"You should go home for your summer break. I've already spoken with Niannian's mother, and Niannian has an internship and won't have time to accompany you. It would be perfect for you to go home and spend time with your mother." Jiang Ling said with a smile, her tone laced with a hint of coquettishness.
Su Yue had to admit that after marrying Su Minghua, her mother seemed genuinely happy.
Whether it was her appearance or her state of mind, she was increasingly like a young woman lost in love.
Su Minghua had truly provided a powerful sense of security for them, mother and daughter.
Jiang Ling's hands, once calloused and with slightly deformed joints from years of hard work.
Ever since she married Su Minghua, he had eagerly taken over all the household chores. Later, he even hired a part-time cleaner, refusing to let Jiang Ling do anything.
He bought her foreign hand creams and skincare products, carefully translating the ingredients and ensuring she used them morning and night.
He enrolled her in yoga classes, tea ceremony classes, and calligraphy classes, encouraging her to enrich her leisure life, make friends, and avoid boredom.
Years later, one day, Su Yue and her mother were shopping hand-in-hand when Su Yue was startled to realize her mother's hands were soft and tender again. She examined them closely, finding them fair and smooth, just like her mother's facial skin, untouched by the ravages of time.
It was as if her inner world was also serene, living a life of harmony with her husband, their relationship like a perfectly tuned zither.
But only Su Yue knew what Su Minghua was thinking.
She would never forget that night. Su Minghua had come home drunk, and Jiang Ling was already asleep. He had quietly slipped into her room and gotten into her bed.
If she hadn't endured the nausea and fear, coaxing him with kind words and even threatening to call her mother, she might have jumped from the building by morning.
After that, she never wanted to go home again. If she did, she had to confirm Su Minghua wouldn't be home at night.
Su Minghua, after sobering up, knew he was in the wrong and didn't force her to stay home again. Even if she stayed at Li Niannian's house on weekends or holidays, he didn't object.
Jiang Ling was completely unaware of all this, and Su Yue didn't want her to know.
She would rather her mother remain forever immersed in the trap of love woven by Su Minghua, living a happy and content life.
"I'm not staying at Niannian's. I'm very busy during the summer break too." Of course, she refused.
"Then where will you stay?" Jiang Ling's voice suddenly carried a note of worry as she asked.
"I'll send you something to look at later." Su Yue said, talking on the phone and lightly picking at the pillow with her free hand, as if contemplating something.
"Look at what?" Jiang Ling asked suspiciously.
"You'll know soon." She hung up the phone, opened the chat dialogue with her mother, hesitated for a moment, and then sent a photo of herself with Chen Ziming.
Jiang Ling:?
The phone rang again, "Who is this?!"
Her tone was displeased, a mixture of shock and anger. Clearly, she was very worried.
Although she had given birth early, she still understood certain principles and had always told Su Yue to prioritize her studies and not get involved in early romance that would hinder her academic progress.
And yet, this little girl had gone and moved in with another man without saying a word?!
"My boyfriend. Dad knows him too." Su Yue quickly replied, fearing her mother would get too angry.
At the same time, she mentioned Su Minghua.
Indeed, upon learning that Su Minghua also knew him, Jiang Ling paused. Su Yue knew she was thinking, and after a few seconds, she finally spoke, "What does he do?"
"A police officer."
"What stage are you at with him?"
"We're living together."
"You..." Jiang Ling was still incredulous and somewhat angry. "No, Yue Yue, don't change the subject. We're talking about your relationship, not his profession."
Her mother had become a bit smarter, not getting sidetracked by her.
But Su Yue remained calm and collected. "We are talking about my relationship. Don't be so resistant. He's very reliable, and Dad knows."
It was rare that Su Minghua could be used as a shield.
And she just wanted Su Minghua to know, so she could further guarantee her own safety.
"How did you meet?" Jiang Ling, trusting Su Minghua after all, softened her tone slightly, though her voice remained somewhat stern.
"He came to our school to give a lecture, and we hit it off." she fabricated.
"How old is he? What's his educational background? Where did he graduate from? What does his family do?"
"Mom... go ask Dad, he knows everything."
After mentioning "Dad" three times in a row, Jiang Ling finally stopped interrogating her. Instead, she seemed to grasp a different meaning.
"Are you... planning to reconcile with your father?"