That night, Wen Ruan stayed in the steel factory's residential compound, in the room where she was still unmarried at the time.
September was still very hot, with the autumn heatwave particularly intense, but it would get a bit chilly late at night. Wen's mother knocked on the door and entered the room, wanting to bring Wen Ruan another blanket.
After Wen Ruan took it, she prepared to leave.
Unexpectedly, Wen Ruan called out to her, "Mom, can you sleep with me tonight?"
Wen Ruan asked directly without even thinking it over. When she realized what she had said, she felt a little embarrassed. She was almost twenty-five years old and still wanted to sleep with her mother.
During her time abroad, she was busy with her studies and research, often working until midnight. Only when she woke up in the middle of the night did she have time to think about her family back home.
At this moment, she finally stood on the land where she grew up, feeling deeply moved, and seeing Wen's mother, she couldn't help but show some genuine emotion.
Instead of laughing at her, Wen's mother was pleasantly surprised and smiled as she nodded in agreement.
The two lay side by side on the bed and chatted like best friends. Wen Ruan described her life abroad in detail, talking about her lovely British roommate Aurora, the serious but humorous professor Oliver, the somewhat arrogant and childish Damian, and her senior Andy, who often grumbled but was always kind in his actions. She talked about many, many things.
Of course, Wen Ruan also inevitably mentioned her social practice survey in the country of Sa, and all sorts of stories happened there, which Wen Ruan told her mother in detail.
Wen's mother listened attentively, her emotions fluctuating with the story's development. She was overjoyed to hear that Wen Ruan had made friends, heartbroken to hear that he had gone to a war zone, and moved to tears when he recounted the experiences of the local people there...
Wen Ruan had never had such an experience before, being able to talk to her mother like a good friend about her experiences, and felt a warm feeling in her heart.
After listening to Wen Ruan's story, Wen's mother inquired about some details, especially her health. She was finally relieved to learn that Wen Ruan had not been harmed.
But there was still some complaint in her voice: "You child, you went to that kind of place without saying a word, without thinking about yourself or your family back home. What if something unexpected happens?" As she spoke, Wen's mother almost burst into tears.
This prompted Wen Ruan to repeatedly comfort her.
Afterwards, Wen's mother told Wen Ruan about what had happened at home during this period, and specifically mentioned Song Yan, who would come back from the neighboring county almost every month to visit her and Wen's father.
Every time the neighbors saw him, they would say that they had a good son-in-law. When she said this, Wen's mother was quite proud and had a big smile on her face.
"It's probably because he's too busy with work; he's gotten so dark and thin. I heard he's with some agricultural experts in the fields every day. I don't know anything about these things, I only overheard a few things when Xiaoyan and your dad were chatting..."
Wen Ruan listened quietly, her mind drifting to Song Yan. She wondered if he was alright and if he had taken good care of himself while she was away.
At this moment, Wen Ruan felt an overwhelming urge to see Song Yan immediately...
They both stayed up very late that night, chatting until the early hours of the morning before finally falling asleep...
The next morning, Wen's mother urged Wen Ruan to go to the compound to visit Song's mother and father. Although Song's mother had told Wen Ruan that she could stay at home for a few more days, since the child had just returned, she should visit her mother-in-law and father-in-law first, and there would be plenty of time to talk about the rest.
One should still observe proper etiquette.
Wen Ruan couldn't refuse her mother's request, so she had no choice but to carry the things to the compound.
As soon as she entered the compound, the security guard stopped Wen Ruan. Wen Ruan wondered if the guard didn't recognize her because she hadn't been there for a long time. She thought about explaining or using the phone in the guard booth to call Song's mother.
But before Wen Ruan could speak, the guard at the gate suddenly recognized her. "Aren't you the second daughter-in-law of Director Song's family, the lady named Wen Ruan?" the guard asked.
Wen Ruan smiled and said, "Yes, I am Wen Ruan."
"Oh! You're back from abroad!" The deliveryman seemed to know something about Wen Ruan's story. He was excited to see her and quickly opened the door to let her in.
After Wen Ruan walked away, the young man looked at her figure with admiration.
Upon entering the courtyard, Wen Ruan found it crowded with people. She inevitably had to deal with the enthusiastic aunties and older women. Fortunately, Song's mother had received the news early and rushed over, saving Wen Ruan's life.
Upon entering the Song family home, Aunt Li took the things Wen Ruan had brought. Wen Ruan collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted. She felt that dealing with those older women was far more tiring than reading a few academic papers. Wen Ruan was somewhat helpless.
No sooner had Wen Ruan sat down than Song's mother and Li's wife began bustling about the house again. Although Song's mother said to Wen Ruan, "Why don't you stay at the Wen family's house for a few more days?"
However, seeing Wen Ruan arrive at the Song family so early, he was still overjoyed and couldn't stop smiling. He even boasted to Wen Ruan that he had specially remembered her instructions and refrained from calling Song Yan, waiting for Wen Ruan to give him a surprise.
He complained, "The phone in his office is just for show; you can never get through. Even if there's something important, you have to have his secretary relay the message..."
Wen Ruan stayed at the Song family's house for a day. When Song's father returned in the evening, he talked with Wen Ruan for a long time, asking her about her future plans.
Wen Ruan responded to each of them.
There was only one thing that Wen Ruan didn't know how to answer...
That is, after everyone finished eating, they gathered together to chat. After much hesitation, Song's mother finally asked whether Wen Ruan and Song Yan had any plans to have children, and when they would have them.
Hearing this, Wen Ruan thought to herself, "What was bound to happen has finally happened."
However, Wen Ruan really didn't know how to answer. Although she had plans for the future, they were just plans and had not yet been implemented. Her career was still in its infancy, and she was still young, so she really didn't want to be involved in having children right now.
However, seeing how kind Song's mother usually was to her, and although she seemed to be pressuring her to have a child, her words still left room for maneuver, Wen Ruan really didn't want to directly reveal her plans and hurt her feelings.
All that could be heard was Song's mother sighing from the side, "Song Heng is such a troublemaker. He's almost thirty and still not married. He won't listen to anyone in the family."
"Now my only wish to have grandchildren is to place it on you and Song Yan!"
Wen Ruan felt embarrassed standing to the side.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
