Mr. Liang, you mustn't covet other people's fiancées!

Liangyuan Mansion

"Aunt, this is top-quality donkey-hide gelatin that A-Yu specially asked someone to buy. It has excellent effects on nourishing the skin and calming the mind." Mother Song placed the exquisite gift box in her hand on the small table.

Qin Youya twirled the jade bracelet on her wrist, her tone flat: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Mrs. Song rubbed her knees repeatedly with her hands, her smile awkward: "Aunt, Yu's father didn't get promoted this time; he got stuck at the last step. The leaders above him were all people Uncle trained back then."

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly: "How about we ask my uncle to organize a gathering? We can treat them to a meal, and it would be a way to... catch up."

Qin Youya picked up the teacup beside her, gently stirred the floating tea leaves with the lid, and said in a soft voice, "Your uncle hasn't been working in the government office for many years. You should understand the saying 'out of sight, out of mind' better than I do."

The smile on Song's mother's face froze for a moment, then she quickly added, "That's true, but we're still colleagues. Uncle's word is more effective than us sending out invitations ourselves."

Qin Youya raised her eyelids and glanced at her. She put down the teacup very gently, but the porcelain made a crisp sound when it hit the table.

It wasn't loud, but it made Song's mother involuntarily fall silent.

"The worst thing you can do in life is to use old feelings to fill a new hole," Qin Youya said calmly.

"Since the day your uncle retired, he hasn't attended a single one of those dinner parties. Our Liang family can't organize this one, and we don't want to either."

Song's mother's lips moved, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

Qin Youya didn't say anything more. She just lowered her eyes, picked up the teacup again, and slowly took a sip.

The main room was quiet for a while, with only the occasional soft sound of Qin Youya's teacup tapping against the saucer.

Despite her reluctance, Song's mother gave a dry laugh and changed her tone, which sounded somewhat tentative and pleading: "Aunt, I know this has put you in a difficult position. But Yu's father is not young, and this may be his last chance."

"Although my uncle has retired, his influence in Jingzhou City remains. Even if he just makes an appearance, those below him will naturally know what to do..."

Qin Youya put down her teacup, lifted her eyelids to look at her, her gaze calm and even a faint smile on her lips.

"I understand that it hasn't been easy for A-Yu's father to get to where he is today. But it's precisely because it's been so difficult that he should be even more aware that some things that are lifted up by others will eventually fall down."

She paused, then reached out and pushed the box of donkey-hide gelatin towards Song's mother: "Take this back with you, and give it to A-Yu's father to help him recover. As for the dinner party, don't mention it again."

Song's mother stared blankly at the box of donkey-hide gelatin that had been pushed back, her fingers twitching slightly, but in the end she didn't reach out to take it.

She slowly stood up, the smirk on her face completely gone, leaving only a thin layer of dejection: "Then...then I'll head back now."

Qin Youya nodded slightly, without getting up to see her off: "Okay."

Song's mother turned and walked out, her steps much heavier than when she came. She paused at the door, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't turn back, stepped over the threshold, and went out.

The main room returned to its previous quiet, with only the box of donkey-hide gelatin still sitting forlornly on the small table. Qin Youya glanced at it and then had a servant come in and take it away.

After Song Yu caused such a scandal, people who knew about his relationship with the Liang family had been gossiping behind his back, and the slander against the Liang family, both openly and covertly, never stopped.

If it weren't for this family connection, Qin Youya wouldn't even want to see Song's mother today.

As Song's mother was walking out of the mansion with her head down, she bumped into Liang Chaoxu at the end of the corridor.

She paused, her face still showing the weariness of her earlier dejection, and forced a smile: "Ah Xu, you're back?"

Liang Chaoxu stopped in the corridor, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before he asked in a cold tone, "Cousin, why are you in such a hurry?"

Song's mother smiled awkwardly: "I came to wish your mother a Happy New Year. I have some things to take care of at home, so I'll head back now."

Liang Chaoxu nodded slightly, turned to the side, and casually asked, "How is Song Yu doing lately?"

Song's mother paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "That's great. He's dedicated to his work, and he even said he'd like to..."

It seems she really was kept in the dark by Song Yu.

"Cousin," Liang Chaoxu interrupted her.

He looked at her calmly: "Song Yu is wicked. You and your brother-in-law should keep an eye on him as soon as possible. Otherwise, when things get out of hand and you can't cover it up, don't blame me for not warning you."

The smile on Song's mother's face froze instantly, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her head. It was unusually cold in the freezing snow.

She paused for two seconds, the smile in her eyes slowly fading, replaced by a barely suppressed displeasure: "Ah Xu, what you said is quite interesting."

"I raised Ah Yu myself, and I know his character very well. He's young and a bit immature, but to say he's malicious is simply absurd."

She paused, her tone tinged with barely suppressed grievance and resentment: "Our A-Yu has never done anything outrageous since he was a child."

"On the contrary, it's your Liang family. The reason why Ah Yu's father couldn't get promoted this time is ultimately because he needed your word. If you don't want to help, fine, but why say such hurtful things?"

Liang Chaoxu didn't rush to reply, but just looked at her calmly.

He waited until she finished speaking before saying, "Cousin, I'm not saying this to argue with you. Whether you listen or not, it's up to you two to live your lives from now on."

After saying that, he turned slightly to the side, walked past Song's mother, and headed straight for the main house.

Song's mother stood there, her face flushing red and then turning pale, her chest heaving several times, and the strap of her bag in her hand becoming deformed from her grip.

The wind outside the corridor rustled through the bamboo leaves on both sides of the hanging flower gate. Only then did she come to her senses, grit her teeth, and leave the Liang family home in her high heels.

When Liang Chaoxu stepped into the main room, the chill on his body had not yet dissipated. Seeing Qin Youya sitting in the main seat drinking tea, he stopped and bowed slightly: "Mom, Happy New Year."

Qin Youya remained seated, only glancing at him with a hint of ambiguity in her voice: "You're quite the busy man. No time to go home for New Year's Eve, but you had time to make a trip to Yongqing?"

Liang Chaoxu pursed his lips, offering no explanation, only saying in a low voice, "She just returned to the country not long ago, and she's all alone there. I'm worried about her..."

"Alright." Qin Youya put down her teacup, took the handbag from the maid, and interrupted him. "It hasn't been easy for her to get to where she is today. I didn't mean to blame you. There's no need to explain anymore."

Liang Chaoxu's expression relaxed slightly, and he smiled, "Thank you, Mom."

Qin Youya didn't respond to him. She took two steps outside, then stopped and looked back at him as if she remembered something: "Go change your clothes and come play cards with me for a while."

Liang Chaoxu's eyelids twitched, and a bad premonition rose in his heart. Sure enough, the next second, he heard his mother add a sentence in a calm and unhurried manner.

"Since your marriage with Xixi has been called off, the Li family's daughter is a suitable candidate. She is good-looking, a graduate of a prestigious university, and about your age."

"She happens to be here today, why don't you meet her and have a cup of tea?"