Siheyuan: I am the God of Cooking, and all the birds are crying with envy!

On that slightly gloomy winter afternoon, lead-gray clouds weighed heavily over the city, letting in only a few faint and dim rays of light, as if foreshadowing the coming storm.

Xu Xinyue sat quietly in front of the window. She looked a little thin and haggard, but her eyes could not hide the determination.

Her hand gently stroked her chest, and every breath seemed to remind herself that there was not much time left in the hourglass of life.

As a mother, her love and concern for her children left her no time to take care of her increasingly weak body.

In order to build a solid guarantee for the future life of her two children and let them have enough capital to rely on in the long road of life in the future, Xu Xinyue resolutely decided to embark on a difficult road she had never taken before - to have a negotiation with Lou Xiaoe regarding the fate of her children.

Xu Xinyue was fully aware of the importance of this negotiation and made careful and comprehensive preparations for it.

She carefully sorted out her thoughts, listed the conditions she wanted to propose and the possible rebuttals she might face, and repeatedly considered every detail, striving to be foolproof.

She also deliberately chose the high-end coffee shop that Lou Xiao'e often visited as the negotiation location. The environment here is elegant and quiet, which may ease the tense atmosphere of the negotiations to a certain extent.

The agreed time approached quietly, and Lou Xiao'e appeared at the door of the cafe on time.

She walked in with a confident step, her eyes casually scanning the store. When she saw Xu Xinyue already sitting there, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

In her impression, Xu Xinyue has always been a gentle, graceful, even somewhat weak woman. She really didn't expect Xu Xinyue to take the initiative to ask her out. And from Xu Xinyue's straight back and determined expression, it seemed that she came prepared, which made Lou Xiao'e feel a little nervous.

The two of them sat opposite each other by the window. The afternoon sun shone through the thin clouds, dappled onto the table, illuminating two cups of steaming coffee, but it was unable to dispel the tense atmosphere between them.

After a brief silence, Xu Xinyue took the lead in breaking the deadlock.

She straightened her body, staring at Lou Xiao'e with eyes as sharp as torches. Her originally gentle face became cold and resolute at this moment, and she said in a strong and overbearing tone:

"Lou Xiao'e, I want to talk to you about a few things today. I hope you can listen carefully."

Lou Xiao'e raised her eyebrows slightly, with a hint of disdainful smile on her lips: "Oh? Xu Xinyue, just tell me what you want to say, I don't have much time."

Xu Xinyue took a deep breath, as if to encourage herself, and then said: "First of all, I ask you not to get a marriage certificate with He Yuzhu."

Lou Xiao'e seemed to have heard something extremely absurd. She widened her eyes and looked at Xu Xinyue in disbelief:

"What did you say? Why do you care about me and Yuzhu?"

Xu Xinyue did not flinch. She looked firmly into Lou Xiaoe's eyes and spoke in a steady and powerful voice:

“As a mother, everything I do is for my child.

I don't want my children to grow up in a turbulent and complicated family environment.

The past between you and Yuzhu is complicated to begin with. If you rashly get a marriage certificate, it will only make the family relationship even more chaotic, which will do more harm than good to the growth of the child."

Lou Xiao'e sneered, her eyes full of mockery: "Xu Xinyue, you are too self-righteous.

The relationship between Yuzhu and I is a matter between the two of us, and it is not your turn to point fingers or make irresponsible remarks here."

Xu Xinyue slammed the table suddenly. The loud "bang" broke the original tranquility of the cafe and attracted the attention of the guests around.

She raised her voice, with unquestionable majesty in her tone: "Lou Xiao'e, don't be so arrogant.

I am not here to discuss with you today, but to inform you.

If you insist on getting a marriage certificate with Yuzhu, I have plenty of ways to make you uneasy."

Lou Xiao'e was stunned by Xu Xinyue's sudden momentum and was at a loss for a moment.

But she was a person who had seen the world after all, and she quickly came to her senses and said with disdain, pretending to be calm:

"Okay, then I'll see what you can do."

Xu Xinyue looked at her coldly, with a hint of mystery in her eyes: "Don't forget, I have lived in this family for so many years. If I reveal some things, it will not be good for you and Yu Zhu."

Lou Xiao'e's heart tightened, and some past fragments flashed through her mind. She didn't know what kind of handle Xu Xinyue had, and she felt a little uneasy, but she didn't want to lose to Xu Xinyue in momentum, so she pretended to be calm and hummed:

"Humph, stop trying to scare me. If you have the guts, just show me what you are doing."

Xu Xinyue ignored Lou Xiaoe’s provocation and continued in an orderly manner: “The second thing is that you are not allowed to interfere with the twins’ studies, work, and marriage.

They have grown up and have their own independent thoughts and life plans. They don’t need you to point fingers or interfere. "

Lou Xiao'e frowned and said dissatisfiedly: "I am their elder. It is my responsibility to care about their future. Why can't I interfere?"

Xu Xinyue looked at her seriously, her eyes full of warning: "Your concern will only bring them heavy pressure and endless troubles.

Do you think that you know everything just because you have been in Hong Kong for a few years?

What children need is the space to develop freely and the opportunity to pursue their dreams according to their own wishes, rather than forcing you to shape their lives according to your own ideas. "

Lou Xiao'e retorted: "I am doing this for their own good. I can provide them with better resources and more opportunities, which you cannot compare with."

Xu Xinyue sneered: "What you call good is nothing more than imposing your will on them.

You have no idea what they really want, and that will only make them hate you."

Lou Xiao'e was so angry that her face turned pale, and she said in a trembling voice: "Xu Xinyue, you are going too far.

I have always treated them as my own children, how can you say that to me."

Xu Xinyue remained unmoved and said expressionlessly, “That’s the fact.

If you really want the best for them, respect their choice and don’t try to impose your will on them.”

Then, Xu Xinyue made her third request, her tone more resolute: "The 25% of shares under my name will be divided equally between my two children after my death. You and Yuzhu are not allowed to touch them."

Lou Xiao'e looked at Xu Xinyue in surprise, as if she had heard something out of the ordinary: "What do you mean? Yu Zhu already had a share of these shares. How could you decide to give them to the children privately?"

Xu Xinyue's eyes revealed an unshakable determination: "These shares are obtained through my hard work and countless hardships over the years, and I have the full right to decide how to distribute them.

I don’t want my children to have disputes with you over property issues in the future, so I must make proper arrangements in advance to ensure that they have a worry-free life.”

Lou Xiao'e raised her voice angrily: "Xu Xinyue, you are deliberately destroying our family.

Yuzhu is the father of the child, and he has the right to get these shares."

Xu Xinyue responded coldly: "Yuzhu has his own business and wealth, and these shares are the last guarantee I leave for my children.

If you continue to pester me, I don't mind using legal means to resolve the issue, which will be embarrassing for everyone."

Lou Xiao'e was so angry that she was shaking all over. She pointed at Xu Xinyue and said, "You...how can you be so heartless."

Xu Xinyue took a deep breath, calmed down her emotions, and said her last request: "Also, you are not allowed to move into the house I live in now.

That is my home with my children, carrying our many years of memories. I don’t want you to barge in and destroy their familiar and stable living environment.”

Lou Xiao'e finally couldn't help but explode. She stood up suddenly, clenched her fists, and shouted loudly: "Xu Xinyue, you've gone too far.

Why do you make so many unreasonable demands on me? Who do you think you are? "

Xu Xinyue also stood up slowly. Although she was thin, she exuded a strong aura at this moment and looked down at Lou Xiaoe:

“I am a mother, and that’s my strength.

I'm putting this here today. If you don't agree to my request, I will make you regret it and you will never be able to be with He Yuzhu again."

"As long as I don't nod, He Yuzhu won't be with you."

"You don't believe it? You can try it."

Lou Xiao'e glared at Xu Xinyue and said through gritted teeth: "Don't be too proud, I won't agree to you easily."

Xu Xinyue sneered, with a look of determination in her eyes: "Then you give it a try.

I have plenty of time and energy to waste with you, but I advise you to think it over carefully. Don't end up with a situation where both sides suffer losses, which will not benefit anyone."

After saying that, Xu Xinyue turned around and left the cafe without looking back, leaving Lou Xiao'e standing there alone, stamping her feet in anger, her face turning pale and red.

After returning home, Xu Xinyue couldn't calm down for a long time.

She knew that today's difficult negotiation was just the beginning. Given Lou Xiao'e's character, she would definitely take various measures to fight back.

But Xu Xinyue had already made sufficient mental preparations. For the sake of her child, she would do anything, even if it meant fighting to the death with Lou Xiaoe.

Sure enough, after a few days, Lou Xiao'e began to take action.

She found He Yuzhu, her eyes filled with tears, and she cried to him in grievance about Xu Xinyue's "excessive demands", trying to use He Yuzhu's feelings for her to get him to come forward to solve the problem.

After listening to Lou Xiao'e's words, He Yuzhu felt that Xu Xinyue's request was somewhat like a last will.

but……

And he didn't want to see the two women quarreling over these things.

So, he decided to have a good talk with Xu Xinyue.

When He Yuzhu returned home, Xu Xinyue saw him and already knew why he came.

He Yuzhu frowned, with a hint of helplessness and dissatisfaction on his face: "Xinyue, why did you make those demands on Xiao'e? Doing this will put everyone in an awkward situation, which is not good for anyone."

Xu Xinyue looked at He Yuzhu, her eyes calm and firm: "Yuzhu, I do this for the children.

I understand the feelings between you and Xiao'e, but there are some things you can't just consider your own feelings and ignore the future of your child. "

He Yuzhu raised his voice angrily: "Why don't I consider the children? You will only make the children caught in the middle. Have you ever thought about their feelings?"

Xu Xinyue shook her head gently, her tone gentle but her attitude firm: "No.

As long as Xiao'e agrees to my request, the children will not be harmed.

Everything I do is to give them a stable and harmonious future. I don’t want them to be negatively affected by our affairs as adults.”

He Yuzhu sighed helplessly: "Xinyue, don't be so stubborn. I have told you many times that there is nothing between him and me. We are innocent."

"Besides, I have worked with Lou Xiao'e for such a long time. If his intentions were impure or he was malicious, I would not have worked with him for so long."

"Besides, he has taken good care of our children in the past few years."