The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 188 - 187: Why Does Everyone Have to Force Me?

"You need to find time to go to the university and check on that brat. She hasn’t been home in ages. Tell me, wasn’t I trying to help her by introducing her to a potential partner? Do you have any idea how much effort I put in just to get them to meet her? And now she’s throwing a tantrum! Does she think things are still the same as before? If our family could marry into the Liu Family, they could help us out with no effort at all. Then she wouldn’t have to live this kind of life, and we could have it easier too."

Wang Qiming tried to reason with her. "If Xiao Min doesn’t want to, then let’s just drop it. I’ve never met Minister Liu’s son, but I’ve heard rumors that he has some... intellectual issues. If she marries someone like that, could she really be happy?"

Li Wanqing glared at Wang Qiming, dissatisfied. "What do you mean, ’happy’? Money and power are happiness! You’re still young, you don’t understand how important they are. Just look at our family’s situation. Can’t you see it? I’m telling you, I refuse to live like this anymore, always having to bow my head to others. I want a better life! I’m getting old. If I can’t rely on you kids, who else is there? If she’s not willing, then you can go find me a daughter-in-law from a wealthy family. At least then people won’t be laughing at me behind my back."

Wang Qiming closed his eyes. ’How did this get turned on me again?’

He was getting really fed up. He was exhausted after a long day at work, but he couldn’t get a moment’s peace at home. It was just one damn thing after another, on top of all the housework he had to do.

He was starting to envy his sister. ’Maybe it would be nice to stay at the university and not come home. At least I wouldn’t have to listen to all this aggravating nonsense.’

But he couldn’t say any of that out loud. He just silently got up to wash the dishes from their last meal. Then he had to cook dinner, and after they ate, he still had to wash the clothes he’d taken off yesterday.

Ever since her fight with Li Wanqing outside the restaurant, Wang Shumin hadn’t returned home. She was against her mother meddling in her love life. It wasn’t just that she looked down on the proposed suitor; it was also because she was already dating someone at the university. He was in the civil engineering department, and the two were around the same age, shared common interests, and were completely inseparable.

Wang Shumin was quite attractive, so she never lacked for admirers at the university. The one she was dating now was someone she had chosen herself. He was handsome and completely her type. His family background just wasn’t very good, but Wang Shumin didn’t care about things like that.

When Wang Qiming went to the university to find Wang Shumin, he happened to spot her walking on campus with a boy, her arm linked through his. They were laughing and talking, and the sight made Wang Qiming frown.

"Xiao Min," Wang Qiming called out.

Wang Shumin heard her name and looked over. When she saw it was her brother, she glanced at her companion and said a few words to him. The young man looked at Wang Qiming, gave him a nod, and then turned and walked away.

Wang Shumin hurried over to Wang Qiming’s side, looking a little guilty. "Brother, what are you doing here?"

Wang Qiming looked at her. "Who was that?"

Wang Shumin lowered her head and touched the tip of her nose, mumbling, "No one."

"You’re dating someone here at the university?" Wang Qiming’s tone was more of a statement than a question.

After a few seconds of silence, Wang Shumin nodded.

Wang Qiming was getting angry. "Mom is running all over the place trying to set you up, and here you are, dating someone behind her back."

Wang Shumin bit her lip and turned her face away. "That’s what *she* wants. I already told her I’m not interested. If she wants to go to all that trouble, that’s her problem."

"So you just decided not to come home at all?"

Wang Shumin said impatiently, "What’s the point of going back? That house is suffocating. I’d rather just stay here at the university. Brother, you know how it is. Mom always has a problem with me. Nothing I ever do is good enough for her."

Wang Qiming sighed. "She’s still our mother, no matter what. You should go home and see her this week. She might not say it, but she’s worried about you. Now, what’s this boyfriend’s name? What’s his major? Where’s he from? Who’s in his family? You’re going to tell me everything, right now."

"Brother—" Wang Shumin whined, tugging on Wang Qiming’s arm and shaking it.

"None of that. You have to tell me."

It was clear Wang Qiming was determined to get to the bottom of it today. Seeing no way out, Wang Shumin had no choice but to give him the basic details.

The more Wang Qiming heard, the deeper his frown became, until he finally cut her off.

"That’s enough. Stop. You need to break up with him immediately."

Wang Shumin looked at her brother, annoyed. "Why? What’s wrong with him? You just saw him. He’s good-looking, and he got into university from a rural village all on his own merit. That’s amazing."

Wang Qiming shook his head. "His background alone is enough for Mom to never agree. I’m telling you to end it now because I don’t want this to blow up. If Mom finds out and comes to the university to cause a scene, there will be nothing I can do to control it."

At the mention of Li Wanqing, Wang Shumin sank into a powerless squat, staring dejectedly at her feet.

She whispered, "My whole life, there hasn’t been a single thing I could decide for myself. What I do, who my friends are, even down to the clothes I wear—she has to control everything. She even signed me up to be sent down to the countryside behind my back. Then she was the one who sent me the materials and told me to test into university and come back. But even with all that, she’s still never satisfied with anything I do. Is there anything in this life that I can actually choose for myself? Is it so wrong to want to find someone I like and spend my life with them? Why does everyone have to push me around?"

Wang Qiming looked down at Wang Shumin, and his heart finally softened.

He pulled Wang Shumin to her feet. "Alright, I’ll help you keep this from Mom for now. As for her trying to find you a husband, I’ll do my best to talk her out of it. But I can’t guarantee she’ll listen to me. If she finds out about your boyfriend on her own, there’s nothing I can do to save you."

They both knew their mother all too well. Li Wanqing wasn’t just domineering and tyrannical; she was also obsessive. To put it bluntly, she was unscrupulous. It was because they knew this that they didn’t dare defy her.

With tears in her eyes, Wang Shumin nodded.

Wang Qiming reached out and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. He managed a small smile. "Alright, come on. I got paid today. I’ll take you out for a nice meal."

Wang Shumin glanced at Wang Qiming, then followed him off campus.

Almost two months had passed, and Wang Shumin still hadn’t gone home. Li Wanqing had brought it up with Wang Qiming several times, but he just brushed her off, saying he’d have his sister come back some other time.

The more Li Wanqing thought about it, the more something felt wrong. To make matters worse, Mrs. Liu called again, wanting to arrange another meeting between the two families.

After their last meeting, both Mrs. Liu and her son had taken a liking to Wang Shumin. However, because Wang Shumin had refused, Li Wanqing had planned to slowly persuade her at home and hadn’t given the Liu Family a direct rejection.

Now that they were calling again to schedule a meeting, Li Wanqing had no choice but to agree.

The only problem was that the brat was living at the university and refused to come home.

With no other choice, Li Wanqing had to go to the university herself.