IROAWTMTFL Chapter 31

Zhuang Yiyun first went home to pick up Yan Yan, then drove to the Yan house.

“Turn left at the next intersection,” Yan Yan directed as they approached his home.

“I remember the way,” Zhuang Yiyun’s action of switching to the left turn lane coincided almost simultaneously with Yan Yan’s reminder.

Yan Yan raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word. ‘You’ve only been here once and you remember it perfectly, huh?’ Thinking about Zhuang Yiyun’s last claim of “not top scorer only in Chinese,” Yan Yan pursed his lips tightly. He definitely wouldn’t give him the chance to show off his intelligence again.

The car drove all the way to Yan Yan’s residential complex, circling around for quite a while before finding a parking spot. Zhuang Yiyun parked the car, and as soon as Yan Yan got out of the car, Zhuang Yiyun immediately called out to him.

“Let’s take out the stuff together.” The car’s trunk opened promptly, revealing the gifts packed to the brim.

“What’s all this?”

“Gifts for Uncle and Aunt.”

“You do know I only have one dad and one mom, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“I only have one dad and one mom. This carload looks like I have at least six dads and moms.”

Zhuang Yiyun: “…”

Facing Yan Yan’s bewildered expression, Zhuang Yiyun regretted it deeply. If he had known, he wouldn’t have listened to Ke Mingcheng. He said they needed this much, so he shouldn’t be stingy. But now, Yan Yan clearly thought something was wrong with him.

“How are we going to move all this?” Yan Yan rubbed his temples as he looked at the pile of square boxes. “I have a small cart in the utility room; you wait here.”

The son-in-law had arrived and a blue flatbed cart used for unloading goods in warehouses was brought out. Yan Yan loaded various gift boxes onto the flatbed cart while occasionally stopping to give Zhuang Yiyun a thumbs-up. ‘Zhuang Yiyun, you really outdid yourself this time, you are unique.’

“If you meet any neighbors later, just say you’re with DaDa to avoid embarrassment.”

Zhuang Yiyun: “What’s that?”

“Yes, DaDa express delivery! You can even go with SF Express, it’s up to you!”

“…” Zhuang Yiyun fell silent, deeply disheartened!

Yan Yan’s father, Yan Ximing, worked in a state-owned enterprise. They still lived in the housing assigned twenty years ago. The residential complex was quite old, with elevators added later. Zhuang Yiyun had never done this kind of work in his life. Dragging the small cart and squeezing into the elevator with middle-aged folks, wearing his suit and tie, he looked completely out of place among the others dressed in various colorful pajamas.

Everyone on the way recognized Yan Yan, but all eyes were on Zhuang Yiyun, and someone quietly asked Yan Yan who he was.

Yan Yan found his awkwardness amusing and shook his head deliberately, saying he didn’t know.

“Today is the Eve of Chinese New Year, Xiao Yan, why did you come back alone? Your mother said you got married; why didn’t you bring your partner?”

“Yeah, yeah, you should introduce your partner to us. Us uncles have watched you grow up.”

“When’s the wedding feast?”

“Where is the other person from? What do they do? Are they good-looking?”

The uncles, and aunties were all talking at once, bombarding him with questions.

Thanks to the cart, DaDa Delivery man -Zhuang Yiyun escaped the household registration check. He covered his mouth and laughed silently. He pretended not to see Yan Yan glance at him, and when they reached the floor, he dragged the cart out of the elevator.

Everyone made way for his cart. On this floor was another family that had emigrated with their son, and their house was up for rent. Currently, only Yan Yan’s family lived there. When the two of them stepped out of the elevator, everyone’s gaze shifted to Zhuang Yiyun. What was there not to understand? This was undoubtedly Yan Yan’s husband.

Such a handsome young man. They couldn’t help but wonder if they were having a quarrel. Why hadn’t Yan Yan introduced him? Looking at the pile of gift boxes Zhuang Yiyun was dragging, it was evident he was here to impress his in-laws, probably after a fight.

So, that day, the gossip about the Yan family spread throughout the group chat of the Provincial Construction Residential Complex.

Yan Yan was dumbfounded about this pile of gifts, but the Yan couple were pleasantly surprised. Although they didn’t say it out loud, they were concerned about Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun’s marriage. Their backgrounds didn’t quite match, and they had suddenly announced their marriage without any traditional customs or ceremonies, which made them uneasy. Yan Yan hadn’t graduated yet, so postponing the wedding feast was acceptable, but the complete absence of traditional customs wasn’t.

This time, the two came back together for the Little Chinese New Year and Zhuang Yiyun had dressed more formally than the previous two times they had met. In addition, he had prepared so many gifts. This attitude gave them some relief. It seemed that their son-in-law, though reserved, did care about Yan Yan. He just wasn’t good at expressing it verbally.

“This is your home, you don’t need to spend so much next time,” Qian Ruqing let the two of them in, and Yan Ximing helped them move the gifts.

When they took everything down they noticed many items—tea, red wine, nutritional supplements, silk scarves, etc, gifts for both men and women, all of high quality. Ke Mingcheng had chosen well and the couple revealed an even more satisfied smile. They would remind Yan Yan to bring more gifts the next time he visited Zhuang Xian.

Zhuang Yiyun took note of the elders’ expressions and decided that, in the future, he wouldn’t listen to Yan Yan; gifts had to be brought. He was stunned by this subconscious thought, and he paused. In the future? Why did he naturally think of “the future”? Did they have a future together?

“You guys sit down first, the meal will be ready soon.” Qian Ruqing said with a smile on her face. Before returning to the kitchen, she specifically said to Zhuang Yiyun, “Xiao Yun, you can try the side dishes on the coffee table. They look ordinary, but they are home made and delicious.”

Zhuang Yiyun nodded to Qian Ruqing and his gaze drifted toward Yan Yan, a look of surprise on his face. Yan Yan had been waiting for this reaction all day. Ever since he heard his mother say “Xiao Yun” on the phone in the morning, he had wondered if she would call him that in person.

She actually did, haha. Yan Yan suppressed a laugh and patted Zhuang Yiyun’s shoulder, saying, “Xiao Yun~, come try my mom’s cooking.”

Zhuang Yiyun felt embarrassed hearing that name, not because he didn’t like it but because it was surprising. He only felt a warmth he couldn’t put into words. From his earliest memories, he had never had a nickname. From the moment he started forming memories, his mom always called him by his full name.

Xiao Yun… This name had never appeared in his life. Come to think of it, he had never had a relative like Yan Yan’s mom. Warm and accepting, outwardly straightforward yet possessing a clarity and wisdom from life’s experiences. Zhuang Yiyun had never said it, but he secretly envied Yan Yan for having such a mother.

Qian Ruqing used to be a primary school teacher and, after retiring, enjoyed making various homemade foods. She had prepared a bunch of things that were not commonly found in stores these days, like small dishes, traditional chili sauces, various pickled vegetables, and the like. She often made a lot, more than they could eat, so she often gave them to relatives and friends. Yan Yan had been snacking on these things since he was very young, and they still tasted delicious as delicious.

There were four snack boxes on the coffee table, containing items like perilla ginger, sour jujube slices, dried peaches, and spicy bitter gourd skin. Without picking anything else, he directly took a piece of bitter gourd skin and handed it to Zhuang Yiyun.

“What’s this?”

“You’ll know once you taste it.”

Yan Yan smiled cunningly. Zhuang Yiyun refused to feed him, so bitter gourd skin was all he deserved.

He watched, expecting a show, but Zhuang Yiyun ate the bitter gourd skin without any change of expression, and he even took another piece.

“It’s not bitter?”

Zhuang Yiyun shook his head. “It’s delicious. Auntie’s cooking is excellent.”

He wasn’t lying, nor was he trying to impress Yan Yan’s parents. In his memory, he had only eaten such small dishes when his grandmother was still alive. Unfortunately, his grandmother had passed away too early, and he hadn’t tasted this flavor for twenty years.

He ate a few more pieces, feeling nostalgic, yet devoid of any particular emotion.

Soon, Qian Ruqing called them for dinner from the kitchen. The Yan father-son immediately got up, efficiently dividing the tasks of serving and bringing food. Zhuang Yiyun followed suit. There weren’t many tasks to do, so he helped Yan Yan serve rice. Yan Yan served, and he carried the dishes, their coordination making a pleasant sight for Yan Yan’s parents who had been observing them.

The four of them enjoyed their meal. Qian Ruqing had prepared eight dishes and a soup, filling the table to the brim. She showed exceptional enthusiasm for their dinner together.

Zhuang Yiyun initially felt a bit reserved, only picking the dishes in front of him. Qian Ruqing noticed this and discreetly signaled Yan Yan. Yan Yan received her message and rolled his eyes at her. However, his mother wouldn’t let it go and continued to glare at him.

Growing impatient, Yan Yan said directly, “He has hands of his own, and they’re even bigger than mine. He can pick for himself; there’s no dish on this table he can’t reach.”

Suddenly, both Yan Ximing and Zhuang Yiyun looked at him.

Qian Ruqing feigned anger. “You brat. Xiao Yun rarely comes home. What’s wrong with being enthusiastic? You’ve told me what dishes he likes, so serve him some.”

Before Qian Ruqing had even finished speaking, Yan Yan was about to erupt, but a pair of chopsticks suddenly reached in front of him. Zhuang Yiyun picked up the largest shrimp on the plate, and placed it in Yan Yan’s bowl.

“I should serve Yanyan. Have some more.”

It turned out that before they came back, Yan Yan had told his mother what dishes he liked. Zhuang Yiyun hadn’t expected that. Even though Yan Yan was always at odds with him verbally, he still cared about him secretly.

This was actually a big misunderstanding. Zhuang Yiyun had mistakenly attributed Yan Yan’s professional competence to emotional aspects.

He just felt that, after he picked up the shrimp, the slightly tense atmosphere at the dining table noticeably relaxed. Yan Yan’s mother smiled with crescent-shaped eyes, and Yan Yan’s father had a faint smile on his face. Both of them were very enthusiastic in introducing the dishes to him.

“Try this, you probably haven’t had it before,” Qian Ruqing said, teasing him slightly.

Zhuang Yiyun picked up a piece of what looked like a slightly dark ingredient. It seemed sun-dried, and was crunchy and delicious.

“What is this? I indeed haven’t had it before.”

“Haha, it’s normal not to have had it. This is eggplant skin; you can’t find it outside.”

Yan Yan saw the three of them chatting happily, and then looked at the shrimp in the bowl. Without saying anything, he picked it up and ate it in a few bites. This man was really annoying. Calling him “Yanyan” again is annoying!

Later, Zhuang Yiyun would pick up vegetables for Yan Yan from time to time, as if he was programmed. As long as he saw a dish Yan Yan would eat more, he would pick it up for him. In the past, he thought that serving food to others was a bit strange, but in the Yan family, it was obviously a very positive expression. He liked the Yan family and was willing to learn their behavioral patterns.

As they chatted happily, Zhuang Yiyun and Yan Yan’s mother and father exchanged stories and jokes. Dinner was a success for the four of them, with only Yan Yan feeling a bit awkward. Why was Zhuang Yiyun acting strangely today, constantly serving him dishes?

His mother went to wash the fruit, and surprisingly, Zhuang Yiyun offered to help her. He was being way too well behaved in front of his parents. Was he possessed?

Zhuang Yiyun was beside him as he took off his coat and placed it on the back of the chair. Because they were close, his scent wafted over gently. Yan Yan’s gaze shifted slightly as he leaned back against the sofa, openly observing Zhuang Yiyun unbuttoning his cuffs and adjusting his wristwatch. His movements were elegant, bearing his unique rhythm and Yan Yan had to admit he was really attractive.

Yan Yan watched his back and thought of the scene he had witnessed this morning. No matter how he thought about it, he hadn’t seduced Zhuang Yiyun. Why reject a free benefit?

Zhuang Yiyun went to the kitchen to help Qian Ruqing plate the fruit, and Qian Ruqing took the opportunity to chat with him.

“I feel relieved seeing you come back with Yan Yan today. Yan Yan has been spoiled by his father and me, has a straightforward temper, and his words are often sharp. His father and I have been worried about how you two would get along.”

“Yan Yan is great…” Zhuang Yiyun paused, but once he started, the words seemed to flow naturally. “He’s kind and caring, has a sincere, lively, optimistic personality, and is cute. As for his way of speaking… I wouldn’t say it’s sharp. He has good eloquence and strong expressive abilities.”

Qian Ruqing listened in astonishment. Was he talking about her son, Yan Yan? Kind, optimistic, sincere, and not sharp tongued? What kind of filter was this? Her son-in-law was so wholeheartedly devoted to her son!

Qian Ruqing’s mood brightened, and she repeatedly said, “That’s great, that’s great.”

The two of them carried the fruits out of the kitchen, with Zhuang Yiyun walking behind. Qian Ruqing’s genuine smile served as a reminder, as if exposing the falsehoods in their marriage. The Yan family’s expectations for this marriage was revealed through these interactions. Yan Yan’s family was different from his, and he had selfishly pulled him into this. It was really wrong.

“Why are you still holding on to my strawberries? Are you basking them in the light? Give them to me.” Yan Yan’s words interrupted his thoughts and brought him back to the warm and tender reality.

The reward for his daydreaming was discovering that Yan Yan liked strawberries.

The family watched TV together, and a plate of strawberries was the first to be emptied, gone within ten minutes. Qian Ruqing took pity on Zhuang Yiyun and snatched a few from Yan Yan’s clutches, putting them in Zhuang Yiyun’s bowl. The rest went into Yan Yan’s stomach.

Zhuang Yiyun had a few strawberries left and he intentionally refrained from eating them. He waited until Yan Yan finished his own and glanced at him. Then, he quietly placed one strawberry after another beside Yan Yan.

Because there were only a few left, Yan Yan cherished them. He had been eating them one by one before, but now he changed to three bites per strawberry. Zhuang Yiyun’s lips curved with amusement.

The fair fingers contrasted sharply with the vibrant red strawberries. When he took a bite, strawberry juice clung to his lips, looking quite enticing. Zhuang Yiyun and Yan Yan were already sitting close, and his gaze settled on Yan Yan’s lips for a moment. He felt somewhat uncomfortable, so he looked away.

Zhuang Yiyun thought his discreet feeding wasn’t obvious, but in reality, the two older adults were secretly watching, and both of them almost burst into laughter.

They watched TV until after nine o’clock, and Qian Ruqing suddenly asked, “It’s not early anymore. Since you rarely come back, why don’t you stay at home tonight?”

Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun exchanged glances, their faces filled with puzzlement. The small house didn’t have a guest room, so if they stayed, wouldn’t it mean sharing a bed?

The author has something to say:

Dr. Zhuang: Is there any way to not disappoint his mother?

Ke Mingcheng: Act it out for real.

Dr. Zhuang suddenly realized but then became discouraged. But my husband doesn’t pay much attention to me now…

Ke Mingcheng gave him an exasperated look: Then go chase after him! He’s your husband, you idiot! Why do I have such a dumb classmate like you???