Back at school, Tan Mo quickly cast certain people out of her mind and indulged in the “decadent life of a female college student.” During the day, she spent her time in the computer lab or the library; in the evening, after reading and having dinner with Chang Yue, she led a fulfilling life with no time to spare for anything else. Naturally, she didn’t think much about Xie Qichen either.
She was perfectly content with her life, and from another perspective, she guessed Xie Qichen was probably quite content too? After all, they were now like roommates; whether she was at the villa or not seemed to make no difference to him—perhaps he even appreciated the peace and quiet.
One evening, after taking a shower in the dormitory, Tan Mo walked to her desk to apply skincare products. Beside her, Chang Yue, who had just finished playing games with her legs propped up on a chair, put down her phone and sighed dramatically, exclaiming, “Finally won! I’m so exhausted. I’ve realized lately that in games below platinum level, the weirder the team composition, the faster you win. You can’t imagine how your teammate could jungle with Daji and completely dominate the enemy team.”
Tan Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you going to play again later? Take me along for a game.”
“Sure! Let me go brush my teeth first! We’ll play together passionately tonight; it’s been a while since we played together!”
Chang Yue stood up and leaned against the desk next to Tan Mo. Suddenly recalling something, she exclaimed, “Hey, I’ve got to tell you, I heard some gossip today.”
“What kind?”
“There’s a girl from another department on our floor. She’s only a sophomore, but she’s taking a leave of absence to go home and get married to her boyfriend!”
Tan Mo’s heart skipped a beat. “Married…?”
“Yeah! Can you believe it? She’s only a sophomore! Goodness, I’m still single at twenty-four, and she’s already stepping into the hall of marriage. Isn’t that too early?!”
Thinking of herself, Tan Mo suddenly felt uneasy. She covered her blushing face with her hands while applying lotion. “It is pretty early… Why are they in such a hurry to get married?”
“I heard it was because she got pregnant unexpectedly. They’re head over heels in love and insisted on having the baby, so they’re getting married and she’s going home to rest during the pregnancy.”
That was a relief—at least she and Xie Qichen weren’t in that situation…
Chang Yue continued, “Anyway, I definitely won’t get married that early. Hey, Tan Mo, when are you planning to get married? With so many people chasing you, you might soon meet someone you like and get married a year or two after graduation. I’ll drink your wedding wine first, hahaha!”
Tan Mo’s face turned completely red. She quickly changed the subject, “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself first! Are we going to play games or not?”
“Okay, okay, I’m going to brush my teeth now. Be right back.”
After Chang Yue left, Tan Mo exhaled softly, cupping her flushed cheeks with both hands, completely flustered.
If her roommates ever found out she was married, it would definitely cause an uproar. How would she explain it then… Ugh… she couldn’t even bear to think about it anymore.
—
Considering that contacting Xie Qichen frequently in the dormitory might raise suspicion, Tan Mo refrained from calling him during the past two weeks of review week. She only sent him messages occasionally when something was urgent.
Time passed quickly in her fulfilling routine, and soon it was January.
The final exams lasted three days, with the last day’s exam scheduled in the afternoon. At noon, Tan Mo packed her luggage in the dormitory but couldn’t carry it back to the villa alone. After thinking it over, she had no choice but to trouble Xie Qichen and asked him to send his family’s driver to pick her up.
But since she didn’t have a phone, she could only contact him directly.
After finishing her takeout lunch, she walked to the dormitory balcony, closed the door, and dialed a number she hadn’t called in a while.
A few seconds later, the call was picked up, and she hurriedly whispered his name:
“Xie Qichen…”
The man on the other end spoke in a tone neither warm nor cold: “Who is this?”
“…”
Tan Mo wasn’t sure if he genuinely didn’t recognize her voice, her cheeks slightly flushed: “It’s me, Tan Mo.”
The man, sitting in the office of Qianshui Club, closed the financial magazine in front of him:
“Sorry, I don’t really remember.”
Tan Mo: ?
She felt embarrassed and annoyed: “Xie Qichen, are you doing this on purpose…”
The man chuckled lightly: “It’s rare to receive a call from you. I thought you’d forgotten that you even have a nominal husband.”
Tan Mo certainly wouldn’t admit that she felt it didn’t really matter whether she contacted him or not. She softly explained in a sweet tone, almost coquettishly: “I’ve been in exam week recently, and now it’s the end of the year—I guessed you must be very busy with the company’s affairs, so I didn’t want to bother you.”
He changed the topic: “When does your exam finish?”
“At four in the afternoon. I’ve already packed my luggage. I just wanted to ask if you could send your driver to pick me up from school this afternoon. My luggage is quite a lot.”
“Understood.”
So was he agreeing or not…?
Tan Mo simply assumed he had agreed: “Thanks.”
“Go take a nap, or you won’t have the energy for the afternoon exam.”
“Okay.”
After lying down for half an hour, the alarm clock rang. Tan Mo got up, tidied herself, and went to the exam venue with her roommate.
The other two roommates had also returned to school. On the way, they asked her: “Tan Mo, are you still staying in the apartment during the summer vacation?”
They knew she had rented an apartment off-campus this semester.
Hearing this, Tan Mo scratched her head and vaguely replied. Chang Yue said: “Tan Mo, we’ll visit your apartment if we have time. I haven’t been there yet.”
But she had already moved out of the apartment…
Tan Mo hadn’t told them about her marriage yet and simply smiled: “Sure, just let me know when you want to come.”
“Great!”
Arriving at the classroom, Tan Mo sat in her assigned seat. After a while, the exam proctor entered and distributed the test papers.
She began answering the questions.
Time passed quietly. An hour later, at Qianshui Club on the other side of town, Xie Qichen finished handling his affairs and stood up to leave the office.
Crossing an ancient bridge, there was a pavilion at the end of the bridge, from which came the sound of guqin music, lingering and melodious.
The pavilion was surrounded by screens, concealing the figures inside. Only through the silhouettes projected on the screens could one see that the people inside seemed to be sipping tea leisurely.
Xie Qichen stepped onto the stone steps. Inside, two men were chatting and drinking tea, with one seat in the middle left empty.
Seeing Xie Qichen, they asked the musicians to leave first and laughed: “Ah Chen, you’re so busy! We’ve been waiting here for half a day just for you to come have tea. What poor hospitality!”
These two were both scions of wealthy families, named Xun Huo and Lu Zian respectively. They were university brothers with Xie Qichen and had remained close friends ever since.
Back in those days, the most common thing was for the three of them to go play basketball together.
After the match, they would sit on the high bleachers to rest. Xie Qichen, clad in a white sleeveless jersey, would recline halfway on the bleachers. His face was bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun, with sweat trickling down his jawline, revealing a wild and untamed side beneath his usual scholarly composure.
On campus, Xie Qichen had always been the most dazzling presence.
Lying there, after a while, someone patted his shoulder: “Ah Chen, another girl came looking for you to bring water.”
Everyone laughed and teased him. Xie Qichen rested his arm on his forehead, closed his eyes, and spoke in a lazy, indifferent voice:
“Just tell her I’m too tired and fainted.”
“Hahaha, you’ve got to be kidding… How fake can you get…”
Now, everyone had grown from boys into men. Xun Huo had a more steady personality and had returned to take over the family business, while Lu Zian was more free-spirited and always seemed laid-back. Now he ran an entertainment company. Fortunately, the three had always kept in touch.
Xie Qichen walked onto the pavilion and sat on the pearwood chair, glancing at them sideways: “You’re drinking my tea that costs thousands per jin and still complaining about poor hospitality? Don’t come next time.”
Beside him, Xun Huo placed his teacup on the table and faintly smiled: “Speaking of which, you have all the best teas here. Next time I have business meetings, I’ll just bring them here directly.”
“Sounds great, letting me provide my good tea for your guests.”
Xun Huo smiled: “Back in college, during finals, I often helped you finish your assignments. What’s wrong with having a bit of your good tea?”
Don’t be fooled by Xie Qichen’s gentle and refined appearance—he had a rebellious side that only those who knew him well were aware of.
Xie Qichen chuckled slightly: “Helped me design the program twice and you still remember it now. Back then, the bugs were so bad they almost got the teacher suspicious.”
“Bro, you’re such a top student, asking me, a struggling student, to do your homework. I did well enough just finishing it…”
As they joked around, Xie Qichen then noticed Lu Zian, who had been fiddling with his phone with his head down beside him. Lu Zian had always been the most talkative among the three, but today he was unusually quiet.
Xun Huo laughed: “This guy has been like this since he came. His eyes haven’t left his phone. He’s been chasing someone pretty aggressively lately.”
Xie Qichen poured tea: “Chasing someone?”
“Yeah, he recently met a girl five years younger than him. She’s a rookie from his company. He’s been stubbornly pursuing her, but so far, it seems hopeless.”
Lu Zian crossed his legs and scoffed: “Shut up! Hopeless? I, Lu Zian, have never failed to win someone over, okay? Don’t just say the grapes are sour because you can’t eat them.”
“Right, you eat every grape there is, an old cow eating tender grass.”
Lu Zian was both angry and amused: “Xie Qichen, tell me, am I wrong to pursue my own happiness?”
Xie Qichen lifted the corner of his lips: “Hmm, it is quite an old cow eating tender grass.”
“What the hell! Who’s the old cow eating tender grass! Some people not long ago quietly got into an arranged marriage and got out of the single life!”
Lu Zian turned to Xie Qichen: “We were both busy last month and haven’t even met the sister-in-law yet. Aren’t you going to introduce her to your brothers? What does she look like? What does she do?”
Xun Huo: “Yeah, we definitely want to meet her!”
Xie Qichen sipped his tea and spoke indifferently: “I’ll ask her tonight. She’s in her final exams these days and will come back from school tonight.”
Lu Zian spat out a mouthful of tea—
“Final exams?!”
She’s still taking exams???!?
“Xie Qichen, who the hell is the old cow eating tender grass?!”
—
At four o’clock, the exam bell rang. In the classroom, the teacher asked everyone to put down their pens and stop writing.
Tan Mo handed in her paper and went to the back of the classroom to get her luggage. Several roommates approached her: “Tan Mo, do you need help taking your luggage to the gate?”
“No, I’ve arranged for someone to pick me up.”
They patted Tan Mo’s cute head: “Alright, see you next semester. Bye!”
“Bye…”
After saying goodbye to her roommates, Tan Mo took her luggage and walked out of the teaching building, where the driver was already waiting outside.
After getting into the car, a call came in. The deep, calm voice on the other end was unmistakably Xie Qichen’s:
“Did the exam finish?”
“Yeah, I’m already in the car now.”
On the other side of the call, Xun Huo and Lu Zian excitedly leaned over: “Put it on speaker! We want to talk to the sister-in-law!!”
Tan Mo was puzzled: “Are there people around you?”
Xie Qichen was about to speak when his phone was snatched away. Lu Zian turned on speakerphone and shouted joyfully at Tan Mo: “Hello, sister-in-law! We’re Xie Qichen’s brothers!”
Tan Mo hadn’t expected Xie Qichen to be with his friends and was caught off guard by the sudden greeting. She felt at a loss and awkwardly responded softly: “Hello…”
“Sister-in-law, we have a very curious question to ask you.”
“Ah?”
“Have you come of age yet?”
Tan Mo: ???
She was completely confused: “Of course I have. What’s wrong…”
“No, no, sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand. We just thought Xie Qichen had kidnapped a child!”
Lu Zian and Xun Huo burst into laughter. Beside them, the man’s face darkened as he snatched the phone back, turned off the speakerphone, and walked aside to speak to Tan Mo: “Don’t mind those two crazy people.”
Tan Mo’s cheeks flushed red: “Why did they ask me that…”
“It’s nothing. I mentioned you were in your finals, and they thought you were still in high school,” Xie Qichen sighed helplessly, rubbing his temples. “They’re Xun Huo and Lu Zian. I’ve introduced them to you before, remember?”
Tan Mo had a vague memory; they were the good friends who got along well with Xie Qichen. Otherwise, who else would dare to joke like that in front of Xie Qichen?
But they were both a few years older than her and still called her “sister-in-law”—that felt really strange!
Xie Qichen changed the subject and asked if she had any other plans for tonight: “They don’t know it’s you yet, but they’ve been insisting on meeting you.”
“Should I come over then…”
“Want to come?”
The man’s deep, seductive voice, like plucking heartstrings, reached her ears: “We haven’t seen each other in two weeks.”
Hearing this, Tan Mo’s heart raced.
Was he implying he missed her?
Coincidentally free, Tan Mo finally agreed: “Alright, I’ll come now.”
“Call me when you arrive.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up the phone, Xie Qichen walked back to the tea table. Lu Zian laughed with a meaningful expression:
“Xie Qichen, this is the first time I’ve heard you speak to a girl like that. Do you really have to be so sweet to her?”
Xie Qichen gave them a cold look without responding and continued brewing tea.
The two men couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.
Xie Qichen had always been cold to any girl, maintaining a distant demeanor. But from memory, there was one exception—the only person who could make him gentle was a little girl he called his little sister, whose name was Tan Mo. Other than that, there was no one else.
So who exactly was this new “sister-in-law”? Even more intriguing.
—
The evening glow faded, and the sun quickly disappeared behind the mountains, as the sky turned dark.
Half an hour later, Tan Mo was dropped off at Qianshui Club.
After getting out of the car, Tan Mo asked the driver to take her luggage back to the villa first. She walked into the club and sent a message to Xie Qichen: [I’m here.]
Standing in the lobby, she looked around. The front desk manager noticed her. She was wearing a canary-yellow wool coat, her delicate pale face tucked into a scarf, her large almond eyes bright like black pearls. She looked very young, not like someone who came here to spend money.
Tan Mo waited for a few minutes but didn’t see Xie Qichen arrive. She decided to walk inside when suddenly the manager approached, blocking her path with a smile.
“Good evening, madam. Are you here for dinner?”
Tan Mo hesitated slightly. “I’m here to meet someone.”
“Has your friend arrived? Which private room are you assigned to? I’ll have a server guide you there.”
Tan Mo didn’t know how to respond and decided to tell the truth. “I’m here to see Xie Qichen.”
Hearing the full name, the manager paused. “To see our boss? May I ask for your surname? Do you have an appointment?”
Before Tan Mo could respond, still feeling awkward, she turned her head and saw the man approaching with one hand in his pocket. Upon seeing Xie Qichen, the manager quickly nodded. “Hello, Mr. Xie.”
“Hmm.”
Xie Qichen responded indifferently, grabbed Tan Mo’s hand, and looked at the manager. “Remember her from now on; she’s the boss’s wife.”
The manager, who had heard that the boss was married but had never seen the boss’s wife, was shocked and quickly apologized. “Sorry…”
Wow, the boss’s wife is this young?!
Tan Mo’s face slightly reddened. Shaking her head, she said it was fine and was led by Xie Qichen inside. She followed him, passing through artificial hills and stone walls, walking side by side with the sound of a stream in the air.
The air carried the scent of sandalwood from the man’s body, a fragrance she hadn’t smelled in a long time. Suddenly, Tan Mo realized clearly—they hadn’t seen each other in many days.
In the subtle and quiet atmosphere, she heard his voice from above.
“Cold?”
She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze and shook her head, waving both hands. “I’ve wrapped myself up like a bear; how could I possibly be cold?”
“Hmm, a little white bear.”
Realizing what he was referring to, she felt embarrassed and annoyed. “Don’t mention that day again…”
She playfully hit him, her cute expression deeply imprinted in his eyes.
Tan Mo wasn’t in the mood to play around. Thinking about meeting his friends soon made her nervous. Xie Qichen comforted her. “Just eat when we get there. Ignore those two idiots.”
She chuckled. “You really talk about your friends like that?”
Arriving at the private room’s entrance, Xie Qichen led her inside. The person waiting eagerly inside was instantly stunned.
“Whoa, this… this can’t be…?!”
Xun Huo and Lu Zi’an stood up in shock. Xie Qichen introduced, “Tan Mo. You’ve met her before.”
“Hello, Brother Xun. Hello, Brother Lu.”
Xun Huo and Lu Zi’an were astonished. “Little sister, so you’re the one who married Xie Qichen?!”
How could this be such a coincidence?!
Xie Qichen ignored their shock and led Tan Mo to sit down. Xun Huo quickly regained his composure and poured tea for Tan Mo. Lu Zi’an couldn’t help but tease, “Xie Qichen, weren’t you treating her like a little sister before? How did she become your wife now? Did you have ulterior motives all along? You whisked this young girl away to marry you before she even graduated college!”
Upon hearing this, Tan Mo’s face turned red instantly. Xie Qichen shot Lu Zi’an an icy glare. “Enough already?”
Lu Zi’an held back a laugh. “Alright, I was just kidding.”
The server brought the menu. Xie Qichen handed one to Tan Mo. “See what you’d like to eat. The chef you like is here today.”
“Really? Then I’ll have West Lake codfish soup and osmanthus coconut cake.”
“That cake is cold. It’s bad for your stomach. Pick something else.”
“Okay…”
Tan Mo and Xie Qichen conversed. Across the table, Xun Huo and Lu Zi’an exchanged glances. “I feel like a giant third wheel.”
“Same here.”
After Xie Qichen ordered, he handed the menu back to the server. “That’s all for now.”
“Alright.”
Lu Zi’an was unhappy. “You said you’d treat us, but you didn’t even ask what we want to eat.”
Xie Qichen smirked. “What do third wheels eat for dinner?”
…
Lu Zi’an vented to Tan Mo. “Little sister, if it weren’t for your marriage, this guy would definitely be single forever!”
Tan Mo couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed like this man could indeed be quite mean sometimes.
Just like earlier—way too much.
Hearing this, Xie Qichen calmly replied, directly hitting a nerve. “Don’t talk about me. Why don’t you get someone for yourself first?”
…
Lu Zi’an was unhappy. “When it comes to relationships, both you and Xun Huo are worse than me.”
Xun Huo teased him. “Please, you’re such a playboy and you’re proud of it.”
“So what if I’m a playboy? Not everyone can be one, you know.”
“Oh, so you’re proud of it…”
The two men quickly started bickering, just as immature as they were back in school.
Tan Mo couldn’t help but recall the days in high school when she was with Xie Qichen, feeling nostalgic.
Back then, she was often brought by Xie Qichen to the basketball court, where many boys treated her like a little sister. Those were the days when she was closest to Xie Qichen.
At the dinner table, with the two men bickering, the atmosphere never cooled down.
Tan Mo gradually relaxed and enjoyed the meal.
After dinner, the group walked out of the private room. Xie Qichen said to Tan Mo, “Wait for me at the entrance. I need to go to my office to pick something up, then I’ll take you home.”
“Okay.”
After Xie Qichen left, the three walked toward the entrance. Xun Huo asked Tan Mo, “Little sister, where are you studying now? F University?”
“Yeah.”
Lu Zi’an said, “Oh, so we’re from the same university. Which major are you in?”
“Computer science.”
“A girl majoring in computer science? Impressive.” Lu Zi’an started chatting about F University. “Let me tell you, our university is famous for having many handsome guys and pretty girls. I remember last year there was a very popular video of some F University guys showing off their abs.”
Tan Mo’s eyes lit up. “Abs?”
Xun Huo leaned over and smiled. “You don’t need to look at others. You already have someone with great abs right beside you.”
“Huh?”
“It’s Achen. Back in the day, when he played basketball and lifted his shirt, the girls around would scream. Haven’t you seen it?”
Tan Mo had never seen it. She blushed and didn’t answer. Lu Zi’an leaned closer and whispered in her ear:
“Next time, let him show you.”
Tan Mo’s face turned completely red. Just then, Xie Qichen came out and saw the scene. He saw the two men laughing and his brow twitched.
“What are you guys talking about now?”
“Little sister, don’t tell him.”
Xun Huo and Lu Zi’an waved at him. “We’re leaving now.”
They quickly left. Tan Mo’s mind was a mess as she walked toward the Rolls-Royce. Her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and the tall figure of the man loomed over her, the scent of sandalwood enveloping her nose. He looked down at her.
“What did they say?”
Tan Mo blushed. “Nothing.”
The man didn’t let her go. Feeling flustered, Tan Mo finally told the truth.
“They said your abs are really nice and told me to take a look next time…”
She finished speaking, and a few seconds later, she heard the man’s low voice from above—
“So… want to take a look?”
Tan Mo: ?!?
What was this man saying?!
Her face turned red, and she quickly pulled her hand away, hurrying forward. “I won’t… I won’t look…”
Xie Qichen looked at the girl’s angry back and couldn’t help but smile.
Back at the villa, Tan Mo reorganized her luggage into her bedroom, officially entering her winter vacation.
Because she hadn’t slept well for days due to early mornings and late nights studying, in the first few days of the holiday, Tan Mo was almost glued to her bed, turning into a lazy little pig who only knew how to eat and sleep.
Ji Shu often called her, and she was usually catching up on sleep, which prompted Ji Shu to teasingly laugh. “People who don’t know might think you hadn’t been home for weeks and that you and Mr. Xie had a passionate reunion, making up for lost time in bed for three days and nights straight.”
Still groggy from sleep, Tan Mo instantly sobered up upon hearing this.
“Ji Shu, what kind of dirty thoughts are you having?!”
Ji Shu giggled while covering her mouth. “Sorry, I went off the rails again…”
“You’re really free today?”
“I went back to my hometown today to visit my grandparents. I handed the year-end work at the company to others and took my annual leave early.”
Ji Shu’s hometown is in Kewu Mountain, a neighboring city. Her grandparents lived in the mountains. Although the Ji family was well-off, the elderly preferred to stay in their hometown rather than move to the city. Ji Shu was usually busy and rarely had time to visit them, so she took the opportunity to spend more time with them during the year-end.
Tan Mo had visited Kewu Mountain with Ji Shu a few times during summer vacations, and Ji Shu’s grandparents loved her dearly, so she also missed them.
“How is Grandpa’s health lately?” Tan Mo asked.
Ji Shu sighed. “His body is still okay. My grandma takes care of him. But since he got Alzheimer’s, he’s been forgetting things more and more. Now he can barely recognize me as his granddaughter.”
“I think we should find a way to bring Grandpa to the city so it’s easier for you to take care of him.”
“I think so too.”
Tan Mo said she would visit her grandparents this year if she had time. They chatted for a while and eventually hung up.
After the call, Tan Mo was fully awake. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She flipped the switch but found the light bulb wouldn’t turn on.
After confirming it wasn’t a power outage, she guessed the bulb was broken and went downstairs to ask the housekeeper for a new one.
Back in the bathroom, Tan Mo suddenly realized she was too short, so she went to get a tall chair.
She panted as she positioned the chair, carefully climbed onto it, and slowly started replacing the bulb. Xie Qichen, who had come out of the adjacent bedroom, saw her door open and heard some noise inside. When he entered, he saw the girl sitting on the tall chair, and his eyebrows immediately furrowed. “What are you doing?”
Tan Mo looked down at him. “I’m changing the light bulb.”
“Come down. I’ll help you.”
Tan Mo tightened the bulb and jumped down. “No need. I’ve already fixed it.”
“I was right next door. Why didn’t you ask me for help?”
It was the weekend, and he hadn’t gone to the company.
Tan Mo blinked her eyes. “It’s okay. I can handle it by myself. No need to bother you.”
The man didn’t say anything else. Tan Mo looked at him and, recalling what Ji Shu had said earlier, couldn’t help but imagine some unmentionable scenes. She quickly suppressed her thoughts, blushing.
She rubbed her neck and pretended to be calm as she asked, “Have you had dinner yet?”
“Not yet. It’s not ready downstairs.”
“Oh.” So she hadn’t woken up too late after all.
Xie Qichen looked down at her indifferently. “It’s rare for you to wake up before dinner.”
She caught the sarcasm in his voice and retorted, feeling guilty. “Rare? I just took a nap in the afternoon and just woke up, okay?”
“Didn’t look like you just woke up. Looked more like you came back from the dead.”
…
“Oh, then why didn’t you die of fright?”
Tan Mo didn’t want to talk to him anymore. She walked out of the room and hurried downstairs to look for food. When she entered the dining room, she saw a wide array of delicious dishes on the table. “Wow, so much food?”
The chef smiled. “These dishes were specially arranged by Mr. Xie. He said you slept all day and would be very hungry tonight. These are all your favorite dishes.”
Upon hearing this, Tan Mo’s heart was filled with a sense of warmth.
This person was actually quite nice…
Alright, she would reluctantly forgive him for calling her a zombie.
During dinner, Xie Qichen told her something. “My mother said she’s coming back these days.”
Tan Mo was shocked. “Auntie is coming back?!”
Xie Qichen’s birth mother had been living abroad for several years. She hadn’t returned to attend their wedding banquet recently because she was undergoing treatment.
“Yeah, she and a few of her friends are planning to come back for a visit. They’re going to spend the New Year in China and said they’d like to see their daughter-in-law before traveling.”
“Ah…”
Tan Mo’s heart immediately sank. Xie Qichen asked with a calm smile. “Why are you nervous? You’ve met her before, right?”
Unlike the gentle and quiet traditional lady, Xie Qichen’s birth mother, Yang Xialan, was also a lady from a prestigious family but had a lively and friendly personality. When Tan Mo used to visit Xie Qichen’s home, she often cooked delicious food for Tan Mo and treated her like her own daughter.
Tan Mo lowered her eyebrows. “Of course I’m happy to see Auntie, but now she suddenly becomes…”
Xie Qichen chuckled lightly. “Becomes your mother-in-law, so you’re nervous?”
Exactly…
As the saying goes, one of the most likely relationships to cause conflict is that between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Although it was a business marriage, this relationship couldn’t be avoided.
“Don’t worry. My mother likes you.”
“How is Auntie’s health lately?”
“It’s been relatively stable.”
“That’s good. When she returns to Licheng, I’ll accompany her for some sightseeing.”
He looked at her and smiled. “Okay.”
Xie Qichen’s mother’s flight was scheduled for 5 p.m. two days later. In the evening, Xie Qichen went to the airport to pick her up, and Tan Mo accompanied him.
The two waited at the arrival gate. After a while, several middle-aged women walked toward them, chatting and laughing.
Although they were over fifty, they all looked radiant and well-groomed, clearly taking great care of themselves.
The woman walking in the middle saw them and quickly waved with a smile. “Over here!”
Seeing them, Tan Mo and Xie Qichen immediately walked forward. Xie Qichen’s mother, Yang Xialan, smiled and patted Xie Qichen’s shoulder. “Son, look at you. Have you lost weight recently?”
“Mom, let me carry your luggage.”
Yang Xialan then turned her gaze to the bright-eyed and pretty girl beside her son. Tan Mo smiled at her. “Hello, Auntie.”
“Oh my, Mo Mo, you’ve grown up so much. It’s been such a long time since I last saw you.”
Yang Xialan hugged Tan Mo. “You still call me Auntie? Aren’t you going to change your address?”
Tan Mo hesitated slightly, her eyes curving into a smile. “Mom.”
Yang Xialan responded happily, proudly introducing to her friends. “This is my daughter-in-law. She just got married to my son. I always said she was an especially beautiful girl. Look how well these two kids stand together.”
“Yes, no wonder we often hear you praise her.”
The aunt beside them winked at Xie Qichen, “A Chen, your mom really loves kids now. You should put in some effort so she can hold her grandson next year, hahaha.”
Yang Xialan laughed joyfully, “Then I’m just too happy!”
Hearing this, Tan Mo’s face turned bright red. Then Yang Xialan took her hand, “Well, my son and I will head off first. Let’s meet again in a few days, we’ll contact you then.”
“Okay, bye-bye.”
“Yang Jie, take care of yourself.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m in great health. Come visit me at my house some day.”
Laughing, Yang Xialan waved goodbye to them. Next to her, Xie Qichen looked at her radiant expression, helplessly pressed his temple, and smirked, “Mom, seeing you in such great spirits reassures me.”
“What are you talking about? How could I not be in a good mood seeing you guys?”
“Alright then, we’re off.”
Yang Xialan walked forward with Tan Mo, chatting and laughing all the way. After getting into the car, Xie Qichen said, “Mom, we’re heading home now. For the upcoming period, you’ll live with us.”
She hurriedly refused, “No need, just find a place for me. You two newlyweds should enjoy your time together. I prefer living alone, it’s more comfortable.”
“But you’re not in good health now, who will take care of you alone?”
Actually, it was Tan Mo’s idea to invite Yang Xialan to stay with them, because the only person related to her in Licheng was Xie Qichen. Since they had returned home after a long time, how could she be left alone outside? Living together was not only out of concern for any sudden health issues she might have, making it easier to care for her, but also so they could accompany her often.
Beside them, Tan Mo also chimed in. Hearing this, Yang Xialan finally gave in, “Alright then.”
In fact, she also wanted the company of her family, but being old, she didn’t want to trouble the kids.
On the way back, Yang Xialan asked Tan Mo about her current situation, “Jasmine, you’ll graduate next year, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I remember when I saw you last, you hadn’t even graduated from high school yet. You often came over to play, remember?”
“I remember,” Tan Mo’s eyes curved into a smile, “The braised pork with pickled mustard greens you made was especially delicious. I could always eat two big bowls of rice each time.”
Yang Xialan was delighted, “Then Mom will cook it for you tomorrow…”
Chatting with Tan Mo, Yang Xialan grew increasingly fond of this fresh, lively young girl, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “No wonder A Chen likes you so much.”
Tan Mo froze, “Huh?”
Yang Xialan smiled like a doting auntie, “Mom actually knows everything. Although you two seem to have a marriage of convenience, A Chen privately told me everything. He said he’s liked you for years and came back to China specifically to marry you. Since you two already knew each other before, it’s easy to develop feelings between you.”
Tan Mo: ?!?! What the heck!
Tan Mo turned her head to meet Xie Qichen’s gaze, her entire face blushed bright red, her mind completely blank.
All the way, Yang Xialan chatted and laughed with them. Half an hour later, the car arrived at the villa.
After getting out of the car, the housemaid came forward to help carry the luggage and accompanied Yang Xialan inside.
After Tan Mo got out of the car, seeing Xie Qichen was about to follow inside, she secretly pulled him to the front of the car, blushing and glaring at him:
“Xie Qichen, why did you tell your mom such things?!”
They stood very close, the fragrance of jasmine and sandalwood intertwining with their breaths.
The man looked down at her blushing face, smirking slightly:
“What did I say?”
Tan Mo didn’t know whether this guy was pretending to be clueless or not. Biting her lip, she was almost in tears, “You know, you just made up that stuff about liking me for years, saying you came back to China just to marry me…”
Xie Qichen leaned closer, then softly laughed, locking eyes with her, his voice clearly landing by her ear:
“What if what I said is true?”
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