Chapter 258: In-Laws
*Runze’s POV*
I knew this visit was inevitable.
Ever since Feifei called, saying our parents wanted to see me—a call I intentionally ignored—it was only a matter of time before they showed up at the gates. They never liked me, and when I got pregnant while Bael was still engaged to Feifei, they mentally wrote me off completely. But now that Siying is born, the narrative has shifted.
I sit on the sofa in the main sitting room, holding Siying against my chest in her ivory swaddle. Bael sits beside me, while Grandmother occupies her usual armchair across the tea table.
The quiet room vanishes the moment the double doors open.
The sharp, rhythmic click of high heels against the floor announces them before they even cross the threshold. Li Chen walks in first, his posture stiff, wearing a dark suit tailored to project wealth he barely maintains. Beside him, Li Meifeng smooths down her designer dress, her sharp eyes sweeping over the high ceilings and artwork before landing on us with practiced, theatrical warmth.
Trailing a step behind them is Feifei. She looks deeply uncomfortable, her hands clasped tightly over her handbag as if trying to shrink away from our parents’ loud presence.
Li Chen immediately bows his head in formal deference toward Grandmother. "Madam Wuchen. It is an honor to be received by you today."
Li Meifeng quickly follows suit, lowering her gaze with exaggerated grace. "Madam Wuchen. I hope we find you in good health."
Feifei lowers her head in a quiet, respectful bow, her hands remaining tightly clasped over her handbag.
Grandmother offers a single, barely perceptible nod from her armchair, her sharp eyes taking the three of them in with cool composure. "You are welcomed."
Bael pushes himself up from the sofa, his tall frame cutting an imposing figure as he steps forward to greet them. "Mr. Li. Mrs. Li." He extends his hand, offering Li Chen a brief, firm handshake that is purely civil—a standard display of Wuchen hospitality.
"Mr. Bael," Li Chen says, adjusting his posture as he grips Bael’s hand, trying his best to project equal footing. "We came as soon as the news finally reached us. Though, I must admit... we were quite surprised to hear about our granddaughter’s arrival through public announcements rather than a personal call from family."
Li Meifeng sighs softly beside him, dabbing at the corner of her eyes with a delicate handkerchief. "We were so worried, wondering why we were kept in the dark for so long..."
"Things were quite hectic after delivery," Bael replies smoothly, his voice calm, even, and entirely devoid of apology as he turns to give Feifei a quiet nod. "Runze needed complete rest, so we restricted all non-essential communications. I’m sure you understand."
Li Chen’s posture stiffens just a fraction, a brief pause hanging in the air before he forces a polite, tight smile. Beside him, Li Meifeng gently lowers her handkerchief, her expression smoothing over into practiced indifference.
Neither of them challenges the phrasing, quietly absorbing the boundary rather than risking Bael’s disfavor.
Bael steps back to sit beside me on the sofa, his arm resting naturally along the back cushions behind my shoulders.
Only after the formal protocols with the Wuchen family are settled do my parents finally direct their attention down to me.
"Runze, my dear boy," Li Meifeng begins, her voice pitching up with an airy, motherly affection that makes my stomach turn. She steps closer to the sofa, her hands fluttering in an open gesture. "Look at you... you look a little pale, but so well."
"Mother. Father," I say softly, keeping my tone strictly polite. "Feifei."
Feifei’s eyes flick to meet mine. She offers a small, fleeting smile, her voice barely a whisper. "Good morning, Brother."
Li Meifeng leans down toward my lap, her hands reaching out toward the swaddle. "Oh, let me see her! Let your mother hold her little granddaughter—"
Before her fingers can touch the edge of the blanket, I smoothly turn my shoulder, angling Siying away from her reach. "She just fell back asleep, Mother. I’d prefer not to disturb her."
Meifeng’s hands freeze in mid-air. A flicker of irritation passes through her eyes, but she quickly masks it with a tight, strained smile, pulling back to gently adjust the pearl bracelet at her wrist. She doesn’t push for the baby. She doesn’t actually care about holding Siying, she just wanted the gesture for appearances.
Instead, her gaze shifts past my shoulder, sizing up the estate before she settles onto the adjacent sofa beside Li Chen. "Of course, of course... babies are so delicate."
Feifei steps forward quietly, her eyes fixed on the tiny face resting against my chest. She hesitates, looking at me with a soft, uncertain question in her eyes.
I offer her a faint, genuine nod.
She kneels slightly beside my side of the sofa, extending one hesitant finger. Siying’s small hand twitches in her sleep, her tiny fingers curling instinctively around Feifei’s fingernail. A soft, genuine breath escapes Feifei’s lips, her eyes widening in quiet awe.
"She’s so small, Runze," Feifei whispers softly, her thumb lightly brushing the soft skin of Siying’s wrist.
"She is," I say softly, the coldness in my chest easing just a fraction for my sister.
After Feifei steps back, Li Chen gestures toward the entrance. A house servant who had been waiting in the hallway quietly steps into the room, placing several gift boxes onto the side table before stepping back.
"Madam Wuchen, Mr. Bael," Li Chen says, offering a smooth, practiced bow. "We bring our formal congratulations on the birth of the Wuchen heir. We’ve brought a piece of fine vintage jade for the child’s protection—and as a token of our deep respect, a rare tea selection for you, Old Madam, along with an aged spirit for Mr. Bael."
Li Meifeng inclines her head gracefully beside him. "We only want what is best for the child and the standing of both our families."
Grandmother glances at the stack of gifts, her expression calm and unreadable. "You are very thoughtful," she says softly, acknowledging the gesture with a polite nod.
Looking at the table, their priorities are clear enough. Siying’s small jade box is completely buried under the gifts meant for Grandmother and Bael.
Li Chen clears his throat, setting his hands over his knees as a maid pours tea for the room. He turns first toward Grandmother’s armchair before sweeping his gaze over to Bael.
"Now that the baby is safely here," Li Chen begins, "we need to speak about how our families move forward. Ever since news of the pregnancy broke, the press and our social circles have been watching closely. There are ongoing questions about how the Li family will be integrated into the Wuchen supply network, given our newfound familial tie."
"Your father is right. A child of the Wuchen heir’s stature deserves to have her maternal family seen as a strong, equal pillar. Since our mills expanded after the merger, upgrading Li Textiles from a regional supplier to the exclusive global vendor for Wuchen Group’s entire luxury hospitality and retail divisions would establish a true united front. It shows the public that we are actively collaborating as equals."
She says it with smooth confidence, as if they hadn’t mentally written me off the moment I became inconvenient to them.
Beside me, Bael shifts slightly, his arm resting along the back of the sofa behind my shoulders. His posture is relaxed, his gaze fixed calmly on my father. He makes no move to answer them, his silence giving me the room to step in.
I had known they would try to leverage this child the moment they walked through the door. But watching them sit here—using my daughter’s birth as nothing more than a stepping stone for corporate advancement—leaves a cold, familiar ache in my chest. A quiet wave of shame washes over me, not for what they are doing, but because I share their blood.
Yet beneath that shame, a quiet resolve takes root. I will not let them turn my child into their bargaining chip.
Under the edge of the table, I reach down and lightly press my hand against Bael’s knee.
*I’m handling this.*
Bael’s eyes meet mine for a fraction of a second, a subtle yield in his expression, and he remains quiet.
I take a slow, calm breath, offering my mother a warm, brilliant smile.
"That is so remarkably thoughtful of you, Mother," I say, my voice smooth, sweet, and entirely devoid of sharp edges.
Li Meifeng blinks, visibly caught off guard by my sudden warmth. "Well... of course it is. We are your family."
"Which is precisely why I cannot possibly allow you to make such a sacrifice," I continue softly, keeping my smile steady as I look between her and Li Chen. "You both care so deeply about your reputation and the Li family honor. If the Wuchen Group were to suddenly expand your manufacturing contracts right after I gave birth, do you know what the public would say?"
Li Chen’s eyebrows draw together. "Runze—"
"They would say you traded your filial relationship for corporate favors," I cut in gently, my tone laced with sweet, fake concern. "They would accuse my wonderful parents of using their grandchild’s birth as a bargaining chip to secure contracts they didn’t earn. I could never bear to see your dignity dragged through the mud like that."
Meifeng’s face turns pale, her lips pressing into a thin, tight line. "Runze, that is ridiculous. Family businesses cross-collaborate all the time—"
"Not in this house," I say softly, the smile still resting effortlessly on my face while my eyes remain completely steady. "To protect you from any rumors of nepotism, I’ll make sure Bael’s legal and procurement teams give Li Corporation no special exemptions or contracts. That way, everyone will know you came here out of pure, selfless love... not greed."
The silence that hits the room is absolute.
Feifei sits stiffly on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she lowers her eyes to the floor, completely aware of what just happened.
Li Chen’s jaw tightens, his face flushing a deep, dull red. He turns his head sharply toward the armchair across the table.
"Old Madam Wuchen," Li Chen says, his voice strained as he tries to maintain his composure. "Surely you see how unfilial Runze is being? We came here in good faith as elders, yet he speaks to his own parents with such disrespect in your presence."
Grandmother doesn’t even lift her head.
She picks up her porcelain teacup with slow, practiced grace, raising it to her lips and taking a quiet, unhurried sip. She sets the cup back down onto its saucer without making a single sound. Her sharp, grey eyes remain fixed entirely on the steam rising from her tea, ignoring Li Chen completely.
Her silence is an absolute door shutting in their faces.
Beside me, I feel the slight shift in Bael’s chest. I don’t need to turn my head to know that a faint, barely perceptible curve of amusement has touched the corner of his lips.
I look back at my mother, keeping my posture straight and composed as the host of this home.
"You are always welcome to visit as guests during formal holidays, Father, Mother," I say gently, my voice calm, pleasant, and entirely final. "But business stays outside the Wuchen gates. We wouldn’t want to tarnish your pure intentions."
Li Meifeng opens her mouth to speak, but looking at Grandmother’s deliberate indifference and Bael’s quiet presence beside me, she realizes there is no leverage left to pull.
She slowly pulls her handbag into her lap, her knuckles white against the leather.
"We... see," she manages to say, her voice tight and bitter.
"Wonderful," I say, my smile soft and unwavering. "Now, let me have the kitchen pack some of our house pastries for you to take on your way back."