Chapter 160: Tears for gifts.
The last day of the trip had gone pretty much as Liwu expected. Her husband had a nervous stomach, and his newest closest ally was the bathroom! So, she attended the law enforcement conference, while making time to check on him. At 11:00 P.M, they had flown back home on a private plane, along with the rest of her team.
After getting some rest, Weijun had asked the whole Shen family to gather in the living room, today evening. Everyone had come, from the oldest to the youngest, even Manman, the woman who Weijun had advised Weifeng not to bring. Despite her presence, the atmosphere was expectant, buzzing with curiosity. After all, Weijun had promised souvenirs from Austria, and everyone knew that for him, this was code for "food."
Weijun clapped his hands, beaming as he dodged an excited bunny. "My dear citizens..." he started.
OMG, Liwu mouthed silently, with an eye roll. The husband she had married was either mysterious or just goofy. "Just give them the gifts Weijun," she raised her voice.
The other Shen’s concurred.
Before he could finish his speech, Liwu opened her infinite-space bag. Out came strudels, pretzels, sausages, cakes, sweets and a variety of other foreign named pastries.
Madam Xu gasped, flabbergasted. "Milk? You brought back milk? From Austria? My son, you went abroad and returned with milk, cheese and bread?"
Weijun puffed his chest. "Not just food, Mother. These are cultural artifacts! Each bite carries centuries of family recipes and tradition!"
Liwu muttered, "Each bite carries cholesterol."
The family laughed, digging in eagerly.
Ignoring the jab from his wife, Weijun continued, "This milk is not just milk, it is from Austrian cows. The grass they eat is not the grass the cows here eat. It is the same milk, but there is a difference in taste. The best part of traveling is tasting the local cuisine....."
While he gave the culinary lecture, comments came in from the family on the pastries. They were like judges of a food show on television! Liwu could not believe it when the Shen brothers scrambled for the baby sized sausages. She wondered if they would snatch her bag if they knew that she had more inside, saved for her own large family.
She handed out more snacks, one by one, smiling politely. But when she reached Manman, she topped cold.
The actress, who appeared to be a delicate creature in a light green silk dress already had watery eyes. She had a perpetual air of victimhood as always as she extended her hand expectantly.
Liwu’s smile vanished. "Not you." she said flatly. "I would never buy you anything, not even to fake politeness."
The room froze.
Manman blinked, lips trembling. "What do you mean? Why not?"
Liwu shrugged unapologetically. "Because you endangered my husband’s job with that necklace around your neck and not even once, have you apologized or tried to make things right. You are always crying, always pretending to be innocent, always stirring trouble. I don’t reward manipulation with gifts."
A few gasps echoed.
"Subtle, Liwu." One of her sisters-in-law commented with a laugh.
Manman’s eyes filled with tears instantly, as if she had rehearsed the moment. She clutched her chest dramatically, pinning her eyes on Weijun. But, he looked away, whistling as he handed Officer Bun the carrot they had brought for the rabbit.
So, Manman clutched the necklace and cried out dramatically, "You’re bullying me! All of you! Ever since I joined this family, you’ve been treating me like an outsider. Now you don’t want to give a small pastry gift? How mean!"
Weifeng leapt to his feet, face red. He had only eaten one small candy so far. "Sister-in-law! Why are you insulting my girlfriend? I bought her the necklace and told her she has nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a symbol of our love, why should we hide it. I hope you will respect Manman from now on."
Liwu snorted. "Respect is earned, not demanded with crocodile tears."
Manman wailed louder, collapsing into Weifeng’s side. "See? I told you that she hates me. She has made your whole family hate me too. Now everyone is looking at me as if they want me gone!"
"I am not." Shen Biao said.
Manman ignored her only supporter in the family, who was not even a supporter anymore, since Shen Biao only wanted to use her to separate Liwu and Weijun. Now that she was dating Weifeng, Shen Biao’s friendship had been cut by half.
The family exchanged weary glances. They had all tolerated Manman because of Weifeng, but she was too much. Her endless crying whenever things didn’t go her way, fainting spells when she was caught in the act, sneaking around. Her many accusations of bullying. Tonight was no different;
Madam Xu sighed. "No one is bullying you. These things belong to Weijun and Liwu and they can give them out to anyone they want. We are all tired of this." She looked at Weifeng. "Can’t you control your girlfriend after pushing her into our family gatherings. Must every meal or get together end in tears?"
Manman sniffled. "Mother-in-law, I don’t want to cry either. But I am really delicate. My heart is easily pained when I am rejected."
Liwu rolled her eyes. "Your heart is easily pained but your mouth is made of thorns. You accuse, you cry, you manipulate. That’s not being delicate. That’s strategy."
Manman gasped, scandalized. "Detective Liwu, that is not fire. Do you have any evidence before accusing me? You don’t, you just hate my friendship with Weijun. All I wanted was a gift. Why can’t you give me one? You are supposed to be fair."
Liwu groaned in disgust. "See how you are ruining a perfectly good family get together?"
The tired and irritated eyes of the family members seemed to say the same thing. Everyone knew Liwu didn’t like Manman, including Manman herself. She should have shrugged off Liwu’s rejection and taken it like a champion. Crying and demanding for a gift was silly and childish.
Weifeng hugged Manman tighter. "If you won’t give Manman anything, then I don’t want anything either."
Liwu shrugged. "Then it’s a good thing I didn’t bring one for you either." She muttered additionally, "Blind fool with a pure as fox girlfriend in sheep’s clothing."
Manman ran out of the room in tears, and Weifeng followed.
The family collectively sighed. Madam Xu whispered, "Here we go again."
Shen Kaiwen said loudly, "Mom, why don’t you just tell them to move out? I can’t even come home often anymore because Manman cries if I look at her the wrong way. How long must we live like this?"