Chapter 003: This Awkward First Meeting
That night, Liu Zhiyan arrived at Yangzhou Prefecture, his mother's newly bought house, exhausted. What greeted him was not his mother's warm regard, but her "smiling but dagger-hiding" attitude.
Her mother, with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face, told him in a very good mood, "Since you don't want to go to the college to be a teacher, I won't force you."
It was obviously good news, but Liu Zhiyan couldn't be happy at all.
He knew very well that his mother would only show this expression when she was setting a trap for someone.
Sure enough, his mother's next words confirmed his thoughts.
"Your mother met a young lady with great diplomatic talent today. As long as you are willing to teach her foreign languages, I will no longer mention the idea of you becoming a teacher at the academy."
"You know, this branch has just opened. For a long time to come, my energy will be focused on the shop and I won't have time to teach anyone." Liu Zhiyan refused by stating the facts.
"I know." Fang's Dessert Shop had so few branches because the owner personally opened each one. The time and effort required were self-evident. "So I asked her to be an apprentice in the shop."
After saying that, he briefly told his son about his encounter with Qin Xue today and the agreement he made with Qin Xue.
When Liu Zhiyan heard his 50-year-old mother smugly sharing with him the wonderful feeling of being called "sister" by a little girl, he listened attentively on the surface, but thought in his heart: It turns out that his mother is just like other women, and likes to hear people say she is young and beautiful.
"According to what Mother said, this girl must be well-protected. Are you sure she can withstand the abuse from your son?"
Ye Qinghan, who was sharing happily, suddenly became very emotional when he heard his son's words.
She was so happy that she actually forgot that her son had always been known as the "living devil" when it came to teaching. Few people could stand his vicious mouth that could make them want to die.
Fortunately, she had a way to deal with this brat. "I'm going to be frank with you. If you scare the girl away, I'll tell your grandmother that you finally want to get married and ask her to find someone for you."
Liu Zhiyan's expression, which had been slightly sullen, suddenly froze at Ye Qinghan's words. Then, like a deflated balloon, he slumped down in his armchair, staring at his 'malicious' mother with an accusing look on his face. "You really are my mother."
"I'm not her biological mother. I'm a vicious stepmother who can't stand seeing her stepson prosper." She deliberately revealed a vicious expression. "So, you'd better teach the little girl honestly, otherwise your vicious stepmother will have plenty of ways to punish you."
Liu Zhiyan rolled his eyes rudely at his mother's childish provocation, "You're really going backwards as you get older."
Outsiders all thought that her mother, as the first female official of the Da Zhao Kingdom, should be majestic.
In fact, even when she was the chief minister of the cabinet, she always spoke with her ability and never showed off her power.
In front of these children, she didn't show off her power, and she didn't even act like an elder. She treated them like friends.
If he didn't have such a unique mother, he wouldn't be able to be so free and unattached at the age of 25 without getting married and having children.
Liu Zhiyan knew very well that what she said just now about complaining to her grandmother was just talk.
But it was rare to find a girl whom she liked so much, and he was willing to teach her well.
Of course, as they say, it's hard to change one's nature. He wasn't sure if he could completely control his mouth. "I can only try to control myself. If she's hopelessly stupid, then you can't blame me."
"Don't worry, your mother has a good eye for people." Although the girl knew nothing about what she said, she was very smart and must be very smart.
His mother doesn't praise others easily, but those who are praised are indeed no less capable than her, and are indeed amazing.
But thinking about how he had come all the way to Yangzhou Prefecture, and how his mother hadn't even bothered to care about him, and was just doing things for the young girl, Liu Zhiyan couldn't help but feel sour. "Excuse me, now that you've arranged for your sisters, could you please say a few words to your son?"
Glancing at his youngest son, who was sitting across from him with ill manners, Ye Qinghan pinched his throat and whispered softly, "Excuse me, my dear Niannian, did you meet a woman you like on this trip? Do you need me to start preparing for your marriage?"
Unable to bear his mother's strange voice, and even more unable to bear her calling him by his nickname, Liu Zhiyan begged for mercy again and again, "Please be normal, I'm getting goosebumps."
Seeing him holding his hands together and rubbing them, Ye Qinghan was very happy. "It's not okay if I don't care about you, but it's not okay if I care about you either. You're really hard to please."
"How can this be called concern? It's more like entertainment." Liu Zhiyan directly exposed his mother's prank.
"It's your fault that you are so old and still alone. If I, your mother, don't entertain you, your life will be too boring." She has four children. The others already have their own children, but this one is in his twenties and still single.
If she didn't have a modern soul and didn't believe that people had to get married, and if she didn't take the lead for him, this brat wouldn't be as free as he is now.
Liu Zhiyan felt that the reason he couldn't find someone he liked wasn't his fault. "It's because you've been surrounded by so many outstanding women. I've been used to seeing them since I was a child. Other women just don't catch my eye. I'm also very distressed! !"
Liu Zhiyan has never gotten married, not because he is a non-marriageist, but because he has never met a woman he wants to marry.
Ye Qinghan thought, since you are so smart that you are almost a demon, no matter how powerful someone is, they will not be in his eyes. "Since the powerful ones can't catch your eye, why don't you just find someone stupid?"
Ye Qinghan said this purely to tease her son. She never thought he would listen to her, so she said it without any burden. "With your ability, find someone stupid. You can see through all her thoughts at a glance, and then use your IQ to crush her. How you live your life will still be up to you."
Liu Zhiyan stroked his stubbled chin, thinking about his mother's words, and decided to give his mother's advice a try. "Okay, I'll follow your advice."
Ye Qinghan thought the brat was just trying to fool him and didn't take his words to heart. Instead, he asked about his mother-in-law's condition, "How is your grandmother?"
Thinking of the little old lady who could still swing a stick and chase him, Liu Zhiyan wiped away the tears of sadness from the corners of his eyes. "I'm in great health and a good mood. Instead of worrying about her, you should worry about the son she punished."
Just a few months after the boy was born, she was sent on a diplomatic mission abroad for three years. At that time, her husband Liu Yunfan was also busy, and was lucky to have his eldest son with him. He really had no experience in taking care of this little boy who was only a few months old.
It can be said that this youngest son was basically raised by his mother-in-law, Fang.
Therefore, the relationship between the brat and the grandmother is the best.
This is reflected in the fact that this kid rarely acts naughty in front of them, but he often makes the old lady so angry that she jumps to her feet.
At the beginning, Ye Qinghan would judge right from wrong for them.
As time went by, she discovered that her good intentions in reconciling the conflict between the grandfather and grandson did not affect their relationship at all, except for making herself unpopular.
Since then, she no longer interfered in the disputes between the two generations.
At this moment, hearing her son say this, she felt no emotion at all, "It's getting late, I'm going to rest, you can do whatever you want."
Looking at the figure walking away without hesitation, Liu Zhiyan sighed, "You speak kindly when you need it, and throw it away when you don't. You are really the best mother in the world."
…
On the day agreed upon with Ye Qinghan, Qin Xue left home early.
The carriage entered Dongguan Street and saw Fang's dessert shop getting closer and closer.
Looking at Qin Laicai who insisted on going out with her, Qin Xue reiterated, "Dad, we agreed that you will only go with me to the door of Fang's Dessert. You can't go back on your word."
She had not forgotten that every time she attended a party outside for the first time, her father said he would send her to the party and leave, but he always broke his promise.
Thinking of this, Qin Xue frowned and said seriously, "The parties I attended before were all about eating, drinking and having fun. Even if people called me a child, it didn't matter. Today I'm going to learn from a master. If I'm treated like a child again, people may not teach me seriously."
"I've lived for fifteen years, your daughter. This is the first time I've seriously thought about learning a skill. Please don't hold me back, or I'll never let you go. Got it?"
Listening to his daughter's tenth reminder, Qin Laicai felt both sad and happy.
The sad thing is that his daughter has grown up and no longer wants him to accompany her when she goes out.
What makes me happy is that my daughter suddenly has a goal to strive for.
They left in a hurry this time, thinking that even if the problem could not be solved, they would have other ways out.
But the unexpected events suddenly made him realize that no matter how well he arranged things, there might still be mistakes.
His idea of paving a good way for his daughter and giving her a worry-free life was not entirely certain.
Therefore, he thought it was a good thing that his daughter was willing to learn some skills.
"I know, I know." After agreeing with his daughter, the carriage stopped at the right moment. "I won't get off the carriage and just watch you go in. That's fine, right?"
"No, you leave first, and then I'll come in." Qin Xue refused completely, "You always said this in the past, but you never kept your word."
Qin Laicai touched his nose weakly after his past was exposed. "Alright, alright, I'll go back first, alright."
Seeing his daughter standing outside the carriage with an expression like, "If you don't leave first, I'll just watch you like this," Qin Laicai gave her one last warning, "Dad agreed to let you come here to learn skills because you want to, not because you have to. So if the other party treats you badly, just leave, understand?"
"I know, you can go back without worry!" Qin Xue nodded vigorously, then watched the carriage leave, then turned and walked towards Fang's dessert shop.
I was thinking to myself, I don’t know if I can see the sister I met that day again today.
One of them wasn't paying attention, forgetting the threshold under his feet, and he stumbled and fell forward.
Fortunately, I often kick the door sill and have already developed a set of "skills".
The body reacted immediately. The body, which should have fallen to the ground, drew a nimble curve like a swallow skimming over the water and stood up lightly.
She thought she could stand up, but there was a tall figure standing beside her. Hearing the sound, the figure turned sideways and looked at her, and she threw herself into his arms like a young swallow.
Then a muffled groan was heard, "Hmph..."
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