Su Ya called the two of them to wash their hands for dinner. At the table, there were no more uncomfortable topics brought up. Lao Qiao opened a bottle of red wine and poured a small amount for everyone. As his father-in-law poured the wine, Zhang Peng instinctively stood up with his hands around the glass, accepted the wine, and then sat back down.
Seeing this, Su Ya couldn’t help but think, This is someone who has only recently come into wealth. Even with a billion-dollar net worth, Zhang Peng still maintained a humble demeanor. He probably brought the red wine simply because it was the most expensive thing he could grab. She couldn’t help but say, “Next time, don’t bring wine. Qiao Laoshi has arthritis.” Her tone wasn’t just polite; it was a subtle sign that she was beginning to see Zhang Peng as part of the family.
Zhang Peng’s eyes brightened.
Lao Qiao waved it off, saying, “A little drink won’t hurt.”
Qiao Qiao added, “Exactly, Dad. You’re under Mom’s watch all year long, so a little wine now and then is fine.”
Su Ya casually remarked, “Some people, who haven’t been home for years, wouldn’t know if their parents drink or even eat anymore.”
Qiao Qiao slammed his hand on the table and declared boldly, “Fine, I’ll punish myself with three glasses as an apology!”
Su Ya tapped Qiao Qiao on the forehead with her chopsticks. “Are you trying to kill yourself? One sip is enough; you’re not allowed to drink more.”
“Ow.” Qiao Qiao grumbled. “Mom, how can I make it up to you then? Should I give you a foot massage later?”
“I don’t need that.” Su Ya replied, slightly disgusted. “Just eat your food and stop talking about feet.”
“Okay.” Qiao Qiao said, stuffing a piece of braised pork into his mouth, savoring the rich flavor.
If she doesn’t want it, then fine, he thought, dropping the idea of any further gestures.
Lao Qiao raised his glass. “Today is a day for family reunion. Let’s have a toast.”
Qiao Qiao swallowed his food and lifted his glass, cheering, “Cheers!”
Zhang Peng glanced at Su Ya, unsure if he was included in this definition of “family.”
Su Ya picked up her glass and gently clinked it against the others, not excluding Zhang Peng.
This reassurance was exactly what Zhang Peng needed. With a delighted smile, he echoed, “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
The ruby-red wine swirled in the glass, its rich aroma adding a layer of warmth to the already cozy room.
After dinner, Zhang Peng took the initiative to clear the table and load the dishwasher. Lao Qiao intercepted him, saying, “What are you doing? You’re a guest. Go watch TV.” He nodded toward the living room, where Su Ya was watching the news.
Zhang Peng thought for a moment, then brewed a cup of tea and brought it over to Su Ya. “Auntie, this should help with the wine.” he said, sitting down next to her.
Qiao Qiao had been busy playing with the cats, teasing a lazy Ragdoll with a cat wand. The cat’s eyes followed the toy, but its body remained slumped on the cushion, occasionally swatting half-heartedly at the string.
When he saw Zhang Peng being left alone with Su Ya, Qiao Qiao immediately dropped the cat toy and rushed over to intervene.
Lao Qiao called from the kitchen, “Qiao Qiao, I need to talk to you.”
Zhang Peng gave Qiao Qiao a look that clearly said, You should go.
Reluctantly, Qiao Qiao entered the kitchen, where Lao Qiao motioned for him to close the sliding door.
“Make it quick.” Qiao Qiao said, standing on tiptoe to peer back into the living room.
Lao Qiao lightly tapped him on the head with a spatula. “Do you really think Su Laoshi is a tiger?”
Qiao Qiao pouted, “Look at this bruise on my butt. Mom gave it to me. Check it out, Dad.”
“I’m not looking.” Lao Qiao said. “You brought this on yourself. If you hadn’t moved in with someone without telling us, I would’ve hit you too. Last year, when you didn’t come home for the New Year, on New Year’s Eve, your mom was looking at the moon and muttering, ‘May we live long and prosper, and may Qiao Qiao be single.’”
The first part of that sentence made Qiao Qiao’s nose tingle with emotion, but by the time Lao Qiao finished the second part, Qiao Qiao was bristling. “Dad, I’m really mad now!”
Lao Qiao remained serious. “First, tell me—was it right not to come home for the New Year?”
Qiao Qiao slumped his shoulders. “I was wrong, okay?”
With that admission, Lao Qiao dropped the stern act. He set the spatula aside, removed his dishwashing gloves, and placed a warm, dry hand on the back of Qiao Qiao’s neck, sighing softly.
Qiao Qiao knew what was on his father’s mind. “Dad, you and Mom can relax. You saw how Zhang Peng reacted just now. Whether I have glands or am an omega, it doesn’t matter to him. I am who I am, and that’s enough.”
Lao Qiao put an arm around his son’s shoulders. “It’s good that he says that, but why are you shouting about it? What if it comes back to bite you?”
Qiao Qiao dropped his playful demeanor, his tone turning serious and firm. “Because I believe in him.”
For Qiao Qiao, the word “believe” carried a deep and powerful significance.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Zhang Peng, who was nervously offering tea to Su Ya like a dutiful daughter-in-law, was taken aback when Su Ya not only accepted the tea but also politely thanked him.
Zhang Peng hesitated. “There’s no need to thank me.”
Su Ya took a sip of tea, then turned up the volume on the TV. As the solemn voice of the news anchor filled the room, she glanced toward the kitchen, satisfied that Lao Qiao had Qiao Qiao under control. With this assurance, she began speaking to Zhang Peng in a tone that was both candid and thoughtful. “Qiao Qiao must have caused you a lot of trouble, hasn’t he?”
Zhang Peng shook his head. “Not at all.”
Su Ya’s smile softened. “Don’t be fooled by his PhD or his age. Mentally, Qiao Qiao is still just a child.”
Zhang Peng smiled warmly. “Auntie, Qiao Qiao is really great.”
Su Ya, with the tone of someone giving advice to a son-in-law, said, “Don’t always let him have his way. When he does something wrong or throws a tantrum, don’t hesitate to scold him.”
The intimacy in Su Ya’s words made Zhang Peng’s smile grow even wider. Just as he was basking in the warmth of her acceptance, he noticed that Su Ya was staring at him, her gaze unwavering. Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. Su Laoshi has a habit of following up with a “but”!
Zhang Peng tensed, his ears pricking up as he anxiously awaited Su Laoshi’s inevitable “but.”
And she did not disappoint. “But…”
There it is, Zhang Peng thought, steeling himself.
“AB pairings have a divorce rate of over 65%. However, even the most favored AO pairings still have a divorce rate fluctuating between 29% and 35%. And what everyone assumes to be the most stable BB pairings still have a divorce rate of no less than 40%, with some cities seeing rates as high as 50%.”
Zhang Peng cautiously agreed, “It’s true. Divorce rates are on the rise, even for AO pairings.”
Su Laoshi concluded, “So, life is what you make of it. Since you’ve shown you can resist the allure of omega pheromones, I have no reason to break you two up.”
Zhang Peng felt like he was walking on air; this time, Su Laoshi’s “but” had worked out in his favor.
Just as Zhang Peng was at the peak of his joy, his emotions at an all-time high, Su Ya smiled sweetly and asked, “Xiao Zhang, I won’t object to your relationship anymore, but could you tell me when exactly you two started living together? Could Auntie learn about that?”
The sweat immediately began to pour down Zhang Peng’s face as he realized, So this is the real “but” from Su Laoshi!
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