Listening to Li Xiuli's words, it was clear she knew what had happened. Li Xiulan glanced at Li Xiuli, puzzled, and said naturally, "Naturally, I'll have her leave the house. What else?"
Hearing her plan, Li Xiuli immediately became anxious. "Xiulan, I think this girl is pretty, and she seems quite well-behaved. You know Li Chen is already in his twenties and still doesn't have a wife. I'm very worried. I think this Qin Yue fits my criteria for a daughter-in-law perfectly. Can you not drive her away? I was thinking of having Li Chen and Qin Yue meet this Saturday. If it works out, you, as the aunt, will have contributed greatly!"
"This..." Li Xiulan was clearly in a difficult position when she heard this request. After hesitating for a moment, she looked at Li Xiuli with some doubt and asked, "This girl is indeed well-behaved, but please don't be fooled by her appearance. She's far from as honest as you think. Have you understood the whole situation?"
Li Xiuli shook her head dismissively, her attitude casual. "What does it matter? Won't she settle down after getting married? I think she fits my criteria for a daughter-in-law in terms of looks, personality, and family background."
With the conversation reaching this point, Li Xiulan couldn't refuse and could only agree. "Alright, I'll find Lishu and Xingdong to discuss this matter then and see what their thoughts are."
Li Xiuli looked at her timid demeanor with disdain. It seemed that earning money wasn't everything; she couldn't even make decisions on such matters. She envied Li Xiulan in vain. Suppressing her schadenfreude, she said meaningfully, "You should be the one to make the decision. As juniors, would they dare to disobey your orders? Whose opinion are you seeking? If it's Chen Lishu's, then you, as the mother-in-law, are too subservient. If it's Gu Xingdong's... tsk tsk tsk, I think that's also instigated by Chen Lishu. That won't do. You have no say in this family, how suffocating must that be?"
"It's not about seeking opinions, it's just about the family sitting down and having a good chat. Sister, Lishu was the daughter-in-law I personally chose for Gu Xingdong. If you deny her, aren't you denying my judgment?" Li Xiulan finished, her expression complex as she raised an eyebrow at Li Xiuli.
Li Xiuli was immediately taken aback, not knowing what to say. After all, she still needed to rely on Li Xiulan for many things. She didn't want to strain their relationship today and lose such a strong backing. To avoid an awkward atmosphere, she could only force a smile. "Fine, if your family needs to discuss it, then discuss it. But Li Chen is my only son, and you are also a mother. I believe you understand the pain of a son being unmarried at his age. You know my personality better than anyone. This is the first time I've asked you for a favor, so please consider it and let me keep her."
With that, Li Xiuli turned and prepared to leave dejectedly. Li Xiulan watched her already slightly bent back and felt an inexplicable unease. For some reason, she relented, "I will try my best to help you with this matter. However, you might have to take Qin Yue back with you first. I'll let you know once there's a result."
Li Xiuli was momentarily stunned and stammered, "This... isn't this inappropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? Don't you want her to be your daughter-in-law? It's a good opportunity for her to spend some time with you at your home. If you genuinely feel compatible, I'll naturally pay attention to this marriage." Li Xiulan spoke sincerely, but Li Xiuli felt that Li Xiulan was making things difficult for her. Qin Yue had chosen to seduce Gu Xingdong. Although the matter wouldn't spread, since she knew about it, she felt a sense of unease. Why would she want such a morally ambiguous woman as her daughter-in-law? Her son deserved the most beautiful and wealthiest woman! The reason she wanted to keep Qin Yue was because she had coincidentally met Qin Yue today, and Qin Yue had approached her to discuss a business deal. Unable to refuse, Li Xiuli grudgingly agreed. "Alright, remember to give me an answer as soon as possible. I'm worried that if the girl stays in my house for too long without a clear resolution, it might lead to some unfavorable rumors. This matter might not be a significant loss for us, but I'm concerned it could leave a bad impression on the girl's parents. If Li Chen really wants to marry her, it might not be that easy then." Li Xiulan found her reasoning sound and readily agreed to the arrangement.
Meanwhile, Qin Yue, sitting by the side, watched the two converse, her heart pounding with anxiety as they occasionally frowned or showed impatience. When they finished talking and turned towards her, Qin Yue quickly suppressed her panic. Parting her pale lips, she said, "Auntie, I know that yesterday's incident had a negative impact on Brother Gu and all of you. I apologize here. I don't know what happened at the time. I just saw Brother Gu, whom I've always admired, in such a pathetic state, and I felt a pang of injustice, wanting to stand up for him. I know I overstepped, and I have deeply realized my mistake. I'm not saying all this to seek your forgiveness, but I hope you won't let my actions yesterday cause conflict between you. I'm truly sorry!" By the end, Qin Yue's eyes were filled with tears, making her appear very pitiful, and even Li Xiulan felt a pang of sympathy. However, she did not soften her stance. Some actions, once done, are done. Mistakes are mistakes. She wouldn't be foolish enough to invite a wolf into her house. Who knew if this admiration would eventually turn into affection?
Seeing Li Xiulan's silence, Li Xiuli sighed subtly and slowly said, "You'll come back with me today. It might be inconvenient for Xiulan to have you stay here any longer these few days." Hearing Li Xiuli's words, Qin Yue's heart skipped a beat. However, seeing Li Xiuli's calm demeanor, the situation didn't seem urgent, suggesting there might be another outcome. So, she nodded obediently, suppressed the unease in her eyes, and said timidly, "I understand. Shall we go then?" With that, the two turned and left the Gu residence.
Meanwhile, Chen Lishu had just signed the contract for renting a venue. With so many things to handle alone, she had to return to the company to find help. As soon as she sat down in her office, Zhang Bin rushed over. Upon entering, he anxiously asked, "President Chen, how was the matter from last time handled? You said you'd be setting up a stall at the school entrance. I went yesterday but couldn't see your stall anywhere. Could it be that someone smashed it, and you can't set it up anymore?"