Chapter 327: Admitted

Chapter 327: Conceding

Ai Liangfa looked at the shabby, damp room before him and tossed the luggage bag he was holding onto the floor.

"What on earth is Mom thinking? This place is uninhabitable!"

Ai Xiaoqing could no longer maintain her composed demeanor. As a child, she had only slept in this room for one night, and she remembered it being nowhere near as nice as Ai Xiaolan's room.

Now, seeing it again, it wasn’t just slightly worse—it was incomparable in size, lighting, and furnishings. That wretched Ai Xiaolan had actually taken her room.

She couldn’t say anything herself now, so she stood at the doorway, whimpering and crying, leaving it to Ai Liangfa to take the lead.

When Chen Aru returned with Ai Xiaolan and pushed open the door, they saw Ai Xiaoqing’s belongings still in the room.

Ai Xiaoqing and Ai Liangfa quickly stood up when they saw Chen Aru returning with the luggage.

Ai Liangfa’s expression was grim, while Ai Xiaoqing’s eyes were red, clearly from crying.

"What’s going on?" Chen Aru asked unhappily.

Ai Liangfa was fuming. "Mom, have you even seen that room? You’re making Xiaoqing stay there? It’s dark, stuffy, small, damp, the walls are yellowed and peeling, there’s not even a wardrobe..."

Chen Aru watched him coldly as he rambled on.

"Are you done?" Her voice was frosty with suppressed rage.

All she wanted was to help Xiaolan get her room back—why was it so difficult?

Chen Aru’s face was stern. "I know what the room looks like. There’s no time today, but tomorrow you can hire someone to fix it."

"Mom!" Ai Liangfa tried to argue.

Chen Aru raised her voice sharply. "What? Xiaolan lived in that room for nearly a decade, and I never heard you complain once for her sake. Xiaoqing hasn’t even moved in yet, and you’re acting like I'm murdering you. If Xiaolan could live there, can’t Xiaoqing last even a single day?"

"Go out and ask around—how many families of four, five, or even seven or eight people cram into a space of just over ten square meters? All these years, I never realized Xiaoqing was so fragile and pampered. If she’s such a princess, maybe our Ai family can’t afford to keep her!"

Ai Xiaoqing’s face instantly turned pale, and Ai Liangfa didn’t dare speak another word.

But Chen Aru’s anger only grew. She turned to Ai Liangfa. "I already said—if you’re not satisfied, you can give up your own room. You can marry and raise kids in the guest room for all I care about it."

"You think Xiaoqing is suffering in the guest room? Your own sister lived there for nearly a decade—why didn’t I ever hear you defend her?"

"Did Xiaolan desecrate your grave in a past life or commit some unspeakable crime that you, her own brother, would target her like this? Always looking for a chance to crush your own sister? How did I give birth to something so vicious? No wonder my Xiaolan..."

As she scolded, she squeezed Ai Xiaolan’s hand, her eyes filled with heartache.

No wonder her Xiaolan had been pushed to this point. How much pain had she endured, constantly stabbed in the heart by her own family?

Chen Aru’s guilt threatened to overwhelm her. She turned to Ai Xiaoqing, her expression frosty.

"Xiaoqing, your uncle and aunt’s home is just like this. Xiaolan has given way to you for nearly a decade. For your sake, we’ve already wronged her too much. Today, this room must be returned to her. If you think the guest room isn’t good enough for someone as noble as you, I’ll talk to your uncle when he gets back—we’ll give you the master bedroom. Or if you feel wronged, pack your things and go back to your own home. I wouldn’t want someone as fragile and pampered as you to suffer any neglect in my house!"

Ai Xiaoqing, reeling from the tongue-lashing, looked ready to collapse.

"No, Auntie, that’s not what I meant. If Xiaolan can live there, so can I. This room was always hers..."

Her half-hearted explanation was weak, and then, in a mix of shame and anger, she burst into tears at Ai Liangfa.

"Brother, what are you doing? I already said it was fine, but you had to stop me from moving. Now Auntie thinks I’m causing trouble on purpose. Boo-hoo~"

Ai Liangfa had a dumbfounded look. He was being scolded by his mother because of Ai Xiaoqing, so why was Xiaoqing now blaming him too? How had it all become his fault?

Clearly, she was the one standing pitifully at the door, wiping tears and refusing to enter. He had just backed her up with a few words.

But seeing her cry so pitifully, he could only bite back his frustration and say, "It's my fault, it's my fault."

Ai Xiaoqing let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned to Chen Aru with a pitiful expression. "Auntie, don’t be mad. I’ll move out right away."

Ai Liangfa opened his mouth slightly and whispered, "Mom, this room is quite big. Why not let Xiaolan and Xiaoqing stay together for two nights? We can hire workers tomorrow to clean up the other room. Xiaoqing can move once it’s ready. Two days won’t make much difference."

Ai Xiaolan curled her lips into a predatory grin. "Sure, if you’re not afraid I’ll cut her throat in the middle of the night, let her stay with me."

Chen Aru was startled, fearing Ai Xiaolan might be provoked. She angrily scolded Ai Liangfa.

"Ai Liangfa, you selfish bastard! Damn it! Was everything I said just nonsense to you? Why do you keep pushing Xiaolan? You have the nerve to pull this right in front of me. If your father and I were gone, would Xiaolan even have a chance to live? I’ve seen cruel people, but none as heartless as you.

How many times do I have to say it? You can give up your own room. If you truly care about Xiaoqing, go stay in the guest room yourself. Who are you trying to fool? Anyone can talk big when it doesn’t involve their own interests. Who are you trying to impress here?"

Ai Liangfa’s face turned red from Chen Aru’s scolding. He snatched up Xiaoqing’s bag. "Xiaoqing, come on. You can stay in my room. I’ll move to the guest room!"

...

On the bustling street, Zuo Zuying and Gang Zi walked side by side.

"No way, Gang Zi. You went to Jia Xiaoyu’s wedding banquet?"

Zhao Gang seemed much more reserved now. "Yeah. Xiaoyu and Tang Guojun even toasted me."

Zuo Zuying looked shocked. "You... You’re okay with this?"

Zhao Gang sighed. "What else could I do? You were right. Xiaoyu can’t enter my family, and I can’t face Uncle Jia and Auntie anymore. Tang Guojun’s family may not be well-off, but he’s decent and straightforward, with no messy relatives. He’s even willing to marry into their family. For the Jia family now, he’s actually the most suitable.

What he can give Xiaoyu, I can’t. I... I’d only hold her back."

Zhao Gang’s tone was somber. After being away from home for half a month, he went back to find Xiaoyu. He had made up his mind—he was willing to disown his family for her. But she wasn’t.

"Xiao Zuo, you were right. Love isn’t just about two people. I was willing to disown my family for Xiaoyu, but she wouldn’t leave Uncle Jia and Auntie behind to run away with me. If we stayed in town, my parents would make our lives hell."