"Absurd!" Jiang Conghe slammed the table after hearing Lu Shufen’s words, "If she wants to be mad, do you have to join her in her madness?"
What was this wife of his thinking, suggesting to find a way to win over Qi Taiguo and match him with Chiang Qing?
"Do you think I want this?" Lu Shufen yelled back, her voice shrill, "The hardships I’ve endured, I remember them all too well. Do you think I want her to follow in my footsteps and suffer in the same way?"
Jiang Conghe’s aura weakened, his voice softening, "But we can’t just let her do whatever she wants! That boy, how is he worthy of my daughter?"
Lu Shufen sneered coldly, "So what about Commander Chiang’s daughter? They don’t even hold her in high regard, otherwise, would she be suffering like this?"
If the two of them saw eye to eye, well, that would make things easier, even if it meant settling for someone less well-to-do. With their elders around, they wouldn’t worry about not being able to support him.
The problem was, Chiang Qing was in unrequited love!
In love, the hardest thing to deal with is unrequited love—the Goddess may be willing, but the King has no dreams of her!
Jiang Conghe couldn’t stand it any longer, his eyes glaring, "What does he have to be so picky about? What’s not to like about my daughter?"
That’s how fathers are, seeing their daughters as the best in every way, believing no man is worthy enough, with men merely lined up, awaiting her selection.
Qi Taiguo, dare he!
"The flower pines, but the stream flows heartlessly, no matter how wonderful she is, what’s the use? That’s why I want you to make a move!" Lu Shufen said.
"No, no, that won’t do!" Jiang Conghe shook his head, "That boy won’t do, this would not look good if word got out. It would delay our daughter’s prospects!"
"Then what do you suggest we do? Seeing her cry breaks my heart!" Lu Shufen felt a sourness in her heart again, "All blame that Qi Taiguo, it must’ve been him who seduced our Qingqing. Without him, could this have happened?"
As Jiang Conghe paced back and forth, he thought for a moment and then said, "What if, after the New Year, we don’t let Qingqing return to Qing City? Out of sight, out of mind—after some time, it will naturally fade."
But Lu Shufen was not as optimistic as he was, "She’s stubborn, you know that: If it were so easy, why would there be such a fuss?"
"Time can erase everything. Let’s settle on that." Jiang Conghe pondered and then added, "I think, find an opportunity to transfer that young man somewhere else, away, far away. Yes, send him off to Xinjiang! See how he’ll seduce Qingqing then."
Lu Shufen opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. If only it could be that simple, that would indeed be good.
But would Qingqing agree?
Seeing her silent, Jiang Conghe walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, and said, "Don’t worry. Our daughter is the apple of our eye; I will definitely do what’s best for her!"
Lu Shufen was still annoyed with him and shrugged off his hand, huffing, "Jiang Dafang, that little wretch, must be the real apple of your eye!" Then she walked out.
Jiang Conghe fumed, smoke almost coming out of his seven orifices – she was getting harder and harder to please!
And the "little wretch" Jiang Dafang that Lu Shufen referred to was in a drinking session, chatting with someone.
"Why bother bringing gifts to their house? That woman will surely not appreciate them. Aren’t you just asking for rejection?" Liu Cheng topped up Jiang Dafang’s cup with alcohol.
Jiang Dafang sneered coldly, "I’m not looking for rejection; I’m aiming to make their life miserable!"
Liu Cheng was taken aback, looking at him, "In the past, didn’t you want to avoid contact with your father... with Commander Chiang? Why now..."
Jiang Dafang was supposed to hate them, wasn’t he?
"When my mother was around, we lived in peace, but now she is gone, and I have no reservations." Jiang Dafang drained his cup, his cold smirk deepening, "The Chiang family has been happy long enough; their time is up. It’s about time their house was in turmoil, just perfect."
He intended to make Lu Shufen and the rest of them live in constant anxiety, without a moment of peace in their home.