From a distance, Bo Yexun watched the drama unfold, laughing so hard he couldn't straighten his waist.
...
Ding ding ding! The Godfather struck the suspended golden bell, marking 9 PM.
Dressed in luxurious attire, Madam Bo was escorted out surrounded by a cluster of aides. The Bo family was an old clan with many collateral relatives, none of whom Li Qiyu recognized.
Madam Bo sat in her chair like a queen receiving her ministers, with a long line of people waiting to present their birthday gifts.
Each gift was opened on the spot by the butler, who read aloud what it was and recorded it in a book—
"A gift from Elder Mr. Shen of the hall's lineage, a nine-sheep square vessel."
"A pair of jade bangles from a cousin's grandson from the Jiang family for Madam..."
Li Qiyu raised an eyebrow, observing how valuable all the recorded birthday gifts were on the table.
It was her turn now...
Madam Bo was surrounded by the Bo family's collateral relatives, none of whom Li Qiyu knew.
In the past, she would have greeted each elder in turn, no matter the look on their faces.
But today, Miss Li didn't even glance at them, which made the elders quite unhappy!
"Grandma, may you live a life as enduring as the mountains. This is the gift I've prepared for you," Li Qiyu said, respectfully addressing Mrs. Bo.
It was evident that Mrs. Bo didn't like her, and the Bo family members present looked down on her with disdain.
"Dressed all in white, how ominous!" Madam Bo inspected Li Qiyu from top to bottom with a critical gaze, "That hair is atrocious! A married woman should carry herself like one. Why are you putting on a façade of youth? Who are you trying to impress?"
Li Qiyu was speechless, "I'm only 22, still younger than your grandson."
Bo Yeyuan dressed smartly and was handsome; why should she dress like an old woman?
"You dare talk back?!"
Heh...
"I heard you attempted suicide by jumping into the sea and even wrote a suicide note?" Madam Bo said angrily, "The old master was so enraged that he fell ill because of you! Are you satisfied now?! Back in the day, why did the old master choose you against advice? Our Yeyuan is handsome and outstanding; what kind of girl couldn't he get? You are nowhere near his match...#￥%※..."
The old woman sure had a mouth on her, and those aunts from the family took the opportunity to chime in with their badmouthing.
Li Qiyu let it go in one ear and out the other. She was going to divorce anyway and saw no point in engaging with them!
Seeing that Li Qiyu appeared indifferent, not at all the meek persona she usually had, Madam Bo became so angry she felt chest pain: "It's been two years since the wedding, and you haven't given our Bo family a child... Even if we had adopted a dog, it would have had pups by now."
"Grandma, this kind of thing isn't up to me alone; Yeyuan has to make an effort as well," Li Qiyu said with a smile, "It's your grandson who's not up to par; what can I do about that?"
"You, you... what did you say?!" Madam Bo was so taken aback she nearly had a bout of high blood pressure. Her grandson not up to par?
A group of women were suddenly at a loss for words, staring at Li Qiyu, speechless—this girl had shed her usual docility and had become sharp and difficult to deal with.
Meanwhile, the butler had opened the gift box: