Chapter 4

***

They soon arrived in front of the door to mother Xia’s room. Xia Feng was planning to knock, but he noticed that Yu Dong’s face had become a little pale.

“Are you nervous?” Xia Feng asked her incredulously.

“Ugh!” Yu Dong turned to him, “Which daughter-in-law isn’t nervous when meeting her mother-in-law for the first time.”

“Other people I’d expect, but I really didn’t think you’d be.” Xia Feng couldn’t help but smile as Yu Dong’s face looked even worse, and turned to comfort her. “Rest assured, my parents are good people.”

Yu Dong took a deep breath, as if determined, and indicated for Xia Feng to continue.

Xia Feng knocked on the door and waited for a sound of affirmation from inside before pushing the door open.

“Dad!” Xia Feng greeted before looking at his mother who was lying on the bed. “Mom, how are you feeling today?”

But his father and mother weren’t paying the least bit of attention to him. Their eyes were instead trained on the doorway.

Xia Feng was puzzled. He looked back and found out that Yu Dong didn’t come inside. Feeling amused, he walked back towards the door and pulled a hiding Yu Dong inside. He finally introduced her to his parents.

“Mom, dad, this is Yu Dong!”

“Yu Dong?” Mother Xia, who was secretly glancing at Yu Dong became confused and asked, “What about An An? I thought she was seeing us today.”

Father Xia’s face also showed confusion.

Xia Feng suddenly didn’t know what to say, and as he was furiously thinking of a way to explain, Yu Dong suddenly spoke.

Yu Dong holding the flowers she had bought, still looked a little nervous as her face blushed and she softly whispered: “Uncle and auntie you’re not mistaken. I’m Yu Dong, but also An An.”

“Eh? You’re An An?” Father Xia was happy when he heard that his son had a girlfriend for more than three years, but never actually met her.

“These flowers are for you, I wish you a speedy recovery!” Yu Dong handed over the flowers.

When mother Xia first saw Yu Dong, she felt that the girl looked clever and also very graceful. Her eyes were pure, the first impression was good. She suddenly had a broad smile as she replied: “Such beautiful flowers! Quick someone put these in a vase.”

However both parents didn’t move, so Xia Feng took the initiative and collected the flowers from his mother’s hands. “I’ll do it.”

As soon as Xia Feng left, Yu Dong was even more cautious. The two old people smiled at her and glanced at the fruit on the table.

Yu Dong immediately said: “Auntie, I’ll cut you an apple.”

“No, no! Please just sit there.” From the moment Yu Dong entered mother Xia never took her eyes off Yu Dong, see this girl isn’t arrogant and even knew how to cut apples.

“An An how old are you?” Father Xia thought she looked a bit young, so he asked.

“22.”

“22?” Mother Xia and father Xia looked at each other. “Then you just recently graduated.”

“Yes!” Yu Dong nodded.

“Didn’t you fall in love with Xia Feng while you were in university?” Mother Xia was shocked.

Father Xia’s face was also bad, and he said: “That stinky boy!”

Yu Dong was puzzled as she looked at them. She didn’t know why the harmonious atmosphere suddenly turned solemn.

“Why are you scolding your son?” Mother Xia asked father Xia angrily.

“He’s 28 years old, 6 years older than her. How can he lay hands on a girl who just started university!” Father Xia growled.

(T/N: since the couple is pretending Yu Dong is An An who he had dated for around 3/4 years, the parents think they started dating when Yu Dong just entered university)

“What do you mean lay hands, they’re in love!”

“No, it’s just hooliganism!”

Yu Dong who was listening couldn’t help but laugh. But after thinking about it, she shouldn’t leave things so complicated. So she spoke out and defended Xia Feng, “Uncle, auntie, it wasn’t Xia Feng’s fault, it was actually me who pursued him!”

“Eh?” The older couple couldn’t help but look at Yu Dong in disbelief.

“When I was a freshman I fainted due to heatstroke. Xia Feng brought me to the hospital without leaving his name. Afterwards, I asked a lot of people and inquired about him. I originally just wanted to have a meal with him as thanks, but when I saw him I…I….fell in love with him at first sight.” Yu Dong bowed her head as if she was terribly embarrassed.

Women like this kind of romantic story. As mother Xia listened to her story, her eyes brightened, and she smiled. She felt that this girl had a good eye to have picked her son, making her feel even more satisfied.

“No wonder he didn’t bring you home, he must have figured that his dad would beat him up.” Mother Xia laughed.

“Hey!” Father Xia snorted.

“But you just graduated, you shouldn’t have thought about getting married so early!” Mother Xia said with pity, “If I had known you were so young, I wouldn’t have asked Xia Feng for this…”

“Auntie I’m not too young, I’m already past the legal age.” Yu Dong suddenly became shy. “And my dream was to marry Xia Feng after graduation.”

The old couple glanced at each other, and the look between them conveyed their satisfaction towards this girl marrying their silly son.

“Auntie you have to recuperate properly, Xia Feng said that when you’re ready, we can hold the wedding ceremony!”

“Auntie understands, but even if I don’t wake up tomorrow, I won’t have any regrets.” Mother Xia lamented.

Father Xia frowned, obviously very worried.

Yu Dong felt that mother Xia was somewhat pessimistic. Before such a complex operation the patient should be in the right mindset. So Yu Dong thought a little and then said: “You’ll definitely be fine, I need you to help us with our future children!”

“Children? Are you pregnant?” Mother Xia was excited.

“Not yet!” Yu Dong shyly said, “But it’s only a matter of time!”

“Good good good!” Mother Xia happily said in succession. “I’ll help you with your children!”

Father Xia also had a happy face.

Xia Feng who came back with the flowers at this moment after running into some colleagues and chatting for a bit felt that the atmosphere in the room was very different from before.

“What children?” Xia Feng asked.

“Of course my grandchildren!” Mother Xia had now adopted Yu Dong as her daughter, and her son was unceremoniously pushed to one side.

What the? Xia Feng glanced at Yu Dong, who was acting virtuously in front of his mother and immediately muttered in his heart, ‘did this girl just replace me and became the new Xia child!’

“And Yu Dong told me her nickname isn’t An An and she doesn’t want to called this,” Mother Xia became angry, “Peh! What’s wrong with Dong, it’s such a nice name you’re being childish.”

Yu Dong listened on with an expression of being wronged while nodding continuously.

Xia Feng was stunned as he looked at Yu Dong. He had only been out of the room for a few minutes, what exactly did you say to my mother!

“What are you staring at? How can such a big man stare at his wife like that!” When father Xia saw Xia Feng looking at Yu Dong with a dark expression, he was so angry that he continued to say, “You! Come with me!.”

Xia Feng who was wrongly scolded was stunned, but he nevertheless followed his father out to the corridor.

In the room, Yu Dong was worried as she looked at their retreating backs. Mother Xia comforted her with an expression full of affection.

“You, what did I end up teaching you as a kid, for you to lay your hands on such a young girl?”

Father Xia was still brooding over the fact that his son became an old cow who eats tender grass.

“I…”

“You what! For the sake of Yu Dong who actively pursued you, I won’t hunt you down,” Father Xia continued with a serious face, “But you have to be kind, you know! Just because someone else took the initiative doesn’t mean you don’t cherish the person.”

“Oh…” Xia Feng is suddenly learning new information, dad say that again?

“What’s with that look on your face, I’ll tell you now, if I find out later that you’re not treating your wife well, I’ll break your leg!”

“Dad you’re a little too loud, people can hear!” Xia Feng was suddenly embarrassed as he noticed the people around them.

“Let them listen, I said what I said, let them be witnesses!” Father Xia snarled.

“Yes, yes, I’ll listen to you!” Yu Dong, what the hell did you say to my parents, how did they both suddenly turn on me in less than 10 minutes.

After talking for a while, Xia Feng worried that his mother was getting tired, so he intended to take Yu Dong and leave.

Mother Xia, although happy, was after all still in poor health, so she was indeed tired.

“Auntie just rest, I’ll come back on the day you’re undergoing surgery!”

“Good!” Mother Xia smiled and waved her off.

When the two of them left the hospital, Xia Feng asked: “What did you say to my parents, they like you so much!”

“What do you mean ‘what did I say’, this girl is someone people can’t help but love!” Yu Dong said with pride.

“Alright, alright, you’re the best. My dad said that if I dare bully you, he’ll break my leg.” Xia Feng said, depressed.

“Oh my, uncle is so cute!” Yu Dong said with glee, “If you make me unhappy in the future, I’ll go to him and complain!”

“And what’s this about children?” Xia Feng was worried about this.

“This, ah…” Yu Dong started to explain. “I saw that auntie wasn’t optimistic about her operation, so I thought that the idea of us having children and making them grandparents would get her to wish for a longer life.”

Xia Feng listened and thinking of his mother’s illness, he became worried. “I hope nothing wrong happens.”

“Relax, auntie is such a good person, the operation will definitely go smoothly.” Yu Dong knew that Xia Feng really cared about his mother and couldn’t help being wracked with worry. No wonder Xia Feng was determined to marry no matter what, indulging mother Xia’s flights of fancy.

“I’ll listen to you,” Xia Feng laughed, “But now my mother is looking forward to her grandchild.”

“Then let it be born!” Yu Dong didn’t particularly care.

Xia Feng was stunned as he turned to look at Yu Dong, who was bathed in sunlight. He didn’t know what to say.

On the other side of the hospital ward, mother Xia was also talking to father Xia.

“I’m so relieved. I used to worry that Xia Feng was too dull, that it was partly my fault as I raised him to be such a gentleman towards women. Gentlemen are popular with women, but it’s also easy for them to be treated like a spare tire, ah.” Mother Xia lamented, “Yu Dong is good, and complements Xia Feng so nicely!”

“Yeah!” Father Xia echoed, “So you have to raise your body well and wait for your grandchild.”

“Yes, I have to meet my grandchild!” When her grandchild was mentioned, mother Xia brightened.

“That kid is such a lucky dog!” Father Xia was glad.

“Who’s the dog?” Mother Xia asked with narrowed eyes.

“I am, I am! I was just trying to give the kid some face!”

“Who are you giving face to?”

“You, you!”

……

Xia Feng took Yu Dong home, then turned around and went back to the hospital. Although his mother was sick and the hospital gave him time off, there were still some things he needed to deal with himself.

Back at the hospital, Xia Feng had just stopped the car when his phone suddenly rang.

He frowned when he saw that the unlisted number was from the United States. He thought about it for a moment, then connected the call.

“Xia Feng!” A gentle female voice came from the phone.

“You’re in the States?” Xia Feng stilled, then asked.

“Yeah, I’m here. The house I rented online is pretty good, and there’s even a swimming pool downstairs.” The girl happily talked to Xia Feng as if they still had a relationship.

“That’s good!”

“Xia Feng…are you still angry with me?” The girl’s voice turned timid, so much so that people couldn’t help but feel a little pity.

“No!”

“I know you’re mad at me Xia Feng, you know that I like you, I just don’t want to get married so early.” The girl paused, then continued: “Is auntie’s body still okay?”

“Very good!”

“That’s good! Aunt’s surgery is sure to succeed. Xia Feng, I know that I’m capricious, and you can be angry at me, but please promise me that you won’t be angry for too long.”

“An An…” Xia Feng closed his eyes as if he had just made a great decision, then said, “Do you remember what I said to you before?”

“Which sentence?”

“The day I proposed to you…” Xia Feng reminded her.

“Xia Feng…you…you’re scaring me…” An An became a little panicky.

“I know you remember.” Xia Feng then said clearly, “An An we broke up!”

“Xia Feng, Xia Feng, I knew you were still angry!”

“I’m serious!”

“How can you do this, just because I didn’t agree to marry you right away you’re going to break up with me? Aren’t we supposed to negotiate with each other with something like this? You just can’t unilaterally decide this, not to mention you knew I planned to study in the States, the tickets were already bought. Xia Feng, you can’t do this to me…”

“An An, I…” Xia Feng was about to say that he was married.

But An An was already crying over him and said: “You’re just angry Xia Feng. Let’s calm down first, then we’ll talk again.”

“Xia Feng looked blankly at the ended call, and finally showed a bitter smile.

Anyway, she’s currently abroad – maybe she’ll have cooled down when she returns!