Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 123 Mother-in-law visits son-in-law
With gentle care, Liu Shishi helped her boyfriend change into slippers, then took Song Ci's hand and led him into the house.

As they walked, she whispered in her boyfriend's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, "Honey, I told Mom and Dad you were coming today, and they were so excited. You'd better behave well today."

Miss Liu smiled radiantly, looking exceptionally beautiful and charming during this Spring Festival.

Inside the house, Liu's mother was still the same as always. Every time Song Ci came, she was busy in the kitchen preparing lunch for the guests.

Mr. Liu sat upright on the sofa, his eyes darting around, watching the rebroadcast of last night's Spring Festival Gala on TV absentmindedly.

Upon seeing his daughter leading Song Ci over, Mr. Liu immediately stood up, forcing a smile: "Little Song is here, welcome, welcome, please have a seat."

Today, Mr. Liu's attitude was mild. In the past, he could still put on airs and act like a future father-in-law when talking about Song Ci.

But now Song Ci is a successful billionaire, handsome and dashing, the dream lover of countless women, and very popular.

Moreover, compared to the Song family, his own family background was far inferior. For the sake of his daughter's lifelong happiness, Liu's father dared not be arrogant and could not stand up to Song Ci.

Song Ci remained true to his original intentions, showing the same respect for Miss Liu's parents as before, and politely greeting them with a smile: "Uncle, Happy New Year."

After saying that, he placed the four gifts he had carefully selected the night before on the coffee table. "Uncle, this is just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

"Oh dear, child, why did you bring gifts? You're being too formal," Mr. Liu greeted him kindly, while subtly glancing at the holiday gifts Song Ci had brought.

The two bottles of Moutai liquor had very eye-catching packaging, which made Liu's father's eyes light up. The other gifts were not clearly visible in the shopping bag, but given Song Ci's usual generosity, the other gifts must have been quite expensive as well.

Nodding in satisfaction, Song Xiaozi was indeed thoughtful and still cared about his elder. He would open a bottle of Moutai and have a few drinks with him at noon.

Hearing the commotion, Liu's mother hurriedly came out of the kitchen. When she saw Song Ci arrive, her eyes lit up, and she smiled broadly.

She admired Song Dynasty poetry like a mother-in-law admiring her son-in-law; the more she looked, the happier she became, her eyes filled with love and satisfaction for Song Dynasty poetry.

My daughter's boyfriend is handsome, beautiful, gentle and refined. Not only is he good-looking, but he has also made a name for himself at a young age and is worth hundreds of millions.

The key is that he and his daughter grew up together, and the young couple has a good relationship. What parent doesn't hope their children will have a good marriage?

Given the Song family's circumstances, their daughter would be set for life after marrying into the family, never having to worry about worldly matters. Therefore, Song Ci was determined to become their son-in-law.

Mrs. Liu was very enthusiastic. She took Song Ci's arm and said in a very friendly tone, "Little Song, you're here! Don't stand, sit down. Auntie has a few more dishes to make. I'll come and chat with you when I'm done."

She glared at her daughter, who was grinning foolishly to the side: "Shishi, what are you standing there for? Go pour Xiao Song a cup of tea."

"Oh, okay." Liu Shishi stuck out her little tongue and went to pour tea with a smile. She was very happy to see her parents so welcoming to Song Ci.

Although this New Year's visit was different from previous ones, Song Ci had been in frequent contact with Miss Liu's family, so he was not at all reserved like a prospective son-in-law visiting for the first time. He sat on the sofa and chatted with Mr. Liu very naturally.

Soon, Liu Shishi brought over a steaming cup of tea and handed it to Song Ci, saying gently, "Yiyi, have some hot tea to warm yourself up in this freezing weather."

She then sat quietly next to Song Ci, her posture elegant, her smile charming, displaying the demeanor of a dignified lady.

Mr. Liu glanced at the quiet and obedient Liu Shishi in front of him and chuckled to himself. His precious daughter was putting on quite a show in front of her lover.

She's never proper at home, always acting bold and unrestrained, constantly proclaiming herself a free-spirited heroine. Hopefully, her true colors will be revealed later, and she'll be rejected by her boyfriend.

After turning down the TV volume, Liu's father pushed the fruits, candies, and snacks that had been prepared on the coffee table in front of Song Ci: "Try some, Song Ci, don't be shy, make yourself at home here."

Liu Shishi chimed in sweetly, "Yiyi, these are all things you and I bought at the New Year's market a few days ago. They're so delicious, try them!"

Song Ci picked out a milk candy from the fruit plate, turned to look at Miss Liu, and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

"Shishi, open your mouth." The voice was gentle and seductive, causing a blush to rise on Miss Liu's cheeks.

Liu Shishi looked up at Song Ci, her eyes sparkling with shyness and anticipation. She pursed her lips, glanced at her father who was pretending to watch TV, and seemed a little hesitant, but in the end, she couldn't resist the sweet temptation of her boyfriend feeding her, and slowly opened her cherry-like mouth.

Seeing this, Song Ci chuckled and gently pushed the candy into Liu Shishi's mouth.

The sweetness of the candy melted instantly in her mouth, and a sweet and bright smile bloomed on Liu Shishi's face. She chewed gently, as if even the air had become sweet.

Mr. Liu felt a little embarrassed. His daughter and boyfriend were showing affection for each other without any regard for others, making him feel superfluous.

He coughed lightly, interrupting the two's sweet talk, and casually started a conversation to make his presence known. "Xiao Song, how are your parents' health?"

"They are all in good health, but they are usually quite busy with work, especially my dad, who has to go to the hospital for a shift tomorrow. He doesn't get to rest for more than a few days a year."

Mr. Liu nodded. Doctors and professors are both very busy people. He knew that Song Zhang was a Yangtze River Scholar and chief physician, and that he probably spent at least 250 days a year performing surgeries. He was indeed very busy.

Sensing a hint of helplessness in Song Ci's voice—that her parents' busy work schedules meant less time to spend with their children—Liu's father offered a word of comfort:
"Dr. Song is a compassionate doctor who prioritizes saving lives. As children, we should also understand our parents' difficulties and support their careers."

Song Ci nodded slightly. His parents spent little time with him, and the loneliness that came with his rebirth made his childhood friendship with Liu Shishi all the more precious, becoming the only one in his youthful years.

Fearing her boyfriend would be upset, Liu Shishi quickly took his slightly cool hand, conveying encouragement and love. Her eyes were resolute; she secretly resolved to spend more time with her boyfriend in the future.

Watching Liu Shishi's subtle actions, Liu's father couldn't help but sigh, his daughter was deeply in love with Song Dynasty poetry, she was completely captivated.

Then she changed the subject again: "I went to see 'Nightclub' with Shishi's mom. It was well made. I also want to thank you for giving Shishi the opportunity to play the female lead."

Song Ci composed herself and said, "Uncle, you're being too polite. It's all thanks to Shishi's excellent performance that she was chosen by the director during the audition. It's all the result of her hard work."

Mr. Liu smiled but didn't say anything. His silly son knew how to save face for his daughter, but he knew his daughter's true worth. Besides, his daughter had already told him that she got the lead role through connections, so there was nothing to hide behind closed doors.

Mr. Liu was both familiar with and unfamiliar with Song Ci poetry, and there were some topics that were inconvenient to delve into, so in order to avoid awkward silences, he could only ramble on about random things:

"How's work going lately? You're juggling school and managing a company, isn't it too much pressure?"

Song Ci took a sip of tea to moisten his throat: "It's alright. The group's senior executives are all rare talents. With their assistance, I only need to focus on the overall direction. The specific work is done by the subordinates." Liu's father remained noncommittal about Song Ci's management style. After all, how someone manages such a large company is not for him, an outsider, to criticize.

Song Ci thought to herself that she couldn't always let Shishi's father start the conversation, so she should also speak more and show more of herself. Holding her teacup, she looked around and asked, "Where is Grandpa Liu?"

Liu Shishi spoke first, saying, "Grandpa went back to his hometown in Shandong Province to visit relatives, and he will return to Beiping in a few days."

Mr. Liu was a little sad. His health had been deteriorating in recent years, but this year he stubbornly insisted on going back to his hometown for the Spring Festival, and his children could only go along with his wishes.

“When people get old, they become nostalgic and always think about returning to their roots. We went back to our hometown before the New Year, and your aunt and I will bring Grandpa Shishi back after the New Year.”

Time passed quietly as the three of them chatted back and forth.

New Year's plans, anecdotes about life, including childhood memories with Liu Shishi, Song Ci spoke sincerely and humbly, and the more he talked with Liu's father, the more enthusiastic they became, gradually becoming close and subtly strengthening the relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law.

Before we knew it, Liu's mother had already laid out a table full of delicious dishes, all of which looked and smelled wonderful and made our mouths water.

"The food is ready, come and eat." A call interrupted the three people who were engrossed in their conversation.

Upon arriving at the dining table, Song Ci's appetite was immediately whetted by the abundant feast laid out before her. "Auntie has made so much delicious food again!"

Song Ci had to admit that Liu's mother's cooking skills were superb, at least several levels better than his own mother, Liu Xiaoxian's. Every time she cooked, she made him very hungry.

"These are just simple home-cooked meals; I hope you enjoy them." Although she spoke politely, Mrs. Liu was very confident in her cooking, as the dishes on the table were all carefully prepared by her.

The future son-in-law seems easy to talk to, but he is actually quite picky about food. He doesn't eat spicy food and likes dishes with a Jiangnan flavor. In order to please Song Ci, she specially spent time learning a few Huaiyang dishes from the south.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious and warm. Liu's father happily opened a bottle of premium Moutai liquor that Song Ci had given him that day. In high spirits, he even hummed a little tune and said he wanted to become sworn brothers with Song Ci.

The four chatted over a meal, discussing everything from work and life to interests and hobbies. Song Ci fully appreciated the sincerity and enthusiasm of his girlfriend's parents.

Throughout the meal, Liu's mother kept piling food into his bowl, making Liu's daughter a little jealous. She exclaimed that Liu's mother had forgotten her daughter now that she had a son-in-law.

Song Ci enjoyed the meal very much, feeling a strange warmth and sense of belonging, as if she had become a member of this family.

After the meal, Song Ci ate some fruit and dessert. He sat for a while before preparing to leave, as he was going to his uncle's house in the afternoon and would have dinner with his maternal grandparents and uncle's family in the evening.

Before he left, Liu's mother gave him a little surprise, handing him a thick red envelope: "Child, this is a small token of our appreciation from your uncle and aunt."

Song Ci was slightly taken aback, but he didn't refuse. He understood the meaning of the red envelope and solemnly accepted it with both hands. A bright smile appeared on his face, while Liu Shishi, standing beside him, winked and stared at him playfully.

This red envelope is not just a material gift, but also a sign of Liu's parents' recognition and acceptance of him.

It symbolizes new hope and a new beginning in the new year, and adds a touch of warmth to his and Liu Shishi's love story.

After giving the red envelope, Liu's mother went back to the kitchen to clean up the dishes. Liu's father, who had been drinking, slumped on the sofa with his head down, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Liu Shishi saw Song Ci to the door, reluctantly holding onto her boyfriend; happy times always seem so short.

Separated by a door frame, the two remained silent. Suddenly, Song Ci abruptly closed the distance between them, embracing Miss Liu tightly. They then kissed passionately and tenderly.

After the two broke off their embrace, Liu Shishi, contrary to her usual self, instead of being shy and lingering, huffed angrily, "You bad boy, your hands are too cold. Next time, don't you dare put them in to touch me unless you warm them up first."

Song Ci, in a cheeky manner, ignored Liu Shishi's dissatisfaction and protests, and teased, "Okay, next time you can warm it up before touching it! Shishi, I have time tomorrow, I'll pick you up, and we'll drive out for a stroll."

Liu Shishi raised her snow-white swan neck and said haughtily, "Hmph! It depends on my mood."

After seeing Song Ci off, Liu Shishi returned to her room and found her father asleep.

Mr. Liu had drunk a few too many glasses of wine because he was happy at noon. Now, feeling the effects of the alcohol, he lay on his side on the sofa, snoring softly, and had already fallen asleep.

Fearing that her father would catch a cold, Liu Shishi took a quilt from the bedroom and gently draped it over him before tiptoeing to the kitchen to help her mother clear the dishes.

The tap water was gushing out, and Liu's mother stood in front of the sink, asking without turning her head, "Has Xiao Song gone back?"

Liu Shishi nodded, picked up a rag, and wiped the marble stove. "Okay, I'm back."

Is your dad asleep?

"Yes. I got a blanket and covered him with it."

A slight smile appeared on Liu's mother's face; her daughter was starting to take care of people. She didn't hold back in her teasing of her husband:
"He can't drink but he still acts tough. He gets drunk and acts crazy after a little bit of alcohol. He even wanted to become sworn brothers with Xiao Song just now. What a disgrace."

Liu Shishi said proudly, "Hehe, isn't this because today is the first time Dad has drunk such good wine that his son-in-law gave him? He's so happy."

Suddenly, Liu's mother put down her bowl and chopsticks, shook the water droplets off her hands, leaned close to her daughter, and asked in a low voice, "Shishi, let me ask you, have you and Xiao Song ever done *that*?"

Liu Shishi didn't react immediately and looked at her mother with confusion. Why was she suddenly acting so mysteriously? She was puzzled: "Which one?"

Mrs. Liu glared at her daughter, thinking she was indeed a bit naive: "You understand about love between men and women?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi blushed and lowered her head shyly, saying, "Mom, why are you asking this?"

Just tell me, is it yes or no?

Liu Shishi was taken aback, and replied hesitantly, "Not yet!"

Mrs. Liu thought to herself, "Just as I thought." She noticed that her daughter's behavior didn't seem like she had experienced much in life, which is why she asked her daughter that question.

(End of this chapter)