SM Chapter 71

“Are you kicking me out?”

Chapter 71: Yue Shu Chi Sheng “Are you kicking me out?”

They still spent the New Year together at Huating, as usual.

If Liu Ruoyin and Zhu Yingqing felt a little uneasy about intruding before, they didn’t think so much about it now. After all, someone was already planning to abduct their daughter.

“Is he planning? He’s clearly already abducted her!” Liu Ruoyin glared, displeased with her husband’s calmness and lack of foresight. “Is that all you have to say?”

Zhu Yingqing was packing things. Hearing this, he glanced at her and said calmly, “Didn’t you say it yourself? Zhi Xu treats Shihao the best. He’s been unfairly protective of her since they were kids. Isn’t that enough? What else is there to say?”

She had said that, and that was the reasoning.

Liu Ruoyin choked for a moment, rolling her eyes. “You’re convincing yourself a little too quickly, aren’t you?”

“Then what else can we do? Break them up? Or do you really think you can find someone better than Zhi Xu to put our minds at ease?”

Zhu Yingqing didn’t even look up, tidying up the food he’d stocked in the fridge. It would all go bad if they didn’t eat it, so he simply packed it up. Since they were driving, he didn’t have to worry about being too lazy to carry it.

After a long silence, he stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Liu Ruoyin, who was sitting at the dining table.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Liu Ruoyin glanced at him sideways. “Every word you say is like a nail. How am I supposed to answer?”

The main thing was, she couldn’t bring herself to break them up, nor could she find someone more reassuring than Tan Zhi Xu.

Zhu Yingqing smiled at his wife and said, “Isn’t this just the natural result? They’re both good kids who know what they’re doing. Let them make their own decisions.”

With a soft hum, Liu Ruoyin took a sip of her rose tea and didn’t speak.

Last year, Zhu Suiyi’s family went back to the Yu family. This year, they naturally stayed in Sangzi, making Huating even more lively.

Jia Jia already knew that Uncle Zhi Xu was really going to become her aunt’s husband, and excitedly circled around him twice. Without needing anyone to tell her, she changed her address immediately.

Tan Zhi Xu happily nodded, patted her head, and glanced at Zhu Shihao before casually instructing, “An aunt should be generous during the New Year, understand?”

Zhu Shihao: “…”

The family activities were pretty much the same as usual. On New Year’s Eve, the parents who couldn’t stay up any longer went upstairs first. Liu Ruoyin glared at Zhu Shihao, her eyes warning, “You better behave yourself.”

The meaning was very clear. Zhu Shihao’s expression didn’t change. “When have I not behaved myself?”

“You know very well yourself.” She looked down at her with a sidelong glance, then turned and left.

Watching the four elders go upstairs, Jia Jia, who had finally fallen asleep after playing with sparklers, lay sprawled on the sofa, her little belly rising and falling with her breath. Zhu Suiyi teased, “Oh my, is Madam Liu going to do a midnight room check?”

Zhu Shihao looked back at her, her expression helpless. “Don’t act like you’re enjoying the show.”

“How can you call it enjoying the show? This is a mother’s guidance.” Zhu Suiyi shrugged, leaning back on the sofa. The smile on her face didn’t match her words.

Tan Zhi Xu naturally understood Liu Ruoyin’s meaning. Although he was a bit unwilling, he wasn’t officially part of the family yet, so he couldn’t go head-to-head with his future mother-in-law.

He stroked Zhu Shihao’s head and asked Yu Jianmin, “Brother Min, want another drink?”

Yu Jianmin looked at Zhu Suiyi, not answering immediately.

“Drink if you want to. What are you looking at me for?” Zhu Suiyi pouted. “Showing off here.”

Yu Jianmin still smiled. “Then I’ll have a drink.”

The opportunity was rare; these were wines he usually couldn’t get his hands on.

As the two men went to choose the wine and get the glasses, Zhu Suiyi asked curiously, “Judging from Mom’s reaction, she hasn’t sorted things out yet?”

Otherwise, even if she had agreed to spend New Year’s Eve together, she wouldn’t be so normal towards Tan Zhi Xu. Her gaze would be more complicated.

Zhu Shihao subconsciously glanced towards the stairs. Empty and deserted, no one was there. Zhu Shihao frowned slightly, feeling a little worried.

“Probably not. There are always various miscellaneous things to do when it’s almost New Year’s, plus she has to take care of Jia Jia during the day. I guess she hasn’t had time to think about it much.”

Zhu Suiyi was sympathetic. “You two have been hanging around in front of her these past few days, constantly reminding her. She’ll probably figure it out soon.”

Zhu Shihao thought for a moment, then looked at her expectantly. “Sister.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.” She held up her palm to stop her, raising her chin with an arrogant expression. “Now you know to call me sister.”

“Help me out, please.” Moving closer to her, squeezing together, Zhu Shihao shook her hand. “Suiyi, Suiyi, just persuade Mom, appease her.”

Zhu Suiyi poked her forehead. “Alright, don’t make me sound like a heartless, cold person. I’ll try my best. When the time comes, Zhi Xu had better toast me a drink.”

Not only did he abduct her sister, but she also had to go on stage to help.

In front of Zhu Suiyi, she always acted a bit childish. Zhu Shihao rested her head on her shoulder, swaying back and forth. “One cup isn’t enough, at least three.”

Zhu Suiyi glanced at her, hummed, and didn’t comment.

When the two men came back, they saw the sisters huddled together, talking about something. Judging from their expressions, they seemed quite happy.

All four poured a glass of wine, sat on the carpet, and chatted casually.

Zhu Shihao glanced at the Spring Festival Gala and asked Tan Zhi Xu, “When we play games, where did you put the stuff?”

Tan Zhi Xu got up. “I’ll go get it.”

The Spring Festival Gala was switched to the tablet, but no one watched it. It was just playing in the background as music. They played until a little after one o’clock before going upstairs. Yu Jianmin picked up Jia Jia.

Knowing that the two still wanted to talk, Zhu Suiyi said meaningfully, “Be careful not to get caught by Mom.”

Zhu Shihao wrinkled her nose, looking troubled.

However, she soon realized that she was worrying too much.

“Are you kicking me out?” she asked, utterly incredulous.

Tan Zhi Xu stroked her face, feeling helpless at her accusation. “I’m not. I want to sleep with you too. I want it even more than you do. But Shihao, what if Auntie Yin doesn’t let you marry me if we don’t behave ourselves?”

“If she doesn’t let me, then forget it?” She was a little unhappy, pressing him for an answer.

The man in front of her smiled faintly. “How is that possible? You have to be with me. Although I don’t mind fighting a protracted war, I still want it to happen sooner.”

Regarding this matter, he had always been very eager.

This answer was satisfactory enough.

Zhu Shihao pursed her lips, exhaled, and reluctantly said, “Alright, see you tomorrow, oh no, see you when we wake up.”

Tan Zhi Xu took her hand and escorted her to her room door, took out his phone and held it up. “Video call?”

“Okay.” She nodded.

Even though they weren’t chatting constantly during the video call, the feeling of companionship was still there.

After a long while, he called her many times, but she didn’t respond. Only the sound of her shallow breathing came through. Tan Zhi Xu smiled gently and said “Good night” before ending the video call.

Those who were teachers indeed woke up early, especially Liu Ruoyin and Zhu Yingqing, who had been teachers for half their lives. Their biological clocks were like something engraved in their DNA.

Before going downstairs, Liu Ruoyin paused in front of Zhu Shihao’s room door.

Seeing her grab the doorknob, Zhu Yingqing was stunned. “Are you really going to check?”

Liu Ruoyin ignored him, opening the door and following the stream of light from the corridor into the dark room. In her heart, she actually knew that Zhu Shihao would definitely not be visiting upstairs after what she had said last night.

Seeing her daughter sleeping on her side, her expression turned instinctively gentle.

After staring for a few seconds, she hooked her lips, her hand feeling warm. She subconsciously touched her daughter’s nape, then tucked her in before turning to leave.

Zhu Yingqing stood at the door, craning his neck but not coming in. Seeing her come out, he asked, “Still sleeping?”

“What else? I’d think she drank too much water and needed to use the toilet if she could wake up before nine.” Liu Ruoyin replied softly as she closed the door gently.

It was only seven o’clock now. There was absolutely no way Zhu Shihao would get up.

Indeed, as they got older, they didn’t need as much sleep. Zhu Yingqing cooked breakfast and sat on the sofa, browsing the news on his phone. Before long, Xu Ting and Tan Meng came down.

“Hey, why are you up so early? You don’t have class, just sleep. I’ll have breakfast delivered.”

Xu Ting’s voice came before she even saw them.

Liu Ruoyin looked up. “I’d like to have something ready-made to eat, but after thirty years, I’m used to it. Once it passes a certain point, I can’t close my eyes, and sleeping too long makes my back ache.”

Xu Ting sat down beside her, teasing, “When do you ever not eat something ready-made? The head of the family’s kitchen is always Yingqing. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

From their marriage until now, Zhu Yingqing had been teaching for many years, and had also been turning around in the kitchen for just as long.

Looking at her husband, who was talking to Tan Meng, his face had changed a lot from when he was young. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were becoming more and more obvious.

The traces of time on them were impossible to ignore, but his cooking skills were also becoming more and more refined. Even though they were over fifty, there were still some things that wouldn’t change.

“You’re the same, enjoying the good life early on.” She just hooked her lips, playfully responding.

Wanting to say something, Xu Ting swallowed it back. She felt that it was best not to remind her friend about her son secretly abducting her daughter during the New Year, even though she wanted to sigh and say “good son” whenever she thought about it.

“Alright, alright, we’re all having good lives. Let’s not praise each other commercially.” She took Liu Ruoyin’s hand and asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet. I made some porridge. I brought some steamed buns and dumplings yesterday. We can steam the buns and pan-fry the dumplings.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go help.”

The two ladies said this, but in the end, Zhu Yingqing and Tan Meng were the ones who went to the kitchen. They sat on the sofa, not even moving their feet.

After talking for a while, Liu Ruoyin’s phone rang. It was Zhu Suiyi.

“Mom, can you come up and get Jia Jia?” Zhu Suiyi sat on the bed, watching Yu Jianmin wash Jia Jia and change her clothes, and yawned while wiping away the tears in the corners of her eyes. “Forget it, I’ll have her come downstairs by herself. Can you be at the bottom of the stairs?”

Liu Ruoyin nodded. “I’m here. Let her come down.”

After hanging up, Xu Ting asked from the side, “Suiyi? Up this early?”

She was also clear that it couldn’t be Zhu Shihao.

“What’s so early about it? Jia Jia woke up and she still wants to sleep and entrust me with her kid.” She knew her daughter like the back of her hand.

Two or three minutes later, Jia Jia appeared on the stairs, shouting loudly, “Grandma!”

The two turned their heads and saw Jia Jia carrying a small clear bag and a glass of milk in both hands, cautiously stepping down the stairs, making Liu Ruoyin’s blood rush to her head.

“I was wondering why you were moving so fast. So your mom just let you come down like this!”

Her hair was a mess, her clothes were a mess, she hadn’t even buttoned her buttons, and she hadn’t had her milk yet.

After getting off the stairs, Jia Jia trotted over, obediently greeting everyone, brushing away the hair that had fallen from behind her to her face. “Dad wanted to dress me properly and tie up my hair, but Mom said I was talking too much and told me not to disturb her sleep, and kicked me out.”

Actually, that wasn’t entirely true. Zhu Suiyi had also suggested another plan, to have Yu Jianmin go out to get her ready, but Yu Jianmin had refused without hesitation.

She put what she was carrying on the sofa and shouted loudly towards the kitchen, “Grandpa, warm milk!” Then she said to Liu Ruoyin, “Grandma, tie my hair.”

Hearing Jia Jia’s words, Liu Ruoyin was grinding her teeth, wanting to go upstairs and yank off Zhu Suiyi’s blanket, but she held back, consoling herself that she had to be calm on the first day of the New Year.

Xu Ting glanced at her, unable to suppress her smile, and pulled Jia Jia over. “Grandma Xu will tie it for you. I used to braid your auntie’s hair pretty well too.”

A little after nine, Tan Zhi Xu came downstairs, nodding his head in greeting to the elders.

Xu Ting pulled Liu Ruoyin and complained, “Is this the son meeting the parents, or the leader meeting the employees?”

Zhu Suiyi and her husband came down at nine-thirty, looking at her mom strangely. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Liu Ruoyin: “…”

She really had no idea.

A little over ten minutes later, there was still no movement upstairs. Liu Ruoyin couldn’t take it anymore and said to Zhu Suiyi, “Go get your sister up for me.”

Zhu Suiyi was eating. Hearing this, she didn’t even look up. “Why wake her up? Let her sleep if she wants to. It’s good to have so much sleep.”

Not everyone could sleep this long.

Liu Ruoyin glared at her. “Who doesn’t eat breakfast on the first day of the New Year and just sleeps?”

Just as she was about to say something, Tan Zhi Xu interrupted. “It’s okay, Auntie Yin, I’m done eating. I’ll take her food up.”

Liu Ruoyin: “…”

Was that the point?

She was sleeping in and someone had to bring the food to her mouth, so she could finish eating and continue sleeping?

Zhu Suiyi nodded, commenting, “You don’t have to bring the buns, just bring her some dumplings. She likes them pan-fried.”

That was what Tan Zhi Xu had planned to do, but he didn’t say it, just nodded.

Watching her son’s figure disappear around the corner, Xu Ting quietly glanced at her friend. Seeing the speechlessness mixed with satisfaction on her face, she secretly thought to herself, “Well done.”