She said this with a bit of a heavy tone, with a kind of majesty that makes people unable to resist.
Emma rarely heard Zhong Lan speak to herself like this. After all, her mother-in-law is very cultivated. Even though she and Jason didn't tell anyone and got the certificate directly, it can be seen that she was extremely angry. In the end, she only argued with Jason and didn't say a bad word to her.
However, Emma also knew that Zhong Lan was not satisfied with her, which was a kind of dissatisfaction from beginning to end.
Not only is there a huge gap between her and Jason's family background, but also because their marriage was the most disliked flash marriage among the elders. Zhong Lan once frankly said to her that Jason did something rebellious for her that he hadn't done in thirty years.
Jason, the most reassuring eldest grandson of the family, actually did something on the marriage issue that even the most rebellious person in the family didn't dare to do.
At seven thirty, Emma arrived at the Jason family's mansion. As soon as she entered the door and saw Zhong Lan sitting on the sofa in the living room, even though she was dressed in comfortable home clothes, she was still upright and noble.
It added a bit of arrogance and distance.
As soon as Emma walked over, Zhong Lan looked up and her gaze fell on her, with a hint of anger in her eyes.
"You move to the villa on Wuding Road," she said.
Emma was slightly stunned. Regarding their residence, Zhong Lan was not without opinions. If she lived alone, Zhong Lan didn't care, but with Jason, Zhong Lan was reluctant.
But she had never been so decisive before.
After a moment, Emma said softly, "I'm sorry, I can't go and live there."
Zhong Lan was so angry that she looked up and looked at her angrily: "Do you know that Shenyan has been ill these days, just because he lives in your house."
Emma was completely stunned.
Until there was movement behind her again, and when Zhong Lan looked up, Jason had already entered the house, but he hadn't changed his leather shoes. Obviously, he had rushed in.
But when he arrived and saw that the situation was not too bad, he was not in a hurry. He looked at Ni Jing, who was standing with her lips pursed, and then turned to look at Zhong Lan.
This person actually lifted the corners of his mouth and gave a light smile.
Then he slowly said to Zhong Lan, "Do you think she looks like a little warrior who is not afraid of authority?"
This made Emma and Zhong Lan stunned, and they all felt a bit unlike what Jason would say.
But until he looked at Emma and slowly uttered a few words: "How cute."
Zhong Lan looked at him, crazy, crazy, completely crazy.
Emma couldn't help but think that if there were a ranking for husbands who were least adept at handling mother-in-law relationships, Jason would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
She was the little warrior unafraid of authority, so was that meant that Mrs. Zhong in front of her was the authority?
After a moment, she realized that the most unpredictable thing in the world must be the heart of a woman. When she thought Zhong Lan would undoubtedly be furious and scold Jason, and consequently not give her a good face,
Zhong Lan just glared at Jason and lightly chided, "Don't talk nonsense."
It's really not surprising that Zhong Lan couldn't get really angry. It was because Jason's unconventional approach when he came in.
Jason has always been more composed and wise since he was a child. After all, with the title of the eldest grandson of the Jason family, he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Fortunately, he has always been a relief to his family since he was young, but this also made him somewhat indifferent.
He lacked some warmth and affection with his family.
Zhong Lan was used to seeing her son being formal and serious with her, but rarely saw him like this, intentionally easing the atmosphere with a few not-so-serious jokes, which was just right.
Emma had something on her mind, what Zhong Lan just said about Jason being sick.
Her eyes kept turning on him, as if she wanted to see with her naked eye where he was uncomfortable.
But Jason pulled her to sit on the sofa next to him, then said in a light voice, "What's wrong?"
Emma asked in a low voice, "Are you sick?"
Jason just heard what Zhong Lan said, and more or less guessed why Zhong Lan called Emma home. He frowned slightly, not because of Zhong Lan, but because his condition should be a privacy. He didn't plan to tell anyone, and now not only his mother knows, even Emma knows.
Seeing him not speaking, Emma reached out and gently hooked his pinky.
His pinky was gently hooked, and when he looked down, her snow-white pinky had already entwined.
Jason suddenly remembered the first time she followed herself back to the Jason family, because the elders all knew that they had secretly got the marriage certificate, which was clearly a trap.
She looked calm and composed on the surface, and responded to the elders' questions in a well-organized manner, showing no panic or cowardice.
Until the old man of the family picked up his cane and knocked it heavily on the ground. Because there was no carpet on the ground, the sound of the cane knocking on the ground was dull and very frightening.
Jason was not afraid, he grew up with the old man, and if he made a mistake, he would be beaten.
Now the old man's cane didn't knock on him, Jason himself felt that this was light.
He didn't care in his heart, but the person next to him was particularly worried. In front of the elders, Emma didn't dare to comfort him, and finally quietly found his pinky, and reached out to hook it.
Jason was such an indifferent person, but he was softened by her.
His heart was soft, knowing that she was worried about him.
Since then, this small action has been a little secret between them. Every time they returned to the Jason family's mansion, they would inevitably be scolded. The elders all cared about their faces and their identities. No one could lower their faces to scold Emma, after all, she was a daughter-in-law, which was different from her son's identity.
Every time Jason listened with his head down, Emma would hook his pinky.
That meaning, as if to coax him.
At this time, seeing her worried look, Jason chuckled, "It's nothing, don't worry."
"It's still nothing?" Zhong Lan couldn't help but raise her voice, so the bad guy was her?
At this time, since the words have been opened, Zhong Lan looked at Emma and said coldly, "Shen Yan has had a skin allergy these days, is it seen by Professor Liu? Don't think that I, as a mother, have nothing to monitor my son. It's because I happened to bump into Professor Liu today."
The Jason family has returned to Shanghai for decades, but the old habits from Hong Kong are still left.
For example, the physical condition of family members is the responsibility of a special person. This Professor Liu is Jason's doctor. His wife and Zhong Lan are in the same charity association, and the two families are very familiar.
Today is indeed a coincidence, because next month, the charity association is going to donate a batch of things to the mountainous areas, and Zhong Lan went there. Mrs. Liu is also there, and when she left in the evening, she met Professor Liu to pick up Mrs. Liu, and they chatted for a few words.
Jason's mother, Zhong Lan, had always been aware of his health issues, which was why Professor Liu happened to mention Jason's recent allergies.
Jason frowned, "It's just an allergy. Is it worth making such a fuss?"
Zhong Lan was genuinely concerned for him, but her good intentions were not appreciated and instead made her feel like the villain. Her slight anger turned into annoyance as she coldly said, "Yes, it's just an allergy, but don't you understand your own condition? Shanghai is humid and rainy. The first time you had an allergy because of the humidity, I wished I could dry the entire house."
At this moment, Emma turned to look at Jason and finally understood. No wonder he had been turning over in his sleep these past two nights. Normally, he had an excellent sleeping habit, sleeping quietly and peacefully.
Emma's heart ached as she realized that Shanghai had been experiencing continuous rain with little sunshine. Her home was an old house, narrow and damp, and even with new bedding, there was always a lingering musty smell.
Thinking of this, she looked up at Zhong Lan and softly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know Shenyan would be allergic."
Zhong Lan glanced at her, sighed after a while, and said, "I'm not trying to lecture you, but since you're married to Shenyan, shouldn't you two be considerate of each other? You can't just demand that the other person always accommodate you without any effort on your part. Besides, moving to a new place to live isn't exactly an injustice to you, is it?"
Zhong Lan's combination of emotional appeal and rational argument, along with her final nudge, more or less conveyed the message that Emma was ungrateful.
Emma listened to Zhong Lan's words without getting angry. Although the words were not pleasant to hear, from a mother's perspective, Emma felt no grievance towards Zhong Lan's rebuke.
Jason, with his background, had always been high and mighty. If it weren't for her, he would never have stepped foot in the damp house of the narrow alley, let alone the street itself.
Emma looked at Zhong Lan with a serious expression and said, "I will have Shenyan move back to live."
She referred to Jason but did not mention herself.
Zhong Lan was frustrated, feeling that Emma's attitude was impervious to criticism, which was simply...
Until the next moment, when Emma looked at her and said, "You should be aware of our family's situation. My father has been missing for six years. But what if he comes home one day? Shanghai is so big; I have to keep this home, or my father won't be able to find his way back."
Zhong Lan was completely stunned.
Emma's words were sincere, not deliberately trying to evoke pity. Since she started taking care of her grandmother on her own, she had never complained to anyone, not even her college roommates who had known her for four years.
She didn't need others to sympathize with her because she was capable of handling everything.
When her mother was gone, her father promised to take care of her and her grandmother.
Now that her father was missing, even though he didn't leave her a single word, she would still take care of her grandmother.
In the end, Zhong Lan didn't make things difficult for her anymore. As a parent herself, Emma's words indeed made her feel compassion and unable to say anything else. In fact, if Emma hadn't married Jason, Zhong Lan might have admired this girl.
Despite experiencing the hardships of life at an early age, she was not inferior, sufficiently independent, and strong enough.
*
As night fell, the lights on the porch illuminated the outside, and the dense, slanting rain fell through the air, creating a particularly artistic atmosphere. The driver had already pulled the car up to the door and waited. Jason took Emma's wrist and walked straight to the car.
As the car gradually left the Jason family mansion, Emma looked back at the deep courtyard behind.
Jason, seemingly tired from a day of work, leaned against the back of the car seat and looked particularly exhausted.
Seeing this, Emma let him rest his eyes and did not disturb him. It wasn't until the car stopped at the entrance of the narrow alley that she spoke. Because the alley was narrow, they always got out of the car and walked.
Jason got out of the car first and took an umbrella from the driver. When he slowly walked to the other side and opened the car door, Emma got out of the car and was immediately embraced by him. At 1.7 meters tall, she was quite tall and slender, but next to Jason, who had a naturally good physique and was tall with long legs, she seemed petite.
When they arrived home, Emma changed her shoes first and stood in the living room.
Jason was a step behind her, but as soon as he came over, the standing person turned to look at him and said, "I'm sorry."
Emma's voice was hoarse. She was such a calm and distant person, but for those she truly cared about, she was deeply affected.
Jason's mother, Zhong Lan, had always been aware of his health issues, which was why Professor Liu happened to mention Jason's recent allergies.
Jason frowned, "It's just an allergy. Is it worth making such a fuss?"
Zhong Lan was genuinely concerned for him, but her good intentions were not appreciated and instead made her feel like the villain. Her slight anger turned into annoyance as she coldly said, "Yes, it's just an allergy, but don't you understand your own condition? Shanghai is humid and rainy. The first time you had an allergy because of the humidity, I wished I could dry the entire house."
At this moment, Emma turned to look at Jason and finally understood. No wonder he had been turning over in his sleep these past two nights. Normally, he had an excellent sleeping habit, sleeping quietly and peacefully.
Emma's heart ached as she realized that Shanghai had been experiencing continuous rain with little sunshine. Her home was an old house, narrow and damp, and even with new bedding, there was always a lingering musty smell.
Thinking of this, she looked up at Zhong Lan and softly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know Shenyan would be allergic."
Zhong Lan glanced at her, sighed after a while, and said, "I'm not trying to lecture you, but since you're married to Shenyan, shouldn't you two be considerate of each other? You can't just demand that the other person always accommodate you without any effort on your part. Besides, moving to a new place to live isn't exactly an injustice to you, is it?"
Zhong Lan's combination of emotional appeal and rational argument, along with her final nudge, more or less conveyed the message that Emma was ungrateful.
Emma listened to Zhong Lan's words without getting angry. Although the words were not pleasant to hear, from a mother's perspective, Emma felt no grievance towards Zhong Lan's rebuke.
Jason, with his background, had always been high and mighty. If it weren't for her, he would never have stepped foot in the damp house of the narrow alley, let alone the street itself.
Emma looked at Zhong Lan with a serious expression and said, "I will have Shenyan move back to live."
She referred to Jason but did not mention herself.
Zhong Lan was frustrated, feeling that Emma's attitude was impervious to criticism, which was simply...
Until the next moment, when Emma looked at her and said, "You should be aware of our family's situation. My father has been missing for six years. But what if he comes home one day? Shanghai is so big; I have to keep this home, or my father won't be able to find his way back."
Zhong Lan was completely stunned.
Emma's words were sincere, not deliberately trying to evoke pity. Since she started taking care of her grandmother on her own, she had never complained to anyone, not even her college roommates who had known her for four years.
She didn't need others to sympathize with her because she was capable of handling everything.
When her mother was gone, her father promised to take care of her and her grandmother.
Now that her father was missing, even though he didn't leave her a single word, she would still take care of her grandmother.
In the end, Zhong Lan didn't make things difficult for her anymore. As a parent herself, Emma's words indeed made her feel compassion and unable to say anything else. In fact, if Emma hadn't married Jason, Zhong Lan might have admired this girl.
Despite experiencing the hardships of life at an early age, she was not inferior, sufficiently independent, and strong enough.
*
As night fell, the lights on the porch illuminated the outside, and the dense, slanting rain fell through the air, creating a particularly artistic atmosphere. The driver had already pulled the car up to the door and waited. Jason took Emma's wrist and walked straight to the car.
As the car gradually left the Jason family mansion, Emma looked back at the deep courtyard behind.
Jason, seemingly tired from a day of work, leaned against the back of the car seat and looked particularly exhausted.
Seeing this, Emma let him rest his eyes and did not disturb him. It wasn't until the car stopped at the entrance of the narrow alley that she spoke. Because the alley was narrow, they always got out of the car and walked.
Jason got out of the car first and took an umbrella from the driver. When he slowly walked to the other side and opened the car door, Emma got out of the car and was immediately embraced by him. At 1.7 meters tall, she was quite tall and slender, but next to Jason, who had a naturally good physique and was tall with long legs, she seemed petite.
When they arrived home, Emma changed her shoes first and stood in the living room.
Jason was a step behind her, but as soon as he came over, the standing person turned to look at him and said, "I'm sorry."
Emma's voice was hoarse. She was such a calm and distant person, but for those she truly cared about, she was deeply affected.
Jason's allergy had gone unnoticed by her, and now her eyes were unusually red, her almond-shaped eyes gradually misting over. She wasn't the type to cry easily, but seeing her like this made Jason feel as if he was being pricked by fine needles, enough to tug at his heartstrings.
"Xingxing," he called her nickname.
Emma looked at him and hugged him back. She wouldn't feel this upset even if she were the one who was sick. "I'm sorry, I didn't even notice you were ill," she said.
Jason knew she was genuinely blaming herself and quickly reassured her, patting her back a few times. "I'm fine, I really am."
At this moment, Emma slowly lifted her head from his embrace, "I'm not being stubborn or inconsiderate towards you."
"I just want to wait for my dad to come back."
As she finished speaking, Emma's gaze fell on a photo on the wall, an old picture from about a decade ago. The family of three in the photo all had happy smiles on their faces, the young parents and a little girl who was only about ten years old.
But now, standing here, there was only Emma, at the age of twenty-four.
Her parents were no longer around.
The favorite topic for late-night talks in the girls' dormitory was always about love. Her roommate, Chen Chen, once asked them a question, whether they believed in love. What surprised everyone was that Emma, who usually seemed the least interested in boys, firmly said two words.
Believe.
Yes, she was born into such a family; how could she not believe?
Ni PingSen and Gu MingZhu met in college. Ni PingSen came from an exceptionally quaint town in Zhejiang called Nanxun, while Gu MingZhu was a native Shanghai girl.
They met on the college campus in that era, and two young and outstanding people were always easily drawn to each other.
Ni PingSen was handsome and tall, standing out among his male classmates.
Gu MingZhu was also outstanding enough; she was the belle of the journalism department, with a pure appearance and a touching aura.
Gu's parents, who were from Shanghai, did not oppose them because Ni PingSen came from a small place. They entered the marriage hall with their parents' blessings.
Before Emma was born, they were a loving couple.
And after Emma was born, they were an enviable family of three.
But some too perfect lives always show an unexpected side. When Emma was six years old, Gu MingZhu suddenly fell ill and was bedridden until her death.
But Ni PingSen loved her as always and took care of her meticulously.
Even her grandmother once said that she was not as attentive as him in taking care of her mother.
When Emma was ten years old, Gu MingZhu spent almost all her time in the hospital. No matter how hard Ni PingSen tried to take care of her, he could not keep her.
The day Gu MingZhu passed away, the doctors and nurses in the hospital were afraid that Ni PingSen would not be able to bear it.
Because everyone saw how a man took care of his wife meticulously, trying to keep her.
He never cried until the day of the funeral. That was the first time Emma saw her father cry like that, sobbing on her mother's tombstone.
After her mother left, her father took care of her and her grandmother with all his heart.
Until Emma was in high school, her grandmother suddenly had a cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized for surgery. Her father did not hesitate to do his best to save her grandmother. Even after her mother left, he treated her grandmother as if she were his own mother.
But even though the operation was successful, her grandmother ended up paralyzed in bed.
Emma was in high school at the time, and the family's finances were once very tight. Ni PingSen finally decided to accept his unit's dispatch to work abroad for a year.
He was supposed to go for only one year, but after one year, he stayed for another.
Until there was no more news from his father.
He disappeared abroad.
Emma seemed to pull herself out of the memories encapsulated in the old photograph. She turned to look at Jason and said softly, "Dad used to say that my grandfather named my mom Mingzhu, which means the pearl in the palm."
"He said that mom was the pearl in my grandfather's palm, and I was his little star in his hand."
"That's why he gave me the name Xingxing."
Now the star is still here, but where has the big hand that should be holding her gone?
Life is such that no matter how much pain and tribulation there were in the past, once the sun rises, everyone must welcome a new day.
Emma still arrived at the office in Jason's car in the morning, but before getting out of the car, she asked, "Do you have any social engagements tonight?"
Jason glanced at her and asked Tang Mian in the passenger seat, "Do I have any plans for tonight?"
Tang Mian, who had been his assistant for so long, had long memorized his schedule and immediately said, "There is a dinner with President Han of Qihui."
"Cancel it."
Emma, who was sitting beside him, heard this and quickly said, "Don't."
She hadn't even mentioned what it was about, and he was already planning to cancel a scheduled engagement.
Jason turned to look at her again, his deep and pleasant voice saying, "Don't you have something to say?"
Emma looked at him for a moment, then said, "Don't take your allergies lightly. Move back to the villa tonight."
Jason lightly frowned, and just as he began to say two words, "No need..."
"I'll move with you," Emma interrupted him.
Jason, with a calm face, remained silent for a long time before saying, "Xingxing, you don't have to take my mom's words too seriously."
Yesterday, Zhong Lan's lecture on the tolerance between husband and wife didn't seem to have made an impression on Jason, but now it appears to have touched Emma.
Emma's attitude was calm as she said, "Your mother's words are not unreasonable demands. She's right, we can't always expect you to tolerate me and make concessions for me. It's my fault for not knowing about your discomfort these past few days."
Jason didn't expect her to say so much, and his heart was slightly moved.
He raised his hand and placed it on Emma's temple, his palm gently rubbing her soft hair and her snow-white ear. Emma's earlobes were very beautiful, plump and snow-white, with a smooth and slightly plump feeling between his fingers.
Jason was quiet for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "You don't have to make concessions because I can keep stepping back."
This man always had a sense of detachment from worldly affairs, but when he spoke, he could say something that warmed one's heart. Moreover, Emma knew well that he never just talked the talk.
So proud a person, he stayed with her in that old house, never frowning for a moment.
He always used actions to reassure her.
Emma: "My dad has been gone for so long, it's not necessarily going to be in these few days that he'll come back."
Jason didn't say anything, just reached out and enveloped her in his arms, gently stroking her back for a long time before he said softly, "He will come back. His little star is still here."
Emma's cheek rested on his broad shoulder, her heart melting with warmth.
Even her grandmother had once bluntly told her that her father would not come back, that he hadn't returned in so many years, and that he had gone to such a dangerous place.
And since her father's disappearance, Emma had heard this kind of talk countless times.
Even though she knew they meant well, hoping she would move forward, she still couldn't help but be bothered by it.
For so long, she had been the only one who believed her father would come back, until Jason appeared. From the moment he learned about it, he had always told her that he would wait with her for her father to return.
Too many people had told her she should give up.
But after persisting alone for so long, finally, there was someone who was willing to wait with her.