Chapter 27 Cross-examination
The car door opened, and Yu Jianbang, Yu's father, emerged first. He was of medium build, slightly overweight, wearing a well-worn but immaculately ironed jacket and carrying a heavy canvas travel bag. His sharp eyes scanned the residential complex's imposing gate and tree-lined surroundings, his brows twitching imperceptibly as he assessed the "value for money" of the place.
Yu's mother, Li Xiulan, followed closely behind. She was slightly plump and had a kind face. She was carrying a few bulging supermarket shopping bags in her hands. Through the bags, one could smell the rich aroma of pickles and bacon from her hometown.
"Oh, Lingling! Chenchen!" Li Xiulan's face immediately lit up with smiles and her voice became brighter when she saw her daughter and son-in-law. "Have you been waiting for a long time? There's a bit of traffic on the road!" She stuffed the bag in her hand to Zhao Chen beside her, "Chenchen, take it quickly! Mom brought you some homemade braised beef, Chinese sausage, and some dried fish from your dad's shop! You can't buy this flavor anywhere else!"
"Thank you, Mom!" Zhao Chen's face immediately lit up with a smile of surprise and emotion. He took the heavy bags with both hands, his movements deft and respectful. His demeanor was that of a son-in-law flattered by a generous gift from his mother-in-law. His acting was natural. "Dad, give me the bag!" He freed one hand and very naturally took the travel bag from Yu Jianbang's shoulder.
Yu Jianbang didn't let go immediately. He looked up and down at Zhao Chen's "simple" outfit and clean and refreshing temperament with a scrutinizing look. He then glanced at the several rustic shopping bags in Zhao Chen's hand that didn't fit in. Finally, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his serious face, and he let go of his hand: "Well, thank you for troubling me, Xiao Zhao."
"Of course, Dad!" Zhao Chen smiled innocently, a large travel bag slung over his shoulder, several bulging bags in his hands, walking ahead with steady steps, "Dad, Mom, this way. Lingling has been talking about you for a long time."
Yu Ling watched from the side, feeling a mixture of emotions. This guy… he's such a good pretender! This "economical man" outfit, this humble and polite attitude, this perfect amount of surprise and honesty… If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes last night, she would have believed it!
The family walked into the apartment building and took the elevator. The elevator car was gleaming, quiet and steady. Li Xiulan looked at the shiny metal walls and whispered to Ling, "Lingling, this neighborhood looks quite upscale. The rent isn't cheap, is it? Isn't it a heavy burden for you two?"
Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat. She was racking her brains to come up with a reasonable excuse, but Zhao Chen spoke first. His tone was full of the calmness and a little complacency that is unique to young people in the face of life's pressure: "Mom, it's okay! Mainly because it's close to Lingling's company, so it's convenient for her to go to and from get off work and she suffers less. The rent is a bit of a burden, but Lingling and I both work hard, and if we save a little, we can still handle it. Right, Lingling?" He turned his head and winked at Yu Ling. His smile was warm and carried a bit of the sweetness of a young couple overcoming difficulties together.
Yu Ling could only nod stiffly in agreement, "...Yeah, that's right." But inwardly, she was complaining: "Save some money? The Michelin-starred private restaurant you had at your "friend" yesterday would have saved an average family enough for half a year!"
The elevator stopped at the 16th floor. Zhao Chen walked out first, took out his key, opened the door of 1601, and stepped aside to let his parents-in-law in first: "Dad, Mom, please come in! It's a small place, don't be disgusted."
The door opened, revealing a bright and welcoming living room. The light beige fabric sofa was soft and comfortable, covered with elegant plaid cushions. On the wooden coffee table, a clear glass vase held a few fresh white lisianthus and lavender daisies, emitting a delicate fragrance.
The restaurant was small, covered with a clean, checkered tablecloth. Next to it was a semi-open kitchen, neatly organized, with spice jars neatly arranged. The space was bright and clean, with sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a warm, lifelike atmosphere, yet without a trace of luxury—all those expensive ornaments, artworks, and even overly refined daily necessities had vanished overnight!
Yu Ling was stunned. This… this was like a completely different house! Gone was the understated luxury of last night, replaced by a down-to-earth, warm feeling of hard work. This guy… when did he even prepare this?!
"Oh, it's so clean!" Li Xiulan couldn't help but admire as she entered the door. Her eyes wandered around the tidy living room and nodded with satisfaction, "This little home is so cozy! Chenchen, Lingling, you two really know how to live!" She changed into the soft-soled slippers that Zhao Chen had prepared in advance and stepped on the smooth floor.
Yu Jianbang remained silent, but his sharp gaze swept across every corner of the living room, from the sofa's material to the curtains' style, to the kitchen's seemingly ordinary yet polished stainless steel cookware. His tense expression noticeably relaxed. He walked to the French window, taking in the tree-lined atrium below and the ordinary residential buildings beyond. He nodded, "Well, the environment is nice, and the lighting is good. It's just a bit high up," his tone a tentative approval.
"Dad, Mom, sit down and have a drink of water." Zhao Chen put down his luggage and bags and swiftly went to the kitchen to pour some water. He brought out two mugs with cute bear designs—Yu Ling remembered that she had bought them at a supermarket sale, a set of four; the other two were probably gathering dust in the back of the cupboard. Zhao Chen had actually dug them out! And he had washed them spotlessly!
"Dad, Mom, drink some water." Zhao Chen placed the cup on the teddy bear coaster (also a gift from the supermarket) in front of his parents-in-law, smiling shyly and thoughtfully.
"Okay, Chenchen, you sit down too and stop working." Li Xiulan took the cup with a smile and looked at the cute little bear on it. She felt that her son-in-law was really thoughtful and practical.
Yu Ling sat beside her parents, watching Zhao Chen, dressed in his youthful shirt, bustling around the small living room. He poured water and sorted the local specialties his parents had brought into the refrigerator (the expensive imported fruits and ingredients had long since vanished). His movements were so skillful, as if he did these tasks every day. He even took the time to tidy up the sofa cushions. Every detail perfectly matched the image of an "ordinary employee" who was financially sound, down-to-earth, and caring for his family. Yu Ling's sense of absurdity grew stronger. If it weren't for the profound experience of last night, she would have seriously wondered if she had just had a bizarre dream.
"Chenchen," Li Xiulan took a few sips of water, put down the cup, and began to get to the point, her face full of concern. "How's work going lately? Is everything going well? I heard from Lingling that you work at a tech company... on some programming thing?"
"Mom, I'm a software development engineer." Zhao Chen sat down on the single sofa next to him, sitting upright with his hands placed neatly on his knees. He answered seriously with a bit of youthful enthusiasm for work, "It's okay, but I'll be a little busy when the project is under progress, and I have to work overtime occasionally. But our leader is very good, and overtime work is compensated with compensatory leave or overtime pay." His tone was calm, without any complaints, but instead revealed a sense of contentment.
"Oh, engineers are great! Engineers are great! They have skills and can make a living!" Li Xiulan nodded repeatedly, her face full of satisfaction. "So, your company's salary... is it okay? You and Lingling are in this big city, the expenses are high, and the pressure is quite high, right?"
Yu Ling's heart began to tighten again, fearing that Zhao Chen might accidentally let something slip.
"Mom, don't worry." Zhao Chen showed a smile that was a little embarrassed and a little proud, as if sharing a little family secret. "Our company's treatment is above average in the industry. Lingling works hard, and we both save a little every month. Look," he pointed to the living room, "we are planning to save for another two years to see if we can get together a down payment for a small house!" His eyes were full of longing for future life and motivation to strive. He perfectly portrayed the image of a good husband who works hard to improve himself and plan the future for his small family.
Yu Jianbang, who had been quiet, nodded slightly and took a sip of water from his bear mug, acknowledging Zhao Chen's ambition and planning skills. Clearly, Zhao Chen's simple ideal of saving for a house hit the mark on his father-in-law's core requirements for a son-in-law: a down-to-earth, responsible man who could provide his daughter with a stable life.
Yu Ling was stunned as she listened. Saving for a house? Two more years? Any car he had could buy several apartments downtown, right?! The lie came so easily, and so sincerely, even she almost believed it! She stole a glance at her father's mellow expression, inwardly marveling at Zhao Chen's masterful "playing the fool" skills.
In the evening, the doorbell rang suddenly with a hurried and impolite rhythm.
Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat, and she had a bad feeling. Zhao Chen was washing fruit in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, he came out, wiped his hands, and exchanged a glance with Yu Ling.
Yu Ling took a deep breath and walked over to open the door.
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