Volume 1, Chapter 29: Xie Yanchen! You Unfilial Grandson!

Over the past five years, Su Wanqing had long since become immune to Xie Siwei’s provocations.

Ever since she had taken Su Wanning’s place and married into the family, Xie Siwei had never once called her "sister-in-law." When in a good mood, she would address her as "Hey" or "that woman surnamed Su"; when in a bad mood, she would resort to insults like "slut" or "wicked woman."

As for these labels, the elders of the Xie family would occasionally step in if they happened to be in a good mood, but when they were irritable, they would only bark at Su Wanqing, demanding to know why she had provoked her sister-in-law.

In the end, she was the one being insulted, and she was the one forced to apologize.

Looking at Xie Siwei’s arrogant face, a flicker of impatience crossed Su Wanqing’s eyes. She had never shown anger in the past, but that did not mean she was indifferent; she had simply endured it all for the sake of Xie Yanchen. But now, with a divorce from him on the horizon, what else did she have to fear?

She made no effort to hide her impatience, and Xie Siwei caught it clearly. A look of confusion flashed across the young girl's face as she scrutinized Su Wanqing, feeling that the woman who usually kept her head lowered in submission seemed different today. However, she didn't dwell on it. She simply felt that Su Wanqing, a dog who lived off the Xie family’s charity, dared to be impatient with her mistress—she deserved a beating.

With that thought, she raised her hand and swung it toward Su Wanqing’s face with all her might.

Su Wanqing retreated a step with agile speed. Not only did Xie Siwei miss, but the excessive force caused her to lose her balance, and she nearly tumbled down the stairs.

Xie Yanchen reached out and steadied his sister. He then cast a look of dissatisfaction at Su Wanqing. "What do you think you’re doing?"

Su Wanqing stared at Xie Yanchen expressionlessly. The man had witnessed the entire incident. From start to finish, she hadn't said a word; other than stepping back, she hadn't made a single move. Was it her fault that Xie Siwei had almost fallen while trying to hit her?

Su Wanqing remained silent, but the irony in her eyes cut deep into Xie Yanchen. Thinking of how his efforts last night and this morning had been in vain, and seeing Su Wanqing standing there with perfect makeup, looking vibrant and haughty, her eyes filled with disdain as if she were watching a joke, he froze. He felt a vague sense that she was different from before.

But then he realized: she only had such confidence because her grandmother had returned to support her.

He was trapped by his grandmother’s pressure only because he was a filial grandson. But if she intended to disrespect him just because she had the old woman’s favor, he would go and make the divorce matter clear to his grandmother himself!

Xie Siwei stumbled to regain her footing, then raised her voice to shout at Xie Yanchen, her tone filled with absolute certainty:

"Brother! Look closely! The true nature of this wicked woman can no longer be hidden! For all these years, she’s kept that miserable, pitiful look on her face, enduring our abuse and insults without a word—she was definitely just waiting for this day!"

Clenching her fists, she stepped forward and pointed at Su Wanqing, the corners of her eyes flushed with excitement.

"You thought if you played the part long enough, you’d be accepted into our family. Who could have guessed that Sister Wanning would come back, and that my brother would want to reconcile with her! Now, you can’t keep up that meek, submissive act you’ve worn for years, can you?"

"Don't think that just because you brought Grandmother back, things will change! I’m telling you, even if my brother can’t divorce you, I will only ever call Sister Wanning my sister-in-law, and you will always be nothing but an unloved mistress!"

Xie Siwei expected to see Su Wanqing shocked, saddened, or perhaps even in tears. To her disappointment, Su Wanqing didn't even raise an eyebrow. It was as if everything she had said was nothing more than idle gossip.

"Are you finished?" Su Wanqing asked after a moment, seeing that she had run out of words.

Every one of her reactions defied Xie Siwei’s expectations, but hearing the question, she instinctively retorted, "Who said I was finished? I have plenty more to say!"

"You’re a shameless tramp. You used underhanded tactics to drive Sister Wanning away, and you forced my brother to marry you. Do you think you’ll get what you want? Hmph! Give up on that dream! Neither my brother nor the Xie family will ever acknowledge you..."

Xie Siwei continued to ramble, repeating the same points over and over. Su Wanqing simply stood there, listening until the girl’s throat was dry and she could no longer think of anything else to say. Only then did she calmly withdraw her gaze and lead the way toward the study.

Her composure infuriated not only Xie Siwei but also Xie Yanchen. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have cared about his grandmother’s health; he should have just finalized the divorce papers right then and there before coming back! Let’s see how arrogant Su Wanqing would be then.

Inside the study.

The Xie family library was more than just a room; it spanned the entire villa. Books were stacked from floor to ceiling on three sides, while the fourth side featured a massive floor-to-ceiling window. On a sunny day, the light would spill directly onto the desk, preventing the room from feeling oppressive. A large spiral staircase in the center allowed access to the books. Even so, memorizing the location of every volume was a task fit for a librarian.

As Su Wanqing entered, she saw Min Yuanhua sitting at the desk. Her simple cheongsam highlighted her elegance and intellect. Although she was nearly eighty, she looked no older than sixty—a woman in robust health.

Gold-rimmed spectacles hung from her nose, and she was intently reading a book. The pitter-patter of rain against the window made it feel as though they had been transported back to the Republican era.

"Grandmother." Su Wanqing called out softly, as if afraid to disturb the person at the desk.

Min Yuanhua looked up. Upon seeing her, a smile immediately broke across her previously expressionless face. She reached out, beckoning, "Qingqing, you’re here? Come over to Grandmother, let me see how you’ve been doing lately."

Min Yuanhua’s voice was filled with tenderness and warmth, and her eyes gazed at Su Wanqing with deep affection.

Su Wanqing hesitated. Instead of moving closer, she stood before the desk, forcing a smile and trying to look her best. She had stayed up all night and cried for so long over the incident with Xie Kexin; although she had applied makeup, it couldn't fully hide the dark circles under her eyes. Her grandmother’s eyes were just as sharp as Zheng Lu’s, and she didn't want her to worry.

"Why are you standing so far away? Come closer." Min Yuanhua beckoned again, pointing to the spot beside her.

Left with no choice, Su Wanqing moved closer.

Min Yuanhua stood up and examined Su Wanqing carefully for a long moment, her brow furrowing. "My dear child, why have you lost so much weight!"

Just as she finished speaking, Xie Yanchen walked in.

"Grandm..." Before he could finish his greeting, a book flew toward him.

"Xie Yanchen! You unfilial grandson! I told you to take good care of Qingqing, and this is how you’ve looked after her?!"