A moment ago, Tang’s mother was praising Jiang Shiyan while criticizing her daughter and the mysterious man. The next instant, that very man appeared before her, timidly calling her “Aunt Zhou.” His face was strikingly familiar…
Tang’s mother was bewildered. How could this happen? They had known each other for years without incident. Just recently, her daughter had been hesitant to discuss Jiang Shiyan, and now suddenly, they were… like this?
In the unbearably awkward atmosphere, Jiang Shiyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to explain.
Tang’s mother raised her hand to stop him, then stumbled past the couple and collapsed onto the sofa.
“Give me a moment,” she said, breathing heavily while fumbling with her purse zipper. “Where’s my nitroglycerin?”
She searched fruitlessly.
“Mom,” Tang Yang called softly, eyes downcast.
Tang’s mother looked at her daughter in confusion.
Tang Yang bit her lip and whispered, “Dad’s the one with heart problems, not you. He’s not home, so why would you have nitroglycerin in your purse?”
Jiang Shiyan finally understood where Tang Yang inherited her adorable tendency to dramatize. He couldn’t help but twitch his lips in amusement before quickly composing himself.
Seeing her mother’s “don’t ruin my act” expression, Tang Yang immediately backtracked: “No, no, no, maybe I remembered wrong,” she pleaded, clasping her hands. “If you say you’re ill, then you’re ill…”
Tang’s mother felt her chest tighten again.
Later, Jiang Shiyan poured Tang’s mother a cup of tea and sat with Tang Yang on the long sofa nearby.
Having regained her composure, Tang’s mother assumed an authoritative posture, sitting upright in the main seat.
Tang Yang wore a knee-length silk nightgown. As she sat, the fabric drew back, revealing her slender, fair knees.
Jiang Shiyan naturally draped a thin blanket over Tang Yang’s legs. Tang’s mother noticed from the corner of her eye but pretended not to see.
“How long have you been together?” Tang’s mother had only one daughter and had never faced this situation before. Unsure how to proceed, she searched her memory for scenes from TV dramas and chose this question to start.
Jiang Shiyan was about to answer, but Tang’s mother glanced at Tang Yang. He closed his mouth, and Tang Yang replied, “Since mid-March.”
Tang’s mother nodded. “Who proposed the relationship?”
Tang Yang swallowed. “Jiang Shiyan.”
Tang’s mother surveyed the room’s furnishings and asked, “When did you move in together?”
Tang Yang’s heart raced. Under the blanket, her hand sought Jiang Shiyan’s. “At the end of March, before I left.”
As she grasped his hand, Tang Yang’s heart suddenly calmed.
Tang Yang was her daughter, and Jiang Shiyan had practically grown up before her eyes. Knowing they had a normal courtship and cohabitation, the burning sensation on Tang’s mother’s face subsided.
She noticed their subtle gestures and sighed. “You should have said something when you got together. I understand you might not have been ready to meet the parents, but couldn’t you have posted something on social media? Otherwise, friends who care about you might think you’re still single and try to set you up. That would be awkward…”
“They probably all know,” Tang Yang said softly.
Tang’s mother froze. “…”
Tang Yang avoided her mother’s gaze. “Jiang Shiyan and I were trending topics before. The keywords were about our relationship.”
Tang’s mother stared at Tang Yang, her teacup trembling. “…”
Tang Yang’s voice grew even quieter. “It happened twice, with quite high views and engagement—”
The teacup slammed onto the coffee table.
Tang Yang instinctively hid behind Jiang Shiyan.
Tang’s mother gave a cold laugh. “So you’re taking advantage of the fact that I don’t use the internet much?”
Tang Yang squeezed Jiang Shiyan’s hand tighter. “…”
Tang’s mother continued, “You thought I wouldn’t be able to find out about my daughter’s relationship just because I’m not online?”
Tang Yang’s palm grew sweaty. “…”
Tang’s mother scoffed, “So the truth is, the whole world knew about your relationship except for me, Tang Yang’s mother, who found out at the last possible moment, in the most unexpected way…”
Tang’s mother had been teaching for decades, often playing the role of the feared “Teacher Zhou at the back of the classroom” or “Teacher Zhou is coming.” When she unleashed her intimidating presence, Tang Yang was nearly brought to her knees in fear.
Jiang Shiyan gripped Tang Yang’s sweaty hand.
“No, no,” Jiang Shiyan hurriedly denied. “Aunt Zhou, this is my fault. Tang Yang wanted to tell you, but I said it was too early. We got busy and forgot.”
Jiang Shiyan looked at Tang’s mother. “If there’s anything I can say to comfort you,” he sincerely attempted to salvage the situation, “my mother doesn’t know about this yet either.”
Half an hour later, at Tang Yang’s home.
The living room, not particularly spacious, now had another woman sitting on the main sofa alongside Tang’s mother. Her makeup was as exquisite as Tang’s mother’s, and she was well-maintained, appearing to be in her early forties.
Her shoulders shook with laughter.
Tang’s mother sighed, “Yi Fangping, stop laughing.”
Mrs. Jiang’s shrugging paused. Her gaze fell on the couple’s clasped hands under the blanket. She patted Tang’s mother’s back, her body starting to shake again. “I’m sorry, I know laughing isn’t appropriate, but I can’t help it.”
It felt as if… she had raised a timid, useless dog, but one day, she was suddenly informed that not only was the dog not useless anymore, but it had also taken a bite out of a little cabbage that both she and the dog were fond of. Well, pigs are supposed to eat cabbage, but that’s not important.
Tang’s mother had expected Mrs. Jiang to be as shocked and upset as she was, but instead, the other woman was giggling as if she’d struck gold.
Tang’s mother frowned and tried to dampen the mood: “Sugar has a bad temper.”
Mrs. Jiang and Jiang Shiyan replied in unison: “Mm-hmm, I like those with bad tempers.”
Tang’s mother seriously continued: “Sugar can’t cook. She really can’t cook at all.”
Jiang Shiyan nodded to show he understood. Mrs. Jiang said, “Jiang Shiyan can cook. I like that Sugar can’t cook.”
Faced with two abnormal people, Tang’s mother tiredly added a third point: “Sugar is extremely lazy at home.”
Jiang Shiyan and Mrs. Jiang: “I like lazy people.”
Tang Yang’s face reddened slightly as she looked at her mother.
Tang’s mother’s gaze swept over the three of them, and she said with remarkable calm: “I don’t agree.”
The three of them froze simultaneously, turning to Tang’s mother like wind-up dolls.
Tang’s mother: “It’s impossible.”
The three relaxed.
Tang’s mother maintained her aloof expression and addressed Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan: “Since Yi Fangping has no objections, and I have no objections either, you two can continue your relationship.”
Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan respectfully answered: “Yes.”
Tang’s mother continued: “Although you’re both not young anymore, there’s no need to rush into marriage. Take your time dating and get to know each other better before deciding.”
Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan responded again: “Yes.”
Dinner was takeout from Youran Ju, ordered by Yi Fangping.
At the dinner table, the two mothers chatted idly while Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan exchanged glances, reaching for their chopsticks nervously.
After dinner, Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan saw the two mothers off.
Tang Yang hugged her mother goodbye, then hugged the still-beaming Mrs. Jiang, saying, “Goodbye, Aunt Yi.”
Mrs. Jiang stroked the young woman’s soft hair, smiling, “Still calling me Aunt Yi?”
Tang Yang glanced furtively at her mother, then looked away shyly, whispering as softly as a mosquito: “Mom.”
Yi Fangping responded with an especially loud “Yes!”
Tang Yang, holding Jiang Shiyan’s hand, almost stopped breathing.
Jiang Shiyan, his hand in Tang Yang’s, glanced at Tang’s mother. Then, he cautiously called Tang’s mother “Mom.”
Tang’s mother’s “Mm” was barely audible. Her face remained expressionless, maintaining the rationality and restraint of an education expert from start to finish.
After Mrs. Jiang and Tang’s mother entered the elevator, they naturally discussed meeting up again soon.
Mrs. Jiang glanced at Tang’s mother’s expression and casually remarked, “Though Jiang Shiyan’s face is a bit flowery, you know his character. I swear on never winning at Mahjong again that he’s at least reliable. Do you not want him with Sugar?”
“Not at all,” Tang’s mother replied, surprised by her old friend’s question.
Uncertain, Mrs. Jiang continued, “You’ve been frowning all night as if all your students failed their exams.”
“That’s statistically impossible,” Tang’s mother explained. “Don’t you think if one mother-in-law is nice and the other is strict, they’ll feel a sense of crisis and their relationship will be stronger? If both sides are too nice, the environment might be too comfortable and their relationship could wither.”
Mrs. Jiang recalled something: “When Yanan read your book on education, it mentioned the family balance principle – how parents should play good cop, a bad cop when raising children, supporting the traditional idea of a strict father and gentle mother.”
Tang’s mother nodded. “That’s the idea.”
Mrs. Jiang gave a thumbs up. “You educated people think of everything. I found it hilarious seeing Jiang Shiyan trying not to show how relieved he was, but you didn’t even feel bad for scaring Sugar.”
Tang’s mother replied, “She knows I’m a paper tiger.”
Mrs. Jiang chuckled, “First time I’ve heard someone so proud of being a paper tiger.”
Tang’s mother didn’t respond.
As they talked, the elevator dinged, arriving at their floor.
They exited together, stepping out into the perfect evening.
Tang’s mother nudged Mrs. Jiang with her elbow. “Isn’t the moon beautiful tonight?”
Mrs. Jiang looked up obligingly. “It is.”
The previously reserved Tang’s mother smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Shall we go look at some baby clothes?”
Mrs. Jiang replied, “I prefer granddaughters. Will you think I’m favoring girls over boys?”
“I like granddaughters too. Sugar was so sweet as a child,” Tang’s mother said, images floating in her mind as she linked arms with Mrs. Jiang, barely containing her excitement. “Imagine all those soft pink clothes, little dresses with big bows, a chubby little rice ball all dressed up in pink, cooing ‘Grandma, Grandma, Grandma.’ Sugar loved candy art as a child; her daughter might like it too, her mouth all sticky sweet…”
Downstairs, Tang’s mother and Mrs. Jiang happily headed to the baby store, discussing cute names for their future granddaughter.
Upstairs, Jiang Shiyan and Tang Yang were playing video games on the sofa.
Jiang Shiyan regretted, “If I’d known Mom was coming, we wouldn’t have rushed this afternoon. We should have been sitting on the sofa reciting socialist core values.”
Tang Yang stifled a laugh.
Jiang Shiyan continued, “I feel like Mom’s expression changed, giving me negative points. I remember you saying before that she was somewhat domineering. Do you think she might…”
The usually skilled Jiang Shiyan kept dying in the game, while Deputy Director Tang coughed repeatedly, carrying him through.
After the round ended, Jiang Shiyan absent-mindedly turned off his phone and shook Tang Yang’s arm.
Tang Yang, still checking the results, gave him a sidelong glance.
Jiang Shiyan vowed solemnly, “Yang Yang, I’ll be even better to you. I’ll make Mom see that us being together is perfect, forever and always, never apart.”
Tang Yang finally burst out laughing. “Shouldn’t the innocent female lead say things like that?”
Jiang Shiyan was at a loss for words.
Tang Yang knelt on the sofa, demonstrating for him: “As the domineering CEO, in this situation, you should smile wickedly,” she said, raising an eyebrow and lifting Jiang Shiyan’s chin with her finger. She lowered her voice deliberately, “Whoever tries to keep us apart, I’ll destroy them. If the whole world tries to keep us apart, I’ll destroy the whole world.”
Then, Tang Yang’s moist almond eyes grew intense as she stared at Jiang Shiyan, enunciating each word, “Woman, you’ll never escape my grasp.”
Jiang Shiyan’s gaze was docile, indicating he understood.
Tang Yang dropped the act and returned his look, urging him to try.
Jiang Shiyan gently lifted Tang Yang’s chin, pulling her towards him.
Tang Yang was satisfied; though he skipped some steps, his ability to adapt was good.
Jiang Shiyan slowly leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
“Sealed,” Jiang Shiyan said, pressing his thumb gently on her lips. His voice was husky, his gaze deep yet tender as he looked into her eyes. “I’ll never escape your grasp.”
His Yang Yang, the best Yang Yang in the whole world.
Her small, soft hands.
Wait… that sounded right, but also somehow not quite right.
As Tang Yang processed this.
“You’re not being serious,” she said, her face warm as she pushed him away playfully, though her heart felt sweet like the gardenias downstairs blooming in the gentle night air.
The flower petals rustled in the night breeze, accompanying the lovers’ whispers.
The man leaned close to the woman’s ear, his voice low and magnetic: “Do you like it when I’m not serious?”
The woman softly replied, “I do.”
The man chuckled, “If you like me not being serious, then I won’t be serious.”
But I like you no matter what.
Before the woman could speak, her words were lost in a tentative, lingering kiss.
The May Day holiday passed in a flash.
Wednesday was the 4th. Tang Yang first went to Jiujiang Real Estate, then returned home at noon to collect a large assortment of B City specialties before heading back to Huishang.
Light and shadows played on the glass of the towering building. During the lunch break, voices could be heard inside.
As Tang Yang stepped out of the elevator and was about to push open the glass door of the Credit Review Department, she overheard people talking inside.
One colleague said, “Why does Deputy Tang still come to work? Even with her position as a specially signed management trainee with an incredibly high bonus, she’d make at most a million or so a year. If she marries Mr. Jiang, wouldn’t her monthly allowance be more than that?”
Another colleague added, “Remember last time? When Deputy Tang was studying in B City and her relationship with Mr. Jiang became a trending topic, Director Gan treated our floor to afternoon tea to celebrate a promising young person from the Credit Review Department finding love. Director Gan said then that Mr. Jiang being rich himself was one thing, but Mr. Jiang’s parents’ combined assets were also terrifying. Mr. Jiang’s family also has a grandfather… They buy villas and sports cars like buying potatoes. Deputy Tang is Mr. Jiang’s girlfriend, right? How could her monthly allowance be worth just one potato?”
“…”
Seeing Tang Yang enter, the colleagues fell silent in unison.
“I brought you some local specialties,” Tang Yang said, used to such topics from when she drove her Mini like a bag of Skittles. She didn’t mind, instead handing out the treats and smoothing things over with a smile. “I can’t sit still, I need to do something. I’m not a child anymore, there’s no such thing as an allowance.”
The other colleagues thanked her awkwardly, and everyone chatted casually for a while.
A young girl answered the floor’s phone and came over to say, “Deputy Tang, Zhou Xing wants me to bring you upstairs.”
“Alright,” Tang Yang stood up.
The young girl was named Ao Siqie, hired in February’s spring recruitment for the Credit Review Department. She usually kept a low profile, occasionally making mistakes that Tang Yang would point out, to which she’d thank her shyly.
Earlier, when everyone was gossiping about the Jiang family’s vast wealth, she was present. Now alone in the elevator with Tang Yang, she asked curiously, “I’ve never encountered families from the wealth rankings in real life. Are grand families like the Jiangs really as strict and complicated as they’re described in novels?”
Ao Siqie grew more convinced as she speculated, “Like having to get up at 6 AM to serve tea to your mother-in-law, waiting for elders to start eating first at meals, then going in order of seniority, eating a specific number of bites of each dish, not one more or less. And daughters-in-law needing approval from their mother-in-law to buy clothes or dresses, worried about affecting the Jiang family’s public image.”
Tang Yang thought of Mrs. Jiang laughing non-stop at her home, their vegetable garden, the adorable Cheng Cheng, and the grandfather who refused to admit he was old.
Instead of denying the young girl’s words, Tang Yang nodded seriously and said, “It’s exactly like that. Not only that but even burping or passing gas is like our document review process. You have to write an application, submit it up the chain, and get layer upon layer of approval. After the old master stamps it, your mother-in-law signs it, and all procedures are complete with signatures and seals saying you can pass gas, only then are you allowed to do so.”
“Oh my god,” the young girl’s jaw nearly dropped, “What if you need to pass gas while writing the application? You must need to if you’re writing an application, right?”
Tang Yang teased her seriously, “Hold it in.”
The young girl couldn’t imagine, “What if you can’t hold it?”
Tang Yang precisely uttered two words: “Clench tight.”
The elevator doors opened, and the young girl stood frozen in place. Deputy Tang patted her shoulder and exited the elevator with an especially professional air.
As the elevator doors closed, the young girl’s face showed a mix of “How can rich families be so terrifying,” “Deputy Tang doesn’t seem like someone who would joke,” and “Should I dream of marrying into a wealthy family or cherish my freedom to pass gas?” Her shocked and conflicted expression was hidden behind the closing doors.
Outside the elevator, Tang Yang walked straight-backed to a deserted corner, then doubled over with laughter, unable to stand up straight.