Chapter 129 - 129: Frustrated and Furious
Shu Pan finally had the day to meet Wen Chi’s parents. She had dropped off Joy at Ye Xiaomeng’s apartment early in the morning. Joy was initially unwilling, but Shu Pan used a mix of persuasion and coercion to get her to agree.
Shu Pan squatted down, patted Joy’s head, and promised that if she behaved, they would go to the zoo next time. Joy had been looking forward to that, so she reluctantly agreed.
Seeing Joy’s unhappy expression, Shu Pan couldn’t help but feel uneasy. She wondered if what she was doing was right. But if she took Joy with her on their first visit and Wen’s parents had objections, it could be embarrassing for her. At least this way, the child wouldn’t witness any potential awkwardness.
Before long, Wen Chi arrived to pick her up. She carried the prepared gift and got into the car. During the drive, she remained silent, and Wen Chi finally noticed something was amiss.
“Pan, what’s wrong?” he asked.
Shu Pan glanced at him and smiled, “Nothing, just a little nervous.”
In reality, Shu Pan was so nervous that she felt her stomach tightening into knots. As they got closer to the Wen family’s home, her anxiety only increased.
The car finally came to a stop in front of a small two-story villa. After getting out of the car, Wen Chi held Shu Pan’s hand and carried the gift as they walked toward the house.
As they entered the front door, they saw Wen’s mother waiting for them in the living room. Wen Chi introduced them to each other.
“Mom, this is just a little something from Shu Pan,” Wen Chi handed over the “Just a small token of appreciation. Hope you like it, Auntie,” Shu Pan said with a touch of nerves.
“Why go all out? Your presence is enough. I’m not missing anything,” Mrs. Wen replied and casually set the gift on the coffee table.
“Dad’s got some commitments tonight and won’t be joining us for dinner. Let’s dig in,” Mrs. Wen led them to the dining room.
Over dinner, Mrs. Wen asked casually, “Shu Pan, how’s your parents? What’s the situation in your family?”
Shu Pan answered honestly, and Mrs. Wen’s hand paused briefly before she continued serving dishes.
“Why bring up all these topics during dinner?” Wen Chi interrupted, piling more food onto Shu Pan’s plate.
“Just curious, that’s all,” Mrs. Wen said nonchalantly, feeling a tad uneasy when she saw Wen Chi sticking up for Shu Pan.
“In fact, Auntie, I’ve been married before, and I’ve got a daughter named Joy,” Shu Pan didn’t want to keep it a secret and blurted it out.
“What… married before, and you’ve got a kid? Wen Chi, you trying, to give me a heart attack?” Mrs. Wen was livid.
“Auntie…?” Shu Pan was taken aback.
“Mom, chill out. Let’s have a talk,” Wen Chi reassured her, patting her back.
“Honestly, I didn’t mention it earlier because I was worried you’d judge. It’s not Pan’s fault. I hope you’ll understand.”
“I don’t wanna see you both right now,” Mrs. Wen pointed toward the door.
“Shu Pan, I’m sorry. I’ll explain things to my mom later. Let me take you home first,” Wen Chi apologized with a heavy heart. He realized he hadn’t thought about the possibility of such a strong reaction from his mom.
“No worries. I’ll head back. Take care of Auntie. You don’t need to escort me, it was my bad. I didn’t think about Auntie’s feelings,” Shu Pan said with deep regret.
Shu Pan walked out of the villa, feeling heartbroken. She had thought that things were finally looking up, but it seemed like luck wasn’t on her side after all.
In fact, when she saw the Wen Chi family’s fancy villa, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. As a divorced woman with a child, she couldn’t fathom how she’d be welcomed into such a well-off family.
She walked along the roadside lost in thought, tears streaming down her face..