Qiao Qingjun's unwillingness to leave was within Meng mother's expectations. Any ger who manages to marry the legitimate son of a marquis would never leave.
Meng mother was a woman, and she was not tall. In fact, Qiao Qingjun was a head taller than her. However, she had always carried the imposing presence of a Marquis's wife, and every move she made was oppressive.
Because of his intellectual limitations, Qiao Qingjun is not smart, and even his logical thinking is poor. In addition, he is kind by nature and has never been a bad person or done anything evil. So when faced with the aggressive Meng mother, he is unable to cope for a while.
He could only hold Ange'er in his arms, keeping a close eye on her, afraid that she might do something to hurt An ge'er.
Meng mother looked down on his cowardly appearance. Her son, the young master of a noble family, was so outstanding. How could she let such a person ruin his life?
"Do you know my son's status? He is a dignified young marquis, while you are a lowly servant. He has grown up in luxury since childhood, in a vast marquis's mansion, where he is waited on hand and foot in everything he does. But what about him? He is stuck in this dilapidated little courtyard with you? Can you bear to do that?"
Meng mother pressed him with questions, revealing the vast difference in their social statuses.
After saying that, she pointed to An ge'er in Qiao Qingjun's arms. Qiao Qingjun, holding An ge'er, took a step back and looked at her nervously.
"Furthermore, you gave birth to a ger for him? How could the eldest son of a marquis's family have a ger as his first child? Do you know that if this gets out, he will not only be able to remain a young marquis, but he will also be laughed at by everyone in the capital?
My son even turned against his own mother for your sake, refusing to come home. Do you really want my son to abandon his noble status and his mother for you?
If you truly love him, then take the child and leave him. I will provide you with money so that you will have no worries about food and clothing."
Qiao Qingjun stared blankly at the lady in front of him, his head buzzing like a tangled mess. He couldn't entirely process her words. He could only barely come to one conclusion: if you love your husband, then leave with An ge'er.
Leave? Must leave my husband?
Qiao Qingjun never thought of separating from Meng Xiangbei. Even though Meng Xiangbei came to see him less and less often and his attitude became more and more indifferent over the past year, he still had no such thought.
In Qiao Qingjun's heart, getting married meant spending his whole life with his husband, just like his father and mother.
However, now his husband's mother suddenly told him that for his own good, he and An ge'er had to leave.
Qiao Qingjun's limited mind was suddenly impacted.
Seeing his expression, Meng mother knew he was wavering, and a hint of pride and relief flashed in her eyes.
If she could use words to get the father and son to leave her son on their own, that would be the best outcome. She didn't want to upset her son, much less escalate the conflict.
"For the sake of Xiangbei, you should leave," Meng mother continued to entice him.
Qiao Qingjun's grip on An ge'er tightened, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes. Suddenly, Meng Xiangbei's words from before flashed into his mind.
"Aqing, I will always be by your and An ge'er's side. The three of us together are the happiest."
That day, the sun shone brightly. Meng Xiangbei embraced him and An ge'er, and a smile played on his lips as he spoke.
"A family of three..."
"The happiest..."
Qiao Qingjun murmured softly, the confusion in his eyes gradually fading and becoming clearer.
"Daddy, Daddy." An ge'er hugged his neck with both hands, buried his face in his neck, and said in a soft voice. He was still young and could not express himself in words, but Qiao Qingjun could feel it.
Although he never called him father, An ge'er was unwilling to be separated from him.
Qiao Qingjun gently patted An ge'er's back to comfort him.
Looking at Meng mother, his clear eyes held an unprecedented firmness as he said resolutely, "Won't leave. Aqing and An ge'er won't leave."
Meng mother was immediately stunned, and the smile that had been on her face vanished completely.
A cold glint in her eyes: "You really aren't leaving?"
Qiao Qingjun shook his head firmly again, looked outside, and hoped that his husband would return soon.
"Since you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences, then I have nothing more to say. You, snatch the young ger from his arms. As for this fool, take him to a brothel and arrange customers for him immediately. I refuse to believe that my son would want someone else's used shoes."
The strategy of first using courtesy and then resorting to force was a method that Meng mother often used.
As soon as she spoke, the nanny and maid behind her immediately came to Qiao Qingjun's side.
Meng mother had anticipated this situation, and the people she brought were all quite tall and fierce, especially one of the old women, who looked old but had a stern and fierce face.
Seeing that Qiao Qingjun was still holding An ge'er and wouldn't let go.
She twisted Qiao Qingjun's arm hard with her fingertips, her face contorted in a ferocious expression.
Qiao Qingjun's pain receptors are naturally quite sensitive, and tears were about to fall immediately, but he still held An ge'er tightly.
“Daddy…” An ge’er had never seen such a scene before, and a maid next to him was trying to pull him out.
He pursed his lips, his eyes brimming with glistening tears.
"Father, Father..."
An ge'er shouted loudly, calling for that person to come and save them.
Qiao Qingjun, who was weak and powerless, and a one-year-old child were no match for five or six tall and strong people who were used to heavy work.
An ge'er was forcibly pulled away by his coat.
Qiao Qingjun was surrounded by three nannies who kept pinching him. Their mistress had said that this person who had seduced their young master needed to be taught a lesson.
Let him know lowly ger like him can't just covet someone.
Seeing the crying An ge'er being carried away by a maid, Qiao Qingjun was heartbroken and struggled desperately to bring him back.
The old woman narrowed her eyes, raised her hand, and a malicious and excited light flashed in her eyes. Just as a slap was about to land on Qiao Qingjun's face, a whip suddenly came flying through the air and struck the old woman directly.
The whip was so powerful that it sent her flying. Then the whip struck the other nannies and maids, knocking them to the ground with just a few lashes.
The men immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream.
When Meng mother looked in that direction, she met a pair of eyes as black as ink, filled with cold and violent emotions, and a chill ran down her spine.
“Father…” Meng Xiangbei walked to the maid who was still holding An ge’er, took him from her with one hand, and the maid was already stiff. The next second, she knelt on the ground.
“Father… Daddy, Daddy, hit, it hurts…” The little guy, with tears streaming down his face, pointed at the disheveled Qiao Qingjun and said indistinctly, looking very aggrieved and pitiful.
“Husband.” Qiao Qingjun walked to Meng Xiangbei’s side, his face covered in tears.
"Husband, Aqing won't leave, and An ge'er won't leave either. The three of us will stay together," Qiao Qingjun said, sobbing.
Meng Xiangbei pulled the man into his arms, kissed his forehead, and gently comforted him, "Yes, I won't leave. The three of us will never be separated."
As he lowered his gaze, Meng Xiangbei noticed the obvious bruises on Qiao Qingjun's fair arm where he had been pinched. His eyes turned cold, and he couldn't control his violent aura any longer.
"Aqing, you and An ge'er stand to the side and turn your backs. Your husband will handle this matter."
Although Qiao Qingjun didn't know how Meng Xiangbei was going to handle it, he obediently followed orders, took An ge'er to a corner not far away, and turned his back.
Meng Xiangbei's gaze swept over the old women and maids on the ground, then landed on Meng mother, and he suddenly tightened the grip on the black whip in his hand.
In the sunlight, the color on the whip seemed to gleam with a cold, icy light.
For some reason, Meng mother suddenly had a feeling that the whip would strike her at any moment.
No, how could that be?
That's her own son.
"My son, what are you doing?" Meng mother exclaimed in surprise as she saw Meng Xiangbei slowly raise his whip.
"If anyone dares to bully my wife and children, I, as the husband, will naturally have to get revenge." As soon as he finished speaking, he raised the whip, then lowered it again, and then lashed it at the maids and servants.
One lash after another, without the slightest mercy, the force was so great that the clothes were torn open, revealing bloody whip marks.
Meng mother stood frozen in place, unable to move, her blood seemingly frozen, her hands and feet cold.
This was the first time in all these years that she had seen her son like this.
In Meng mother's memory, her son was a gentle person who never used his whip, even when he got into arguments or got angry with others.
But now.
He was expressionless, like a cold-blooded demon, and the violent aura emanating from him made it almost impossible for her to breathe.
In his eyes, she no longer seemed to be his mother, but an insignificant person, without a trace of filial piety.
Instantly, Meng mother felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
Seeing the old women and maids crawling before her, covered in blood, begging for mercy, Meng mother finally came to her senses.
"Enough! Are you going to beat them to death?" she snapped.
"Are you going to kill them or me?!"
Meng mother blocked the nanny and maid behind her. She was not protecting them, but watching Meng Xiangbei's attitude. She was gambling that Meng Xiangbei would not hit her.
Her gamble paid off.
As she stepped forward, Meng Xiangbei slowly withdrew his whip, though his eyes still held a hint of violence and coldness.
Meng mother secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But before she could fully relax, Meng Xiangbei spoke first: "I will not return to the Marquis's residence in the future, and you should not come here anymore."
Meng mother's pupils suddenly dilated, and her voice became involuntarily sharp: "What do you mean by that? Do you mean you want to sever ties with the Marquis's mansion and with me, your mother?"
Meng Xiangbei looked at her and said solemnly, "Yes. If you cannot accept Aqing and his son, I will have no choice but to leave."
Meng mother's chest heaved violently, and she could hardly breathe: "Look, this is the good son I raised. He actually wants to sever his mother-son relationship with me for the sake of a lowly ger.
Meng Xiangbei, I ask you, are you truly willing to give up the wealth and glory of the Marquis's mansion, and truly abandon me, your mother?"
Meng Xiangbei's violent temper had gradually subsided, and his tone was indifferent, lacking warmth: "Son is just giving mother a choice."
"Fine, very well. Then today, I'll tell you plainly: if you want me to accept this father and son into the family, it's impossible for me to do so in my entire life unless I die. If you have the guts, get out of the Marquis's mansion, get out of the capital." Madam Meng spoke without the slightest hesitation. In her mind, ever since she learned about Qiao Qingjun and his son, there had only been one way to deal with them: to make Meng Xiangbei sever ties with them. Now, even with Meng Xiangbei's threat, she still wouldn't change her mind.
Meng Xiangbei seemed to have anticipated her thoughts, and his face remained largely expressionless.
He slowly knelt down and kowtowed to Meng mother: "Since that's the case, I have no choice but to leave. From now on, I will not be able to serve you, Mother. I hope you will take care of yourself."
As Meng mother watched him kowtow and utter these heartless words, she immediately felt breathless.
She stared at Meng Xiangbei's retreating figure and shouted, "I gave birth to you and raised you for over twenty years, and this is how you treat your mother?"
Meng Xiangbei did not turn around; his voice was soft, yet it clearly reached his mother's ears.
“I was born without love. My birth was a scheme of yours. My existence was a tool for you to keep my father by your side. From childhood to adulthood, you never asked me what I liked or disliked. You just forced me to be excellent, forced me to grow up according to your ideas, to become the person you wanted me to be.
To be honest, I used to envy Meng Xiangyuan, not for any other reason than that he had a father who knew him, understood him, and was sensible about him.
And you, you've always only cared about your own feelings, never about mine. Before doing anything for me, did you ever ask if I liked it or if I was willing?"
Meng Xiangbei felt a heavy, uncomfortable feeling in his chest, and he put himself in the original owner's shoes.
The original owner grew up under the partial oppression of her mother.
His existence was merely a bargaining chip for his mother to gain favor; the kindness his mother showed him was always just what she perceived.
He was forced to accept it, but he was exhausted both physically and mentally.
Meng mother swayed, almost collapsing.
Finally, Meng mother and the group of nannies and maids left.
After they left, Meng Xiangbei quickly composed himself.
He took Qiao Qingjun and An ge'er back to the house and checked their health.
An ge'er's body was fine, after all, he was just a child. Fortunately, those people weren't so heartless as to harm a child.
However, Qiao Qingjun had many injuries.
Meng Xiangbei slowly rolled up his sleeves, revealing his two arms. His skin, which should have been fair, was now stained with purplish-blue, showing just how badly those people had pinched him.
As his gaze fell upon those marks, Meng Xiangbei almost lost control of his violent temper.
Qiao Qingjun gently took his hand: "Husband, it's alright, don't be sad. I'll be fine soon."
Seeing Qiao Qingjun's worried and sad expression, Meng Xiangbei sighed slowly.
"Let me apply the medicine for you."
He picked up the medicinal wine and carefully applied it to Qiao Qingjun.
Qiao Qingjun's injuries weren't just on his arms; he also had them on his back, though the ones on his arms were more numerous.
After applying the medicine, he rolled up Qiao Qingjun's sleeves and dressed him.
Qiao Qingjun placed his hand in Meng Xiangbei's large palm and said earnestly, "Aqing and An ge'er will not leave; we will stay with husband."
Meng Xiangbei was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and brought up the matter of his mother asking him and An ge'er to leave.
Meng Xiangbei ruffled his hair. The young man's black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, his appearance was clean and handsome, and his eyes were clear and pure, like an angel who had fallen to earth and was unaware of the ways of the world.
“Aqing did a good job. The three of us will not be separated. Husband doesn’t want Aqing and An ge’er to be separated either.”
Qiao Qingjun, who was praised, gave a shy and bashful smile.
“But we can’t let someone else hit us next time,” Meng Xiangbei continued.
A look of confusion appeared in Qiao Qingjun's eyes.
Meng Xiangbei held him and coaxed him gently: "If you encounter bad people in the future, and your husband is not by your side, Aqing, remember to take An ge'er and run first, okay? Close the door and find a safe place to hide."
"And then wait for my husband to come and find Aqing and An ge'er, right?" Qiao Qingjun continued his words.
"Yes. Remember that? You should know that if you and An ge'er get hurt, your husband will be very distressed."
Qiao Qingjun nodded and patted his chest, "AQing understands."
As he spoke, he picked up An ge'er, who was watching them curiously, and said, "An ge'er knows too."
"Come on, An ge'er, call him Father." Qiao Qingjun continued to instruct, taking An ge'er's little hand and beckoning to Meng Xiangbei.
An ge'er nestled in Qiao Qingjun's arms, his eyes, still red, blinking as he looked at him. Then, his pink lips parted and he uttered two words: "Father."
His voice was soft and sweet, like a marshmallow with a hint of sweetness.
In fact, when Meng Xiangbei was confronting Meng's mother and the others, he had already heard his call when An ge'er was crying and feeling uneasy.
But the feeling is different.
At that time, the "father" was a child's desperate plea for help from his father.
And at that moment, he called out "Father".
Looking into An ge'er's slightly round, almond-shaped eyes, which resembled Qiao Qingjun's, Meng Xiangbei clearly saw a deep affection for himself.
An ge'er accepted him as his father.
Meng Xiangbei smiled, a smile he had never shown before.
"Sigh." He responded loudly, took An ge'er in his hands, and held the soft, fragrant little guy in his arms, wishing he could meld him into his very bones.
"An ge'er, please call me Father one more time."
An ge'er looked up at him, pursed his pink lips, and said, "Father."
A few seconds later, he raised his voice again and called out, "Father."
Meng Xiangbei hugged An ge'er tightly, burying his face in his soft neck, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Hot tears fell.
This child died young, without ever uttering the word "father".
Now, finally, finally...
Meng Xiangbei vowed to protect him and his son for the rest of his life.
An ge'er was confused and didn't understand why his father was crying.
He reached out his little hand and patted Meng Xiangbei's shoulder, saying in a childish voice, "Don't cry."
Meng Xiangbei slowly raised his head: "Yes, Father didn't cry."
An ge'er blinked, then reached out his little hand and gently wiped away Meng Xiangbei's tears...
Author's Note: I'm posting tomorrow's update early, so there won't be an update tomorrow. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2020-03-01 17:56:49 and 2020-03-02 17:43:58!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 10 bottles full of energy;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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