Whether nervous or not, the meeting time had already been set and couldn’t be changed.

On the weekend, Liu Fen woke up just after 5 AM to get busy, and naturally, Xia Xiaolan crawled out of her warm blanket to help. Grandmother Yu gave instructions on how to prepare the dishes from the side, and being unable to stay idle, she took a cloth and wiped the tables and chairs again. Heaven knows how many times Liu Fen had already wiped those chairs – they’d nearly worn off the lacquer.

Working together, by 10 AM, all the food was prepared, and Liu Fen changed her clothes. She wore new clothes and combed her hair meticulously. After some thought, she decided to put on her gold bracelet – without any jewelry, she felt something would look out of place.

“Why not wear the jade ones? Didn’t Xiaolan buy you several pieces?” Yu suggested, thinking jade was less showy and more elegant, carrying a higher level of sophistication.

Liu Fen shook her head. “We’re originally from the countryside, there’s no point in pretending to be city folks.” She couldn’t appreciate jade properly as her aesthetic sensibilities hadn’t reached that level yet. Gold bracelets were the most practical – in the countryside, even having a gold ring was something to show off, and families who struggled with necessities wouldn’t think of buying gold.

Had Liu Fen finally come to terms with everything? Grandmother Yu couldn’t quite understand, but she thought this attitude was good. “This is how you should have been all along. Zhou Cheng’s parents aren’t going to eat you alive, are they? Your daughter could find someone else even without Zhou Cheng.”

Just maintain proper etiquette – there was no need to bend over backward trying to please anyone. While Grandmother Yu quite liked Zhou Cheng and appreciated his good upbringing, she reasoned that if Zhou Cheng was well-mannered, his family couldn’t be too bad. After all, who else could have raised him that way?

When Xia Xiaolan came out after changing clothes, she was surprised to find her mother wasn’t nervous anymore. Had Grandmother Yu managed to calm her mother down? Xia Xiaolan found it amazing, not knowing that Grandmother Yu found it equally surprising.

Close to 11 AM, Guan Hui’e and Zhou Guobin finally arrived. They parked their car some distance away and walked over. Since Xia Xiaolan had bought this courtyard, although they hadn’t lived there regularly, neighbors often saw cars coming and going.

“See? I told you the newcomers were people of status, but you wouldn’t believe me,” Neighbor Old Zhao peered out, saying. However, they seemed quite busy and didn’t have much time to socialize with neighbors.

Privately, some neighbors were bitter, feeling the newcomers weren’t being sociable. Old Zhao wasn’t worried – he had seen Liu Fen buying furniture, installing a TV yesterday, bringing in a washing machine, seemingly preparing to live there permanently. Moving in takes time to settle, and naturally, they would interact with neighbors once settled.

When money’s in someone else’s pocket, whether to invite neighbors over is entirely their choice! Old Zhao could understand why some people felt bitter – seeing how wealthy the new neighbors appeared, leaving such a large courtyard empty for months while others were cramped in their homes. But what could be done? When the courtyard was for sale, many were interested, but the price was 100,000 yuan. Even the best negotiator might only get it down by 20,000, still leaving 80,000 yuan!

Who could afford that kind of money? Shichahai was a prime location with good scenery and convenience, and the courtyard was indeed large – it was worth the price. There was a reason for its expense, even if it was unaffordable. Besides overseas Chinese and Hong Kong merchants, it was hard to imagine who could afford such a sum.

Old Zhao walked around with his bird cage, watching Guan Hui’e and Zhou Guobin enter Xia Xiaolan’s home, unable to figure out the background of his new neighbors. While some gossiping neighbors might become even more bitter if they knew Liu Fen still held a rural household registration, a leader’s wife like Guan Hui’e would naturally make anyone nervous, regardless of their background.

Of course, this wasn’t apparent on the surface. When they arrived at Xia Xiaolan’s door with gifts, Liu Fen seemed to be waiting right on time.

“Xiaolan’s mother, we should have visited earlier, but we were afraid it would be too sudden. Please don’t mind,” Guan Hui’e said, feeling relieved at her first impression. It wasn’t about Liu Fen’s proper attire, but rather her countenance, which didn’t suggest a bitter or harsh personality. Guan Hui’e had heard that before age 30, one’s appearance comes from their parents, but after 30, it reflects their inner nature.

Liu Fen clearly appeared to be someone of gentle temperament. Guan Hui’e had worried about meeting a gloomy rural woman – not because Liu Fen was divorced, but because too much negativity would make interaction difficult.

“I should have been the one to visit you. Please come in, it’s cold outside.” It wasn’t yet March, and while light coats were sufficient, it was still chilly outside. The house had floor heating, which was certainly better than standing in the wind.

Inside, they all introduced themselves. Zhou Guobin didn’t show any arrogance despite Liu Fen being a rural woman. Usually quiet, he knew he had to speak now to avoid any misunderstandings, but maintained a perfect balance in his interaction.

After a brief conversation, Liu Fen felt Zhou Cheng’s parents were truly approachable, understanding why Zhou Cheng had turned out so likable. Having already prepared herself for the worst, she now felt genuinely relaxed.

For Guan Hui’e and Zhou Guobin, Liu Fen’s straightforward nature became apparent after just a brief chat. She was simply a rural woman without ulterior motives, not the type of mother-in-law hoping to live off her daughter’s marriage or expecting her son-in-law to support her.

Worried about misunderstandings, Liu Fen kept emphasizing her self-sufficiency, assuring them she wouldn’t burden Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s future household. Far from being a burden, Liu Fen intended to work hard to support her daughter and son-in-law.

This made Guan Hui’e quite uncomfortable – where did the misconception come from that her son Zhou Cheng couldn’t support a family and needed his mother-in-law’s help? However, this just proved Liu Fen’s sincerity, putting both Guan Hui’e and Zhou Guobin at ease.

“We can’t let you work so hard – that’s Zhou Cheng’s responsibility. If he can’t support his family, his father and I can help.” Xia Xiaolan’s family was well-off – the courtyard alone must have cost tens of thousands.

If Zhou Cheng quit his questionable business ventures and relied solely on his salary, his income might indeed be insufficient to maintain Xia Xiaolan’s current lifestyle. Guan Hui’e couldn’t let her son depend on his in-laws – when they eventually married, the groom’s family should bear the majority of expenses. If Zhou Cheng couldn’t afford it, she and Zhou Guobin would contribute.

There was no shame in that – which young couple today didn’t need family support when getting married?

Xia Xiaolan watched helplessly from the side. What was supposed to be a simple first meeting over lunch had somehow turned into a discussion about potential future financial problems. She could adapt to both wealthy and modest lifestyles – even if everything went wrong and all business failed, surely she and Zhou Cheng wouldn’t starve!

“Mom, let’s eat first. You can continue chatting with Aunt Guan and Uncle Zhou afterward.” While one mother kept saying her son needed to improve, and the other said her daughter wasn’t good at housework and needed understanding… instead of tension, there was harmony. This parent meeting had turned out quite differently from what Xia Xiaolan had expected.