Chapter 83: He’s Set His Sights on Her
“What’s wrong with her?” Ling Hanmu asked casually, but he was actually a bit nervous. His relationship with his mother was more like friends, and he sincerely hoped that the girl he liked would gain his mother’s approval, so that Xia Chenge wouldn’t suffer more grievances.
Madam Ling glanced at him deeply and tapped his forehead forcefully: “Aren’t you interested in her?”
Upon hearing this, Ling Hanmu blushed a little: “So what? Do you want me to be interested in men?”
Madam Ling sighed again: “Xiao Mu, Mom isn’t someone who believes every rumor. Have you considered that you’re still young? What if you meet a better girl later? Wouldn’t that be letting down Xia Chenge? That child is also unfortunate, losing her parents at such a young age, and her grandparents are bedridden.”
“I just want to hear the truth, do you hate her?” Ling Hanmu asked seriously.
“Why would I hate her? To be honest, I quite admire her. Your old mother isn’t senile and has some discernment. Even though the whole city is full of gossip about her, she remains so calm. This composure alone is something few people can match.”
“Seriously? Then why did you rush over when you heard I was here with her?”
“Silly child, should I just watch my son get schemed against? If something really happened, it’s better for me to step in than someone else, isn’t it? I really don’t know if you’re truly foolish or just pretending.”
“Then what’s their attitude?”
“Them? What attitude could they have? If they really disliked you, they would have sent you abroad long ago. They also want to see what capabilities Xia Chenge has, so son, don’t sneak around when you bring girls home in the future. We are all open-minded elders.”
“Open-minded?” Ling Hanmu raised an eyebrow. “I can’t see it!”
“Tsk, you child, you have to argue when I try to have a heart-to-heart with you, don’t you?” Madam Ling raised her hand and gently patted him. “In the past, the Old Master had a good relationship with Old Gentleman Xia. After their Xia family fell on hard times, your father wanted to help them, but Old Gentleman Xia refused.”
Ling Hanmu was stunned. He had no idea that his father had once wanted to offer help to the Ling family.
No wonder his family hadn’t said anything when he openly helped Xia Chenge.
In any other family, they would have tried every means to seek help from the Ling family. How could Old Master Xia have refused so decisively?
“Old Gentleman Xia’s character has always been admired by your father. Although your father hasn’t openly helped all these years, he has secretly helped the Xia family protect Sheng Xia, hoping that Xia Chenge would get better one day.”
“Mom, do you know why I’m helping Xia Chenge?” Ling Hanmu thought for a moment and decided to reveal that Xia Chenge had once saved his life.
His Grandfather had repeatedly warned him not to mention this matter, and to this day, besides the four people present at the time, no fifth person knew. Moreover, he was young then and didn’t have much of an impression of Old Master Xia.
For so many years, Old Master Xia had also kept his mouth shut and never used this matter to ask the Ling family for anything. If he hadn’t recognized Xia Chenge, even he wouldn’t have known that the little girl from back then was Xia Chenge.
“Isn’t it because you like her?” Madam Ling teased.
Ling Hanmu shook his head: “That’s one reason, but there’s a more important one. Do you remember when I was four years old and went out with Grandfather, and then caught a cold when we returned?”
“I remember.”
“Actually, I almost died then. If Xia Chenge hadn’t saved me, you probably wouldn’t have a son anymore.”
“What?” Madam Ling’s eyes widened. “You almost died?”
“I fell into the water, and Xia Chenge saved me,” Ling Hanmu said calmly. He still remembered the scene of Xia Chenge crying and jumping into the water to pull him up. After they got ashore, he was so scared that he bit Xia Chenge’s shoulder before passing out.
All this time, he couldn’t understand how a three-year-old girl could jump into the water and save him! It was only just now that he suddenly realized that Xia Chenge was never an ordinary person!
“Are you sure you remember correctly? Wasn’t she younger than you? How could she have saved you? Did someone else save you and you misremembered?” Madam Ling also found it incredible.
Ling Hanmu smiled and said: “Mom, although I fell into the water, my consciousness was still clear. It was Xia Chenge who saved me, and I even bit her shoulder, which still has teeth marks.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before?”
“I only recognized her a while ago. If I had known it was her from the start, do you think I would have waited until now to help her?”
Madam Ling couldn’t believe the information she was receiving. The thought of almost losing her son made her feel breathless, even after more than a decade!
“Did you see who pushed you into the water?”
“No, Xia Chenge and I were playing a game at the time, and I didn’t notice anyone coming.”
“Then who was so cruel?”
“This matter is related to the Xia family.”
“The Xia family did it?”
“They wanted to kill Xia Chenge!”
Madam Ling gasped.
“A few days after I fell into the water, Xia Mingxuan and his wife had an accident, and then Old Madam Xia and her husband also became bedridden and paralyzed. So, Mom, do you think Old Gentleman Xia would use such a self-inflicted injury to scheme against our Ling family?” Ling Hanmu retorted.
Madam Ling fell silent. For so many years, the Xia family had been controlled by Xu Jingyi, and Old Gentleman Xia had never used this matter to demand repayment of a life-saving grace from the Ling family. How could it have been the Xia family’s doing?
“Old Gentleman Xia’s noble character, I truly admire him!” Madam Ling said sincerely.
“Mom, there’s something else you probably don’t know. Before I fell into the water, Grandfather and Old Master Xia had actually verbally betrothed me to Xia Chenge.” Ling Hanmu dropped another bombshell.
Madam Ling was dumbfounded: “Why have you never mentioned this before?”
“Mom, you’re blaming me again. Haven’t I only just recognized Chenge?”
“Kid, she saved your life, you can’t just play around!”
“Mom, I’ve decided on Xia Chenge, so you have to help me marry her as soon as possible.”
Madam Ling sneered: “Don’t you have the ability to marry a wife yourself? I see now, you sly boy, you’ve gone through all this trouble just to get your old mother to finalize this matter, haven’t you?”
Ling Hanmu chuckled: “You really are the mother who gave birth to me and raised me; nothing can be hidden from you.”
“Son, if the young lady isn’t interested in you, you can’t act recklessly, understand? If you dare to pull that domineering CEO snatching move, I’ll break your legs.” After learning about these matters, Madam Ling’s impression of Xia Chenge underwent a complete transformation.
Although Ling Hanmu usually seemed unreliable, Madam Ling knew her son’s character and that he wouldn’t make up stories to deceive her.
Moreover, she had observed Ling Hanmu and Xia Chenge during this period. If Xia Chenge were a girl who sought to climb the social ladder, she would have thrown herself at him long ago, and he wouldn’t have had to face rejection from such an excellent son.
“Of course, with my righteous mother here, how would I dare?” Ling Hanmu obsequiously hugged Madam Ling’s arm.
“So, the question is, where did you hide her?” Madam Ling squinted at him.
