PFC Chapter 266 When Li Yuan Meets Her Former Mother-in-Law
Chapter 266 When Li Yuan Meets Her Former Mother-in-Law
Chapter 266 When Li Yuan Meets Her Former Mother-in-Law
The sun was blazing, making the city streets gleam. Li Yuan sat in her luxurious black sedan, heading to the Li Group as usual. She wore a sharp business suit, her eyes focused intently on the documents in her hands, occasionally brushing a strand of hair behind her ear; every gesture exuded the authority of a chairperson. The car drove smoothly when suddenly her gaze was drawn to a figure outside the window.
"Stop the car," Li Yuan said calmly to the driver, her voice low but carrying an unquestionable command. The driver skillfully pulled the car over to the side of the road, and Li Yuan looked through the window at the old woman sweeping the street in disbelief. Although time had etched deep wrinkles on the old woman's face, Li Yuan recognized her at a glance—Wang Qiang's mother, her former mother-in-law.
Li Yuan's thoughts were instantly pulled back to her previous life. Back then, she married Wang Qiang, expecting a happy family. However, Wang Qiang and his mother constantly made things difficult for her and her daughter, Wang Shiqing. Every day, she not only had to deal with heavy housework but also endure Wang Qiang's sarcastic remarks and her mother-in-law's harsh words. Once, when her daughter fell ill with a fever, she anxiously wanted to take her to the hospital, but Wang Qiang and her mother-in-law coldly told her she was making a fuss and delaying their cooking. Those days were like a nightmare, causing Li Yuan immense suffering.
In this life, after giving birth to her daughter Li Shiqing, Li Yuan decisively divorced Wang Qiang. Raising her daughter alone, she relied on her wisdom and hard work to become the chairperson of the Li Group. Over the years, she persevered, finally establishing herself in the business world and becoming a respected and successful businesswoman. But unexpectedly, more than a decade later, she would meet her former mother-in-law again under such circumstances.
Li Yuan took a deep breath, opened the car door, and got out. Her high heels clicked crisply on the floor. The old lady heard the sound, looked up, and a flicker of surprise and embarrassment crossed her face when she saw Li Yuan.
"Oh, isn't this Li Yuan?" The old lady forced a smile, breaking the silence.
"It's me, long time no see," Li Yuan replied indifferently, her eyes devoid of any warmth.
The old lady put down her broom, dusted herself off, and said, "Look, what a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here. You're doing so well now, you've become a big boss."
Li Yuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a somewhat sarcastic smile: "Thanks to you and Wang Qiang, if you hadn't taken such good care of me back then, I wouldn't be where I am today."
The old lady sensed the sarcasm in Li Yuan's words, her face flushing red and then turning pale: "You child, you still remember what happened back then. Let bygones be bygones. We're all family, everyone has their ups and downs."
"Family?" Li Yuan sneered. "When you bullied me back then, I didn't feel like we were family. But when I left with nothing but my daughter, why didn't you think of us as family then?"
The old lady rubbed her hands awkwardly: "We were wrong back then, we were foolish. You are a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against us."
Looking at the old lady, Li Yuan felt no pity: "I don't have that much time or energy to argue. But seeing you like this, I do feel a bit emotional."
The old lady sighed, "Alas, it's all because of that good-for-nothing Wang Qiang. He ruined our good life. He lost you, and then broke up with that Xiao Liu. Now he's all alone, with nothing left."
Li Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Oh? It seems he really has the ability to drive away everyone around him."
"Yes, he's regretting it so much now, he keeps saying how much better you are," the old lady said, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
"His regret? What does that have to do with me?" Li Yuan said mercilessly. "He knows how he treated me back then. I'm doing very well now. I have my career, my daughter, and my family, including my granddaughter and grandson. His regret is none of my business."
The old lady opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but Li Yuan interrupted her: "Don't try to speak well of him here. I have no feelings for him anymore. I didn't come here today to hear you say these things."
"Then... what do you want to know?" the old lady asked cautiously.
Looking at the old lady, Li Yuan suddenly found it somewhat ridiculous: "I don't want to know anything. I'm just curious, how could a mother-in-law as capable as you end up sweeping the streets?"
The old lady's face flushed red, and she stammered, "This...this is because Wang Qiang's business failed, and his family is heavily in debt. They've even mortgaged their house. I had no choice but to come out and find some work to earn some money to pay off the debt."
"Business failed?" Li Yuan scoffed. "It's no wonder someone like him can't run a business well. He's idle all day, all talk and no action, it's no wonder he failed."
The old lady nodded helplessly: "You're right, he was too arrogant and wouldn't listen to advice. Now look what's happened, he has nothing left, not even a child."
Thinking of her lovely daughter, Li Shiqing, Li Yuan felt a surge of warmth in her heart: "It's better not to have children, so they won't have to suffer with him. Unlike me, I've raised Shiqing so well; she's my greatest pride."
The old lady looked at Li Yuan with a hint of envy in her eyes: "Shi Qing is indeed a good child. I heard that her academic performance is particularly good and she was admitted to a prestigious university."
“Of course,” Li Yuan said proudly. “I’ve nurtured her since she was little, giving her the best education. Unlike some people who only know how to spoil their children and end up ruining them.”
The old lady realized that Li Yuan's words were a veiled reference to Wang Qiang, and she lowered her head awkwardly: "It's my fault for not educating Wang Qiang well, which has led him to become like this."
Looking at the old lady, Li Yuan suddenly felt a pang of emotion: "Actually, it's not that I want to make things difficult for you. It's just that what happened back then really broke my heart. I used to consider you all family, but you hurt me time and time again."
The old woman looked up, her eyes filled with remorse: "We know we were wrong, but it's too late to say anything now. I just want to ask you, could you please help Wang Qiang for the sake of our past relationship? He's really desperate now."
Upon hearing this, Li Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "Help him? Do you think I would help him? When I was in my most difficult time, he ignored me. Now that he's down on his luck, he wants my help? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
The old lady became anxious: "Li Yuan, please take pity on him. After all, he is Shi Qing's biological father."
"So what if he's my biological father?" Li Yuan said coldly. "Has he ever fulfilled any responsibility as a father? How many times has he cared about Shi Qing since she was a child? Trying to morally blackmail me with this is useless."
The old lady wanted to persuade her further, but Li Yuan didn't want to listen anymore: "Alright, I have something to do, I'm leaving now. You'd better take care of yourself in the future." After saying that, Li Yuan turned and left, her high heels clicking crisply and resolutely on the ground.
The old woman stood there, watching Li Yuan's retreating figure, and sighed helplessly. She knew that what she and Wang Qiang had done had completely broken Li Yuan's heart, and it was impossible to gain her forgiveness now.
Li Yuan returned to her car, her emotions still churning. Gazing out the window, she was overwhelmed with feelings. Those painful memories of the past were like a nightmare; though they were gone, the scars remained indelible. She was grateful for her decisiveness back then, leaving that painful family, which had brought her the wonderful life she had now.
The car slowly started moving. Li Yuan looked at the road ahead, her eyes firm and confident. She knew that the road ahead was long, and she and her daughter would continue to create a wonderful life together. The people and events of the past would become a brief interlude in her life, forever sealed in the depths of her memory.