Chapter Twelve: The Arrival of Mother Qin

When Qin Xuan and Qin Lin’er returned home, they happened to see Liu Ruoxi lying on the sofa, savoring an egg with great delight. As soon as she saw them enter, she hurriedly gulped down the rest—only to choke on it.

Qin Xuan, exasperated, quickly handed her a glass of water from the table.

Face flushed, Liu Ruoxi sat upright on the sofa and glared at the two who had left her behind.

“Ahem!” Qin Xuan broke the silence. “What are you doing?”

Qin Lin’er made a face at Liu Ruoxi, who responded with a cold stare to Lin’er’s childish antics.

Fixing her gaze on the siblings, Liu Ruoxi spoke slowly, “So, did you two elope without telling me?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Qin Lin’er retorted. “If we’d eloped, would we be back?”

“Enough!” Qin Xuan, realizing the conversation was veering off course, interrupted the two who were about to go at each other’s throats. “We just went to get Maru.”

He then opened the cat carrier and let Maru out. After a month, Maru was no longer the little kitten he once was; his ‘Dragon Roar’ had already evolved to level three!

Upon entering, Maru ignored the three other pets in the house and headed straight for his own little nest—Qin Lin’er had specially set it up for him on the enclosed balcony. The moment he lay down, he curled up like a pancake and began his afternoon nap, leaving the three humans staring at the sleeping cat in exasperation.

“Hmph!” Liu Ruoxi crossed her arms. “Qin Xuan, I want meat!”

Qin Xuan: Huh?

“I want to eat! Big chunks!” Qin Lin’er chimed in loudly.

“Eat your head! I meant, when are we going to buy some meat? Especially fish!”

“Oh?” Qin Xuan caught on. “We happen to be free now. Shall we go?”

“Let’s!”

Before Qin Lin’er could protest, Liu Ruoxi dragged Qin Xuan out. Lin’er, left behind, pouted in exaggerated grievance.

“What about me?” she called after them, lips pursed.

“You stay and watch the house,” Liu Ruoxi replied matter-of-factly.

“Come on! Liu Ruoxi, this is blatant revenge!” Lin’er was on the verge of losing it.

“Revenge? For what?” Liu Ruoxi feigned innocence. “Is it revenge for that time I took your clothes when you were showering?”

Qin Xuan: There are such thrilling stories?

“You—! You know what you did.” Finding herself at a loss for words, Lin’er gave up altogether.

Taking advantage of Lin’er’s distraction, Liu Ruoxi pulled Qin Xuan out and slammed the door behind them.

Shut out, Lin’er stomped her foot and turned her gaze to the happily sleeping Maru...

Outside, Liu Ruoxi reached out and turned Qin Xuan’s face to face her, then grabbed his hand. “When you’re with me, don’t even think about your sister!”

“Don’t misunderstand... I just forgot my phone. You’ll have to pay,” Qin Xuan rolled his eyes.

“I let my guard down.”

Unlike most young people, Qin Xuan didn’t enjoy wandering around supermarkets, but was drawn to the local produce markets—especially in the capital of Shu, where they seemed endless.

Qin Xuan didn’t know why, but even though he’d only visited a few times, the market ladies always recognized him. It was one of life’s great mysteries.

“Handsome, what’ll you have today? Everything’s fresh!” the market’s lively atmosphere was intoxicating, bustling with people even in the afternoon.

Liu Ruoxi, feeling the crush of the crowd, clung tightly to Qin Xuan’s right hand. Qin Xuan, leading her through the aisles, felt oddly like he was afraid a child would get lost...

Half an hour later, Qin Xuan was laden with bags of vegetables while Liu Ruoxi held a two-pound fish in her left hand and gnawed on a thick pancake in her right.

She tried to offer Qin Xuan a bite, and he, unable to resist, took a huge chunk.

Staring at what was left—a mere corner—Liu Ruoxi was filled with regret. She was tempted to kick Qin Xuan, but never managed to land a blow. The two bickered and laughed their way home, oblivious to a pair of eyes watching from an upstairs window.

When Liu Ruoxi pulled out the key and opened the door, she suddenly froze.

“Aunt Wang...!”

“Hm?” Qin Xuan startled. The only person Liu Ruoxi would call Aunt Wang was his own mother.

He peeked inside. Sure enough!

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Qin Xuan dropped his bags and rushed forward.

“Stop right there!” His mother, Wang Manshu, dressed in a cheongsam, her black hair tied carelessly behind her head, wore her signature aloof expression. Despite being nearly forty, she showed no sign of her age; in the business world, she was known as the “Ice Rose.”

Qin Xuan halted, gazing nervously at his mother, and at Qin Lin’er and Maru, who sat demurely nearby...

“Close the door and come in,” commanded his mother. Having grown up under her stern presence, both Qin Xuan and Lin’er were conditioned to obey. Since Liu Ruoxi was often at their house, she too fell under Wang Manshu’s sphere of influence; her words were as binding as royal decree.

Three humans and a cat sat obediently on the sofa, as if awaiting interrogation.

“Qin Xuan, what’s your relationship status with Ruoxi?” his mother asked bluntly.

Eyes wide, Qin Xuan glanced at Liu Ruoxi, who blushed: What kind of expression is that!

“Relationship status?” Qin Xuan ventured cautiously.

“Let me put it another way: when are you two having a child?” his mother asked, stunning everyone.

Qin Xuan was floored. “Mom, Ruoxi and I aren’t like that!”

“Really?” his mother shot a look at Liu Ruoxi, then pulled up a stool. “Then what was all that flirting downstairs?”

Liu Ruoxi couldn’t lift her head, mumbling, “We were just playing around.”

Wang Manshu took Liu Ruoxi’s hand. “Ruoxi, I already consider you my daughter-in-law.”

“Me... me?” Liu Ruoxi stammered.

Qin Lin’er furrowed her brow, signaling frantically at Qin Xuan, who could only shrug inwardly.

His mother nodded, then motioned for Qin Xuan to follow her into his room.

“Qin Xuan, now you’re in college, I give you permission to pursue Ruoxi.” She sat on his bed, surveying the room.

Qin Xuan stared at her in disbelief. “Ruoxi and I don’t even have feelings for each other.”

“Don’t lie to me—eyes never deceive,” his mother replied, shaking her head. “Your father and I used to think we didn’t like each other, too. It was only after your grandmother gave him a push that he chased me. So, think carefully about this.”

With that, she patted his shoulder and left, leaving Qin Xuan deep in thought.

“Ruoxi, come here,” his mother called out to Liu Ruoxi.

In Liu Ruoxi’s room, Wang Manshu placed Ruoxi’s hands on her own knees.

“Ruoxi, you know, the first time I saw you as a child, I didn’t take to you at all.”

“Ah!” Liu Ruoxi tried to pull her hands away, but Wang Manshu held on tightly. “Why?”

“You misunderstand,” her mother soothed her. “I mean the kind of disapproval between a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law. The moment I saw you, I felt you were meant to be my son’s wife. Later, your parents—those irresponsible fools—would often leave you alone at home, hoping you and Qin Xuan would grow close.”

She watched the dumbfounded Liu Ruoxi and continued, “Besides, you know we’re busy. With you around, we don’t have to worry about Qin Xuan.”

“Aunt Wang, I—” Liu Ruoxi was at a loss.

“Call me something else,” Wang Manshu said, offering a rare smile.

“Mom?” Liu Ruoxi understood.

“Yes.” Wang Manshu accepted the title. “But in front of the others, keep calling me Aunt Wang.”

“Alright,” Liu Ruoxi replied, a little disappointed, but at least her position as the official wife was secure. She was determined to flaunt it before Qin Lin’er for a whole week!

“One more thing: Don’t get pregnant during college. Be careful.”

“Mom...” Liu Ruoxi found the word came easily, “We’re not even a couple yet, and Qin Xuan is so dense!”

She recalled the night before. “I practically threw myself at him and he didn’t react!”

“Hmm?” Wang Manshu thought to herself: Looks like I’ll need to have him checked at a hospital.

A few minutes later, as Liu Ruoxi finished her talk with Wang Manshu and opened the door, she nearly tripped over Qin Lin’er, who had been eavesdropping.

Wang Manshu composed her expression. “Lin’er! Remember what I told you!”

“Yes, yes!” Lin’er nodded vigorously, caught in the act.

...

Looking at the three young faces before her, Wang Manshu sighed.

“All right, I’m leaving. Don’t forget what I said!”

“Mom, stay for dinner,” Qin Xuan pleaded.

“Dinner, my foot. If it weren’t for you lot, I wouldn’t have come at all. I have a spa date with my friends! I’m off.”

The three watched as Wang Manshu’s figure receded, feeling as though a mountain had been lifted from their shoulders.