Late morning.
Yang Zhaode’s apartment.
Yang Zhaode saw Dong Xuebing entering and laughed. “Xiao Bing, you are back? Hah, why did you buy so many groceries?” “These are all vegetables that can last. If you cannot finish, you can store them in the fridge. This way, you and Mum don’t need to buy groceries tomorrow.” Dong Xuebing entered and placed the grocery bags on the table in the living room. He noticed a few people in the apartment, and Su Jia is still looking at him curiously. A middle-aged couple is standing behind her, and they don’t look like ordinary people. Are they Su Jia’s parents? Why are they at Old Yang’s apartment? Huh?! Dong Xuebing suddenly understood why and is speechless.
Su Jia seems to guess it as well and turns to Yang Zhaode in shock. “Uncle, this is…”
Yang Zhaode laughed. “Xiao Bing is your Aunt Luan’s son. You are working in Yan Tai County, right? Do you two know each other?” Su Jia laughed. “Of course. I had even performed magic with him on the stage.”
Yang Zhaode laughed. “You two know magic?! Alright! You two must perform for me some other day!” Dong Xuebing thought to himself. The world is so small. Su Jia is Old Yang’s niece, and her mother is Old Yang’s sister?!
Luan Xiaoping walked over and introduced them. “Xiao Bing, this is your Aunt and Uncle.” “Aunt, Uncle.” Dong Xuebing greeted them. Although Luan Xiaoping and Old Yang are not married, it’s fine for Dong Xuebing to address them this way.
Yang Zhaofen and Su Zhongyi nodded slightly to return the greetings.
Luan Xiaoping looked like the mistress of the apartment and invited Su Jia’s family to sit on the sofa. Yang Zhaofen and Su Zhongyi had arrived earlier, and Su Jia had just arrived. She was introduced to Luan Xiaoping just now, and she entered the kitchen with Dong Xuebing to prepare lunch. She is working in the TV station and has been curious about Dong Xuebing’s feats. Now, they have suddenly become ‘relatives.’
In the kitchen, Su Jia laughed. “Chief Dong, I didn’t expect this coincident.” “Me too. Stop calling Chief. Just call me Xiao Dong will do.” Dong Xuebing laughed. “I will also address you as Sis in the future.” “Sure.” Su Jia replied. “I will call you Xuebing instead. After all, we are considered one family.” Their age difference is not big and has many things in common. Dong Xuebing got to know more about Su Jia during this conversation, and she is very friendly and loves to joke. Hmmm… it’s just her figure is a bit… from the shape of her chest, she seems to have added some padding, but they are still very small and flat. It’s just liked an airport runway, but this is something unique.
Outside of the kitchen.
“Zhaofen, have some tea.” Luan Xiaoping poured a glass of tea for her.
Yang Zhaofen took the glass of tea. “Thank you, Sister Luan.”
Luan Xiaoping smiled. “Don’t mention it. Do you want to eat fruits?” “It’s fine. I will take it myself.”
Su Zhongyi and Yang Zhaode are sitting in one corner chatting over cigarettes.
Dong Xuebing noticed Old Yang’s Sister’s attitude towards his mother seems to be distanced. Although she is not rude towards Luan Xiaoping, she seems to be maintaining a distance from her. Luan Xiaoping had met her before, and this is considered meeting ‘each other’s family.’ She should not be giving such an attitude. Dong Xuebing knew Yang Zhaofen did not have much respect for his mother. After all, the status between both families is too different. This made Dong Xuebing unhappy. Since his Mum and Yang Zhaode had confirmed their relationship, she will be Yang Zhaofen’s Sister-in-law. The Sister-in-law’s airs must be around, or else Luan Xiaoping will be bullied in the future. Marriage is not just about two people. It will affect two families.
Dong Xuebing stopped his mother when she was about to go to the bathroom. He wants to tell her not to treat Yang Zhaofen so well. If she wants to be with Old Yang for the rest of her life, she must behave like the Elder Sister-in-law.
But before Dong Xuebing could say anything, Luan Xiaoping asked softly. “How much cash do you have with you?”
“Huh? Why are you asking?” Dong Xuebing was stunned.
“Can you lend me some first?”
“I think I still have two to three hundred with me. I had spent most of my cash yesterday and earlier. Why do you need money? If it is urgent, I will go out and withdraw. Oh, didn’t I transferred money to you?”
Luan Xiaoping whispered. “I did not bring much cash with me. If I knew Su Jia will be here, I would have gone to the bank and withdraw some money.” “Oh, you want to give to Sister Su.” “I don’t know if their family has this practice, but our family does give the lower generation some money when meeting for the first time. Err… a few hundred seems to be too little, right?” Luan Xiaoping had already thought of how to establish her status. Giving a gift is the most effective way. This is the first meeting with Su Jia, and she must give something presentable. Old Yang’s relatives are well-off, and a few hundred RMB is nothing to them. She should give at least a few thousand.
“How about I go downstairs to withdraw some cash?” Luan Xiaoping asked. She will seek her son’s opinions nowadays.
Dong Xuebing thought for a while and understood what his mother meant. “Giving money is not a good idea. Both our families don’t lack money.”
Luan Xiaoping had lived in Beijing for many years, and Beijing people treat these customs seriously.
Dong Xuebing, who had grown up in Beijing, understood this better than anyone else. “Alright. Giving gifts is not wrong. Wait a while. Let me see what I have with me.” He checked his pockets and body and felt the ring on his left hand. He took out his ring and gave it to his mother. “This is definitely good enough as a gift. It’s a platinum ring with Ice jade ring surface, and it is worth around 600,000 to 700,000 RMB. Just give her this.” This ring is made from the jade Dong Xuebing bought when he went jade gambling in Beijing. It was given to him a Qilin Jade pendant, necklace, and a Patek Philippe watch. Other than the watch, Qu Yunxuan gave him these jade ornaments to be given out as gifts.
Luan Xiaoping hesitated. “Is it too expensive? This…”
Dong Xuebing gave his mother a light push. “Mum, this is not the time to worry about money. Furthermore, it’s only a few hundred thousand. With our wealth, a few hundred thousand is nothing.
Luan Xiaoping smiled and gave Dong Xuebing a stare. “Show off!”
Dong Xuebing laughed and lowered his voice. “You are also a wealthy woman now. Our family owns tens of million worth of assets now. Who dares to look down on us? You must be brave. We are in no way inferior to Old Yang’s family. Maybe they are the ones who are not good enough for you.”
“Huh?” Luan Xiaoping gasped. “When did it become tens of million? Isn’t it ten million?”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Ten million is a long time ago. Our assets are worth at least 50 million now.”
Luan Xiaoping took a deep breath and smacked her son’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
“Huh? I thought I had told you. Maybe I had forgotten about it.”
Dong Xuebing also understands now. We are all the same with two eyes and one nose. No one is inferior or superior to each other. Other than his connections, just the money he earned with Qu Yunxuan is enough to shock others. Although the City’s Party Committee’s Organization Department’s minister is a high-ranked officer, his family can still match his status. Hmm… I had thought wrongly in the past. How can Mum not be good enough for Old Yang? They are made for each other.
“Mum, do you feel more confident now?”
Luan Xiaoping is feeling better now. “… I will get going now.”
Dong Xuebing stopped her. “Put on the ring first, and don’t let them know the ring is from me.”
“Do you think I am stupid? I know what to do.”
“Haha… alright. You are the smartest.”
After joking with her son for a while, Luan Xiaoping puts on the ring on her hand before returning to the living room. Yang Zhaode and Su Zhongyi are still smoking in a corner, and Su Jia is massaging her mother’s thigh beside her.
Luan Xiaoping looked at them enviously. “Xiao Jia treats you so well. She is much better than Xiao Bing.”
Dong Xuebing, who was following behind his mother, gave her a stare. I had just given you a ring, and you are saying this about me?!
Su Jia giggled. “Aunty Luan, I am just putting on my best behavior in front of my mother. Haha… I was about to ask for pocket money.”
Yang Zhaofen laughed. “You are already working, and you still want pocket money from me?”
“Hehe… you are my Mum…”
Luan Xiaoping sat down beside Su Jia. “Xiao Jia. This is our first meeting, and I did not prepare anything for you. Here, take this.” She took off the jade ring and gave it to Su Jia.
Su Jia quickly pushes the ring back. “Aunt Luan, no need. I cannot accept your gift.”
Luan Xiaoping refused. “Put it on. It’s not worth much.
Yang Zhaofen, Su Zhongyu, and the rest turned and look at them.
Su Jia looked down at the ring and paused before saying. “This is not worth much? This ring surface is Ice grade jade, right? It’s worth at least a few hundred thousand outside, and you might not even get it with money. Aunt Luan, this gift is too expensive for me to accept.
Yang Zhaofen was stunned. She did not expect Luan Xiaoping to be so generous to give a gift worth a few hundred thousand. But she had heard Luan Xiaoping is from an ordinary family.
After a few rounds of pushing back and fro, Yang Zhaode said. “This is a gift from your Aunt Luan. Just accept it.”
Su Jia looks at her mother and saw her nodding. “Thank you, Aunt Luan.” Which girl doesn’t like beautiful jewelry? Su Jia has never owned such an expensive piece of jewelry in her life, and she loves it very much. She immediately puts it in her hand.
Luan Xiaoping praises. “This ring suits Xiao Jia better. I am too old to wear that.”
Yang Zhaofen looks at Luan Xiaoping. “You are not old and looks at least five years younger than me.”
“Haha… I am almost fifty now.” Luan Xiaoping replied.
After giving the ring, Yang Zhaofen’s attitude changed immediately, and Luan Xiaoping has established her authority as the ‘Sister-in-law.’
