"What did you say?" Aunt Xia was the first to react, voicing her disbelief.
Could she have heard wrong?
"Severing ties?" Aunt Xia repeated Xia Chuyi’s words with a look of astonishment in her eyes.
Was this girl talking about severing ties?
It wasn’t only her; everyone present, including Xia Chengzong, looked at her in disbelief.
Aunt Xia’s eyes darted around, and she quickly put on a grinning face, attempting to smooth things over, "Hehe, child, could you have misspoken? How could a family..."
Xia Chuyi, arms crossed, let out a light laugh, her expression becoming increasingly indifferent, "I did not misspeak, and you all heard correctly."
"Adopting is fine, but I want to sever ties with the Xia Family."
She deliberately slowed her speech, articulating every word clearly.
Everyone present suddenly fell silent.
After a long time, Aunt Xia cautiously observed her, asking, "Chuyi girl, when you talk about severing ties, does that include your mom?"
Everyone perked up their ears.
Xia Chuyi slightly curled the corner of her lip on one side, her eyes calm, "Since she insists on being a member of the Xia Family in life, and a ghost of the Xia Family in death, and wishes to stay with the Xia Family forever."
"Then of course, what I’m talking about severing ties includes her."
She no longer even called her ’mom’.
Everyone exchanged glances, and then their gazes unanimously turned to Mother Xia.
Mother Xia stared at Xia Chuyi, taking a while to come back to her senses, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Sadness, heartbreak, disbelief... and something else.
Everyone thought Mother Xia was stunned by her daughter’s statements.
Only Xia Lan secretly sneered.
Mother Xia, she probably felt relieved, right?
No longer needing to treat someone not her biological flesh and blood as a beloved daughter.
Hmph, her Second Aunt, although not her real mother, shared the same hypocritical nature as Xia Chuyi.
The atmosphere turned eerily quiet for a long time.
Seeing that no one spoke, Xia Chuyi continued slowly, "After I sever ties with the Xia Family, whether you adopt or not, it will no longer have anything to do with me."
Naturally, once the ties were severed, her shop would also have no relation to Mother Xia, and even less to that cheap ’son.’
This was certainly not the outcome the main branch wanted.
Finally recovering, Uncle Xia coughed, "Chuyi girl, blood ties are not so easily cut. Your father underground, hearing you say this, would definitely not be happy... It’s better for a family to live together in harmony."
It was truly laughable; her father watching from below would be unhappy to see her leave the Xia Family, but would he be happy to see her bullied by the main branch?
Xia Chuyi ignored Uncle Xia’s words, firmly stating, "If you want me to agree to the adoption, fine! Severing ties is my only condition."
Seeing that she was unmoved, Uncle Xia got angry and yelled at her, "Why won’t you listen, girl! Have you considered your mother’s feelings? She only has one daughter, and talking about severing ties is like stabbing her in the heart!"
Stabbing that woman in the heart?
Xia Chuyi glanced at Mother Xia, who was silently staring into space.
Clearly, between the ’son’ and the daughter, Mother Xia’s choice was the ’son’.
Thinking her persuasion might work, seeing her silent.
"Yes, Chuyi, think about your mom. When she heard the news about your dad, she was so upset it affected her pregnancy, making your birth difficult. She barely managed to give birth to you and raised you." Grandma Xia also joined in, earnestly advising Xia Chuyi.
Others also chimed in with agreement.
Xia Chuyi sneered: she never knew she was so "loved."