Chapter Fifty-Eight: The First Meeting Between Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law

After Tang Wan, Xu Nian, and Li Yu finished dinner in the cafeteria, they headed straight off campus, boarded a bus, and made their way to the Carp Club.

As for evening study hall? In two words: they ditched it. Once you skip study hall for the first time, it doesn’t take long before there’s a second, a third, and eventually an nth time.

Just like skipping class in college: once you get a taste for it, there’s no stopping you.

Tang Wan, however, was in a different mood from the other two, who bickered the whole way there. She seemed downcast, lost in thought.

Xu Nian noticed something was off. After agreeing to a ten-minute truce with Li Yu, she turned around and asked softly, “Wanwan, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Tang Wan shook her head without a word and gazed quietly out the window.

Seeing her like that, Li Yu thought of a word and leaned over to whisper to Xu Nian, “She’s lovesick.”

Xu Nian jabbed him with an elbow, knocking him back into his seat. She shot him a chilly look that said, Don’t you dare say another word.

Li Yu took the hint and zipped his lips, making a little zipping gesture to show he wouldn’t say anything else.

“Wanwan, it’s only one night without seeing him. It’s not like anything’s going to happen. Besides, he told you he had to go home, didn’t he? Don’t overthink it.”

“Mm.”

How could she not think about it? It had been two weeks since she’d held Lu You’s hand or cuddled up to him. Tang Wan was nearly going out of her mind. She’d planned to sneak off with him again tonight and find somewhere to be sweet together, but she’d never imagined he’d have to go home.

Tang Wan gave a one-word reply, then fell silent again.

Xu Nian sighed. Once someone fell in love, it was easy to stop being themselves. Their thoughts and feelings became bound to one person, swayed by his every move.

“How about calling Lu You when we get to the Carp Club?”

That finally got a reaction from Tang Wan. She answered, a little dazed, “Oh, right. I brought my phone. We can video call.”

Good grief! Had she even forgotten she had a phone?

Xu Nian was starting to get worried. If falling for someone made you lose this much intelligence, perhaps she’d better never date anyone.

…

When they arrived at the Carp Club, the group greeted the owner and went upstairs.

Xu Nian and Li Yu returned to their unfinished model-building project, while Tang Wan slipped into a room and found a spot on the desk to prop up her phone. She took a small mirror out of her backpack, tidied her appearance, practiced what she might say when he answered a few times, then tapped the button to start a voice and video call with Lu You.

The call rang once before he picked up.

Her heart beat a little faster. She took a deep breath and said sweetly, “Hello, Lu You. Can you hear me?”

…

Meanwhile.

Shen Yuyin was delighted to hear Tang Wan’s voice for the first time.

As expected of my future daughter-in-law. What a lovely voice.

Lu You glanced at Shen Yuyin. He wasn’t sure why, but she seemed even more excited than he was.

“I’m here. Go ahead.”

“Are you busy? Am I bothering you by calling?”

Shen Yuyin wanted very much to answer for her son, but he shot her a fierce look.

“I’m not busy. Did you need something?”

Yes! You can need something from me!

Shen Yuyin shouted silently in her heart.

“Can’t I call you when I don’t need anything?”

The girl’s soft voice took on a hint of playful reproach. In an instant, Lu You’s defenses crumbled, and a gentle smile crept onto his lips.

“Of course you can. You can call me whether you need something or not.”

“That’s more like it.”

Lu You got back to work. The chocolate was at the right temperature now, so he could start shaping the components.

Tang Wan’s voice came through again.

“If you’re not busy, why did you go home?”

Lu You picked up a feather-shaped chocolate tool, dipped it into the chocolate, and carefully pressed it against a strip of clear acetate. He drew it back gently, and a small chrysanthemum petal took shape.

According to the video, he needed to make three different sizes of petals, then attach them one by one to a little sphere.

He’d finished the first small petal. The rest would just be a matter of repeating the process, so he felt more relaxed as he answered, “I’m not busy—not in the sense that I have nothing to do. I just mean I can talk to you without interrupting what I’m working on.”

Then he continued, slowly making the remaining petals.

“I see.”

There was a hint of hurt in Tang Wan’s voice.

“But we haven’t held hands in two weeks, and we haven’t even hugged. Don’t you miss that?”

Her words sent a jolt through Lu You. His right hand twitched, and a drop of chocolate fell onto the acetate, ruining one of the petals.

What the heck! So this is what Tang Wan is like!

Shen Yuyin, who had been listening to their conversation without the slightest shame, widened her eyes in surprise.

What a bold girl!

So young, and already so clingy!

“I… I thought you didn’t like that kind of thing.”

“You never asked me. How would you know I didn’t like it?”

“Besides, I was the one who initiated our first hand-hold. It’s your turn to make the first move.”

“Uh… well… I…”

Woman!

Stop talking!

Under Shen Yuyin’s teasing gaze, Lu You was at a loss.

But with a phone between them, Tang Wan had no way of knowing that Lu You’s mother was right beside him, openly listening to every word. Who could possibly have guessed?

“Lu You, I miss you. Can we video call?”

There was a hint of shyness and coaxing in her voice.

!

That wouldn’t do!

Lu You hurriedly tried to warn her with his voice. “Tang Wan, are you sure?”

“Sure!”

“Are you… really sure?”

“I’m really sure!”

“You’re absolutely, completely sure you want to turn on your camera?”

“Just turn it on when I tell you to! Stop asking so many questions!”

A loud thump followed, as if someone had slammed a hand on the desk.

Well, if I’m doomed, I’m doomed.

Lu You turned toward his mother with a look of utter despair, hoping she’d take the hint and leave.

Shen Yuyin was enjoying the show too much to care. She ignored his silent plea and leaned back in her dining chair, looking entirely unconcerned.

Lu You gave up resisting. He silently mouthed, Go get a phone stand. Then he told Tang Wan, “Give me a moment.”

She didn’t object. It was only a phone stand, after all. Getting to see her future daughter-in-law was worth a little trouble.

In less than a minute, Shen Yuyin brought a phone stand over to Lu You. She even thoughtfully set his phone on it and adjusted the angle.

“All set. You can start the video call.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a video-call request appeared on the screen.

That fast?!

Had she already had her finger hovering over the video-call button?

Shen Yuyin very kindly tapped to answer for him, then quickly stepped out of the camera’s view.

A lovely, delicate face, untouched by makeup, appeared on the phone screen.

Seeing the apron Lu You was wearing, Tang Wan’s brows drew together with a trace of puzzlement.

“Do you… not want to see me?”

“No, that’s not it. How should I put this? I just thought you wouldn’t want to see me like this.”

“Huh?”

A big question mark seemed to appear above Tang Wan’s head. She couldn’t make sense of it.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

After hesitating for a long moment—and with Shen Yuyin constantly giving him pointed looks—Lu You finally made up his mind.

Sorry, Tang Wan.

You’ll have to deal with my mother yourself.

“Tang Wan, there’s someone here who wants to meet you.”

Before Tang Wan could react, Shen Yuyin eagerly pulled the phone stand over and appeared right in front of her.

“Hello, Tang Wan. I’m Lu You’s mother. My name is Shen Yuyin. You can call me Auntie Shen.”

Her words struck Tang Wan like a bolt from the blue.

She stared blankly at the beautiful woman on the screen, who looked so much like Lu You. Her mind went completely blank, and her heart pounded so hard it felt as though it might leap out of her chest.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I supposed to do?

Tang Wan’s stunned expression reminded Shen Yuyin of the time she’d met Lu You’s family at their old family compound when she was eighteen, accompanying Lu Jianyan to meet his parents.

The whole time, she’d huddled beside Lu Jianyan like an ostrich. Whenever an elder asked her a question, he’d answer for her. She’d only managed three phrases herself:

“Mm. All right. Thank you.”

“Don’t be nervous. Take your time. I won’t bite.”

“A-Auntie Lu, I’m f-fine. I’m not nervous!”

“Even though I’m Lu You’s mother, my surname is Shen.”

“Auntie Shen! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

Tang Wan apologized over and over, her delicate skin flushing cherry red.

What an adorable girl!

Shen Yuyin adored pretty girls like Tang Wan, who turned red after a little teasing—just like she herself had been in her youth.

“It’s all right. Come chat with me. My boy is making you a Christmas present, so let him get on with it for a while.”

“All right, Auntie Shen.”

With that, Shen Yuyin picked up the phone stand and headed into the living room.

Poor Tang Wan.

Lu You held a moment of silence for her, then went back to making chrysanthemum petals. He’d only just started, so he had to hurry; otherwise, he’d be working until the middle of the night.

…

Shen Yuyin was a university lecturer, after all. After a few exchanges, she and Tang Wan had managed to settle into a fairly normal conversation.

Tang Wan had also relaxed a little. She could now finish a whole sentence without stumbling over her words or saying the wrong thing as she had at first.

“Wanwan, how are things going between you and my boy? Does he treat you well?”

Tang Wan pressed her lips together and answered shyly, “Pretty well. He’s very good to me.”

“Let me give you a heads-up. Don’t be fooled by how presentable he looks. He has absolutely no experience getting along with girls. We kept a very close eye on him in middle school, so you don’t need to worry about him having any other girls in his life. That’s not happening.”

“Mm, I know.”

Tang Wan knew more or less what Lu You was like at school. There were plenty of girls who had a crush on him, but she was the only one who ever got to be by his side. She felt completely secure.

“But since he’s never been around girls, he might say some pretty stupid things. If you two argue, you’ll have to be patient with him. And if he ever dares to bully you, tell me. I’ll set him straight.”

“That won’t happen, Auntie Shen. He takes very good care of me, and we’ve never argued. Really!”

Except when she got jealous and threw a little tantrum. But Lu You always managed to smooth things over, so the two of them never actually ended up fighting.

“Is that so?”

He knows how to take care of a girl?

Shen Yuyin gave Lu You a skeptical glance. She didn’t believe it for a second.

“If anything’s bothering you, you have to tell me. I’ll send you my WeChat later. Just don’t let him manipulate you.”

“Okay. Thank you, Auntie.”

“Come on, let me show you something nice!”

Shen Yuyin stepped into the dining room, switched to the rear camera, and pointed the phone at Lu You’s focused profile.

“What do you think? Isn’t he handsome?”

Tang Wan didn’t answer. Or rather, she couldn’t find the words.

It was the first time she’d seen Lu You so completely absorbed in a task.

Steady, confident, and impossibly handsome—her heart fell for him all over again.