Grandpa Lei asked gently, "Fang Fang, can you tell us what's going on?"
Fang Fang's mind went blank for a moment, and she stammered, knowing full well that her mother had come incognito to prevent her from developing a relationship with A Lai.
Seeing that neither of them was speaking, Grandpa Lei quickly said, "Li Xiuqin, why don't you tell us? Did A Lai get into trouble again, causing issues outside?"
Li Xiuqin composed herself and responded, "Principal Lei, let me ask you this: Marriage is not just about the two individuals involved; it concerns two families, don't you think?"
"Of course," Grandpa Lei replied, puzzled. "But A Lai and Fang Fang are not even at the age to talk about marriage. Why ask this now?"
"As your long-time neighbor, I've watched A Lai grow up. When he was little and crying from hunger, you would always come to my house to ask for milk, and I would always oblige without fail. Doesn't that make me an elder to him?"
"Certainly, an elder!" Grandpa Lei answered firmly. "Not just an elder, but a benefactor as well. You can speak your mind—what trouble has A Lai gotten into this time?"
"Then don't you think A Lai should listen to me? Shouldn't he be respectful and dutiful towards me?"
Grandpa Lei nodded, "As the saying goes, 'Of all virtues, filial piety is the first.' Filial piety is a core value of our culture, a behavior that stabilizes familial relationships. It means acknowledging the authority of one's parents and elders in gratitude for their upbringing."
Seeing the moment was right, Li Xiuqin shifted the conversation, lamenting, "When I visited A Lai in the hospital, I warned him that he and Fang Fang were not suited for each other and that he should focus on his studies and not have any bad intentions toward her. But he didn't listen and pretended to agree while secretly going against me."
"When I walked into the courtyard just now, I caught him eyeing Fang Fang with ill intentions, trying to make a move on her. If I hadn't arrived in time to stop it, who knows what immoral things they might have done? You tell me, is this acceptable?"
A Lai's heart raced, and he desperately tried to defend himself, "I—I wasn't! Fang Fang and I were discussing schoolwork!"
Li Xiuqin, unwilling to listen, retorted angrily, "I saw it with my own eyes! If I hadn't arrived in time, who knows what kind of outrageous behavior you two would have gotten into!"
Fang Fang blushed deeply, unwilling to admit that she and A Lai had shared any intimate moments. She protested, "Mom! How can you say that about us? You can't just assume the worst!"
Grandpa Lei, struggling to discern the truth, thought that the two had spent a lot of time together without crossing any lines. But to maintain Li Xiuqin's dignity as an elder, he said sternly, "Regardless of whether you did or didn't, Aunt Li's advice is correct."
A Lai, full of youthful defiance, challenged, "What does marriage have to do with family? These days, love is free. Does marriage still have to be bound by family, parents, and elders? Isn't this moral coercion?"
"You're so young and ignorant!" Li Xiuqin snapped, her whole body trembling with anger. She probed further, "So you're saying you still have designs on Fang Fang?"
Fang Fang, thinking about how she had already given herself to A Lai, stood up and said, "A Lai has saved my life three times, he's heroic, strong, and full of positivity. Why shouldn't I like him?"
Li Xiuqin, now fuming, shouted, "Principal Lei, did you hear that? These two children clearly don't respect us as their elders!"
Grandpa Lei gave A Lai a stern look and tried to calm Li Xiuqin, saying, "Blood ties are stronger than anything else. You've raised Fang Fang for eighteen years—surely that bond will outweigh any feelings she has for A Lai? So, please, don't worry. I'm confident that neither Fang Fang nor A Lai will do anything to defy you. They're young and speak out of emotion."
Li Xiuqin wasn't interested in hearing any more reasoning. She still harbored concerns about A Lai and didn't dare push him too hard, knowing his calm but effective defensive strategies. If she provoked him too much, he might become uncontrollable.
She resorted to her usual tactic, bursting into tears and wailing, "How am I supposed to live like this? I raised Fang Fang all by myself, suffering through countless hardships to bring her up. Now, after all that pain, I'm supposed to just let her throw it all away?"
Grandpa Lei never expected things to escalate to this point. He stared intently at A Lai, hoping he would apologize to Li Xiuqin to defuse the situation.
A Lai was no fool; he understood perfectly well. He could disregard anyone's feelings, but he would never hurt Master Le Kong or his grandfather. Now that Master Le Kong was gone, his grandfather was the only one he cared about.
Caught in a difficult situation, A Lai raised his head and solemnly promised, "Thank you for your guidance, Aunt Li. I swear that I won't do anything with Fang Fang without your approval, even if she sincerely likes me."
Li Xiuqin, still suspicious, asked, "Why not? Isn't Fang Fang good enough for you? Isn't she attractive enough?"
A Lai quickly thought of a way to appease her, explaining, "You and Fang Fang have been dependent on each other for so long. How could I possibly have ulterior motives without your approval? Besides, you're like a wet nurse to me. When have I ever disobeyed your advice?"
Li Xiuqin's heart skipped a beat, worried that A Lai might bring up old grievances.
"Even if you and Fang Fang both came to propose at my courtyard, I would still need to discuss it with my grandfather. Isn't that reasonable?"
"Well, that's fine," Li Xiuqin hurriedly replied.
She thought to herself, "Come to propose at your courtyard? Dream on, kid. You're trying to lull me into a false sense of security, but I'm not falling for it!"
She subtly reminded him, "Fang Fang is only a few months older than you, and you two were raised on my milk, like siblings. I trust you won't do anything foolish. I'll give you another chance, and I promise to find you a match that's truly suitable for you in the future."
"Thank you, Auntie. I understand your concerns," A Lai said, trying to put her at ease. "Even though I'm an orphan, I will definitely seek the approval of both my grandfather and you for my future marriage."
Li Xiuqin nodded in satisfaction, wiped away her tears, and smiled, speaking in a more elder-like tone, "Good. I still stand by what I said—I'm giving you another chance. Don't let me down. Stop wasting time at street stalls and focus on your studies."
With that, she grabbed Fang Fang, ready to leave the courtyard and return to the city.
A Lai, seeing them about to leave, became anxious. "You're just going to leave like this? Doesn't that make it seem like I'm backing down?"
"Fang Fang's mom, there's something I'd like to discuss with you privately. Is that okay?"
"As long as you don't bother Fang Fang anymore, anything is fine."
With that, she followed A Lai into a small grove in the courtyard.