I Love Her Because She’s Dim-Witted And Filthy Rich - Chapter 55

When Su Miao arrived home, it was around five or six o’clock in the afternoon, just as He Aizhi was returning from work.

Looking at her daughter, who appeared more dead than alive, He Aizhi said with an air of disappointment, “So you still know the way home? You were so eager to follow someone back to Gansu. What’s the matter? Looking like this, did they kick you out?”

With a long face, Su Miao remained silent as she changed her shoes.

Seeing her daughter in this state, He Aizhi felt a pang of heartache. She sighed and asked, “Are you hungry? Should I ask the auntie to make you something to eat?”

Su Miao’s nose felt sore, and tears began to fall. “I don’t want what the auntie makes. I want the soybean paste noodles you make.”

He Aizhi pulled out a tissue and stuffed it into Su Miao’s hand. “Stop crying. All you do is cry day in and day out; what else can you do? You’re useless at everything except being the champion of crying. Stop it, I’ll go make them for you!”

Despite being scolded, Su Miao silently went to the dining table and sat down.

He Aizhi moved quickly. In about ten minutes, the soybean paste noodles were ready. She set them down in front of Su Miao with a heavy hand. “Eat.”

Su Miao didn’t say a word and buried her head in the bowl.

Turning around, He Aizhi noticed a carrier by the door. She walked over. “What did you lug back with you?”

Su Miao replied, “…Just that cat.” She had stopped by the pet shop to pick up Ergou before coming home.

He Aizhi frowned immediately. “Why did you bring a cat back? Get it out of here quickly.”

Su Miao answered irrelevantly, “Mama, you were right. We aren’t a good match.”

The words to throw the cat out died in He Aizhi’s throat.

Because Su Miao had called her “Mama.”

Since Su Miao had grown up, she rarely called her “Mama,” usually just opting for “Ma.” Every time she used “Mama,” it was when she was deeply hurting.

He Aizhi gave an “mm” in response. “Finish your noodles before we talk.”

Su Miao put down her chopsticks. “I’m full… What you said back then was right. I should have listened to you from the start. I won’t contact her anymore.”

Hearing Su Miao say this made He Aizhi lose the heart to keep nagging.

She looked at the cat in the carrier. “Then we’ll keep the cat for now. Just pay attention to hygiene and don’t let it go into my room.”

Su Miao let out an unconscious sigh and released Ergou from the carrier to let it get familiar with the environment.

As soon as Ergou got out, it dashed under the sofa. He Aizhi jumped in surprise. “Why does this cat run so fast? It’s terrifying. Is it very aggressive?”

Su Miao said, “No. If you don’t provoke it, it won’t hurt you.”

He Aizhi still looked slightly disgusted. “You have to take care of its hygiene. I’m going upstairs first.”

After settling Ergou, Su Miao also went upstairs.

Su Miao stayed at home for nearly half a month, eating, sleeping, and basking in the sun—living a life exactly like Ergou’s.

Although her heart still felt heavy during the quiet of the night, her mood was much better than at the beginning. At least she no longer burst into tears for no reason.

In He Aizhi’s words, if people didn’t know better, they’d think she had died.

When she saw a good anime, when the auntie made delicious food, or when Ergou came to act spoiled with her, her mood would lift significantly, and she would even eat a few extra bites.

Su Miao thought that time really was the best medicine.

One afternoon, Su Miao came downstairs and saw He Aizhi playing with the cat, looking like a picture of maternal love and domestic bliss.

Su Miao was shocked. “I thought you didn’t like cats? Why are you playing with it too?”

He Aizhi picked up Ergou and stroked its head. “The thing that’s been worrying me for two years is finally over. My whole body feels refreshed. Even this cat looks handsome to me now. Don’t say it—this cat really knows how to please people; it’s like a little human, it understands everything.”

Su Miao: “…” Was her daughter’s breakup really something to be that happy about?

Truly a biological mother.

She put on her shoes to head out. “I won’t be eating at home tonight. I have a dinner date with a friend.”

He Aizhi became alert. “A new friend? You aren’t meeting… that person again, are you?”

Su Miao couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “It’s not her. It’s An Qiu, someone I met on the previous film set.”

He Aizhi wanted to ask more, but Su Miao didn’t bother responding and walked straight out the door.

At the agreed-upon private restaurant, An Qiu was already waiting.

After signaling Su Miao to sit, An Qiu looked her over. “What have you been doing lately? It feels like you’ve gained weight.”

Su Miao replied, “I’ve just been home for half a month, eating and sleeping.”

An Qiu asked curiously, “You haven’t gone to work?”

Su Miao was speechless. “Haven’t you stayed away from work too?”

An Qiu said, “I’m temporarily being ‘frozen’ by my company. I want to work, but there’s no work for me. What about you? If you’re not working, why aren’t you going to find Duan Bainian?”

Su Miao was annoyed by An Qiu; she always brought up exactly what Su Miao didn’t want to hear. “We broke up.”

“Completely?”

“Done.”

An Qiu lamented, “Other people look haggard after a breakup, but you actually gained weight?”

Su Miao: “…”

An Qiu looked at Su Miao again. “Actually, you look better with a little more weight. Don’t be discouraged; a breakup is just a breakup. The next one will be better. There are so many beautiful people in the entertainment industry, are you afraid you won’t find someone better?”

Su Miao said, “You make it sound like everyone is a lesbian. You think I can just grab anyone at random and it’ll work out?”

An Qiu laughed. “Not everyone, obviously. But believe me, there are plenty in the industry. Like Li Silin, who’s been popular lately—she is. Her manager is her girlfriend.”

Su Miao questioned, “How do you know all this? Did you crawl under their bed?”

An Qiu said, “Oh, everyone in the circle knows about those two. They don’t hide it at all; they’re just short of an official announcement. Sigh, speaking of which, I’m really envious. I wish Jian Die and I could go public.”

Su Miao snorted. “What’s there to envy? Isn’t it normal? Duan Bainian even said she wanted to go public with me.”

An Qiu replied, “But didn’t you two break up? How can you go public now?”

Su Miao: “…” That stung.

Seeing Su Miao’s pained expression, An Qiu tried to salvage the “ship of friendship.” “Hey, I mean, you’ll meet the next one soon. When the time comes, don’t even pay attention to Duan Bainian if she begs for a reconciliation!”

Su Miao pretended not to care. “Whatever. I don’t like her at all anymore. Anyway, let’s stop talking about her and eat.”

Guiltily, An Qiu put some food on Su Miao’s plate. “Eat, eat. The food here is excellent.”

After dinner, the two chatted for a bit longer before Su Miao made an excuse about being tired and went home.

When she got back, He Aizhi had just finished dinner. Su Miao greeted her, changed her shoes, and prepared to go upstairs.

However, she heard He Aizhi say, “Lao Lao (Grandma) Duan Bainian haven’t come, call and ask tomorrow.”

Su Miao was startled and shocked. “Duan Bainian? You want me to call Duan Bainian?”

He Aizhi froze for a second before realizing Su Miao had misheard. She was so annoyed her teeth itched. “I said your Grandma hasn’t been here for half a year (Lao lao da ban nian mei lai). What did you hear? What are your ears for? Decoration?”

Only then did Su Miao realize she had misheard. It was all An Qiu’s fault for insisting on talking about Duan Bainian all night, leaving her head full of nothing but that name.

She said listlessly, “I just misheard, that’s all. I’m going up, Ma. Remember to open a can of food for the cat later.”

He Aizhi gnashed her teeth. “This cat is so ugly and it expects me to open its cans? In its dreams! Open it yourself!”

With that, He Aizhi went upstairs in a huff.

The auntie on the side scratched her head in confusion. “Didn’t your mom say this afternoon that the cat was handsome? Why the change of heart now?”

Su Miao said dejectedly, “Maybe I made her angry.”

The auntie kindly comforted her, “Don’t take it to heart. At your mom’s age, she might be going through menopause. Women this age often have some anxiety; they always feel like they’re living in ‘deep water and scorching fire’ (misery). You should spend more time with her.”

Su Miao sighed.

—The one living in “deep water and scorching fire,” wasn’t it actually her?