Jin Ye's expression turned serious as he recalled the matters at home.
"My dad and mom's relationship has been very tense lately. They argue frequently, and I've heard from someone in the family that this situation has been ongoing for some time."
Naturally, he found it awkward to mention that one of the reasons for his parents' arguments was Su Ding.
For some reason, his mother was convinced that Su Ding intended to harm her. While the police hadn't found any concrete evidence linking Su Ding to the Qingfeng Temple incident, his father was unwilling to entertain such notions. His mother, however, believed her husband had been swayed to the opposing side, and her attitude grew increasingly harsh.
Jin Ye knew that Su Ding could do little about these matters.
After listening, Su Ding nodded thoughtfully. Although Jin Ye hadn't explained everything clearly, she could grasp the general idea.
"If you have time, visit them more often."
She paused, then added, "Bring Xiao Xi along."
Jin Ye smiled and agreed.
Meanwhile, at the old Jin residence, the atmosphere was unusually heavy.
Zhao Qin lay in bed, watching Jin He emerge from the bathroom in his pajamas, wearing his gold-rimmed glasses. A conflicted and troubled expression graced his face, which remained youthful and beautiful despite his age.
Their marital bond had spanned nearly thirty years, and their relationship had always been good.
In the eyes of outsiders, they were a match made in heaven. Jin He was handsome, had a good temper, and was devoted—once the most sought-after man in Jiang City.
She had always believed they would remain happy forever, never expecting that their middle age would be marred by such discord over their daughter-in-law.
"Old Jin, are you going to the company tomorrow?" Zhao Qin initiated a conversation.
Xiao Ye had returned home for dinner. During the meal, she had unconsciously tried to persuade their son to break up with Su Ding, only to be silenced by Jin He's sharp reprimand.
She admitted she had been incessantly nagging about the matter these past few days, and their son had finally returned home.
Being chided by her husband in front of their son had left Zhao Qin feeling wronged, and her demeanor turned stubborn. They had immediately gotten into a heated argument.
Later, Jin He had gone straight upstairs to his study and hadn't emerged for several hours.
Zhao Qin gradually realized her own fault. Seeing Jin He emerge from the study and having taken a bath, she gathered her courage and decided to mend their relationship.
"Yes, the company has been busy lately. I'll help Xiao Ye with some matters," Jin He replied blandly as he walked towards the bed and lay down.
Zhao Qin's heart fluttered with joy. She cautiously moved closer, and seeing Jin He showed no resistance, she tentatively snuggled into his embrace.
Jin He's expression softened considerably from his earlier coldness.
As an old married couple who had weathered many storms together, how could a few arguments truly drive them apart?
He placed his hand on Zhao Qin's back, gently patting it, and said with a sigh, "Ah Qin, we're getting older day by day. Don't worry too much about the children's affairs. Our sons and grandsons will find their own fortunes. Let them walk their own paths from now on."
As Xiao Ye had been with Su Ding for so long, he had gradually come to believe that Su Ding wasn't as wicked as portrayed.
Indeed, with the Jin family's influence, they could have any woman they desired. However, Xiao Ye liked her, and as parents, they couldn't force him to marry a woman of suitable status, could they?
The Jin family hadn't reached a point where they needed arranged marriages to maintain their business!
Aside from having a daughter previously, Su Ding's character was otherwise decent, and Jin He had slowly accepted her as his daughter-in-law.
Furthermore, with Old Master Jin personally acknowledging Su Ding's status as his granddaughter-in-law, they had nothing more to say on the matter.
"Old Jin, it's not that I insist on being the villain."
Zhao Qin felt misunderstood and couldn't help but explain tearfully, "I wanted to accept her at first, but she colluded with gangsters to kidnap me. My friends can all testify..."
Jin He had heard these words so many times recently that his ears had become calloused, and he even felt a sense of annoyance.
His face gradually darkened. "Ah Qin, you've said these things many times. Can't the truth of this matter be left to the police? What's the use of you dwelling on it day and night?"
"Old Jin, why do you listen to an outsider and refuse to listen to me?"
Zhao Qin's temper flared, mainly due to Jin He's somewhat impatient attitude, which fueled her resentment towards Su Ding.
Jin He stated sternly, "Su Ding is our daughter-in-law. How can she be an outsider? You have too much prejudice against her!"
As he spoke, his brow furrowed tighter, feeling that discussing this topic would never lead to a conclusion.
Unwilling to argue or elaborate further, Jin He directly threw off the covers, got out of bed, and said with a slightly stern expression, "I'll sleep in the guest room."
With that, he left.
Zhao Qin watched the closed door and began to cry woefully.
Just then, He Qing's call arrived.
"Qin Jie, what's wrong? Your voice doesn't sound right," He Qing's gentle voice had a calming effect.
Zhao Qin said, her voice filled with grievance, "Old Jin isn't supporting me either. We're sleeping in separate rooms because of Su Ding. I... we've been married for so many years, how could he treat me like this... *sob sob*... You know, last time, I almost died, I was almost killed by that woman Su Ding, and yet now, he's still defending her."
Upon hearing the whole story, He Qing's face broke into a satisfied smile.
She hadn't expected things to progress so smoothly.
He Qing's voice grew even more gentle as she softly persuaded, "Qin Jie, don't be sad. Everyone has been deceived by her; it only shows how cunning her methods are. Stop crying, you'll hurt yourself. Will you be home tomorrow? Perhaps I can come and see you?"