Eighties Sweetheart Wife
Chapter 407: Don’t Be Ungrateful

Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Don’t Be Ungrateful

Qu Limei felt very uncomfortable hearing herself called Old Qu.

Old?

She was just over fifty, quite young in fact. It was you who were old.

Yet, her heart sank to the bottom.

What’s she up to?

Definitely nothing good.

Qu Limei frowned, her tone laced with an indiscernible sarcasm, "I’m not of your high rank, I retired last year. Once you’re gone, you’re forgotten. I don’t know what I could help you with unless you tell me. Otherwise, how would I know if I should agree or not?"

Shangguan Yunqi shot Qu Limei a resentful glance, then smiled, "You want to come in and keep me company by talking to me like this?"

Qu Limei’s eyes bulged, but then something occurred to her, and she laughed, saying, "I’m just kidding with you, Shangguan. Go ahead, what do you need help with?"

Shangguan Yunqi curled her lips slightly, her attitude suddenly softened, "You, you’re still the same old you. I don’t want to waste your time, so I’ll get straight to the point. My daughter Liying has started seeing someone. I’ll tell you who he is; you help me thoroughly investigate him. Look into his character, his family, and all aspects, because after all, he lives in the workers’ housing complex, and we don’t know him. Get the information for me, and let me know. You won’t be at a disadvantage in helping me with this, and thank you for coming to see me over the New Year."

So, that was it.

Qu Limei actually felt relieved.

"Tell me his name, where he works, and which workers’ housing complex he lives in?"

Shangguan Yunqi relayed the man’s name, his workplace, and his family details to Qu Limei.

She also made Qu Limei swear not to tell Xia Liying and not to speak of it with the Xia family, as she was asking her to investigate Xia Liying’s love interest.

Qu Limei nodded in agreement and, with the guard’s consent, wrote the information down on paper.

Qu Limei felt poignantly, "The love of parents the world over is indeed a heavy burden. Even in her situation, she’s still worried about her child’s marital affairs."

In fact, she felt the same.

Her daughter Qian Xue was twenty-five this year and still undecided, always following Jin Ju’s bad influence. And that Jin Ju was so annoying, almost becoming a demon in her daughter’s heart.

Sigh, if the circumstances allowed, she had a thousand ways to deal with that little wretch.

Unfortunately, the Jin family was also untouchable for the moment.

Meanwhile, at Xia Bowen’s home.

One chair was left empty.

That was the spot beside Xia Bowen.

Today was New Year’s Eve.

This morning, Xia Bowen took his children to visit Shangguan.

In the afternoon, the children all gathered for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

He sat there, looking indifferent, quietly observing his children and grandchildren.

Suddenly he asked, "Where’s Shangguan Wan?"

"After she visited my mother, she went back to her own home. She said she would spend the New Year with someone named Second Aunt Zhang," replied Xia Zhi.

Xia Bowen was moved, "Little Wan isn’t concentrating on her studies at the Agricultural University, either. She participated in a few activities, but then it was like three days fishing and two days sun-drying the nets.

I told her she could return to Xiangjiang anytime, and that I would book her a ticket. I thought she would be back in Xiangjiang before the Spring Festival, but unexpectedly, she’s still in Beidu.

Didn’t she come to Beidu to avoid Second Young Master Zhong in the first place?

Now that Second Young Master Zhong won’t be back to Xiangjiang for a while, she should hurry back. Why isn’t she going? And who is that Second Aunt Zhang? Does anyone know about these things?"

As Xia Bowen threw out a string of questions, Xia Ming’s face changed, he said, "I’ve been very busy lately, I haven’t had time to check."

Xia Liying glanced at the people in the room and said, "I haven’t seen her for over half a month, either."

Xia Zhi actually said, "She asked me about Zhong Shaoqing. I told her I wasn’t clear on the details and suggested she could go to the hospital if she wanted to find out more."

After that, she didn’t ask again. That Second Aunt Zhang’s accent was local, but her behavior and way of speaking were obviously very similar to Shangguan Wan’s.

"I feel like that Second Aunt Zhang must be from Xiangjiang. Dad, people who go back and forth between the mainland need a home return permit. You could look into it and find out for sure," Xia Zhi said.

Xia Bowen looked at Xia Zhi in surprise.

This son was smart, but he never used his smarts appropriately.

Xia Bowen nodded his head.

His serious expression softened a great deal.

Encouraged by this, Xia Zhi boldly analyzed, "I just feel like something’s off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It seems... like Shangguan Wan is waiting for something. Otherwise, how can you explain her behavior?"

Xia Bowen’s eyes darkened. The only people Shangguan Wan and her like could be waiting for were Shangguan Heng and his group.

Shangguan Heng wouldn’t even come to Nan City, would he be willing to come to Beidu?

Or perhaps it wasn’t Beidu.

Xia Bowen said to Xia Zhi, "After all, she’s your cousin. Go see her after dinner. Shangguan Heng might not be decent, but you still need to be."

Xia Zhi’s eyes flickered and he crisply agreed.

The Xia family continued to eat, the atmosphere oppressive, with nobody speaking.

Xia Liying put down her chopsticks, suddenly said with a tone of grievance, "How lively our home was on this day last year, but what about now? How did it come to this?"

Xia Sheng said, "Dad, I want to change houses. Give me some money. The house is too small; it’s not enough. You’ve got to help me."

Xia Bowen: "No money," and added, "What’s more, you three living in a seventy-square-meter house and you still bellyache about it being small. What about those who have more than ten in a family squeezing into just twenty square meters? Aren’t they still alive?"

Xia Sheng’s face darkened, "Dad, I have a share of your property. It’s one thing you give it to Xia Xindong, but what about now and the future? Are you going to give it all to him? Dad, you can’t be too biased."

Xia Ming angrily questioned Xia Sheng, "What are you talking about? Is that something you should say?"

Xia Sheng: "Where am I talking nonsense? I’m not wrong. Dad, ever since my mom had that incident, it’s like you’ve become a different person. No matter how bad my mom was, she was still my mom, and I can’t be ungrateful."

Xia Bowen wasn’t angry, "You may beat around the bush, but I can hear it. Ungrateful? Don’t I deserve gratitude for raising you? Everything you own, what have you achieved by your own effort? If you were born into an average family, you’d wake up laughing from a dream even at the thought of having a twenty-square-meter house."

Xia Sheng’s face flushed red, his teeth clenched tight, "Dad, I’m not beating around the bush. You shouldn’t think that way about me; I’m just making a point.

Ever since Xia Xindong came back, our family has fallen apart. What kind of ’reunion meal’ is this, without a hint of togetherness?

I don’t want to change houses just because ours is small. I just don’t want to live there anymore.

Neighbors on all sides gossip about my mom’s issues behind our backs all day long.

I can’t stand it either.

I want to move to a place where no one knows me. I want to change my job, too.

Dad, that’s all I’m asking for. You should be able to help me with this much, right? After all, I’m still your son."

Xia Bowen flatly refused, "I’m not in a position to help you with these things right now. The fact that you can safely stay at your job is already the result of my greatest efforts. Don’t be ungrateful."

Xia Sheng didn’t get the money or the new house, and in a fit of anger, he slammed down his chopsticks, took his wife and child, and left without looking back.

Xia Bowen’s face turned ashen.

His hands clenched tightly, his body trembling slightly. He thought to himself, this must be his retribution.

He asked Xia Ming, "So now, whatever you ask of me, I should comply, with no conditions, no bottom line?

Just because I compensated Xia Xindong,

and your mother ended up in prison?

Do you all believe the fault lies with me?"