Raising a daughter is so much more worrisome; if it were a son, there wouldn't be this much to fret over.
Mianmian quickly waved her hands, denying it. "No, no, absolutely not. It's... it's Xiao Guo! She's in a relationship. I'm worried sick about her every day... afraid she'll be deceived."
Jiang Mi, of course, trusted her daughter. She hadn't expected it to be Xiao Guo who was in a relationship. "But Xiao Guo seems so well-behaved. She doesn't seem like the type to date early."
"I thought I had brainwashed her thoroughly, that she'd never date early. Who knew a new transfer student would come, and she'd fall for him? I don't dare tell her parents, so I have to worry about it myself," Mianmian sighed helplessly.
Jiang Mi almost burst out laughing. She knew her daughter was reliable. She said, "Don't worry too much. It's right for you to remind her. As long as she prioritizes her studies, dating shouldn't interfere with her education."
Jiang Mi certainly didn't approve of children dating early, but since it had already happened, it was better to guide than to forbid. Children are in their rebellious phase, and the more you try to stop them, the more fiercely they might resist their parents. It's better to teach her how to protect herself.
"I send her educational articles every day, just to see if she'll listen. I hope she doesn't get too consumed by romance," Mianmian felt she had done her best.
"Alright, don't overthink it." Jiang Mi comforted her daughter and then went to attend to her own matters. She was busy with her company, which was just starting. She didn't have the bandwidth to worry about other people's children.
Just as Mianmian was about to start her homework, Jiang Jingxiu messaged her, asking her to invite her mother to lunch today.
Mianmian hesitated, saying, "If Mom knows you're here, she definitely won't want to go."
"Daughter, just don't mention I'm here. Tell her there's a restaurant that serves delicious food, and you want to go with her. Then I'll 'accidentally' bump into you," Jiang Jingxiu suggested to his daughter.
He was truly out of options. Jiang Mi currently acted as if she didn't see him, or rather, she didn't want to see him at all. No matter what he did, she was unmoved and showed no intention of acknowledging him. After much thought, he realized his only recourse was through his daughter.
"But..."
"Do you still want to have a complete family? Do you want a stepfather and a stepmother? If that happens, you'll have no home!" Jiang Jingxiu reasoned with his daughter.
Mianmian panicked a little at this. She didn't want to be without a family. She supposed if her father were to remarry, and her mother were to marry Uncle Ling Bo, her mother would surely have another baby with Uncle Ling. Then she would be an outsider. Her father might find a stepmother and have another child. They would be a family of three, and she would be an extra person.
Mianmian was startled by her father's words. "Okay, I'll try. I hope Mom doesn't see through it."
"You can do it, Dad believes in you. Mianmian, Dad won't get married. Besides your mother, I won't marry anyone. Don't you worry needlessly," Jiang Jingxiu realized he might have been too severe. His daughter was still young and likely frightened. He quickly tried to comfort her.
Mianmian, however, felt her father was just trying to placate her. Even if he didn't want to, many women did. Plenty of women wanted to have children with her father; she had witnessed it firsthand.