"Daughter, I'm doing all this for your own good!" Chu Xiuying said.
Yang Zimo, however, was not buying it. Her delicate face was covered in frost, and her phoenix-like eyes held a stern gaze. "I've heard that sentence from you countless times since I was little. I listened to you when I was young, and I listened to you when I was studying. Now that I'm grown up, I know what I like and what I dislike. Can you please stop imposing your own thoughts on me?"
"I'm begging you!"
Being cornered by her daughter in front of outsiders made Chu Xiuying's face contort. She slammed the table with force. "How dare you speak to me like that? I'm your mother. Do you think I would harm you?"
Yang Zimo stubbornly met her mother's gaze, refusing to yield.
The once harmonious atmosphere in the private room immediately turned tense. Qin Chuan didn't know who to side with and felt a sense of helplessness.
"Oh my, look at you two, mother and daughter, arguing again."
"This isn't home today, so behave yourselves."
Yang Jingye had no choice but to step in as the peacemaker.
As for the elder brother, he remained seated, as steady as a mountain, eating and drinking as usual. He seemed accustomed to all of this and was remarkably calm.
With Yang Jingye's intervention, the dueling mother and daughter finally quieted down, though both of them wore unpleasant expressions.
"Xiao Qin, I apologize for the spectacle. Every family has its own difficulties!"
"Come, come, let's continue drinking. Don't mind them."
Yang Jingye raised his wine glass.
Qin Chuan quickly stood up, clinked glasses with Yang Jingye and Yang Conglong, and downed his drink.
"Xiao Qin, tell me about your situation with the Han family. I've always been curious about this. What kind of grievances do you have with them that you dare to oppose a power like the Han family?"
"Aren't you afraid that the career you've worked so hard to build will be lost overnight?"
The banquet lasted a long time. By the end, Qin Chuan was already seven parts drunk.
Of his future father-in-law and mother-in-law, the father was amiable and his attitude was good. As for the mother-in-law, she seemed to look down on him slightly. It couldn't be helped; after all, she had the resources to do so!
Money was not lacking; what was lacking was power!
Therefore, deep down, she always wanted Yang Zimo to marry a promising young man pursuing a career in officialdom.
Qin Chuan understood this quite well. He had learned about the influence of Teacher Yang's maternal grandfather a long time ago. Her family was involved in officialdom and held a significant position.
They had always wanted Teacher Yang to follow the path of officialdom. It was said that Teacher Yang's maternal grandfather highly regarded her potential, believing she was very suited for a career in government.
As they were leaving, Yang Jingye patted Qin Chuan's shoulder. "Xiao Qin, work hard. Strive to expand your own business further. I have high hopes for you!"
Qin Chuan felt overwhelmed with gratitude and promised to work even harder.
As he walked downstairs, Qin Chuan's steps were a bit unsteady.
"Xiao Qin, you didn't bring a driver?" Yang Jingye asked caringly.
"No, I'm alone tonight."
Qin Chuan smiled. "Uncle, you and Auntie should head back. Don't worry about me!"
"How can that be? You're our guest tonight. How about this, I'll have the driver take you back, and your auntie, since she hasn't been drinking, can drive herself!" Yang Jingye said.
Qin Chuan quickly waved his hands. "Really, Uncle, it's unnecessary. You go back. I'll call someone to pick me up..."
"I'll take him. I haven't been drinking!" Before Qin Chuan could finish speaking, Yang Zimo suddenly interjected.
"No!" The objection came immediately. Chu Xiuying pointed to her watch and exclaimed, "Look at the time! It's late, and you're a man and a woman, and you've been drinking."
However, Teacher Yang seemed not to hear her mother's nagging. She directly took out her car keys, opened the car door, and turned to the stunned Qin Chuan. "Are you coming or not?"
"Yes! Yes!" Qin Chuan quickly bid farewell to Yang Jingye, Chu Xiuying, and his elder brother, and got into the car.
During this time, Chu Xiuying's face turned livid with anger. She wanted to stop them but was held back by Yang Jingye.
"Your daughter is all grown up. Can you control her today but not tomorrow?"
"But..." Chu Xiuying still wanted to say something, but Yang Jingye interrupted her directly. "If you don't even trust your own daughter, who can you trust?"
"If anything were to happen between them, it would be too late!"
Chu Xiuying's delicate face became extremely unsightly as she watched her daughter drive away with a certain person.
"Where are you going?!" Suddenly, she turned around and fiercely shouted at a shadowy figure trying to sneak away.
"I'm going to play with my friends. I won't be back tonight!" Yang Conglong said, then started his car and sped off, leaving the old couple alone.
"I'm so angry! So angry! How could I have given birth to such ungrateful children? My daughter is disobedient, my son is disobedient... *sob sob*, what did I do wrong in my past life..." Chu Xiuying started to cry as she spoke.
Yang Jingye, standing beside her, sighed deeply and said helplessly, "You've been too strict with them since they were young!"
"Both of our children are very intelligent. Longlong, he's just outwardly uninhibited..."
Yang Jingye spoke like a wise man, with a profound light shimmering in the depths of his eyes.
Meanwhile, after leaving in Teacher Yang's car, Qin Chuan was filled with excitement.
What did this prove?
It proved that Teacher Yang still cared about him. This was definitely the best news given the current situation.
He had intentionally not brought anyone with him tonight for this very reason.
"Xiao Mo, thank you for driving me. I thought you would continue to ignore me!" Qin Chuan gazed at Teacher Yang's profile with deep affection, finding her more beautiful and captivating the more he looked. He truly couldn't lose this girl by his side.
"You're overthinking it. I just don't want to go home and argue with my mother anymore."
"After I drop you off, I'm going to stay at An Nuo's place!" Unexpectedly, Yang Zimo poured cold water on his hopes, her eyes focused on the road ahead.
Under the dim yellow streetlights, Teacher Yang's exquisite, picture-perfect face was cold.
Just then, the car passed a park, and Qin Chuan immediately asked her to stop.
Yang Zimo frowned, about to say something, when she saw Qin Chuan cover his mouth with his hand, looking like he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Qin Chuan, if you dare to throw up in my car, I'll kill you!" Yang Zimo quickly pulled the car over. Before it had even stopped completely, Qin Chuan had already rushed out and squatted by the roadside, retching violently.
When he finally caught his breath, a bottle of water was handed to him with a disgusted look. "Quick, rinse your mouth. You're disgusting!"
Qin Chuan didn't take the water. Instead, he stared intently at Teacher Yang under the streetlight and grinned foolishly. "Xiao Mo, you do care about me. You can't deceive your own heart."
"Get lost! I just find you disgusting, and I still have to drive you back later. I don't want you to contaminate the air in the car." Yang Zimo casually threw the mineral water at Qin Chuan and turned to leave.
In her heart, however, she was secretly shocked. She had seen that man vomiting hysterically and, instinctively, had quickly opened the trunk to find a bottle of mineral water.
This was a long-ingrained habit, and even she was surprised by it.
Following this was a wave of regret.
Yang Zimo, Yang Zimo, have you forgotten that this man is actually a scoundrel?
You've been a princess, pampered and cherished your entire life. When have you ever suffered such humiliation, such anger, such hurt?!
Where is your pride?
Where is your self-respect?
Where is your perseverance?
Where is your determination?