Professor Mu was not a naturally sociable hostess. In the past, when their home was filled with guests, she would always hide in her study, detaching herself from whatever was happening outside. However, today, with her in-laws visiting and no housekeeper present, she had no choice but to manage the hospitality herself. The candies had been bought yesterday.

She wasn’t particularly particular about tea these days, caring neither for the variety nor the teaware. Whether it was Zhengshan Xiaozhong, Da Hong Pao, or Biluochun tea, she would drink them all from the same enamel mug. Since moving to the new house, when guests came, she would simply serve green tea in a set of glass cups. But today, she had specially prepared two types of tea and even bought a new tea set specifically for the Da Hong Pao.

Fei Ni took over the tea-brewing duties, and Professor Mu didn’t stand on ceremony with her, teaching her the method she usually used for brewing tea.

Professor Mu asked Fang Muyang to drive and pick up the fruit cake she had ordered yesterday. Perhaps worried her son might forget the address, she suddenly added, “It’s from your grandmother’s favorite shop.”

Though the name had changed and different people now made the cakes, whenever she bought cake, she still thought of that particular shop.

Fang Muyang suspected he had misheard. In his memory, the relationship between his mother and grandmother could hardly be called good—they were practically openly estranged, though this estrangement had been one-sided on his mother’s part.

But he quickly recovered and responded with a simple “Alright.”

Before her younger son was born, Professor Mu had openly severed ties with her mother, even though society still treated her mother with respect at that time. However, she didn’t forbid her younger son from maintaining contact with his grandmother. With her brother living abroad, her son was her mother’s only comfort. Besides, everyone knew her son was quite rebellious, and despite their strict discipline, he didn’t listen to his family’s guidance.

Years of caution had made her careful with her words around her children. When she encountered her problems, she naturally assumed her children would cut ties with her, and she felt this was appropriate. For children to have a bright future, they needed to at least nominally distance themselves from her.

Before the storm arrived, she had gently told her children that when choosing between what was right and their parents, they should strive to stand on the side of righteousness. Even if something happened to her, she would have no worries. But her older son didn’t understand these considerations and couldn’t be bothered to maintain even a superficial distance. This became her lasting concern and gave rise to unprecedented guilt.

Only after Fang Muyang married and found a means of livelihood did she finally feel at ease. She had no complaints about her son working as a waiter.

She was grateful to Fei Ni for being willing to marry Fang Muyang and helping him return to a normal life path.

When the cake arrived, Professor Mu cut it, and Fei Ni naturally took over serving it.

With no housekeeper, the task of receiving guests fell to Fang Muyang.

After all, wasn’t he a waiter by profession?

Old Fei praised the calligraphy hanging on the wall, which pleased Old Fang, as he had written it.

He politely offered to write a piece for his in-laws if they liked it.

Throughout the entire reception, Fang’s parents maintained exceptional courtesy. This made Old Fei wonder why such good people needed so many years of reformation.

During the conversation, Old Fang brought up again the matter of his son and daughter-in-law moving in.

If his son and daughter-in-law moved in, he would have a legitimate reason to hire a housekeeper.

Old Fang knew he wasn’t good at managing household affairs. Despite his years of reformation, he had only lived in a small room then, with little to manage, so he hadn’t developed these skills. He was dissatisfied with the wooden floor in the house—if it were cement, a simple sweep would suffice, but now he had to mop it. These past few days, he had been considering hiring a housekeeper, mainly for cleaning the house and cooking meals, though he could wash his clothes. Most residents in this building had housekeepers, albeit under different titles. Some had recommended housekeepers to him, but feeling that his family was unemployed and had no physical impediments, he had politely declined. However, if his son and daughter-in-law moved in, having a domestic helper for a family of four would be more justifiable.

Additionally, he would have reason to buy a television, refrigerator, and radio cassette player. His son had given him a record player and some records, so the room wasn’t devoid of sound, but one record player was far from sufficient for him. Their previous belongings hadn’t been returned, but they were all necessities to him. When he asked his wife whether they should buy a television to watch news or a record player to listen to music, Professor Mu would always say, “Whatever you decide.” Because of this response, he had kept postponing these purchases, as if these items were for his enjoyment alone, even though many others in the building enjoyed such amenities. He felt he needed a more compelling reason. If his son and daughter-in-law moved in, these appliances would naturally need to be acquired.

Moreover, with his son living there, he could provide guidance and education.

In short, he very much needed them to live with him.

Fang Muyang agreed, asking, “Would next week work for us to move in?”

Old Fang hadn’t expected his son to agree so readily, thinking that after so many years apart, his son must have missed him. He happily agreed.

“The furniture in your room isn’t complete yet.”

“We’ll bring our current furniture.”

The Fei family, seeing how warm and reasonable their in-laws were, and noting the quality of the house, also approved of Fei Ni moving in. Thus, the housing exchange was agreed upon.

Fei Ni and her family had visited the other house and were quite satisfied, confirming it had two bedrooms and an independent bathroom. However, the other party found fault with the Fei family’s house, as their house had an additional bathroom area, though it couldn’t be used for bathing. They felt they were getting the short end of the deal. Fei Ni offered two hundred yuan as compensation but maintained a firm stance: take it or leave it, they could each look for other options. The other party, being in a hurry to marry, had to accept despite their dissatisfaction, as there were no more suitable houses available.

The day before moving, Fei Ni went with Fang Muyang to see their future home. Behind the moon gate were three small rooms, and in the courtyard stood a peach tree and a locust tree, along with a small kitchen built against the back wall.

Fei Ni asked the landlord about the rent.

“Is it just for these three rooms?”

Fei Ni confirmed it was.

The landlord quoted a price that matched exactly what Fang Muyang had said.

Fei Ni hadn’t expected the house to be so affordable.

The landlord had never met someone like Fang Muyang before, wanting separate calculations and contracts for the house and courtyard. However the total amount remained the same; as for the formalities, they followed Fang Muyang’s preferences.