WBSGVS Chapter 259 Part 2

Shao Mingxuan decided he needed to find time to talk with Wei Xuwei. Sure, this whole fiasco had been stirred up by Qingli’s mischief, but as a mother, Wei Xuwei couldn’t just indulge her without limits. If something serious happened, what would happen to the Shao family’s reputation?

But that night, he never got the chance.

As soon as they got home, the little devil claimed she was tired and demanded that Wei Xuwei sleep with her.

The two of them didn’t even bother going to the master bedroom—they stayed in Qingli’s room.

Mother and daughter curled up together, Wei Xuwei gently patting her daughter’s back in a soothing rhythm until the girl’s breathing evened out.

Only then did she lower her hand and smile tenderly at the sleeping child. In a whisper, she said, “A’Li… thank you.”

Qingli’s lips curved faintly, her small hand tightening around her mother’s as she drifted deeper into sleep.

The next morning began just like the one before.

Early in the morning, Wei Xuwei prepared breakfast for her daughter. Today’s meal was a sandwich filled with a golden fried egg that was crispy on the outside and soft inside, slices of pork tenderloin, tomato, lettuce, and more. The toasted bread was crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, making the whole sandwich absolutely delicious.

It tasted even better than the ones sold outside.

While eating, Qingli praised her, “Mom, everything you make is so good! If you opened a shop, you’d definitely have tons of customers and make lots of money.”

Wei Xuwei laughed. “Alright then, if I open a shop someday, you’ll have to be my biggest supporter.”

“No problem!” Qingli patted her chest, then eagerly asked, “So where would you open it? When will it open? I could invite my classmates too.”

Wei Xuwei chuckled. “I was just joking.”

Qingli pouted unhappily, then took a fierce bite of her sandwich. “I don’t care. You have to open a shop!”

“Where would I get the money for that?” Wei Xuwei spread her hands.

Qingli pouted again, glancing toward the man coming out of the master bedroom. “Ask Dad! You’ve been taking care of him for so many years—cooking, cleaning, everything. Even a babysitter would’ve saved up a fortune by now.”

Wei Xuwei paused, then looked at her daughter.

After yesterday, she realized her daughter was a lot sharper than she looked. Was Qingli really that eager for her to open a shop?

Qingli grinned and raised her voice. “Dad! I want Mom to open a restaurant. She’s such a good cook—it’d be a waste not to. Can’t you give her some money to get started?”

Shao Mingxuan walked over while fixing his tie. He had gone to bed last night in a foul mood, but seeing his daughter’s rosy, chubby little face this morning, he couldn’t stay angry. She seemed even better at acting spoiled than before, her voice all sweet and syrupy.

But once he realized what she was asking, he chuckled. “Running a business is exhausting. It’s enough that your mom takes care of you at home.”

“Like I don’t already have a nanny,” Qingli muttered. “You’re just trying to keep Mom stuck at home as a housewife. This must be what the books call the ancient way men kept women down.”

Shao Mingxuan: “…”

Books?

Was yesterday’s nonsense from books too?

He honestly felt like he was seeing ghosts. Since when did books say all this? And when did he ever buy her books like that?

Wei Xuwei covered her lips with a laugh, but inside, her desire to open a shop only grew stronger.

Maybe it was rebellion.

After everything Shao Mingxuan had done, wasn’t she entitled to carve out something for herself? And since her daughter wanted it so badly, shouldn’t she try to make that wish come true?

If they really ended up divorcing someday, having a restaurant would help her fight for custody.

Back when she saw the way Su Qiu looked at Shao Mingxuan, she had already braced herself for the worst. But in her situation, she could only pretend not to notice. If things blew up and led to divorce, she would lose even more.

“I’m not afraid of hard work. I really do want to open a shop—would that be okay?” Wei Xuwei finally gathered the courage to say it.

Shao Mingxuan hesitated. “It’s not like we’re short on money. Your household account has always been full. Why bother with a business? Alí’s about to start middle school—if you’re busy with work, what will happen to her?”

“Don’t use me as an excuse!” Qingli popped her head up again, raising her hand. “I’m grown now. I can take care of myself. If Mom opens a restaurant, I can go there after school, eat all kinds of yummy food, and even help out!”

Wei Xuwei smiled faintly and looked at him.

Shao Mingxuan was already starting to feel irritated, but with both mother and daughter staring at him—and remembering last night’s incident—he suddenly thought, if Wei Xuwei got busy, then even if Qingli threw tantrums, she wouldn’t be able to drag her to places like that again. So he nodded. “Fine. I’ll transfer a million into your account to start with. If that’s not enough, come back to me. If it doesn’t work out, then just let it go.”

Wei Xuwei broke into a bright smile. “Alright.”

Qingli was thrilled too. She gulped down the last of her milk, wiped her mouth, and hopped off her chair. “I’m off to school! Good luck, Mom! I hope when I get back tonight, I’ll see the restaurant business plan already!”

She waved and skipped out the door.

Both Wei Xuwei and Shao Mingxuan laughed.

But he muttered, “This girl’s something else. She even knows about business plans now.”

Wei Xuwei said seriously, “Alí is very smart!”

“Yes, very smart.” Shao Mingxuan shook his head. “If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have dragged you to that place yesterday.”

Wei Xuwei pressed her lips together, not wanting to reply, and focused on eating.

He sat across from her. The maid served his breakfast, completely different from the Western meal the mother and daughter shared. It was a traditional Chinese breakfast, since Wei Xuwei hadn’t cooked for him today.

He didn’t notice, too preoccupied with something more important.

After eating, he said, “Let’s go back to the room and talk.”

Wei Xuwei nodded and followed him. They sat on the sofa. Married for more than ten years, yet at this moment, there was a strange distance between them. Realizing that, Shao Mingxuan’s heart sank. Thinking of how he’d been in touch with Su Qiu these past couple of days, guilt pricked at him.

This woman had given him a child. He couldn’t treat her too badly.

“Xuwei,” he began, “about last night—I’ll just pretend it didn’t happen. But going to a place like that… if word got out, my parents would be furious. Don’t go again. Alí’s just a kid—she doesn’t understand. If she makes trouble, you shouldn’t go along with it.”

Wei Xuwei had always been gentle, always obeyed whatever he said. For years, nothing had changed.

He assumed this time would be the same.

But when he finished, she lifted her head. Her beautiful face was still gentle, but this time there was a new firmness. “Alí made trouble for my sake. If I refuse her, she’ll be hurt.”

“But she’s going too far!” Shao Mingxuan said sharply.

Wei Xuwei lowered her eyes and gave a faintly mocking smile. “She’s only copying her father.”

His face changed. “There’s nothing improper between me and Su Qiu. She was our matchmaker!”

“I know.” Wei Xuwei took a deep breath, stood, and said, “But I hope you’ll be more careful. After all, you’re the father of a daughter. I don’t want Alí’s future fear of marriage to come from her own father.”

With that, she opened the door and walked out.

Shao Mingxuan was left sitting there, face dark, full of indignation. Wasn’t he the one who was supposed to lecture her? How had the tables turned? And worst of all—because of his own guilty conscience—he hadn’t even managed to argue back.