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Grandma appeared in a hurry, her face etched with deep lines of anxiety, making her look much older.
"My Zhuang Jun, are you trying to kill our Wang Xu?"
I frowned tightly, while Miao Miao casually blew her hair, the roaring sound of the hairdryer drowning out Grandma's anxious curses, at least giving my ears some peace.
"Stop! We're talking about serious matters here!" Grandma impatiently glared at Miao Miao, only satisfied when she saw Miao Miao turn off the dryer.
"What happened, Grandma? You need to explain clearly."
Right from the start, it was all about how I was to blame. I was just sitting at home watching TV, hardly stepping out except for work. If they were to say I harmed their family, that wouldn't even be relevant yet.
"Ah, it's still about that house!" Grandma hesitated and glanced at me a few times before sighing, "Nothing is urgent, is it? This will come to pass sooner or later. Poor Wang Xu."
"The house? What's wrong with the house? He hasn't come back yet?" Seeing that our agreement was almost halfway through, if he hadn't succeeded yet, what were the chances of him succeeding in the remaining time?
Regarding Wang Xu's situation, that's all I cared about.
"Oh dear, what time is it and you're still—!" Grandma seemed ready to scold me fiercely; I could tell by her imposing demeanor. But in the end, she held back. I figured I knew the reason why.
It was all because of the child in my belly.
"Alright, alright, just hurry up and tell us. We're all anxious to hear," Miao Miao said leisurely while patting toner on her face.
"Wang Xu... Wang Xu has been beaten!" Grandma blurted out in a rush and then seemed a bit regretful.
I noticed Miao Miao beside me was almost ready to clap in excitement after hearing this. To avoid unnecessary disputes, I pulled Grandma aside and continued asking, "What happened? How did Wang Xu get beaten?"
Grandma hesitated and clicked her tongue twice; unable to hold back any longer, she said, "Zhuang Jun, listen to Grandma. About that house... just let it go. You’re both young; won’t you have another chance in a few years? Wang Xu is so stubborn; I can’t persuade him and can only come to talk to you."
"Wait a minute." I was a bit taken aback. "What does Wang Xu being beaten have to do with the house? Who beat Wang Xu?"
A figure flashed through my mind. Could it really be...
"Ah, back then I was blind and foolish, easily believing that woman's words, thinking she genuinely wanted to be good to Wang Xu. Who knew she truly had the most venomous heart!"
I couldn't help but burst into laughter, leaving my mother-in-law dumbfounded. "What are you doing..."
Before I could respond, Miao Miao spoke up for me. "Auntie, what do you mean? If that woman really was so blind as to only want your son, then is Zhuang Jun now crying every day with the divorce certificate in hand?"
My mother-in-law's face turned sour. "I-I didn't mean it that way. Anyway, that woman used her charms to deceive my son into believing her. Now, not only does she want the house back, but she also had someone beat up Wang Xu. What kind of nonsense is this?"
Deng Xiaomei's actions shocked me, but upon reflection, they made sense. I was even more surprised that Wang Xu went to confront Deng Xiaomei.
I thought he would just talk about it like usual. If Deng Xiaomei really did have someone beat up Wang Xu, then it meant there was no possibility between them anymore?
Was it because I was pregnant?
He had to choose between me, who wasn't pregnant, and Deng Xiaomei, who was. He chose Deng Xiaomei, who was pregnant.
But now, if he had to choose between me and Deng Xiaomei, did that mean he wanted to choose me? Huh...
"What about the house? Did you get the house back?" Miao Miao suddenly asked in the midst of my mother-in-law's sorrow, leaving her completely stunned.
I might still hear some personal feelings mixed in later, but Miao Miao wouldn't; she remained calm, viewing everything happening like a joke. If there was something not funny about it, she'd point it out, like now.
"This—what time is it and you're still thinking about the house? I see my son is so eager to get it back because some people have ulterior motives!"
"Miao Miao" called out to my grandmother with a rhythmic tone, "Auntie, I have a question for you."
Grandmother looked at her suspiciously, "What is it?"
"I just want to ask, if you don't trust 'Zhuang Jun' and that mistress is pregnant again, why did 'Wang Xu' still listen to you and not choose her?"
Grandmother's face turned pale, and she stammered, "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't worry. We haven't prepared anything like a recording device. You can search us if you want. If you find something, I'll swallow it right here as an apology. I'm just curious for myself and 'Zhuang Jun'. What is 'Wang Xu' really thinking?"
"Isn't this a family matter? It's only natural to do these things," Grandmother explained reluctantly.
"Then Auntie, I disagree. If it's a family matter, why are you blaming 'Zhuang Jun'? Is this still a family or not?"
The more "Miao Miao" spoke, the more nervous Grandmother became, almost sweating as she replied, "I just want 'Zhuang Jun' to think of a way to stop 'Wang Xu' from going there."
"What kind of way? This house belongs to us 'Zhuang Jun'. It's only right for 'Zhuang Jun' to come back. Even if you don't think of her, think of the child in her belly. That's your grandson. Would you want him to grow up knowing his father bought a house for another woman right below their home? Raising children is about ensuring they grow up well; how can he be a good son after hearing all this?"
"Stop talking nonsense!"
"Auntie, I'm not being alarmist. You should ask around; does this make sense? There's no wall that doesn't let the wind through. Relatives and neighbors will eventually find out about 'Deng Xiaomei'. If people learn about 'Wang Xu's past indiscretions, what will happen to our 'Zhuang Jun' and her son? How can he grow up healthily then?"
Grandmother's face turned red with anger: "You're talking nonsense! I raised 'Wang Xu' well on my own; he's still so obedient and sensible. Where did you hear such nonsense? Don't curse our 'Wang Family'!"
"Miao Miao" put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow: "That's because Auntie, you are virtuous. After 'Wang Xu's father left, you raised him alone; we all know that. But can the current situation be the same as yours? It's quite the opposite now; 'Wang Xu' has strayed and set a bad example. Are you unclear in your heart or unwilling to accept it?"
After "Miao Miao's" words washed over her, Grandmother was at a loss for words and glanced at me several times, but I just looked back calmly.
I was waiting for my mother-in-law to say something to me, or perhaps to express her struggles further. After a while, she still remained silent, looking dejected.
To be honest, I felt a sense of relief inside.
"Alright, alright," my mother-in-law said, her eyes vacant as she glanced between me and Miao Miao.
Miao Miao stepped forward enthusiastically and linked her arm with my mother-in-law's. "It's good that you've come to a realization, Auntie. I can see that you really consider Zhuang Jun as family. A family should stand united against outsiders; how could we let internal conflicts give others something to laugh about? Reclaiming that house is not just for Zhuang Jun but also for your old Wang family. Once Zhuang Jun's baby is born, they will have a home right away, relieving a lot of burden from Zhuang Jun and Wang Xu. Don't you think?"
My mother-in-law seemed unsure how much of this she absorbed; she went from being haughty to looking defeated, which was what I had hoped for.
"Phew, your mother-in-law is really easy to talk to now; the planned arrangements shouldn't be a big issue anymore."
"It's possible to convince her in a short time if we have a plan, but over time, if she thinks too much on her own, she might revert back to her previous misguided beliefs."
"Right, we need to act quickly and decisively."
Suddenly, I remembered the reason my mother-in-law came today and asked Miao Miao with concern, "Do you think Wang Xu's situation will affect our plans? I don't know how serious his injury is or what he's thinking right now."
"Don't worry about that," Miao Miao replied with a sense of ease compared to my anxiety. "Think about it: Wang Xu is injured now, which is actually better for us. When he hears the news about his child being lost, won't he be devastated? Besides, this is his own doing."
"That's true, but what if he gets too emotional and regrets it? What then?" I was worried that Wang Xu might become too radical and change his mind.
"He won't; his current intensity shows he cares about you. It's okay; it's easy to lead him into our plan."
I sighed, "I hope so."
"But Zhuang Jun, don't you think there's something off?" Miao Miao suddenly changed the subject.
"I feel like something is off, but I can't quite put my finger on it," I replied.
"Don't you think your mother-in-law's attitude has changed? She never helped you like this before. It could be because you're pregnant with their grandchild, but there must be more to it," Miao Miao helped me clarify my thoughts.
"Could it be that there's been a change with Deng Xiaomei?" I voiced my suspicion.
"Exactly, that's what I think too. It's the most likely reason. Deng Xiaomei was originally Wang Xu and your mother-in-law's first choice, but after things changed on her side, they remembered you. You're their safety net; abandoning the car to save the man is their last resort. I suspect Deng Xiaomei got what she wanted and doesn't plan to have any further ties with Wang Xu. He has been completely drained, and Deng Xiaomei has given up on him."
"That's possible, but it seems that the child in Deng Xiaomei's womb isn't Wang Xu's? Otherwise, why would she stay?"
Miao Miao nodded, "I suspect Wang Xu knows about this."
I gasped in shock: "If he really knows, then his series of actions makes sense!"
I couldn't tell if I should feel elated or absurdly disappointed. Wang Xu's every move pointed towards using me; perhaps he secretly laughed at my naivety and kindness at some point, or maybe he finally sighed in relief on a day when I pretended to reconcile.
And this is our marriage, filled with deception and disguise, leaving no trace of affection behind.
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