Self-Deprecation

Zhao Wan Ru secretly glanced at Thai Lang Han. Who would have thought that beneath his cold, thousand-year-old iceberg facade lay such passionate and conflicting emotions? Zhao Wan Ru sniffed, so moved she almost cried. It turned out she had misunderstood Thai Lang Han all this time.
So Thai Lang Han had loved her and her family so deeply, but even now, and in her previous life, he had always tried to conceal it, not daring to let Zhao Wan Ru know of his love. And Thai Lang Han also hoped that his in-laws could love him as a son in the family, yet he didn't know how to express his feelings and thoughts. Therefore, faced with Lin Qing Lian's undisguised, though suppressed, dislike, Thai Lang Han only felt melancholy, wronged, and anxious, without a hint of resentment.
In Zhao Wan Ru's mind, thoughts surged, crashing like waves against the shore. If Thai Lang Han loved her and her family so much now, why did he cruelly harm them so terribly in her previous life? If Thai Lang Han had such a warm heart and always thought of others, why was he so cruel and vicious to those around him in her previous life, not even sparing a newborn child or a dog? Zhao Wan Ru suddenly felt, could it be that she had also misunderstood Thai Lang Han in her previous life?

While Zhao Wan Ru was lost in thought, Thai Lang Han's mood was also a tangled mess. He was truly uncomfortable being disliked so fiercely by Lin Qing Lian. He also wanted to find someone to help or lighten the atmosphere a bit to divert Lin Qing Lian's attention. But as Thai Lang Han looked up, he met Zhao Zhi Hai's gloomy face. He awkwardly looked to the side, only to see Zhao Wan Ru deep in thought. As if struck by lightning, Thai Lang Han's heart twisted, his mind went blank, and his stomach churned with even more panic. Had he done something wrong to displease his entire wife's family like this? No, Thai Lang Han clenched his fists, trying to calm down. And he realized that he was still holding a small potted plant in his hand.
As if a ray of light flashed in the dark night, Thai Lang Han saw the potted plant as if it were the savior of his life. And in an effort to salvage his image as "a son-in-law who isn't too detestable" in the hearts and eyes of his in-laws, the CEO of Sheng Li Company, for the first time in his life, had to rely on a small, pretty potted plant to decide his fate.

Thai Lang Han continued to stare at the potted plant in his hand, saying softly:
"Ma'am... this... Zhao Wan Ru wanted to give..."
Thai Lang Han stammered three times before finishing an incomplete sentence, truly wanting to smash his head against the potted plant. For some reason, under Lin Qing Lian's gaze, he didn't have the courage to call her "Mom" twice, as he had bravely called Zhao Zhi Hai "Dad." Perhaps men found it easier to empathize with each other. Or perhaps Lin Qing Lian's hatred was more obvious. A long sigh caught in his chest, Thai Lang Han felt both frustrated and self-deprecating.
[Damn it! Thai Lang Han, you truly can't do anything right! This way, Mom will dislike me even more. What should I do now?]
In contrast to Thai Lang Han's deep self-deprecation, Zhao Wan Ru was somewhat moved to see the cold-faced CEO, once the fear of many employees and rivals, so flustered and awkward, stammering in front of her mother. This time, Zhao Wan Ru was certain of Thai Lang Han's feelings for her family. It was a genuine, sincere, and profound affection. And so, Zhao Wan Ru felt no regret in placing that potted plant in Thai Lang Han's hands.
Lin Qing Lian had already shown extreme displeasure upon hearing Thai Lang Han's halting words. But when she saw the potted plant in her son-in-law's hand, she became even more annoyed. She looked at Thai Lang Han with astonishment.
After seeing Zhao Wan Ru nod and smile at her in confirmation, Lin Qing Lian looked at Thai Lang Han and said indifferently:
"Thank you!"
Thai Lang Han secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stiffly walked into the room. Looking around, he immediately understood why Zhao Wan Ru had given him this potted plant as a gift for her mother. The room had many pots filled with various plants and flowers, placed around Lin Qing Lian's bed and on the windowsill.