Yan Yunning: “……”
——
Monday noon.
Yan Yunning had just finished lunch and was about to head upstairs with her assistant when she received a phone call from Xuan Zhaoран.
“Sister-in-law, Dad and Mom went to Jiaojiao’s school to bring lunch for her and Ruirui. Jiang Xian came over to the house. Can you call Dad and Mom and ask them to come home?”
“We’ve been waiting for a long time and they haven’t come back yet. If I call them myself, they might not rush back quickly.”
“Sister-in-law, can you come back too?” The most important reason she made this call was that she wanted her sister-in-law to come back.
Yan Yunning frowned. “Bringing lunch? Doesn’t the school provide lunch?”
“Xiao Wan said Jiaojiao and Ruirui didn’t want to eat the school food. The teacher called home, Jiaojiao and Ruirui picked the dishes they wanted to eat, and Dad and Mom personally cooked the meal and personally went to deliver it.”
The corner of Yan Yunning’s eye twitched slightly. “Why didn’t the teacher call me?”
Xuan Zhaoран glanced at Jiang Xian sitting awkwardly on the sofa and said helplessly, “Little Ruirui said he only wanted his grandpa to be called.”
“Alright, I understand. I’ll call Dad and ask what’s going on. After I hang up with him, I’ll head back.”
“Thank you, sister-in-law.” Xuan Zhaoران neatly ended the call.
Bilingual International Kindergarten.
The principal held a freshly brewed cup of tea and handed one each to Xuan Shi’an and Wen Shuyun. “Mr. Xuan, the two little young masters and the young miss are so intelligent.”
Xuan Shi’an’s lips curved upward. “Is that so?”
“Yes indeed, Mr. Xuan.” The head teacher of the little bun and the little girl smiled as she refilled Xuan Shi’an’s tea. “Xuan Yun Yao and Xuan You Yi’s language abilities rank at the very top among their grade level in our school. The foreign teachers often praise them to me.”
The smile reached the corners of Xuan Shi’an’s eyebrows. “Going forward at school, I’ll say the same thing as before — don’t frequently praise them to their faces. They can’t always be put on a pedestal. When strictness is needed, be strict. Treat them the same as everyone else.”
“Of course, Mr. Xuan. We all understand.”
Xuan Shi’an gave a slight nod, then said, “I heard the school is upgrading its activity rooms in a couple of days?”
The principal’s eyes lit up immediately. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Xuan Shi’an took a light sip of tea. “Tomorrow I’ll have the finance department transfer the funds to you.”
“The school menu needs to be changed. My darlings don’t enjoy the current food. My suggestion is to ask the children every day what they’d like to eat and prepare meals according to the children’s wishes. Also, daily dishes need to be kept as samples for proper testing.”
“Let’s do this — switch the food supply chain over to the Xuan Group.” Xuan Shi’an looked at the principal, his fingertip lightly rubbing the teacup, the corner of his lips curving slightly. “Principal Liu, no objections?”
“None at all, none at all. Whatever Mr. Xuan says goes.”
Xuan Shi’an put down his teacup with satisfaction, and just as he was about to add something more, Yan Yunning’s call came through.
Xuan Shi’an felt a jolt in his heart. He looked at Wen Shuyun beside him and pursed his lips slightly. “Shuyun, it’s Ningning calling. Does she know we secretly came to bring lunch to Ruirui and Jiaojiao?”
Both Ningning and Yuer had always strongly opposed them “spoiling” the children — though in his view, they weren’t spoiling the children at all. They were just showing the children a tiny bit of extra affection, that was all.
Principal Liu and the others in the office exchanged glances with one another, and very busily began flipping through documents — though every ear had perked up.
Wen Shuyun shook her head. “She can’t know. Ningning hasn’t even gotten off work yet. How would she know? It’s probably something else.”
She had already instructed all the household staff — no one was allowed to let Yuer or Ningning find out, so as not to make Ningning and Yuer angry. When those two got angry, they’d take the children away from the Xuan residence to live separately, and she and Old Xuan simply couldn’t bear not having the children around.
Hearing Wen Shuyun’s words, Xuan Shi’an cleared his throat and answered the phone with relief.
“Dad, where are you and Mom? Why aren’t you home?” Yan Yunning’s soft, gentle voice came through the receiver.
Xuan Shi’an’s eyes darted evasively. “Your Mom and I… Ningning, is something the matter?”
“Dad, if you and Mom don’t have anything on, come home now — Ranran brought her boyfriend over to the house.”
“Boyfriend?” Xuan Shi’an’s brow furrowed slightly. “She just started dating him. There’s no need for your Mom and me to go home to meet him yet. It can wait until things are more settled.”
“Dad, where exactly are you and Mom right now?” On the other end of the call, Yan Yunning got into the car and started the engine.
No wonder Ranran said that even if she called them, they might not rush home quickly.
“Your Mom and I are… out.” Xuan Shi’an said vaguely.
Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Dad, you and Mom had better come back quickly. Think about it — if twenty years from now, your grandson goes to his girlfriend’s house, but the girl’s father doesn’t want to see him…”
“We’re going back. Your Mom and I are heading back right now.”
Yan Yunning laughed. “Alright, then Dad and Mom come back as soon as possible.”
“Yes, yes, we’re heading home right now.”
After hanging up, Wen Shuyun looked at Xuan Shi’an anxiously. “Ningning didn’t find out that we brought lunch to Ruirui and Jiaojiao, did she?”
“She didn’t. Ningning is asking us to come home quickly.”
“Then hurry up and go.” Wen Shuyun picked up her bag and pulled Xuan Shi’an to his feet from the sofa.
Principal Liu perceptively held open the office door, and the group escorted Xuan Shi’an and Wen Shuyun out to their car.
Watching the car drive away, someone in the crowd murmured quietly, “I didn’t expect the old Mr. Xuan and his wife to be so afraid of their daughter-in-law.”
“Quiet.” Principal Liu swept a glance over the crowd. “Some things, you don’t know? Keep them to yourself.”
Seeing that no one dared to make another sound, Principal Liu let out a cold snort and walked back into the school.
——
The Xuan Residence.
Xuan Zhaoران and Jiang Xian stood respectfully before Xuan Shi’an and Wen Shuyun. Yan Yunning lounged lazily on the sofa.
“Serious?” Xuan Shi’an’s voice was calm.
Jiang Xian gave a solemn nod. “Yes, Uncle. Completely serious.”
Xuan Shi’an’s voice softened. “Don’t stand. Sit down.”
“Thank you, Uncle.” Jiang Xian took Xuan Zhaoران’s hand and sat slightly awkwardly on the sofa.
Xuan Shi’an scanned the gifts filling half the living room. His gaze landed immediately on the anime character figurines, game character figurines, superhero figurines, and adorable doll figurines placed at the very center — all limited edition, intricately detailed sculpture-level pieces with high collector’s value.
Tracking down these figurines must have taken considerable effort.
A smile appeared on Xuan Shi’an’s face. “You’re very thoughtful.”
Jiang Xian inwardly hooked the corner of his mouth. “Of course, Uncle.”
Xie Yan and Mu Heng had been right — to win Uncle Xuan’s favour, you first had to win the hearts of Yuer’s children.
Xuan Shi’an picked up the limited edition LEGO building set from beside him and said candidly, without giving an inch, “Did you inquire in advance about my grandchildren’s preferences?”
The figurines were what his Ruirui and Jiaojiao loved most. The LEGOs were what his Xiaoxiao adored most.
All three children’s storerooms were packed full of figurines and LEGOs — he wouldn’t allow his daughter to marry this young man just because of these gifts. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford to buy them himself.
What mattered was character — whether he would treat his little Ran well.
“Old Xuan.” Wen Shuyun gave Xuan Shi’an a kick.
Xuan Shi’an set down the LEGO in his hand, accepted the teacup a household staff member handed him, and gently blew on the surface of the tea.