Chapter 11: Dumbfounded Yifan? An Assist from His Parents
This left Su Qinghe at a loss. She instinctively glanced at Gu Yifan, pleading for help.
"Ahem."
"Mom, reel it in a bit. You’re going to scare her off!"
He faked a couple of coughs and whispered the reminder.
’Just as I thought!’
’My mom’s overly friendly personality... She can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere!’
’Hmm... To put it in the terms of a later era, my mom is a ’social powerhouse’!’
"Uh..."
Noticing Su Qinghe’s predicament, Chen Dongmei realized she’d been a bit too hasty.
’And... I seem to have forgotten something!’
’It seems like there’s something going on between my son and Su Qinghe!’
Between a goddaughter and a daughter-in-law, Chen Dongmei decisively chose daughter-in-law!
"Xiaosu, I didn’t frighten you just now, did I?"
After a moment’s thought, Chen Dongmei looked at Su Qinghe and asked, a little awkwardly.
"N-no, not at all, Auntie."
Su Qinghe said, shaking her head slightly.
"Good, good. I’m glad."
"This is just how I am. I don’t mean any harm by it, so please don’t mind me, okay?"
"Hehehe..."
Chen Dongmei nodded, then said with a smile.
"Mm-hmm, Auntie, I know."
Su Qinghe nodded and said seriously.
Seeing how sensible and understanding she was, Chen Dongmei found herself liking her more and more.
’This Xiaosu is so much more likable than that Han Ning girl!’
’Wait a minute!’
’Han Ning...’
’I almost forgot about that. I heard from Gu that the reason Yifan got into trouble today was because he confessed to that Han Ning girl, got rejected, and then jumped off the building in a moment of despair!’
’Although, I do like Han Ning, and she and my son grew up together. They’re childhood sweethearts!’
’Our families have been neighbors for decades; we know each other inside and out.’
’I really hoped they’d end up together!’
’But!’
’I also know that when it comes to love, it’s all about fate!’
’They were fated to meet, but it seems they weren’t fated to be together!’
Sigh.
’What a star-crossed romance!’
’But now...’ Chen Dongmei stealthily glanced at Su Qinghe, who was getting a glass of water for her son.
Tsk.
’It would be great if these two got together!’
’That’s right!’
’I need to find a way to create some opportunities for them!’
’Once the deed is done, I can just sit back and wait for grandchildren!’
A faint smile spread across her face at the thought.
Gu Yifan, who was happily munching on an apple, suddenly shivered. For some reason, a sense of foreboding washed over him.
「A while later.」
Gu Yifan’s father returned, having already completed the discharge paperwork.
This meant Gu Yifan could be discharged and leave at any time.
"Xiaosu, there’s no time like the present! Why don’t you come over to our house later? I’ll make you something delicious!"
Just as Gu Yifan went to the bathroom to change clothes, Chen Dongmei suddenly spoke to Su Qinghe.
"Huh?"
Su Qinghe was stunned for a moment.
She had assumed Gu Yifan’s mother’s earlier invitation was just a pleasantry; she never expected to be invited over so soon.
"Oh, come on~"
"Xiaosu, no more ’huhs’! It’s decided!"
Chen Dongmei declared, making the decision final.
"Well... alright."
Seeing Gu Yifan’s mother’s enthusiasm, Su Qinghe couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
When Gu Yifan came out, he found his mom holding Su Qinghe’s arm, looking all set to go.
"Uh..."
He paused, stunned. "What’s going on?"
"What do you mean, ’what’s going on?’ Qinghe is coming home with us!"
Chen Dongmei glanced at him and said coolly.
What???
’Coming home with us??’
Gu Yifan’s eyes widened, his face a mask of disbelief.
’She’s taking her home already?’
’Things are moving this fast?’
he thought, shocked.
"Hey, what are you staring so wide-eyed for?"
"I just invited Qinghe over to the house. What’s with the big reaction?"
Chen Dongmei frowned and said coolly.
"Uh..."
’Oh, so she just invited her over as a guest!’
’Gu Yifan had thought his mom hadn’t given up on her relentless quest to adopt a goddaughter!’
’No, wait!’
Suddenly, it hit Gu Yifan.
’He noticed his mom’s way of addressing Su Qinghe had changed!’
’Qinghe?’
’Wasn’t she calling her Xiaosu just a moment ago?’
’How did the whole world change in the time it took me to change my clothes?’
’Yep.’
’When your mom’s a social powerhouse, you can’t judge her by normal standards!’
.......................
「Cuihu District」
「Building 7, Unit 3, Apartment 305.」
At the dinner table, Gu Yifan’s mother was relentlessly piling food onto Su Qinghe’s plate.
"Here, Qinghe, these braised pork ribs are my specialty. Have a taste."
"And this Blood Duck. I learned it from a master chef in Xiangnan. You have to try it."
"And this..."
"That’s enough, really... It’s too much. Thank you, Auntie."
Looking at the mountain of food piling up in her bowl, Su Qinghe quickly protested.
"Nonsense, it’s not much! Qinghe, dear, you’re too thin. You need to eat more so you can have an easy... uh, have good health!"
"Hehehe..."
Chen Dongmei almost let it slip and hurriedly corrected herself.
’So that’s it. She’s trying to find a wife for that brat, Gu Yifan!’
Hearing this and watching his wife’s unusual behavior, Gu Jiaguo, who was sitting to the side, instantly figured out her little scheme.
After all, they’d been married for decades; they had that much of a tacit understanding.
’To be fair, though, his impression of his son’s classmate was quite good.’
’She had a gentle and quiet personality. A really nice girl!’
’It wouldn’t be a bad thing if she and my son got together!’
’It would keep the brat from mooning over that old coot Han Jianzang’s daughter all day!’
’This time he jumped off a building. Who knows what kind of stunt he’ll pull next!’
Even though the couple hadn’t said a single word about Gu Yifan jumping off the building after Han Ning rejected his confession, the very thought of it gave them a massive headache.
In truth, the couple had known for a long time that their son liked the Han Ning girl.
At first, they didn’t object; they just pretended they didn’t know.
After all, Gu Yifan and Han Ning had grown up together, and their parents knew each other inside and out. If the two kids ended up together, they would’ve been delighted.
It would have even been a wonderful story, something for everyone to talk about with delight.
But!
But while their own brat had dived in headfirst, it seemed that Han Ning girl felt no spark for Gu Yifan.
You could tell from her attitude toward their son that she only saw Gu Yifan as a good friend, a childhood playmate, and nothing more.
The Gu couple felt quite helpless about this.
’There was nothing to be done!’
’They wanted to help, but they couldn’t.’
After all, you can’t force feelings. It takes two to tango.
But from how things had been these past few years, it seemed that brat Gu Yifan had become completely fixated. He was dead set on the Han Ning girl, orbiting her constantly.
’He was such a simp for her. If the Han Ning girl told him to go eat shit, he’d probably do it!’
And now, it had escalated to the grave point of him jumping off a building for her!
He was their only son, after all!
This forced him to reconsider the relationship between his son and that Han Ning girl.
...