After dinner, Jiang Xia said goodbye to his mother-in-law and went out with his wife.

"Can you control your emotions? Your face is practically splitting open from smiling." In the elevator, Lin Yanwan couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"No, I'm just happy to be eating Mom's cooking again."

"Isn't it my mom who keeps praising you?"

Jiang Xia said solemnly, "I can only say that my mother-in-law is very perceptive and has keen insight."

Lin Yanwan was speechless; she had never seen anyone so shameless.

The elevator stopped on the first floor. Jiang Xia took her hand and walked out. Lin Yanwan struggled a few times, saying, "Let go first, my mom will see us later."

"How could that be? Our mom isn't..."

He subconsciously looked up, only to see Ji Wanqiu peeking out with half her head staring at them.

The sound stopped abruptly.

"Not what?"

Jiang Xia swallowed hard: "It seems a bit too late to say these things now."

Lin Yanwan's breath hitched, and she looked up with difficulty at her own balcony, only to see a familiar figure flash by.

There was no one else at home at the moment, and Lin Xiaoman wasn't that tall, so the only person peeping from the balcony was her mother.

She quickly pulled her hand away, her face turning red instantly: "I told you before, be quiet around my house. Lots of people know my parents, and there's always the chance some people will gossip. Now, what do you suggest?"

Jiang Xia shrugged, appearing quite nonchalant.

"Is there a difference between seeing and guessing? This is just confirming what I had in mind."

"It's easy for you to say that when you're not the one experiencing it. You're the one who feels awkward when you're alone with your parents, right?" Lin Yanwan said angrily, pinching him twice more.

Jiang Xia remained unfazed: "As the old saying goes, 'Heaven will entrust great responsibilities to those who are first tested with hardship and toil.' Anyway, as long as you're not embarrassed, it's them who will be embarrassed."

"Do you think everyone is as shameless as you, with skin as thick as a city wall?" Lin Yanwan spat in annoyance.

"Comrade Lin Yanwan, I have to criticize you a bit here. In the past, shamelessness was a rare species, and people even gave it a resounding name."

"What?"

Jiang Xia let out a long breath, looked into her eyes, and said in a pretentious tone, "Social butterfly syndrome."

"..."

A simple, unadorned silence immediately left Lin Yanwan speechless.

Okay, fine, she's socially awkward and can't understand the thoughts of these social butterflies.

◇

Watching the two bicker and argue until they gradually disappeared into the distance, Ji Wanqiu slowly withdrew her gaze. She turned to look at her youngest daughter, who was continuing to draw in the living room, and a thought suddenly struck her.

"Xiaoman, tell Mom, did your older brother and sister do anything strange this afternoon?"

"Yes," Lin Xiaoman replied without looking up.

Upon hearing this, Ji Wanqiu's heart tightened: "Wh...what strange thing?"

"My sister has been playing the piano the whole time, but it's all messed up and doesn't sound good at all," Lin Xiaoman pouted.

"Uh...is that all?"

Ji Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she was about to become a grandmother.

It seems those two people still know how to behave appropriately.

"Xiaoman, Mom has a task for you. From now on, whenever your older brother and sister are together, whatever they say or do, you must secretly remember it and then tell Mom, okay?"

"No," Lin Xiaoman snorted softly.

"Why?"

"Because that's tattling, and Xiaoman hates people who tattle on others to the teacher the most," she said angrily.

"But Mom isn't a teacher."

"That's tattling. I would never betray Brother Jiang Xia and Sister Jiang Xia," Xiao Man said earnestly.

Ji Wanqiu was dumbfounded. Although tattling was indeed a bad habit, if Xiaoman kept everything from her, their only source of information would be cut off.

"Okay, so how can I tell Mom?"

"Nothing works!"

Ji Wanqiu felt both angry and amused. How could someone so young act like a seasoned veteran, knowing not to betray family and friends?

"How about Mom gives you something in exchange? That way, your behavior won't be tattling, but a transaction."

Lin Xiaoman blinked, feeling that what her mother said seemed to make some sense.

"Did Mom buy Xiaoman a pretty little dress?"

“One of them is my brother Jiangxia, and the other is my older sister. Should I tell them…” Xiaoman sighed in distress, “Mom, I don’t want a little skirt.”

Ji Wanqiu's lips twitched violently. This little brat actually thought the reward wasn't generous enough and wanted to pay more?

Well, to avoid becoming a grandmother too soon, let's just leave it to her for now.

"What does Xiaoman want? As long as Mom can make it for her."

"Hmm, I want Brother Jiang Xia to teach me how to draw!"

“…Xiaoman, this is Jiang Xia’s own decision, and Mom can’t make that decision for him. Besides, like your sister, he has a lot of studies and doesn’t get home until very late every day, so he simply doesn’t have time to teach you.” Ji Wanqiu explained patiently.

"Okay, can I go visit Brother Jiang Xia after the holiday?" She couldn't help but look at him with longing.

"Isn't Xiaoman afraid of running into Teacher Xia? Maybe she'll randomly quiz her on reciting texts or doing dictation tests. If she doesn't pass..." Ji Wanqiu deliberately dragged out the last part, secretly observing her daughter's expression.

"I...I'm not going!" Lin Xiaoman gasped in horror.

Ji Wanqiu felt like laughing for no reason. For students, teachers are always more terrifying creatures than parents.

"How about this, whenever there's a chance, Mom will invite Brother Jiang Xia to come over to play, okay? Like today."

"Mmm!" This time, Lin Xiaoman finally answered cleanly and crisply.

"Xiaoman, can you tell Mom if there are any secrets between your older brother and sister?"

"No, oh wait, I think so."

Ji Wanqiu's eyes lit up. She had been outwitting her daughter, who was keeping her mouth shut, and now she had finally gotten her to talk. It hadn't been easy.

"What is it? Tell Mom right away."

"Jiang Xia wanted to kiss me today, but my sister disagreed. But this didn't stump the clever Xiaoman."

"So?" Ji Wanqiu asked, her face full of confusion.

"Of course it was Xiaoman who kissed Brother Jiang Xia! Mom is so silly, she couldn't even guess that." Lin Xiaoman put her hands in front of her chest, looking very smug.

Ji Wanqiu had never been so speechless as she was today. Judging from her youngest daughter's description, Yan Wan was probably jealous, or rather, the two of them had probably already tried kissing.

Things had developed to this point, and she was really having a headache. Should she stop it or continue to wait and see?

The worst-case scenario is that those two might act impulsively and give her a grandson at such a young age.

...

(The fever has subsided, but not completely. The immune system is still fighting a high-level battle, meaning the various symptoms are actually getting stronger. I've been coughing for half the time I'm writing this. In short, this time, one of me or COVID-19 is going to die.)