newbobooks Chapter 1078 The Teng Family Owes You Nothing
Chapter 1078 The Teng Family Owes You Nothing
The van slowly pulled up in front of the Teng family villa. Teng Zijing and An Ran, sitting in the front seat, looked up.
Just then, Anran's maternal grandmother and aunt Jian Xinyi stood at the gate, arguing with the security guard.
"What are you doing, you lowly security guard? Do you know who I am?" Grandma said, hands on her hips, her tone domineering.
The security guard replied expressionlessly, "Miss An doesn't live here. If you're looking for her, go to Master Jing's private apartment."
"We're here to see Teng Junhao!" Grandma shouted, her neck stiff. "Open the door!"
Even your CEO Teng would have to show me respect. How dare you look down on me?
Teng Zijing couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he opened the car door and got out. Teng Junhao, who was in the back seat, also got out, holding Ling Ya's hand, and they walked towards the door together.
"Old Wu, open the door," Teng Junhao instructed the security guard at the gate.
Grandma showed no remorse whatsoever, but Aunt Jian Xinyi felt a little embarrassed.
She nodded timidly: "Mr. Teng, Mrs. Teng..."
An Ran didn't wait for Teng Zijing to open the car door; she pushed the door open and got out herself, her steps firm and resentful as she quickly walked to her grandmother.
With an unhappy expression, he said, "Why can't you just call and say what's on your mind? Why do you have to come here and make a scene?"
Grandma glanced at her sideways, her eyes unfriendly: "If I call you, would you answer? Besides, you can't do what I'm asking for!"
"What are you trying to do now?" An Ran suppressed her anger. "The Teng family doesn't owe you anything."
"Xiao Ran," Teng Junhao said in a deep voice, "Since you're a guest, let's go inside and talk."
An Ran bit her lip and didn't argue anymore, but the displeasure on her face didn't diminish at all.
Seeing this, Grandma and Jian Xinyi proudly raised their chins at the security guard and followed the crowd into the villa, as if they had gotten a great deal.
Everyone entered the living room. Teng Junhao sat down on the main sofa, while Ling Ya wore a gentle smile.
He gestured to An Ran's grandmother, "Grandma, please sit down. Sister Guihua, bring some tea."
Sister Guihua came out of the kitchen carrying a tray, a kind smile on her face, and placed six cups of hot tea in front of everyone.
Ling Ya, with a dignified and poised demeanor, said, "Madam, the security guard was ignorant and negligent just now. Please don't take it to heart."
"Since you're looking for Junhao, please speak frankly. We're all ears."
Grandma, maintaining her composure, slowly sat down, took a sip of tea, and said, "Now that Anran has married into the Teng family, our two families are considered relatives."
Nothing else major, it's just that An Ran's wedding is such a big deal.
He didn't even consult with his elders before making the decision on his own; it was a bit... (just kidding).
"Am I not a three-year-old? Why can't I make my own decisions about my life's most important event?"
"Besides, what's wrong with marrying the person I love?" An Ran's tone was full of hostility.
Grandma arrogantly avoided looking An Ran in the eyes, and said in a self-righteous tone:
"I don't want to make trouble for you. The purpose of my visit today is to see my daughter, Lou Fangyun, in prison before I leave. I would appreciate it if Mr. Teng could help me arrange it."
An Ran immediately spoke up indignantly: "She acts all high and mighty when she's asking for favors? What's so great about her?"
"Heaven's sins may be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins are unforgivable! If she hadn't been so arrogant and domineering back then, how could she have ended up in this state?"
"You brat!" Grandma trembled with rage, slammed her hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and pointed at An Ran, berating her.
"It's absolutely true that you're an ungrateful wretch! Lou Fangyun is still your mother, how can you act like this as a daughter? Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you if word gets out?"
The atmosphere in the living room froze instantly. Sister Guihua, carrying a plate of fruit and pastries, quickly put them down and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
Teng Junhao paused, his hand holding the teacup twitching slightly, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Teng Zijing coughed lightly, his tone calm and even: "Alright, don't get so worked up. Tomorrow is the day for visiting relatives, I'll send someone to take you there."
Grandma glanced at Teng Zijing, but unusually didn't respond.
Jian Xinyi quickly stood up, bowed her head, and timidly thanked him: "Thank you, Mr. Jing, thank you, President Teng, thank you, Madam."
She tugged at the old lady's arm again and said softly, "Mom, let's go back."
I'm going to see Fangyun tomorrow, so I need to hurry and prepare some things. I don't know when I'll be back after this trip.
The old lady's face remained gloomy. She bluntly said, "Sorry to bother you," and then turned and left in a hurry.
Jian Xinyi nodded slightly to Teng Junhao and his wife and followed closely behind, her figure quickly disappearing at the living room doorway.
An Ran held her breath, her fingers fidgeting unconsciously, and said with dissatisfaction, "Why do you care about them? Do you really think you're Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering?"
Teng Zijing chuckled, reached out and took her hand, his fingertips gently stroking the back of her hand:
"After all, they are still your maternal grandmother and aunt. Can you really just stand by and watch them, a widow and her children, end up on the streets?"
"Fine, you're a living saint, and I'm an ungrateful wretch." An Ran was speechless for a moment.
She turned her face away in a huff and didn't say anything more, but simply pushed away the hand that was holding hers.
Ling Ya watched from the side and secretly gave Teng Junhao a knowing look—this kid really understands human relationships.
During the seven years that An Ran disappeared, he honed himself like a sword hidden in its sheath, concealing his sharpness and handling things with ease.
The next day, Teng Zijing drove into the An family villa, parked the car, got out, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door.
Seeing that An Ran was still wearing her seatbelt and hadn't moved, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to go in and take a look?"
"What's so interesting about a place I've lived in for decades?" An Ran said indifferently.
Teng Zijing smiled slightly: "Alright, alright, I'll go call someone out."
An Ran unbuckled her seatbelt with a "click," stepped out of the car, and said, "What a hassle." She then pushed Teng Zijing aside and strode towards the living room.
In the living room, Grandma was busy packing large and small bags into sacks.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around and saw An Ran. He was taken aback and asked, "Why are you back?"
Jian Xinyi greeted her with a smile: "Xiao Ran, are you coming to see your mother too?"
An Ran didn't reply, but only glanced at the things and urged, "Are we leaving or not?"
"You thought you were going home, bringing so much stuff. Don't you know there are visiting regulations? You can't bring these in at all."
Upon hearing this, the old lady, who had been proud all her life, suddenly felt her eyes redden and tears streamed down her face: "My Xiaoyun..."
"Mom, don't cry!" Jian Xinyi quickly handed over a tissue to comfort her.
Seeing this, An Ran turned around and walked straight out, not stopping as she passed Teng Zijing at the door.
Teng Zijing walked into the living room, reached for the things the old lady had prepared on the coffee table, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."
The old lady sniffed and, supported by Jian Xinyi, walked out, clutching a cloth bag tightly in her hand as if hiding some treasure.
Teng Zijing saw this but didn't say much. He carried his things and followed behind. When the car door opened...
An Ran was already sitting in the passenger seat, looking out the window, her profile tense.
Teng Zijing opened the driver's side door and got in. With a roar of the engine, the car slowly drove away from the An family villa, heading towards the Kuncheng Women's Prison.
The scene shifts, and the four are now standing at the solemn and imposing prison gate.
The tall, cold iron gate exuded a chilling aura. The old woman stared at that gate.
Her steps were unsteady, she shivered slightly, and her eyes filled with tears again.
Teng Zijing looked at An Ran sitting in the passenger seat: "Aren't you going in?"
"The two of them are enough," An Ran said calmly, her gaze fixed on the window.
Teng Zijing didn't try to persuade him any further. He got out of the car, walked to the guard post, and whispered a few words.
He pointed to the old lady and Jian Xinyi, then turned back, opened the trunk and took out the bags and packages: "Let's go."
The old lady and Jian Xinyi followed him timidly toward the sentry post. The sentry took the things from Teng Zijing's hands and said to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, "Come with me."
The two hesitated, glancing back at Teng Zijing—who was pulling an elegant cigarette case from his pocket.
He took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, casually flicking on his lighter.
The flame flickered at his fingertips, smoke rose slowly, and he looked somewhat nonchalant.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked away, their eyes filled with helplessness, but they still followed the sentry and stepped into the heavy prison gate.
Teng Zijing leaned against the car, watching their figures disappear behind the door, the cigarette between his fingers burning, the smoke quickly dissipating in the cold wind.
An Ran stared at Teng Zijing's profile from inside the car without saying a word, only gently fiddling with the center console a few times.
The player clicked to start, and a soothing piano piece began to flow out.
Like moonlight spreading across a lake, gently seeping into every corner of the carriage.
She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and let the melody of the piano keys linger in her ears.
The anxiety and complex emotions hidden deep in my heart seemed to be soothed little by little by the music, slowly sinking into a quiet harbor.
The wind outside the car window carried the solemn atmosphere unique to prisons, but it was blocked by this melody, leaving only a peaceful atmosphere in the room.
As Teng Zijing finished his cigarette and got into the car, a melody was just coming to an end, its lingering notes still faint.
He glanced at An Ran, who had her eyes closed, but didn't disturb her. He simply lowered the car window a crack, letting the crisp breeze quietly drift in and mingle with the music.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were led to a meeting window, where the guard instructed them, "Wait here, 1677 will be out soon." Jian Xinyi quickly nodded in agreement.
Not long after, a heavy thud of an iron gate slamming shut came from inside, and Lou Fangyun, dressed in a gray prison uniform, was led in by two prison guards.
Her gaze swept over the fellow inmates who were also having a visit, and finally landed on the window where her own mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were.
"The meeting will last ten minutes," the prison guard announced in a deep voice.
Lou Fangyun, her face showing undisguised haggardness and blankness, nodded to the prison guard, indicating that she understood.
She sat down on the stool opposite the window, picked up the phone, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Mom, sister-in-law, why did you come back to China?"
The old woman grabbed the microphone, tears welling up instantly, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "My daughter, you've suffered so much inside..."