Chapter 18: 18

Chapter 18: Tell Me, How Much Would It Take For You To Leave My Son?

Su Jian felt as if he were in a dream right up until the moment he got into the car.

Being reborn into a woman who was his damned love rival’s wife was bad enough. Now he would also have to wage a grudge-filled war between a wealthy mother-in-law and daughter-in-law! What was up with this curse-inducing melodramatic fate of his?! He was just a normal manly man! Ah! Why did he have to be involved in such strange circumstances? Ah! An Yize, where are you? Come back quickly and save me, damn you!

Su Jian saw the scenery outside the car window transform from skyscrapers and high-rises into verdant mountain views and a large decorative gate.

The gate opened, and the car continued moving along the path. The suit-clad man got the wheelchair ready before coming over to open the car door for him, “Young mistress, we’re here.”

Su Jian got out of the car, then hopped over to the wheelchair and sat down by himself, looking all around.

Ah! This house was a villa properly the size of half a mountain! This imposing exterior! This immense garden! The rich are really and truly loathsome creatures!

After sending Su Jian into the living room on the first floor, the suit-clad men withdrew. Su Jian was on guard, but being on guard for one minute, two minutes, three minutes… many minutes later, Su Jian had yet to see the person he was being on guard against.

Huh?[1]

Where…. Where was everyone? Where was his Elder Rong? How come it’s been forever and no one even paid him any attention?

In the beginning, Su Jian had remained silently waiting, but after waiting for a while and not even seeing a hint of a person, he felt that things seemed to be a bit strange. His nervous apprehension gradually disappeared. As he slowly relaxed, he simply started to look around from sheer boredom.

Ah! A wealthy family’s mansion! In this lifetime, he’d only ever seen something like this on TV!

Su Jian enjoyed looking all over the place with pleasure, completely forgetting his previous nervousness. When he finished checking out the place to his complete satisfaction, Su Jian also felt somewhat tired. As he saw that the couch in the middle appeared to be so comfortable, Su Jian unceremoniously climbed up and sat on it. After sitting quietly for a while, the consequences of staying up late the night before watching movies became all too apparent. He started to feel sleepy, then slowly became unable to hold himself up. Finally, he offhandedly laid on the couch and fell asleep.

As he woke up, he felt someone pulling on his arm.

“Wake up! Get up, you!”

Su Jian opened his eyes and saw that a woman had appeared in front of him at some unknown time. Based on her manner of dress, she seemed pretty graceful and polished, all except for her expression which didn’t look very good.

Su Jian rubbed his eyes, then sat up. He squinted as he looked around. He began to recall what had happened then looked over the middle-aged lady in front of him. Suddenly, his senses came online: Is this lady possibly Elder Rong?

Su Jian trembled with fear inside for a instant, then carefully sized up this enemy. Say, An Yize’s mom is pretty good-looking! Ah! When she was young she definitely had to have been a great beauty. Even now, she’s still not bad to look at. She didn’t look like a thirty-year-old man’s mom at all. Ah! She’s really good at taking care of herself!

Mother An saw him staring straight at her and immediately glared, “What are you looking at?”

Su Jian honestly said, “Auntie, ma’am, you’re really pretty and also really young.”

Mother An’s lips started to curve upwards but she immediately pressed them flat. She coldly said, “Auntie? Humph!”

At this, Su Jian remembered that An Yize and he were already married and he should have changed what he called her. Thus, he hurriedly called, “Oh! Mom….” An Yize, you owe me a ton for this!

Mother An glared as she said, “How could you fall asleep like this? Do you not have any manners?”

Su Jian smiled apologetically, “I waited a bit too long so I accidentally fell asleep.”

Su Jian didn’t mean to complain, but who would’ve imagined that mother An’s face became even darker? “You’re reproaching me?”

“No! No!” Su Jian smiled apologetically, “Absolutely not!”

“Liar!” Mother An scathingly said, “You definitely are!”

Su Jian shut his mouth. Older women were the best arguers in the world. He voluntarily conceded defeat.

In the end, mother An saw that he wasn’t saying anything, and, in contrast, became even angrier, “Humph! Not even a shred of a good upbringing!”

This involved the dignity of his parents. Su Jian needed to defend them so he muttered, “This is something you can get?”

Mother An stared blankly and seemed to not know how to continue on. She lividly harrumphed for a while then suddenly pointed at Su Jian’s nose as she said, “I don’t like you at all!”

Su Jian obediently replied, “Oh.”

Mother An said angrily, “I didn’t even give my permission for your marriage with Xiao Ze[2]!”

Shake hands! I didn’t give my permission either! WAH~~~! Su Jian silently cried inside and blurted out regretfully, “The lumber has already become a boat, what can you do?”

“You!” Mother An was rendered speechless yet again. After mulling it for a while, she sat on the couch across from Su Jian, raised her chin, then contemptuously said, “Tell me, how much would it take for you to leave my son?”

Eh? Su Jian blinked. Could this be what they call using money to buy love or using a big stick to destroy a happily married couple? If you want to set up a melodrama, then this kind of classic plot couldn’t be left out! Su Jian’s eyes lit up and excitedly said, “Ah! Let me think about it!”

Mother An flew into a rage immediately, “You! You vulgar woman! For you to be so easily bribed by a little bit of money!”

Su Jian had a bit of trouble following her logic so spoke honestly when he said, “A little bit of money probably won’t do it.”

Mother An: “……”

Su Jian innocently said, “Also, you clearly brought up money first…”

Mother An gasped in anger, “You! You, a woman lacking upbringing, dare talk to an elder this way? Do you know what respect is? Also, when you talked to me, you actually didn’t stand up!”

Su Jian explained, “I’m currently handicapped.”

Mother An angrily said, “Ha! Are you criticizing me for bullying the handicapped?”

Su Jian didn’t originally have a hidden meaning to his words, but after she spoke, he could only truthfully respond, “Yes.”

Mother An: “……”

   ……….

The first battle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law ended with Elder Rong gasping angrily as she flung out her sleeves and went upstairs.

Su Jian scratched his head. Elder Rong didn’t seem to be as scary as imagined.

When Su Jian saw that Mother An stopped paying him any notice, he felt he could retreat. Who knew when Su Jian wheeled the wheelchair to the door, he was informed by the steward guarding the door that he still couldn’t leave.

Elder Rong was… putting him under house arrest?

Although a bit astonishing, Su Jian was no longer nervous. Since he temporarily couldn’t leave, he might as well walk around. In any case, he’d already taken a nap and was full of energy now.

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And so Su Jian ended up rolling in his wheelchair and roaming around all over the place.

After roaming for a bit, he suddenly felt hungry. Thus, he pressed the steward, “Umm, that. I’m a little hungry. Would you please give me something to eat?”

The steward had clearly been given all the particulars by Mother An and didn’t respond right away. He only said, “This… please allow me to ask for instructions from madam first.”

Su Jian nodded. The steward came back after a moment, but the orders he received were: Don’t give that little slut anything to eat!

The steward was very apologetic.

Su Jian smiled, “It’s okay.” Yet, on the inside, he thought it over: Does Elder Rong intends to starve him to death?

Shaking his head, Su Jian started to puzzle things over. He really didn’t want to stir up trouble with Elder Rong, but his stomach was of utmost importance. No matter what, he really had to find some food to fill his belly.

Su Jian thought for a bit, interrogated a passing maid, then went to the kitchen.

The kitchen in the An household was large and contained a wide variety of ingredients; Su Jian was very satisfied with it. Facing the chef’s surprised looks, Su Jian said, “It’s okay! I know madam’s orders. You don’t have to pay me any mind, I’ll be fine with the few things I want.”

After asking the chef to find him a rolling chair and finding all the ingredients he wanted, Su Jian started to help himself to towards the life of plenty.

The chef stood to the side, “Young mistress, you….”

Su Jian smiled faintly, “Madam only said not to give me food, but she didn’t say not to let me cook for myself, right?”

The chef hesitantly nodded.

Su Jian smiled, “Then isn’t it settled?

“But young mistress! Your leg…”

“No problem! I’ve long since gotten used to it!”

Su Jian meant that he was used to cooking for himself at home, but when the chef heard it, it became the commoner little wife marrying into a rich and powerful family receiving no small measure of bullying had become the norm. Thus, Su Jian immediately gained fat brother chef’s deep sympathy, and his hardworking, virtuous, and skilled working class true colors won the deep admiration of brother chef who was also of the working class.

Of course, Su Jian didn’t know his reputation had leveled up. He casually made himself a small side dish and fried rice. When he turned and saw the chef looking at him in a kindly, he greeted, “Uncle, have you eaten? Want to eat together?”

The chef, who was watching him cook the whole time, saw that his actions were proficient and agile and was able to determine that he had good cooking skills. He then saw that the results looked and tasted good and generously praised, “Young Mistress is so virtuous and skilled!”

Although ’virtuous and skilled’ was a bit awkward, being praised made Su Jian feel a bit prideful. He said modestly, “You’re too kind,” and then said offhandedly, “Ah! In this day and age, those who aren’t virtuous and skilled will have trouble getting a wife!”

The chef didn’t know why he suddenly brought up marrying a wife, but he played along and laughed, “Yes! Third young master is so lucky to have married you!”

Isn’t that the truth! Little sister Su was such a bright and beautiful head of white cabbage[3]. To think that that An-surnamed swine had dug her up with his snout! Who knew how many wooden fish this jerk had broken from knocking in his past life! And that shitty temper! Inexplicably getting angry, causing him to get kidnapped by Elder Rong and have to deal with this melodrama! Was there still such a thing as personal loyalty in this world? Was there still any professional ethics to be had anywhere?

Su Jian was extremely angry, but when he saw the chef’s smiling face, he had to keep his anger inside. He thought for a bit, came up with an idea, then asked, “Uncle, How many years have you worked for the An family?”

The chef smiled as he said, “Oh! A very long time! I watched third young master grow up!”

Su Jian was immediately intrigued and beamed, “Nothing could be better! Uncle, you definitely know many of Yize’s most embarrassing moments, right? Tell me a few! I want to learn more about him!”

   …………….

After dinner, Su Jian rested for a while, holding his belly. Elder Rong seemed to both be refusing to see him by staying upstairs and had no intentions of letting him go. Su Jian decided to take the initiative to launch the first attack.

Su Jian asked the steward to pass on his request to meet to mother An. Once mother An heard that Su Jian asked to meet, she thought he finally couldn’t bear the torment and had weakly admitted defeat. She was feeling very happy, but in line with making things difficult for that little hussy, she purposely took her time. Only then did she come downstairs with her head held high.

“What? You finally thought it through?” Mother An looked arrogantly at Su Jian and said with disdain.

Su Jian was dumbfounded, “Thought what through?”

Mother An choked. As she widened her eyes into circles from glaring, her noble, cool, and elegant empress dowager expression started to show some cracks.

Su Jian said, “It’s like this, Rong… Mom. I’d like to discuss something with you.”

Mother An lightly harrumphed, “There’s nothing to discuss! I’ve already said that I don’t like you and don’t acknowledge you as my daughter-in-law. You’d best divorce Xiao Ze right away!”

Su Jian said, “Mom, what I mean is that Yize isn’t around right now. If there’s something you want to discuss, why don’t we wait for him to come back….” I, your father, am only a guest performer. I really can’t handle this melodramatic rich and powerful family! An Yize! Ah! Hurry up and come back won’t you!

Mother An angrily said, “It’d be easier for you to lodge a complaint if Xiao Ze came back, right?”

Su Jian was startled, “Complaining works?”

Mother An fiercely said, “No! Not even a little bit!”

Su Jian compromised, “How about this? You don’t like me so instead of being an eyesore to you, why don’t I go back first…”

Mother An angrily said, “No! I won’t allow it! I specifically want to look at you!”

Su Jian though helplessly: Ah! This deep love that mother-in-law has for her daughter-in-law!

When mother An saw his speechlessness, she slowly became pleased with herself again. “Let me tell you, you’re not good enough for Xiao Ze! I’d already picked a wife for Xiao Ze. Only a girl like Xue-er is good enough for our Xiao Ze!”

Su Jian’s curiosity was piqued, “Xue-er!”

Mother An thought he had suffered a blow and was very pleased with herself, “Xue-er and our Xiao Ze grew up together. She’s beautiful and good-natured. She has dual degrees from Yale University and is also the daughter of the Bai family conglomerate. How could you, a girl from a poor, humble, and common family, be compared to her?”

Ah! This set up was the very definition of a goddess! Su Jian’s desires peaked. He could help but blurt out, “That amazing? Please introduce me to her!”

Mother An: “……”

Footnotes:

[1]The original words here were the Chinese version of the Japanese word ‘are’, meaning Huh? Eh? What? So this was translated from Chinese to Japanese to English for you guys!

[2]Little Ze or Xiao Ze is another nickname for An Yize.

[3]A white cabbage is a euphemism for a top-tier person with respect as a dating partner.

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