Mother Chen was startled as she heard the question. She looked up and watched Li Qin Yao for a few seconds longer before a smile curved on her lips.
"Miss Li, Since you can understand my thought, then, there is no need for me to be polite," Mother Chen said. "What can I do to make you stop dating Chen Hao?"
Li Qin Yao felt a tug in her heart. When she raised the question, she was hoping that she was overthinking things, and Mother Chen would deny. Although she was prepared to be disappointed by Mother Chen's answer, Li Qin Yao still felt hurt by her response.
Clenching her hand into a fist under the table, Li Qin Yao gathered her courage and said, "May I know why?" She took a deep breath and continued, "To be honest, this is not the first time that I noticed how you tried to stop me from seeing Chen Hao."
"Since you can see that I did not want you to date my son, why do you keep seeing him?"
Li Qin Yao frowned. "Auntie Chen, did I do something to upset you?"
"It's nothing like that," Mother Chen said. She reached for her teacup and took a sip leisurely.
For a brief second, Li Qin Yao was relief upon knowing that she did not do something that made Chen Hao's mother upset. However, that feeling disappeared immediately when Mother Chen spoke again.
"But for a long time, I have seen Ai Ling as my daughter-in-law for a long time," Mother Chen said."
Li Qin Yao felt her heart sank.
How can she not notice the way Mother Chen called Miss Tang's name affectionately? So, the reason why Mother Chen did not like her was that she had a girl she liked as her daughter-in-law.
"Ai Ling is from a reputable family in B City. What about you?" Mother Chen said. "Chen Hao and Ai Ling have known each other for a long time. Her mother and I have agreed to have them both married once Ai Ling finished her studies. And Ai Ling had agreed to it."
Li Qin Yao stared at Mother Chen with surprised. She had never heard Chen Hao mentioned anything about Miss Tang. But, judging from the way Mother Chen spoke, Li Qin Yao could guess that Chen Hao had long known about his mother's intention to let him marry Miss Tang.
If that was the case, then why haven't Chen Hao said anything to her?
Mother Chen looked at Li Qin Yao and sneered. "But then, you showed up around my son. Are you thinking to marry my son?"
"Of course. Or else, I would not waste time to date him."
Mother Chen snorted. "I won't agree to it."
"Have you asked Chen Hao whether he would agree to your plan?" Li Qin Yao asked.
After they dated for more than a year, the two of them had briefly talked about future plans and marriage. Although Chen Hao had not proposed to her yet, Li Qin Yao knew his intention, and they have met each other's parents.
The first time Li Qin Yao took Chen Hao to see her mother, Xu Yilan, was satisfied with him. Xu Yilan did not have many requirements for her future son-in-law. It was enough if he treated her daughter well.
From Xu Yilan's meeting with Chen Hao, she could see that Chen Hao was treating her daughter well. Thus, she had no objection to their relationship.
Mother Chen looked at Li Qin Yao with a snorted. "You have been with my son for a while. You know how he is. Even if he did not agree with my plan, no matter what I said, he would listen to me."
Li Qin Yao had dated her boyfriend for a few years, so she knew that Mother Chen was right. Chen Hao was a filial son to his mother. Or perhaps too filial. Li Qin Yao knew that Chen Hao was someone who would never object to any of his mother's request.
They would often make a last-minute change of plan because Mother Chen would suddenly look for her son and assigned him to some task. Some of these tasks were menial, but Chen Hao's mother would insist on her son to come back immediately.
If Han Yue Xiu did not mention that Chen Hao might be a mummy's boy, Li Qin Yao would never notice how Chen Hao behaved around his mother.
Li Qin Yao did not want to be rude to Chen Hao's mother, but the way Chen Hao's mother treated her was making her frustrated. In the end, she could not help but help to say what's on her mind. "Auntie Chen, I know that Chen Hao will listen to what you say, but you cannot control his life or who he will marry."
Instantly, Mother Chen's expression blackened. "Who are you to say those words to me? Are you lecturing me? How dare you?" her voice went a few tones higher.
Realizing that she was still talking to her potential mother-in-law, Li Qin Yao bit her lips. "I did not mean that."
"Then, what do you mean?"
This time, Li Qin Yao chose not to say anything. She did not come to start a fight with Chen Hao's mother. Li Qin Yao liked Chen Hao. Because of it, she wanted to give a fight for their relationship. She was willing to bring up her discomfort and discussed the matter with Chen Hao's mother.
Li Qin Yao took a few deep breaths to calm down. "Auntie Chen, I like Chen Hao a lot, and you know that we shared the same feeling. I don't want to break up with him," she said. "What can I do to make you change your mind to accept me?"
"Impossible," Mother Chen said. "No matter what you do, there was nothing you can do to change my mind. I have set to have Ai Ling as my daughter-in-law, unless if she was the one who was against this marriage."
"Miss Li," Mother Chen called and snorted. "I don't know how to say this, but you are not suitable for my son. My husband and I raised Chen Hao to be a good son. He studied well and had a promising career. But you," she watched Li Qin Yao with disdain. "No matter what, I do not want my daughter-in-law to come from a broken family."