"Generally speaking, we need to appear to have a good relationship with them so that they can feel at ease, but we can't be too intimate either. For example, we can't hold hands from now on."
"No, we can't hold hands."
“Yes, especially in front of Mom. She doesn’t know the real situation between us. My dad has already seen us hugging, so we shouldn’t be too anxious.” Wen Mo spoke logically, and loosened his grip on her hand.
Xia Lian stared blankly at her empty palms.
"Don't just stand there, let's just do what we need to do. We can't be too relaxed, but we don't need to be too tense either. My mom is very easy to get along with."
Wen Mo walked casually through the neighborhood. He knew most of the elderly people there, since he had lived there for almost ten years before moving out to high school.
Unlike Wen Mo, who was very familiar with the environment, Xia Lian was here for the first time. Being shy, she was not used to being stared at and shrank back behind Wen Mo as she walked slowly.
"Don't be afraid. The more often you come here, the more familiar you'll become with this neighborhood," Wen Mo joked.
"Hmm...I'm not scared..."
As he walked further in, Wenmo turned right and entered a nearby residential building.
Seemingly realizing that the building beneath her feet was where Wen Mo's parents lived, Xia Lian subconsciously straightened her back and gradually released her grip on Wen Mo's clothes.
Seeing that she looked a little stiff, Wen Mo smiled helplessly, reached out and gently patted Xia Lian's back, letting her follow beside him.
Stepping into the elevator, Wen Mo hummed a little tune and pressed the button for the 7th floor. Accompanied by a feeling of weightlessness, the elevator slowly ascended amidst Xia Lian's nervous emotions.
As Wen Mo stepped out of the elevator, he paused for a moment to check on Xia Lian's condition one last time in the hallway. Seeing that she had no expression, he reached out and gently rubbed her cheek until the girl's tense expression eased considerably.
At the door, Wen Mo helped tidy Xia Lian's hair, and checked for any wrinkles around her dress and whether the bow at the back of her head was tied crooked.
"I'll knock on the door if you're ready."
The girl looked up and nodded, following beside Wen Mo, trying her best to appear less unnatural.
The next second, Wen Mo stepped forward and knocked a few times.
Before he could even speak, the door was opened from the inside.
Xia Lian cautiously raised her eyes and saw a well-maintained and beautiful woman standing behind the door.
Su Juan held a spatula with a little soup on it, and looked a little surprised when she saw the two of them.
"Mom, I'm home."
Wen Mo stepped over the threshold with a grin. As soon as he entered the house, he smelled a delicious aroma of meat coming from the kitchen. He guessed that his mother hadn't expected the two of them to arrive so quickly, as the meal was only half-cooked.
Xia Lian followed beside him, and when she looked up, she met the curious gaze of the woman in front of her.
Seeing that the girl's expression was still a little weak, Wen Mo casually pulled her in front of him and introduced her to Su Juan with a smile, "Mom, haven't you always wanted to see what Xiao Lian looks like in person? Now I've brought her here."
The next second, Xia Lian swallowed hard, gave Su Juan a slight bow, and greeted her in a crisp voice.
Hello, Auntie.
"Hey, hey, hello, hello!" Su Juan finally realized what was happening, happily dropping the spatula in her hand, wiping her hands on her apron, and grasping Xia Lian's hand. "Come in, come in! Auntie has been wanting to see you for so long!"
Su Juan pulled Xia Lian to sit on the sofa, abandoning the cooking in the kitchen, and looked the new girl in the house up and down.
This girl is so pretty!
Actually, Su Juan had already seen Xia Lian's photo a few days ago, and she got it from Wen Yiquan. When she first saw it, she thought the little girl was very cute and lovable.
"Mom, Xiaolian is very shy, don't scare her." Wen Mo was already used to Su Juan's way of speaking, but he didn't know if Xia Lian could adapt.
"Go away, let me talk to this girl a bit more." Su Juan glared at him. "If you don't have anything to do, go to the kitchen and cook some dishes for me."
"I'm a guest!"
"Can you be considered a guest when you come to your own home?" Su Juan was equally adamant, but considering that her son only comes home occasionally, she made a few remarks and then went back to the kitchen to continue cooking.
Wen Mo casually sat down next to Xia Lian, and seeing her sitting so formally, Wen Mo couldn't help but smile.
Compared to her usual innocent and naive face, Xia Lian was even more obedient than usual, like a rag doll that could be manipulated at will, and even her breathing was lighter than usual.
Just then, Wen Yiquan stretched and walked out of the bedroom, just in time to see the two people sitting on the sofa.
He was dealing with company matters until midnight last night, and was not woken up until this morning by the noise of Wenmo and the others coming in.
"Greetings, Uncle."
"Oh, good, good, you two came so fast." Wen Yiquan nodded with a smile, sat down in a chair, picked up an orange from the table, and handed it directly to Xia Lian, "Here, girl, take this and eat it."
"Thank you, Uncle."
This wasn't the first time the old man had met Xia Lian, but this feeling of having another daughter left him at a loss for a long time. He looked around, and you'd think he had heat rash.
"Dad, you have prickly heat?" Wen Mo casually remarked, taking the orange from Xia Lian's hand and helping her peel it.
"You're the one with heat rash!" Wen Yiquan snorted. This son was the one who caused him the most trouble.
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