Qin iyu said lightly: "If you want to go back and beco Madam Li, that is your own ambition. Do not drag us into it."
"Sister Qin misunderstood. I only thought that since the children are ours, we should at least show concern."
What concern? Neither of them showed concern when the children were suffering, and they all knew it. The fact that Fan Ruyin can still say such words made her more shaless.
Wen Qinglan’s expression beca a little sad, but she did not refute.
They had all made their choices in the past. So choices were helpless. So were selfish. But no matter the reason, the truth was that they had left.
Now that Li Jain was rising again, returning suddenly would only look ugly.
"Cheng’er and Zhang’er are my children. That will not change. But I will not use them to return to the Li family, nor do I want the title of Madam Li."
Qin irong said lightly: "I have even less interest."
Fan Ruyin lowered her eyes, and a strange relief rose in her heart.
As long as Qin irong and Wen Qiaoling did not fight with her, then she only needed to handle Li Jain and the children. The triplets were still difficult, especially Juanxin, but she believed ti would change things. After all, blood relationships could not be erased so easily
Wen Qinglan looked at Fan Ruyin and asked with so curiosity: "Does Li Jain not already have soone by his side?"
Fan Ruyin’s expression changed imdiately.
The image of Liu Xiong and Li Jain being intimate appears in her mind. Although they look harmonious now, she believed that it wouldn’t go far.
Her brows furrowed and she said with so disdain: "He is just fooling around with a man right now. It will not last long."
Qin iyu raised her brows slightly: "A man, you say."
Wen Qinglan also looked a little surprised, but not disgusted.
Fan Ruyin thought they would react more strongly, but seeing their calmness, she felt slightly dissatisfied.
"Yes, that Liu Xiong stays around him all the ti. But n like Li Jain eventually need a proper woman by their side. A man cannot help him manage the household properly or give the children a mother."
Qin iyu looked at her as if she had heard sothing funny: "Do you really think the children are lacking mothers now? So he should think about giving you a proper position?"
Fan Ruyin clenched her fingers under the table: "Sister Qin, must you twist my words every ti?"
Qin iyu continued: "From what I heard, Li Jain raises his children well. They attend good academies, eat well, dress well, and are protected. What do they need us for?"
Fan Ruyin’s voice sharpened: "A child still needs a mother."
Wen Qinglan asked: "Then why do you keep talking about Li Jain instead of the children?"
Fan Ruyin’s anger was hitting her bottom line, but she forced herself to calm down.
She could not quarrel with them now.
Her goal today was to test whether they were competitors. If they had no interest in becoming Madam Li, then that was good. That ant she had no rivals from among the mothers of Li Jain’s children.
Thinking of this, Fan Ruyin’s expression softened again.
"I only think about the children," She said: "After all, if Li Jain has soone proper beside him, the children will also benefit."
Wen Qinglan lowered her eyes and sighed softly: "Ruyin, if Li Jain has soone he likes, whether that person is a man or woman is not our business. As for the children, they are no longer babies. If they accept you, then that is between you and them. If they do not, forcing your way in will only make them dislike you more."
Fan Ruyin clenched her fingers. She knew this better than anyone.
The triplets did not welco her. Even Li Juanxin, who used to be the easiest to frighten, had beco more guarded against her.
Li Jingsheng and Li Jingxuan avoided her whenever they could. She had thought that as their biological mother, she would naturally have a place, but reality was nothing like she expected.
Qin iyu said: "I will not attend the banquet. Yujian and Yuhan do not need to suddenly appear and disturb their lives."
Wen Qinglan was quiet for a mont before saying: "Li Cheng and Li Zhang are my children after all. I will prepare gifts and send them over. But I will not stay for the banquet."
Fan Ruyin looked at her strangely: "You do not want to see them?"
Wen Qinglan’s fingers tightened slightly in her sleeves: "Of course I want to, but wanting to see them and having the right to stand in front of them are two different things.
If a day cos that they want to see , there will be chances. If I suddenly appear at their birthday banquet, it would only make them uncomfortable."
Fan Ruyin found her words foolish.
If it were her, she would naturally appear first and talk about feelings later. How could a mother wait for a child to invite her?
Children are soft-hearted. As long as she appeared often enough and showed enough concern, they would eventually accept her.
But she did not say this out loud. The dishes were soon served.
Jade Crane Pavilion’s food was indeed worthy of its price. Each dish was fragrant and filled with gentle spiritual energy. The presentation was beautiful, and even the soup carried a clear, nourishing taste.
But Fan Ruyin could barely enjoy it. Every ti she looked at the dishes, she thought of the price. Her heart burned more and more.
When the al was finally over, she still forced herself to smile and said: "Since I invited you both today, let pay."
Qin iyu looked at her and said directly: "No need."
Fan Ruyin smiles warmly, feeling pleased with the other party’s decision: "Sister Qin, there is no need to be polite."
"I am not being polite." Qin iyu said calmly: "You simply cannot afford it."
Wen Qinglan also said: "Let us pay for ourselves. There is no need for you to force it."
Fan Ruyin felt as if she had been slapped in public.
She wanted to deny it, but the waiter was already standing beside them with the bill, and both Qin iyu and Wen Qinglan took out paynt without hesitation.
Fan Ruyin had no choice but to pay for herself, though even that made her heart ache.
After leaving the restaurant, Fan Ruyin looked back at the Jade Crane Pavilion and said unwillingly: "The food at Spiritual Tavern is much better than this. Unfortunately, the tavern is still shut down. If it were open, I would have taken you there instead."
They both understood what she ant. If the al were at Spiritual Tavern, Fan Ruyin probably would not have planned to pay at all.
After all, in her mind, since Li Jain owned the place and her children were also his children, eating there for free would naturally be reasonable.
Qin iyu adjusted her sleeve and said: "Since the matter is clear, I will leave first."
Wen Qinglan nodded: "I should also prepare the gifts. Thanks for inviting us out, Ruyin."
Fan Ruyin watched the two won leave in different directions. Only after they were gone did the forced smile on her face disappear.
She had spent money, lost face, and failed to pull them into her plan. But the result was not completely bad.
At least now she knew one thing. Neither of them wanted to beco Madam Li.
As long as they did not interfere, she would find a way to secure her own place. The banquet in two days would be the best opportunity. She only had to appear properly, behave like soone connected to the Li family, and make sure others understood that she was the mother of three of Li Jain’s sons.
Thinking of this, Fang Ruyin felt very happy. As for Liu Xiong, she did not take him too seriously.
A man beside another man could be favored for a while, but how long could such favor last?
After all, she was the triplets’ mother. That identity alone was not sothing any outsider could erase.
Fang Ruyin lifted her chin and walked away.
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