429. Evening
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The next morning, Lin Nan was rudely awakened by the chatter in the living room.
With a bit of grogginess, she sat up in bed, stifled a yawn, and glanced down at Chen Yao, who was sleeping on the floor.
Even though they’d lived together in the rental apartment for two months, this was still Chen Yao’s family home. Sharing a bed wasn’t the best idea, mainly because Auntie would tease them mercilessly.
“What’s going on outside?” Chen Yao, still dazed, fought against the noise in the living room.
“Can’t hear,” Lin Nan rubbed her eyes and tousled her already messy hair, grabbed a comb from the bedside table, and gave herself a quick fix-up.
Chen Yao was the first to scramble out of bed, yawning widely as he stumbled to the door. He paused and then turned back to Lin Nan, “Your mom’s here.”
“Your mom, your mom—how rude!” Lin Nan shot back, not pleased at all.
“So, what should I call her?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She thought for a moment, “Auntie?”
Hearing her mother had arrived, she hurriedly got up, slipped on her slippers, and peeked out of the bedroom.
Sure enough, her mother was sitting on the sofa, grinning like a cheshire cat.
Clearly, the excitement of preparing for Lin Nan’s engagement had overshadowed the ill feelings from yesterday. If yesterday’s mother looked like a smitten schoolgirl, today she was totally rocking that mature mom vibe, a glimmer of genuine joy in her eyes thanks to Lin Nan’s upcoming engagement.
Next to her, Uncle and Auntie were sitting on either side, looking like they were just done with a lively discussion, or maybe a mini squabble.
Lin Nan didn’t even bother to wash up, practically scampered to the sofa, and asked with a bewildered expression, “Were you guys just arguing?”
“Nope!” Mom shook her head with a smile, “Come, sit here.”
Auntie shifted over, and without a second thought, Lin Nan plopped herself down between the two adults.
Curiosity piqued, she exchanged glances between Auntie and her mom, finally landing on Uncle, feeling they were hiding something from her.
Chen Yao took a quick bathroom break and joined the living room, lazily flopping down next to Uncle and letting out another yawn.
“Just agreed on a dowry of a million,” Mom announced as she held Lin Nan’s hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“A million?! Really?!” Lin Nan’s eyes went wide.
“Yeah, it’s a million for show, but we’ll give back seventy thousand tonight,” Mom beamed, “Having a big dowry gives both our families more face.”
Well, that’s still thirty thousand in actual cash!
Lin Nan’s eyes lit up.
Even though it’s a far cry from a million, thirty grand was still pretty nice.
“I’ll even throw in a car worth about a hundred thousand as part of the dowry, along with that shell of a house in the provincial city—I’ll be the one doing the renovations,” Mom continued, but suddenly her expression turned serious, “If your dad gives me back my money, then the dowry could be an extra hundred grand…”
Lin Nan was momentarily stunned. They’d been divorced for six months, and her dad still hadn’t returned that money to her mom?
“The bride price and dowry will be for both of you, acting as your little family’s startup fund,” Auntie smoothly changed the subject, “By then, you’ll have over thirty grand and a house and a car—marriage life will be a piece of cake. And hurry up, give me a grandkid, and I can help take care of it!”
Immediately, Mom was on board, nodding enthusiastically, “Yes, bring me those grandbabies quick! We can help out with the kids!”
“Eh?”
Lin Nan, who had been fuming over her dad not giving her mom money before the divorce, now felt her face go red. Even Chen Yao, with his thick skin, felt a bit shy hearing that.
He couldn’t hold back and said, “Mom, at least wait until we’re thirty before talking like that! How are we supposed to afford kids?”
“I have money!”
“But the internet says it’s best not to let grandparents raise the kids, or they’ll just spoil them rotten,” Chen Yao pointedly said, focusing on Lin Nan’s mom.
The idea of grandparental affection sounded heartwarming, but many rambunctious kids today ended up that way precisely because of grandparental pampering.
Lin Nan’s mom had been pretty neglectful toward Lin Nan, and now those feelings of guilt might just transfer onto her future grandkids, leading to spoiled brats.
As for Chen Yao’s mom, probably not much better!
Chen Yao had binge-watched a bunch of parenting videos online. Even though he and Lin Nan weren’t engaged yet and had two years before the legal marriage age, it didn’t hurt to get a head start.
Auntie gave him a sideways glance, not quite impressed, “Oh, really? So are you planning for Lin Nan to quit her job to take care of kids full time?”
“Or are you going to hire a nanny? Do you have that kind of money?” Auntie fired back with a hint of sarcasm.
All of a sudden, Chen Yao found himself speechless. He was still a college student and couldn’t afford to be independent; anything he said felt wrong, and his status was definitely on the lower end of the totem pole.
Lin Nan, amused, watched Chen Yao squirm, and just then, Mom chimed in, “Since we’ve set the engagement, how about I invite your grandpa over tonight as a witness?”
“I’ll pick up Chen Yao’s grandparents too,” Auntie laughed, “And we don’t need anything too fancy—just a simple dinner at home. I’ll cook, and the kids’ dad can handle the rest!”
“I’ll help too!” Mom said, though she sounded a bit sheepish.
Sure, she’d been a mom for eighteen years, but her cooking skills didn’t even hold a candle to Lin Nan’s. Helping in the kitchen? More like not burning the place down would be an achievement!
Fortunately, Auntie understood the situation and gently refused, “I’ll take care of the cooking; you just handle the guests.”
Lin Nan sat there confused. Just yesterday, she was worried about her mom’s late-blooming romance, and today she was gearing up for her own engagement?
She glanced at Chen Yao, and he looked just as bewildered, like a deer caught in headlights.
Here he was, unable even to support himself financially, and now he was talking about getting engaged… For some reason, an overwhelming sense of responsibility washed over him.
If they were getting engaged, that meant Lin Nan would really be his—no more flimsy boyfriend-girlfriend label.
He furrowed his brow, the first time seriously considering his career path after graduation.
He wanted to provide Lin Nan with a good standard of living—not luxurious, but at least on par with what their parents could afford.
If he could build a career in the big city, he’d need to make at least ten grand a month; if he stayed in this small county, eight or nine thousand would have to do.
He started feeling anxious. This sudden sense of obligation felt like a heavy weight pressing down on him. Here he was, still a student, and he had no clue what kind of job could meet the lifestyle he wanted for Lin Nan.
“What does Chen Yao plan to do after graduation?” Lin Nan’s mom suddenly looked up at him.
He blinked, momentarily caught off guard, unsure of how to respond.
Once eager to join the military after graduation, he now struggled to voice that aspiration; joining the military meant his fiancée would spend at least three lonely years waiting for him.
“Um, I guess I’ll just find a job that fits my major?” he answered rather hesitantly.
