Mr. Cao glanced at Mrs. Cao, and Mrs. Cao immediately understood. He was a man, the director of the Education Bureau, and he had to maintain his composure and face. She would let him play the villain.
"Some people are really interesting. They say one thing but do another. They're so hypocritical!" Cao's mother glanced at Li Yang with disdain and said dismissively.
"Mom! Eat! What are you doing?!" Cao Xin had lost her appetite and angrily put down her chopsticks.
"Xin Xin, we're doing this for your own good. Don't bring just any random person home. Our family isn't an ordinary one; we need to maintain a certain image. Also, you need to be mindful of your words and actions. Don't associate with disreputable people..." Cao's mother said to Cao Xin with apparent concern, but she was actually making veiled accusations against Li Yang.
Cao's father nodded in agreement, feeling that Cao's mother made a lot of sense.
Cao Xin didn't dare look at Li Yang, because she felt ashamed, ashamed for her parents. They were too superficial and materialistic. She slammed her hand on the table and said, "Who I date is my own business! It's none of your business!"
Cao Xin, who was usually gentle and calm, could no longer hold back her anger.
"Smack!"
"How dare you speak to your parents like that!" Mr. Cao slammed his hand on the table and shouted sternly.
"Li Yang! Let's go, we're not eating here anymore, I feel nauseous!" Cao Xin threw down her chopsticks, angrily pulling Li Yang away.
"What's wrong, Sister Xin? I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine. Oh, right, I need to take this call." Li Yang said innocently, taking out his nearly ten thousand yuan cell phone and answering a call.
Just as Cao's mother was about to get angry at her daughter's unruly behavior, she glanced at Li Yang's phone, her eyes widened, and she couldn't help but blink a few times. Was that a Nokia 800? Was it real or fake?
Because of her husband's powerful connections, Cao's mother had an incredibly leisurely life in the department. Although she was the department head with real power, the work was done by her subordinates. All she had to do was drink tea, read newspapers, research designer goods, and gossip about celebrity scandals.
Chapter 88: From Arrogance to Obsequiousness (Part 2)
She had just seen this Nokia 800A in a fashion magazine not long ago. She had originally wanted to buy one for Cao Kefan, but she hesitated when she saw the price. She's been struggling with the decision for the past few days.
Unexpectedly, one suddenly appeared in front of me, and judging from its style and markings, it didn't seem fake.
"Is this a Nokia 800?" Cao's mother asked, stammering.
Li Yang simply smiled and nodded at her before answering the phone. Cao's mother was struck dumb, her face turning pale as she sat down.
Mr. Cao frowned slightly, somewhat displeased with his wife's reaction. "It's just a broken cell phone, why are you making such a fuss?"
"Hello? Mr. Song, haha, how did you get my number? Sister Song told you, really, I should have given you my number earlier, I'm so sorry, I'm eating right now, have you eaten yet? What? Mayor Ye wants to invite me to dinner? Really? Tonight? Who else is coming? Just the three of us? Okay, okay, I'll definitely be there, I'll definitely be there on time..."
Li Yang, with a sly smile, spoke to the notorious underworld boss, Master Song, as if they were equals. Moreover, Mayor Ye even invited them to dinner, just the three of them. What was going on?
Li Yang hung up the phone as if nothing had happened, and then sat down to continue eating the half-eaten crab.
At this moment, Cao Kefan was struck dumb, his face turned ashen, and he was covered in cold sweat.
He stood cautiously and fearfully to one side, not daring to sit down. Seeing his wife still sitting there, he kicked her hard. Cao's mother exclaimed and looked angrily at Cao's father. Seeing his eyes, she realized what was happening and stood to one side, covered in sweat, not daring to sit down.
Cao Xin looked at the two of them with a touch of sadness, then sat down to eat with a sigh, finding the food utterly tasteless. Li Yang, on the other hand, ate with great relish, making loud smacking noises.
"Uncle and Aunt, please sit down and eat. Why don't you sit down? The food today is delicious and very tasty. Hairy crabs are a very famous delicacy. Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty even wrote a poem praising them: 'Crab claws are like nectar, and wine-soaked mounds are like Penglai. Let us drink fine wine and get drunk on the high terrace under the moon.' They are truly a rare and wonderful thing."
If I hadn't been visiting my aunt and uncle's house today, I really wouldn't have had this wonderful meal. Please sit down and eat, don't be shy."
The scene was set up as if Li Yang were the host, urging them to sit down and eat without being polite.
At this moment, Cao's mother did not believe that Li Yang had never eaten hairy crabs before, otherwise he would not understand Li Bai's poems. She must have said it on purpose, because he was well-mannered.
Upon hearing Li Yang recite poetry, Cao's father's eyes lit up and he said, "Yes, yes, you have to drink wine when eating crabs. I have a bottle of aged Moutai here, which is perfect for drinking with."
Li Yang waved his hand and said, "No need. September is the perfect time to eat crabs. But the best wine to pair with them is Shaoxing wine. Hmm, if you have any Gu Yue Long Shan Shaoxing wine, then bring it along. If not, then forget it. Let's not waste such fine hairy crabs. Isn't that right, Uncle?"
Let's see if you old bastard still put on airs! Damn it, you want to mess with me? I'll make you pay! But, Master Song's call today was really timely. I only gave him a heads-up beforehand, hinting that I was going to visit Cao's father and asking him to help me out. I didn't expect him to not only understand my intentions but also bring in Mayor Ye to back me up. He's really awesome!
"That's right, that's right. Eating crabs requires good wine, but unfortunately I don't have any here. Why don't you go down and buy a bottle?" Cao Kefan said somewhat obsequiously.
"Uncle, please don't bother. This is fine as it is. How can we trouble Uncle Cao? Besides, we have dinner with Mayor Ye tonight. It would be very impolite to go to the banquet reeking of alcohol! Don't you think so, Uncle?" Li Yang said, eating by himself.
"That's right, that's right. I'd rather not drink. When Mayor Ye invited you for drinks, did he mention me?" Cao Kefan asked cautiously.
"Well... I don't think so. But I'll definitely talk to Mayor Ye about Uncle Cao during dinner tonight. Many students at our school say that Director Cao is a good person, honest and upright, and does practical things for the students. He's a good director!" Li Yang said in a very old-fashioned manner.
"Pfft..."
Cao Xin couldn't help but burst out laughing. Li Yang's pretentious manner was really funny, but her parents looked so apprehensive, it was just too funny.
She had never heard anyone praise Director Cao; on the contrary, she had heard plenty of criticism. Li Yang, that guy, is truly shameless; how could he say such a thing?
"That's wonderful, wonderful! Here, have another one. This is a genuine Yangcheng Lake hairy crab, it tastes amazing..." Cao's father rubbed his hands together as he came over to offer his services.
Cao's mother took the large hairy crab, quickly picked up a toothpick and began to prepare it. Then she placed the crab roe and meat into Li Yang's dish and said with a charming smile, "Li Yang is visiting for the first time. I haven't been very hospitable. How can I let him do it himself? I'll do it."
Li Yang was sweating bullets and sighing in disbelief. The change from arrogance to obsequiousness was too swift and dramatic, all thanks to just a phone call.
Li Yang glanced at Cao Xin with amusement, then made a helpless expression. Cao Xin glared at him, annoyed, and whispered, "You enjoy teasing my parents, don't you?"
"I'm annoyed! It's so much fun teasing you!" Li Yang chuckled, stretching his leg out from under the table and rubbing it against Cao Xin's leg.
Cao Xin blushed and hurriedly moved her leg away, kicking Li Yang instead. However, she missed and kicked her mother's leg instead. Cao's mother cried out and rolled her eyes, trying to cover it up by saying, "I accidentally kicked the table leg. It's really hard."
Cao's father, however, ate his meal with his eyes closed and mind at ease, pretending not to see anything.
"Come on, eat more, eat these ribs, they're very nutritious..." Of course, Cao's mother noticed the clues under the table, but she pretended not to know and enthusiastically served food to Li Yang.
...
"I'm so sorry about what happened today, I hope you didn't find it funny," Cao Xin said apologetically to Yongli as they walked along the street in the residential area.
"Sister Xin, don't say that. They're just trying to help you. It's only natural!" Li Yang naturally had to put on an indifferent and magnanimous expression.