Chapter 396 Doing The Right Thing At The Right Time
Tan Polang did not reveal Yi QIngchen’s identity to Zuo Xiaolan due to pressure from Ye Ci. It was also Fleeting Time’s own wish to keep it hidden. That was why Zuo Xiaolan and Ye Nantian would always talk about him in their conversations.
“Little Yi looks like a hardworking man. He’s not a bad person.”
“Yup.” Ye Nantian agreed, “He’s a person with a good character.”
Zuo Xiaolan expressed her doubts for her husband’s words, “How do you know? You’ve only met him for a very short while.
Ye Nantian who was watching a dance show on television while munching on sunflower seeds replied absentmindedly, “Because he’s a good mahjong player.”
“And how can you tell from that? Don’t you know that you only won big because he lets you…” Ye Ci rolled her eyes at her father and left for the station to pick Bai Mo up.
Ye Nantian pursed his lips but remained silent. The question was finally asked by Zuo Xiaolan after Ye Nantian left, “I think Little Ci’s right. How can you tell if he’s intentionally losing to you? Is it because he intentionally lost a lot of money to you?”
“You’re only reading the surface.” Ye Nantian shook his head and chuckled, “Since it was his intention to lose, then I won’t mind how much money I won. But I can tell that he’s the sort of person who does not like losing. So even if he lost by intention, it would be hard to mask the displeasure within him. But that young lad did not show even the slightest hint of being displeased even when he knew that he would lose for sure. He’s very mature.”
Zuo Xiaolan shrugged in dismissal of her husband’s words. She popped a grape into her mouth and continued staring at the television. “What did you mean by that?” she asked when Ye Nantian thought that the conversation had ended.
“You don’t know?” Ye Nantian smiled at Zuo Xiaolan.
“It’s not like I can read your mine.” Zuo Xiaolan rolled her eyes, “How would I know if you don’t tell me.”
“I think he’s a good kid. He might not be a bad choice for Ye Ci.” Ye Nantian sighed with a frown, “Although I do not like the idea of Ye Ci marrying so early, she's already twenty one years old.”
“Didn’t you yourself say that twenty one is still young? Why are you so worried?” Zuo Xiaolan stared incredulously at her husband. He had always claimed that Ye Ci was too young whenever the couple was discussing Fleeting Time. His sudden change in attitude was baffling.
“It is a young age, but he’s a good man, and I think our daughter needs a lesson when it comes to romantic relationships.”
Zuo Xiaolan had never seen Ye Nantian so serious before, “Why would you think that?”
“This is one of the most important lessons our child needs in her life. And we as parents can never teach her about it. The lesson might end well or badly for her, and our job is to always be by her side as she experiences all of this. She can’t be with us for the rest of her life. The day she gets married will come. She’ll one day become a wife and a mother. I’m not desperate to marry her off, but I think it’s time for her to experience this.”
“Yes. You’re right. This is a lesson we can’t teach her. But why must you lock in the choice on Little Yi?” Zuo Xiaolan understood what her husband meant, but she refused to back down in the argument, “Aren’t you contradicting yourself?”
Ye Nantian patted his wife on the head, “You’re not wrong. But she’s still my daughter. Even if I know it’s not good to intervene in her love life, I still want her to have a good man as her partner.” and he continued with a smile, “Besides, not all women are lucky enough to meet the right man for her the first time.”
“Aren’t you a little too extreme? Are you saying that there are a lot of scumbags in the world?” retorted Zuo Xiaolan.
“It’s not that, but it’s a matter of maturity. Boys tend to mature late. It’s simply a matter of timing.” Ye Nantian shook his head and redirected his attention back to the television, “Twenty one is the best age for Ye Ci. She’s young, brave, passionate, and persistent. This is what she needs in a relationship. Yi Qingchen on the other hand was at the perfect age as well. He might not have a career going for him yet, but what he has is maturity and a passion. It would be nice if our daughter could end up with someone like him.
Zuo Xiaolan was shocked to hear her husband’s words, “Wow, that doesn’t sound like what a man would say.”
“But that is still what I think about the situation. But it would be wise to not force a choice upon Ye Ci.” and Ye Nantian continued after a slight pause, “Let’s use Fleeting Time as an example. I don’t think he’s as good as Yi Qingchen. He’s just some guy our daughter knew in-game, but why are you so sure of him?”
Zuo Xiaolan clutched at her hair, “It’s just a feeling I have. But Yi Qingchen doesn’t look like a bad person either.” she leaned against her husband, “Honey, is God now sending two candidates to our daughter because she had been neglected by members of the opposite sex for so long?”
Ye Nantian broke out into laughter, “You’re thinking too much about it. This is something that Ye Ci should worry about, not you.”
Ye Ci put on her jeans, grabbed a wind jacket, and stomped downstairs with her high heels. She pulled out her keyes, tossed it into the air, and catched it with a graceful movement before making her way to her car.
She saw Tan Polang running towards her from a distance away just when she started the engine. She raised an eyebrow at the boy when he pulled open the door to the passenger seat, “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at your friend’s place today?”
“His parents forced him to go out with him, so I came back.” Tan Polang handed a steamed bun to Ye Ci from a paper bag, “I bought these from Old Huang just now. They’re freshly made.”
“I need to drive.” Ye Ci declined his offer.
“I’ll feed you.” Tan Polang put the steamed bun against Ye Ci’s mouth. Due to the incidnet with Yi Qingchen, Tan Polang had been trying his best to get back on Ye Ci’s good side. She was not angered by it, but she would never reject the services of someone trying to appease her as well.
She took a big bite and reserved her car, and began heading to the direction of the station.
Bai Mo was already waiting for them with bags of various sizes and a very large luggage. He would look like a refugee if not for his decent clothing. Ye Ci stopped her car in front of Bai Mo, before getting out of the car and leaning against its roof, “Yo! Look what we have here! Where are you from, young man?” she smiled at Bai Mo.
Bai Mo grinned at Ye Ci, “I haven’t had a meal for days, sis. Can you give me something to eat?”
“No way, I’m not running a charity. You must pay for it with labor. What can you do?” Ye Ci clicked her tongue. Even Tan Polang who was still in the car was laughing out loud.
“I’m very strong. I can do some hard labor.”
Ye Ci raised an eyebrow at him, “Get your stuff into the car. I can get you a job.”
Bai Mo immediately loaded his bags into the car. An old man walked up to him when he was almost done, “Young man, is this your first time traveling far away from home? I can tell that you’re new around her. Do not go with her!”
The old man continued as he stared at Ye Ci suspiciously, “Look at her. I bet she’s a scammer! She’ll probably drug you and sell your kidneys! Don’t get in her car…”
Bai Mo was slightly stunned by the old man’s words. He could not help the laughter that left his mouth as he patted the old man on his shoulder and said in a soft voice, “Don’t worry about me. I’m a cop. I’m here to catch people like her!”
“Oh…” the old man looked at Ye Ci, then at Bai Mo again, “Stay safe, young man.”
Bai Mo boarded the car after bidding his farewell with the old man, “What did he say to you?” asked Ye Ci.
She and Tan Polang erupted into laughter when Bai Mo relayed what had happened to them.
Tan Polang received a call from another friend right when they drove out of the station, inviting him to his house. He shoved the bag of steamed buns at Bai Mo and immediately left to board a bus.
“I’m hungry! The food they had on the train was so bad that I don’t even have an appetite.” said Bai Mo as he ate.
“How were your dates?” Ye Ci smiled at Bai Mo.
And her cousin’s expression immediately darkened. He took a large bite out of a steamed bun and sighed, “What’s with girls these days? They would smile and be very gentle with me if the person who arranged the date told her about my family’s financial capabilities.”
“And if there was no mention of my family’s finances, they would tell me straight up that they don’t want me if I do not at least have a monthly salary of fifty thousand! F*ck me! I’ve not even graduated yet!”
“I guess it did not go well for you.” Ye Ci laughed.
“I was simply fulfilling the mission my mother gave me.”
“Are auntie and uncle so desperate to see you married?”
“It’s not them, it’s their friends! They would always bug them about getting a partner for me! They have been pestering my parents for a long time, and the only thing my parents could do was to send me to the arranged dates. But goddamn, they’re all turned out to be gold diggers.”
“How many of those dates have you attended?” Ye Ci did not even attempt to console her cousin, “Heed my words, dear cousin. The population of women is smaller than the population of men these days. Don’t be too picky or you’ll end up single for the rest of your life!”
“I would rather find a man than to deal with women like them!”
Ye Ci guffawed at his words, and the teasing continued, “I look forward to seeing you having a significant other. Purity Essence is not a bad choice. You’re close aren’t you? There’s also Timely rain and Four Seas. They’re quite good looking if you ask me…”
Bai Mo stuffed a steamed bun into Ye Ci’s mouth before she could complete her sentence, “You damned brat, do you really want me to be gay?”
And the only response he received from Ye Ci was more laughter.
“We have a visitor this Spring Festival?” Bai Mo abruptly shifted the topic.
“Have you wiretapped my house? How did you know?”
“Polang told me.”
“Oh.” Ye Ci nodded, “There was one.”
“Fleeting Time?”
“Yup.”
And the conversation died there and then.
