“I forgot about it. I was thinking about last night,” Yun Xiangxiang looked awkward.
Last night was awkward for everyone. Yun Zhibin didn’t continue asking. Yun Ting refused to come out from the playroom Song Mian prepared for him. Su Xiuling ordered Yun Zhibin, “Go downstairs and take our things here.”
Only Yun Xiangxiang and Su Xiuling, who was bringing Yun Ting, were left in the house. When faced with her mother’s quiet gaze, Yun Xiangxiang felt guilty. She smiled ingratiatingly, “Mom…”
“It’s easy to see whether someone lived in a house and if they were a man or a woman,” Su Xiuling remarked quietly.
“You’re really keen, mom. I just want you guys to live comfortably,” Yun Xiangxiang replied honestly.
“You two were neighbors from the start?” Su Xiuling continued.
“Not exactly, he bought this unit after I did,” Yun Xiangxiang explained honestly. “He told me my job makes it hard for us to date frequently. We might appear on camera, and it’s going to affect me. That’s why he bought this house.”
“I can see every detail is made for you from the design,” that was also why Su Xiuling accepted the offer.
Su Xiuling knew who was in Song Mian’s family. He only had his father. The design of the bedroom and the boys’ playroom was prepared for them.
If a man even plans for the family of his woman, he is true to the one he loved.
Su Xiuling had seen worse in her life. The unit downstairs was better than her home. She wouldn’t have moved if not for Song Mian’s effort toward Yun Xiangxiang.
Yun Xiangxiang smiled broadly.
Su Xiuling was helpless about her daughter. But when Yun Zhibin returned with Song Mian and Yun Lin as his assistants, she stopped the conversation.
“What’s this room for?” Yun Zhibin asked curiously when he noticed the locked room, which was Song Mian’s bedroom.
Yun Xiangxiang smirked, “The room I prepared for Ah Mian.”
Yun Zhibin’s face turned sour immediately. He said nothing, save for harrumphing in displease.
When he went downstairs to see Song Mian who was playing with Yun Ting, Yun Zhibin said, “It’s getting late, we are going to make dinner soon.”
It was getting late, but Yun Xiangxiang knew Yun Zhibin was asking the guest to leave.
Song Mian caught up quickly. This wasn’t the time to go against his father-in-law. “It is getting late. I’ll be going first.”
“Okay. Take care,” At least your judgment is okay.
“It’s dinnertime soon. Stay and have dinner with us,” his wife came over to tear down his authority.
“It’s fine, Aunt Su. I have something to settle too.” If Song Mian stayed, his future father-in-law would only get pickier.
They were only staying for a couple of days after all. It had been a while since Yun Xiangxiang was alone with her family. He needed to give them some space.
When Song Mian rejected her invitation twice, Su Xiuling knew he wasn’t simply being polite, “Give me a minute.”
Turning around, Su Xiuling took the gift she wrapped and gave to Song Mian, “This is the Chinese sausage I made myself. It’s not anything expensive. Have a taste of our hometown.”
“Thank you, Aunt Su,” Song Mian took it happily.
After sending Song Mian away, Su Xiuling reminded Yun Xiangxiang, “Call your agent. Ask him if he has time to spare.”
“Mom, are you treating Brother Wei to a meal?” Yun Xiangxiang instantly knew what Su Xiuling was thinking.
“He took great care of you. Since we are here, of course, we have to meet up and share a meal together. This is the custom,” Su Xiuling nodded.
Looking at the souvenirs, Yun Xiangxiang knew her parents brought those from their hometown as gifts.
She was touched. A parent’s love for their children is selfless.
Yun Xiangxiang immediately called He Wei. He was accompanying Xue Yu as he was clocking out. When Xue Yu knew Yun Xiangxiang’s parents were inviting He Wei over for dinner, he quickly begged her to invite him too.
They didn’t come empty-handed, and brought gifts. They had dinner in Yun Xiangxiang’s unit.
But it was an awkward meeting. Xue Yu and He Wei were only younger than Su Xiuling by a few years. Yun Xiangxiang called them ‘senior’, and ‘Brother Wei.’ That made it hard for Xue Yu to address Yun Xiangxiang’s parents.
“You can address me how you want,” Su Xiuling noticed Xue Yu’s uneasiness. “I used to be your fan.”
“I am so honored, sister-in-law,” Xue Yu took her advice.
“Come in, I brought a few things from my hometown with me and did some home cooking. See if you two like it,” Su Xiuling quickly invited them inside.
Yun Zhibin chatted with the two of them. Su Xiuling had Coco and the others help her with dinner. She would cook herself.
“Brother He, do you know about my daughter having a boyfriend?” Yun Zhibin threw out that sudden question when they were talking.
“What?!” Xue Yu was shocked. He thought he was hallucinating. “Teacher Yun, are you saying Xiangxiang has a boyfriend now?”
Xue Yu’s reaction was exaggerated. Yun Zhibin looked at him with scrutiny.
Xue Yu quickly waved his hand. “Don’t misunderstand, Teacher Yun. I was just shocked. I don’t have ideas about Xiangxiang.
“Yes, I do,” He Wei nodded. “I am sorry for not telling you two sooner.”
“That’s not what I am saying,” Yun Zhibin explained. “I thought you might not know about it. But since Xiangxiang’s line of work is sensitive to this, I thought I should tell you after all.”
“Thank you, brother. I have seen Xiangxiang’s boyfriend myself. He’s a decent young man,” He Wei said everything too.
“Old Man He, oh, Old Man He. That bias of yours. It’s unimaginable,” Xue Yu couldn’t breathe from his heartache.
In the deepest parts of his memory lane lay his love in youth. His romance was just budding then, but before he could nurture it carefully, He Wei tore it apart without mercy.
He Wei told him coldly, “Do you want love, or do you want a future? Do you want to live in a mansion, or under a bridge?”
He could only make a decision that pained him. If a man had to sleep under a bridge, he had no right to shoulder romance.
He was already twenty-four back then, six years older than Yun Xiangxiang was now. He Wei treated him in starkly different ways than he treated Yun Xiangxiang.
“You can’t blame me. Blame the change of times,” He Wei sipped from his cup of tea calmly. “You were born in the wrong generation.”
In Xue Yu’s time, his future would be done if he was exposed to having a girlfriend in his twenties. On top of that, the girl was someone in their circle.
They couldn’t collaborate to hype it up. He Wei didn’t have the power within the company like he had now either. He couldn’t protect Xue Yu’s love.
Xue Yu’s relationship was also different from Yun Xiangxiang. Xue Yu needed to protect his girlfriend, but Yun Xiangxiang’s boyfriend could protect her.
Different people had different treatments.