Seeing Julian Qi's reply, I didn't respond immediately. Instead, I opened the front-facing camera and studied myself carefully.
Yes, I was indeed quite pretty. Whether it was my natural features or the refinement from my upbringing, I wasn't lacking.
The only time I ever felt insecure was in front of Hugh Pei. Because he didn't love me, I felt I wasn't good enough.
A few minutes later, I replied: "I'm a fairy. Thanks for the compliment."
Julian Qi sent back a laughing emoji. Looking at it, I couldn't help but smile too. After chatting with him for a while, I finally succumbed to drowsiness and fell into a deep sleep.
"Zoe? Zoe?" In the morning, I heard my mother-in-law knocking on the door.
"Mom, what's wrong?" I answered groggily.
"Is Hugh Pei in the room? Why is his car gone? And he's not answering his phone!" my mother-in-law asked loudly.
I checked my phone; it was almost nine in the morning.
Hugh Pei should have been back in City A long ago, but he hadn't told his parents. I yawned, got out of bed, threw on a coat, and opened the door. My mother-in-law was standing right there.
"Mom, there was an urgent matter with the project over in Erhua that he had to deal with. He rushed back in the middle of the night last night," I said, making up an excuse for Hugh Pei.
"Oh, so that's what happened. No wonder he didn't answer his phone." Although my mother-in-law was still a bit suspicious, she nodded. "Alright, I understand. Get up and have some breakfast. Don't go hungry."
I replied, "Okay, I'll be right down after I get dressed."
My mother-in-law went downstairs. I closed the door and went back into the room. First, I sent a text to Hugh Pei, telling him about the conversation I just had with his mother.
Then I changed and went down for breakfast.
Hugh Pei's other relatives had already gone home last night, leaving me as the only overnight guest. My father-in-law had gone to the office, so it was just my mother-in-law, me, and a few servants at home.
I chatted with her about everyday things, sipping hot congee and eating freshly steamed seafood buns. It was very pleasant.
Just then, Hugh Pei replied to my message: "Okay, got it."
Not even a "thank you." The man had no manners. I didn't want to reply.
"Zoe, if that boy Hugh Pei is not treating you well, or if he dares to mess around again, you must tell me. Don't worry, your mother-in-law is no pushover," my mother-in-law said earnestly after breakfast.
In my past life, although she had opposed Hugh Pei's relationship with Lila Wei, she had never said anything like this to me. At most, out of consideration for the two families' interests, she would gently remind Hugh Pei.
It was all my fault for being so foolish.
From the very beginning, Hugh Pei and I got together because our families arranged it. In a way, my in-laws had always been very satisfied with me as a daughter-in-law. If I had been a little smarter, flattered them a little more, they would have definitely sided with me and played a huge role in easing the tension in my unbearable relationship with Hugh Pei.
But in my past life, I didn't understand any of this. I thought that by winning over Hugh Pei, I would win over the entire Pei family. I hadn't built a good enough relationship with my in-laws. So, when they found out about Lila Wei, they could only voice their opposition for a short while, unable to persist for long.
"Mom, Hugh Pei has been much better lately. Please don't worry," I replied obediently. "I feel so guilty for making you and Dad worry so much."
"Not at all. The one who makes us worry isn't you, it's that scoundrel Hugh Pei!" my mother-in-law quickly corrected me. "Zoe, back then, the reason your father and I wanted to set you two up was because you were different from other girls."
I was a little stunned.
My mother-in-law sighed and continued, "Hugh Pei has been very popular with girls since he was a child. As he got older, he became even more of a handful for us, with a string of messy relationships. Many women liked him, and some were from well-matched families. But you were the only one who followed him for five years without changing. Your father and I saw it all, and we knew that marrying you was Hugh Pei's good fortune."
I just stared at my mother-in-law, momentarily at a loss for words.
My mother-in-law patted my hand with a smile. "Zoe, your father and I wanted you to be our daughter-in-law because we like you as a person, not just for some benefits. Do you understand?"
"Mom..." I felt a lump in my throat. I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart at that moment. I just nodded. "I know."
If only I had known this in my past life, I wouldn't have ended up enemies with the entire Pei family.
I had followed Hugh Pei so eagerly for so many years, yet failed to open his heart. But fortunately, my in-laws had seen it all and had accepted me.
With my mother-in-law's sincere affection, I felt very comfortable and harmonious living under the same roof with her. I just wondered when Hugh Pei would come to pick me up as he had said.
Three days had already passed!
Evan Yu checked in with me every day to see if I had returned, worried that the maids at my house wouldn't take good care of Bubu.
I replied in frustration: "What do you take my maids for? Cat abusers?"
Evan Yu: "Not at all. I just think you'd be more attentive in taking care of her."
This guy was unbelievable. I sent him a "farewell" sticker and tossed my phone aside.
Just as I was lying on the sofa like a corpse, my mom called. I answered as usual, with a sweet, "Mom, miss me?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, followed by my mom's very restrained sob. "Zoe, come back for a bit!"
My heart skipped a beat. A sense of unease washed over me. I pressed, "What's wrong? Mom, are you crying? What happened? Where's Dad?"
"Just come back first. Your father and I are waiting for you at home," my mom didn't answer my questions and hung up after saying that.
I didn't have time to call back and ask more. I immediately found my mother-in-law and asked her to arrange a driver to take me back to City A.
My mother-in-law asked what had happened to make me so anxious. I didn't give her a detailed answer, just said that something urgent had come up at home and I needed to go back right away.
My mother-in-law didn't press. She immediately arranged for a car to take me back to City A. Before I left, she reminded me, "Zoe, if anything happens, call me anytime."
"Okay, Mom. I'm leaving now." I sat in the car, nodding with a heavy heart.
After a few hours' drive, I arrived home. My parents were sitting in the living room. The atmosphere was incredibly oppressive and gloomy, with occasional sobs breaking the silence.
A pile of photos was scattered messily on the coffee table. I walked over and took a look, and my face instantly changed.
The photos showed my father and a woman in an intimate setting, in a hotel room. They were in bed together, covered by a blanket, but their bare upper bodies were exposed.
My father's face was ashen. He sat there, stiff and rigid.
"Now that Zoe is back, you tell her!" my mom said, wiping her tears and gritting her teeth at my dad.
"Dad, what on earth is going on?" The shock I felt was no less than my mom's. In my memory, my parents were the most loving couple in the world. My dad would never mess around. It was their relationship that had inspired me to believe I could win over Hugh Pei and live a happy life with him.