She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 683 - 681: Not Yet Paid Off

Chapter 683: Chapter 681: Not Yet Paid Off

Lady Zhao thought about it after getting off the carriage and decided not to talk about it just yet, saving herself the embarrassment in case it didn’t work out.

Lady Zhao’s expression was relaxed, with a faint smile she couldn’t quite hide. She didn’t say much and led Xiuqin and Xiao Cui straight to her own room in the back courtyard.

Wong Qiao was feeling gloomy. After escorting Lady Zhao back to her room, he left the courtyard. He didn’t have the face to say anything to Qi Younian. Leading the horse out, he went to look for Jiang Yifan to talk and seek advice.

Wong Qiao stayed at the Jiang Family’s home for a long time, not leaving until after dinner. Jiang Yifan escorted him out of the door, appearing to continuously remind him of something.

However, Wong Qiao’s mood was still down. He led the horse by the reins, slowly walking home.

Lady Zhao had decided on such a big matter at the Great Awakening Temple without properly discussing it with Wong Qiao, and now she couldn’t find him. She had asked everyone in the Qi family, but no one knew where he had gone.

What angered her was that Wong Qiao had been out for such a long time without even bothering to inform her, as if he no longer valued her as he had in the past.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Today should have been a joyous day, having lifted a heavy burden off her chest, she should have been feeling at ease. Yet, because Wong Qiao left without a word, it even made her dinner unpleasant.

When Wong Qiao returned, he tied the horse up in the stable but didn’t go to greet Lady Zhao immediately; instead, he went straight to his own room. He threw his leather coat aside and lay down on the kang without washing up or changing, remaining fully clothed in the dark room.

Following Lady Zhao’s command, Xiao Cui, who was keeping watch over the courtyard, came in to report that the Third Master had returned and went straight into his bedroom.

Hearing this, Lady Zhao’s fury only intensified. Her son was indeed trying to fight with her, unable to distinguish between what’s inside and outside, not knowing what’s good for him.

Under her anger, Lady Zhao, accompanied by Xiuqin, went to find Wong Qiao to confront him.

Xiuqin stood still outside Wong Qiao’s room door, knocked and said, "Cousin, your aunt is here to see you."

After knocking twice, there was still no sound from inside the room.

Lady Zhao was annoyed. Wong Qiao was clearly inside but wouldn’t respond—a clear indication to her that he was sending a message: she had overstepped, and his affairs were none of her business!

Lady Zhao stepped forward, pushed the door open, and walked straight into the inner room.

The unlit room was pitch black. Aided by the faint starlight shining through the window, Lady Zhao saw Wong Qiao slowly sit up from the kang.

Xiuqin quickly lit the lamp, and under the dim light, Wong Qiao slowly put on his shoes, stood up, but stubbornly remained silent, his expression blank and uninterested, just calmly standing there without looking at Lady Zhao.

Lady Zhao kept a stern face, didn’t instruct Xiuqin further, took the lamp herself, placed it on the table in the outer room, and then sat down at the head of the table without saying a word.

Xiuqin hurriedly followed.

Wong Qiao stood in the inner room, hesitated for a while, and then, dragging his feet, moved to the outside. He stood there with bowed head, silent and attendant at one side.

The two were in a deadlock for a long time, and in the end, it was Lady Zhao who could not keep up her front. She was resentful in her heart, this was her son, whom she had raised with great difficulty. Now that he had grown up, his wings were hardened, and he didn’t need her anymore, so he treated her this way.

"I raised you with hardship, just for you to treat me this way one day?" she said.

Wong Qiao certainly didn’t dare to quarrel with Lady Zhao, so he had made up his mind not to speak, letting Lady Zhao know that he was unwilling to go along with her actions.

But as soon as Lady Zhao spoke, it twisted Wong Qiao’s expressionless face. How could he answer that question? His mother had indeed had a hard time raising him, and he didn’t want their relationship to end up like this, but he really couldn’t accept the way his mother was handling things.

Lady Zhao glared at Wong Qiao and angrily demanded, "I’ve been making plans for you, could that have been wrong? Just take what happened today, I lost face, humbled myself, and flattered others, asking them to seek an appointment for you, wasn’t that all for your sake? How much exactly do I owe you?" By the end, her words were choked with sobs.

Wong Qiao frowned. It wasn’t that his mother owed him; it was clearly he who owed his mother, a debt that could never be repaid in a lifetime.

After a long while, Wong Qiao said with difficulty, "I truly do not understand what you have in mind, Mother. Isn’t it just as good to work as the chief manager for my uncle? I was originally brought up by my uncle, and have always been under his care. Working with one’s own family is surely better than working for another family."

Lady Zhao’s face conveyed her frustration, "Why can’t you understand? The chief manager under a prince and the chief manager under a commoner, can their status be the same? Besides, what ’own family member’? You may regard them as family, but the Qi family never considered you one of theirs. The Qi family members are Ye Xinyan, Qi Jiaer, and the Qi family’s main branch.

"They only see you as the chief manager. Everyone says that people strive for higher places, as water flows to the lowest point. You’re merely a chief manager, and it’s natural to seek a position with better treatment."

Under the flickering dim light, Lady Zhao’s face appeared even darker, devoid of the kind and affectionate image Wong Qiao remembered.

Wong Qiao stared blankly at Lady Zhao; his mother always had her own reasoning and excuses.

He said, "I don’t understand all those principles you mentioned, Mother. I only know that if it weren’t for following my uncle, I wouldn’t have what I have today. When I left Hezhou, I was just an ordinary craftsman, but after working with my uncle for only four years, I earned over seven thousand taels of silver. I ask myself, if it were anyone else, they wouldn’t have received such treatment. I absolutely will not accept other appointments in the capital. That would be ingratitude."

Upon hearing this, Lady Zhao first felt a rush of anger, followed by a wave of sadness. Pointing at Wong Qiao, she exclaimed, "You heartless thing, are you saying that I am ungrateful, is that it?! If you were so incompetent as to be good for nothing, could the Qi family have treated you this way? In your heart, only the Qi family has been good to you, and I, your mother, am hurting you. You can insult me for the sake of Qi Younian!"

As she spoke, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face, her expression filled with hopeless despair, "...What sins have I committed? I laboured for more than twenty years, only for my son to insult me!"

Xiuqin quickly stepped forward, wanting to wipe Lady Zhao’s tears with a handkerchief, but Lady Zhao slapped her hand away.

Wong Qiao, who had never seen Lady Zhao like this, immediately panicked. However, thinking of Qi Younian and Ye Xinyan, reflecting on the warmth and freedom he experienced while away from home in those years, he gritted his teeth and pleaded, "Mother, I’m begging you, let’s go home. Working for someone means following their commands; if I go to the prince, even if the work is unsatisfactory, I wouldn’t dare to quit casually. We now have savings, going back to being a worry-free small-time craftsman would surely allow us to live a stable life."

Lady Zhao, still in tears, choked up, "Whose salary don’t you earn by following their commands? He’s a prince, the emperor’s son, what great prestige that would be? Should you gain the prince’s favor, you would truly bring glory to our Wong family. You would also allow me, as your mother, to proudly become an Old Madam, bringing joy to your father in the afterlife. That would mean we haven’t raised you in vain."