Although he found her personality somewhat annoying, he did not show it, after all, she was his wife’s elder sister.
"Elder sister, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Shuying had a mysterious look on her face. She glanced around the living room to see if any relatives or her sister-in-law were paying attention to them. Then, lowering her voice, she said:
"Keep it down. As for the family building a new house, do you know why my mother is upset, why the two courtyards are not connected?"
Tang Weixing shook his head after listening. He didn’t like his mother-in-law’s personality at all, and fortunately, his wife had not picked it up completely.
He did not eavesdrop to hear exactly what his mother-in-law was cursing about. As a businessman, what he dread the most was the family cursing each other during the New Year, especially towards the site of the new house construction.
Family discord during house construction could bring bad luck to those who would live there. A significant characteristic was that his wife’s family were all businesspeople. Why the mother-in-law did that, he disliked and did not question!
"Ah, you don’t know either!"
Seeing her brother-in-law’s honest cluelessness, Shuying felt an itch from being unable to satisfy her curiosity for gossip and seemed a bit disappointed.
Tang Weixing nodded, then bowed and returned to the chair he had previously been sitting in. As male and female relatives, they couldn’t appear to be gossiping secretively.
It was as though the relatives in the living room couldn’t know their secret, as it would provoke others’ gossip and suspicion.
Tang Weixing certainly didn’t want even a word to reach his pregnant wife’s ears, as she should not be agitated.
Unable to get any information from Shuying, and regardless of whether her sister-in-law was busy, she approached Mrs. Li to inquire.
"Sister-in-law, congratulations on your family building a new house. Another day, another celebration!"
Though Shuying’s words were tinged with sarcasm, they didn’t concern Mrs. Li, as it wasn’t her house. The money they contributed only made the concubine comfortable. Not feeling good about it, Mrs. Li didn’t show a happy smile when her sister-in-law asked?
Mrs. Li had a neutral expression but kept a slight smile, which had always been her gentle way of treating people, perhaps it had become a habit.
"Well, elder sister, you are also busy and haven’t had time to chat with Mother-in-law. She’s feeling down, why don’t you talk to her!"
Originally, Shuying wanted to fish for gossip from her sister-in-law, but how could she easily give up and step on her mother’s landmines!
"Sister-in-law, I’m busy too and haven’t had time to talk with you. Now I’d really like to, why is my mother upset? Is it because you’ve done something wrong that has upset her?"
Mrs. Li... Upon hearing this, she frowned slightly. The persistent questioning by her sister-in-law about her father-in-law taking a concubine, she really didn’t want to discuss further.
How could she be happy about the addition of someone who may cause trouble for her in the house? Not to mention the mother-in-law cursing people, it made her heart heavy as well!
She and her husband didn’t just get money blown in by the wind; they had to cover the family expenses. Now, there was the possibility of another unwelcome person adding to their burden and future expenses.
If it were a true relative, that would be another story, but the newcomer might be aiming at her.
Mrs. Li’s slightly smiling face, with her gentle tone of voice, became unyielding in her response.
"Elder sister, you’re a mother too, why don’t you think before you speak? You can eat whatever you want in your natal home, but you should be responsible for what you say!"
Shuying, not the least bit concerned about Mrs. Li’s change of expression, thought the meek sister-in-law, though now in a position of power in this family, still had no standing compared to her natal home. With a tone still gentle, how could she feel threatened?
With indifference, she said, "Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean to say it that way. It’s not that I asked you. Something happened in the family, and you’re keeping it from me. I have no choice but to say it. This is my natal home, and even I am being kept in the dark?"
Mrs. Li didn’t buy her act and, well aware of her sister-in-law’s thick-skinned nature, also didn’t want to inform her.
"Elder sister, you will eventually learn what you need to know, it won’t make a difference in a few days. If you don’t want to ask your mother, then ask your father when you see him. I have nothing to tell you!"
After saying this, regardless of what Shuying asked or said, Mrs. Li was finished with it. She was already feeling terrible inside and had to deal with a shameless person. If it weren’t for her gentle nature, she might have cursed like her mother-in-law during the New Year.