Free Web NovelChapter 305: Chapter 305: Formal Meeting
Wu Sheng had originally said they would meet up and eat out, but in the end, the location was changed to his home.
On the way, Wu Sheng drove like a madman. "Su Li, don’t be nervous. It’s the same as meeting anywhere else. We just have to hurry back."
How could Su Li not be nervous? "Why do we have to hurry? Is something wrong?"
’And why are we meeting at his house, of all places?!’
It just made her even more nervous.
Amidst her anxiety, Su Li heard Wu Sheng’s reply. "It’s nothing. We just need to get back before my mom starts cooking."
Su Li was completely stunned. "Huh?"
’What kind of reason is that?’
Wu Sheng wiped his face in resignation. "My mom’s cooking... isn’t the most gifted. We have to get back before she starts, so I can seize control of the kitchen!"
Wu Sheng feared neither heaven nor earth, but he was terrified of his mother setting foot in the kitchen!
Yet, today of all days, his mother was determined to cook.
And why was that? The reason was connected to why the meeting spot was changed to their house. To quote Wu Sheng’s mother:
"Why? Because my son is thirty years old! He’s an old man already, and this is the first time he’s ever brought a girl home. How could we possibly not celebrate at home?"
Wu Sheng’s mother felt that for such a momentous occasion, it had to be at home. It had to be proper and formal, and she had to be a warm and enthusiastic hostess.
"I thought I’d go my whole life without this ever happening, and now it is! How can I not be a little enthusiastic?"
While Su Li had been waging war on her wardrobe, Wu Sheng’s mother had been waging one of her own. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
She had woken up at the crack of dawn to go to the market, returning with a mountain of groceries, and had immediately started prepping everything.
Wu Sheng had helped her for half the day before finally getting himself ready to pick up Su Li.
And this pickup had to be fast. He had to get back before his mother started cooking.
Thanks to his speeding, they arrived at their destination in no time.
It wasn’t too far from where Su Li lived, only about a half-hour drive.
However, this area was completely different from Su Li’s neighborhood.
His home was a traditional courtyard house tucked away in a bustling yet quiet old alleyway.
Wu Sheng parked the car near the entrance to the alley, grabbed the things they’d brought, and led Su Li inside.
Everyone they passed greeted Wu Sheng.
"Wu Sheng, you’re back! Whoa, and you brought a girl with you?"
"Wu Sheng? Is that young lady with you?"
"Are my eyes deceiving me? Wu Sheng, you’re with a girl?"
The above were the normal greetings.
And if you were to ask what the abnormal ones were...
Well, they were like this.
One person looked up at the sky. "Hell hasn’t frozen over, has it? So how am I seeing Wu Sheng with a girl?"
Another person pinched themselves hard. "OUCH! That hurts. So I’m not dreaming. How am I seeing Wu Sheng with a girl?"
Su Li was completely and utterly bewildered the entire time.
Wu Sheng gritted his teeth the whole way, calling out, "Alright, settle down," "Come on, Uncle, stop teasing me," and "Please, ma’am, don’t make fun of me. You’re going to scare her."
The walk down the short alley left Su Li utterly baffled and in a daze, with no idea what was happening.
"They’re just here for the show. They’ve been waiting for this," Wu Sheng explained. "It’s all my mom’s fault. I’m sure she came out and announced it to the whole neighborhood after I left."
"Don’t be scared, and please don’t think they’re weird. They’re all old neighbors."
Wu Sheng explained as he stopped in front of a red iron gate. "We’re here. This is my house."
"Mom, I’m home!"
Wu Sheng led Su Li inside and called out.
"Yes, coming!" a remarkably young and cheerful voice replied instantly.
A moment later, a slender woman in a red sweater with gently curled hair emerged from one of the rooms.
She was stunning at first glance, with fair skin, a cheerful disposition, and an especially warm smile.
Wu Sheng looked a lot like her, especially her eyes.
A single glance was all it took to see they were mother and son.
Of course, you could have easily mistaken her for his older sister, she looked so young.
Even though smiling revealed fine lines around her eyes, her radiance made you overlook them completely.
Su Li was momentarily stunned when she saw Wu Sheng’s mother.
As she was looking at Wu Sheng’s mother, Wu Sheng’s mother was also looking right back at her.
She didn’t spare a single glance for the son standing beside her; her eyes were fixed on Su Li from start to finish.
Su Li was struck by her beauty, and she, in turn, was struck by Su Li’s.
"Oh my, what a beautiful young lady..." ’I have no idea how my rascal of a son managed to snag her.’
Su Li snapped out of her daze and quickly bowed. "Hello, Auntie. My name is Su Li."
"Hello, hello, it’s wonderful to meet you. I’m Wu Qihua. Please, come in and have a seat."
After speaking, Wu Qihua finally spared Wu Sheng a sidelong glance, a flicker of approval in her eyes.
"Thank you, Auntie," Su Li said quickly.
"Don’t be so formal. Get inside, it’s cold out."
Wu Qihua was very warm, but unlike some other potential mothers-in-law, she didn’t immediately try to grab Su Li’s hand.
Since they had just met, she didn’t want to make the girl more nervous than she already was.
"Come on, let’s go inside."
Wu Sheng said with a grin, ushering Su Li in.
He set down the bags he was carrying. "Look, Mom, this is from Su Li for you."
Wu Qihua glanced over and smiled. "Thank you, Su Li. Su Li, Su Li... that’s a lovely name. Is it the ’Li’ for ’pear’? I love eating crisp pears."
Su Li nodded. "It is."
After a moment’s thought, she took the gift she had bought the day before out of her bag and placed it with the others. "I hope you like it, Auntie."
Su Li had paid for the gifts Wu Sheng had picked out, after carefully inspecting them. She’d treated his choices as suggestions.
"Anything you two buy, I’ll love it."
Wu Qihua pushed the fruit platter on the coffee table toward her. "Have some fruit."
Tangerines, apples, and winter dates, all freshly washed and still glistening with water droplets, looked very inviting.
"Okay, thank you, Auntie." Su Li picked up a winter date.
"No need to be so formal, and don’t be nervous. I’m very easy to talk to," Wu Qihua said, noticing Su Li’s tension and quickly trying to soothe her. Then she stood up.
"I’m going to go check on the kitchen."
"Mom, I’ll go, you rest," Wu Sheng said, leaping to his feet.
"No, you stay and chat with Su Li. I’ll go cook. It’ll be ready in a little while," Wu Qihua said with a wave of her hand.
"Mom, you’re busy every day. You finally have a day off, so you should be resting. I can handle the cooking."
Wu Sheng also waved his hands dismissively.
Su Li quietly stood up and moved to the side. "Let me help. I can make most common home-style dishes."
This time, Wu Sheng and Wu Qihua were in perfect agreement.
"No, no, you just stay seated," Wu Sheng said, waving her off.
"We couldn’t possibly let you cook. I’ll do it!" Wu Qihua declared with an imperious wave.
Su Li: "..."
"Mom, just let me cook. My cooking is better than yours," Wu Sheng said, getting desperate.
Wu Qihua looked indignant. "I’m very good now, too."
"Not as good as me. I’ll do it."
Wu Sheng smiled at Su Li. "You just sit tight. I’m going to show off a little."
Wu Sheng scurried off to the kitchen. Su Li started to go help, but Wu Qihua stopped her.
"Let him cook. He’s usually the one who cooks when it’s just the two of us at home."
A nostalgic look appeared in Wu Qihua’s eyes. "I remember when Wu Sheng was very little, only in the third grade, he started learning to cook." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"He’d run straight home every day after school and come help me."
"The phrase I heard most often was, ’Mom, you’ve worked hard. Let me take over, I’ll cook.’"
From the kitchen, Wu Sheng muttered under his breath, his face a mask of agony, "That’s only because your cooking was so awful."
