Mom's Back. The Villain Triplets Are in Trouble.

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Let’s Talk Alone

[”That handsome guy and Haibao’er are from the same family? Are the Huo family’s genes really that good? I’m so freaking jealous!”]

[”Gotta ask, handsome, do you have a girlfriend? How about me?”]

[”What school do you go to, handsome? I want to see if I can run into you.”]

[”If I can’t marry Haibao’er in this life, becoming his sister-in-law isn’t a bad alternative.”]

Similar comments quickly flooded the live chat, until someone finally had enough and spoke out against them.

[”That’s enough, you guys! Do you have to be so desperate to get married?!”]

On the set of the livestream, the subtle interview with the new guest continued, only now the focus had shifted from Huo Zhao Hua to Lin Xiaoyun.

”Aunt Lin, how old are you? Are you forty-five?” Lin Tian accepted a piece of grilled meat and, after politely thanking them, smoothly transitioned into her interview assignment.

Lin Xiaoyun gave a gentle smile. ”You’re such a sweet-talker, dear. I’m already fifty-one.”

Lin Tian’s eyes widened in surprise. ”You don’t look it at all! You take such amazing care of yourself.”

”I’m nowhere near Mrs. Huo’s level,” Lin Xiaoyun said with a sigh as she busied herself with laying more meat on the grill. ”She’s the one who’s truly youthful. When she sits with you all, she looks like one of your peers.”

’Mrs. Huo?’

It took Lin Tian a second to realize she was talking about Gu Qingyin. Since Gu Qingyin was Huo Xinghai’s mother, calling her Mrs. Huo was perfectly reasonable. It was just that no one ever had, so it sounded a little... odd?

Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but laugh. ”We’re not filming a period drama. All this ’Mrs.’ stuff is a bit strange. Please, just call me by my name.”

Lin Xiaoyun glanced at Huo Xinghai. Only after seeing he had no reaction did she smile and agree, her voice soft. ”Then I’ll take the liberty of calling you Qingyin.”

Gu Qingyin kept her smile, but goosebumps prickled her skin. ’Lin Xiaoyun always gave her the feeling of a fox guarding the henhouse.’

The set suddenly fell silent, so quiet that only the wind could be heard.

Lin Tian sensed the atmosphere was off. She subtly placed her hand on Lin Xian’s knee and dug her fingers in, signaling him to say something—anything—quickly.

Lin Xian let out a sudden hiss. ’That wretched girl! She’s ruthless!’

The sound wasn’t loud, but in the silence, it still drew everyone’s attention.

Lin Xian laughed awkwardly. ”Uh, I was just curious... what’s life in a wealthy family really like? Is it as over-the-top as it is in novels and TV shows?”

Aside from the siblings, the other four guests were all members of the Huo family. The Huo Family was undoubtedly at the apex of high society, so no one was more qualified to answer this question.

The general public was also incredibly curious about these so-called ”elite families.” The moment he asked the question, engagement in the live chat spiked by several percentage points and continued to climb.

The director perked up. He grabbed his trusty whiteboard, scribbled down a note—SHWHISH SHWHISH SHWHISH—and began directing the guests from off-camera: *Keep this topic going, but watch what you say! No flaunting wealth!!*

Gu Qingyin blinked. ’To be honest, she was curious too. Even though she was the mother of the man in charge of the Huo Family, she had never really enjoyed their vast wealth and prestige.’

’To be precise, she had disappeared before she even had the chance to enjoy it and had only just recently returned. Her status was prestigious, but she truly didn’t know how to indulge in it.’

So, Gu Qingyin turned to Huo Xinghai as well, her face full of anticipation, as if waiting for the textbook answer.

Huo Xinghai hadn’t planned on speaking, but upon seeing Gu Qingyin’s expression, he felt a wave of resignation. He frowned in thought for a moment before opening his mouth.

”The biggest difference between a wealthy family and an ordinary person is the amount of wealth they possess. With more money comes a higher quality of life. That’s easy enough to understand, right? As for everything else... I don’t think there’s much of a difference.”

Huo Xinghai was suddenly reminded of a popular meme. ”Things like, *The weather’s turned cold, time for the Wang family to go bankrupt,* are just over-the-top artistic license. You should just take them as a joke. Clashes between capital aren’t that simple. No one would risk generations of hard work on a reckless head-on collision.”

[”A ’little’ higher quality of life... He says that so casually.”]

[”Is he talking about the ’a little higher’ where you live in a mansion, drive luxury cars, fly private jets, sail on yachts, and a random bottle of wine costs more than I’ll make in decades?”]

[”Oof, right in the feels, sis! You didn’t have to be so brutally accurate!”]

Huo Zhao Hua added, ”Truly prominent families place great importance on the next generation’s education. You rarely see cases of them throwing their weight around to bully people.”

This was especially true for the heirs; humility and courtesy were fundamental principles. The ones who spent all day carousing and stirring up trouble were mostly second-generation trust-fund kids who mooched off their families.

Lin Xiaoyun also chimed in with a smile, ”Those two, father and son, are both very busy. I’m much more relaxed by comparison. I have lunch with my friends, go to concerts, visit art galleries, do charity work, and occasionally attend an auction... You know, a person can’t stay idle, or their mind starts to wander.”

[”Isn’t that my dream life?”]

[”A high-society wife’s life is so predictable, yet it’s damnably appealing.”]

[”I’m curious about Sister Qing.”]

[”Same here, tell us, Sister Qing!”]

It was as if Lin Xiaoyun was on the same wavelength as the viewers. Her gaze shifted slightly as she smiled and said, ”By contrast, Qingyin is the *real* matriarch of a great family. I’m sure your daily life isn’t as boring as mine, is it?”

’She was genuinely curious. Where had Gu Qingyin gone during all those years she was missing? What had she been through? Why did she look exactly the same as she had twenty years ago? And why had she returned so suddenly?’

’From the moment she first saw Gu Qingyin online, these questions had been swirling in her mind without end. But she couldn’t ask them directly; she could only probe and hint.’

Gu Qingyin was taken aback that the conversation had suddenly turned to her. After a brief pause, she smiled. ”It is a bit different, actually. I have my own work to keep me busy. When there’s work, I do it. When there isn’t, I’m a homebody. I’m not really into all that high-culture stuff. I just like to curl up on the sofa, binge-watch shows, and play video games.”

[”Isn’t that just me?! Go to work on weekdays, stay home on holidays, eat takeout and scroll through videos. Don’t even think about making me leave the house.”]

[”So that’s Sister Qing’s secret to staying young? Adopting the lifestyle of today’s youth?”]

[”So you’re saying if I stick to my current lifestyle, I won’t get old?”]

[”Not sure, but I’m gonna try it.”]

[”Sister Qing is so down-to-earth! No wonder she’s the one who said she’d be like a sister to her daughter-in-law. Love her!”]

[”Is anyone else curious about what Sister Qing does for a living?”]

[”Didn’t Lin Xiaoyun just call her Master Gu? My guess is she does something in design, like a freelancer who takes commissions for blueprints.”]

...

The online viewers were clueless, but on set, everyone except for Huo Zhao Hua knew what Gu Qingyin was referring to.

After listening, Lin Xiaoyun smiled as well. ”Qingyin, you really live life on your own terms. It’s quite enviable.”

The conversation died down again at that point. The director announced that the official livestream would resume the next day, and then ended the broadcast.

Gu Qingyin had eaten her fill. She called for Huo Xinghai to head back to the villa with her, but they had only taken a few steps when Lin Xiaoyun called out to her from behind.

Gu Qingyin turned to look at her.

Lin Xiaoyun stared at her for several seconds before speaking softly. ”For old times’ sake, can we talk alone for a minute?”

’What old times?’ Gu Qingyin thought. ’The time she tried and failed to seduce my husband?’

However, Gu Qingyin didn’t refuse. In fact, she agreed with a beaming smile. She was curious to see what kind of garbage was about to come out of this woman’s mouth.