“Keep her away from disasters?” Mrs. Shen looked irritated. “Qi, how could you think of me that way? That was never my intention. You know that you’re my daughter too, right? How could I treat you as a shield to keep Yue away from disasters?”
“Is that so?” The smile on Shen Qi’s face looked extremely bitter, and both her hands were clasped tightly together under the table. Her fingernails were digging deep into her skin but it did not feel half as painful as what she was feeling in her heart right now.
“Mom, I remember vividly what you said back then. You said you couldn’t have both your daughters ruined. Your precious daughter, Shen Yue, always had the best clothes and attended the best classes ever since she was little. I’m also your daughter, but it was a different case for me. I was assigned to take care of her and was expected to yield to her requests, but I wasn’t too bothered about it because I thought that it was something that an older sister should do.
Yet, when I went back home after my divorce, you didn’t even show your concern for me but forced me to replace Yue to marry into the Ye family instead. At that time, you knew that I was going to marry a handicapped man. You couldn’t bear to let Yue marry him, therefore you asked me to do it in her place.”
Apprehension emerged in Mrs. Shen’s eyes as she clarified, “The current situation is different. Aren’t you leading a comfortable life now? You’re working at a huge company, staying at a huge house and right now, you can even afford to have coffee at such a luxurious place. What else do you want?”
Shen Qi wiped away her tears. “If you could foresee the future back then, would you still ask me to marry into the Ye family?”
“Of course I wouldn’t… Let’s not talk about this anymore. In conclusion, you’re leading a good life now. Isn’t that the only thing that matters? Why do you have to care about what happened in the past?”
Mrs. Shen was starting to get impatient, and she was especially annoyed at the sight of Shen Qi’s red-rimmed eyes. She snapped icily, “Anyway, these are all I have to say today. Just give me one hundred thousand.”
Shen Qi remained silent.
“Let me tell you something. Your sister has already come this far in her studies, so if she doesn’t continue her studies, her future will be destroyed. As her older sister, you have to put her first.”
Shen Qi fixed her eyes on her as she posed her a sudden question. “Mom, am I really your daughter?”
When Mrs. Shen heard her, her eyes widened in astonishment as she gaped at Shen Qi incredulously.
“How could you ask such a question? I brought you up myself, but you’re actually doubting me?”
“If both Shen Yue and I are your daughters, why is everything I own ever since I was young always worse than hers? Mom, I’m a human, and I have feelings too.”
Mrs. Shen was so enraged that she started pressing her palm against her chest, her face pale as she panted. “What a filial daughter I’ve brought up! I can’t believe you’re actually doubting me. This is just great! I see the both of you have all grown up and are ready to leave the nest! I-I am leaving!”
As she was talking, Mrs. Shen rose from her seat and was about to walk out of the cafe. Yet, she panted heavily and her entire body stumbled backward.
“Mom!” Shen Qi was taken aback by the sight. Immediately, she rose to hold her.
Mrs. Shen pretended to be weak as she tried to push her way. “W-What an unfilial girl you are! Let go of me! I’m leaving this place… All of you have grown up and have your own family. No one needs me anymore. I should just leave this world… ”
As she was complaining, she started crying out loud. Because of the commotion she caused, many of the diners in the cafe turned to look at them before muttering among themselves.
A waiter approached them and warned, “Madam, making noise is prohibited in our cafe. May I know what’s going on? Is there anything we can help you with?”
Knowing that the place was a high-end cafe and that the fuss her mother was making would affect their business substantially, Shen Qi’s fair face went scarlet at once when she was questioned in front of everyone. She then offered her apology awkwardly, “I’m so sorry. I’ll bring her out right now.”
Then, she held her mother and tugged her toward the exit. “Mom, let me bring you out of here first.”
“I’m not going anywhere!”
Mrs. Shen acted like a shrew and plonked down on the floor as she reproached furiously, “All of you have grown up and no one needs me anymore. I’ve painstakingly brought you up but this is how you repay me? Have you ever seen me as your mother?”
Mrs. Shen’s behavior was considered bizarre anywhere else, let alone a high-end cafe like this.
Shen Qi was embarrassed but she could not have her mother carry on her humiliating behavior either. The only thing she could do was to walk over and help her get up.
“I’ll give you any amount you want, but you have to leave this place with me.”
Mrs. Shen’s eyes lit up at once when she heard her. “You promise?”
“Yes. Please get up first.”
This time, Mrs. Shen did not struggle but walked out of the cafe with Shen Qi’s help instead.
Shen Qi could sense the waiters’ disdainful gazes on them when they left.
Standing on the crowded street, Shen Qi remained composed but Mrs. Shen was looking restless. “Qi, are you really willing to give me the money? How much can you give me? I think you should give me more as we are rather tight on cash recently. You—”
“Mom.” Shen Qi interrupted her. She then said softly, “What if I can’t give you any?”
Right now, she herself was owing money to the company. Where was she going to get the extra money to loan her mother?
Once Mrs. Shen heard her, she immediately adopted a hostile attitude as she challenged, “What do you mean by that? You promised to give me money at the cafe earlier. Are you going back on your word?” Then, she immediately realized she sounded too aggressive. Hence, she quickly adjusted her tone before she continued, “Qi, don’t think of my request as an exploitation. Think about this—back then when you were with Lin Jiang, that poor guy, I’ve never asked you for a dime, did I? But it’s a different case now as you’re already leading a comfortable life. You couldn’t possibly enjoy a good life yourself but allow us to suffer at the same time. Qi, I just need one hundred thousand. If you have extra, one hundred and fifty thousand is even better.”
Shen Qi echoed, “You just need one hundred thousand, and one hundred thousand fifty is even better?”
Mrs. Shen had not detected the shock in her voice, and she looked pleased with herself as she had gotten the wrong idea that Shen Qi thought it was a small sum.
“Exactly. Isn’t that just a small sum of money? It’s only a meagre sum to you. Therefore, Qi, if you think it’s too little, you can give me more. Your dad and I would be very grateful for you.”
“Ha… ” Both Shen Qi’s eyes and the smile on her face looked extremely bitter. “Exactly. If I give you one hundred thousand or one hundred and fifty thousand, the entire family would be grateful to me.”
Mrs. Shen nodded forcefully in agreement. “Yes, yes, yes.”
“But Mom, the thing is, I don’t have that kind of money. I would help you if I could. But what should I do if I don’t have it? What do you think I should do?!”
As she nearly shouted the last sentence, her sudden emotional outburst made her mother’s eyes widened in shock.
“Do you really think my life is comfortable after marrying into the Ye family? Did you worry about me even once in the past whole month? You didn’t even ask me whether I was good when I was home last time. You just don’t care, but you ask for money the moment we meet. Mom, why don’t I just offer you my life?”
Mrs. Shen widened her eyes as she pressed her palm against her chest in disbelief.
“Stop putting up an act. I meant what I said. Right now, I only have my life, and if you think that is going to be worth some money, go ahead and take it.”
