C19 He Was Isolated

Zuo Xice glanced at his smug grandmother and then at his indifferent mother, gritting his teeth as he ate his pancakes. It was clear that no one in the family was on his side. He was isolated. Well, he had it coming. His cleverness had backfired, and he had shot himself in the foot.

After finishing breakfast, Xice drove Lian Qi's Volvo to work, his face cold. The fact that his bodyguards drove better cars than he did was a constant irritation, and he pounded the steering wheel in frustration.

...

Yang Jingshu watched her son's car disappear down the road, then turned to Zhong Lan. "Mom, are you sure this is a good idea? Xice didn't seem happy about living with Yueyue. He clearly doesn't like it."

The old lady replied confidently, "Jingshu, let's wait and see. Two young people, a man and a woman, living under the same roof—I can't believe there won't be some sparks."

"You know Xice's temper—stubborn as a mule. Every time you set him up on a date, he never went willingly. This time, he walked right into it himself, so let's seize the opportunity and play matchmaker."

Jingshu frowned. "Mom, I really don't like Yueyue. She's too ordinary. Sure, she's decent-looking, but she doesn't match up to Xice in terms of family background or education."

Zhong Lan advised her daughter-in-law, "Don't worry. Xice isn't planning to be a real couple with Yueyue just yet. Didn't you notice he's driving Lian Qi's Volvo? He's trying to keep a low profile."

"Xice is hiding his true identity from Yueyue, which means they haven't built a trusting relationship yet. He's testing her. With his proud personality, he probably thinks Yueyue isn't a match for him right now."

Yang Jingshu was quite frustrated. Her eldest son's actions were giving her a headache. "If that's the case, why did Xice get a marriage license with Yueyue? There are so many girls out there. I'm sure plenty of well-connected young women would jump at the chance to marry him. So why did he choose an ordinary girl with no background?"

"I think it's because Yueyue has a pleasant appearance. Xice must be attracted to her looks. Jingshu, you're right. There are many young women from prominent families waiting to marry Xice. But have you considered that he might have gotten the marriage license just to appease us? By choosing a girl with no background for a contract marriage, he can easily manage the situation."

"On the other hand, if Xice were to marry a wealthy heiress with a powerful family backing her, it would be hard to control the situation. Xice wouldn't be able to get a divorce or leave whenever he wanted."

Zhong Lan saw right through her grandson's little schemes and got straight to the point.

Yang Jingshu was still a bit worried. "But what if, over time, the two young people develop feelings for each other? What then?"

Zhong Lan dismissed her concerns. "That would be a good thing! It would mean our Xice has finally found a compatible partner."

"Mom, have you forgotten? I don't approve of Wooh Yueyue. I don't want her to be the eldest daughter-in-law of our family." As the conversation continued, the topic circled back.

Zhong Lan was skilled in conversation and countered Jingshu, "Daughter-in-law, don't you want your son Xice to be happy?"

"Of course I do. I dream about it."

"Jingshu, here's how I see it: no matter who Xice ends up with, as long as he's happy and fulfilled, then he's found the right person. Our family isn't short on money, so why insist that Xice's wife must come from a wealthy family?"

"But when two people are together, if there's a huge difference in status and background, can they really have common ground? Couples with vastly different worldviews often struggle to go the distance."

Zhong Lan was pragmatic. "Jingshu, don't worry too much. Let's take it one step at a time; no one knows what the future holds. Besides, Xice has always been a decisive kid. He'll handle his own affairs. We need to give him some space and freedom."

"Jingshu, if you have time, maybe you could encourage the second and third sons to settle down and get married."

"Mom, you know our second and third sons aren't exactly easygoing."

Yang Jingshu sighed helplessly. What had she done in a past life to deserve this? Three sons, none of them settled, and all of them well into adulthood.

...

Wooh Yueyue hadn't been at the office long when she received a call from Zhong Lan, inviting her to meet at the Capital No.1 Villa. Coincidentally, Yueyue was currently living there too. Her company had recently completed renovations on two villas in the area, so she was quite familiar with the layouts.

Twenty minutes later, Yueyue arrived at the meeting spot with several renovation plans in hand.

"Good morning, Grandma."

As soon as they met, Yueyue warmly greeted Zhong Lan. Her bright eyes turned to the elegant woman in sunglasses standing next to Zhong Lan. "And who might this be? How should I address you?"