Prince charming, your persona has collapsed!
Chapter 852 - 352: Round Two between Su and Zheng_3

"Dad, stop just serving food to others and eat something yourself."

"Mind your own business."

Father and son bantered like that, nudging each other.

Originally placated by Zheng Yanyan, Yang Lirong glanced at her husband and son and coughed before saying, "If you're going to eat, then eat. If not, then go wherever you want."

Zhou Guobin thought to himself, forget it, not worth arguing with her.

Better off finishing his meal in peace.

He gobbled up his food, then stood up and said, "I'm going to the study."

Zheng Yanyan took one look at Zhou Yuwen's family dynamic and couldn't suppress a burst of laughter.

Zhou Yuwen asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Zheng Yanyan replied, "I feel like your family's atmosphere is really great."

Zhou Yuwen was speechless: "You call this 'great'?"

After finishing the meal, Zheng Yanyan proactively went to help clean up the dishes.

Yang Lirong insisted it was unnecessary and told her to leave the dishes there, she would clean them herself, but Zheng Yanyan remained determined to help.

She hadn't always known how to do this.

But during the period when she and Zhou Yuwen were going through their breakup, Zheng Yanyan had earnestly made an effort to learn. So now, putting on a good display wasn't an issue for her.

Unlike Su Qing, who was in her "second playthrough," Su Qing felt she had long mastered these domestic tasks and developed a dismissive attitude toward them—Zheng Yanyan didn't have such arrogance.

She approached everything cautiously, as though crossing a river by feeling the stones, which ultimately earned Yang Lirong's favor.

Shortly after dinner.

Around 8 p.m.

There came a knock at the door accompanied by Su Qing's voice calling Zhou Yuwen's name.

Well, in the end, she couldn't hold herself back. The rival had come knocking; if Su Qing could have kept her composure, she simply wouldn't be Su Qing anymore.

Hearing her voice, Zheng Yanyan, who was helping out in the kitchen, immediately tensed up.

Zhou Yuwen thought to himself, what had to happen would happen.

So he went to answer the door.

The moment Su Qing saw Zhou Yuwen, she asked, "How's everything going?"

Zhou Yuwen, unwilling to waste words, replied, "Come in and see for yourself."

Su Qing entered and saw Zheng Yanyan washing dishes alongside Yang Lirong.

Zheng Yanyan's sweet mouth seemed to have been coated in honey as she said, "Auntie, your hands are so soft, just like a baby's!"

The compliment left Yang Lirong slightly embarrassed, giggling as she replied, "What are you saying? I'm just an old lady now; you'll make me blush."

"No way! I'm serious!" Zheng Yanyan said.

The two laughed and chatted as if they were close sisters.

Seeing this, Su Qing felt her world collapsing.

She thought to herself, it's over!

Ignoring Zhou Yuwen for the moment, she hurried over and said, "Auntie, you should take a rest over there. Let me handle this."

Yang Lirong had always had issues with Su Qing. Now, hearing Su Qing say this, she lowered her head without saying a word and concentrated on washing dishes.

Staying next to Yang Lirong, Zheng Yanyan, seeing her attitude, couldn't be happier. From the moment Mrs. Zhou unexpectedly asked her whether she'd gotten divorced during the conversation earlier, she had suspected that Yang Lirong didn't like Su Qing. Now, seeing this scene, her guess was confirmed, and she couldn't have been more delighted!

Meanwhile, Su Qing was dumbfounded.

She thought, what's the meaning of this?

I'm your daughter-in-law!

So Su Qing repeated her suggestion to help again, but before she could finish, Yang Lirong interrupted, saying, "No need, Xiao Zheng is helping me, we're almost done."

Hearing this, Zheng Yanyan grew even happier.

But Su Qing was crestfallen; she looked at Zhou Yuwen with teary eyes, feeling aggrieved.

Zhou Yuwen said, "Then let Yanyan finish helping out; you come upstairs with me."

The joyful mood Zheng Yanyan had been in immediately dissipated upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, Su Qing didn't appear particularly cheerful either. Getting Zhou Yuwen's protection was certainly gratifying, but observing Yang Lirong's attitude made Su Qing realize: her mother-in-law might truly dislike her.

How could this not make her panic?

So, as Zhou Yuwen led Su Qing upstairs, she couldn't help but ask, "Zhou Yuwen, what's going on here?"

Zhou Yuwen replied, "You should calm down a bit; isn't this normal?"

"How is this normal? Aren't I your girlfriend?" At this point, Su Qing was already losing her composure.

With Zheng Yanyan already unsettling her, Yang Lirong's behavior only exacerbated Su Qing's discomfort. She confided in Zhou Yuwen, asking what her mother-in-law's problem was.

"She seems to dislike me a little."

Zhou Yuwen sighed and replied, "You're only noticing now?"

"What!"

Su Qing abruptly stood up. She couldn't understand—what had she done wrong?

Why did her mother-in-law dislike her?

I even brought her gifts!

Zhou Yuwen said, "Sigh, it's my fault."

"What?"

So Zhou Yuwen recounted the incident where he bought Su Qing a car. While buying the car wasn't wrong per se, the trouble stemmed from Peng Xiaoyong telling Yang Lirong about it.

"Your cousin?" Su Qing immediately furrowed her brows.

Zhou Yuwen nodded.

Su Qing bit her lip lightly and said, "Your cousin is... so annoying!"

Initially, with Zheng Yanyan earning favor from Yang Lirong, it seemed like her presence was evening the score against Su Qing. But now, with Zhou Yuwen taking Su Qing upstairs, Zheng Yanyan felt a little distracted.

Fortunately, Yang Lirong was considerate, saying, "Alright, you go upstairs and hang out with them. I can manage by myself."

"But..." Zheng Yanyan hesitated, "Will that be okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be? Go on ahead," Yang Lirong said kindly, even nudging Zheng Yanyan's arm.

Overjoyed, Zheng Yanyan quickly said, "Thank you, Auntie," dried her hands, and headed upstairs.

Yang Lirong watched Zheng Yanyan's departing figure with satisfaction.

At this moment, the study door opened, and Zhou Guobin stepped out, observing his wife's expression. Ultimately, he let out a sigh: "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"How am I being problematic? I'm only hoping our son finds someone better," Yang Lirong retorted.