Chapter 5
My Mother-in-Law Doesn’t Like Me
***

The hospital Mrs. Shen was recuperating in was a very famous private hospital in S City. The cost for a single room was more than the cost in a five-star hotel.

When Shen Xi was a child, she had followed her mother as she took part in some charity works. As she grew older, she began to follow along when they went to the countryside or to mountainous areas. She had always understood how good her life was, so she continued participating in as much charity works as she could. But she never thought that one day, she would feel that her mother’s hospitalization fees were expensive and that they would struggle to pay them. If it wasn’t for Su Hang…

“What’s the matter?” Su Hang looked puzzled as they stood before the hospital doors.

“It’s nothing.” Shen Xi came back to herself and looked at Su Hang sincerely. “Thank you.”

“Ah? You’re welcome.” Su Hang automatically responded, but he didn’t understand why Shen Xi suddenly decided to thank him.

“This is for you,” Shen Xi handed him the pot of aloe vera.

Su Hang accepted it.

“When we get in there, you give it to my mother and say I chose it for you.” Shen Xi said.

“Thank you…” Su Hang wasn’t an idiot. He understood the meaning of Shen Xi’s words. She was helping him win over Mrs. Shen. But why would she do this? Did she hope that he could get along with her family? Thinking of this, Su Hang’s heart became a little nervous and excited.

“You’re welcome.” Shen Xi’s eyes curved, and she looked very beautiful smiling like this.

Su Hang felt himself losing control of his expression. He hurriedly looked down to the potted plant in his arms, his back becoming stiff.

Shen Xi blinked with dismay, wondering why the fine atmosphere they just had suddenly turned awkward.

She smiled, embarrassed, and finally said: “Let’s go up.”

“Alright.” Su Hang’s expression remained flat as he followed Shen Xi, but in his heart, he was scolding himself to death.

Su Hang you blockhead, acting so obviously, are you deliberately showing your unsightly side to Shen Xi? She smiled at you and you dare not look at it? Didn’t you marry her in the hopes that she would stay with you?

“Here we are.” As Su Hang berated himself, they quickly arrived at Mrs. Shen’s door. Shen Xi reminded Su Hang again, before raising her hand and knocking on the door.

When Father Shen opened the door and saw that it was his daughter and Su Hang, his expression changed from joy to a somewhat complex face. “How come you’re here?”

“Coming to see my mother.” Shen Xi replied.

“It’s just your mum’s old illness acting up, she’s fine.” Father Shen said.

“I know Dad, I just wanted to see her.” Shen Xi smiled at her father, then went inside, leaving the two awkward men outside the room.

“Cough…well, go on.” Father Shen coughed and broke the silence first.

“Thank you….Dad.” Su Hang remembered Shen Xi’s advice and was also preparing himself mentally during the entire drive. So when he saw his father-in-law, he hadn’t been too embarrassed.

Father Shen was somewhat surprised. He looked at Su Heng with a serious expression, then finally nodded in response.

The two men went inside the room one after the other, only to hear the mother-daughter pair engaged in a friendly conversation.

“Xi Yan, Su Hang came by too.” Father Shen reminded Mother Shen.

When Mother Shen heard her husband’s voice, she looked up with the same complex look Father Shen had been wearing when he looked at Su Hang moments before. She felt resentful towards the person that snatched their daughter away and hated her body that dragged her husband and daughter down, allowing Su Hang to take advantage of them. She knew that Su Hang didn’t really do anything wrong, but she just couldn’t like him.

Mother Shen had a clear idea for her future son-in-law. She hoped that the other party wouldn’t be too wealthy, was cultured and elegant. She hoped he would share the same beliefs as Shen Xi, and could finish each other’s sentences, could love each other…

But Su Hang was someone who only managed to get an elementary education by 18 years old, who grew up in an orphanage, who made a living by picking up garbage. Although he was very successful now, he grew up in a very different environment and was doomed to be different from Shen Xi in every way.

“Shen Xi helped me pick this out, she said….” Su Hang glanced at Shen Xi then continued, “She said that you liked plants, Mom.”

Mother Shen looked at her daughter strangely. When she saw Shen Xi nodding and smiling, she turned her head and coldly replied: “Thank you for coming to see me.”

When Su Hang came in the room he immediately noticed the many plants piled by the windowsill. So he said: “Then I’ll put this on the windowsill.”

“Mm.” Mother Shen nodded lightly.

Su Hang awkwardly walked towards the window. In fact, he was really just an outsider. He knew that Shen Xi’s parents didn’t like him. Of course that was to be expected, after all, he forced Shen Xi to marry him. It was very despicable and her parents’ hate was appropriate.

Shen Xi looked at Su Hang’s back, then her mother’s cold face. She knew that trying to change her mother’s attitude towards Su Hang with a potted plant was her bring a little too optimistic. She saw the fruit basket on the table. She didn’t know who sent it, but asked Su Hang anyway: “Su Hang, could you help me wash some fruit?”

“Alright.” Su Hang took the basket and left the room.

It wasn’t until she heard the door close that Mother Shen turned to her daughter and unhappily asked: “Why did he come?”

“Mom, he’s my husband now. You’re sick, why wouldn’t he come?” Shen Xi replied.

“But he forced you to marry him. You don’t like him at all, do you know how worried I was last night?” Mother Shen was so incensed that none of the three people in the room heard the sound of the door opening. Su Hang had come back as he forgot to take some plates.

Mother Shen’s room was a suite. When Su Hang came back, he only just closed the outer door. Even with the inner door closed, he could hear Mother Shen’s words clearly.

“Mom, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.” Shen Xi advised.

“How can I not worry?” Mother Shen was agitated, “Why does he want you to marry him? He can make any condition in this situation. We would even sell off our shares. Why does he want to marry you?”

“Xi Yan, you shouldn’t get so excited.” Father Shen tried to placate his wife.

“And you! How could you agree to marry off our little Xi? Are you that reluctant to part with your precious Shen Group?” Because of this matter, Mother Shen hadn’t been giving Father Shen face these days.

“Don’t be so excited Mom.” Shen Xi also tried to advise her mother.

“Actually I know.” Mother Shen vented towards them, but in her heart, she knew. “You all did this for me, because of my illness. I was the one that forced the both of you to do this.”

“Xi Yan…” Father Shen wrapped an arm around Mother Shen, trying to reassure her.

“Mom, don’t say that. Don’t you know how important you are to me and Dad?” Shen Xi took her mother’s hand and said, “In fact, I’m very grateful towards Su Hang. It if wasn’t for him, we still wouldn’t know what to do. Now that you and Dad are alright, I’m very happy.”

“But you….” The one thing any parent refused to do, was to make their children suffer.

“Su Hang is very good to me.” Shen Xi looked at her mother earnestly and said, “We’re married. So Mom, can you please try to accept him?”

“Little Xi, your parent’s are very sorry.” Mother Shen’s voice sounded like she was at the verge of crying, making Su Hang feel like he could no longer listen for another second. He went towards the nurses’ station to ask for a fruit tray, still in a complex mood. Feeling numb, he washed the fruit in a nearby water depot.

Ten minutes later, Su Hang came back with the washed fruit and Mother Shen’s attitude towards him was much better.

Later, as they left, Father Shen pulled Su Hang aside and said with great emphasis: “Su Hang, little Xi is the pride of my life. I hope you’ll treat her well.”

“I will.” Su Hang guaranteed.

“I know there’s another woman in your heart. You may not love little Xi, but….don’t use my family’s Xi as a substitute. She wouldn’t be able to endure.”

“I don’t.” Su Hang passionately denied.

When they left the hospital, Shen Xi asked him, curious: “What did my Dad say to you just now?”

“We just chatted casually.” Su Hang answered.

“Oh…My parents have always been a little too overprotective, so maybe they’re a bit strict with you…I hope you don’t mind.” Shen Xi tried to explain.

“I understand.” He knew that no matter how hard he tried, despite standing next to her, they would always be from two different worlds.

But even so, even if they were worlds apart, if there was even the slightest chance, he wanted her. He wanted to marry her and bring her home, even if to the eyes of others, he was a robber.

Shen Xi wanted to say something, but Su Hang’s expression was so solemn that in the end, she couldn’t say anything.

When the car returned to the villa, Chu Wu was playing out in the yard. At the sound of the familiar engine, Chu Wu excitedly rushed towards the direction of the car, barking at the driver’s seat incessantly.

Su Hang got out of the car, his expression helpless as Chu Wu rubbed all over him.

“Sir, Madam, you’re back.” Mrs. Zhang rushed to pull Chu Wu back to her side, Su Hang having told her that the Madam was afraid of dogs.

“Li QingYuan hadn’t come to pick up his dog yet?” Shen Xi casually asked.

“….” Su Hang imperceptibly turned stiff for a moment, then with a completely straight face, said: “He doesn’t want it anymore.”

“No way. Owning a pet is a serious thing. How can he just not want it anymore? That’s too irresponsible.” Shen Xi frowned, angry.

“That’s right.” Su Hang nodded his head and agreed.

The silly Chu Wu didn’t understand, simply continuing to wag its tail, but Mrs. Zhang was confused. When did this dog become Mr. Li’s?

“Mrs. Zhang, you can let go of Chu Wu and go prepare lunch.” Su Hang looked at Mrs. Zhang.

“Alright.” Mrs. Zhang tacitly went back to the kitchen. Anyway, no matter what, she was just the maid and shouldn’t be involving herself in such matters.

“What’s its name?” Since they would support it from now on, Shen Xi felt it necessary to get to know it.

“Chu Wu.” Su Hang introduced.

“Chu Wu? How cute.” Shen Xi carefully touched the dog’s head. Chu Wu’s round eyes looked up at his father, then at his mother. Finally, he couldn’t resist and licked the back of Shen Xi’s hand.

“Ah!” Shen Xi exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Su Hang nervously grasped her hand and checked.

“It’s alright, I was just surprised.” Shen Xi looked down at their clasped hands.

Su Hang’s eyes darkened, the hand holding hers loosening. His voice low he said: “Sorry.”

“It’s nothing. Chu Wu seems to like me a lot.” Shen Xi tried to hide her embarrassment.

“Yeah.” Su Hang could only nod, his eyes melancholic.

***

When Su Hang berated himself and called himself a blockhead, the MTL said ‘Su Hang you stupid fork’ and I laughed for a solid minute.

But also, poor sweet nice boy Su Hang. I want to hug him and protect him from everyone and everything. HE DIED SAD AND ALONE. HE DIDN’T EVEN GET TO KEEP HIS DOGGO WHY.