“Looks like you’ve been having a lot of fun these past few days. You couldn’t even be bothered to call home? Even if you don’t talk to me, you should at least let your dad know, right? You’ve been in Sanya for two days now. Don’t you know your mother has been waiting to hear from you???”

Mrs. Chen’s very first words were a forceful reprimand.

That distinct, oppressive pressure carried right through the phone and into Jiangg Ning’s ears.

She was instantly a little taken aback. It was her first time hearing her future mother-in-law speak… ‘From that one sentence alone,’ she thought, ‘I can tell she’s not an easy person to get along with.’

“Weren’t you mad at me? If I called you, I’d just be asking for a scolding.”

“So what? A mother says a few words and her son can’t take it? It’s perfectly natural! I’m talking to you, and you can’t just listen? Your mother is getting old now. Even if you don’t like my nagging, can’t you be a little more understanding?”

“Getting old now… Uh, Mom, I remember you being pretty naggy when I was a kid, too,” Chen Yuan said helplessly.

“Bullshit!”

Mrs. Chen snapped fiercely.

Without even needing to be face-to-face, just from her tone alone, Chen Yuan could perfectly picture the scowl on his mother’s face, all the way back in Qishui County.

He had seen that expression too many times growing up.

Hearing that curse word, Jiangg Ning’s lips curled into a subtle smile, as if she found it amusing that Chen Yuan was getting chewed out.

“Okay, okay. I’ve been out having fun these last couple of days. Dad knew, so I didn’t think to call. Let’s just say this call makes up for it.”

“Easy for you to say. If I hadn’t called you, you would never have reached out to your mother on your own. Am I that scary?”

“No! Of course not~”

“You little rascal! Forget it, I’m not going to argue with you about all this nonsense. You and your dad will be the death of me one day, one big rascal and one little one!” Mrs. Chen huffed a few times, but then her voice suddenly softened as she asked with concern, “How’s the hotel you booked? Are you sharing a room with a classmate, or do you have your own? Remember to keep your personal belongings safe. It’s so easy to lose things when you’re traveling, you hear me!”

“The hotel’s fine. I’m rooming with a classmate.”

“That’s good too. You boys shouldn’t always be eating junk food, you know. When you have time, go downstairs and eat a proper meal. Don’t worry about the money… Mom transferred a few thousand into your ICBC card. Ask for more when you run out.”

Mrs. Chen’s reminders, one after another, made Chen Yuan feel a pang of guilt.

“I know, Mom… Weren’t you the one who said you wouldn’t give me a single cent? Why the sudden change…?”

“That’s because you made me so mad! You ungrateful little rascal! Also, one more thing. Your Ms. Ke called me. She said you ran into Rou while you were out.”

“Oh.”

“Since you ran into her, you should take a gift and go visit your uncle and auntie. I remember Ms. Ke had a second daughter, right? Buy the girls some toys, get some tea for your uncle, have a meal with them, and pay them a proper visit, you hear?”

“When should I go?” Chen Yuan glanced at Jiangg Ning.

Her expression was completely neutral, perfectly calm.

“Tonight. Your auntie said she’s making a whole table full of food to welcome you properly. Their family helped us out a lot back in the day. She was running around helping me when I got married, and she even helped look after you when I was busy with work. In a way, she’s like a second mom to you, so be sweet. Ever since you were little, your auntie has always been especially fond of you.”

“Okay, I got it. I’ll get ready and head over in a bit.”

“That’s all then. Go have fun.”

“Gotta go, bye, Mom.”

BEEP—

The call ended.

Chen Yuan let out a sigh of relief and stretched his back.

Jiangg Ning had heard the entire conversation, and a flurry of questions instantly surfaced in her mind.

She had never heard Chen Yuan talk about his family. Their relationship wasn’t that deep yet, far from the point of discussing marriage; they were still just in the dating phase.

Now, it seemed to her… Chen Yuan’s family was not what she had imagined at all!

Before, Jiangg Ning had always assumed that to raise a son with such a good personality, Chen Yuan’s family must be a sophisticated one—at the very least, a scholarly family with a rich heritage.

She figured he had grown up immersed in that environment, which was why he had a reserved personality, a mature worldview, spoke with refinement, and acted with propriety.

She had sensed it from the very first day they met at the restaurant, from their conversation in the restroom.

Because after finding out about their online relationship, Chen Yuan hadn’t rushed to ask questions. He didn’t show the kind of impatience typical of an eighteen-year-old boy. Instead, he had tentatively asked a few things first, then suggested meeting in person to talk things through properly.

After learning she wanted to break up, he didn’t argue or cause a scene. He didn’t even take the nominal “breakup fee.”

A hundred thousand yuan was no small amount for a college student!

The more they interacted, the more certain she became of her assessment.

On this trip, Chen Yuan had also spared no expense, doing everything he could to make their first vacation together a perfect memory.

While his mind might not be exceptionally meticulous, he was very good at being considerate of a girl’s feelings.

Even though she was eight years older than him, she never felt a cognitive gap due to their age difference during their time together. Their relationship was very relaxed.

But from what Chen Yuan’s mother said, a figure of “a few thousand” was apparently enough to cover the costs of a vacation *and* gifts for elders.

This didn’t align with her assumptions at all.

A few thousand wouldn’t even cover one night in this suite.

Let alone buying gifts to visit elders…

Jiangg Ning was completely bewildered, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask about it right away.

She didn’t know if Chen Yuan would mind her asking.

She could only suppress her doubts.

Jiangg Ning looked at Chen Yuan’s face. For a moment, she actually felt her young boyfriend had suddenly become shrouded in an air of mystery.

“Sigh…”

Chen Yuan sat up and rubbed his face vigorously.

He said helplessly, “You heard. I can’t be with you tonight. I have to get changed and prepare to go visit some elders.”

“Mm-hmm, you go ahead. Do you need me to see you out?”

“No need.”

Jiangg Ning was rational enough not to get jealous over something like this.

“Then I’ll go buy some things first. I’ll check out the supermarket.”

“Okay, just let me know when you’re back.”

Jiangg Ning watched Chen Yuan get changed and saw him to the door.

After he was gone, she closed the door.

She changed her clothes as well and headed toward her sister’s suite.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep