35 The Advice (1/2)
Xiu Ling froze and her back straightened. Before she craned her neck around, Mrs. Lin's chilling voice began, ”Xiu Ling, did you not see me… Or you think your mother-in-law is not worth your respect anymore?” Mrs. Lin wanted to continue with, 'Where is your manners and why did you not greet me?' but she felt that might be pushing it too far, she did not want to end up as a stereotypical hard to please mother-in-law. Furthermore, this was only the beginning, she had plenty more things she wanted to say.
”Of… of course, not, mother!” Xiu Ling stammered out in a hurry before continuing to pile on the explanation, ”I simply did not want to disturb mother who was watching the television.”
”Is that so? Then I thank you for your consideration,” Mrs. Lin said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.
To be perfectly honest, Xiu Ling's patience was running thin with this woman. She still had not forgotten the scorn on her mother-in-law's face when she begged her for help yesterday night. Afraid that she might blurt out something disrespectful, Xiu Ling hurried to leave. She could say no wrong when there was no conversation, right?
So, she quickly turned back to the front door and as she did so, she said, ”Mother, if there is nothing else, I am going to go first.”
”Why? Can't wait to get away from your mother-in-law?” Mrs. Lin challenged in a sing-songy voice. It felt like the old woman was trying every arsenal available to her to get a reaction out of Xiu Ling.
Thankfully, Xiu Ling did not rise to the bait. She turned back slowly and smiled kindly before adding, ”Of course not, mother. I am merely in a hurry to get somewhere.”
”What is the emergency? Where are you going?”
”I am going to Joann's place. I have a date with her. It would be rude to be late,” Xiu Ling explained, the smile still hanging on her face.
”Naturally,” Mrs. Lin agreed before adding with a cruel smirk, ”But… here is an advice, do not bring back any trash that has been tossed out of this house. Understand that we do not welcome them here.”
Xiu Ling frowned imperceptibly and before she could take offense to what she believed Mrs. Lin was implying, the latter added the following to confirm Xiu Ling's suspicion, ”Of course, if you wish to bundle yourself off to follow the trash, be my guest…” Here, Mrs. Lin lowered her voice as if to stress the threat and warning, ”But, know that the Lin household will not allow its future heir to associate themselves with societal refuse so do not get any bright ideas.”
What Mrs. Lin was hinting at was very clear, do not bring Mrs. Xiu back to the Lin household; she would be glad if Xiu Ling decided to leave alongside her mother; and they would never allow Lin Xi follow her if she did.
As insulted as Xiu Ling was, as an obedient daughter-in-law, there was nothing else she could have done but reply smilingly, ”Of course, mother. Thank you for your kind advice.”