Chapter 33: The Essence of Cen Shuang’s Acting
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lan Yibai stood at the door, dumbfounded. When she saw that Cen Shuang was about to pick up a pillow to smother Zhuang Hong, she said anxiously, “No, what are you doing? I didn’t force you to marry into the Zhuang family. When have I ever mistreated you? I know that Zhuang Hong’s condition is displeasing. If you really feel that you can’t stay here, I don’t mind having Zhuang Hong divorce you.”
Cen Shuang fell onto the bed and looked at Lan Yibai who had suddenly appeared. She did not slow down. She realized that she had gone overboard with her acting. Did she… say anything wrong just now? After thinking about it carefully, she realized that nothing she had said was true.
Lan Yibai probably hated her to death now. Moreover, she did not really want to smother Zhuang Hong with the pillow. However, she seemed to have forgotten that there was no point in trying to scare him.
“Mom, you’ve misunderstood!” Cen Shuang struggled to think of something to say. She tried to think of something that would explain away her random behavior.
However, her mother-in-law had seen it with her own eyes. There was no misunderstanding. As Lan Yibai thought about it, her tears dried up. “Zhuang Hong has a proud personality, but he never makes things difficult for others. It was me who wanted to find someone who could keep him company. If you don’t want to be that person, you can tell me not to make things so difficult for him. He’s my son. You don’t have to take it so far by threatening to kill him.”
“No, mom, you really misunderstood. I’m sorry, I was just joking with him.”
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“Joking? You were going to smother him, and you call it a joke?”
Cen Shuang knew that Lan Yibai did not believe her. “It was really a joke. If I wanted to smother him to death, he would have died long ago. Besides, I don’t want to be a widow! That’s not good for my reputation either!”
Cen Shuang looked at Lan Yibai’s neutral expression and felt misjudged. She said in a low voice, “It was Doctor Boyan who said that Zhuang Hong needs to be stimulated. He must be stimulated mentally and physically so that he can wake up sooner. I just wanted to scare him just now. I didn’t really want to smother him. Mom, you’ve really misunderstood my intentions.”
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Cen Shuang’s tears streamed down her face as she spoke. She looked as if she had been bullied. She was worried that her explanation was not good enough for Lan Yibai. “I eat well in the Zhuang family, and there are servants waiting on me. No one bullies me. Mother, you treat me so well, and I didn’t feel mistreated at all. I just wanted Zhuang Hong to wake up sooner. I’m sorry.”
Her sad expression touched Lan Yibai’s heart. She was still a 20-year-old young lady. She was still young. She was like a child. She should not condemn Cen Shuang just because she heard her say something like that. Seeing Cen Shuang crying so hard, Lan Yibai began to blame herself. “I didn’t mean that. I just came in and saw you. I thought you…”
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“I know Zhuang Hong is sick. You think that I was forced to marry into the Zhuang family because I had no choice? I suffered a lot of grievances, but that’s not the case. If I didn’t have your family supporting me, I would so easily get bullied. If I didn’t marry Zhuang Hong, I might not have been able to go to school. I would have worked hard and still been bullied by those people. The Zhuang family treats me very well. Although Zhuang Hong doesn’t talk to me, I talk to myself…”
Cen Shuang burst into tears. Lan Yibai was no longer angry. Instead, she nervously comforted the crying little girl in front of her, “It’s all my fault. I misunderstood you. Don’t cry anymore. It won’t happen again. You’re a kind girl. Zhuang Hong is lucky to have married you. I shouldn’t treat you like this.”
“Mom, I don’t blame you. You’re doing this for Zhuang Hong’s good. You love him.”
“Okay, don’t cry anymore, Shuang Shuang!” Cen Shuang looked so pitiful. This made Lan Yibai blame herself. The two of them comforted each other for a long time before Lan Yibai let her freshen up. She went downstairs to prepare some good food.
Just as the room door closed, a head popped out from the bathroom door. Cen Shuang used a towel to cover her eyes, then looked at Zhuang Hong who was lying on the bed peacefully. She smiled lightly. Her gloomy mood from earlier was gone and she was now cheerful. She spun around in circles and threw herself onto the big bed. She said proudly to the man in front of her, “That was close. Fortunately, I reacted quickly. When I saw your mother coming over, I put on a bitter act. It’s your fault that your mother almost kicked me out of the Zhuang house.”
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She waved her fist at the man who could not defend himself and threatened fiercely, “Just wait and see what I’ll do to you tonight…”
“Shuang Shuang, come and have a taste of the steamed buns that just came out of the oven.” Lan Yibai came in with a plate of steamed buns. They were still steaming and emitting a tempting fragrance.
Cen Shuang quickly retracted her fist and considerately tucked Zhuang Hong in. She pretended to wipe the corner of her eyes as if she was still playing the victim. She stood by the bed and called out, “Yes, mom.”
“Quick, have a taste of the steamed buns. I heard that you used to like to eat them at home. I asked the kitchen to make them especially for you.” She did not know how Lan Yibai knew that. The truth was, she really liked steamed buns.