Chapter 600 - 601: Your Good Son
Chapter 600: Chapter 601: Your Good Son
Thinking about the meeting with his mother-in-law the next day made Yang Chen, despite being accustomed to big events, feel anxious. He barely slept all night, although his body didn't need sleep and it was just a habit, so it didn't affect his energy levels.
The next morning, when Yang Chen came downstairs, Guo Xuehua was already having breakfast with Lin Ruoxi and Zhenxiu. Yang Chen sat down and silently started eating.
Normally, Yang Chen would chat about various topics, but this time he had a heavy heart, filled with worries, making him a bit uneasy.
"Brother Yang, why are you so quiet? This isn't like you," Zhenxiu remarked, noticing the change.
Lin Ruoxi was sipping her porridge when she heard Zhenxiu's comment. She glanced at Yang Chen with a meaningful look but remained silent.
Feeling a bit nervous, Yang Chen forced a smile and said, "I'm not a chatterbox. There's nothing to talk about. Just eat your breakfast and stop asking so many questions. Don't you need to go to school soon?"
Zhenxiu wrinkled her nose, unimpressed by Yang Chen's words, and made a face before continuing to eat.
Lin Ruoxi didn't eat much before getting up and saying to Guo Xuehua, "Mom, I have a lot of work at the company these days and won't have much time to spend with you. How about we go out for dinner tonight? I know a great seafood restaurant that I've been wanting to try."
Guo Xuehua was taken aback. Dinner? Normally, she would love the opportunity to go out with the family, but with the meeting planned for today, she wasn't sure if they would discuss dinner arrangements. Smiling, she said, "Ruoxi, if you're busy, it's okay. We can go another time. I also have plans to meet an old friend today."
"I see," Lin Ruoxi nodded thoughtfully and didn't ask further.
Breakfast was somewhat quiet, and after Zhenxiu left for school and Lin Ruoxi hurried off to work, both Yang Chen and Guo Xuehua breathed a sigh of relief.
Guo Xuehua sighed, "I really don't know how I agreed to this. Today's meeting is nerve-wracking, and I don't know what to say. If Ruoxi finds out that I helped you meet another woman, my reputation will be ruined."
Yang Chen chuckled awkwardly, "Mom, you're not old at all. You're still young and beautiful."
Guo Xuehua smiled, "You're quite the flatterer. You must be really anxious for me to agree to this. But I did promise, so of course, I'll go."
Yang Chen felt a bit more at ease hearing her confirmation again.
After preparing at home and dressing relatively formally, Yang Chen and Guo Xuehua left separately. It wasn't appropriate to leave together since Wang Ma was still at home.
Meanwhile, Ma Guifang went to help at Sister Xiang's restaurant early in the morning. After working for two hours, Mo Qianni picked her up and drove her to the teahouse.
On the way, Ma Guifang asked Mo Qianni about the preferences and background of the other mother-in-law, but the nervous Mo Qianni had no idea. She had previously met Guo Xuehua only in the capacity of Lin Ruoxi's sister, and didn't dare delve too deep into conversations. Mo Qianni felt aggrieved, explaining that she never had the chance to get to know Yang Chen's family well. Whenever Guo Xuehua visited, she mostly chatted with Rose, and Mo Qianni was too nervous to speak much, fearing she might give something away.
Ma Guifang, not having any fancy clothes, still dressed neatly and appropriately for the occasion. Even though they didn't have much money, she didn't want to appear shabby. Mo Qianni, already dressed for work, looked presentable and didn't need additional preparations.
When they arrived at the Longjing Teahouse, they saw Yang Chen's car parked outside. Mo Qianni recognized it immediately, feeling relieved that Guo Xuehua had indeed come.
The mother and daughter entered the tastefully decorated teahouse, holding hands. Since the teahouse was divided into small private rooms, they had to ask the receptionist to find out which room Yang Chen had booked.
Guo Xuehua had carefully chosen this location. This meeting could lead to intense discussions, and having it in a public or easily eavesdropped location could be embarrassing. The teahouse had excellent soundproofing, ensuring that even loud conversations wouldn't be overheard.
Inside the private room, Guo Xuehua was contemplating what to say during the meeting. The fact that her son was already married couldn't be hidden for long. However, directly stating it would be hard for the other party to accept, so she needed to find a way to gently persuade the girl's mother to let the children handle the matter themselves.
If Guo Xuehua were an ordinary woman, she would never agree to help Yang Chen with such a task. However, coming from a prominent family, she had seen her fair share of complex relationships. "Polygamy" might not be legally permitted, but that didn't mean men from influential families didn't dare to practice it.
Even Ning Guangyao, who had a stellar reputation as the Prime Minister of Yanxia, had a secret daughter—Lin Ruoxi, her own daughter-in-law. Could other men be any more innocent?
With this pragmatic perspective, Guo Xuehua was willing to give it a try. At worst, she could rely on the Yang family's status to convince the other party's elders.
Sipping her tea and contemplating her strategy, Guo Xuehua suddenly realized she hadn't asked her son the girl's name. Yang Chen had been avoiding mentioning it, so she quickly asked, "Son, you need to tell me the girl's name now. How else will I address her when we meet?"
Yang Chen had been deliberately avoiding this topic. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Actually, Mom, you should already know her. Her name is Mo Qianni."
"Mo Qianni?" Guo Xuehua's brow furrowed, and her mind suddenly exploded with realization. "What did you say?! Qianni?!"
Yang Chen rubbed his nose and nodded.
Guo Xuehua suddenly understood many things. She felt both amused and annoyed, saying, "You little rascal, you even tricked your mother. No wonder you didn't want to mention her name; she was 'hiding' right under my nose all along!"
"How is this tricking you? I'm telling you now, aren't I?" Yang Chen laughed. "It's better that you already know each other before meeting."
Guo Xuehua sighed helplessly but then a thought flashed through her mind, and she suddenly stood up from her seat!
Yang Chen looked puzzled. "Mom, what's wrong? Why are you so nervous?"
"We're in trouble!" Guo Xuehua muttered in distress, "If that girl is Qianni, it means her mother is... Oh no..."
Even with his quick thinking, Yang Chen was momentarily stunned, not understanding why his mother was so distressed.
Guo Xuehua felt like she was in a nightmare. She suddenly realized that the "good son-in-law" Ma Guifang mentioned was indeed Yang Chen! And she had already told Ma Guifang that Yang Chen was married to Lin Ruoxi!
Now, there was no need for any discussions. They wouldn't even have the chance to use a roundabout way to persuade her!
Just as Guo Xuehua was feeling utterly helpless and not knowing what to do, the door to the private room finally opened from the outside.
Ma Guifang and Mo Qianni, holding hands affectionately, entered the room with somewhat nervous smiles and came face-to-face with the standing Guo Xuehua.
Guo Xuehua gritted her teeth, her brow furrowed, looking anxiously at Ma Guifang and then helplessly at Mo Qianni.
Mo Qianni sensed that something was off in the room and looked puzzled at Yang Chen, who had also stood up. Yang Chen just shrugged, indicating that he had no idea what was going on with Guo Xuehua.
The person who reacted the fastest was Ma Guifang. Her previously nervous demeanor turned into one of curiosity and surprise, then into a thoughtful calmness. She glanced at Yang Chen, then at Guo Xuehua, with a smile that was hard to decipher, and asked, "Sister Xuehua, so your good son is Yang Chen?"