Chapter 66 Framed by a Nemesis

“No wonder! Auntie, let me be your daughter too—I want to be naturally beautiful like you!”

Although Ruan Yaoyao was pleased by the flattery, she wasn’t naïve enough to think the girl genuinely wanted to be her daughter. Laughing happily, she said, “Being my daughter wouldn’t help—you’re not my biological child. Alright, you should head back. Xiangqiao and I still have things to do. We can chat again another time.”

“Okay, Auntie, I—” Xie Zining had always liked to act obedient in front of elders, so she immediately agreed. But right after agreeing, she froze in confusion.

Wait… wasn’t she here to cause trouble for Yu Xiangqiao? How did she just get dismissed by Auntie like that?!

She suddenly felt a bit of regret. If she’d known, she wouldn’t have acted so “well-behaved.”

But the act was already halfway through, so Xie Zining could only grit her teeth, say goodbye to Ruan Yaoyao, and leave. Before going, she shot Yu Xiangqiao a glare, silently threatening: Just you wait!

After she left, Ruan Yaoyao ordered another cup of coffee and had Yu Xiangqiao sit down.

“Alright, tell me—what’s going on?”

Yu Xiangqiao sat obediently. “I just… I was just curious…”

“Curious? Are you joking with me? You and my eldest son didn’t argue, you’re not upset with him—so just because you were ‘curious,’ you secretly came out to meet another man? Aren’t you afraid he’ll make a scene if he finds out?” Ruan Yaoyao looked incredulous.

【This cheat ability is way too unreliable, isn’t it?】

【Something this big, and there’s no record at all?!】

【Could it be that it only records things related to the plot? Anything irrelevant just isn’t logged?】

【Or maybe Xiangqiao already ‘died’ once before, and the one alive now isn’t the one in the original storyline, so she’s no longer under its control?】

Ruan Yaoyao wasn’t sure, so she checked the “details” above Yu Xiangqiao’s head again.

【No, it has been updated…】

【So what exactly is wrong?】

Yu Xiangqiao’s mouth twitched. She wanted to say: Is it possible you just misheard?

Afraid Ruan Yaoyao would keep misunderstanding, she hurried to explain, “Mom, what are you talking about? Meeting another man behind his back? That was just that girl surnamed Xie making things up. She’s been at odds with me since school, always going against me, trying to ruin my reputation everywhere. When I said I was curious, I meant curious about what you were doing. I just… came to gossip a little!”

“The thing I came out to do? You mean… you came out with me?”

“Mm!” Yu Xiangqiao nodded weakly.

Ruan Yaoyao was speechless.

【So after learning how to pump milk, you’re now ditching your child just to chase gossip, huh?】

“Mom, don’t worry—I fed the baby before I came out, and I left milk for her too. Your precious granddaughter won’t go hungry!” she said quickly. After all, her status depended on that daughter—how could she possibly neglect little Lingxuan?

Everything had been arranged before she left.

“You really didn’t sneak out on a date behind his back?”

Yu Xiangqiao raised one hand solemnly. “I swear! If you don’t believe me, you can take me along with you wherever you go.”

“Hah! Wouldn’t that be exactly what you want?”

Yu Xiangqiao grinned. “Hehe… Mom~”

“Stop acting cute! I’m not your real mother!”

“A mother-in-law is still a mother. I’ll take care of you in your old age—you are my real mom.”

“Get lost!”

“Mom~”

Yu Xiangqiao pushed her luck, scooting closer and clinging to Ruan Yaoyao’s arm as she acted spoiled.

Hehe! When she chose her seat earlier, she’d deliberately sat on the same sofa—this was exactly what she’d been waiting for.

Ruan Yaoyao acted fierce on the outside, but she secretly enjoyed it. She tugged her arm a couple of times without much force. When she couldn’t pull it free, she just let Yu Xiangqiao cling to her.

Listening to Ruan Yaoyao’s constant muttering, Yu Xiangqiao was overjoyed.

See?

She knew it—her mother-in-law had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Basically a paper tiger. As long as you were firm enough, she’d stop resisting.

Yu Xiangqiao no longer hid anything, happily following behind Ruan Yaoyao, carrying bags and being extremely attentive.

【This is unbearable to watch!】

Yu Xiangqiao: “Hehe!”

【How did I end up with such a daughter-in-law?! Ahhh…】

【I’m going crazy!】

【Where’s her shame?!】

【Where’s her shame?!】

【Where’s her shame?!】

“Mom, is it this way?” Yu Xiangqiao pretended not to hear, checking the navigation and confirming the route.

【If not this way, then where else? There’s only one turn.】

“Mom, when we go in later, should I speak or you?”

Ruan Yaoyao rolled her eyes. 【What kind of question is that? Something this high-profile—why would I let you take the spotlight?】

“You should do the talking, Mom. You handled this matter—I’m just here for the gossip. You can treat me like I don’t exist. I’m just the bag carrier.”

When they entered, they found someone already seated in the booth—a young woman.

She wore a black top, her hair neatly pinned up, adorned with a simple white peony. White pearl earrings dangled from her ears, giving her a clean and elegant look.

“You must be Miss Tang Liwen?”

Tang Liwen looked up, revealing a pair of delicate almond-shaped eyes. “Yes. Are you Ms. Ruan Yaoyao?”

“Yes. This is my daughter-in-law, Yu Xiangqiao. She wouldn’t let me come out alone—insisted on following me,” Ruan Yaoyao said as she sat across from her. “Honestly, I’m not a child. It’s not like I’d get lost.”

Though she sounded like she was complaining, there was a hint of pride in her tone.

Yu Xiangqiao greeted her with a “Hello” and sat beside Ruan Yaoyao.

Their bodyguard took a seat at the next table.

Tang Liwen quietly observed them—from the way they dressed to the well-suited bodyguard—and quickly concluded that these two were probably what people called “the wealthy.”

But given her own social circle, she shouldn’t have had any contact with people like them.

“That just shows your daughter-in-law cares about you. It’s obvious you two have a good relationship,” Tang Liwen said.

“It’s alright. We used to argue a lot—mostly me talking and her listening. She’s got a good temper and doesn’t dare talk back,” Ruan Yaoyao replied. “Now she’s improved—she doesn’t argue with me anymore, but she follows me around all day like a little tail. It’s annoying to look at.”

“Ms. Ruan, you didn’t call me out just to show that off, did you?” Tang Liwen hinted—they weren’t that familiar.

Although she wouldn’t mind building connections, she couldn’t imagine what a regular working woman like herself had that would attract their attention enough to invite her out personally.

If not for the possibility of networking, she wouldn’t have come.

“No. It’s about your husband.”

“My… husband?” Tang Liwen was startled, instantly becoming cautious. “Don’t tell me he owes you money? We’re already negotiating a divorce. If he owes you, you should go find him.”

Ruan Yaoyao waved her hand. “I don’t know him. I just happened to discover his secret while investigating something else. And well—I’m kind-hearted. I can’t stand seeing people deceive others’ feelings, especially when it’s women being deceived. You understand, right? I have evidence that can help you win your divorce case—even help you gain custody of your child.”

“No other motive?” For example, being interested in her husband?

“What motive could I have? I’m not short on money, and I don’t lack people to be filial to me.” Ruan Yaoyao gestured for Yu Xiangqiao to take out the document envelope. “Just think of me as someone with too much free time, doing a good deed for the day. You can choose to look—or not. I’m just afraid you won’t be able to handle it. The last person in your situation cried terribly after finding out she’d been deceived.”