431. All Gathered Together【2/60】
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In the evening, Lin Nan’s grandfather stumbled into Chen Yao’s house, looking completely befuddled.
He gazed around at the family his granddaughter was about to marry into, feeling a bit like he was in a surreal dream.
What in the world is happening?
Just six months ago, Lin Nan was a total tomboy, and now she’s getting engaged?
Last month, when he saw Lin Nan, he learned she had a boyfriend who seemed decent enough, but just a boyfriend—nothing serious.
While it’s quite normal to marry early in this county, Grandpa couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all some kind of trick played by Lin Nan’s mother to pull him into a medical examination.
What, is she trying to con me into a check-up?
He suspiciously stepped inside and sat down on the soft couch, as arranged by Lin Nan’s mother.
“Where’s Nan Nan?”
“She’s napping inside.”
“And what about the guy she’s getting engaged to?”
“He went to pick up his grandpa,” Mother answered, grinning from ear to ear.
The coffee table was laden with fruit platters, filled with sliced fruit and a mountain of sunflower seeds and peanuts.
Grandpa absentmindedly grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, cracking them open while he asked, “Why the sudden engagement? No one mentioned anything before.”
“We’ve been discussing it for a while now.”
“Well, nobody bothered to tell me!” His usually stoic face barely revealed any emotion, but the tone suggested he was rather displeased.
Mother chuckled awkwardly and quickly handed Grandpa a slice of fruit.
In the kitchen, Chen Yao’s father was busy preparing for the evening feast. Upon hearing the commotion from the living room, he hurriedly grabbed a small bowl and brought a serving of fish balls in.
This is an essential hospitality gesture here; during holidays, it’s standard to serve guests a bowl of fish balls.
Grandpa accepted it without hesitation, breaking into a bit of a smile as he nodded at Chen Yao’s father.
Lin Nan also heard the hustle and bustle but, having just woken from her nap, stubbornly refused to get out of bed. She yawned, rolled over, and suddenly heard the sound of the door opening.
Then she heard Uncle Liu’s voice.
“Where’s Lin Nan? I brought her a gift!”
All the sleepiness vanished as Lin Nan sprang out of bed, rushing to the door, “Here I am!”
Uncle Liu, just putting on his slippers, looked up to see Lin Nan and cheerfully handed her a white box.
Beaming, she took the box and sweetly said, “Thank you, Uncle!”
Peeking into the box, she was overjoyed to find the latest iPad! Her eyes sparkled, and she impatiently tried to tear off the packaging.
“No, no, don’t open it yet!” Uncle Liu chuckled sheepishly, only to freeze when he spotted Lin Nan’s grandfather sitting on the couch.
Yikes! That’s his future father-in-law! Even though the wedding plans had hit a snag, it was still essential to win him over. He rushed to Grandpa’s side, showering him with greetings.
Grandpa, clearly having seen him before, offered a nonchalant nod and beckoned Lin Nan to sit down.
While Lin Nan eargerly torn open the tablet’s packaging and grinned from ear to ear, she plopped down next to her grandfather.
“Grandpa…”
“Hmm?” He looked at her.
“Isn’t it a bit hasty for me to get engaged?” Grandpa asked solemnly. “You’re still so young; don’t you fear regretting it in a few years?”
Mother folded her arms, rolled her eyes, and chimed in, “Dad, you didn’t say that when I was eighteen! Wasn’t it you who kept pushing me to go on blind dates?”
“Times have changed!” Grandpa shot her a glare. “You dropped out of school in fifth grade! What else could you do but get married and have kids? Look at Lin Nan—she’s in college!”
“College graduates aren’t worth much these days…” Mother grumbled.
Lin Nan hardly paid attention to their exchange. After much effort, she finally got the tablet out of its packaging. Holding the sleek device, a wave of joy washed over her, and she turned to Grandpa, asking, “What about my gift?”
Now Grandpa, who was about to continue scolding Mother, was momentarily stunned.
“Uncle Liu already got me an engagement gift, and Mom is waiting to give me a dowry for when I get married—so what about you?”
“Who gets gifted every single day before their wedding?” Grandpa waved his hand in mock exasperation, making Lin Nan squeal and bolt upright in fright.
No gifts and threatening to hit me? Who taught him to be so unreasonable?
At that moment, the door swung open again, and in walked Chen Yao, his mother, and a jolly-looking grandpa who looked remarkably youthful.
The two families were finally all gathered! But Uncle Liu, still just a boyfriend, awkwardly made an excuse to leave.
The living room began to buzz with chatter; the fearsome look on Grandpa’s face softened, revealing a hint of a smile. He and Chen Yao’s grandpa got along famously, both sharing a passion for Mahjong, so they quickly roped in Mother and Chen Yao’s mom to make a four-player table.
Meanwhile, Chen Yao’s dad remained back in the kitchen, busy and grumbling.
Lin Nan and Chen Yao, being the guests of honor today, stood awkwardly behind Mother, occasionally fielding questions from the elders.
“Do you have an apartment in the provincial city? That’s great! In a few years, let the kids design and decorate it themselves. I remember both Lin Nan and Chen Yao are studying design, right?”
“Grandpa, we’re not studying interior design…”
“What does it matter? It’s all design!” Grandpa absently grabbed a Mahjong tile, scrunched his thumb against its face, and pushed a tile forward, shouting, “Got it! Self-draw!”
Grandpa gleefully started counting how much he won with that round, then turned to Chen Yao, “Where do you plan to work after you graduate? Best if it’s in the provincial city—house, car, and peace of mind.”
“Wherever Lin Nan wants to go, I’ll follow her,” Chen Yao replied, standing tall, completely shedding his usual lazy demeanor at home. His voice was filled with confidence, almost like a different person.
Last time Chen Yao visited Grandpa at the hospital, Grandpa had been quite pleased with him. Seeing his energetic demeanor now, he couldn’t help but nod repeatedly, “Good! Hurry up and give me a great-grandson.”
Mentioning this made both Lin Nan and Chen Yao chuckle awkwardly.
Chen Yao’s grandpa occasionally eyed Lin Nan with curiosity but had no real questions, just whispering to Chen Yao’s mom, “How did such a beautiful girl end up with our Chen Yao?”
Back in high school, Chen Yao was always getting into fights and causing trouble. Although he was decent in school, he paled in comparison to the neighbor’s son. In the eyes of the elders, he was still the juvenile delinquent who skipped school to hang out at internet cafes.
“Maybe she’s easily fooled?” Chen Yao’s mom stifled a laugh. “It’s mostly because I’m clever and Chen Yao’s dad is too.”
If she hadn’t gone to great lengths to keep Lin Nan at their home for half a month during the New Year, who knows if this girl would have ever crossed their doorstep!
