Chapter 33 Motivated by Greed

The more evasive Mother Yan was, the more suspicious Yan Xue became. Based on her years of experience, whenever her parents suddenly became anxious or stammered around her, it meant someone behind her back had been gossiping again.

However, she hadn’t been home recently and hadn't run into those relatives who loved to compare their children with others. The only possible source of this abnormal behavior in her parents was the "information source" closest to her.

"Mom, did you hear something about me?" Yan Xue decided to ask directly.

Prompted by this question, Mother Yan finally broke down: "It's not like I heard anything bad about you. It's just that Mom feels like the two of us haven't had time to chat in a long time... Have you been liking some boy recently?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Xue's face suddenly flushed hot. Feeling inexplicably guilty, she almost confessed everything about her progress with Kang Ge to her mother. But a second thought cooled down that slight shyness of a young woman whose romance was nearly exposed by her parents.

Here in City W, she originally had no relatives at all. She did have a few friends, but Xia Qing, Ning Shuyu, and the others were not the type to spread gossip, let alone go behind her back to report to her parents.

Moreover, even among those three good friends, only Xia Qing was aware of the subtle changes in her relationship with Kang Ge; Ning Shuyu and Ren Yaya were still completely in the dark, so they had no way of "betraying" her even if they wanted to.

As for relatives, there was now Song Chen in the mix. Yan Xue had zero faith in Song Chen's character, but Song Chen didn't know anything about her relationship with Kang Ge either. Song Chen had only met Kang Ge once. Although she had caught a slight glimpse of Kang Ge's financial standing through his car and therefore acted a bit proactive, Kang Ge had played dumb and brushed her off.

Since then, Song Chen hadn't found another chance to interact with Kang Ge, let alone know anything about her and Kang Ge.

Thus, Yan Xue could roughly guess where Mother Yan's words were coming from, but she didn't have the slightest clue what the specific version of the story looked like.

"Mom, don't fish for information. If you have something to say, just say it directly," Yan Xue said.

Knowing her daughter's personality, Mother Yan realized that beating around the bush would make communication impossible, so she began to persuade her: "Actually, it's nothing much. Mom just heard that you've been chasing a boy recently, and his background seems quite good..."

"Me? Chasing a guy backward? Who? How come I don't know about this?" Yan Xue laughed as soon as she heard it. This version instantly smelled like Song Chen's style, though she was somewhat curious about what the specific "plot summary" was.

Hearing Yan Xue say this, Mother Yan became a bit uncertain. Knowing her daughter quite well, she decided not to hide anything: "I don't know who it is either. I just heard it from your aunt, and your aunt must have heard it from Chen Chen.

"They said you were chasing after a guy because his background is quite good and he's rather wealthy, so you've been taking the initiative... It's just that... the other person doesn't seem to share those feelings and hasn't responded much to you. He plays dumb and barely pays attention to you, but you refuse to give up and keep chasing and clinging to him..."

After she finished speaking, Mother Yan noticed absolute silence on the other end of the line. Judging by her understanding of her daughter, Yan Xue was probably quite angry. She quickly added, "I know my daughter isn't the kind of person who despises poverty and loves wealth, nor someone whose eyes are only fixed on money!"

A fire was burning fiercely in Yan Xue's heart. Although Mother Yan claimed to trust her daughter with her words, making this phone call at this hour and specifically asking if anyone else was around clearly showed that she had listened to Song Chen's nonsense and been influenced by it.

Based on her past temper, Yan Xue would probably have been furious by now. But this time was different. Just as the fire in her heart made her temples throb, Kang Ge's previous advice about "showing vulnerability" suddenly flashed in her mind. For some unknown reason, as soon as that thought popped up, her earlier anger seemed to diminish by a few notches.

"Mom, you really do know me best! As expected of my sensible, good mom!" Yan Xue coaxed Mother Yan over the phone using a tone that even she found a bit cringe-worthy. Fortunately, it was over the phone; had she been facing her mother in person, she truly would have felt too ashamed and embarrassed. "Mom, you're entirely right to think that! Think about it, ever since we were kids, when have Song Chen and I ever lived in peace? Given our relationship, would I ever tell her anything from the bottom of my heart? If I had something to say, I'd tell the two of you, so why would I bypass you guys and pour my heart out to Song Chen!"

Yan Xue had been used to being strong-willed since childhood, and her usual personality tended to be straightforward rather than tender or gentle. Taking her mother by surprise with such sudden coaxing, Mother Yan actually felt a spontaneous sense of being flattered.

"Of course, my daughter is so considerate. If anything is on your mind, you'll definitely communicate with us; how could you possibly keep it hidden and tucked away?" A hint of pride laced her tone. Seeing that Yan Xue wasn't angry about Song Chen gossiping behind her back, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "Actually, I wasn't worried that you're snobbish or anything like that—I know my own child.

"It's just that you're not a little girl anymore, and it's the most normal thing in the world at your age to like a young man and want a boyfriend. I mainly heard your aunt mention it and wanted to ask if you've recently found someone you like."

Yan Xue felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn't been entirely honest with her parents lately, not mentioning a single word about Kang Ge to her family.

Love is actually very pure, and romance itself is not complicated. But why, when it comes to marriage, do things that were originally pure and uncomplicated suddenly become troublesome? It is simply because marriage drags in all sorts of people outside the romance, generating many complications apart from the mutual affection and love between the two parties.

Although Yan Xue had no interest in carrying on some sneaky underground romance, she didn't want to notify both of their families before the timing was ripe either, especially since she and Kang Ge were still in a "relationship preparatory stage." While they were getting to know each other with the goal of being properly together, they were still some distance away from emotional stability. Furthermore, since emotions were a matter between two people, it naturally made no sense to make any unilateral decisions.

Yan Xue had no idea if Kang Ge had any plans in this regard, so before communicating with him, she decided not to mention it for now.

"Anyway, regardless of anything else, you and Dad just need to remember this: your daughter is not the kind of person to press her warm face against someone else's cold backside. That's enough." She thus evaded the question about whether she liked any boy and only addressed that specific part.

Hearing Yan Xue's words, Mother Yan seemed to put her mind at ease and sighed on the other end of the line: "I know. What kind of person my own child is, I have a clear idea in my heart! Actually, sometimes I just think about it and feel a bit guilty.

"People always say to raise sons frugally and daughters richly. Look at Song Chen—ever since she was little, your aunt has always picked the best and most expensive food, clothes, and things for her. While our family isn't poor, our conditions are just average, and everything you eat, wear, and use is inferior to Song Chen's.

"It was the same when you went to university. After Song Chen started college, she curled her hair, bought cosmetics, and dressed herself up brightly. You went to a police academy, where you wear uniforms all the time and don't buy many clothes... I'm just afraid you feel wronged inside, and afraid of troubling your dad and me, so you didn't tell us and wanted to change your current situation by finding a partner... When all is said and done, it's still our incompetence..."

"Mom, you're thinking too much!" Yan Xue was torn between laughter and tears. "I don't feel wronged at all! To me, comfort in clothing is the most important thing. Even if it didn't cost money, I wouldn't have the leisure time to waste hours at a hair salon doing my hair.

"This is a matter of different personal aspirations and life pursuits, and it has nothing to do with being rich or poor. Stop dumping the responsibility onto yourself! I've always felt that because you and Dad have a stable relationship and let me grow up in a particularly warm and harmonious family atmosphere, I am extremely lucky!"

"Sigh, you child, you've been sensible since you were little and considerate of us. Hearing you say this makes Mom feel quite comforted." Mother Yan sniffled, her emotions having been a bit unstable just moments before. "Anyway, you're a child with your own mind and your own opinions about everything. Your dad and I don't have too many things to worry about; it's just that finding a partner is the first major step in life, and I really fear that you're young and inexperienced, and might consider things incorrectly.

"You've grown up so much, and the two of us have never talked about this topic. I always used to think you were too small and was afraid you'd feel embarrassed if I brought it up. Even though our family has ordinary conditions, Mom doesn't want you to find a second-generation rich kid whose family background is exceptionally good. After all, if the economic gap between the two families is too wide, after getting married, you'll forever remain a subservient little daughter-in-law in your husband's household.

"So as long as the young man is a good person, driven, has his own means of making a living, and his income can support normal living expenses, that is enough! Mom hopes you and your future partner will be equals, advancing hand in hand, so that you won't be wronged."

Yan Xue experienced a complex wave of emotions. On one hand, Mother Yan's words were entirely considerations made from a mother's perspective for her daughter's own interests, devoid of any selfish motives, which deeply touched Yan Xue.

On the other hand, she felt a mild headache coming on. After all, even without digging deep into inquiries, judging solely by the known parts, Kang Ge's family background made him an authentic second-generation rich kid...

Other parents would beat up a mandarin duck out of snobbery because their child found a partner from an impoverished background.

Would it happen to be the exact opposite in her case?