Li Min left, and Tian Jing told Mai Mai the reason why Lili had registered their marriage before holding a wedding ceremony.
After Mai Mai's surprise, she offered her blessings, "Speaking of which, Lili and Lu Shi are a perfect match."
"Lili is determined to be a strong woman, and she can't spare much energy on family and marriage."
"Lu Shi's job nature dictates that the two will not be together day and night, reducing conflict."
"Lu Shi is an orphan with no family burden, so Lili only needs to take care of one side. Taking care of her maiden family is more willing for a woman than taking care of her in-laws."
Tian Jing understood Mai Mai's emotions and comforted her by patting her hand,
"Most women, after marrying into their husband's family, experience regret and weariness after various frictions."
"However, having no in-laws also has its difficulties. Like Lili, she needs someone to accompany her... your uncle says I worry too much..."
"Your grandmother is a very good mother-in-law, isn't she? Yet, I have also felt dissatisfied with her."
"People's moods and thoughts change as they age."
"Before, I told myself that I would be a mother-in-law who didn't interfere in anything, but now, I even wish I could split myself into four..."
"What you are experiencing now is a mindset that every woman has when her children are still young and the future is not as beautiful as she had hoped."
Mai Mai was confused, "Really?"
"Really," Tian Jing nodded. "When Yu Lin starts school, your expectations will shift to the desire for your child to succeed."
"Take your time. Everyone's life is different, but everyone will go through various changes in their mindset."
Mai Mai sighed, "I hope I can get out of this state soon. I..."
"Hey! Who are you? Put my grandson down quickly!" Li Min's scolding came from outside.
Tian Jing moved extremely quickly to Li Min's side.
She saw a tall, brown-haired beauty standing opposite Li Min, kissing Ji Xiang's face repeatedly, "Baby, I'm sorry, Mommy is late."
Ji Xiang didn't struggle. Instead, he looked at the woman curiously.
Tian Jing's lips twitched. She had considered all sorts of possibilities, but never that Zeng Jingchu had found a mixed-race woman.
No wonder Ji Xiang's hair was always yellowish, and his nose bridge was quite high.
"Hello," Tian Jing's voice interrupted the woman's kisses.
The woman looked up, and Tian Jing saw a pair of brown eyes.
"Hello," the woman's Chinese was very standard.
"I think we need to sit down and talk," Tian Jing gestured towards the living room.
The woman nodded and walked into the living room, holding Ji Xiang.
"Sister-in-law~"
Li Min pulled Tian Jing. Ji Xiang wasn't resisting being held by the woman, so she already had a guess.
However, her heart ached.
"What is meant to come will come," Tian Jing waved her hand at her. "You are upset, but Hua'er, Xiao Fu, and Ji Qing are even more upset. Quickly compose yourself and look after Ji Qing."
Mai Mai wasn't as fast as Tian Jing, but she saw most of it.
She asked her aunt to watch Yu Lin and went to the kitchen to boil water for tea.
Li Min took Ji Qing and Yu Lin into the kitchen, one in each hand.
In the living room, the woman voluntarily sat on the sofa.
After Tian Jing sat down, the woman said she wanted to take the child away.
Tian Jing disagreed. "The person who sent the child here wasn't you. Don't even talk about a child; even an item, it only makes sense to retrieve it from the person who stored it, right?"
The woman nodded, "But he ran away."
Tian Jing carefully observed the woman. Perhaps due to their different races, she found it difficult to discern any emotion from the woman's eyes.
"So, you found your way here?"
"Yes," the woman nodded. "No wonder he left the baby with you. You're very smart."
"Heh," Tian Jing chuckled. "I'm not as smart as you. How did you recognize the child?"
The woman stared at Tian Jing's face. "If I said it was a bloodline connection, would you believe me?"
"No," Tian Jing shook her head. "Unless you provide concrete evidence, you won't be able to take your baby away."
"Impossible," the woman stood up. "No one can stop me if I want to leave."
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman had already left the living room and was in the courtyard, about to pass through the inner gate into the front yard.
Tian Jing, who followed closely behind, flicked her hand, and six vines flew out from the inner gate towards the front yard.
Two wrapped around the woman's arms and upper body, and two wrapped around her legs. The remaining two wrapped around Ji Xiang.
With a strong tug, the woman and Ji Xiang were both pulled back into the inner courtyard by Tian Jing.
Ji Xiang landed in Tian Jing's arms and giggled, "Great Aunt, this is fun."
Tian Jing poked his nose. "Aren't you afraid of being sold?"
"Aunty isn't a bad person," Ji Xiang said, turning to look at the woman.
Bound and pulled back, the woman looked at Tian Jing in surprise.
Tian Jing untangled the vines from Ji Xiang and let him down. "Go to the kitchen and find your grandmother. Bad people always release kindness when they're deceiving children."
Ji Xiang looked up at the bound woman. "Aunty, you're not a bad person, are you?"
The woman nodded, "I am your Mommy."
"You're not," Ji Xiang shook his head. "I have a dad and mom, a brother, and grandparents. I can't be your child; they would cry."
With that, Ji Xiang ran towards the kitchen.
Tian Jing pulled the woman into the living room. The woman sat on the sofa again. "Are you a superpowered person?"
Tian Jing played dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about. Tell me, where is he?"
The woman tried to break free from the vines but to no avail.
Tian Jing crossed her arms and watched her.
Mai Mai entered with tea. Seeing the situation in the living room, she paused for a moment before continuing to pour tea and water.
Tian Jing told her to go back to the kitchen and look after the three children.
Mai Mai nodded and left.
The woman stopped struggling. "I'm thirsty."
Tian Jing picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The woman said angrily, "I said I'm thirsty."
Tian Jing shook the vines in her hand. "I haven't bound your mouth or head. Lower your head and drink from the table."
The woman suddenly stood up. "You are insulting me."
Tian Jing put down the cup and said slowly, "I invited you in because I wanted to hear what happened between you and him."
"He's been missing for over two years. Thinking that he's not such an unreliable person, we assumed he and his woman were living happily ever after."
"Now, you want to snatch the child without giving me an adult. Do you think that's possible?"
"You guys?" the woman retorted. "Who are you?"
"Heh," Tian Jing chuckled and shook her head. "No wonder he'd rather send the child to me than take the child with you."
The woman sat down again. "What do you mean?"
Tian Jing took another sip of tea before saying, "Our country emphasizes integrity and security."
"After speaking with you for just a few sentences, I understand why he didn't want to be with you."
"You never answer other people's questions, you always talk to yourself, and you always ask the questions you want to ask."
"You are a woman who makes people feel insecure."
"Just like your baby. He clearly likes you and has felt your connection, yet he tells you he has a family and doesn't want to be your child."
"You are not suitable to have a man and children. Wait until your baby turns eighteen, and then ask him if he wants to go with you. I won't let him grow up around a woman like you."
"You can't keep me," the woman said confidently.
"Yes," Tian Jing admitted. "I'll take you to someone who can keep you."
Before the woman could say anything more, several vines suddenly wrapped around her again.
This time, she was directly wrapped into a chrysalis. Then, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck, and she quickly lost consciousness.