Ever since that incident, Lin Gaoyuan had come to accept it.
Nowadays, what young couple in a relationship didn’t get a little handsy? As long as they didn’t do anything too outrageous in front of him, he, the father-in-law, would just turn a blind eye.
After all, in some respects, that kid Jiang Xia was genuinely outstanding. He was indeed worthy of Yanwan and could be the son-in-law of the Old Lin Family.
He had originally been worried that this incident would create a rift between the two families. But as it turned out, Jiang Wende was more open-minded than most parents, and what should have been a normal chat inexplicably turned into a blame-sharing session—
One said he hadn’t been strict enough in his discipline, the other said he had been too impulsive. In short, it was as if Jiang Xia had nothing to do with it. Only the beating he received was real.
At six thirty, the sun had not yet set, and layers of crimson clouds blushed across the horizon.
Jiang Wende brought out the family’s round table, and one fragrant dish after another was served.
"Quick, kids, wash your hands and get ready to eat." Xia Shanshan came out carrying a pot of chicken soup, with goji berries and red dates floating on the surface. It looked incredibly fragrant.
The group sat in a circle. The two women habitually sat with Jiang Xia between them. Jiang Wende, meanwhile, quietly opened a bottle of Wuliangye he had treasured for over a decade and filled his old classmate’s glass to the brim.
"Kid, want a drink?" Lin Gaoyuan said with a grin, patting Jiang Xia on the shoulder.
"No, no, Uncle Lin. You and my dad can drink. I’ll have an orange drink." Jiang Xia opened a bottle and went around filling everyone else’s glass.
’It wasn’t that I don’t drink,’ he thought, ’but I’m worried that if I get drunk, I might repeat what happened in my past life—one of us calling the other ’Dad,’ and the other calling him ’bro.’ Best to avoid creating that kind of embarrassing history.’
Once all the food and drinks were on the table, Xia Shanshan, being a teacher, took the lead with the first toast.
"Come, come, before we eat, let’s all celebrate. Let’s congratulate Yanwan and Jiang Xia on getting into Tsinghua University!"
"Congratulations, congratulations."
The four adults all raised their glasses, their faces beaming with happy smiles.
"Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom. You’ve worked hard to raise such an outstanding daughter."
Jiang Xia also raised his glass in return. His words were particularly clever, but the adults weren’t fools. How could they not know he was using this opportunity to call his future father-in-law and mother-in-law "Dad" and "Mom"?
Lin Yanwan’s face flushed. She had intended to properly thank her dad, her mom, Uncle, and Auntie, but when the words reached her lips, she, just like Jiang Xia, only said "Dad" and "Mom."
However, the adults had no strange reaction to this form of address. After all, it wasn’t the first time the auntie had been called "Mom" or the uncle had been called "Dad."
Come to think of it, it was all that rascal Jiang Xia’s fault. He had started calling them "Mom" and "Dad" from the get-go, and they’d just gotten used to hearing it.
And the sight of the two of them standing up to give a toast together gave off an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, as if they were at a wedding banquet.
’They kept calling it a celebration dinner, but it ended up having the feel of an engagement party,’ Jiang Xia thought. ’Mom is definitely setting a trap for me on purpose.’
"Xiao Xia, once you’re at Tsinghua University, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Yanwan," Ji Wanqiu said, glancing at her daughter with a smile in her eyes.
Lin Yanwan blushed slightly. ’Mom’s tone... it’s like she’s entrusting my entire life to him.’
"Don’t worry, Aunt Ji, that’s the last thing you need to worry about," Jiang Xia said with a laugh. "As long as I’m here, I won’t let Yanwan suffer any grievances."
Under the table, Lin Yanwan forcefully pinched the flesh of his thigh. The guy was spouting nonsense again. In response, Jiang Xia silently squeezed his legs together, trapping her soft, delicate hand between them.
She tried to pull it out a few times but failed, so she had to give up in resignation. Fortunately, there was still some soft cartilage to play with.
"Mom, I’m not a child, I can take care of myself. Besides, he and I aren’t even in the same school, and our majors are worlds apart. It’s hard to say if we’ll even see each other during the day," Lin Yanwan said, trying to make an excuse.
"Oh, you know everything, do you? Xiao Xia is a boy, and you’re a girl. What’s wrong with looking out for each other when you’re away from home?" Ji Wanqiu shot her daughter a look, knowing she was just trying to undermine her.
Xia Shanshan chuckled. "This kid is usually so careless, it’s more likely that Yanwan will be the one taking care of him."
Lin Yanwan nodded in fervent agreement. ’My future mother-in-law really sees things clearly.’
"For the second toast, I want to properly thank Yanwan’s mother for raising such an outstanding daughter. For Jiang Xia to get into Tsinghua, Yanwan’s contribution was indispensable," Xia Shanshan said, raising her glass.
In her eyes, the earth-shattering change her son had undergone in just three short months was definitely and inextricably linked to his relationship with Yanwan.
Jiang Xia picked up his glass, gently clinked it against his wife’s, and said with a grin, "Thanks..."
He only mouthed the last word, "wife," without making a sound, but Lin Yanwan understood. A shy look appeared in her eyes. ’So bold, are you? If you have the guts, say it out loud in front of our parents.’
"Teacher Xia, please don’t say that. Xiao Xia got into Tsinghua because he’s smart and hardworking himself. It doesn’t have much to do with Yanwan. Someone who isn’t smart wouldn’t get in no matter how early they had their awakening," Ji Wanqiu said.
"That’s true. But it was Yanwan who unlocked his potential. Otherwise, who knows what godforsaken corner he would have ended up testing into. So, I must thank you," Xia Shanshan said with a laugh.
She had long been more than satisfied with this daughter-in-law, who had a face that just screamed she’d bring her husband good fortune.
Lin Yanwan quickly stood up to return the gesture. "Aunt Xia, you’re too kind. On the path of learning, mutual encouragement is necessary."
Her face was bright red. ’If we’re talking about unlocking his potential, that would have to be my body.’
’Even after a tiring day of work, once he gets into bed, he can still plow the fields like an old ox.’
"It’s not just about academics. In your future lives and careers, I hope the two of you can support, help, encourage, and understand each other," Xia Shanshan said seriously.
This was a simple principle that many people understood, but very few could truly live up to it.
But those couples who grew old together, supporting each other through thick and thin, were all like this.
"Mm."
"Mom, isn’t it a bit early for you to be saying all this?" Jiang Xia said, slightly exasperated.
"What the hell do you know?" Xia Shanshan shot him a look.
Even though the two were only dating at the moment, Xia Shanshan sincerely hoped they would have a smooth journey to the altar.
"The third toast."
Xia Shanshan pursed her lips, her gaze falling on Jiang Xia as she warned, "If I ever find out that Yanwan has been bullied on your watch, I’ll skin you alive!"
Jiang Xia: "..."
’His face twitched. A moment ago it was all blessings and hopes, how did it turn into a warning when it came to me?’
"Xiao Xia, your mom is just joking with you."
His mother-in-law picked up the conversation with a smile: "There’s no such thing as a perfectly smooth relationship in this world. It’s inevitable for two people to have some bumps and scrapes, but as long as their original feelings don’t change, the love can last."
"So, today, in front of your mother and father, I’m entrusting Yanwan to you."