Lin Shengmiao: "I have some things to discuss with... Auntie. Just put the documents on my desk. If all goes well, I can get them to you before 6 p.m.
Tao Jie, who was originally determined to save her junior sister, quickly said that there was no rush and that they could chat as long as they wanted before making a hasty escape.
Then, as they turned the corner, Groyu grabbed him, her eyes shining, and asked, "Do you know that lady? Who is she, and what is her relationship with Lin Shengmiao?"
Groyu peeked out and was immediately captivated by the green jade necklace around Fang Yi's neck. In her opinion, it was worth at least seven figures.
Upon seeing her, Tao Jie instantly lost her fear. She flicked her sleeves and said nonchalantly, "Oh, that's Sheng Miao's boyfriend's mother. She just happened to be passing by and came to take a look."
Groyu glanced at her, thinking to herself, "You're kidding me. That kind of stiff atmosphere that makes you feel awkward even from fifty meters away, you think you can just casually visit? Come on, you'd be more like someone coming to hand over a check and persuade me to break up."
Touching the designer necklace around her neck, Ge Luoyu clicked her tongue inwardly for Lin Shengmiao, thinking that her mother was right after all: when it comes to dating, marriage, and friendship, one should find someone of equal social standing, otherwise one will definitely suffer.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Tao Jie's bare neck and the pearl bracelet on her wrist that she didn't know where she bought it from, and nodded slightly with a kind of pity and tolerance, before swaying gracefully away.
Tao Jie was left standing there, stunned and speechless, still reeling from the look in her eyes. Her mind was filled with thoughts like: What did she mean? Was she provoking me? And... I'm so angry! I have to find a way to get back at her!
However, by the time Tao Jie finally figured out how to retaliate, Groyu had already disappeared.
...
In the coffee shop.
Lin Shengmiao asked softly, "Would you like something to drink?"
“Lemon water is fine,” Fang Yi said, putting her bag down at her feet and sitting up straight. “I’m lactose intolerant.”
Her attire today was unremarkable; her long hair was styled in a bun, and she wore a simple and elegant black coat paired with a light gray cashmere scarf. Apart from a brooch with a Chinese brooch pattern and a beaded necklace, she wore no other accessories. However, with her fair skin and delicate features, she possessed an air of refined elegance that came with her upbringing.
"We were supposed to meet on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, but I happened to be in Beijing for some business, so I took the liberty of moving it up. I hope you don't mind."
Lin Shengmiao quickly said no.
Fang Yi sighed softly, "Besides... Yan Yan has always been a thoughtful person. If she were here, she would definitely be overwhelmed with worry. It's better to just have the two of us now, so that she won't be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position."
Adhering to the principle of saying less and making fewer mistakes, Lin Shengmiao only held the glass of lemonade, tried her best to maintain a faint smile on her face, listened attentively, and nodded cautiously.
“You don’t need to be nervous,” Fang Yi said, but she herself stared at the lemon slice in her glass for a long time before slowly saying, “When I first found out, I had someone look up your information. To be honest, you’re very talented, but it doesn’t quite satisfy me…”
Lin Shengmiao's eyelashes trembled, but she wasn't surprised at all; instead, she felt a sense of relief, as if 'it's finally here.'
She had fantasized about this situation countless times over the years and made numerous preparations, but she never expected that Luo Jing would suddenly change her attitude and that her aunt would accept everything so calmly, which made her seem utterly useless.
"I..." Lin Shengmiao was about to speak.
“But Yan Yan is very certain about you,” Fang Yi said, her face showing the helplessness of parents who can’t persuade their children. “Later, Yan Yan’s aunt, who is also my sister, also advised me to respect the child’s choice.”
“I’ve been reflecting on this for a long time…” Fang Yi’s face showed weariness, and her slender fingers pressed against the corners of her eyes.
"Over the years, I've been too controlling of Yan Yan. I wouldn't dare say that our parent-child relationship is completely healthy; in fact..."
Fang Yi sighed helplessly: "Truly healthy parent-child relationships, where the child does not cause any impact or harm, are rare and precious things all over the world."
Lin Shengmiao looked at her and thought to herself, "You are too modest. Parents who reflect on their parenting methods are truly rare in this world."
"So during this time, I've been thinking again about our most fundamental needs..."
Fang Yi's eyes reddened slightly. "Ultimately, all I want is for her to be happy, and all she wants is my blessing."
Lin Shengmiao was startled by the tears in her eyes and quickly found her some tissues. When preparing gifts for the Xu family, Xu Xingyan had indeed told her that her mother had a sentimental nature unique to female artists and was quite sensitive, asking her to be understanding. However, when she actually faced her mother, Lin Shengmiao was still at a loss.
Fang Yi thanked them, gently wiped away her tears, turned her back, and stood by the window to compose herself.
She was actually thinking about the scene when her daughter was born. She was born prematurely due to a car accident. The situation was complicated at the time. If there were any problems with the baby in her womb, it was easy for her to have a massive hemorrhage on the way to the hospital, which could endanger her life.
But the baby in the womb seemed to be protecting the mother, remaining completely still and being exceptionally well-behaved.
Every time she thinks about this, she feels incredibly heartbroken and guilty. If it weren't for her parents' carelessness...
“So…” Fang Yi turned around, placed her hands on her lower abdomen, and bowed slightly, “I entrust my daughter to your care. Please make sure she is happy.”
Lin Shengmiao calmed himself down before solemnly saying, "Please rest assured and leave it to me."
Fang Yi felt a sudden surge of grievance and could no longer stay in the room. She left only one sentence: "...You must not bully her."
He left in a hurry.
Lin Shengmiao, who was just about to make a guarantee: "..."
Groyu, who happened to be strolling to the entrance of the coffee shop, stumbled upon Fang Yi running away with red eyes and her mouth covered. He was stunned on the spot.
Hmm, this isn't how we expected it to be. Shouldn't it be Lin Shengmiao running out crying? Could it be... that Lin Shengmiao is really that cunning?
Having passed the test with ease once again, Lin Shengmiao, who had no opportunity to use his skills throughout, walked out of the coffee shop with a slight sigh, only to be met with a very meaningful look in Groyu's eyes.
Lin Shengmiao paused, "Senior Ge, what are you thinking about? Why the expression?"
Groyu took a step back, nodded amicably with a respectful distance, and said casually, "It's nothing, I just... just came to have a cup of coffee..."
--------------------
Author's Note:
On the eve of my brother's wedding, my sister-in-law's mother got drunk one night and called my brother, repeatedly telling him, "You must not bully her!"
I've remembered this sentence for many years.
Chapter 37 You fake fan!
"...Lady Helen was so sincere that the siblings could not refuse any longer, so Miss Grant agreed to stay with her brother and wait for Sir Glenarvan to bring good news."
Xu Xingyan sat on the edge of the bed, holding a copy of "The Children of Captain Grant." She gently read the last word of each chapter, then closed the book and said to her obedient nephew, "Alright, that's all for today's afternoon story. It's time for your nap."
Luo Yang rolled around in bed wrapped in her blanket and said coquettishly, "But I don't want to sleep! I want to hear a story, Auntie. What happened in the end? Was Captain Grant rescued?"
Xu Xingyan patted his head, kissed his forehead, and coaxed, "Only children who sleep well can hear the ending of the story."
“Then I still want to listen to my aunt read tonight,” Luo Yang said after a brief moment of disappointment, before taking the opportunity to negotiate.
"Why does it have to be a younger sister?" Xu Xingyan asked with a light laugh, tucking the blanket around him.
Luo Yang had only his head sticking out of the blanket, his eyes still wide open, and he muttered, "Aunt Zhang is reading the wrong books. I don't want to listen to her read."
The nanny who took care of him was surnamed Zhang.
Xu Xingyan's eyes sharpened. "What's wrong?"
Luo Yang's tone was full of grief and indignation, with a hint of despair: "She read the Secret Garden to me, and every time she read about oatmeal porridge and baked potatoes, I would salivate, which made me so hungry and unable to sleep!"
Xu Xingyan laughed and gently pinched Luo Yang's increasingly pouting lips, indicating that she would talk to Aunt Zhang and tell her not to do it again next time.
“I never want to listen to Secret Garden again,” Luo Yang said, reaching his hand out from under the covers and hooking it around Xu Xingyan’s long hair. “Auntie, what do you think is the most boring book?”
Children's questions are imaginative and their thinking is so leaps that it feels like they live in another universe.
But Xu Xingyan answered without hesitation: "My university graduation project report."
"Huh?" Luo Yang looked confused.
Xu Xingyan smiled and gently pinched his little nose. "There are some things that your aunt can't explain now. You'll understand when you grow up."
...
After finally coaxing the little one to sleep, Xu Xingyan quietly closed the door, holding the surprise Luo Yang had prepared especially for her—
In the craft class, we wrapped and folded colored paper to make a bouquet of roses, which looked a bit like a bride's bouquet.
In the living room, Luo Jing and Yu Hang had already run off, ostensibly to check on any changes in the neighborhood, but actually just to avoid taking care of the kids. Experience had shown that although Luo Jing doted on Luo Yang, if they were left alone in a room, one of them would definitely cry and the other would go crazy.
Luo Bin's wife, Chen Yue, is very similar to Ms. Fang Yuan. She is not someone who would give up her work for her family. This would not have been a problem in itself, but unfortunately, Luo Bin is also very busy with work.
In a family, if both parents are busy with work, it is a particularly unfriendly thing for the children.
In such times, the younger sister would take the initiative. Luo Yang was raised in Nancheng from the age of two to four and a half, mostly by Xu Xingyan, until Chen Yue was transferred back to the capital for work and brought her son back to her side to be taught.
After exchanging a few words with the nanny, Xu Xingyan stretched her aching back, looked around, and after thinking for a while, decided to go to the study to practice calligraphy for a while.
My girlfriend doesn't get off work until 4:30 PM. If I go too early, it will affect her work.
...
Starting at 2 p.m., it began to snow lightly in Kyoto. It wasn't heavy, but it was continuous, covering the red bricks and green tiles of the streets and alleys with a thin veil.
A plump sparrow landed on a branch, just caught a frozen caterpillar, and before it could even enjoy its feast, it was drenched in snow that slid off a leaf. Startled, it flapped its wings and flew away, chirping and wobbling, leaving the caterpillar, who had escaped death, still standing on the branch, completely oblivious to the favor fate had bestowed upon it.
Lin Shengmiao packed up his things as usual and was about to borrow an umbrella from a colleague when he opened his phone and found two unread messages from his girlfriend.
These are two pictures of snow scenes.
Has it snowed in Nancheng too? Lin Shengmiao recalled the weather forecast she had seen last night. In her memory, Nancheng should have had a long-awaited sunny day today.
Regardless, since it's snowing, let's buy Yan Yan some new winter clothes. Lin Shengmiao quickly forgot about borrowing the umbrella and planned to go online to find some stores that would keep their express delivery services running during the Chinese New Year. At this moment, she suddenly paused, blinked rapidly, and her gaze fell on a utility pole in the photo, falling into a long silence.
If I remember correctly, this utility pole should be located in front of their hotel... right?
[Miaomiao: Where are you?]
In a teahouse not far from the hotel, Xu Xingyan finally received a reply from her girlfriend after drinking her third pot of tea, and immediately shared her location.
Across from her, an elderly lady with gray hair and a charming demeanor was enthusiastically sharing her secrets for choosing a teapot, and she carried a small purple clay teapot with her.
Unable to refuse such hospitality, Xu Xingyan tested the kettle and sincerely praised it, "Grandma Wang, the water cut-off of this kettle is really good, even better than the old kettles my dad has collected."
Grandma Wang smiled, her eyes like crescent moons. Although she lived in the north, she had a southern voice: "Of course, skills are always improving. Antiques may have research value, but a teapot is just an object for drinking tea. If it is kept on a high shelf or treated as a treasure, then it has no meaning."
Xu Xingyan praised, "You have a really positive outlook."
"At my age, what's there to worry about?" Grandma Wang pushed a plate of dairy-based snacks towards her, her smile kind and gentle. "But you, at such a young age, speak so eloquently about these things; it's rare to see someone like that among young people..."
Xu Xingyan said modestly, "I was raised with proper family education and am not qualified for formal occasions. Please forgive my ignorance."
Grandma Wang exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, your parents are really good at teaching you! They've raised you so well!"
Xu Xingyan nodded: "My grandfather and father are indeed quite knowledgeable about these things..."
"But you have to be willing to learn yourself. If you're like my few rascals, whose minds are always filled with money, they won't have the heart to learn these things. They'll avoid them like the plague, and if you talk to them too much, they'll just get annoyed..."
Grandma Wang complained a few times, feeling disappointed, but seeing that Xu Xingyan didn't respond, she smiled and said, "But your parents must love you very much. Such a pretty little girl is easier to teach..."
Xu Xingyan's popularity with the elderly often surprised her. After saying this and observing her expression, she was almost certain that if her girlfriend didn't come over soon, this grandmother would start promoting her own grandson.
...
[Miaomiao: I've arrived. Should I come upstairs to find you?]