Chapter 55.1
Five minutes later, the two people who had been openly dating but secretly involved in a relationship were summoned to sit on the sofa for a three-way interrogation.
Mother Lu: “So, you two didn’t meet for the first time yesterday?”
Yu Le nodded reluctantly.
Lu Yao, “Yes.”
Father Lu: “So, you’ve known each other for a while?”
Yu Le continued to nod slightly.
Lu Yao: “We met as soon as we returned to the mountain.”
Mother Lu: “So, are you two… dating now?”
Yu Le pressed his lips together and looked at Lu Yao.
Lu Yao, “Yes, we’ve been together for a while.”
Father Lu silently adjusted his glasses.
Mother Lu, both angry and amused, said, “You two, if you’re dating, just date! Why hide it and play matchmaker behind our backs? Do you really think we’d object?”
Yu Le stiffened and said, “Sorry, Auntie, it’s my—”
“It’s my fault for not telling him that I was his matchmaker earlier.”
Lu Yao took all the blame upon himself, “Le Le felt it would be rude to waste someone else’s time, so he planned to personally invite the other party for a meal and apologize. I wanted to make a joke, so I didn’t mention it before the meeting. It ended up annoying the other party, and that’s my fault.”
Yu Le remained silent for a couple of seconds, “Yes, that’s how it was.”
Mother Lu, “How can you be so annoying?”
Mother Lu glared at him, “Still so young, playing such jokes like the young ones do? Just bullying Little Yu because he has a good temper, right?”
Father Lu also wore a serious expression as he joined Mother Lu in rebuking, “Old enough and still not mature. If you want to joke, you should consider whether the other person finds it funny too.”
—
Mother Lu really liked Little Yu.
She felt a connection and fondness for him when he was still a matchmaker candidate yesterday. Today, knowing that he was already part of the family, she felt even more pleased, unable to hide her smile.
And Yu Le, who had felt awkward enough when he opened the door, now felt his embarrassment return.
He really had no experience with meeting parents. Actually, he had no experience at all.
The situation was sudden, and he didn’t have time to prepare properly. Now, sitting here with his boyfriend’s mother staring at him with a smile, he didn’t even know what kind of expression would be appropriate.
He wanted to shrink behind Lu Yao and hide.
At this moment, the quiet girl sitting next to Mother Lu, who Yu Le had almost forgotten in his nervousness, finally spoke up, “I just want to ask, are you two okay with this?”
“You two, as a young couple, want to involve me, a naive and innocent high school student, in your romantic antics? Is it that you think the show of affection isn’t sweet enough without an audience?”
“Brother Yu Le… never mind, you’re good-looking, so I won’t hold it against you. But you, Big Brother Lu!”
Lu Xingxing puffed up her cheeks and glared at him, “Why did you keep me in the dark about the joke with Brother Yu Le? I even put so much effort into finding strategies for you and worried about your lifelong affairs. You wasted my efforts!”
“Some older brothers these days just don’t know how to cherish things! It’s okay, though. Fortunately, I, Lu Xingxing, am strong enough. As long as I don’t let sadness show, I won’t shed any heartbroken tears…”
“Last night, I cleared out your shopping cart.”
Lu Yao calmly said, and after Lu Xingxing’s lament ended abruptly, he continued, “I also had someone collect the limited edition blind boxes you missed, and picked up other items. You can come to my office to pick them up later.”
Question: How long does it take to go from indignation to ecstatic joy?
Answer: As long as my brother says a word!
Her expression changed instantly, and she quickly pulled out her phone to open the shopping app, clicking into the backend.
Three seconds later, the living room echoed with her high-pitched scream, “Ahhhhhhh Brother!!! You’re my real brother!!! I love you forever!! You two must be together forever and live happily ever after!!! I’m willing to be suffocated by the dog food you two throw!!!”
“Ugh.” Mother Lu stretched out her hand to cover her mouth, “So noisy. If you want to scream, go to the garden and find your dad. Don’t disturb us here.”
“Okay!” Lu Xingxing jumped off the sofa and ran towards the garden, “Dad, Dad, what are you doing? Still watering? I’m here to scream at you!”
Yu Le was in awe of Lu Yao’s foresight and skill in comforting his sister. He asked quietly, “Wow, Boss Lu, did you know today would reveal everything?”
“Not really.” Lu Yao tilted his head slightly, “But it was bound to happen eventually. It’s better to get it over with sooner and make things clear.”
Yu Le said softly, “So this is how you approach comforting people.”
Lu Yao, “…Sweetheart, Lu Xun once said, don’t overthink things.”
“Oh, by the way, Little Yu.”
Mother Lu turned back, and the two quickly stopped whispering and faced her. Yu Le, looking obedient, said, “Auntie, what is it?”
Mother Lu, with a kind expression, asked, “Do you have any plans today?”
“Yes,” Yu Le said, “I need to check out some locations for a new studio. I already bought a flight ticket for this afternoon to go home.”
Mother Lu asked, “Back to Wucheng?”
Yu Le, “Yes, to my parents’ place.”
Mother Lu, “Oh, by yourself?”
Yu Le nodded, somewhat puzzled.
Mother Lu turned to her son and smiled at Yu Le, “This one isn’t going with you?”
“You’ve met him now, so as a matter of courtesy, he should go and meet your parents too.”
When Lu Yao and Yu Le left the villa, Father Lu accompanied them to the door after finishing watering the flowers. He then set down the watering can and went back to the living room.
He sat down next to Mother Lu, fidgeting with the remote control and clearing his throat, growing irritated, “Still fidgeting at your age? If you have something to say, just say it.”
Father Lu cleared his throat and said seriously, “Since Ah Yao and Little Yu are together now, we don’t need you to give any more guidance.”
Mother Lu looked at him, “And then?”
Father Lu, “Since no more teaching is needed, can we also put away those outdated textbooks?”
Mother Lu understood, “You mean those love letters?”
Father Lu nodded calmly.
“Oh, let’s wait until later.”
Mother Lu glanced at her pretentious husband and, struggling to keep a straight face, said slowly, “Xingxing wants to read them, so I let her take them to her room last night. Wait until she finishes reading before you talk about it.”
Father Lu, “???”
Just then, Lu Xingxing came in and heard this. She grinned, lowered her voice, “Quiet, you’re the wind that lost me in the starlit night, I love you more than anything in this world…”
“The two pots of orchids in the corner still need watering, right?”
Father Lu got up and, taking his precious watering can, hurried back to the garden, “I need to water them; it’s been hot these days. Don’t let them dry out.”
Yu Le, “Moving the studio?”
Lu Yao asked the drowsy person in the passenger seat.
He was going to the company today, and Yu Le’s destination was conveniently on his way.
Yu Le, having not had enough sleep the night before and with the series of events this morning, was feeling tense and drowsy once he relaxed in the car.
“Yes.” Yu Le yawned, “Many supplier resources are concentrated in Xuan City. We actually planned to move a long time ago.”
Lu Yao, “Where are you planning to live after the move?”
“At Yan Jia’s place.” Yu Le squinted, “He always said that living in such a big house alone is a waste and asked me to add some company.”
Lu Yao lightly tapped his fingertips, not saying anything further.
Half an hour later, they arrived at their destination. Lu Yao dropped Yu Le off and said, “I’ll finish my work before noon and come back to pick you up.”
“I’m heading back to Wucheng. Why would you pick me up?” Yu Le laughed, “Are you really planning to come home with me and meet my parents?”
He was joking, but Lu Yao actually nodded, “I’ve already had my assistant book the tickets, and I’ve bought gifts for your parents as well. I’ll accompany you back.”
Yu Le, “…?”
Yu Le was astonished by Lu Yao’s decisiveness, and until they boarded the plane, he couldn’t wrap his head around it, “Boss Lu, do you have some sort of parental meeting syndrome?”
Lu Yao, “Will Uncle and Aunt hit people?”
Yu Le, “Of course not.”
Lu Yao, “Will they kick me out and not let me in?”
“Impossible.” Yu Le poked his shoulder. “People like you, my parents will definitely like.”
Lu Yao smiled, “So what am I afraid of?”
It made sense, but Yu Le still felt something was off.
Was this really the right logic?
