The Chiang Family was in disarray because of Chiang Qing’s affair and Jiang Dafang’s appearance, while Cheng Su and her family were chatting and laughing, full of joy.
Mother Cheng had sent Qi Taiguo off to chop wood again, while she herself took Cheng Su into the room to talk in private.
"Your mother-in-law came to our house before, saying that you two weren’t having kids, and it scared me half to death. I thought something was wrong with you physically and you couldn’t have them. Over the phone, you didn’t go into detail. What exactly is going on? You’re really fine, aren’t you?" Mother Cheng glanced at her belly.
Cheng Su rolled her eyes and said, "I’m perfectly healthy, I just don’t want to have a child right now, I’m too busy."
"What are you so busy with? If you say you’re running a business, you’re not the one who does the work anyway, don’t you have other people handling it? What does that have to do with having a child?" Mother Cheng disagreed.
Cheng Su replied, "You make it sound so easy. Doesn’t having a child require raising, don’t they need care and education? I’m just not ready for it yet!" And besides, she was only twenty-one and didn’t want to be tied down by a child so soon.
"You’re not without a mother-in-law, if you have the child, aren’t there people to help you raise them?" Mother Cheng snorted lightly, "I advise you to have one sooner rather than later, while you’re young. It gets harder when you’re older."
"Alright, you don’t need to worry about this, we have it under control," Cheng Su said, a bit impatiently, then added, "And you talk about letting my mother-in-law help, but can I really trust her to take care of my child?"
Surely, she did not agree with her mother-in-law’s character; if she let her mother-in-law completely take over the child-rearing, the kid might end up having the same disposition!
Just thinking of a child who was sharp-tongued, stingy, and miserly sent shivers down Cheng Su’s spine.
"Everyone else gets help from their mothers-in-law, what makes you so special?" Mother Cheng scoffed, but her face soured a bit as she recalled her own mother-in-law’s attitude, "Your mother-in-law really isn’t easy to deal with. You don’t know, the last time she came to speak to me, she all but pointed at my face and scolded me for how I raised you!"
"Why would you even bother with her?" Cheng Su responded, unamused.
Mother Cheng sighed.
"By the way, when you went to pay New Year’s visits, how did it go with your uncles and aunts? Did they ask you to arrange jobs or anything?" Mother Cheng asked.
At the mention of that, Cheng Su’s face darkened and she said, "Can we not mention that? Each one of them thinks I’m some kind of super boss, asking me to arrange jobs. When I refused, they gave me dirty looks! Mom, I’m done with these annual New Year’s visits, okay? Do we have to go again in the future?"
"You’ve only done it for one year, for future years you just have to pay a visit to your third uncle, and of course, if you want to visit them too, that’s also okay, it’s the thought that counts," Mother Cheng explained the custom.
"I wouldn’t dare," said Cheng Su.
Would she be scared of the shadows after seeing the ghost? She definitely didn’t want to invite trouble for herself!
"Look at you, handling big things and getting too big for your britches, looking down on people now, aren’t we?" Mother Cheng poked her forehead.
"Would you be happy if I arranged things? You have no idea, each and every one of them aren’t simple characters," Cheng Su huffed lightly.
That was true indeed!
"Also, Mom, if anyone comes to you asking for favors, don’t get carried away and agree, causing me trouble. Just say you don’t dare make decisions for me," Cheng Su added another reminder.
"I know, I’m not stupid. Besides, would you even listen to what I say?" Mother Cheng replied irritably.
Cheng Su, grinning, moved closer and embraced her mother’s arm: "Nothing beats my own mom!" Unlike her mother-in-law, who only caused her trouble.
Mother Cheng watched her daughter act coyly, the corner of her lips curling up in mock disdain, "Get lost, who needs your affection!"
"I need yours though!" Cheng Su nuzzled against her, and mother and daughter laughed and played together.