Lin Xi’s face flushed a deep crimson.
Xue Yang took the phone and appeared on the screen.
"Mom, weren’t you looking for ?"
Zhong Hailan said bluntly, "I was, but not anymore. Scoot over. I want to talk to my daughter-in-law."
"?"
Lin Xi pushed Xue Yang away. Her beautiful, smiling face appeared on the screen. "Auntie, did you need sothing?"
"Oh, right, what’s your na?"
"Auntie, my na is Lin Xi. You can call Xiao Xi."
"Xiao Xi, have you eaten the salt-baked chicken Auntie cooked for you?"
"Not yet."
"What? Did that stinky boy eat it all himself? Point the cara at him; Auntie will teach him a lesson for you."
Zhong Hailan rolled up her sleeves, looking for all the world like she was sharpening a knife, ready to give Xue Yang a piece of her mind if he were standing in front of her.
Startled, Xue Yang quickly explained from the side, "Mom, we were just about to eat when your call ca through! We haven’t had a chance yet."
It was rare to see Xue Yang so flustered, and Lin Xi couldn’t help but giggle.
To think I went out of my way to praise them to each other, and the mont they et, I’m the outsider. Xue Yang thought ruefully.
Still, deep down, he let out a sigh of relief.
I’d always heard that the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is one of the greatest challenges a man faces, but it looks like I won’t have to worry about that anymore.
"You haven’t eaten yet? It’s so late."
"Auntie, I just finished class, and Xue Yang just picked up from school. We were about to eat when you called."
"I see. You must be starving. Go eat first; I’ll call you another day. Oh, and if there’s anything you want to eat, just tell . I’ll have it delivered."
"Okay, Auntie, thank you!" Lin Xi said sincerely.
She had never felt such strong maternal love before.
She could count the number of tis she’d seen her own mother on one hand, and they hadn’t spoken on the phone in almost six months.
Auntie Shen had taken care of her since she was a child, and she was the person Lin Xi was closest to. In fact, Auntie Shen felt more like a mother to her than her own mother did.
But now things were better. She had Xue Yang’s mother caring for her too. From now on, she would be as devoted to her as she would be to her own mother.
"There’s no need to be so polite. I’ve always wanted a daughter but ended up with that stinky boy, Xue Yang. You, my dear, have made up for a regret I’ve carried my whole life. I’m so happy."
Xue Yang blinked.
Great. Now I don’t have to worry about their relationship. I should be worrying about my relationship with my own mother.
"Mom, it sounds like I was a freebie that ca with a phone top-up."
"No."
Xue Yang’s flicker of happiness was short-lived, as Zhong Hailan continued, "You were picked up by your dad and from a trash bin."
"..."
Xue Yang felt deeply wounded.
Zhong Hailan exchanged a few more pleasantries with Lin Xi, then told them to hurry up and eat.
After hanging up, Zhong Hailan continued to grin foolishly at her phone.
Xue Yuanqing had just stepped out of the bathroom after a shower when he saw her. He teased, "What’s with that silly grin? Struck by how handso your husband is after a shower?"
It seems a man’s confidence really does skyrocket after a shower, regardless of age.
"Get out of here. Who’s thinking about you? I’m thinking about my daughter-in-law."
Xue Yuanqing understood. She’d been fixated on the idea ever since Xue Xing brought it up.
"Honey, I know you really want a daughter-in-law, but you can forget about the type Xue Xing described. Tomorrow, I’ll ask my mother to see if there are any suitable girls to introduce to our son. Xiao Yang is such a good catch; girls are bound to like him."
"Get out of here! Who wants other girls for a daughter-in-law? In this lifeti, I will only accept Lin Xi as my daughter-in-law. I won’t even consider anyone else. If that stinky boy Xue Yang dares to disappoint Lin Xi, he can forget about ever coming ho."
Xue Yuanqing quickly latched onto the key na. "Honey, who is Lin Xi?"
"Our daughter-in-law."
"Which daughter-in-law?"
"Do we have another son?"
"But isn’t he..." Xue Yuanqing started to ask if their son was being kept by a rich woman.
A warning glare from his wife stopped him cold. He imdiately dared not say another word.
"Honey, what on earth is going on?"
"I just video-called Xue Yang. Guess who answered?"
"It must have been Xue... wait, are you saying our daughter-in-law answered?"
"That’s right! My daughter-in-law is so beautiful and sweet! That rascal Xue Yang finally did sothing right. It’s truly a blessing from our ancestors."
The thought of Lin Xi’s sweet and gentle deanor filled Zhong Hailan’s heart with joy. She wished the girl was ho with them right now; if Lin Xi wanted the stars from the sky, she would find a way to pluck them down for her.
"Dear, I’m planning to renovate the second floor."
"Honey, never mind that for now. Call Xue Yang again, I want to see our daughter-in-law too."
"It’s so late, what is there to see?"
"But I didn’t get to see her."
If Xue Yuanqing had known that a quick shower would make him miss his first chance to see his daughter-in-law, he would have definitely skipped it. He would have gladly gone without a shower for the night—an almost unthinkable sacrifice for a southerner like him.
"So other day. Our daughter-in-law just got out of class and is eating dinner now."
"Oh."
"Did you hear what I just said?"
"I heard you. We’ll renovate it. I’ll call soone first thing tomorrow to look at the layout. You can have it renovated however you want."
"We have to get our daughter-in-law’s opinion. First, have soone take a look, and the new house needs to be decorated just how she likes it too."
"Shouldn’t we ask our son?"
"What son? As of today, I only have a daughter."
"..."
「Back at the apartnt」
ACHOO—
Xue Yang had just taken a bite of a chicken leg when he let out a huge sneeze.
"Strange... Who could be thinking of ?"
Poor Xue Yang had no idea that thanks to Lin Xi’s arrival, his status in the family was in a free fall.
"Xue Yang, you’re not coming down with a cold, are you?" Lin Xi put down her chicken leg and touched his forehead with the back of her hand.
Hmm, no fever.
"How could I be? Your boyfriend is in perfect health. It must be Mrs. Zhong thinking about again."
"Auntie is really so nice."
Hearing about Xue Yang’s mother made Lin Xi eager to et her in person.
"I’ll take you ho to et her during the sumr break."
"Okay!"
"Hurry and eat, or it’ll get cold."
Lin Xi nodded and took a bite of another chicken leg.
"Oh, Xue Yang, let’s save two chicken legs for Si Wen."
"My mom made them for you, so it’s your call."
"Okay."
By the ti they finished dinner, it was almost eleven.
Lin Xi went to the kitchen to wash the dishes while Xue Yang rested on the sofa.
His gaze drifted to her schoolbag nearby. He was suddenly overco with curiosity. What was inside it that made her so anxious?
User Comments
0 comments from readers