You're my wife, don't doubt it!

The other party hung up the phone, and Xiao Yao secretly regretted it.

Thinking of Yu Lihua's cold, gleaming eyes and downturned lips, as well as the row of gold and silver acupuncture needles in her hand, he didn't really want to face this respectable lady.

but……

But eating at Yu Luying's house feels more like "home" than eating alone at home or eating Qianlixiang wontons.

Before going to Yu Luying's house, Xiao Yao took a detour and went to the old commercial street.

He first bought two pounds of large, plump peaches from a fruit shop.

Yu Luying loves peaches, and of course he wouldn't forget that.

What should I buy for Yu Lihua? Xiao Yao paced around in circles, unable to make up his mind.

Well, bringing a bag of fruit already shows enough courtesy.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he caught sight of a shop selling all sorts of small items for girls.

When I picked them up from the Turkish bath that day, I accompanied them shopping along the way. It seems that Shen Jie and Yu Luying had been there before.

Xiao Yao immediately took a liking to the headband hanging in a conspicuous place.

This is an adorable pink bow headband. The bow is made of silky soft pink fabric, and the wings of the two bows are meticulously cut into two layers. The outer layer is delicate lace, while the inner layer is a softer fabric, making the entire bow look very three-dimensional. The ends of the headband are made of high-quality metal.

Generally speaking, this kind of thing is more suitable for elementary or middle school students. If I bought it for Shen Jie, she would probably think it's too childish. As for Yu Luying... well, maybe she would like it?

Xiao Yao suddenly remembered that on the night Shen Jie left, she had criticized him in a half-joking tone, saying that he never bought her anything...

We should really send small gifts more often, right?

Accept criticism and humbly improve.

After the boy bought the bow headband, he suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Oh, accepting Shen Jie's criticism and then using that money to buy Yu Luying a gift, isn't that a bit too unethical?

We should treat everyone equally and buy one for Shen Jie too.

But what should we buy for her? Putting aside the issue of aesthetics, the prices of the items here are such that the young lady would never wear them, right?

Xiao Yao's gaze fell on the signboard of "Xiao Feng Xiang Silver Shop" diagonally opposite the shop.

This "Xiao Fengxiang Jewelry Store" is located in the center of the old commercial street. Xiao Yao has passed by it countless times in the past year, but he has never thought of going in to take a look.

A diamond ring is definitely out of reach—of course, there might be some money left in the account, but that's all Shen Jie's and her father's money, so it's obviously inappropriate to use it to buy her a gift.

He initially thought he could only buy silver, and that gold and platinum were basically out of the question, but it turned out they weren't so bad after all. Xiao Yao quickly settled on a pair of platinum couple rings, each weighing around 2.57g, starting at 1253 after the discount. Although somewhat unassuming, delicate, simple, and a little narrow…

"You can also use it as a pinky ring," the salesperson enthusiastically explained.

"A pinky ring?" Xiao Yao was a little confused: "Doesn't a pinky ring represent celibacy?"

"Oh, no, it's not that..."

The staff at the jewelry store were dressed in crisp uniforms, polite, and attentive. As Xiao Yao listened to their introduction, he casually glanced around.

The entire shop was luxuriously decorated and brightly lit, making the gold and silver jewelry displayed in the cabinets shine with a mesmerizing light.

Amidst this "noble" and "elegant" golden expanse, Xiao Yao suddenly felt awkward and out of place.

After wandering around for a few more minutes, he quickly left.

Buying something so expensive can't be done casually, like buying ice cream. Besides, Yu Luying and her mother are waiting for me to come over for dinner. Since I've already agreed to go, arriving too late would be quite impolite.

Xiao Yao carried the peach in his hand and walked quickly towards Yu Luying's house.

One principle must be established: whether buying gifts for Shen Jie herself or for Yu Luying, the remaining money in Shen Jie's own account—including the money left by her "father-in-law" last time—cannot be used.

So, the only thing I can use right now is the small amount of living expenses that my grandmother left me.

But there's another problem: if you use all your living expenses to buy gifts, then in the end, the food and other necessities will still be paid for by Shen Jie and Brother B. It's like being fickle and self-deceiving.

To truly express my sincerity, I must use my own money to buy a gift for Shen Jie.

When it comes to ways to make money, Xiao Yao's first thought is to work as a waiter at a restaurant, but that kind of job takes too much time. He has a lot of tutoring to do this summer, so it's best not to cause any more trouble.

How about finding a way to earn some more royalties? That seems... feasible?

Also, how do we get Shen Jie's finger size? If we just ask her, won't we miss out on the surprise?

Lost in thought as he walked, Xiao Yao arrived at the building where Yu Luying lived. The wooden "door" on the first floor (which wasn't actually very big) was ajar. Xiao Yao pushed the door open and went in, making a creaking sound.

Upon entering, there was a large soapbox shared by four or five households. A bicycle and a scooter were parked inside. A middle-aged woman was cooking on a gas stove. As Xiao Yao walked towards the stairs, the two exchanged a glance.

No one knew anyone, and no one spoke.

To reach the second floor of Yu Luying's house, one needs to climb a long wooden staircase. This staircase spirals upwards, and when Xiao Yao steps on it, the wooden planks under his feet groan like the wooden door at the entrance.

This made Xiao Yao very worried, fearing that it might collapse at any moment.

The door on the second floor directly opposite the stairs is Yu Luying's home, which was once his sacred place.

A couplet is posted on the gate of this holy site. The first line reads: "Peace reigns over deserts and rivers," and the second line reads: "Glory is displayed on wilderness roads." The horizontal inscription reads: "Boundless grace of the Lord."

Xiao Yao immediately spotted the shoe rack by the door, with the white sneakers Yu Luying had worn that day on top.

The lower shelf of the shoe rack contained high-heeled boots and shoes of varying heights, clearly belonging to my mother-in-law.

Wait, what mother-in-law? My only biological mother-in-law passed away ten years ago.

The wooden door was also ajar. Xiao Yao wiped the dust off his shoes on the carpet by the door, switched the peaches he was carrying in his right hand to his left, raised his right hand as if to knock, but hesitated.

Or... am I a little scared?

Xiao Yao took a deep breath, raised his right hand again, and prepared to knock on the door.

The door was pulled open forcefully, and Yu Lihua's icy face appeared before us.

Seeing Xiao Yao standing at the door, the two stared at each other for a second or two before Yu Lihua forced a smile.

As everyone knows, this middle-aged woman always has a stern face and a cold expression, making her seem unapproachable. Therefore, when she deliberately forces a "kind" smile, it makes Xiao Yao feel a strange sense of unease.

Her lips seemed to force a smile, revealing a row of teeth, but her eyes remained largely unchanged, still deep and indifferent—almost like the Mona Lisa's smile. Her face seemed unaccustomed to this smile; her entire expression was stiff and unnatural. Simply put…

Yes, just like the wolf grandmother watching Little Red Riding Hood.

This smile, of course, made Xiao Yao feel embarrassed and uneasy, as if it was hinting at something... unknown to others.

"Hello, Auntie!" Xiao Yao bowed hurriedly, holding up the plastic bag of peaches in his hands as if offering a tribute.

"Come in—no need to change into slippers, you can go barefoot," Yu Lihua said kindly as she took the peach. "The floor has just been mopped."

This was the home of the Yu mother and daughter—a single large room, about seventeen or eighteen square meters. Upon entering, one was immediately faced with an image of the "Sorrowful Virgin Mary" on the wall: in this image, Mary's brows were slightly furrowed, and she pointed to her heart—where seven swords had pierced her.

Basically, it's not exactly the same as the "Parent-Child Education Center" in Teacher Yao's Hall, but it's about 80-90% similar.

“I’m so glad you’ve come to your senses,” Yu Lihua whispered in Xiao Yao’s ear as he walked inside, “Be nice to her, otherwise…”

"Mom, what are you whispering about with that person!" Yu Luying pouted as she stood up and walked towards Xiao Yao. She was wearing pink bunny slippers, and her socks were already off.

"Hi." We met again not long after we parted.

There was a sofa on the side closest to the door, and in front of the sofa was a small coffee table that had been put together. Underneath the coffee table lay a double bass... and a guitar? It was facing the square dining table.

The square table was by the window, and a large bed was right next to the innermost corner, with a small prayer altar at the head of the bed.

This small Baroque altar, though small, is fully equipped and is the most ornate and dazzling part of this simple room: a pure gold cross sits in the center, and to the left are Latin scriptures from abroad—with only a black and white photograph of a man placed there, which seems somewhat out of place.

Out of courtesy, as he passed the prayer altar, Xiao Yao clasped his hands together, made a bow, and gave a slight salutation to the portrait of Yu Luying's father.

Unfortunately, his flattery backfired—he keenly noticed that both the Yu mother and daughter subtly frowned.

Chapter 179 The Young Lady's Family Banquet

2023-05-02

Out of courtesy, as he passed the prayer altar, Xiao Yao clasped his hands together, made a bow, and gave a slight salutation to the portrait of Yu Luying's father.

Unfortunately, his flattery backfired—he keenly noticed that both the Yu mother and daughter subtly frowned.

Xiao Yao's heart skipped a beat. Had he accidentally violated some Catholic etiquette by bowing randomly? But he was too embarrassed to ask, so he could only sit down awkwardly on the sofa.

Sitting on this familiar yet unfamiliar sofa, Xiao Yao had a chaotic illusion that he was about to fight with Sekir.

Dinner is ready: braised pork belly, vibrant in color and perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat; steamed sea bass, with tender flesh that looks incredibly delicious; sweet and sour pork ribs, bright in color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; stir-fried vegetables, glistening with oil; and a dish of savory tofu in soy sauce—each dish exudes an enticing aroma and is served steaming hot.

For some reason, seeing braised pork again reminded him of lunch, and thinking about lunch made him think of his daughter. He then began to worry that his daughter might starve to death, and wished he could pack up all the food and take it home to feed her.

Of course, he's not stupid; he knows that's impossible.

Xiao Yao's position was directly facing the window, and the neighboring building was just a few meters away, as if he could reach out and touch it.

For some reason, this reminded Xiao Yao of Wang Meiyu in "Fortress Besieged".

To his left was Yu Lihua, and to his right was Yu Luying, with Xiao Yao sandwiched between them.

"Lord, bless us and the food you have given us..."

After accompanying the Yu mother and daughter in their pre-meal prayers, Xiao Yao added, "I'm starting to eat!" before picking up his chopsticks.

The food was as delicious as love, and Yu Lihua was so gentle and friendly that she was completely different from before, as if she had escaped from the "parenting education center"—there was an indescribable eeriness to the atmosphere.

Yu Lihua clearly adhered to the principle of not speaking while eating, and Yu Luying only occasionally greeted Xiao Yao with a few words. After Xiao Yao praised the taste, he could only hold back his words. In the quiet air, only the sounds of soup spoons and chopsticks clattering could be heard.

It's so embarrassing.