CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23 - DON’T CLING TO MY SON 3_1

She glanced leisurely at the sky. Every word Huang’s mother said was true. When a couple is poor, their life is full of sorrow. Any man who comes near me will carry a burden for life. Ordinary people aren’t superhuman. Who would willingly seek out such hardship? Nevertheless, she said no more, just stared fixedly at the night sky. The entire city was shrouded in neon lights, making it difficult for the naked eye to spot any stars. Love can conquer all? That’s just deceitful nonsense. This city has long since lost such romantic notions as "love."

Yan Xixi remained silent the entire way. Huang Xiaojue wanted to speak several times, but he really didn’t know what to say.

Just as they reached her front door, Huang Xiaojue’s phone rang again. This was already the third time his mother had called, urging him to come home. Yan Xixi took out her keys, unlocked the door, and said softly, "Xiaojue, you should go home quickly. Don’t keep your mother waiting."

Huang Xiaojue gave her a gentle hug. "Xixi, I’ll head back then. I’ll call you when I get home."

She nodded silently. Upon entering her apartment, she instinctively walked to the window. She saw Huang Xiaojue also looking up towards her floor. A warmth spread through her heart, yet her eyes stung sharply. Suddenly, she felt a strong urge. I want to run downstairs, throw my arms around Huang Xiaojue, and shout, "Xiaojue, no matter how much your mother objects, I will not break up with you! Absolutely not!"

However, her legs felt rooted to the spot. From behind her, she heard her mother’s low voice, "Xixi, back so early?"

She turned back and forced a smile.

One look at her daughter’s expression, and Yan’s mother understood. Her heart sank. "Huang’s mother doesn’t like you?"

She shook her head, feigning cheerfulness. "Not at all. Huang’s mother likes me a lot. She made so many delicious dishes."

Yan’s mother closed her eyes and didn’t press further. Hands pressed quietly to her chest, she understood completely. If they truly liked her, my daughter wouldn’t have been sent home this quickly.

When Huang Xiaojue returned home, he saw his mother sitting on the couch, without a hint of a smile on her face.

"Mom, didn’t you say Dad was waiting for me? Where is he?"

"If I hadn’t said that, would you have bothered to come home? I reckon you wanted to stay at Yan Xixi’s place and not come back at all."

He stood to the side, looking a bit awkward. "Mom, did you say something to Xixi?"

Huang’s mother stood up, her expression impassive, and said very bluntly, "That’s right! I told her to stop her wishful thinking and stop pestering you."

Huang Xiaojue’s expression changed drastically. "Mom, what do you mean by that? How is Xixi being wishful? Besides, she isn’t pestering me. We like each other. I’ve liked her since we were in university. Back then, I was already a senior, and she had just started as a freshman. For me, it was love at first sight..."

"Someone who dropped out midway even dares to talk about graduating from university?"

Huang Xiaojue’s expression faltered. "Mom, how did you find out?"

Huang’s mother sneered. "If you don’t want people to know, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Besides, how big do you think C City is? Is it hard to find out about someone? Yan Xixi isn’t the university classmate you claimed she was. She never even finished university. So, she doesn’t count as a university student at all, alright?"

Huang Xiaojue looked exceedingly grim. "Not finishing university isn’t some unforgivable crime! All these years, she’s the one I’ve liked. That has never changed..."

"I don’t care who you like, but you absolutely cannot marry her."

"Why?"

"Her family is destitute, with no one to rely on—I won’t even go into that. But her mother is a chronic invalid! With someone like that in the family, no one will ever have a day of peace!"