novelRona Chapter 1614 Meeting me is like meeting your nemesis
Chapter 1614 Meeting me is like meeting your nemesis
A WeChat message was displayed on Zhou Mei's phone screen.
The sender's contact name was "Mom," and the message contained only one line:
"Go home tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. and bring your new boyfriend with you."
There were no question marks, no room for negotiation, not even a single interjection. Just one line of text, cold and impersonal, like a notification, not an invitation.
Zhou Mei stared at the screen for several seconds, her thumb hovering above the screen for a moment, but she didn't reply and simply locked the screen.
Lin Zhanqiao stood next to her, the streetlight casting a dim light on her face.
"Your mother?"
"Hmm." Zhou Mei stuffed her phone back into her windbreaker pocket and sighed. "They also want me to bring Qin Hao along."
Lin Zhanqiao raised an eyebrow: "Are you preparing to hold a family meeting?"
"Who knows?"
The three people parted ways at the restaurant entrance.
Lin Zhanqiao hailed a taxi and left first. Qin Hao and Zhou Mei walked a few steps along the Bund. The night breeze blew from the river, carrying moisture and a slight fishy smell.
Zhou Mei walked slower than usual, and her steps were not as steady.
Qin Hao didn't say anything, but simply reached out and took her hand.
"Why are your hands so cold?" Qin Hao squeezed her hand.
"It's nothing," Zhou Mei said. "It was probably just the wind."
Qin Hao didn't expose her. At this time of year in Shanghai, the evening breeze still carried the warmth of the daytime sun, not enough to make someone feel this way.
Zhou Mei took a few steps and then suddenly stopped.
"Old Qin."
"Ok?"
“Tomorrow…” She paused, as if organizing her thoughts, “If you don’t want to go tomorrow, you don’t have to go.”
Qin Hao turned around and looked at her.
Why don't you want to go?
“Because of my mom…” Zhou Mei bit her lip: “You saw that message today too, the tone of her voice, like I owe her something. I’m going tomorrow, and I don’t know what I’ll be facing. You don’t need to suffer with me.”
Qin Hao didn't rush to answer.
He pulled Zhou Mei's hand to his mouth and breathed on her palm.
"Your hands are so cold, if I don't go with you, who will warm them for you?"
"I'm being serious with you!" Zhou Mei shook his hand, but not forcefully; it was more like she was being coquettish.
“I’m being serious.” Qin Hao looked at her. “Your mother is your mother, and you are you. If you feel you can’t handle it alone, I’ll go. If you want to go by yourself, I have no objection. The key is—what do you think?”
Zhou Mei fell silent.
After a long while, she finally spoke.
I want you to go.
The voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.
Qin Hao smiled and squeezed her hand again: "Then let's go."
Zhou Mei looked up at him, her eyes a little red, but she didn't cry.
Aren't you afraid my mom will eat you up?
"Someone like your mother?" Qin Hao clicked his tongue. "She's not even enough to fill my teeth."
Zhou Mei finally smiled and punched him in the chest.
"Bragging is tax-free."
You'll find out tomorrow.
The two walked along the Bund for a while, then took a taxi back to the hotel.
-
At seven o'clock the next morning, Qin Hao was awakened by a rustling sound.
He opened his eyes and saw Zhou Mei already sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a hotel bathrobe, her hair still wet, obviously having just taken a shower.
"What time is it?" Qin Hao rubbed his eyes.
"It's almost 7:30." Zhou Mei's voice was a little tense.
What time are you meeting for?
"Ten o'clock."
Qin Hao turned over and closed his eyes again: "It's still early, let's sleep a little longer."
"What are you still sleeping for!" Zhou Mei yanked the covers off him. "Get up and pick out some clothes!"
Qin Hao was pulled up halfway and glanced at her helplessly.
"Is it really necessary? It's just going home, why make it sound like we're going to war?"
"It's like fighting a war, a war without gunpowder!" Zhou Mei had already opened the wardrobe and started rummaging through the drawers.
Qin Hao leaned against the headboard, watching her struggle with the wardrobe, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
He had never seen Zhou Mei like this before.
"I'll choose." Qin Hao jumped off the bed and walked barefoot to the wardrobe.
He glanced at it and immediately jumped on the sexiest tank top.
"Wear this."
Zhou Mei was startled: "No way, if I wear this, my mom will burn the house down..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Hao interrupted, "So, to deal with these kinds of pathological parents, you have to use drastic measures."
"Besides, even if you're willing to act in your mother's shoes for the rest of your life, I don't want to play the good boy in front of your mother forever."
As they were leaving, Qin Hao grabbed her hand: "Let's get your hair done first."
Zhou Mei thought she had misheard: "What?"
"Curly hair. Didn't you say your mom hates it when you have curly hair?"
Zhou Mei suddenly had a bad feeling.
After getting their hair done, Qin Hao took Zhou Mei to get her nails done, and they didn't leave until 9:40.
The car drove through the city for about twenty minutes before turning into an old residential area.
The road is lined with residential buildings constructed in the 1990s, their exterior walls painted a beige color, some of which has peeled off. In the open space downstairs, several old men are playing chess around a stone table, while a few dusty electric bikes are parked nearby.
The taxi stopped in front of a building.
Zhou Mei opened the car door, stood downstairs, and looked up at the scene.
On the fifth floor, the window was open, and a few pieces of clothing were hanging on the balcony.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Her tone was much calmer, but Qin Hao noticed that her fingers were gripping the phone tightly.
As they went upstairs, Zhou Mei walked ahead, her pace neither fast nor slow. The stairwell was a bit dark; one motion-activated light turned on, then went off a few seconds later.
When we got to the fifth floor, the door to the apartment on the left was closed.
The door was an old-fashioned security door, with a faded Chinese knot hanging on the iron bars. A "福" (good fortune) character was pasted on the door frame, its edges curled up and covered with several strips of transparent tape.
Zhou Mei stood at the door, raised her hand, and paused on the doorbell for two seconds.
Then I pressed it.
Footsteps came from inside the door.
The footsteps were steady, neither hurried nor slow, each step firm and solid.
The door opened.
A woman in her fifties stood behind the door.
Zhou Mei's mother was not tall, just over 1.6 meters. She wore a dark gray knitted sweater, and her hair was neatly combed and clipped behind her ears. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her skin was well-maintained, with a few fine lines around her eyes.
The moment her gaze fell on Zhou Mei's face, her expression changed instantly.
Zhou's mother tried to pull Zhou Mei inside, but was stopped by her hand.
"Auntie, since this is our first meeting, I didn't know what you liked, so I just bought a few things randomly. I hope you like them."
Zhou's mother didn't reply, but stepped aside and said, "Come in first."
The house was very clean. The living room wasn't large, with a fabric sofa, a glass coffee table, and an old-fashioned television set opposite it. Several porcelain bowls and a tea set were displayed on the TV stand. A potted green ivy stood in the corner, its leaves glossy and clearly well-maintained.
There was a faint sandalwood scent in the air, as if incense had just been lit.
While changing into slippers, Zhou Mei couldn't help but complain, "Look, it's all your fault. My mom is definitely going to lose her temper in a bit."
"Don't worry, I don't even consider your mother's fighting ability a threat."
Zhou's mother sat upright on the sofa, her anger already at its peak: "Sit down."
Then he pointed to the seat next to him and said to Zhou Mei, "Come sit next to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Hao sat down next to her: "Auntie, let me sit next to you, it will feel more intimate that way."
Speechless for a moment, Zhou's mother could only suppress her anger and ask, "Who told you to dress like this?"
“It’s me, Auntie. Don’t you think Zhou Mei looks beautiful?” Qin Hao said first.
Upon hearing this, Zhou's mother became furious: "What do you mean 'pretty'? Look at her hair, it's dyed like a vixen's, and she's wearing nail polish. Is that something a decent person would wear?"
"Auntie, I have to say something to you. What's wrong with dyeing your hair and painting your nails? Everyone has a desire to look good. If everyone were like you, all looking the same, what would be the point of this world?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Mei felt a significant reduction in the resentment that had been building up in her heart for years. It was simply the best mouth-to-mouth thing ever! If it weren't for her mother's murderous glare, she would have loved to give Qin Hao a thumbs up.
Zhou's mother suddenly stood up from the sofa, pointing at Qin Hao condescendingly: "How dare you, a junior, talk to me like that? Is this how your parents taught you?"
Qin Hao shrugged: "My parents have never thought that dyeing your hair or wearing nail polish is improper."
Zhou Mei almost burst out laughing, her shoulders trembling as she tried to hold it in, finding it extremely difficult to suppress her laughter.
Mrs. Zhou was so angry that her nose was practically steaming. She pointed to the door and said, "Get out of here! You're not welcome here. And you and my daughter must break up immediately. Our Zhou family has always been an honest and upright family. Don't let someone like you corrupt my daughter!"
"A decent family? Then how come I remember that after Zhou Mei's father divorced you, he found several more wives?" Qin Hao asked with a suspicious look.
Zhou's mother's head buzzed, and she swayed unsteadily, almost losing her balance. She felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart.
"You...get out of here! You're not welcome in our house!"
Zhou Mei stood next to Qin Hao and mustered her courage: "Mom, I will not break up with him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou's mother slapped him, but Qin Hao grabbed her wrist.
"You call this a law-abiding family that resorts to violence at the slightest disagreement?"
Zhou's mother gritted her teeth and said, "You and her father are both no good."
Then she turned to Zhou Mei and said earnestly, "Listen to your mother, break up with him quickly. He only cares about you now because you're young and pretty. Once you get older, he'll despise you for being old and faded and go find those shady women outside..."
"Auntie, as far as I know, when Zhou Mei's father divorced you, you were only in your thirties, which should have been the prime of your life. How come you looked old and faded? And it seems that Zhou Mei's father didn't divorce you because you were old and faded, but because you were too boring and too rigid, right?"
As soon as Qin Hao finished speaking, Zhou's mother struggled frantically, even trying to grab Qin Hao's face with her other hand, but was easily subdued by Qin Hao.
Looking at the chaotic scene, Zhou Mei was completely stunned, as if she had returned to the day when she was only a few years old, when her mother took her to her father's mistress's house and they had a fight.
"You...you bully an old woman like this, you'll die a horrible death..." Zhou's mother cursed, looking like a madwoman, completely unlike the dignified and gentle demeanor she had when she opened the door.
Qin Hao clicked his tongue: "At your age, you'd better watch your words. Otherwise, when you can't take care of yourself, you'll be left to fend for yourself, and your old age will be miserable."
"You...you're dreaming! Even if I die, I will never let my daughter marry you..." Zhou's mother roared through gritted teeth, her eyes bloodshot.
Qin Hao laughed: "If that's the case, then I'll go and get my marriage certificate with Zhou Mei later."
Zhou's mother subconsciously looked at Zhou Mei.
Looking at her mother's disheveled and even pleading gaze, Zhou Mei felt a mix of emotions, but more than anything, she felt a strong sense of pleasure as she finally vented her years of pent-up resentment.
"it is good."
This word was the last straw that broke Zhou's mother's back. She had no strength left to struggle and slumped onto the sofa, her eyes lifeless.
"Let's go, let her calm down on her own."
Zhou Mei nodded, took Qin Hao's hand, and was about to turn around when her mother rushed over and grabbed her leg.
"You can't treat me like this. Have you forgotten? Your father abandoned you a long time ago. I raised you with tears and snot all my eyes..."
Zhou Mei took a deep breath: "That's why I've played the role of your good daughter for so many years."
"Mom, do you know? Every time I came home before, I would dress up in a very unfashionable way to please you. The house you thought I lived in was actually rented just to please you. I usually live with Lin Zhanqiao. All my beautiful clothes, high heels, and cosmetics are in there."
"Actually, I've never been the obedient girl you thought I was. I like makeup, I like pretty clothes... I've been pretending for so many years, acting with you for so many years, and I don't want to keep acting anymore."
After saying that, Zhou Mei lifted her leg to break free from her mother's grasp, took Qin Hao's arm, and left the home that had suffocated her for more than twenty years.
After leaving home, Zhou Mei cried and laughed at the same time. Qin Hao couldn't help but joke, "If you keep acting like this, I'll have to consider whether I should get a marriage certificate with you. I don't want to pass it on to the next generation."
"Go away, who wants to get a marriage certificate with you? Dream on!" Zhou Mei wiped away her tears and scolded angrily.
How did I do just now?
"And you're the one who said that? You almost made my mom die of anger."
"Just tell me if it was good or not, that's all."
"It really feels great. It released all the resentment I've held in for over twenty years. I feel so much better now."
"You're comfortable now, but I'm not. Let's go back to the hotel."
"Ugh, who wants to go back to the hotel with you? I want to go home."
"Home Inn is also home."
-
That evening, Qin Hao and Zhou Mei snuggled up on the hotel sofa to watch a movie.
Zhou Mei had already seen an old movie, but she still nestled in Qin Hao's arms, eating potato chips while watching it. Qin Hao had one hand on her shoulder and was scrolling through his phone with the other.
"By the way," Qin Hao suddenly asked, "what kind of person is your father?"
Zhou Mei paused for a moment as she picked up the potato chips.
Why are you suddenly asking this?
"Curious. A man who can make your mother hate him that much must be no ordinary person."
Zhou Mei thought for a moment: "My dad... is quite complicated. After the divorce, he did date several women, but he never said he wouldn't support me. He sent me living expenses on time every month and would call me during holidays. But if you say he's responsible, he's never really taken care of me—I handled everything myself, from school and work to moving."
Do you harbor resentment towards him?
“It would be a lie to say I don’t resent it.” Zhou Mei stuffed a potato chip into her mouth. “But he’s different from my mom. My mom is the kind of person who wants to manage and control everything. My dad is the kind of person who doesn’t care about or ask about anything. Two extremes.”
Qin Hao nodded.
"Do you want to see him?"
Zhou Mei turned to look at him: "What do you mean?"
"We really upset your mom today, she might complain to your dad."
Zhou Mei rolled her eyes: "You're the one who made my mom angry, what does it have to do with me?"
Qin Hao laughed and scolded, "So, you're going to discard me after I've served my purpose?"
After a bit of playful banter, both of them were somewhat tempted and were about to have a more in-depth conversation.
Zhou Mei's phone beeped with a message notification.
She picked it up and stared at it, then paused, stunned.
"What's wrong?" Qin Hao asked.
Zhou Mei stared at the screen for a few seconds, then handed him the phone.
"My dad."
Qin Hao took it and looked at it—there was a text message on the screen, just one line:
"I heard from your mom that you have a boyfriend? Let's have dinner together tomorrow, it's on me."
Qin Hao raised an eyebrow: "The news spread pretty fast."
“Mom must have called him.” Zhou Mei leaned back on the sofa. “Every time something happens, the first person she calls and yells at is my dad. It’s like all the mistakes are caused by my dad divorcing her.”
"So, are you going?"
Zhou Mei remained silent for a while.
"Go ahead. It'll be a good opportunity for him to see what kind of man I've found."
After reading it, Zhou Mei tossed her phone aside.
"My dad said he wants to meet you and have a meal together. Tomorrow afternoon, after I get off work."
"Okay." Qin Hao stretched. "I'd also like to meet my father-in-law."
"Don't give me that." Zhou Mei rolled her eyes at him. "The tricks you used on my mom today won't work on my dad. He doesn't care about that. All he cares about is how much money he can get out of us to support his girlfriend who's leeching off him!"
"Nothing in this world is easier to resolve than something that can be solved with money..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Mei interrupted, "That won't do. You can't give him a single penny. I don't want to see him using your money to please his girlfriend!"
Qin Hao laughed: "Okay, then it's only for your dad to see, not for him to spend money."
Zhou Mei looked at him and suddenly felt a little absurd.
She was so nervous this morning, thinking that bringing her boyfriend home to meet her parents for the first time was a huge event.
As a result, I made my mom cry this morning.
I need to prepare to see my dad tomorrow.
The plot was more outrageous than any TV series she had ever watched.
"Tell me," she said, leaning on Qin Hao's shoulder, "Did my parents owe you something in their past life?"
"Whether they owe me or not, I don't know." Qin Hao put his hand on her head: "But in this life, they've met their nemesis by meeting me."
Zhou Mei couldn't help but laugh. (End of Chapter)