Tang Wu couldn't help but laugh.
Having known him for so many years, she rarely saw him lack confidence.
"How would you know my mom doesn't like you if you don't go see her?"
Si Yanli nodded. "Then let's go to the mall first."
After the two went to the mall, Si Yanli not only bought various high-end nutritional supplements, but also designer bags, expensive furs, massagers, and more. If Tang Wu hadn't held him back, he would have kept on buying.
The trunk of his car was almost completely stuffed full.
Seeing his solemn and serious demeanor, Tang Wu felt herself getting a little nervous too.
"My mom isn't some fierce monster. Don't worry so much."
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the villa Zhou Liying had bought for Tang Wu.
Just as they got out of the car, they heard a scream coming from inside the villa.
It was Zhou Liying's scream.
Tang Wu and Si Yanli didn't even have time to grab the gifts; they immediately sprinted toward the house.
In the living room, Tang Baitao was holding a sharp dagger, pinning Zhou Liying by the neck, about to stab her.
Zhou Liying was pale with fright, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Seeing this scene, Tang Wu was terrified. "Tang Baitao, are you crazy?! Let go of my mom right now!"
The Tang family had gone bankrupt. Tang Baitao's current wife, seeing that he was now penniless and powerless, had run off with an older man.
Tang Baitao had gone to settle the score with her, only to be beaten up by the older man's bodyguards.
Tang Baitao then went to find Tang Shiyan, but she was even worse off; she had messed around outside and contracted AIDS.
Tang Baitao's heart was like dead ashes. Yesterday, he saw the trending news about Tang Wu and saw how the entire Si family protected her, loving her like a treasure.
He also saw the bejeweled Zhou Liying on the street. Seeing that she had become part of the upper crust, he felt extremely unbalanced and resentful.
Today, he disguised himself as a security guard and found Zhou Liying, wanting to get back together with her.
As long as she was willing to accept him, he would live a good life with her from now on.
But he never expected that not only would she give him zero chances, she also gave him a harsh scolding.
She compared him to a drowning dog, saying that even if all the men in the world died, she would never look his way again.
Flying into a humiliating rage, he pulled out the dagger he had prepared, intending to stab her to death and then commit suicide!
"Wuwu, as long as you can persuade your mom to get back together with me, we will be a happy family of three from now on."
Tang Wu's brows furrowed tightly. Just as she was about to say something, Si Yanli beside her suddenly picked up a dried plum from the coffee table and threw it viciously at Tang Baitao's wrist.
Tang Baitao's wrist flared with pain, and the dagger dropped to the floor.
Seeing this, Tang Wu immediately stepped forward and kicked Tang Baitao away.
Si Yanli picked up his phone and called the police.
Tang Baitao tried to flee, but Si Yanli pinned him to the ground with a backhand grip.
After Zhou Liying caught her breath, furious beyond belief, she slapped Tang Baitao's face hard several times.
Not long after, the police arrived.
Zhou Liying handed the living room surveillance footage over to the police.
Tang Baitao's attempted murder of Zhou Liying was enough to put him behind bars for life.
After Tang Baitao was taken away, Tang Wu helped Zhou Liying sit down on the sofa. "Mom, are you okay? Thank goodness for Yanli earlier. If he hadn't hit Tang Baitao's wrist with that dried plum in time, things could have ended in disaster for you."
Zhou Liying gave Tang Wu a reproachful look. "You silly girl, your mom hasn't even said anything yet, and you're already speaking up for your husband."
Zhou Liying glanced at the ring on Tang Wu's hand. "Did he propose?"
Tang Wu bit her lip. "I suppose so."
"Useless girl," Zhou Liying said. She looked at Si Yanli, and a polite smile immediately appeared on his handsome, refined face. "Mother-in-law."
Zhou Liying waved her hand. "It's too early to call me mother-in-law. Even if my Wuwu is destined to be the daughter-in-law of your Si family, this time we have to follow the proper procedures. The betrothal gifts, the engagement, the wedding—none of it can be skipped."
Si Yanli nodded repeatedly. "Yes."
Afraid that Zhou Liying would scare Si Yanli, Tang Wu immediately said, "Mom, Yanli bought you a lot of gifts. They're still in the car. Yanli and I will go get them."
Sitting on the sofa, Zhou Liying looked shocked as she watched Tang Wu and Si Yanli carry in bags large and small. "Did you guys bring the whole mall over?"
Tang Wu laughed. "If I hadn't stopped him, he really would have brought the whole mall here!"
Looking at the bright and beautiful smile on Tang Wu's face, Zhou Liying sighed helplessly.
When they were in Australia, she had entered Tang Wu's room one night and saw her asleep with tears in the corners of her eyes. She was having some unknown nightmare, but her mouth was still calling Si Yanli's name.
They say mother and daughter share a heart. She could feel her girl's deep, unforgettable love for Si Yanli.
But her girl had suffered two years of his coldness and grievances, and now she had forgiven and accepted him so easily. In her heart, she felt it wasn't worth it for her daughter.
But ultimately, it was the young couple's own business.
"Alright, alright, stop speaking up for him. I'll slowly observe his performance from now on. If he dares to treat you badly again, don't blame me for taking you somewhere he'll never find you."
Si Yanli bowed to Zhou Liying, his attitude extremely sincere. "Mother-in-law, I will treat Wuwu well from now on. Please rest assured."
Zhou Liying nodded. "I hope you keep your word."
After getting her mother's approval, Tang Wu took Si Yanli to the small town.
The two paid their respects to her grandmother together.
Si Yanli kowtowed three times before her grandmother's tomb, making the same promise.
A month later, Tang Wu and Si Yanli got their marriage certificate again.
Not wanting to rush the wedding, they set the date for the end of the year.
Having gotten their certificate, they were husband and wife once again.
This wedding night was completely different from their first.
It was harmonious and beautiful.
They started a new chapter in their lives together.
Although they had experienced hardships and twists and turns, they both had confidence in managing their future married life well.
No matter what they encountered, they would never easily let go of each other's hands again.
...
Over on Ah Cai's side.
The small clinic she opened in Hong Kong had slowly become somewhat famous over the past five months.
Ah Cai had now been taken in as a disciple by Wen Yan, and her medical skills were advancing by leaps and bounds.
Aside from occasionally traveling to Ye City to learn from her master, Ah Cai spent most of her time at the small clinic.
One evening, as Ah Cai was passing by an alley, she suddenly heard muffled groans coming from inside.
"What the hell? You want to enter the entertainment industry but won't accept the hidden rules? It's your blessing that our boss took a liking to you. How dare you smash a wine bottle over our boss's head! Do you want to be blacklisted from the Hong Kong circle?!"
"Now we're giving you a way out. Are you going to go back, kneel, and submit to our boss, or do you want us to beat you to death?"
"Beat me to death," the person curled up on the ground replied weakly but firmly.
Hearing that person's voice, Ah Cai's slender body suddenly froze.
It was actually that Mr. Ji?
Counting the time, she hadn't seen him for nearly five months.
She knew he was developing his career in the Hong Kong entertainment industry and thought he had made a name for himself. She never expected him to be in such a miserable state!
Unable to bear watching him be beaten to death, Ah Cai yelled, "The police are here!"
Hearing this, the thugs kicked Ji Chi hard one last time before quickly running away.
Seeing the thugs run far away, Ah Cai quickly walked forward.
She looked at the severely bruised and immobilized man, bent down, and helped him up.
Ji Chi opened his heavy eyelids. His vision was blurry as he looked at the girl in front of him. "Who are you?"
"I am Ah Cai. Don't you remember me?"
The man said nothing more, allowing her to support him as they left.
Ah Cai helped Ji Chi to her small clinic.
The front of the clinic was for treating patients, and there was a small courtyard in the back. Just across the courtyard was where she slept.
She helped him into her own bedroom.
Ji Chi was drifting in and out of consciousness as Ah Cai helped him onto a reclining chair.
Looking at his blood-soaked body, she frowned. "You have a stab wound on your leg. I need to take off your pants now."
The groggy man suddenly lifted his blood-stained eyelashes and looked at her.
"Don't take them off," he said weakly.
Ah Cai ignored him and went to the front hall to fetch her medical tools.
"If I don't take them off, the wound will get infected and leave you crippled," she said mercilessly, knowing exactly what he was worried about. "Besides, that part of you is already ruined, so it's not like there's anything worth looking at anyway."
Ji Chi, "..."
