Chapter 229 Support
The two arrived home before eight o'clock.
The food on the table was still warm, and the family of three arrived neatly.
This made Xu Songning a little nervous. What was going on? It wasn't the first time he had met the parents, so why did the atmosphere suddenly seem so serious?
"Xiang Yun, come with me to the study. Song Ning, you and Yu Yue go play for a while," Ms. Cui instructed.
“Okay, Yun and I bought some gifts for you and Uncle. Where should we put them?” Xiang Yun asked, carrying several gift bags.
Ms. Cui glanced at it, feeling satisfied, but said aloud, "There's no need to bring us anything. Just have fun."
"Put it in that cabinet over there." Xiang Yun handed the gift bag to Xu Songning and pointed in a direction.
Cui Yuyue took Xu Songning's hand and said warmly, "Sister-in-law, let me take you! Did you bring me a gift?"
"I brought it, I don't know if you'll like it." Xu Songning handed her one of the gift bags.
Cui Yuyue peeked inside and saw four reed mats. Her eyes lit up. "Wow, these are for me and..."
She lowered her voice, "For me, hot pot, meatballs, and cauliflower?"
"Hmm, I don't know if they'll like it. If they do, let them play with it; if they don't, you can use it as a mat for something else. I think it looks pretty nice, so I bought a few," Xu Songning said softly.
The two of them huddled together, sharing updates on the three cats.
The gifts Xu Songning gave to Ms. Cui and Mr. Xiang were left unopened on the cabinet.
When Xiang Yun and Ms. Cui came out of the study, Xiang's father had also finished the tasks assigned by the school. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Why do you always worry so much? Don't students have brains? Just let them do it themselves." Ms. Cui walked over and rubbed his temples.
How could Xiang's father not understand this principle? He was just always worried about letting them complete such a large project on their own.
"It's alright, I'll keep an eye on things, that way I'll feel more at ease."
Xiang Yun and Cui Yuyue went to set the table, leaving Xu Songning behind.
Mr. Xiang was very kind and listened with great interest as they talked about their travels.
Ms. Cui didn't seem to care much about the matter, but she listened attentively as Xu Songning spoke.
The group chatted at the dinner table, and the atmosphere was no longer as tense as when she first came.
Mr. Xiang used serving chopsticks to put a piece of braised pork knuckle on Xu Songning's plate. "I remember Songning loves this. She even taught Xiang Yun how to make it. I wonder if he's learned it yet?"
"I've learned it, and I'll know if I can do it tomorrow," Xiang Yun replied.
"Brother can actually cook?" Cui Yuyue exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes, you have to learn too.” Ms. Cui glanced at Cui Yuyue.
Cui Yuyue buried her head in her food, saying, "What do I need to learn? I can cook."
"Does cooking for your cat mean you know how to cook?" Ms. Cui scoffed.
Xu Songning blinked. Wasn't it said that keeping the cat a secret from the family? What did Aunt Cui find out?
Alarm bells blared above Cui Yuyue's head. She glared at her brother, demanding to know if he had betrayed her.
Xiang Yun rolled her eyes at her. How could a lawyer suspect the most innocent person as soon as something happens?
"Alright, stop glaring at your brother. You're both my children, don't I know you? I told you to give the cat away, but one of you kept it from me, and the other took the cat to school and is still raising it even after you started working." Ms. Cui ate her meal calmly.
"Mom, how did you know?" Cui Yuyue sighed.
Ms. Cui sneered, "I'll blow you up."
"...!!!" Cui Yuyue was on the verge of tears and could only call out to her father, "Dad, please help me."
“Keeping a cat is good for your physical and mental health, so it’s not a big deal,” Mr. Xiang offered his help.
Cui Yuyue nodded frantically.
“You always pick up cat hair before going to work, but you still smell like cats.” Ms. Cui is very observant; nothing escapes her keen eyes. She had always known this, but she just hadn’t said it.
"Do I?" Cui Yuyue sniffed herself, feeling wronged, but there was no smell.
"Alright, stop pretending. Do you think I don't know you? Just take care of your own cats, I can't be bothered with this," Ms. Cui said.
Cui Yuyue was almost incredulous. She exchanged a glance with her sister-in-law. Why didn't she look at her brother, who knew the truth? Because her brother completely ignored her.
Her mother's attitude changed too quickly, and happiness came too suddenly, catching Cui Yuyue off guard.
Cui Yuyue started raising cats when she was in high school. At that time, she was under a lot of academic pressure, and her mother did not agree with her raising cats at first. Her father secretly brought home the kittens born to a student's cat.
After scolding Dad and getting angry, Mom stopped caring whether she kept the cat or not. She just told her that if the cat pooped and peed everywhere, or if she stopped taking care of the cat, then the cat should be sent to live as a stray.
Cui Yuyue couldn't bear to let the cat go to the streets, so she raised it like a treasure. Not only did its grades not decline, but they even improved.
After graduating from high school, her brother brought home another cat and gave it to her to raise. Now, she became a cat slave to two cats.
She's about to go to university, where keeping cats in dorms isn't allowed, and Ms. Cui certainly wouldn't help her keep them. She's been asked to give all the cats away.
Cui Yuyue outwardly agreed, but secretly rented a room for herself, where she studied with her two cats.
After graduating from university, she took over her future sister-in-law's cat, becoming a working woman with three cats.
This situation felt like she had given birth to three children outside the marriage without any official recognition. She couldn't get her mother's approval, and she couldn't say anything about it. She had been outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, doing everything her mother forbade her to do.
Little did she know that her mother, a lawyer, had seen through her all along, but simply hadn't said anything.
All these changes began when my sister-in-law entered the family.
Cui Yuyue looked at Xu Songning gratefully. Xu Songning had indeed changed this family a lot, making their family feel more like a home.
My brother never comes home this often, and my mother never openly discusses the children's lives.
Perhaps it was also because of her brother's accident that her mother realized that if she didn't cherish the people in front of her, an accident might happen one day.
"Don't worry, Auntie, I'll help Yuyue take care of the cat," Xu Songning said, speaking up for her.
Mr. Xiang also raised his hand, "I can help out when I have time."
"What? You haven't been there enough? You think I didn't see the cat hair on you?" Ms. Cui rolled her eyes.
"You really do see through everything," Mr. Xiang said with a smile, shaking his head.
Xiang Yun had just been in the study talking to Ms. Cui about his situation. Ms. Cui had considered persuading him to leave the industry, but before she could say it, Xiang Yun refused.
He made it clear to his mother that he would return to the ranks of pilots and would not back down because of this incident.
Ms. Cui did not say a word until the two left the study.
At the dinner table, Ms. Cui gave Xiang Yun a deep look and said, "As long as Song Ning supports your decision, I will support it."
Although Xu Songning didn't know what the mother and son were talking about, her mind was firm.
"I support Yun-ge's decision."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
