Chapter 33: Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law Problems
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Jiang Rui looked at Jiang Cheng and asked with a smile, "Mom, didn't you ask us to come over for dinner?"
Kong Xiangxiang glanced at her, "Don't joke with me."
Jiang Rui shrugged. "Okay, Mom. Brother and I know your intentions. Aren't you just trying to find out my brother's thoughts about the rumors about my grandmother trying to set up my brother and Xiao Yan?
"If you have something to say, just say it. We're family. There's nothing that we can't say openly."
"You're the smart one!"
After scolding her, Kong Xiangxiang looked at Jiang Cheng. "Ah Cheng, although those rumors may not be true, Mom still wants to know what you think.
"To be fair, that little girl named Shi Yan is indeed very outstanding. At least, she's far from what I imagined a country girl to look like. Moreover, she saved your grandmother. The Jiang family in Sea City owes her a big favor. Mom shouldn't have any prejudice against her… Mom doesn't have any prejudice against her, but the rumors are just rumors."
Kong Xiangxiang's words made Jiang Cheng frown.
Jiang Cheng's expression was indifferent to begin with, giving off a feeling of being away from strangers. Now that he was frowning, the pressure he gave off was even stronger.
Just by being stared at by his sharp eyes, Kong Xiangxiang's imposing manner weakened a little.
"Mom, you just said that it was a rumor. Since when did you even begin to believe these groundless rumors?"
"I- I don't believe it either. I just want to hear your thoughts. I'm your mother, and this is related to your marriage. Can't I even ask about it?"
"You know me. If I don't want to, even you can't control my marriage."
Jiang Cheng was expressionless. Even though he was facing his biological mother, his attitude was still cold and hard.
Although she knew that this was his personality, Kong Xiangxiang was still a little angry and a little hurt when she heard him say that.
"Ah Cheng, I'm your mother. Do you have to treat me like an outsider?"
Jiang Cheng did not respond to her. He only said, "You don't have to worry about the rumors outside. I have no interest in Miss Shi, and Miss Shi has no interest in me."
Jiang Cheng glanced at the hand held by Jiang Rui under the table. When he met Jiang Rui's pleading gaze, he paused for a moment, then continued, "Miss Shi is grandmother's guest. Now that she gets along well with Rui'er, she can be considered Rui'er's friend. Even if you don't take into account the fact that she once saved grandmother, as an elder, you shouldn't be so prejudiced against a junior. She's just a 19-year-old girl. I heard she's a month younger than Rui'er.
"Her background is already pitiful. Since grandmother likes her, why do you have to make things difficult for her? Don't make people think that the Jiang family of Sea City would takes revenge for kindness and bully the weak."
"How am I making things difficult for her? I just want to know what you think!"
"Mom, you're already treating Xiao Yan to coffee. Isn't that called making things difficult?" Jiang Rui asked. "Although you didn't say it clearly when we were drinking coffee, Xiao Yan isn't stupid. How could Xiao Yan not see through your intentions?
"It's just that Xiao Yan is kind and doesn't care. If it were me, I would definitely be very angry that I was probed like this even though I didn't do anything. I might have fallen out on the spot. Xiao Yan didn't, and she gave you a lot of face."
Perhaps it was due to her personality, but Jiang Rui's tone didn't sound too tough, and she was smiling without a care in the world. It was more like her youngest daughter was acting coquettishly and complaining to her doting mother.
It wouldn't anger Kong Xiangxiang. She just glared at her.
"Mom, you can rest assured. Regardless of whether grandmother has any intention of matchmaking my brother and Xiao Yan, neither Xiao Yan nor my brother have such thoughts.
"Also, Mom, did you forget about the box of pastries in Xiao Yan's hands at the cafe that day?"
Kong Xiangxiang was stunned.
In fact, when she learned that the box of pastries in Shi Yan's hands was gifted by Fifth Master Jiang, Kong Xiangxiang already knew that Shi Yan would not have any thoughts towards Jiang Cheng. After all, when Shi Yan came out of the cafe that day, she held the box of pastries so dearly and looked at the box of pastries with a slightly different gaze.
Kong Xiangxiang had seen it all.
She was afraid that Jiang Cheng would have feelings for Shi Yan.
Even she had to admit that Shi Yan was definitely outstanding among girls her age. This excellence did not refer to her family background and achievements, but her appearance and temperament.
Many men valued these two points when they looked at women.
For so many years, Jiang Cheng had not had a member of the opposite sex who was close to him. Kong Xiangxiang was afraid that if he suddenly came into contact with a girl like Shi Yan, he would unconsciously have feelings for her.
Now, seeing Jiang Cheng's reaction, she knew that she was worrying too much.
At this time, she was more concerned about Jiang Cheng's cold and hard attitude towards her than worrying over whether the rumors were true.
It just so happened that this was her son's character. Since he was young, apart from his sister Rui'er, he treated everyone else, including his parents, coldly and distantly.
This made Kong Xiangxiang very helpless.
It was also because their son was not close to them that they moved out of the old house.
Only when her son was alone with his sister, Rui'er, did he have a slightly different mood. With them around, he would always keep a straight face. Since he would only become more lively when he was with his sister Rui'er, then as parents they could only help him, even if his lively life was not in front of them.
"I'm just being nosy, okay? Tell me about you and your sister. I didn't do anything particularly overboard. Do you have to treat me with such bitterness and hatred?"
"There's no such thing as bitterness and hatred," Jiang Rui said helplessly.
"Mom, this is just normal communication between us as a family. In the future, if there are such rumors about my brother in the outside world, if you want to test him, come and test my brother first. Don't test other girls.
"Anyway, if my brother doesn't agree, it's useless no matter how deep a girl's feelings for my brother are, right? My brother isn't the kind of person who will be at the mercy of others in a marriage."
Kong Xiangxiang glared at her, "I can't win against you."
Jiang Rui chuckled when she finally got rid of their mother.
Suddenly thinking of something, Jiang Rui asked, "But Mom, does my brother really have to marry someone of equal status in the future?"
When Jiang Cheng heard Jiang Rui's words, he stopped picking up the food for her. He frowned slightly and looked at her. He pursed his lips slightly, and the emotions in his eyes were somewhat unclear.
"You don't have to be of equal status. You just can't be as helpless as Shi Yan. After all, your brother is the future head of the Jiang family in Sea City. His wife has to have the ability and strength to take care of herself in times of crisis."
"Then how do you define this ability and strength? What if that girl is very strong on her own and can completely take care of the head of the Jiang family in Sea City, but she doesn't have a solid backer?"
Kong Xiangxiang was stumped by her question.
"It depends on the specifics. Even if you ask me now, I can't give you an exact standard."
Jiang Rui pursed her lips and said somewhat speechlessly, "Mom, I think it's not that you can't give me an exact standard. It's because of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law problem since ancient times. You think that my brother is outstanding and that no girl is worthy of him, right?"
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