Accidentally entered a high gate

"Hahahaha..." Ma Lifeng was amused by Shu Yao. "Third Uncle's requirements may be few, but they are not easy to meet. Especially for children like you and Yan Min who have the protection of elders."

Jing Shuyao blinked. "Why is it even harder for kids like me and Yan Min to do that?"

"Because kids like you and Yanmin will feel that even if you break the law or disrupt the rules, your elders will cover for you. But the children of workers will think that if they break the law or disrupt the rules, they will have to bear the consequences themselves."

Jing Shuyao thought about it and realized it was true. "Third Uncle, besides these two requests, you really have no other requests?"

"That's it." Children from families like theirs can live comfortably as long as they don't break the law or harm others.

"Okay, Auntie?"

Zheng Chunfang: "..." She really didn't ask for anything. "If Yanmin bullies you, tell Auntie. Auntie will teach him a lesson for you."

Jing Shuyao: "..." Is this even considered a request? "Fine. Yanmin, if I have a conflict with you, you can tell my mom."

Yan Min: "Okay."

Jing Shuyao and Yan Min spent another day playing before setting off back to the capital.

When Jing Shuyao and Yan Min left Jing Yancheng and Ji Ning, Ji Ning asked them how many days they planned to stay with Ma Lifeng and Zheng Chunfang.

After Jing Shuyao arrived in Beijing and finished washing up, she was about to rest when Grandma Ji's voice came from downstairs. "Shushu, your mother is looking for you."

"Coming!" Jing Shuyao responded and came downstairs. "Mom, are you wondering what Uncle Ma and Aunt Zheng want from me?"

"Hmm." Ji Ning said, taking a pen from the pen holder.

Hearing her "Mmm," Jing Shuyao straightened her back smugly. "I knew you wanted to ask that. Aren't I smart?"

"Smart. What are your Uncle Ma's requirements?"

"Uncle Ma told me not to break the law or harm others. Aunt Zheng told me to tell her if I was wronged."

As Ji Ning listened, she took notes of what Jing Shuyao said into her notebook. "Continue."

"That's all."

That's it?!

Ji Ning thought she must have misheard. "What did you just say? Mom didn't hear you clearly."

I said that's all.

Ji Ning: "..." Ma Xiaosan only has two requests? "You mean you've finished stating your Aunt Zheng's requests?"

"Uncle Ma has finished speaking."

Ji Ning: "..." Ma Xiaosan only made two requests?! "Your Uncle Ma only asked that you don't break the law and don't actively harm others?"

"Hmm. Uncle Ma's requests are few, but..." Jing Shuyao relayed Ma Lifeng's words to Ji Ning. "Mom, do you think Uncle Ma will make a lot of demands?"

"Hmm. Your Uncle Ma... um... your Uncle Ma has a lot of demands. You should rest."

After saying that, Ji Ning hung up the phone.

Jing Shuyao: "..." She hung up already? She wanted to tell her mother what delicious food Zheng Chunfang had made for her.

After putting the microphone back, Jing Shuyao hugged Grandma Ji again and went upstairs to rest.

On the other side, Ji Ning looked at the pen in her hand, then at the words in the notebook. She looked at the pen, then at the words in the notebook…

In the evening, as soon as Jing Yancheng returned, he looked at Ji Ning and asked, "Did you call Shushu?"

"They did hit him. Ma Xiaosan made two requests. Zheng Chunfang told Shushu that if Yanmin bullied her, she would help her deal with Yanmin."

Jing Yancheng felt that Ji Ning must have made a mistake. "Did you forget to include the word 'hundred' in 'one hundred' or 'two hundred'?"

"I wasn't wrong. I even prepared a notebook. But Ma Xiaosan only made two requests."

Jing Yancheng: "..." Has Ma Xiaosan changed his ways?

As Jing Yancheng pondered this, he picked up the phone.

A moment later, the call connected.

Ma Lifeng's voice came through the phone. "Feed? Who is this?"

"I am Jing Yancheng, I'm listening to your Sister Ji..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Lifeng shouted, "Jing Yancheng! Why did you send Shu Yao to ask us what we want from our daughter-in-law? Do you think I'd make a bunch of demands? Are you trying to break up Yan Min and Shu Yao? Do you look down on my second son?"

Jing Yancheng: "..." Even if the sun rises in the west, Ma Xiaosan won't change his ways! "No. I just want Shu Yao to know what's going on. You really only have two requests?"

"Really. I'm not like you two. You two actually make Shu Yao report to you every week. Shu Yao isn't a criminal, is she?"

Jing Yancheng: "..." Why did he make this call? "The reason you only made two requests is because you think your children and grandchildren have their own blessings?"

"Yes. When kids grow up, they need to learn to handle their own affairs. We just need to keep the big picture in mind. If you misbehave again, I'll go tell your father."

Jing Yancheng: "..."

Jing Yancheng wanted to buy a ticket and go to Ma Lifeng's workplace to beat him up. "I didn't do anything malicious. I just wanted Shushu to know what was going on. Have you eaten?"

"not yet."

"I heard Wu Yong is being transferred to Haishi. You know Wu Yong, right?"

"Know."

……

The two chatted about other things for a while before hanging up.

Jing Yancheng hung up the phone and looked at Ji Ning, saying, "I will never call Ma Xiaosan again."

Ji Ning poured him a glass of water. "Do you think Ma Xiaosan really only cares about the big picture?"

Jing Yancheng took a sip of water. "Probably. Ma Xiaosan may be a scoundrel, but he keeps his word."

Ji Ning thought about it and realized it was true. "If Ma Xiaosan only focuses on the big picture, this marriage would really be a good one."

"For Shu Yao, yes. For the two of us... he just said he's going to tell Dad."

Ji Ning: "..." He's saying he'll complain to her father-in-law again? Does he even remember that he and his wife are the woman's parents? "As long as this marriage is a good marriage for Shu Yao, that's all that matters."

Time flies, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

On Sunday, Yan Min came to find Jing Shuyao after breakfast. "Have you eaten?"

"not yet."

"Do you want to eat in the cafeteria or eat out?"

"Let's go outside. Have you eaten?"

"have eaten."

The two talked as they walked out.

When they arrived at the breakfast stall, Yan Min ordered a bowl of tofu pudding and two fried dough sticks.

As Jing Shuyao added chive blossoms to the tofu pudding, she asked, "Didn't you already have breakfast?"

Yan Min smiled at her. "I'll eat with you."

Jing Shuyao was pleased to hear him say that. "Smooth talker."

Do you like it?

I like it. I don't like it.

After finishing their meal, the two went to the park.

There were quite a few young couples in the park.

Jing Shuyao inadvertently saw a young couple sharing a roasted sweet potato and said, "We also did this last winter... Ma Yanmin, I've noticed something."

"What did you discover?"

Jing Shuyao looked into Yanmin's eyes and said, "I've noticed that the way we interact after becoming a real couple is the same as the way we interacted when we were just pretending. Ma Yanmin, have you already fallen for me?"

Yan Min: "..." Phew... I finally found it!