Diva Alpha Meets Her Biological Daughter on a Parenting Variety Show - Chapter 37

Ming Nuo had anticipated that Ming Yan would be passive-aggressive, but she hadn’t expected her to pull a stunt like this. Ming Yan was a person who cared deeply about face; normally, no matter how fiery her temper, she wouldn’t go as far as to hurt others with such words. Ming Nuo couldn’t understand why she was so determined to pick a fight with the Ning family.

As soon as Ming Nuo turned around, she saw the aggrieved look in Ning Xueqing’s eyes. Ning Xueqing quickly looked away, and by the time she turned back, she had regained her calm expression and even gave Ming Nuo a small smile.

Ning Xueqing beckoned Ming Nuo into the kitchen and responded to Ming Yan: “Auntie Ming, a blind date is your family’s private matter. We outsiders won’t interfere.”

Ning Zhixuan also spoke up: “Yes, we shouldn’t pry into a blind date. Besides, in matters of the heart, the first priority is to respect the child’s wishes. Just asking Ming Nuo is enough.”

Ming Yan let out a low chuckle. “It’s one thing for the younger generation, but Big Sister Ning, marriage is a major life event. As mothers, we must help our children keep watch. Children lack experience and can easily be blinded by pheromones and deceived. A daughter-in-law is best chosen with a mother’s help—someone whose background is known, someone clean and reliable. Otherwise, if they just pick up someone beautiful outside, someone with a murky past… if they turn out to have a disease, or are secretly drowning in debt, or even have illegitimate children, it’ll be too late for tears.”

Ning Zhixuan’s eyes flickered. The smile in them had long since vanished, leaving only a slight curve at the corners of her mouth. “You’re right, a mother should offer support. However, my Xueqing is smart; she’s sharper at reading people than I am. I feel my decades of experience don’t measure up to hers. I help when she needs it; otherwise, I’d just be getting in the child’s way, wouldn’t I?”

Ming Yan frowned, her gaze toward Ning Zhixuan turning into one of worry. “Big Sister Ning, I think you’re a bit muddled. We’ve lived for fifty or sixty years—how could our experience be less than someone in their twenties or thirties? I’m telling you, there’s a reason people have always talked about families being ‘well-matched.’ It’s not just about assets, but about upbringing. The Omega Ming Nuo is going to meet is from a family of public servants, a high-achieving graduate from a prestigious university, working within the system. Her parents are relatives of an old classmate of mine—”

“Mammy, are you planning to set me up again, where I only realize there’s a young Omega guest when I sit down at the restaurant?”

Ming Nuo didn’t follow Ning Xueqing into the kitchen. Instead, she walked straight up to Ming Yan, speaking to her while standing as her mother sat on the sofa.

Ming Yan looked up, stunned. Ming Nuo occasionally bickered with her, but she had never been this visibly angry.

“What do you mean? What do you mean by ‘setting you up’ for a dinner you don’t know about? Is this how you talk to your Mammy in front of outsiders? Does it make you look good to humiliate your Mammy? I work hard to plan and worry myself sick all day and night—who do you think it’s for?!”

Ming Nuo’s voice erupted from her throat: “It’s for you.”

“It’s for your status as an elder and for your ‘face.'”

Ming Nuo couldn’t understand why Ming Yan insisted on causing a scene at the Ning house. Didn’t this lose her face?

Ming Yan had grown up in an era of old township factory directors. Back then, rural people loved to compare things like lard and sorghum candy; if a family had a black-and-white TV, they were truly something. Long ago, Ming Nuo had heard her Mama mention that when Ming Yan was a child, her grandmother had broken a promise to buy her a television. Ming Yan, who had loudly invited her entire class back to her house to watch Railway Guerrillas, was mocked throughout her school years until she got into a vocational college in the county and people stopped calling her the “Big Bragger.”

Since then, Ming Yan had been extremely competitive and obsessed with face. Everything had to be the best, the most “proper.” If it wasn’t good, she’d find a way to make it look good, even if it just meant getting the last word.

The limitations of old-fashioned perspectives and the lack of scientific parenting methods at the grassroots level had resulted in some awkward personality traits that stayed with her for life.

It was difficult to force the older generation to change their views, so when Ming Yan nagged in private, Ming Nuo would just listen, explain things clearly, and hope to slowly improve her mother’s mindset.

By bringing Ming Yan here today, Ming Nuo also had the intention of letting her meet Ning Xueqing to clear up any misunderstandings. After all, Ming Yan’s negative views of Ning Xueqing were entirely based on the internet and assumptions. Once she met the real Ning Xueqing, she would realize the internet was full of slander; the real Ning Xueqing was vibrant, bright, and very approachable.

Who would have thought that Ming Yan wouldn’t even look her in the eye? Ning Zhixuan had been praising her own daughter while also praising and taking care of Ming Nuo, yet Ming Yan only kept a dark face, opening her mouth only to find fault—as if she couldn’t show her presence without doing so.

Ning Xueqing’s eyes remained calm. She fluttered her lashes slightly and whispered to Xiao Yin to take Mengmeng to the garden to paint. Then, she walked steadily into the living room and stood beside Ming Nuo.

“There, there.” Ning Xueqing patted the back of Ming Nuo’s shoulder. “Summer is coming, and the heat makes it easy to lose one’s temper. Let’s have some water chestnut and couch grass root water first. There’s no family without conflict; my mom and I often argue because of different aesthetics. If there’s something you don’t like, discuss it slowly when you get home. Everything will be fine once it’s talked out.”

“Words said in anger shouldn’t be taken as truth. Auntie Ming, please have some tea to moisten your throat first. Ming Nuo called earlier and said you like Sour Soup Duck. I ordered a mallard duck raised on an organic free-range farm last night; it was freshly slaughtered and delivered this morning, very fresh. Please try it later; if it’s good, I’ll have someone send it to you often in the future.”

As she spoke, Ning Xueqing leaned down and spoke softly to Ming Yan: “Ming Nuo came today to celebrate Children’s Day with Mengmeng, but we are actually benefiting from your presence; otherwise, how could we eat the Sour Soup Duck that Ming Nuo specially made for you?”

With someone coaxing her, Ming Yan’s face improved significantly. Her eyebrows arched up like a phoenix taking flight. “Leaving everything else aside, you’re right about that. I taught Ming Nuo her culinary skills. When she comes to your house, I’m not at ease; I only feel steady if I see it with my own eyes.”

Ming Yan tilted her chin. “Nuo Nuo, since Xueqing said so, you better cook this meal well today. Show Sister Ning and Xueqing what you can do. Go on.”

Normally, Ming Nuo would have let such words pass, but today she was inexplicably impatient. She said with a cold face: “Mammy, we are here as guests, and there are children here. If you say any more of that nonsens—”

“Ming Nuo, should we add cooking wine when blanching the duck? I’m not good at cooking; come and teach me.” Ning Xueqing smiled and gave a slight nod to Ming Yan, then took hold of Ming Nuo’s wrist and led her into the kitchen.

Ming Nuo’s body was led away by Ning Xueqing. She turned halfway, using her eyes to warn Ming Yan not to go too far. Ming Yan focused on drinking the water chestnut and couch grass water Ning Xueqing had offered her, pretending not to notice.

In the kitchen, water was boiling, and various fresh ingredients were neatly arranged. The housekeeper had already chopped the duck into small pieces for ease of use.

Ming Nuo looked at the pot and asked, “Is there any yellow rice wine?”

The housekeeper handed it over. “Here, Miss Ming.”

Ming Nuo unscrewed the yellow wine, poured half a spoonful, and added it to the boiling water along with the scallions, ginger, and garlic.

She lowered her head and fell silent for a moment as the steam from the pot rose, dampening her cheeks. “I’m sorry my Mammy said those things.”

Ning Xueqing stood side-by-side with her. “It’s okay, because she is your Mammy.”

And Ning Xueqing had known for a long time that Ming Yan disliked her. She had many fans, but also many haters; the people who disliked her were countless, and she had heard far filthier and more disgusting words. What was this compared to a mother who wanted her daughter to find a “clean” girl? Although her desire for control was too strong, she didn’t respect her daughter’s thoughts, and her methods were wrong.

The one Ning Xueqing felt sorry for was Ming Nuo.

At this moment, Ning Xueqing thought, no one could be more troubled than Ming Nuo. Her understanding Mama had passed away, leaving only her Mammy. Her closest relative didn’t understand her and added to the mess in her own way—how could Ming Nuo feel good?

And yet, this silly “younger sister,” even at a time like this, was worried about whether others were sad.

Ning Xueqing raised her hand and fed Ming Nuo a small, slightly shriveled, yellowish cherry. “Is it sweet?”

Ming Nuo’s lips moved. “A bit sour.”

Ning Xueqing smiled and fed her another plump, red, downy cherry. “And now?”

“Sweet.”

“Because that first one wasn’t ready yet. This second one is ripe, so it’s sweet. Ming Nuo, the beginning is always a bit sour.”

Ming Nuo understood. Everything is difficult in the beginning. Only by persevering in cultivation can one harvest sweetness; otherwise, only withered, rotten wood remains.

Family affairs… where there is a family, there are affairs. The Ning family has its own grievances, and the Ming family has its own conflicts. If these issues aren’t resolved individually, a head-on collision between both sides will only lead to a bad result.

This had always been one of the points of anxiety and hesitation for Ning Xueqing.

“After we go back today, I will have a very serious talk with Mammy. I’ll tell her to stop meddling in my business, and I’ll find an opportunity to bring her to apologize to you and Auntie Ning.” Ming Nuo quickened her movements, wanting to finish early and take Ming Yan home before she caused more trouble.

“It’s really fine. Neither Mom nor I took it to heart. Auntie Ming is just too lonely; actually, the more she loves to show off, the more her heart lacks dignity and companionship.”

Ming Nuo’s eyes were completely blurred by the steam. She looked up and blinked to clear her vision. She understood everything Ning Xueqing said, but after being with Ming Yan for so long, the closer they were, the more she tended to overlook the changes in her.

Ming Yan hadn’t been this aggressive at the beginning. Mama said that on their wedding night, she woke up in the middle of the night and heard Mammy secretly wiping away tears. The people around them had congratulated Ming Yan on the surface, but behind her back, they all mocked her for being a “toad trying to eat swan meat”—a penniless Beta marrying an Omega from a petty-bourgeois urban family. The more beautiful a woman, the higher her requirements for quality of life; could Ming Yan keep her wife just by passing out flyers for tutoring?

Because of a congenital disability, Ming Nuo’s Mama had been ignored by her family and could get no resources at all. When the couple first entered society, they couldn’t earn much money. Furthermore, since Ming Yan lacked an Alpha’s strong physique and spiritual intimidation, her Omega wife couldn’t avoid being harassed and bullied when moving through lower-class venues—getting blocked by thugs while shopping, being maliciously picked on while running a stall, being mocked by interviewers who were also Omegas but had wealthy Alpha partners… for every incident, it was Ming Yan who shouted herself hoarse and swung her fists to fight, seeking justice for her wife.

Since it was so hard, why choose to be together?

Ming Nuo felt that her Mama was so wonderful and gentle; if there had been a better person who could have made her Mama comfortable, providing money for early treatment so she could live healthily, that would have been better.

Hearing her question, Mama had smiled and hugged Ming Nuo, stroking her hair.

—My wife is not perfect, but she can challenge the impossible for me.

Ming Nuo’s Mama had a jewelry box. Every piece of jewelry Ming Yan saved up to buy for her, she would take off and keep inside, reluctant to wear them. Later, after Mama passed away, that box was kept by Ming Yan’s bedside. Inside was a jade necklace; the quality wasn’t good, but it was Mama’s favorite.

It was the very one Ming Yan was wearing today.

She had it with her when buying the house, and when viewing the apartment. The day before yesterday, when leaving the new apartment, Ming Nuo had watched from afar as Ming Yan stood by the window and whispered to the jade: “Did you see? When I was twenty-one, I bought you your first cup of coffee in that building across the street. You said one would have to live several lifetimes to reside in such a bustling place. Now that building doesn’t sell general goods anymore; it’s a bank.”

Perhaps through the trials of life, a person becomes more and more “awkward” the longer they live.

She wore her jade, yet refused to look at the red roses she had loved in life. She could disregard her own safety for her, yet didn’t dare let her undergo gland repair surgery. She was awkward toward her wife, and she was the same toward her daughter.

This was Ming Nuo’s Mammy. A woman who had lost her lover.

What she could grasp tightly was only the experience of “being strong and not bullied” carved out over most of her life, the tender memories her late wife left her, and the flesh and blood she depended on for life.

“I’m right here. Just say the word and I’ll wipe it for you.” Ning Xueqing’s voice was clear and gentle as she used a tissue to carefully wipe the moisture from Ming Nuo’s forehead and the bridge of her nose.

Ming Nuo snapped back to her senses and smiled warmly. “Thanks, this is nothing.”

“For my mom’s boiled fish, just put some chili oil in to coax her. Don’t make it spicy; it’ll hurt your throat if you eat it, and at her age, eating spicy food will give her an upset stomach. Don’t spoil her.”

Ning Xueqing handled the grass carp according to Ming Nuo’s instructions.

Ming Nuo took the fish over. “Let me do it; be careful of the scales poking your hands.”

Ning Xueqing sat at the island to peel small potatoes. “Ming Nuo, can I discuss something with you?”

“Next time Auntie Ming asks you to go on a blind date, could you take me with you?”