She shouted towards the living room, “Xiao Bei, do you want Oolong tea or Tieguanyin?”
“Do you have cola?” Lu Jinbei asked without looking up.
Cai Jingyao halted in her act of soaking the porcelain teacups, her brows furrowed. “You know my job… I can’t have those carbonated drinks at home. But… if you want to drink that, I can help you order delivery!”
“Forget it. I’ll just have… Tieguanyin!” Lu Jinbei said nonchalantly.
Cai Jingyao brewed the tea, then came out and sat opposite of Lu Jinbei, placing the teacup by Lu Jinbei’s legs. “Xiao Bei… put your legs down!”
Lu Jinbei retracted his legs as he was told, his vision still fixed on his phone screen.
Cai Jingyao frowned deeply. “Xiao Bei… look, now that you’ve fallen out with your family because of me, how are we going to get married? Especially since Uncle is in poor health to begin with. With you behaving in this manner… it’ll make Uncle so upset! Today, in the kitchen… Brother Jinnan really didn’t say anything! It’s just… my reputation wasn’t good back then, so Brother Jinnan is afraid I’ll hurt you! I can understand why he spoke harshly to me. It’s all for your sake…”
“You don’t have to give excuses for him. Today, even if there wasn’t an incident between you two, I didn’t feel good. I’ve wanted to fall out with him for a long time now!”
At the thought of Lu Jinnan’s high-and-mighty manner as he pretended it was all for his own good, Lu Jinbei felt a sour sensation in his heart.
The older brother he respected and loved the most got together with his most beloved woman… How could he not feel upset over this!
“But Uncle… Uncle is in poor health. Seeing you two brothers fall out because of me, Uncle will surely feel uncomfortable seeing me in the future! This way… it’s hard for me as a daughter-in-law. Why don’t you call Uncle and apologize to him! You can slowly patch things up with Brother Jinnan. Okay?”
Lu Jinbei pursed his lips and didn’t reply. When a sound indicating game over rang on his phone, Lu Jinbei started a new game in silence.
Cai Jingyao frowned and tried persuading again. “You’re putting me in a difficult position. Because of me, your originally harmonious family is now falling apart! I became the bad guy!”
Lu Jinbei then put away his phone and looked solemnly at Cai Jingyao as he spoke. “Our family has, ever since Lu Jinnan married Bai Xiaonian, been harmonious on the surface only. It’s not because of you, don’t overthink it!”
“Then, what about the future? Are you really going to cut off all contact with Uncle?”
“I’ll call my dad later, don’t worry!” Lu Jinbei began telling Cai Jingyao his plans. “It’s just that our wedding plans may have to be put on hold. I’m working at a games company now, earning 23,000 yuan a month. Although I have a house under my name, it was given to me by Lu Jinnan. I don’t wish to move into that place after we get married. I plan to sell the house and return the money to Lu Jinnan!”
Cai Jingyao kept quiet.
“All these years, my family hasn’t asked for any money from me, but I usually spend extravagantly! Hence, I don’t have much savings. I have about 50 to 60 grand now. We can pay the downpayment and buy a three-bedroom apartment. I’ll work hard to pay off the mortgage! After we settle the housing matters, we can then get married. I’ll add your name to the house deed. Okay?”
For Lu Jinbei to be saying all this, it showed he was very responsible and dependable!
He was unlike those men who would rush to buy a house before marriage so that the house would be his pre-marital property. This way, in the future, if things didn’t work out and they filed for divorce, the house would belong to him. His wife would have co-paid the mortgage for so many years prior to that.
Cai Jingyao slightly clenched her hands on her knees as she revealed a smile to Lu Jinbei. “I’ll do as you say!”
Cai Jingyao wasn’t planning on registering for marriage with Lu Jinbei now anyway. She didn’t want to remarry in the future… that would be too scary.
“Okay, then let’s fix things this way for now. Let’s look at some apartments soon. For the time being, I can only stay at your place. If it’s inconvenient for you, I can rent…”
“What are you talking about!” Cai Jingyao anxiously interrupted Lu Jinbei’s words. “We’re about to get married, so what inconvenience are you talking about? I have three bedrooms here and so much space… it’s scary for me to live alone! I’m more than happy to have you move in with me! Furthermore… my parents left this place to me, so it’s our own house. We can continue staying here after we get married! You don’t have to slog so hard to buy a house!”
Lu Jinbei gazed at Cai Jingyao with a smile in his eyes. He held Cai Jingyao’s hand, feeling touched…
“While I’m staying here, I’ll pay for all of our living expenses. It’s a must for us to buy a house!” Lu Jinbei squeezed Cai Jingyao’s hand hard. “It’s not appropriate for a man to not bear the moral responsibility of buying a house and car after marriage, living at the girl’s place instead. Believe me, this is only temporary! Our lives will get better and better!”
Cai Jingyao had to admit that Lu Jinbei was much more mature than he used to be back in school!
But, perhaps because he was too well protected, he was kind of naive!
He truly believed… that it was so easy to shoulder a man’s responsibility.
Lu Jinbei’s monthly wage wasn’t enough to pay for her monthly skincare products, beauty treatments… buying clothes, getting manicures, and visits to the hair salon, much less her bags…
Any bag in her dressing room would require several months of his salary to afford!
What a joke! If she married such a man, her life would be over!
Although Cai Jingyao did feel a tiny bit touched, how much money was that sensation worth?
In this society, money ruled…
Cai Jingyao nodded, then held Lu Jinbei’s hand and said with a very touched expression, “I believe you! I trust you the most in this world!”
After reassuring Lu Jinbei, Cai Jingyao’s brows furrowed as she pondered how to go about meeting Lu Jinnan again…
Lu Jinbei getting into trouble?
Cai Jingyao glanced sideways at Lu Jinbei, who had picked up his phone and restarted his game. Lu Jinbei had a rash temperament and was frequently dragged to the police station in the past!
So long as Lu Jinbei was brought to the police station, Lu Jinnan would certainly appear.
There was a smile in Cai Jingyao’s eyes. She asked Lu Jinbei, “You didn’t eat lunch after leaving Uncle’s place at noon. What do you wish to eat? I’ll order takeout for you…”
“Whatever! You can order whatever you like!” Lu Jinbei, who was fully engrossed in his game, casually replied.
Cai Jingyao ordered takeout, then contacted some b*tchy university classmates in the country. She offered to give a treat tonight and suggested having a gathering.
Those were the kind of people who would surely turn up at the mention of a treat. The instant they heard that Cai Jingyao was treating them at Man Jiang Lou tonight, they instantly agreed.