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Feeling a surge of frustration he couldn’t release, Wang Zhenhe forcefully swallowed his food, took a deep breath, and then patted Yang Nuo on the shoulder. “Kid, take good care of Xuan in the future. If you dare to mistreat her, just remember, even without me, your uncle can handle you.”
Yang Nuo, displaying a sycophantic attitude, filled Wang Zhenhe’s glass with wine. “Uncle, I would never do that. Am I the kind of person who would do something like that? Look at my dad, and you’ll know what kind of person I am.”
Redirecting the conversation to his father, Yang Nuo cleverly shifted the blame away from himself. Yang Mingxuan was secretly pleased but jokingly remarked, “Zhenhe, we won’t even need all of you. I alone can take care of this kid. Our family has never produced someone like him before.”
The adults, amidst laughter and banter, tacitly acknowledged the current relationship between the two children. Yang Nuo was particularly pleased; he had been eager to clarify this relationship for a while. He couldn’t understand why there were always people circling around Xuan at school, and now he felt content with this clear understanding.
Mingyuan approached Yang Nuo and playfully punched him. “Yang Nuo, feeling smug now, huh? I’ve had my eye on you; you’re up to no good. But remember, you better take care of me when we’re at school.”
Mingyuan quickly sought some benefits for himself in this crucial moment; he couldn’t let his sister be swayed without gaining something out of it.
Wang Zhenhe also pondered the situation. Rather than letting someone unknown marry his daughter, he considered Yang Nuo a better choice. He was good-looking, known by their family, and even if he dared mistreat his daughter, he’d be right there to intervene. The Yang family was decent, so he reluctantly accepted the situation. He planned to have a serious conversation with his daughter later that evening.
During the meal, all three families enjoyed themselves. After bidding farewell to the guests, Zhang Lan arranged rooms for Bai Jianing and Zhang Weiguo before returning to discuss the evening’s events.
“Xuan, I know you’re not that old, but in the past, girls your age would be thinking about marriage. I just want to ask, what are your thoughts on Yang Nuo?” Zhang Lan didn’t immediately make a decision at the dinner table because she wanted to understand her daughter’s feelings first.
Wang Xuan felt extremely embarrassed and couldn’t lift her head. She silently cursed Yang Nuo for starting a fire and not taking responsibility for extinguishing it. Now, she was left alone to face her family’s inquiries.
Seeing her daughter blush, Zhang Lan chuckled and embraced her. “Sweetheart, you’re not a child anymore. What’s there to fear about having a proper relationship? I just want to make sure I’m not choosing the wrong person for you. I value your opinion. I think Yang Nuo is a good kid, but I worry he might be too impulsive. I just want to know what you think. If you’re okay with it, then you two should nurture your relationship. If you feel it’s not right, I can’t agree to this marriage.”
Wang Xuan lifted her shy face and replied, “Mom, Yang Nuo is really nice. He treats me well, doesn’t spend his pocket money, and always buys me food and clothes. When we eat in the canteen, he lets me eat the best dishes and eats the leftovers himself. I think he’s really kind.”
With her daughter’s words, Zhang Lan understood her feelings. She smiled and held her daughter’s hand. “Good girl, then you should treat Yang Nuo well in the future. But there are certain boundaries you both must respect. Remember, my dear, always maintain your dignity and self-respect. You should understand this. I won’t say more about it.”
Wang Xuan had discussed these matters with her sister a long time ago, so she nodded earnestly. “Mom, I know what’s right and wrong. You can trust me; I won’t do anything to embarrass you.”
With her daughter’s assurance, Zhang Lan felt confident about letting the two young people spend time together. As long as they were happy, she wouldn’t interfere too much.
Wang Zhenhe chimed in, “Xuan, if that boy ever mistreats you, just let me know. I’ll handle him.”
Watching her protective father, Wang Qian chuckled, “Dad, you don’t need to do anything. We have another tough guy in the house. With our two brothers around, who would dare to bully us in the future?”
After a family discussion, Mingyuan went to sleep with Zuo Yu, while Zhang Weiguo and the other men stayed in one room. Wang Xuan and Wang Qian accompanied Bai Jianing to sleep together.
As Zhang Lan and Geng Lianhua lay on the kang discussing the future siblings, the old lady was full of approval. “Lan, it seems that our Weiguo has found a good girl. As long as the two of them live happily together, everything will surely be fine in the future.”
Zhang Lan hugged her mother’s arm. “Mom, even if the military doesn’t provide housing for Weiguo and them, we’ll buy a house for them. In the future, you can also live there to help take care of your grandchildren.”
Geng Lianhua, now more open-minded, expressed her thoughts. “Child, I don’t have a preference whether we live together or not. As long as I can see my grandchildren often, I’ll be content. Young people have their own way of living. Forcing them to live together isn’t a good idea. I don’t want to impose on them. As long as the couple is happy, that’s all that matters. When we’re old and can’t move, then they can look after us. For now, I think it’s best to let them live their lives. They’re busy with work now, and they won’t have time to care for us.”
Smiling at her mother, Zhang Lan replied, “Mom, where would we find another mother-in-law like you? You’re the most understanding and reasonable mother-in-law in the world.”
Geng Lianhua remembered something. “Lan, what do you think would be a good gift for Weiguo’s wife as a token of our first meeting? Even though her mother hasn’t agreed yet, her father has. We can’t just give them an ordinary gift. We should think carefully so as not to cause any misunderstandings later on.”
This matter hadn’t crossed Zhang Lan’s mind yet, considering she only had some electronic products on hand. She figured her younger daughter probably had better items.
“Mom, let me ask Qianqian tomorrow and see what treasures she has. We can start by giving something to Weiguo’s wife to handle this matter. Later on, I’ll make it up to the kids,” Zhang Lan suggested.
Geng Lianhua disagreed, saying, “No, those are Qianqian’s treasures. She even gave up her jade pendant to help with our medical expenses. We can’t keep asking things from the children. It would be inappropriate to use their belongings for your brother’s affairs. Let’s use my money to buy gifts. It’s the thought that counts, and I’ve already stretched myself for you. We can’t keep asking things from the kids.”
Understanding her mother’s financial situation, Zhang Lan had been helping by selling goods. She had made up her mind to ask her daughter the next day.
Geng Lianhua wanted to give the new daughter-in-law something nice, but she felt financially constrained at the moment. She started contemplating how to make the best use of the little money she had for the best possible gift.
With each woman lost in her own thoughts, the night passed quietly. The next day, Zhang Lan brought Wang Qian into the room.
“Qianqian, your uncle has brought his girlfriend home. What do you think Grandma should give as a gift?” Zhang Lan inquired.
Upon hearing her mother’s question, Wang Qian understood the implication. She had already anticipated this situation. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ve prepared in advance. Let Grandma give this gold bracelet to the future daughter-in-law. As for the money, let Grandma decide how much to include. It doesn’t need to be a lot, just a gesture will suffice. This is the main thing we need to focus on,” she explained confidently.
The mention of a gold bracelet surprised Zhang Lan. She felt a pang of regret at her daughter’s generosity.
“Qianqian, do you have anything else? Shouldn’t we save this gold bracelet for you and your sister to use? Isn’t this gift too extravagant?” Zhang Lan questioned.
Wang Qian shook her head. “Mom, this gift must carry weight. Remember, her mother hasn’t agreed yet. We need to show our seriousness, and this is the best way to do it. Let Grandma hold onto it and present it to Bai Jianing later,” she advised.
Taking the bracelet, Zhang Lan went to see her mother. Geng Lianhua sighed when she saw the gold bracelet in her daughter’s hand. “You silly girl, I already said there’s no need…”
Geng Lianhua couldn’t quite express her feelings. Her daughter and son-in-law took care of them, and now their son’s future daughter-in-law was being welcomed with a gift from their granddaughter. She knew she had nothing substantial to offer in return. Seeing the gold bracelet left her with mixed emotions.
“Mom, with Weiguo as my only younger brother, how could I not be involved in this matter? Besides, Qianqian had prepared this gift for her little uncle long ago. It’s a heartfelt gesture from the children. Qianqian embodies the innocence of a child and the heart of an elder; it’s not easy for her,” Zhang Lan explained, expressing her sentiments to her mother.
After a moment of reflection and discussion, the mother and daughter decided on other gifts. While cooking together, they finalized their plans.
Bai Jianing and Zhang Weiguo traveled a long way by train and were quite fatigued upon arrival. When Bai Jianing woke up, she found that Zhang Lan and the others had already prepared the meal.
“Why didn’t you call me to help? I feel bad,” Bai Jianing expressed her concern.
Seeing his girlfriend like this, Zhang Weiguo chuckled, “Jianing, when you’re with your sister, just treat it like coming home. Neither my sister nor my mother would worry about such things. Once we’re married, we’ll focus on taking care of our elders. Everything else is secondary.”
Zhang Lan playfully patted her brother on the back. “That’s right. We’re all family here, so let’s drop the formalities. Just treat it like being at home. Cooking is something I do every day, so it’s no trouble. You both have had a tiring journey. After you’re married, just focus on taking care of Mom.”
Bai Jianing, have already heard Zhang Weiguo talk about the family’s past difficulties, that why she understood what Zhang Lan and the others were referring to.
“Sister, don’t worry. I won’t be like my sister-in-law. Having an elder to take care of us is a blessing. I’ll make sure to show my gratitude. In the future, it will be our responsibility to look after our elders. I will definitely respect and care for them well. It wasn’t easy for them to support Weiguo through college,” Bai Jianing reassured.