~Meet Mom~

"Uncle really doesn't know what's on your mind, Qiao. How can you make a decision like this. You are young, and your future is very long. What's in it for you to have a marriage like this? A marriage that is not based on love will not end well, Qiao. Trust Uncle," Qiao Xin looked silent. It seemed that she could only tell the details of her story up to this point. Qiao Xin couldn't possibly tell everything to her Uncle. Because, just to this extent, her Uncle was furious. Qiao Xin didn't know what she must do until her Uncle agreed to this marriage matter and didn't say anything to her mother about this. "Forget it, Qiao. Uncle's debt problem will try as much as you can. Uncle will-"

"What will Uncle do? The loan shark that An Xin lent money to did not tolerate it at all. He wanted his money back immediately, otherwise our house would be sold to someone else and we would be completely homeless. Mom and An Xin really need that house, Uncle. They need the house. Moreover, Mother, that house is her home with my late father. If the house is sold, what will happen to Mother? Mother will be devastated even more than this. And Uncle also has lost a lot of things for helping us. So I beg of you, Uncle. Please bless us, and come to our wedding. I would be happy if Uncle came."

"But-"

"Uncle, I will be happy. Grandpa Han is a very kind person, even his grandson treats me very well. Even though we don't love each other, we will be good partners. Isn't there a saying that love comes from getting used to? Yes, maybe with this slowly and because we are always together then we will love each other. Isn't that a very good thing?"

Hearing that, Uncle Qiao Xin was utterly speechless. Uncle Qiao Xin's mouth was clenched shut, and he didn't expect his nephew's burden to be this heavy. Even his nephew had to give up her life being pawned by a possibly wealthy family to pay off all her family debts. A thing that made Uncle Qiao Xin sad, because he couldn't do anything to help his nephew.

"Uncle can promise me not to tell this matter to Mother right? And please, tell Mother that you already know who my future husband, Uncle, is. So that mother does not worry and ask a lot of things. I know, Mom trusts Uncle more than I do."

"But, Qiao, your mother will definitely be suspicious too. As a ritual before marriage, there are various stages. Your mother is a very strong person, that man should have come here to get to know your family, right? The man should have come with a parcel, along with his parents. It would be much better even if your marriage was forced out of necessity. At least neither your mother nor your Uncle felt a bit of confidence that they were good people. Not like this. You came alone and asked your parents for permission to marry, this is an insult as a bride-to-be, Qiao."

Qiao Xin was silent again, and she smiled bitterly. Even if she could, she didn't want Xiao Long to go that far. The more Xiao Long didn't see her family, the easier things would be for Qiao Xin. Because Qiao Xin was afraid that her Mother and Uncle would ask about many things about her marriage if the two separated later. And they would look for Xiao Long to ask him the truth. Qiao Xin didn't want that to happen.

"Uncle, how about we go home? I really miss Mom and An Xin," said Qiao Xin in the end. Her Uncle nodded. After he finished putting his grass and bicycle at home, he rushed to help his nephew lift the suitcase to take to Qiao Xin's house, which was only two houses away from her house.

"Qiao, are you home yet? Oh Lord! You are a city woman, you look so classy and charming!" one of Qiao Xin's neighbours greeted her in a friendly manner, causing Qiao Xin to smile stiffly.

"Yes, Auntie. I'm home, I'm home for a while because I miss Mother," Qiao Xin replied.

After talking for a while, Qiao Xin and her Uncle went straight into the house. Who greeted the two of them with An Xin's strange gaze. A Xin's eyes fixed on the figure standing in the doorway, then she smiled and ran to hug her older sister very tightly.

"Oh my God, Older sister Qiao. You're home too!" shouted An Xin excitedly.

Qiao Xin examined her little sister's thin-looking body, and then she seemed to have a bitter smile on her face.

"An Xin, what are you doing? You look really skinny? Do you eat less now? Later I will buy delicious food for all of you, you must eat nutritious food so that you are fat," Qiao Xin said to An Xin and her Uncle. They both nodded enthusiastically. Even though both of them knew, if Qiao Xin also knew the reason why they rarely ate. "Where's Mother? Is Mother in the room?" Qiao Xin asked.

"Mother is here, Qiao."

Qiao Xin tilted her head, seeing her mother turning her wheelchair. Qiao Xin quickly helped her mother, and then she knelt in front of her mother.

"Mother, how are you? How about the operation? How about Mom's treatment? Is everything okay? Are you healthy now? Is-"

"Qiao, are you going to ask Mother all the questions? Can we talk about it while we eat? In fact, you haven't rested and changed after your long journey."

Qiao Xin immediately hugged her mother, and she was crying so hard, she couldn't contain her feelings of anxiety and worry for her mother. Qiao Xin was devastated if it happened to her mother.

"I'm okay, I'm starting to get better, and for the problem of my heart disease, you also know that it won't be able to heal completely, right? But Mom is fine now, you don't need to panic and worry. Also, say thank you to your friend. Because your friend has done a lot of good for our family."

Qiao Xin was silent for a moment, and she tried to think hard. Friend? Who's your friend? Qiao Xin had no idea she still had friends after everything that had happened. Moreover, what good has her friend done?