Qin Yi returned home to find Zheng Shufen and Qin Lei already busy in the kitchen.
Although Zheng Shufen's hands and feet had not fully recovered, she could still manage her tasks, albeit a bit slower.
"Xiao Yi is back! Come help us with the chores, wash those vegetables in the bag!"
Zheng Shufen called out to Qin Yi as soon as she saw him.
Qin Yi then joined them in the kitchen, lending a hand.
Seeing the smiles on Zheng Shufen and Qin Lei's faces, Qin Yi felt a surge of happiness. They had endured so much hardship over the years; he couldn't remember the last time they had laughed so heartily.
*Ding-ding...*
Just as Qin Yi finished washing the vegetables, the doorbell rang outside the villa.
"Who is it?"
Zheng Shufen wondered aloud, asking Qin Yi to get the door.
Qin Yi was also puzzled. Could it be Han Xin? But he quickly dismissed the thought. Han Xin only knew he lived in a wealthy neighborhood, not the specific building, and he hadn't told her yet.
When the door opened, Qin Yi froze as he saw who was standing outside.
"Huang Shanshan, Aunt Liu, what are you doing here???" he exclaimed, utterly surprised.
Indeed, Huang Shanshan and a well-dressed woman stood at the door. Qin Yi recognized the woman instantly as Huang Shanshan's mother, Liu E.
"Hmph!"
To Qin Yi's surprise, both Huang Shanshan and Liu E wore displeased expressions.
Liu E snorted and walked past him into the house. Huang Shanshan followed.
"Xiao Yi, who is it?"
Zheng Shufen's voice came from the kitchen.
Before Qin Yi could reply, Liu E entered, hands clasped, and surveyed the villa. Seeing Zheng Shufen in the kitchen, she called out, "Oh, cooking, are you! Shufen, my old friend is here, aren't you going to come out and greet me?"
Hearing the voice, Zheng Shufen walked to the kitchen doorway, saw Liu E and Huang Shanshan, and hurried out.
"Liu E, Shanshan, what brings you here?"
"What, you don't welcome us?"
"How could that be? Please, sit down, sit down..."
Zheng Shufen eagerly invited them to sit on the living room sofa and asked Qin Lei to get them water.
However, before Qin Lei could move, Liu E interrupted, "No need!"
Liu E sat down, her hand stroking the leather sofa, and continued to examine the villa. "It's a good sofa, a good house, too. It's a shame none of it belongs to you. It belongs to someone else..."
"Shufen, Qin Yi, you're living here, but you don't actually think this house is yours, do you?"
Yesterday, when Zheng Shufen had chatted with Liu E, she had explained the situation with the house.
"How could that be!"
Zheng Shufen immediately replied, "This is Xiao Yi's friend's house. We'll return it to him when he gets back!"
"Then Qin Yi, why are you so arrogant?"
Huang Shanshan stood up and stared at Qin Yi, her face full of resentment. "You, a nobody, a ex-convict living in someone else's house, what makes you think you can look down on me?"
"So what if I'm pregnant with someone else's child? I didn't mind that you were poor, and I didn't mind that you'd been to jail, yet you still look down on me!"
There was no surprise; Huang Shanshan and Liu E were here to confront them.
Indeed, after being rejected by Qin Yi this morning, Huang Shanshan had stewed over it, growing increasingly angry and bewildered. Qin Yi, an ex-convict, so poor, without even a house of his own, relying on staying at a friend's place – how dare he look down on her?
Not only her, but Liu E also felt insulted. Thus, they had come to vent their anger.
Zheng Shufen's face fell as she listened to Huang Shanshan. She already had reservations about the matchmaking when she learned Huang Shanshan was pregnant with another man's child.
"Shanshan, if you speak like that, Auntie won't be happy!"
"My son may have been to jail, but he's been released, and even the law has forgiven him. You keep calling him an ex-convict; isn't that inappropriate?"
"Besides, my son went in because he was framed; he didn't commit any major crimes..."
"Pah!"
Liu E spat on the ground and stood up. "Someone who's been to jail is an ex-convict. Where is Shanshan wrong?"
"Zheng Shufen, I agreed to let Shanshan go on a blind date with Qin Yi before because we used to be good friends, and I was giving you face!"
"But I never expected that you and your son would be so shameless, looking down on my daughter..."
"Pah." Liu E spat at Zheng Shufen again and cursed, "I really don't know where you get your confidence from!"
"So what if my daughter is pregnant? Even pregnant, she's ten thousand times better than your son!"
"You... you..."
Zheng Shufen trembled with anger at their shameless words.
Qin Yi quickly went to her side, steadied her, and comforted her, "Mom, don't get agitated..."
Then, he turned, his gaze cold as he looked at Liu E and Huang Shanshan. "Have you said enough? If you have, please leave! You are not welcome in our home!"
If they were here as guests, Qin Yi would have treated them with courtesy out of respect for Zheng Shufen. But since they were here to cause trouble, he certainly wouldn't be polite.
The two showed no intention of leaving. Liu E even stepped closer, speaking sarcastically, "Shufen, I heard you've been asking around for single girls again?"
"What, are you in such a hurry? Are you afraid Qin Yi will never find a partner and remain a bachelor forever?"
"Tsk, tsk. It was only because I was kind-hearted and remembered our old friendship that I agreed to let Shanshan go on a blind date with Qin Yi!"
"Otherwise, with Qin Yi's background, what girl would want him? What parents would want their daughter to go on a blind date with an ex-convict?"
"Liu E, you're talking nonsense!" Zheng Shufen retorted. "Even if my son went to jail, he's still a good man. He did it to protect his girlfriend!"
"You don't need to worry about my Xiao Yi's matters. I'll tell you, tomorrow and the day after, I already have girls who have agreed to meet Xiao Yi. If nothing unexpected happens, Xiao Yi will be married soon!!"
A few dark lines appeared on Qin Yi's face. He knew the girls mentioned for tomorrow and the day after were likely the other blind date prospects his mother had arranged.
However, Liu E laughed upon hearing this and shook her head. "Shufen, I know you contacted Sister Zhang and Brother Mao this afternoon, wanting to introduce their daughters to Qin Yi!"
"But after I spoke with Sister Zhang and Brother Mao in detail about your family's situation and Qin Yi's situation, they both said they wouldn't let their daughters meet Qin Yi."