no way she could advocate for her mother to live with the uncle with no commitment!
If only charming magic worked on females too.
Lin Nan mused to herself—if it did, it could be entertaining to throw a female competitor into Chen Yao’s mix!
She nearly laughed at her absurd thought. Just as she turned to head back to Chen Yao’s place, she suddenly found the uncle’s daughter standing right in front of her.
“Eh?”
“I’m Liu Ying,” the girl said, extending a slender hand.
Flustered, Lin Nan awkwardly reached out and shook her hand, clearly unaccustomed to this greeting.
“Let’s talk about Auntie’s situation.” Liu Ying, clad in a crisp white shirt, appeared neat and assertive.
With fierce brows and thin lips that implied a certain sharpness, she towered over Lin Nan, imposing a heavy psychological pressure on her.
Is this what they call a queen bee type girl?
Lin Nan, having a soft personality, felt completely overwhelmed by such a forceful presence. And since her mother’s circumstances weren’t something to shy away from, she reluctantly opened up about what she knew.
Liu Ying fell in step behind Lin Nan, listening intently as they walked, arms crossed and brow furrowed.
Lin Nan led them into Chen Yao’s neighborhood and found a stone bench in a little garden to sit down.
She took her time and spoke for about ten minutes before laying out all the information she knew about her mother.
“Is that so…” Liu Ying nodded, then asked, “What are your thoughts on them getting married?”
“Uh, well, I can’t possibly be there for my mom all the time. If they live together, it’ll be good for both of them as they get older,” Lin Nan replied earnestly. “Otherwise, what if they fall and can’t get up, or suddenly get sick? We might not even make it back in time.”
Liu Ying seemed to agree: “Living together is fine, but marriage is out of the question.”
“Why not? Are you worried your dad will get taken advantage of? I’m worried my mom might get left high and dry if they don’t get married!” Lin Nan felt a surge of frustration, her tone getting more intense. “What about my mom? Her first half of life was already ruined, does she not deserve to live comfortably in her second half?”
“My dad’s not that kind of guy.”
“My mom’s not that kind of woman!”
Lin Nan suddenly stood up, glaring at the woman before her in frustration.
But she had never been good at being fierce; though she tried to seem angrily imposing, her expression looked rather pitiful and vulnerable instead.
