Zheng Yiling watched her outstanding and impeccable son stand before her, her eyes filled with complex emotions. There was resentment, anger, and a sense of helplessness.
Xiao Chifeng was her only child with Xiao Dingtian.
She had always treated him like a precious jewel, pouring her full maternel love upon him.
She had always hoped that he would be successful.
And this son of hers didn't disappoint her. He had been extraordinarily brilliant from a young age, and he was still so outstanding. She, as a mother, was always proud of him and took pride in him.
If this were in the past, she would have been extremely pleased to see him take time to come home.
But now, whenever Zheng Yiling thought of what Jiang Ruoqing had said, she felt chest-tightened, as if something was stuck in her throat, making her feel unable to breathe.
She really didn't dare to believe the truth.
She couldn't believe that her nearly perfect son could do something so stupid as to ruin his great prospects.
Once anyone gets hold of this matter and exploits it, not only would it greatly affect him, but it might also have an impact on the entire family. If there were people behind the scenes manipulating the situation, it could potentially damage the family's reputation! Could her smart son fail to understand this logic?
She didn't believe he could be that ignorant.
Excluding that possibility, there was only one other explanation: he was in love with this woman, possibly even committed to her and prepared to go public with their relationship!
This truth was even more difficult for her to accept than what Jiang Ruoqing had told her earlier. It upset her even more.
She had always believed that her son's marriage should be arranged by his parents, just like how her marriage to Xiao Dingtian was arranged, all for the prosperity and development of the family. It should follow the model and process that all other marriages of the aristocratic families did: The sons and daughters of these families should live comfortably, wealthy lives. That was the correct way.
But now Xiao Chifeng had presented her with a big problem.
The more Zheng Yiling thought about it, the angrier she became, her eyes sharpening as she looked at her son.
Suppressing her anger, she coldly asked Xiao Chifeng, "Tell me, what's the deal with Shen Qingcong?"
Last night, Jiang Ruoqing had dug up all the dirt on Shen Qingcong and figured out the relationship between her and Xiao Chifeng.
Jiang Ruoqing had initially planned to deal with Shen Qingcong personally.
But on second thought, she still had the intention to get married into the Xiao family. If she did this and the matter was exposed afterwards, it would be highly disadvantageous to her.
After deliberating back and forth, she thought of Xiao Chifeng's mother, Zheng Yiling.
In Jiang Ruoqing's view, Zheng Yiling certainly wouldn't like a vain woman like Shen Qingcong, who clinged to powerful figures.
And without doubt, Zheng Yiling would never agree to let her beloved son be with a woman of such lowly birth as Shen Qingcong.
She knew well that Zheng Yiling's ideal daughter-in-law had always been a young lady from an aristocratic family, just like them.
Zheng Yiling had mentioned to Jiang Ruoqing more than once that she hoped Jiang could foster a closer relationship with Xiao Chifeng. If Xiao Chifeng agreed, she would be the designated daughter-in-law of the Xiao family.
The Xiao family was the most prominent family in the Huatian Empire and was part of the royal family.
It was such an illustrious family with a highly prestigious status. Many people wanted to get attached to the Xiao family and become a member of it.
And Xiao Chifeng?