203. The Awkward Misunderstanding
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Chen Yao’s mother was pleasantly surprised to discover that her brainless son had actually brought home a beautiful girl.
After all, her son wasn’t that bad! Academically, he at least had a bachelor’s degree; in looks, he was above average; and financially, while he wasn’t a rich heir, the family had a house in the provincial city and even bought a car worth over a hundred thousand.
But the problem was that her son just didn’t get it! She had no strict rules against young love, watching the neighbors’ kids getting married young while her own fool hadn’t even been on a date, leaving her in a constant state of anxiety.
But today? She was over the moon!
“Come in, sweetie!” Chen Yao’s mom rushed over, waving at Lin Nan. “I wasn’t prepared for visitors—it’s all so sudden!”
However, Lin Nan was startled by her enthusiasm, stepping back two paces and hiding behind Chen Yao, just peeking out with her little head.
She timidly nodded and greeted, “Hello, Auntie.”
At that moment, Chen Yao’s mom noticed the wariness in Lin Nan’s eyes.
She froze for a second, then shot a glare at her son.
“Is this girl really Chen Yao’s girlfriend?”
Chen Yao gave a sheepish smile, realizing his overly enthusiastic mother had scared the already nervous Lin Nan. He quickly sidestepped, blocking his mom’s view, and explained, “She’s just a friend, staying at our place for the afternoon.”
“A regular friend?”
“Yeah!” Chen Yao nodded vigorously.
Yet, his mother still looked at him with skepticism. Lin Nan’s instinctive move to seek Chen Yao’s protection certainly didn’t scream “just friends.”
Maybe they were in that “almost-couple” phase?
After ushering Lin Nan inside and offering her slippers, Chen Yao wasted no time pushing her towards his room: “Go put your suitcase and the cat away. If you want to nap, go ahead; I’ll call you out for lunch.”
He was well aware Lin Nan wasn’t keen on meeting new people. After shooing her into his bedroom, he turned back to face his mother with a sigh.
“Mom, really, she’s just a friend.”
“Doesn’t look like it,” his mom shook her head and plopped back on the sofa, excitedly dialing up Chen Yao’s dad. “Hey? Pick up some nice ingredients on your way home. Your son brought a girlfriend! Finally figured things out!”
Chen Yao’s lips twitched; it was like his mom hadn’t even heard his explanations.
Once the call ended, Chen Yao’s mom curiously remarked, “That girl seems a bit… odd?”
“She got kicked out by her dad last night, so I let her stay at the inn…” He awkwardly twisted the truth.
Before he finished, she frowned and warned, “You better be careful; if a baby pops out, getting married won’t be your decision anymore…”
“Mom!” Chen Yao couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. “I didn’t sleep all night!”
“Can’t tell at all…”
Chen Yao paused, finally understanding his mother was making a joke, and his face turned beet red. Flustered, he tried to explain, but his mom wasn’t having it and headed towards the kitchen instead.
“What does she like to eat? I’ll whip up some breakfast.”
“She already ate.”
“No worries, she can always eat more. Let her try your mom’s cooking!”
Watching her eagerly dash to the kitchen, Chen Yao shook his head helplessly before heading to his room.
He hadn’t slept a wink all night, but thankfully his young body could handle it.
Pushing the bedroom door open, he peeked inside to find Lin Nan sitting awkwardly at the computer desk.
“Do you want to catch up on some sleep?” Chen Yao plopped down on the edge of the bed, yawning. “You didn’t sleep much either last night.”
In reality, Lin Nan had probably slept about seven hours from ten PM to just past five AM.
But judging by her increasingly furrowed brow, it was evident that drinking had taken its toll on her.
“Where will you sleep?”
“On the bed, of course; I can take the floor.” Chen Yao got up to rummage through the wardrobe for a bamboo mat for the floor, trying to explain his mother’s enthusiasm. “My mom thinks you’re my girlfriend, so don’t mind her.”
“I noticed,” Lin Nan mumbled, staring down and looking a bit uneasy.
It was her first time meeting Chen Yao’s mom. Although their dialogue was brief, watching their parent-child interaction made Lin Nan a bit envious.
“Sweetie, want some fish balls?”
The bedroom door swung open again, and Chen Yao’s mom strutted in with a small bowl, grinning as she approached Lin Nan. “Just treat this like your own home. Don’t be nervous; do whatever you like.”
“Um… okay?”
Lin Nan nervously nodded; she didn’t dare refuse the kindness and quickly started eating from the bowl.
But Chen Yao’s mom didn’t leave, standing beside Lin Nan, her eyes scanning her up and down, looking more and more satisfied with every moment.
What a standout girl to pair with her son! Not breathtakingly beautiful, but definitely above-average, fitting her son’s slightly handsome look perfectly.
Though she seemed a tad timid and didn’t appear to have a great relationship with her family, that also meant joining their family wouldn’t lead to any “bloodsucker” in-laws.
Her gaze landed on Lin Nan’s backside, finding it quite satisfying.
“Perfect for childbearing.”
Lin Nan felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze, but she didn’t dare say anything. Chen Yao, unable to bear it any longer, got up and started pushing his mom out: “Just call us for lunch, okay? We need to catch up on some sleep!”
“Got it, got it!” Chen Yao’s mom nodded enthusiastically, getting nudged out of the room, but suddenly leaned in close to Chen Yao’s ear, whispering, “I’m going shopping; you kids take precautions, okay?”
“Mom! It’s not like that!”
Chen Yao’s face turned crimson, but his mom ignored his explanation, leaving with a giddy smile as if she had just celebrated New Year’s.
Turning back, he found Lin Nan curiously staring at him, his face getting even redder. He hurriedly added, “My mom’s just a bit… odd; don’t mind her.”
Lin Nan shook her head, quietly saying, “It’s fine. I’m actually really envious of you…”
Aside from a brief visit two months ago, in Lin Nan’s memory, she had never really had a playful argument with her parents.
“…” Chen Yao was at a loss for words, stepping closer and giving her shoulder a gentle pat. After a pause, he suddenly said, “My mom really likes you.”
“Yeah, I can tell.”
“If you don’t mind, you can think of my place as your home too.” Chen Yao felt a bit flustered, not daring to look at her, feeling guilty. “They really do like you…”
Lin Nan wasn’t foolish; while her desire for parental love had significantly dulled her wit, Chen Yao’s nervousness was glaringly obvious.
What he said sounded almost like a confession in her ears.
Too shy to respond, her pale face began to flush, and she quickly stuffed her mouth with the food prepared by Chen Yao’s mom.
