Wang Qiqi returned home and immediately wanted to go to her room to sleep. Although sleeping right after eating leads to weight gain, she wasn't sure if the current situation was suitable for her to stay here, so she decided to create some space so as not to make Luo Hongjuan feel awkward.

Luo Hongjuan knew Wang Qiqi was intentionally keeping her distance, so she beckoned to her. "Qiqi, if you're not too tired, come sit with us and listen. There are some things you younger ones really should know."

Wang Qiqi hummed an affirmation and plopped down right next to Luo Hongjuan. Meanwhile, Han Tao went to the kitchen to pour a few cups of tea. "Mom, is it about that situation over there..." Han Tao pursed his lips.

Luo Hongjuan hummed softly, organizing her words internally. "Truthfully, I didn't want to tell you about this at all. Besides, I'll be heading to the capital city soon, so this matter has little bearing on us, but I didn't expect..."

Wang Qiqi had already learned everything Luo Hongjuan was about to say the day before, but she still manufactured a look of extreme surprise. Han Tao’s face, however, completely froze. In his mind, the worst that could happen was the Han and Ding families falling out, but their relationship had already soured long ago. He never anticipated things escalating to this point. After a long silence, he stammered, "That unborn child isn't Han Jun's?" Heavens, such a massive betrayal—no man with any sense of honor would tolerate it. "And even so, he still refuses to divorce?"

Luo Hongjuan sighed. "So now, the Ding family is completely emboldened." If the Han family were united, they might have managed to extract something from the Ding family, but the primary male party was acting like this. "Your grandmother has been crying constantly at home; I hear her eyes are almost swollen shut." To think her most beloved grandson didn't have a single biological son—the old lady felt she had no way to face the ancestors of the Han family. "The last time I visited, when your uncle and the others weren't looking, she kept saying she regretted things and was pleading with me to persuade you not to marry into the family."

"Didn't she previously say it was fine if one of the two grandsons married out? Why the sudden change of heart? Sorry, but I have absolutely no interest in carrying the Han surname. All that wasted effort—she’d be better off calculating how much money she has left to bribe her precious grandson into agreeing to a divorce, remarrying, and producing an heir." Han Tao offered this suggestion with feigned kindness, though he knew the old lady wouldn't have much money left, especially with her own retirement costs looming. Moreover, Han Jun was intimately aware of how much money his grandmother possessed, which was precisely why he was now so stubborn and defiant toward his parents.

"Will Han Jun listen? I hear he's still being instigated by the Ding family and is planning to sell the house." Luo Hongjuan felt a sense of relief that this prodigal son wasn't hers, or she would surely have died of anger sooner or later. "Your uncles are frantic on both fronts now; they owe so much debt, and the debt collectors are showing up daily." Thinking of that place, it hardly resembled a home anymore. "Anyway, we are leaving soon; we should pretend we know nothing about the affairs here."

Han Tao knew this even before Luo Hongjuan said it. "Right, Mom, Qiqi and I have agreed: we plan to buy a new house. We’ll buy it right next to Qiqi’s cousin Song Ziwen's new place so we can keep an eye on things. What should we do about this house?"

Wang Qiqi nodded along beside him. "I plan to co-purchase the house with Han Tao. We'll put both our names on the title deeds; consider it a home for both families. That way, my parents' and Han Tao's father's pictures can be moved to the new house." This way, their parents could find the address of the new home.

Buying a new house? "Isn't that a bit wasteful? Even if the neighbors here aren't great, still..." Luo Hongjuan knew that the neighbors' actions yesterday or the day before had thoroughly infuriated Wang Qiqi. "If we buy a new house, we should rent this one out." Leaving it empty is just wasteful. "Don't make the renovation too fancy; we'll only be staying occasionally." Luo Hongjuan understood that her son and daughter-in-law had already made up their minds; even if she objected, the two younger ones would buy the house anyway, so there was no point in opposing them.

"Mm, I plan to keep the renovation simple. It’ll be convenient for occasional stays. Since Mom suggests renting it out, then let's rent it out." Wang Qiqi knew Luo Hongjuan was probably worried that if the house sat vacant, Old Mrs. Han might stir up trouble again. "Mom, why don't you go rest for a bit? We'll call you around five." There was a tough battle ahead tonight; they needed to conserve their strength.

Han Tao rubbed his eyes as he walked out of the room, heading for the bathroom to take care of business, when he noticed Wang Qiqi had applied a touch of light makeup. This was unsettling to Han Tao, who was accustomed to her bare face, and it brought forth a measure of dissatisfaction. "Qiqi, why didn't you wear makeup when we dated before?" Humph, was meeting a few relatives really worth such elaborate preparation?

"Do I look pretty?" Wang Qiqi angled her face close to Han Tao’s, urging him to look closely. Truthfully, in the time since her rebirth, Wang Qiqi had grown a little rusty with the art of makeup. She had to lament that even the best skills atrophy without practice. The reason Wang Qiqi picked up makeup again this time was the thought that once they went to the States, where social gatherings often required makeup as a sign of respect, she needed to reacquaint herself with the skill while still in China.

Han Tao looked at Wang Qiqi, who was significantly more beautiful with the makeup on, and felt quite dissatisfied. "You'll draw too much attention this way. You’re inviting rivals for me."

"Doesn't it bring you honor?" Wang Qiqi bypassed the dissatisfaction in Han Tao's eyes and gave him a quick kiss. "A handsome husband gains face when his wife is beautiful. People will surely say that the supposed fool of the Han family is incredibly fortunate to have a wife who is not only smart, hardworking, and has a great future but is also beautiful and gentle."

Regarding Wang Qiqi’s words, Han Tao inwardly thought: How could I not know how wonderful my wife is? Though displeased with the makeup, he still tried hard not to smudge it, quickly embracing Qiqi. "I worry that if too many people see how good you are, even more people will pursue you. My pressure will be immense, truly immense."

"Don't worry. Few can compare to you." Wang Qiqi checked the time; it was getting late. "Go take a shower and change."

Under the escort of her son and daughter-in-law, Luo Hongjuan entered the private room, and the previously bustling atmosphere immediately quieted.

Although the numerous Luo family relatives remembered Han Tao as just a simple, foolish boy—even after learning his academic scores were decent, they hadn't taken it too seriously, as good grades didn't guarantee a good career—they were stunned by how well he had turned out. Before even graduating from university, a foreign company was already interested in him, and he had managed to find a girlfriend from a wealthy family. They hadn't met Han Tao’s girlfriend before and wondered if he had ended up with some shrew to be chosen by her, but upon seeing her today, everyone was deflated, feeling that heaven had been too kind to him by granting him such a beautiful and refined young woman.

"Dad, this is Xiao Tao’s girlfriend, Wang Qiqi." Upon entering the room, Luo Hongjuan walked directly toward the elderly man seated at the head table in the center. The moment Wang Qiqi saw the old man, she sensed he was overly fragile; despite his face being split in a smile like a blooming flower, there was no warmth in his eyes, earning him zero goodwill from her.

"Grandpa looks so fake," Wang Qiqi murmured to Han Tao beside her.

Han Tao chuckled. "Hello, Grandpa."

"Hello, Grandpa."

Luo Jianguo looked at his grandson and granddaughter-in-law, who appeared like a perfect match, and felt a torrent of emotions—relief for his daughter’s future life, but also regret. He thought if he hadn't let pride get the better of him years ago, causing him to clash with his daughter, and instead had maintained a good relationship with her, perhaps his current relationship with his grandson wouldn't be so strained. "Xiao Tao, I hear you’ve become quite successful. It makes your Grandpa very happy. You must treat your mother well from now on; she suffered a great deal for you and your father."

Han Tao grunted in response. "Grandpa, don't worry, I know who treats me well." And you hear I'm successful now? Are you planning to announce to everyone present that I never once visited you? "Grandpa, I was young and ignorant. When you said you didn't want to see me, I didn't visit. Thinking back, that was wrong. When I got older and understood things, I was very busy. Our family conditions were poor, and I had to work part-time to earn tuition. Once I got to university, I rarely came home during holidays. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I don't know when I'll next be able to return to my hometown."

Luo Jianguo hadn't expected such a quick rebuttal from his grandson. Han Tao’s words subtly implied a charge of filial impiety—that he hadn't visited because the grandfather had forbidden it. Then, he immediately countered by saying that when he was older, the family was poor, and he had to hustle for tuition, which was a clear insinuation that the Luo family had never offered any help to the mother and son.

Luo Jianguo was an absolute authority figure in the Luo family; no one dared challenge his words, correct or otherwise. Yet, this time, he had been publicly stabbed by the quiet, unassuming grandson. He couldn't lie and claim the Luo family had supported Luo Hongjuan. Luo Jianguo had always believed his daughter's family, left as an orphan and widow, would never amount to anything, and he had never intended to humble himself and apologize to the daughter he had long ignored. But necessity forced his hand; few of the numerous Luo descendants were successful, while Han Tao was the most promising. It was only after persuasion from many relatives that he felt he could use his elder status to pressure Luo Hongjuan and her son, but the opening move had already gone disastrously wrong.

The assembled Luo relatives, hearing Han Tao's speech, began calculating. They had always assumed Luo Hongjuan and her husband were easy targets, but they hadn't expected the son to be such a tough nut to crack. This caused them to reconsider the plans they had previously laid out. They certainly didn't believe Han Tao, who wouldn't even give face to Luo Jianguo, would offer a pleasant smile to relatives bound by blood. They inwardly cursed Luo Jianguo, wishing he had offered even minimal financial aid to Luo Hongjuan and her son, as that might have prevented the current, awkward situation. (To be continued)