21. Wang Ting's Other Family: Mama Xiuying and Wang Yijian

"My child, stop crying and beating yourself up.", Mama Xiuying, Tingting's mom said to Chen Yan who was still crying in his room the next day after the funeral.

His words were not even getting through to him.

He was just wallowing in sadness.

"Do you wish to have died too? Would that have made you feel any better? Do you think that's what my son would have wanted for you?

That you will also die and follow them to the afterlife?", Xiuying asked his son-in-law.

Chen Yan did not answer, he only stared at him like he wasn't even the one been spoken to.

"Okay, continue crying and beating yourself up if you believe that that will bring my son and grandkids back.

But if you're not able to bring them back, then you will have me to answer to."

His threats worked. Yan stopped the crying and tried to listen to the others and got out of his self-pitying mood.

Yan had expected his mama-in-law to admonish him but rather he was the one who was consoling him throughout the funeral though he too is sad and in mourning.

Xiuying never met his grandchildren since Tingting was never allowed to visit him during his marriage to Chen Yan, and he too was not allowed to leave and visit his son and grandkids.

His estranged husband made sure of that.

To some degree, he was happy that at least his son's husband was a decent person. Never in his life would he have ever imagine that any of his descendants will be given such an honorable burial.

He felt only gratitude towards the poor young man who seems to be beating himself up from the guilt of not being able to protect them.

His hope for this guy is that he heals and move on with his life.

Xiuying had experienced a lot of bitter things from since he was only a child himself. His mama was a courtesan who had later become the concubine of one of the reputable Lords.

The daddy showered him with so much love and gifts even after his mama had passed on, until the legal wife gave birth to a hem two years later.

His young happy life became a cursed one. His married life wasn't good either and he had his son, Tingting, ripped from his hands and was told that he was being married off.

Xiuying had no means or resources to get any information on the whereabouts of his Tingting.

He was beaten up everytime that he tried to gather courage to confront his husband about it.

At one time, he was able to go and report it to the government office at their town that his husband has taken his child away.

The officials called him in for questioning.

But his husband was able to convinced the governor and his officials that he Xiuying, is not well in the brain and that their son was well married and had moved to his husband's hometown.

Since that day on, no one took his words serious. His husband even separated him from his last born son, Wang Yijian, since that day on.

He son is made to live with the other wife. Whenever he manages to escape and visit his mama at her small place, his father will beat his mom severely saying that he incited him to do so.

As the time went on, Yijian, Tingting's younger brother, didn't visit his mother again to avoid him getting beaten. Yet, Xiuying is very much aware of his son watching over him in secret.

This is what kept him going. He has to be strong for both his sons. Hence despite all the maltreatment, he still strived to survive.The news of his Tingting and his grandkids which he never met before only added to his woes.

Seeing that his may son had married such a decent person like Chen Yan, who has given him and their kids such an honorable burial, made his sadness reduced. 'At least, he had someone on his side.' he thought to himself.

Three days after the funeral, Wang Ting's mother decided to leave for his matrimonial home.

Yue Yan remembered from Chen Yan's memories of his wife telling him stories of the maltreatment that his mama faces. He thus asked Li Zicheng if he could allow the may to stay with them.

Zicheng agreed. It's not like the place is for him anyway, he was only temporarily in charge but since he had yet to disclose anything to Chen Yan, then he had to play that part.

Mama Xiuying on the other hand, refused Chen Yan's offer. He informed him that he did not want to leave his other son, Yijian, there alone. He thanked Yan and left for his hometown the next day.

Chen Yan was not aware that Tingting has a younger brother. He promised himself that he'll take them out from there once he sorts things out at his end and he's able to afford an okay life for them.

It's been a month now since Chen Yan was brought here and three days since the Tingting's mama left Li Zicheng's house for his hometown.

He needs to find something doing in order to get them a place. He cannot continue to be asking, asking, and asking for free.

Chen Yan was getting ready to go into the town to look around and see what he could find when he heard a knocked on his door.

"Come in." he said

"Hey, can I have a word with you?" Li Zicheng asked.

"Oh yeah, sure. Do you want us to talk here or should we go to your study?"

"Come to the study after you're done with what you're doing.", Li Zicheng said and left.

Chen Yan checked and liked his reflection in the mirror. As an actor, he knows that one's appearance is very important.

And luckily, he does not lack anything when it came to good looks.