"When Tang Cheng was still around, she couldn’t go too far. Later, after her son passed away unexpectedly, she went back to the old family home less than once a year."

Tan You said, "So you see? I’ll only be happy that she’s embracing a new life. I won’t have any regrets."

On the third day after Tan You returned home, Li Lanzhen and Sun Zhicai came to see her. After Sun Zhicai explained their reason for coming, Tan You smiled. "I don’t object to you two getting married. It’s great to have someone for companionship, to take care of each other, and to offer mutual support."

Sun Zhicai hadn’t expected it to be so easy, and neither had Li Lanzhen. She glanced at Tan You. "You don’t object?"

"Why would I object?" Tan You said, amused. "Even though I work out of town, I’m well aware of everything going on with you. We’ve had our share of unpleasantness, but you are my mother, after all. Of course I’m happy for you if you’ve found a good match."

Sun Zhicai looked at Tan You, and she met his gaze without flinching. He understood that this was her way of warning him. Despite the major falling out between Li Lanzhen and Tan You, her daughter would not, in the end, completely abandon her.

He was a seasoned businessman, so he immediately smiled and said, "Li Zi, don’t you worry. Your mother and I will definitely live a good life together. I won’t let her regret her choice."

Tan You clinked her glass with his. "We’ll see."

She said, glancing at Li Lanzhen, "The Li family has brainwashed her quite thoroughly..."

Sun Zhicai understood Tan You’s meaning. "I get what you’re saying. The Li family has approached me before. I’m no pushover."

Tan You understood. She glanced at Li Lanzhen. ’Sun Zhicai is so much more assertive than Tang Cheng was. That makes sense. If Sun Zhicai weren’t so assertive, how could he have built up all his wealth?’

Tan You had guessed that Li Lanzhen wanted to get married, and she’d pretty much figured it out when Sun Zhicai invited her to dinner today. So, after two cups of tea, Tan You pushed a bank card in front of Li Lanzhen.

"There’s five hundred thousand in this card, which I’ve put into a fixed-term deposit for you. Later, I’ll also buy you a car for under two hundred thousand. Consider it my dowry for you."

"After you’re married, I’ll still transfer your allowance on time." Seeing Li Lanzhen’s eyes light up, Tan You added with a warning tone, "But if you dare give any of this to the Li family, from that moment on, I’ll act as if you don’t exist."

"And I absolutely won’t let the Li family off the hook either. Speaking of which, Li Wanjun only just managed to find another job. If I wanted to deal with him, it would be as easy as lifting a finger."

Recalling what Tan You was capable of from last time, Li Lanzhen quickly shook her head. "I won’t, I won’t do that. Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t give anything to the Li family."

"You’d better keep your word," Tan You scoffed. "Let me know when you’re getting your marriage license. After all these years, Grandpa and Grandma will want to see you enter the next stage of your life."

Sun Zhicai said, "I’ll be sure to let you know."

Watching Tan You leave, Li Lanzhen was both happy and embarrassed. "She’s walking all over me now. What kind of mother am I? I have no authority at all."

"Just knock it off. She’s already doing more than enough," Sun Zhicai said. Despite his assertive nature, he was street-smart and knew how to read people. He recognized that Tan You was actually being incredibly decent to Li Lanzhen.

"I just can’t stand how harsh she is," Li Lanzhen grumbled. Seeing the warning look in Sun Zhicai’s eyes, she quickly changed her tune. "Let’s go look at cars later. She said she’d buy me one, but I don’t know how to drive, so you can drive it..."

Sun Zhicai said, "I have a car. If you don’t know how to drive, go get a license. How would it look if I were the one driving your car?"

"Then let’s just forget it. One car in the family is enough. I’ll just go wherever you go anyway, so there’s no use buying so many cars..." Li Lanzhen started counting on her fingers. "Why don’t we ask her to just give me the cash instead? When we have children later, we can use it to build up a little nest egg for them..."

Hearing Li Lanzhen plan for their future without a single mention of the Li family, Sun Zhicai’s mood improved considerably. He felt a strong sense of accomplishment at being able to somewhat curb her compulsion to give everything to her family.

’As for the Li family, if they dare to show up again, they’ll have to deal with me. I haven’t been in business all these years for nothing; I know a few people.’ 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

’To be honest, he’d had his reservations at first. Not about the Li family, but about Tan You being too domineering. What if she didn’t approve of his relationship with Li Lanzhen? After all, both he and Tan You were similarly strong-willed people who wouldn’t yield an inch.’

’He just hadn’t expected her to agree so easily. But then he looked at Li Lanzhen, who was beaming foolishly beside him, and he understood Tan You’s reasoning again. Perhaps to Tan You, her mother was just a burden. Now that someone was willing to take on that burden, she could only be happy.’

’Of course, that was on the condition that she determined he was a decent person.’

"Let’s go. We have to set up the stall tonight." After finishing the tea in his cup, Sun Zhicai stood up to leave, and Li Lanzhen hurried to follow. When he heard at the front desk that Tan You had already paid the bill, Sun Zhicai lowered his gaze and smiled. He suddenly felt that his new stepdaughter was quite a remarkable person.

’Compared to her own mother, she was so thoughtful and considered every detail. This made him think that if they had a child in the future, he would have to be the one to raise them. He really couldn’t trust Li Lanzhen’s parenting skills.’

When Li Lanzhen asked for cash instead of the car, Tan You didn’t have much of a reaction, simply transferring the money to her right away. Since she was getting married, she naturally had to inform the Li family. Their reactions were varied.

They had approached Sun Zhicai before, only to be dealt with shortly after. Now, hearing that Li Lanzhen was going to marry him, they understood it would be difficult to get anything out of her from now on.

After all, Sun Zhicai kept a tight watch, and he wasn’t easygoing like Tang Cheng.

If one were to speak of warmth, Old Man Li and Mrs. Li showed a sliver of it. Mrs. Li said, "Our family was struggling back then, so when you married Tang Cheng, we didn’t prepare a dowry for you."

"You’ve been a widow for so many years, and now you’re remarrying. Your father and I have been farmers all our lives, and we haven’t saved up any money..."

Li Lanzhen was a little moved, but one look at Sun Zhicai beside her and that feeling immediately vanished. "Whether you give something or not, it’s the thought that counts. I’m doing well now, so there’s no need for me to eye your retirement savings."

Old Man Li was relieved. "Then... what did Tang Li have to say?"

"She has no objections." Li Lanzhen had finally learned a thing or two recently; she didn’t say a single word about how much money Tan You had given her. "Tang Li’s grandparents don’t have any objections either. We’ve arranged to have a meal together on the day we get our license."

Mrs. Li felt a little uneasy, as if her daughter, Li Lanzhen, had drifted away from her.

After a bit more small talk, Li Lanzhen hung up the phone. Sun Zhicai poured her a cup of tea. "You did very well."

Li Lanzhen smiled. "Really? It took all my willpower not to mention the dowry Tang Li gave me."