Chapter 1074 - 1046: This Is a Real Mother-in-law
"Qian’er, you and Minglang... you didn’t have a fight, did you?"
"What would we fight about? We’re doing fine."
It’s not a holiday, yet her daughter suddenly came home, so Qian’s mom immediately thought of couple’s quarrels. She didn’t dare ask directly, fearing she’d hurt her daughter’s feelings, so instead, she just paced back and forth by Xiaoqian’s door, listening intently.
She’s been home for a day and a night, so why hasn’t my son-in-law called?
"If you two are alright, why would you leave school and come back?" With her daughter back, Qian’s mom tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep well.
Her son is now working, Fugui moved out after getting married, and at home, just she and her husband are left, the days have become quiet. She often thinks about the kids one by one, just worrying they might not be doing well but without telling her.
The daughter came back without a word, and Xiaoqian’s mom’s menopausal anxiety grew worse.
Unfortunately, Mr. Liao, her warm old jacket of a husband, went to a provincial meeting and wasn’t home. Qian’s mom thought and thought, working herself up with worry.
"I’ve got a bit of a thing—wait, Mom, you’re not worried about my feelings with Xiaoqiang, are you?"
Xiaoqian almost choked on a chestnut.
She could handle other people’s relationship problems so smoothly outside, but at home, her menopausal mom was worrying about her. That feeling... truly indescribable.
"You rascal! It’s wrong to care about you?!" Xiaoqian’s mom lightly tapped Xiaoqian’s head.
"Don’t worry, you’ve seen what kind of person your son-in-law is. I’m just out for a few days, he wouldn’t be so terrible as to find a mistress while I’m gone."
Xiaoqian had utmost trust in Minglang. She thought her mom was worried about her not being with Minglang, fearing, Yu Minglang might have some wandering thoughts.
Who knew Qian’s mom would say glaringly, "I’m not worried about Minglang, Minglang is such a good kid. I’m worried about you! Chen Xiaoqian, what are you doing staying up late with the computer, video chatting? Are you talking to strangers and having an online romance? Let me tell you, you better not bully Minglang for being honest and use the separation to mess around with online dating. If I find out you’re doing anything unbecoming of marriage, I’ll break your legs!"
What?! Xiaoqian was both laughing and crying. She came to a conclusion—that’s the quintessential mother-in-law!
Xiaoqian wasn’t video chatting with strangers last night; she took a call from her eldest brother and discussed remote monitoring videos.
Qian’s mom was pacing at the door, and all she heard was ’video.’ Reflexively, she thought of the currently popular online dating.
Then, pretending to bring fruit into the room, she saw her daughter with her back to her, engrossed in watching her laptop.
Online dating!
That bold red text skipped around in her mom’s mind.
This is unacceptable?!
So today, she hinted indirectly to remind her daughter, trying not to provoke Xiaoqian, wanting to save her face, but most importantly, to prevent Xiaoqian from making a fundamental mistake.
Xiaoqian was truly at a loss, unsure whether to be moved by her mom’s heartfelt concern or to be driven to tears by her mom’s cluelessness.
"I’m your own child, yet you worry about Minglang bullying me, always advising me not to bully him?"
Do I have a face that looks dishonest?
"Precisely because you’re my own, I advise you, understand? I was in labor with you for two days and a night, almost dying from the difficult birth. You were weak and sickly as a child, nearly didn’t survive, and I raised you with difficulty. How could I let you abandon a good life to walk into danger?"
Qian’s mom had a failed marriage that disintegrated due to a mistress, so she feared her daughter might forget herself for a moment and felt compelled to remind her when given the chance.
"Oh, Mom, was I unhealthy as a child?" Xiaoqian didn’t remember this; she just recalled being a healthy baby, rarely getting sick.
"You sure were! Before you turned three, you had lots of illnesses. If it wasn’t—" Qian’s mom got carried away, wanting to say more, but suddenly stopped.
Some things shouldn’t be known by her sentimental daughter. If Qian knew she once went to a psychic to give Qian some concoction for her health, Qian would definitely be mad.
"If it wasn’t what?" Xiaoqian had never heard these stories before.
In her past life, she didn’t have a good relationship with her mother and rarely had heart-to-heart talks.
"It’s nothing, nothing~ These chestnuts are tasty, huh? Bring some for Da Yi when you go back. I called your mother-in-law the day before yesterday; she said Da Yi has a poor appetite due to her pregnancy, and chestnuts are great for nourishing the stomach and spleen, just perfect."
"These are only good eaten warm; how do you eat them cold? Second brother will buy fresh ones for her, why do I need to bring any?"
"Chestnuts from our city aren’t like the ones elsewhere; they taste better. If they’re cold, have her put them in a glass bowl, microwave on high for 2 minutes, then on medium. They taste almost fresh. The timing depends on the quantity of chestnuts, adjust as needed."
As Xiaoqian listened to this cooking tip, her head seemed to double in size. This was much harder than giving people advice on psychological issues or marriage crises.
"Don’t tell me, I’ll call Da Yi, and you can talk to her!" Xiaoqian pulled up Da Yi’s number and called her.
Qian’s mom didn’t forget to ridicule her kitchen-failure daughter.
"How come you haven’t starved to death, huh? Can’t cook? Fine. But how can you not know how to reheat chestnuts? Really, if Minglang wasn’t around, you’d starve—hello, Da Yi, it’s your Aunt Jia. How are things lately, are you still vomiting?"
In a second, she switched her emotion from ridicule to care, and Xiaoqian pouted—she might be a child picked up from the trash.
Qian’s mom chatted with Da Yi for a while about the chestnut reheating method, then handed the phone back to Xiaoqian, while Da Yi hesitated.
"Qian, there’s something I want to tell you..."
"What’s going on today? Why are you all hemming and hawing?"
"I want to ask you, when are you coming back?"
"Me? I’ll probably be back tomorrow if there’s no accident. Why, you miss me?"
Panpan started school, and Da Yi’s pregnancy stabilized, so she moved back from the Yu Family to Lishi’s family compound. She should have started graduate school, but second brother feared she couldn’t handle it physically, so he postponed her schooling until next year.
"So, what’s Minglang been busy with lately?" Da Yi’s tone sounded hesitant, unlike her usual way.
The usually straightforward Da Yi suddenly became so tentative?
"I called him the day before yesterday; he said work was hectic, and he hasn’t been home, staying at the office. Why the sudden interest in asking about him?"
"Oh, no reason. Just come back soon... being apart too long isn’t good for a marriage."