Chapter 51

By December, the city was enveloped in the festive atmosphere of Christmas. Shopping malls began rolling out their elaborate decorations, accompanied by a slew of promotional sales and discounts, varied in quality and appeal.

Originally, Cheng Li had no plans to join the shopping frenzy, but a phone call from Ms. Ling changed her mind.

“Your grandmother’s birthday is coming up. Remember to buy yourself a new outfit. I’ve heard that some relatives from her side are coming, including someone returning from the U.S.,” Ling Shuanghua said in a casual tone.

Cheng Li chuckled. “Why not make your grand entrance the highlight? I’ll carry your purse.”

“No way,” Ms. Ling retorted immediately. “At our age, our children are our pride. Besides, with a daughter as beautiful as mine, why not dress up a little?”

“Every time you need me, you start sweet-talking me,” Cheng Li replied with a laugh.

On regular days, getting a compliment from Ms. Ling was as difficult as climbing a mountain. But when there was a need, her flattery flowed like water.

Truly befitting of a senior educator—she knew exactly how to tailor her words to her audience.

“My dad mentioned you’re the one handling the banquet arrangements this time?” Cheng Li asked, casually bringing up the topic.

Ling Shuanghua’s tone shifted slightly, tinged with annoyance. “Don’t even bring it up. It’s all because your aunt couldn’t stop bragging about how she organized your grandfather’s 80th birthday banquet. Her words implied we were lazy and carefree. So, I decided we’d handle your grandmother’s birthday banquet this time. Each son’s family takes turns—fair and square. Do I ever complain about how much your grandmother favors their side?

“Her son got married, and your grandmother pitched in 500,000 yuan for the down payment on his new house. Did I envy that? Did I ever cry ‘unfair’?”

“End of the year must make it hard to book venues. Should I ask some of my friends for help?” Cheng Li suggested, not wanting to stir up unnecessary conflict. As long as Ms. Ling was content, it was fine by her.

Favoritism from her grandparents wasn’t new, and Cheng Li had long stopped caring.

But her aunt had a penchant for comparison. She’d often imply that Ms. Ling had it easy because she didn’t have to care for her in-laws, insinuating that her days were cushy. What she didn’t mention was that living with the grandparents came with regular financial support from them.

Both grandparents were retired cadres, with substantial pensions.

When Cheng Li’s cousin got married and needed a house, the grandmother gave 500,000 yuan for the down payment. This was inadvertently leaked by Cheng Li’s youngest aunt.

Surprisingly, Ms. Ling didn’t react. She maintained her principles as a teacher, claiming that the money belonged to the elders and they could spend it however they pleased. She wasn’t envious or resentful.

Her dignified attitude left her youngest aunt red-faced, particularly when the grandmother scolded her for stirring up trouble.

To smooth things over, the grandmother later promised that both granddaughters would receive substantial red envelopes for their weddings.

“No need to worry. Do you think your connections are better than mine?” Ms. Ling said over the phone, a hint of pride in her voice. “I’ve been teaching for decades—I have plenty of former students. One of them works at a hotel and helped me secure a booking. I’ve even paid the deposit.”

“How much per table?” Cheng Li asked.

“13,888 yuan per table. Your grandfather’s banquet was just over 10,000 per table, so I booked something fancier,” Ms. Ling replied nonchalantly.

“Impressive,” Cheng Li praised.

“Of course. Your grandfather’s banquet may have been booked by your aunt, but it was paid for by the elders. I’m footing the bill for this one—it’s our family’s way of honoring your grandmother.”

“Our Ms. Ling truly excels in both conduct and wisdom,” Cheng Li complimented cheekily.

“Hmph. So, on that day, make sure you dress up beautifully. As for Rong Qi, I’m not worried about him.”

“Why don’t you worry about him?” Cheng Li asked in mock displeasure.

“Because he’d look good even draped in sackcloth.”

“Fine. I’ll have him wear a burlap sack that day,” Cheng Li teased.

“Don’t you dare!” Ms. Ling snapped.

Cheng Li laughed as she hung up. But after some thought, she transferred 50,000 yuan to Ms. Ling via WeChat.

Ms. Ling immediately called back. “What’s with the sudden transfer?”

“You said it’s a family effort to honor Grandma. As part of the family, I should contribute,” Cheng Li explained gently.

There was a long silence before Ms. Ling finally spoke again. “Do you think your father and I have worked all these years without saving any money? I don’t need this. You use it to buy yourself something nice. On the banquet day, I want my daughter to be the most stunning one there. Oh, and don’t forget to get Rong Qi a suit too. Just because he’s rich doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy him something as his wife.”

Ms. Ling’s assertiveness left Cheng Li smiling helplessly.

That evening, Rong Qi didn’t come home for dinner, saying he had a meeting with car factory executives. Qiyu Technology was working on launching its own cars, which required addressing both technical and production challenges.

Cheng Li stayed up late, waiting for him at home.

The doorbell rang a little past midnight.

She rushed to the door and saw him walking in, steady but distant. When she reached out to hug him, he took a step back.

Cheng Li raised an eyebrow. “Not even a hug?”

“Cold air on my clothes,” Rong Qi explained softly.

He had only walked a short distance from the parking garage to their home, but he still worried about bringing in the chill.

Cheng Li, however, ignored him and hugged him anyway. “Haven’t hugged you all day. Don’t you miss me?”

“I do.” Rong Qi finally raised his arms and embraced her.

After a while, Cheng Li made him sit on the couch while she fetched a warm glass of water from the kitchen.

As they chatted, the conversation naturally shifted to her grandmother’s birthday banquet.

Leaning against his chest, Cheng Li tilted her head up with a smile. “Ms. Ling is counting on you to make a good impression.”

“I’ll do my best,” Rong Qi chuckled, his tone light yet confident.

The topic soon turned to the birthday gift for her grandmother.

Rong Qi, holding her lazily, asked, “What should we get your grandmother as a gift?”

Equally languid, Cheng Li replied without much thought, “I have no idea.”

“Does Grandma prefer jade or jadeite?” Rong Qi suggested.

For elderly people, bracelets made of jade or jadeite are often popular gifts—elegant and meaningful.

However, to his surprise, Cheng Li burst out laughing.

Rong Qi glanced down at the person in his arms. “Not suitable?”

“If you don’t want to see Ms. Ling explode in anger, then forget about things like bracelets or any kind of jewelry,” Cheng Li said with a chuckle that wouldn’t stop.

“Why? Is there a taboo?” Rong Qi’s curiosity was piqued.

Cheng Li didn’t mind explaining. “For one of my grandma’s smaller birthdays, my mom gave her a jade bracelet. It was pretty expensive. But guess what? Not long after, my mom saw it on my aunt’s wrist.”

Rong Qi raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“My aunt justified it, saying that jade requires ‘nurturing’ and that she was just helping my grandma ‘nurture’ it for her.”

Rong Qi shook his head slightly, clearly finding it ridiculous.

“Since then, Ms. Ling decided she wouldn’t bother with gifts like that anymore. Too much effort for no appreciation.”

“But it’s still a dilemma,” Rong Qi noted. He looked down at her and asked, “So, what should we give her?”

“Something she can’t wear, can’t eat, and ideally, something she can only look at,” Cheng Li mischievously suggested.

Rong Qi pulled her closer, his voice low and amused. “Cheng Li Mi, you are quite something.”

It was the first time Rong Qi had addressed her this way.

Yuange often called her “Li Mi,” and He Yunze had done so occasionally as well. But the way Rong Qi said it felt completely different.

Cheng Li tilted her head up. “Fine, consider me a bad influence.”

“You’re not a bad influence,” Rong Qi responded with a deliberate drawl. “You’re just bad.”

As his words fell, the two curled up on the couch, laughing together.

What followed was a series of lingering kisses, filling the warm, expansive living room with a gentle, intimate atmosphere.

*

On Grandma’s birthday, Cheng Li didn’t expect things to go so wrong—both she and Rong Qi were busy that day.

The technology expo was just two weeks away, and there were last-minute issues with the company’s products that required her attention over the weekend. Meanwhile, Rong Qi had meetings with partners.

Luckily, the dinner was scheduled for the evening. Cheng Li sent Rong Qi the restaurant details in advance so they could meet there directly.

The birthday banquet was set at a Chinese restaurant in a hotel, meticulously arranged by Ms. Ling.

However, that afternoon, as Cheng Li wrapped up a meeting with her team, she received a phone call from Ms. Ling.

“Mom, stop nagging. I promise I won’t be late tonight,” Cheng Li said the moment she answered.

Her mother had been particularly unhappy about her working overtime that day, worrying it might interfere with the banquet.

But Ms. Ling’s voice trembled with a mix of panic and distress. “Cheng Li, something’s wrong.”

Cheng Li froze. It was the first time she had ever heard her mother sound so flustered. “What happened?”

Twenty minutes later, Cheng Li arrived at the hotel lobby.

She was immediately spotted by her sharp-eyed aunt. “Cheng Li, over here!”

Cheng Li hurried over, surprised to see not only her aunt but also her grandma and her aunt-in-law. Weren’t they supposed to meet at dinner?

“Mom, what’s going on? You said on the phone something about the wrong date?”

She sat down next to Ms. Ling, who was slumped on the sofa, looking utterly dejected and overwhelmed.

“It’s like this,” the hotel manager explained, “Ms. Ling booked the banquet for December 22nd, but the actual event is today, December 12th.”

“You’re saying my mom got the date wrong? Didn’t anyone confirm it with her?”

“We’ve been communicating with Ms. Ling via WeChat throughout. Here’s the chat history.”

Cheng Li skimmed through the records and realized that her mother had indeed mistakenly provided the wrong date, and the hotel staff had simply followed her instructions.

Even when paying the deposit, Ms. Ling hadn’t noticed the mistake.

“You didn’t realize even when paying the deposit?” Cheng Li was baffled at how such a glaring error had gone unnoticed.

She turned to the hotel manager. “Are there any free tables available tonight? We can pay extra.”

“Unfortunately, no. We’ve already tried our best to find a solution, but our restaurant is fully booked through the end of the year. This season is always busy with banquets.”

Her aunt suddenly chimed in with a sarcastic remark, “I suppose our dear second sister-in-law must have had too many important matters to attend to and got confused.”

“Enough,” Cheng Li snapped. It hurt to see her always-composed mother sitting there silently, taking the blame without a word of defense.

Her aunt wasn’t done. “Watch your tone, Cheng Li. If you’d paid more attention, this wouldn’t have happened. If your family couldn’t handle the arrangements, you should’ve let us take care of it. Now look, we’re supposed to host three tables of guests tonight. Are we just going to find some roadside eatery?”

Grandma sat quietly nearby, visibly upset but refraining from openly expressing her anger.

The aunt-in-law tried to smooth things over. “The important thing now is figuring out a solution. Everyone’s already been notified, and it’s not just family—there are three full tables of guests. Canceling isn’t an option.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Cheng Li declared firmly.

Hearing this, Ms. Ling finally looked up, her voice trembling. “Cheng Li…”

Cheng Li’s heart ached. She could easily picture the scene before she arrived—her mother sitting alone, enduring everyone’s accusations.

While it was true that Ms. Ling had made a mistake, Cheng Li couldn’t bear to see her mother being cornered like this. She was fiercely protective and wouldn’t allow anyone to bully her mom.

As the door opened, it wasn’t a server as she had thought. Standing at the door was none other than the man who just moments ago had been surrounded by journalists—bright and charismatic.

“Why are you here?” asked Cheng Li in surprise.

Rong Qi stepped in without hesitation, casually adjusting his cufflinks. His presence seemed to fill the room.

“I heard there was a problem,” he replied calmly, his gaze sweeping over the room before finally landing on Cheng Li.

She blinked, momentarily stunned. “How did you know?”

“Who do you think told me?” Rong Qi’s lips curved into a faint smile, his gaze warm.

Standing behind him, He Zhuoyuan gave a slight nod, evidently the one who had conveyed the situation.

Cheng Li felt both relief and gratitude, but also a trace of guilt. She didn’t want to trouble him, especially during such an important workday. “You didn’t have to…”

“I don’t think there’s a ‘need’ to do anything when it comes to you,” Rong Qi interrupted gently. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Before Cheng Li could speak, her aunt interjected.

“Are you the…manager here?” Her tone carried a hint of scrutiny, clearly evaluating him from head to toe.

Rong Qi didn’t answer directly. Instead, he glanced briefly at Cheng Li, his eyes flickering with humor, before turning back to the group of elders. “I’m here to help resolve the issue.”

His calm demeanor and authoritative tone carried a weight that silenced any further probing.

Quickly, Cheng Li explained the situation. As she spoke, Rong Qi’s expression didn’t shift, but his eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting his understanding.

“Three tables?” he asked when she finished.

Cheng Li nodded.

Rong Qi turned toward the deputy manager, who had followed him into the room. “Clear out the small banquet hall. Move any unrelated reservations to other areas and ensure that this party’s needs are prioritized. If it’s a matter of staffing, pull resources from other teams.”

The deputy manager hesitated briefly before responding with a quick, “Yes, Mr. Rong.”

Everyone in the room froze for a second.

The realization hit first for Cheng Li’s aunt. “You—”

But before she could finish, Cheng Li’s grandmother, who had been watching silently, finally spoke, her tone calm but filled with curiosity. “Young man, may I ask who you are?”

Rong Qi smiled, his expression respectful. “Grandma, I’m Cheng Li’s…” He paused briefly, glancing at Cheng Li with a teasing look, before finishing, “Friend.”

The ambiguous answer left everyone momentarily speechless.

The deputy manager quickly left to carry out the instructions, while Rong Qi remained composed, as if completely unfazed by the many pairs of eyes scrutinizing him.

As the room quieted, Cheng Li felt a flush creeping up her neck. She avoided meeting anyone’s gaze, instead stepping to the side, her thoughts racing.

Rong Qi lowered his voice and leaned slightly toward her. “Am I being too obvious?”

“Very,” Cheng Li muttered under her breath, though she couldn’t suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips.

The arrangements moved forward swiftly under Rong Qi’s direction. Within the hour, the banquet was fully prepared in the small hall, and the relatives who had been growing restless were finally seated comfortably.

As the meal began, Cheng Li caught Rong Qi’s eye from across the room. His expression was light and unbothered, as though none of the earlier chaos had ever occurred.

But she knew the truth.

With just a few words, he had diffused an embarrassing situation and turned it into something manageable.

Cheng Li couldn’t help but marvel. The man she loved wasn’t just radiant in public but also someone she could rely on, even in the most unexpected of crises.

When the door opened, Rong Qi stood there in a black suit, gazing down at her. If it weren’t for the others in the lounge, he might have scooped her into his arms right then and there.

Seeing Rong Qi at that moment, Cheng Li suddenly felt a wave of grievance wash over her.

“Alright, no need to feel wronged,” Rong Qi said with a light smile, pinching her cheek gently. “It’s resolved. The birthday banquet will still be held here, though the banquet hall has changed. You’ll need to inform the others about this later.”

Cheng Li froze. “Resolved?”

The others in the lounge overheard this, and Ling Shuanghua had already stood up.

Rong Qi stepped into the room, holding Cheng Li’s hand.

The seated elders all turned their eyes toward him.

Cheng Li’s aunt and elder cousin-in-law were particularly stunned, their eyes nearly popping out.

“Isn’t that the man from earlier?” the elder cousin-in-law asked in surprise.

Holding Cheng Li’s hand, Rong Qi looked composed and polite as he turned to Cheng Li’s grandmother. “Grandma, hello. I’m Cheng Li’s husband, Rong Qi.”

The term “husband” left everyone in the room momentarily dumbfounded.

In the older generation, the term “husband” or “wife” carried an intimate and respectful weight. It wasn’t something the younger generation used often.

“Boyfriend?” the elder cousin-in-law asked, her astonishment clear as she exchanged glances with the others.

Rong Qi didn’t deny it outright. Instead, he smoothly redirected the topic. “Although there were some hiccups earlier, everything has been resolved now. The birthday banquet will still take place in this restaurant.”

Cheng Li looked at him, her heart swelling with warmth.

Finally, her aunt spoke, her disbelief evident. “Wait, it’s really resolved just like that?”

Rong Qi turned his gaze to her, deducing that she was likely Cheng Li’s aunt, given her slightly younger appearance compared to the elder cousin-in-law. With a gentle nod, he replied, “Indeed, it’s resolved. However, there’s one additional matter. To make amends for their oversight, the hotel has upgraded the banquet hall to a higher tier. I’d appreciate it if you could inform the other relatives about this change.”

This statement cleverly smoothed over Ling Shuanghua’s mistake.

Ling Shuanghua looked at Rong Qi, her expression a mixture of relief and complex emotions.

Cheng Li, watching from the side, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

“The menu might also see some adjustments, so Cheng Li and I will go review it first,” Rong Qi added.

Grandma nodded approvingly. “Thank you for your trouble.”

Rong Qi smiled, calm and composed, exuding both respect and confidence. “It’s my duty.”

As the two of them left the lounge, Cheng Li asked, “Is it really resolved?”

“Have I ever lied to you?” Rong Qi chuckled, amused by her doubt, and lightly ruffled her hair.

Cheng Li finally exhaled in relief. “If this hadn’t been resolved, I don’t think my mom would have ever gotten over it.”

It wasn’t just about disappointing Grandma but also about losing face in front of the relatives.

Ling Shuanghua wasn’t exactly Grandma’s favorite daughter-in-law. Taking on the responsibility for the banquet had been her way of trying to impress the Cheng family relatives.

Instead, things had almost gone horribly wrong. If the banquet had been ruined, Grandma and Aunt wouldn’t have let it go. They’d likely bring it up every chance they got.

While Cheng Li had felt stifled earlier, thinking it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if the banquet didn’t go smoothly, she couldn’t bear to see her mother embarrassed either.

“It’s not that serious. Just make sure to comfort your mom later,” Rong Qi said gently.

Cheng Li looked up, pursing her lips. In a low voice, she muttered, “You’re already calling her ‘Mom,’ but you haven’t even received the name-change fee yet.”

Rong Qi wrapped an arm around her, his tone languid and teasing. “I’ll pay to marry in, if that works.”

Cheng Li burst out laughing and hugged him back. “You’re that eager to change what you call her?”

Her thoughts drifted to earlier when Rong Qi had introduced himself as her husband. He likely chose the term to avoid directly saying “husband,” given their whirlwind marriage. It was a way to ease things for her parents and avoid potential gossip among the relatives.

He had been protecting her in his own way.

But the word “husband” had left a deeper impression on her than even “husband” would have.

Husband. Partner.

Someone to love and be loved by.

“Rong Qi,” Cheng Li said as she hugged him tightly, looking up into his eyes. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do today.”

Rong Qi pinched her cheek again, this time with more force.

“Next time, don’t say ‘thank you,’” he said firmly.

Cheng Li pressed her lips together, about to nod, when he lowered his eyes to look at her. His hand returned to her hair as he spoke with utmost seriousness.

“Cheng Li, I am your source of confidence.”

*

Author’s Note:
Rong Qi: Repeat after me 10,000 times—Rong Qi will always be Cheng Li’s confidence.