204. Daughter-in-law? 【31/170】
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For some reason, Lin Nan found herself sleeping surprisingly well for the first time while fully aware, in a completely unfamiliar environment.
There were none of those overwhelming anxieties or fears about the outside world; lying there, she watched Chen Yao sitting on the floor, absorbed in his phone, and listened to the soft sounds of his mom sneaking back into the living room. She felt extraordinarily tranquil.
She began to suspect that she might be developing feelings for her best friend’s guy.
Lin Nan flipped over to face the wall, but a few minutes later, she nervously turned back to face Chen Yao again.
Could she be starting to have a crush on her best friend’s boyfriend?
Or was it just a case of mistaken emotions caused by excessive concern during a low moment?
She recalled something Chen Yao had said earlier, “If you don’t mind, consider my home your home. They love you anyway…”
That sounded pretty much like a confession, right?
She didn’t know if she was overthinking it, but even if it were true, Lin Nan couldn’t bring herself to reciprocate Chen Yao’s feelings.
She just couldn’t wrap her head around marrying a guy…
Letting out a long sigh, her hangover-riddled, throbbing brain didn’t have the bandwidth for this much thinking either. After about ten minutes of lying there, Lin Nan felt herself slipping back into the darkness.
The next thing she knew, she was jolted awake by a knock on the bedroom door.
Chen Yao’s mom was outside, gently calling out, “Kids, it’s time to get up for lunch.”
Lin Nan froze for a moment, then looked down at Chen Yao, who was sprawled on the floor, before she got up to open the door.
Chen Yao’s mom peeked inside, and when she realized what was happening, she was lost for words. This kid was really sleeping on the floor!
“It’s time for lunch.” But she put on her warmest elder face when addressing Lin Nan, looking at the shy girl with pure satisfaction. “Why don’t you head to the dining room first? I’ll wake this lazy bum up.”
“Okay.” Lin Nan kept her head down, feeling awkward in front of her.
Leaving the bedroom and heading to the dining room, she found a middle-aged man who looked just like Chen Yao already seated and waiting.
Must be Chen Yao’s dad?
Chen Yao’s dad looked up as the noise caught his attention, and suddenly his eyes lit up. It was as if his wife had been right all along; Chen Yao had indeed brought back a wonderful girl.
“Sit down, feel at home, don’t be nervous.” He rushed to pull out a chair for Lin Nan, but he himself was so jittery that he couldn’t stop smiling.
Lin Nan was taken aback by this warm welcome and had no idea how to handle such a cheerful uncle. She awkwardly sat down, her hands tucked between her thighs, nervously staring at the table.
“So how did you and Chen Yao meet?” Chen Yao’s dad tried to make small talk to ease Lin Nan’s nerves. “I think I remember him mentioning your name before. Lin Nan, right? I thought he was talking about a buddy or something.”
Lin Nan wasn’t sure how to respond, but Chen Yao’s dad enthusiastically began piling food into her bowl. “Chen Yao can be a handful. Just be patient with him…”
Lin Nan wasn’t really in the mood to chat, feeling anxious and awkward, floundering in uncertainty.
Before long, Chen Yao emerged from the bedroom, yawning. Just as he was about to sit down, his dad shot him a glare. “Go wash your hands!”
Lin Nan suddenly realized she hadn’t washed her hands either and hurriedly planned to get up to follow, but was pressed back down by Chen Yao’s overly eager mom.
“It’s okay if you’re not used to that habit, you can take your time to develop it. No need to rush.”
The overly enthusiastic couple left her completely clueless about how to refuse; all she could do was laugh awkwardly.
“Eat up.”
While Chen Yao was still washing his hands, his parents sat down and began filling Lin Nan’s bowl with food relentlessly. The rice at the bottom was practically buried, and with every piece of meat they put in, it was getting more and more ridiculous—Lin Nan hadn’t even taken a bite yet and was drowning in a mountain of food.
Curious, they started bombarding her with questions about her family situation, as if they were already preparing her for the role of daughter-in-law.
“I heard you don’t have a place to stay? No worries, you can stay here as long as you want.”
“No, my mom is picking me up to go to my grandfather’s house this afternoon.”
“How are your grades? I bet they’re way better than Chen Yao’s, right?”
“Pretty average…”
“Does Chen Yao tease you a lot? That guy is just obsessed with gaming every day.”
“I like gaming too…” Lin Nan forced herself to answer all the questions, afraid of being judged negatively by Chen Yao’s parents.
“Not bad. It’s good for girls to game! It’s a nice way to unwind and use your brain.”
Chen Yao was fuming. This is obviously a double standard! When boys game, it’s not for relaxation, huh? If only I’d known this back in the day, I wouldn’t have sneaked into the internet café only to be yelled at by you guys, alright?
Chen Yao suddenly felt like he was the guest, and Lin Nan was their daughter.
Poor him.
The whole meal was a bummer for Chen Yao; almost all the food in his bowl ended up in Lin Nan’s stomach. Lin Nan’s cheeks were puffed up like a chipmunk loaded with snacks, while Chen Yao’s parents were thrilled, increasingly taken with Lin Nan.
When Lin Nan finally protested that she couldn’t eat anymore, they let her off the hook. But as soon as she returned to her room, their sights immediately turned to Chen Yao.
“You little rascal! You’ve got some skills, bringing your girlfriend home!” His dad’s face darkened, and he launched into a lecture, making it hard for Chen Yao to lift his head. “You couldn’t give me a heads-up? I would’ve prepared something!”
He then turned to Chen Yao’s mom, asking, “How do you think I did? Was I too enthusiastic? I need to check online for tips on how to get along with a daughter-in-law.”
“Seriously, good thing we planned to take the day off today; otherwise, we wouldn’t have even seen her,” Chen Yao’s mom nodded, arms crossed. “You better go look that up; it was all so sudden, we had no prep time. It might’ve scared the poor girl!”
I wasn’t even planning on letting you meet her!
Chen Yao sighed. He just wanted Lin Nan to hang out at his place during this break in the countryside, but it just so happened his parents were home.
Things were spiraling out of control; it was clear they were treating Lin Nan like a potential daughter-in-law.
“We’re not even anything serious yet! Can you guys tone it down a bit?” Chen Yao helplessly retorted. “You’ve scared her!”
“Not even serious yet? You’re just a layer of paper away, aren’t you?” His mom, in her forties, who saw all kinds of people running a restaurant, teased her son. “Just look at her! The way she looks at you when she’s nervous—clearly, she likes you.”
“Plus, we’ve met so many people. It’s obvious she’s not the kind of girl with bad intentions. Treat her well or someone else will snatch her up!”
What, now I’m the pig in this scenario?
Chen Yao felt utterly baffled.
Sure, he did like Lin Nan, but that layer of paper was more like iron; you’d break a finger trying to get through.
If he’d only known, he’d have spent a little extra cash to stay in an inn for the afternoon.
“Before graduating, you better be responsible; otherwise, it’ll be pretty embarrassing for the girl, won’t it?”
“I’ve already said it’s not like that…”
Chen Yao was sandwiched between their teasing and had no chance to retort; he could only stand up and make a quick escape.
Who knew things would take such a turn?
