For Xiao Wenqiang, she also gleaned a crucial piece of information from this conversation: Mao Wenjing was currently with Zheng Ze. In the original book, "The Perfect Life of a Fake Heiress," they had gotten together in the second semester of their first year of high school and officially announced their relationship. They had gone through many things together, their feelings growing deeper, eventually leading to marriage and children.
However, the plot had now changed. Mao Wenjing had not officially announced her relationship with Zheng Ze, and most people might even think they weren't very familiar with each other. Why was this?
Xiao Wenqiang soon found out the reason.
"Genhong, hasn't Yue Li's son, Zheng Xiao, been home for a while? Don't they come back between university semesters?" Xie Qiao seized the opportunity to ask, as the family hadn't had a proper meal together in a long time.
For the past two years, besides Mao Genhong, everyone else in the Mao family had maintained only a superficial peace with Xiao Wenqiang. Moreover, since both Xiao Wenqiang and Mao Wenjing attended boarding school, opportunities for the family to gather at home were scarce.
For a period at the beginning of their first year of high school, Mao Wenjing had listened to Xie Qiao and pretended to accept Xiao Wenqiang. However, she couldn't maintain the pretense for long and reverted to her old ways, eventually leading to them ignoring each other altogether.
Xie Qiao didn't know why, but she couldn't feel close to her biological daughter. She always felt that her daughter was not pure enough, and her personality had become much more assertive in the past two years. Therefore, she simply let things be, and despite living in the same house, they communicated very little.
"Yes, Yi Nuo and Zheng Xiao are both attending universities in other cities. It's inconvenient for them to come back frequently. Why are you suddenly asking about him?" Mao Genhong looked puzzled.
"It's like this..." Xie Qiao put down her chopsticks, glanced at Mao Wenjing, and continued, "You know, Yue Li and I are quite close. A while ago, when we were shopping, she was chatting with me and said that her son Zheng Xiao is good in every way, except he's a bit too cold. Anyway, the children are already in college, and she wants our Wenjing to get along with Zheng Xiao."
Mao Wenjing was about to refuse upon hearing this but was stopped by a look from Xie Qiao.
Mao Genhong, however, frowned. "Our Wenjing is only in her third year of high school. Why are you thinking about these things? It's not too late to discuss such matters after she goes to university."
"What do you know? Zheng Xiao is handsome, excels academically, and comes from a good family. If we don't settle things now, what if he's snatched away by another woman at university?"
"If he's so outstanding, why the rush? Our Wenjing is still a student! Besides, from our interactions these past few times, I don't think there's any spark between him and Wenjing! If anything, Zheng Xiao seems to get along better with Yi Nuo and Qing Yan!" Mao Genhong firmly refused.
Since Mao Genhong disagreed, Xie Qiao said no more.
Xiao Wenqiang had not spoken a word from beginning to end, but her heart was not entirely at peace.
She had drunk too much soup during lunch and woke up mid-nap needing to urinate. After using the restroom, Xiao Wenqiang left her room and planned to go downstairs to the refrigerator to get a watermelon. However, at the turn of the stairs, she overheard a conversation.
"Wenjing, don't listen to your father. I've already spoken with Aunt Wu, and as soon as Zheng Xiao is back this time, we'll arrange for your engagement." Xie Qiao's voice rang out.
"Mom, I don't like Zheng Xiao. I don't want to be with him," Mao Wenjing pleaded sweetly.
"Didn't you always follow him around when you were little? Why don't you like him now?"
"That was when I was young and foolish. I don't think that way anymore."
"I know you best. Tell me honestly, do you like that Zheng Ze?" Xie Qiao suddenly thought of it. "You're not already together, are you?"
"I... Yes! But Mom, Zheng Ze is really a good person..." Mao Wenjing was shy for a moment but finally nodded and admitted it under Xie Qiao's gaze.
"What did I tell you back then, why didn't you listen?" Xie Qiao said with frustration. "No matter how good that Zheng Ze is, he's the son of a mistress. Don't be fooled by his current situation living in the Zheng family as if he's no different from Zheng Xiao. In true high society, who would even look twice at him?"
"But Uncle Zheng and Aunt Wu are very good to him. Just recently, for his birthday, Uncle Zheng bought him a Bugatti sports car!"
"Wu Yueli is good to him because she doesn't see him as a threat right now, and he can occasionally act as a lubricant between her and Zheng Dajun. If Zheng Ze starts to reveal his ambitions, do you think Wu Yueli would still indulge him?"
"Mom, Zheng Ze is truly a kind person, he has no ambitions," Mao Wenjing defended Zheng Ze desperately. "He told me about that fake lung cancer report. His mother did it secretly. Zheng Ze genuinely didn't know at first, and he was heartbroken for a long time because of it. Even after he found out he was deceived by his mother, and Zheng Xiao and the others blamed him for knowing all along, he didn't hate his mother. Instead, he said he was so glad his mother was okay..."
"Wenjing, you're still young. You can't just listen to one side of the story. Since this Zheng Ze is so good, why is it that no one else knows you're together?"
"That's not his fault, Mom. I was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I told him we'd be together secretly. He just really respects my opinion. He's truly a good person."
"Is that so? Then has Zheng Ze told you that Zheng Dajun has already started looking for a marriage partner for him among the daughters of upper-class families and wealthy parvenu families?"
"What? When did this happen? Zheng Ze might not even know himself?" Mao Wenjing was incredulous.
"It's been around these past two months. Zheng Ze couldn't possibly be unaware. He's already gone out for meals with several young ladies alone," Xie Qiao said, affectionately stroking Mao Wenjing's hair. "Otherwise, why do you think Wu Yueli is so anxious to find a partner for Zheng Xiao? It's because she feels threatened by Zheng Ze. If Zheng Ze marries a daughter from a wealthy family, it will threaten Wu Yueli's position in the Zheng family."
"No way! Zheng Ze wouldn't do that to me. And if he wanted an arranged marriage, why wouldn't he tell me directly?" Mao Wenjing's eyes were close to tears.
"Because he knows we wouldn't agree!" Xie Qiao sneered. "Didn't I tell you that truly established families look down on Zheng Ze's background? Most of the girls Zheng Dajun is finding for Zheng Ze are daughters from wealthy parvenu families or daughters from secondary concubines. Wenjing, even though you're not our biological daughter, everyone knows how much we've doted on you since you were little. Zheng Dajun naturally wouldn't dare to mention it to your father."
"How could this be? I need to go ask Zheng Ze for clarification..." Mao Wenjing cried, wanting to rush back to her room to make a phone call.
Xiao Wenqiang, who had been eavesdropping nearby, also quickly slipped into her room and softly closed the door. It seemed necessary to inform Zheng Xiao about this matter.
The third year of high school was somewhat intense. The first semester passed quickly amidst diligent studying. As Xiao Wenqiang began her winter break, Zheng Xiao and Xie Yinuo also completed their first semester of studies and returned to Yunbei City.