"There’s not much at home to entertain you with, I’m afraid you’re not used to it."
They hadn’t even stepped through the door yet, and Li Yan’s mother was already giving trouble, insinuating that Gu Tong was a difficult young lady to please.
"There’s no need to specially prepare anything. I’ll eat whatever Li Yan eats, and this time we’re here to see you, not to cause you trouble."
Li Yan’s mother’s string of difficult words didn’t even get a chance to come out, as Gu Tong’s one sentence stopped her short.
"Gu Tong is not a guest."
Li Yan placed the luggage in the living room but made a reminder.
Their relationship was so-so, but they were newlyweds at least; they couldn’t be treated with the attitude of an outsider.
"I know..." Li Yan’s mother felt stifled inside but couldn’t lose her temper face-to-face.
She glanced around and said, "Why didn’t Wenjing come back with you?"
"We took marriage leave to come home; she couldn’t get time off."
Zhang Wenjing had used up all her leave, and this time, even if she wanted to request it, she wasn’t able to. She’s probably scratching the walls at the hospital by now.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Li Yan’s mother’s eyes; Wenjing was her precious darling, with whom she shared everything. She guessed... Wenjing must be feeling terrible now...
"Li Yan, which one is your room? I want to go organize my luggage."
Gu Tong had good sense and wasn’t about to give Li Yan’s mother the chance to pick at anything.
Li Yan bent over to help with the luggage, but Gu Tong grabbed it first, smiling as she said, "You stay and chat with Mom, I can carry it myself."
Gu Tong made an excuse and left directly, leaving just the mother and son in the living room.
Li Yan’s mother felt so stifled her chest hurt, and she couldn’t hold back anymore, saying, "Honestly, you could at least use your position to get Wenjing some leave. It would be nice for the whole family to be together..."
"I don’t have that power."
It’s true that he’s an Earl at the Academy, but he’s not in charge of the Royal Hospital. Besides, using public office for private gain was not his style at all.
"Don’t try to fool me. You’re an Earl now, in charge at the Academy. Saying a word at the Royal Hospital should work!"
In Li Yan’s mother’s eyes, these were all excuses. Surely a person in a position of authority could get things done. "Tell me the truth! Is it because your wife doesn’t want Wenjing to come back?"
She really could imagine things, truly viewing Zhang Wenjing as a pitiful little thing.
"That’s not the case."
Why did everything have to be blamed on Gu Tong, Li Yan was starting to feel annoyed internally.
"How is it not the case? Your wife is quite the young lady with quite the temper. As soon as Wenjing is in her hands, she’s sure to be bullied."
Li Yan’s mom just didn’t like Gu Tong; her subjective impression was already formed, and her remaining objective senses were enough to drag things out.
Speaking of which, Gu Tong was just unlucky, running into such a quirky mother-in-law.
However, back when they got married, Gu Tong didn’t indulge her. It was only after Li Yan’s death that he felt he owed it to her, so he started to compensate Li Yan’s mother. Unfortunately... in the end, it was all for nothing...
"Do you not have a clue what kind of niece you raised? Could she be bullied?"
Li Yan’s face was stern, with a somewhat ambiguous smile, his deep, unfathomable eyes as cold as ice.
"How can you talk about your cousin like that?" Li Yan’s mother glared with eyes even wider than an ox’s, furious, saying, "This talk, did your wife teach you?"
"I’m tired, going back to rest."