“No, I just got here.” Xiang Caiping rubbed her hands. “I just wanted to see if you had finished up work.”
Su Qingsang sighed inwardly. “Where is your hotel? I’ll send you back.”
The look of anticipation in Xiang Caiping’s eyes dimmed instantly. Su Qingsang added, “I’ll take you there to pack your luggage, then you’ll come back home with me.”
Xiang Caiping’s eyes lit up again. “Qingsang, you, you…”
“Since you are my mother, there is no reason for you to stay at a hotel. I still have a room at my place, but it’s not very spacious. I hope you won’t mind.”
“I don’t mind. I don’t mind.”
Xiang Caiping waved her hands to dispel Su Qingsang’s worry; the smile on her face reflected her ebullience.
Su Qingsang was not quite sure what else to say as she followed Xiang Caiping to the hotel to pack up her luggage. She then took Xiang Caiping home.
She did hesitate to welcome Xiang Caiping into her life. The more she harbored doubts, however, the more she wanted to resolve them by uncovering the truth.
Even though Xiang Caiping did not speak, the eager look in her eyes caused Su Qingsang to want to accept her. This was making her jubilant.
No matter how many doubts about Xiang Caiping Su Qingsang had in heart, she could not verbalize them at that time. After taking Xiang Caiping home, she helped her settle into the guest room.
Although the guest room was not regularly occupied, there were bedsheets, blankets and other necessary comforts in the room due to Shi Mengwan’s regular visits in the past.
Su Qingsang lined the bed and prepared the blankets for Xiang Caiping. Xiang Caiping stood to the side, originally intending to help, but Su Qingsang had motioned for her to take a seat and did not want her to assist.
“Qingsang, this house belongs to you…”
“My father provided me with this house.” Su Qingsang explained plainly. “He purchased this place for me after I gained my university admission. I moved out of the family home and moved in here.”
Huo Jinyao had originally planned to have her move into the villa after the dinner party, but she felt that the villa was too far away from her workplace and had declined.
Huo Jinyao did not insist. He had also gotten used to living here after a few months. This place was also closer to his company than the villa.
After Xiang Caiping scanned the place, she looked reassured. “So he treats you really well?”
Treats me well? Buying a house for me equates to treating me well? Su Qingsang did not know what constituted the kind of good treatment which Xiang Caiping was referring to, so she did not elaborate further on this topic. “My domestic helper is making dinner. I assume you haven’t had dinner?”
“Not yet.” Xiang Caiping gave a wave of her hand. “You have hired help? Is it expensive to hire a domestic helper here?”
“Huo Jinyao hired her. I’m not sure if it is expensive. She comes here daily to tidy the rooms and make dinner.”
Xiang Caiping nodded as she recalled the young man she had seen. “Huo Jinyao? Was he the young man with you previously? Your…”
“My husband,” Su Qingsang said the term much more naturally now.
Xiang Caiping thought of how Huo Jinyao had sent someone to settle the incident of her waist injury as well as the car that he had driven previously. “Is he… is he very wealthy?”
Su Qingsang was caught off guard by Xiang Caiping’s question and paused before replying, “He’s well off.”
“Please don’t brood over my question. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m only concerned about you. Did your father introduce him to you?”
“No, I came across him myself.”
Xiang Caiping nodded and silence came between the two women again. Xiang Caiping was holding back what she wanted to say and Su Qingsang could not think of anything to say.
Su Qingsang lacked experience in getting along with her elders. At that moment, Huo Jinyao returned home from work. Once he got back, he was notified by the domestic helper that Su Qingsang had brought someone home.
When Su Qingsang and Xiang Caiping went to the living area, Huo Jinyao was putting down his keys. He saw Xiang Caiping the moment he looked up.
“Dear, this person is…”
Huo Jinyao had a good memory and immediately recalled the incident with this older woman back in Rong City.
“She…” Su Qingsang was deliberating on how she could explain to Huo Jinyao when the domestic helper announced that dinner was ready.
“Let’s have dinner. We’ll talk after dinner.”
“Sure,” Huo Jinyao nodded and, out of courtesy, did not probe. The way his deep eyes looked at Xiang Caiping, however, was full of doubt.
“No, I just got here.” Xiang Caiping rubbed her hands. “I just wanted to see if you had finished up work.”
Su Qingsang sighed inwardly. “Where is your hotel? I’ll send you back.”
The look of anticipation in Xiang Caiping’s eyes dimmed instantly. Su Qingsang added, “I’ll take you there to pack your luggage, then you’ll come back home with me.”
Xiang Caiping’s eyes lit up again. “Qingsang, you, you…”
“Since you are my mother, there is no reason for you to stay at a hotel. I still have a room at my place, but it’s not very spacious. I hope you won’t mind.”
“I don’t mind. I don’t mind.”
Xiang Caiping waved her hands to dispel Su Qingsang’s worry; the smile on her face reflected her ebullience.
Su Qingsang was not quite sure what else to say as she followed Xiang Caiping to the hotel to pack up her luggage. She then took Xiang Caiping home.
She did hesitate to welcome Xiang Caiping into her life. The more she harbored doubts, however, the more she wanted to resolve them by uncovering the truth.
Even though Xiang Caiping did not speak, the eager look in her eyes caused Su Qingsang to want to accept her. This was making her jubilant.
No matter how many doubts about Xiang Caiping Su Qingsang had in heart, she could not verbalize them at that time. After taking Xiang Caiping home, she helped her settle into the guest room.
Although the guest room was not regularly occupied, there were bedsheets, blankets and other necessary comforts in the room due to Shi Mengwan’s regular visits in the past.
Su Qingsang lined the bed and prepared the blankets for Xiang Caiping. Xiang Caiping stood to the side, originally intending to help, but Su Qingsang had motioned for her to take a seat and did not want her to assist.
“Qingsang, this house belongs to you…”
“My father provided me with this house.” Su Qingsang explained plainly. “He purchased this place for me after I gained my university admission. I moved out of the family home and moved in here.”
Huo Jinyao had originally planned to have her move into the villa after the dinner party, but she felt that the villa was too far away from her workplace and had declined.
Huo Jinyao did not insist. He had also gotten used to living here after a few months. This place was also closer to his company than the villa.
After Xiang Caiping scanned the place, she looked reassured. “So he treats you really well?”
Treats me well? Buying a house for me equates to treating me well? Su Qingsang did not know what constituted the kind of good treatment which Xiang Caiping was referring to, so she did not elaborate further on this topic. “My domestic helper is making dinner. I assume you haven’t had dinner?”
“Not yet.” Xiang Caiping gave a wave of her hand. “You have hired help? Is it expensive to hire a domestic helper here?”
“Huo Jinyao hired her. I’m not sure if it is expensive. She comes here daily to tidy the rooms and make dinner.”
Xiang Caiping nodded as she recalled the young man she had seen. “Huo Jinyao? Was he the young man with you previously? Your…”
“My husband,” Su Qingsang said the term much more naturally now.
Xiang Caiping thought of how Huo Jinyao had sent someone to settle the incident of her waist injury as well as the car that he had driven previously. “Is he… is he very wealthy?”
Su Qingsang was caught off guard by Xiang Caiping’s question and paused before replying, “He’s well off.”
“Please don’t brood over my question. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m only concerned about you. Did your father introduce him to you?”
“No, I came across him myself.”
Xiang Caiping nodded and silence came between the two women again. Xiang Caiping was holding back what she wanted to say and Su Qingsang could not think of anything to say.
Su Qingsang lacked experience in getting along with her elders. At that moment, Huo Jinyao returned home from work. Once he got back, he was notified by the domestic helper that Su Qingsang had brought someone home.
When Su Qingsang and Xiang Caiping went to the living area, Huo Jinyao was putting down his keys. He saw Xiang Caiping the moment he looked up.
“Dear, this person is…”
Huo Jinyao had a good memory and immediately recalled the incident with this older woman back in Rong City.
“She…” Su Qingsang was deliberating on how she could explain to Huo Jinyao when the domestic helper announced that dinner was ready.
“Let’s have dinner. We’ll talk after dinner.”
“Sure,” Huo Jinyao nodded and, out of courtesy, did not probe. The way his deep eyes looked at Xiang Caiping, however, was full of doubt.
