Chapter 592 You Have to Get Past Me First

Chapter 592: You’ll Have to Get Past Me First

Cai Huifang didn’t like Jiang Yu either, but sitting at the same table gave her a need to vent.

After recounting the events of the previous night, she said, “Jiang Yu, maybe you could help persuade her.”

Jiang Yu was puzzled. “Persuade her about what?”

“About Liuzi! I’m all by myself—what’s wrong with wanting to live with my own daughter?”

Jiang Yu fell silent. There was nothing wrong with wanting to live with her daughter and son-in-law, but Cai Huifang had developed an obsessive need for control over her daughter.

Cai Xiaole was well aware of this, and to avoid endless arguments, she had chosen to refuse.

“Aunt Cai, this is your family matter. It’s not my place to intervene.”

Cai Huifang sneered. “I see. You also think I’m just in the way and shouldn’t live with my daughter, don’t you?”

Jiang Yu was irritated by her unreasonable behavior and didn’t know how to respond, so she simply stayed silent.

Cai Huifang had become increasingly hostile, and she viewed everyone with prejudice. Jiang Yu avoided her whenever possible.

Just as the banquet was about to begin, Tong Qilin arrived.

He led Cai Xiaole’s grandmother in, strutting in.

He declared, “My daughter is getting married, and her own father wasn’t even told?”

Cai Huifang could hardly contain her rage and roared, “What right do you have to be here? Get out!”

Tong Qilin scoffed. “Why should I leave? Cai Xiaole is my daughter. She’s got Tong blood running through her veins—she can never deny that.”

He wasn’t here just for the food.

“Xiaole, you’ve got no manners. How could you not even tell your father about such a big event as your wedding?”

Cai Xiaole’s expression was icy. “You know damn well why I didn’t tell you.”

She hadn’t expected Tong Qilin, who had been absent for so long, to show up and cause trouble at her wedding.

Any joy she’d felt was gone.

Although the old woman had always resented her for being a girl, a daughter’s wedding meant dowry money—which was why she had urged Tong Qilin to come.

“Xiaole, your father was overjoyed when he heard about your wedding. You wouldn’t really be so heartless as to disown your own father, would you? That’s a sin that’ll bring heaven’s wrath.”

Cai Xiaole barked a humorless laugh. “Then let lightning strike me down—let’s see if it’s me or him who gets struck!”

“You! You ungrateful little—! I’m your father—how dare you speak to me like that!”

Lai Liuzi took Cai Xiaole’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

The wedding was what mattered. There was no need to let these two uninvited guests ruin everyone’s mood.

“Uncle, since you’re here, why not have a seat and join us for a drink?”

Tong Qilin snorted and dragged over a chair to sit.

“Whether this wedding happens or not—you’ll have to get past me first.”

Lai Liuzi's expression remained unchanged as he asked calmly, "Do you have any conditions, Uncle?"

Tong Qilin glanced at him, unsure of his attitude.

The old woman, impatient, directly held up two fingers.

"We want two hundred—no, five hundred yuan as the dowry!"

Cai Huifang glared at her coldly. "Dream on! Xiaole is our Cai family's daughter and has nothing to do with you!"

"What kind of talk is that? She's got Tong family blood in her veins—she should be our child. She owes us this much!"

Cai Xiaole asked calmly, "And what if I refuse?"

Tong Qilin slammed the table angrily and threatened, "If you don't pay, you can't get married!"

Cai Xiaole found it ridiculous. "Times have changed now—people marry who they want. You can't interfere with my wedding. Since I'm still being polite, leave on your own. If security has to remove you, it'll be embarrassing!"

"How dare you!" The old lady planted herself down stubbornly.

She couldn't believe anyone would dare disrespect an elder.

Jiang Yu stood up calmly and stood at a safe distance.

"Old lady, don't forget your precious grandson still works at Second Factory!"

Though Tong Heng had his quirks, he cherished his hard-earned job and had worked diligently at the factory all this time.

"We can't do anything to you, but do you not care about your grandson?"

The old lady panicked. "You heartless witch! You want to harm my grandson!"

Jiang Yu averted her gaze and said leisurely, "No need to be nasty. If you behave, it’ll be better for everyone."

The old lady looked at Tong Qilin, clenching her teeth in fear and frustration, unwilling to back down.

Tong Qilin, genuinely worried about affecting Tong Heng, had no choice but to stand up and slink out.

"Mom, let's go!"

After this incident, the mood was ruined—especially for Cai Huifang and Cai Xiaole, who were completely revolted.

Once they had settled back in their seats, Jiang Yu overheard Cai Huifang muttering, "Maybe we picked the wrong day. Perhaps today just wasn’t suitable for a wedding."

Jiang Yu was momentarily at a loss for words.

Finally finishing the meal, Jiang Yu couldn’t wait to leave and escape Cai Huifang’s constant nagging.

Stepping out of the restaurant, she let out a relieved sigh.

"Much longer and my ears would've bled."

He Tingyue chuckled and rubbed her ears. "Just ignore her."

Jiang Yu grumbled, "I didn’t even respond, but Aunt Cai could go on complaining forever."

Since they rarely went out, Jiang Yu had originally hoped to do some shopping.

Later, when passing by Shunlinzhai bakery, Jiang Yu thought of buying some pastries to visit Xiao Qi and the others.

"You said they moved to a new place, but I haven’t seen it yet. If the conditions are too poor, wouldn’t that be shortchanging them?"

He Tingyue held her hand with one hand and carried the pastries with the other.

"Those guys are unrefined—they don’t care about such things."

Jiang Yu disagreed, "Precisely because they don’t care, we should show them more consideration."

They were all rough-and-tumble types, aren’t picky about food or where they sleep, which made it easy for them to neglect themselves.

The house He Tingyue rented for them was also in the Dongmin Alley area, with a courtyard, though a bit smaller.

It was well-ventilated and bright, and quite tidy.

"How much is the rent per month?"

He Tingyue said, "Seven yuan a month."

It was only cheap because of the location. If it were in the western part of the city, you’d never find this price.

Walking inside, Jiang Yu called them over to have some pastries and noticed Xiao Qi wasn’t there.

She asked, "Where’s Xiao Qi?"

Tie Tou said, "He recently met a little girl. Said she was in a tough spot, so he went out to help her out."

Jiang Yu: "...Did he finally notice girls?"

Tie Tou chuckled, "Nah, she really is just a little girl, at most thirteen or fourteen years old—still a kid. Xiao Qi isn’t that kind of creep."

Jiang Yu had heard from He Tingyue before that Xiao Qi once had a younger sister, but she fell seriously ill and passed away.

Back in those days, conditions were bad, and not even a photo remained.

It was only natural for him to feel a soft spot for children that age.

"Then you all go ahead and eat. Just set some aside for him later."

After a while, Xiao Qi returned—but not alone. A girl trailed him.

Jiang Yu looked over, her smile stiffened. She recognized this girl.

"Ding He?"