Chapter 128: An Uninvited Guest

Zhou Lichuan nodded expressionlessly at the mother and daughter, then took Jiang Zao’s hand and sat down beside them.

A polite smile remained fixed on Jiang Zao’s face. She observed the scene calmly and coolly, accurately sensing a flicker of hostility in the young woman’s eyes.

After sitting down, Zhou Lichuan leaned in and whispered into Jiang Zao’s ear, "She is a colleague of my mother’s and her best friend from when they were young. Her family moved to Nanzhou, so it seems they must have just recently returned."

Jiang Zao nodded slowly, signaling that she understood.

Elders were one thing, but those of the same generation did not necessarily harbor the same simple intentions.

Sure enough, as soon as Jiang Zao settled in, the young woman spoke up, "Is this Brother Chuan’s girlfriend? I believe this is our first time meeting. Hello, my name is Li Shu’an. What is your name?"

Jiang Zao smiled, extended her hand, and shook the other woman’s slender palm lightly. "Jiang Zao. Hello, it’s nice to meet you."

Watching from the side, Zhou Lichuan felt that the coldness behind Jiang Zao’s smile was chilling; she looked nothing like her usual gentle and harmless self.

Shen Xiaonan quickly interjected, "This is my son Chuan’s fiancée. She has been away since she became pregnant and only recently returned to rest. We didn’t want to disturb her during her pregnancy, so we haven’t made it public."

The woman named Ms. Zheng immediately turned her head, looking Jiang Zao up and down, her gaze ultimately settling on Jiang Zao’s stomach.

"Well, congratulations then! You’re going to have a grandchild so soon. Oh, I’m so envious. I only have this one daughter, and she’s already quite old but refuses to get married. She’s not as obedient as Chuan, who had a child so early—it saves so much worry."

Jiang Zao glanced at Zhou Lichuan. *You invited this trouble, you handle it.*

Taking the hint, Zhou Lichuan immediately pulled a red booklet from his jacket pocket.

"Mom, Zaozao and I registered our marriage yesterday. Look. So, Zaozao is no longer my fiancée—she is my legal wife."

The air in the room suddenly froze.

For a long time, no one dared to speak.

It wasn’t until Zhou Huai descended the stairs that a voice filled with boundless authority broke the silence.

"Registered? Why didn't you come home and tell us about such a big event in advance? Let me see the marriage certificate."

Shen Xiaonan reached out and handed the two red booklets to Zhou Huai, who was walking over. Her expression was unreadable; she simply watched Jiang Zao with a calm gaze.

Jiang Zao’s expression had never wavered. From the moment she walked through the door until now, she had maintained the same gentle and poised smile.

Zhou Huai flipped through the marriage certificate. "Hmm, not bad. The photos look good; you both look quite radiant."

With that, he closed the certificate and handed it back to Zhou Lichuan.

Zhou Lichuan took it and gave his father a look of gratitude. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his mother, but he knew, to some extent, that she had never truly liked Jiang Zao from the start; her kindness and acceptance were merely based on his own feelings.

With Jiang Zao back, his mother hadn't shown any rejection—she had even taken the initiative to support her within the Zhou family. Logically, she shouldn't have suddenly opposed them now. However, one could never be too careful. Jiang Zao’s personality was such that she would never humble herself to appease others. To avoid any trouble, he had to secure his mother’s stance.

Zhou Huai sat beside Shen Xiaonan, asked the help for some tea, and said to the mother and daughter, "My health isn't what it used to be, and I rarely move around the house. It took me a while to come down—please forgive my rudeness."

Li Shu’an quickly replied, "Not at all, Uncle Zhou. You should focus on your health. We’re just here for a visit; it’s nothing important."

Ms. Zheng chimed in, "Exactly, Chairman Zhou, please don't let it worry you."

Zhou Huai chuckled. "An’an used to come over and play at our house all the time when she was little. How time flies—you’ve grown up so much. What kind of work are you doing now? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Li Shu’an answered with a graceful smile, "I studied literature in university and switched to screenwriting after graduation. I’ve been spending all my time at the film studios lately, writing scripts every day. Where would I find the time to date?"

As she spoke, she cast a lingering look toward Zhou Lichuan.

Everyone in the room was sharp enough to understand her implication. Yet, the man she was hinting at was currently tugging at a loose thread on his wife’s sleeve, whispering complaints about the quality of the fabric.

Jiang Zao also acted as if she hadn't heard a thing. She watched Zhou Lichuan pull at the thread, occasionally swatting his hand away, terrified he would ruin a garment that was already of questionable quality. She certainly didn't want to have a wardrobe malfunction in front of guests.

Shen Xiaonan sighed softly, breaking the awkwardness of the scene.

"That counts as a literary profession, then. My daughter-in-law is also an artist—she’s a painter. She’s young but already possesses masterful skills. When Master Mei visited us last time, he specifically asked about the painting on the stairs. He said the artist had exceptional talent and would surely achieve great things in the future. When he found out it was Zaozao’s work, he even went to visit their studio; they had a wonderful conversation."

Li Shu’an’s face changed slightly at the mention. "Master Mei? You mean the master of traditional Chinese painting? The veteran, Mei Qinghong?"

Shen Xiaonan smiled. "That’s right. Although he is a master of traditional Chinese painting, he also has deep insights into oil painting. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him give such high praise to a young person."

Mei Qinghong was famous for his foul temper. Whoever went to him to learn painting would have their first lesson be a lecture on how to be scolded. If he didn't like something, he would immediately start picking his students apart.

Yet, his critiques were always surgically precise, striking at the students' weaknesses with such piercing accuracy that they had no room to argue—they could only bow their heads and listen. Countless people would pay a fortune just to be scolded by him.

And yet, this stern, unsmiling old man had nothing but praise for the two paintings Jiang Zao had produced while she was still a student, even insisting on meeting her in person.

A flicker of unnatural emotion crossed Li Shu’an’s face, but she maintained her gentle facade. "Then Miss Jiang must be truly gifted. I had eyes but failed to recognize a mountain."

Jiang Zao offered a subtle smile, neither accepting the flattery nor pushing it away.

There was no right way to respond to such sycophancy; remaining indifferent was the best strategy.

Zhou Huai looked at Jiang Zao’s stomach and said, "Is the baby doing well? Chuan mentioned last time that you’ve been craving pickled foods. You must be careful to eat them in moderation; don't overdo it. While pickled food is appetizing, it lacks nutrition. Never mind the baby—you need to take good care of your own health as well."

Jiang Zao touched her protruding belly and replied with a smile, "The baby is doing very well, Uncle. Don’t worry; I’ve been very careful with my diet. Hui has put a lot of effort into balancing the nutrition, and I am in excellent health."

Zhou Lichuan took Jiang Zao’s hand and reminded her, "I told you this morning that you should change how you address him. Why are you still calling him 'Uncle'?"

Ms. Zheng quickly laughed and said, "For a new marriage, you have to give a 'change-of-address' red envelope first, of course! You two burst in here with your marriage certificate so suddenly—even parents need a moment to adjust."