Chapter 40
“Ah, good morning,” Bai Xuyang froze for a moment before speaking. “Xiao Zhong is back.”
Jiang Zhong was stunned. “Why are you here? So early?”
“We just got here not long ago,” Bai Xuyang replied.
We? So it wasn’t just him?
Jiang Zhong glanced at Xi Qin and suddenly felt a bit sorry for him.
“Jiang Zhong’s back?” Zheng Yinqiu’s voice suddenly came from behind Bai Xuyang. “This must be Xiao Xi. Come in, what are you standing at the door for? Xuyang, go sit on the sofa.”
“Alright,” Bai Xuyang turned and walked in first. “Auntie.”
Jiang Zhong stayed in place. “Mom.”
Xi Qin smiled politely. “Hello, Auntie.”
“Ah, hello, hello,” Zheng Yinqiu smiled warmly. “Come in quickly. Why did you bring so many things? Jiang Zhong, honestly, you couldn’t help carry a little?”
Jiang Zhong entered, pulled out his slippers, and handed Xi Qin a new pair. “He wouldn’t let me help.”
Hearing this, Bai Xuyang glanced at Xi Qin with curiosity.
Zheng Yinqiu, of course, wasn’t oblivious to these small exchanges between young people. “Xiao Xi, just put the things down anywhere.”
Jiang Zhong quickly kicked off his sneakers, slipped into his slippers, and reached for the bags from Xi Qin. “Give them to me. You change your shoes.”
The bags were indeed quite a lot, and Bai Xuyang took some from Jiang Zhong to help.
Xi Qin squatted down, carefully untied his shoelaces, and changed out of his sneakers into slippers. He then neatly placed both his shoes and Jiang Zhong’s into the shoe cabinet that Jiang Zhong had left open.
Jiang Zhong and Bai Xuyang placed the items Xi Qin brought in a corner, where a pile of gift boxes and bags had already accumulated. Meanwhile, voices could be heard chatting in the living room nearby.
“Eldest aunt’s family is here too?” Jiang Zhong asked Bai Xuyang.
“Yes,” Bai Xuyang replied. “The whole family.”
Jiang Zhong took a deep breath. He had thought it would just be his parents, but now with his eldest aunt’s family added, there were six people in total. Xi Qin’s first meeting with the family suddenly felt like he was walking into a lion’s den.
Jiang Zhong quickly set the items down and ran back to the entryway.
“Mom,” Jiang Zhong clung to Zheng Yinqiu’s arm and asked in a low voice, “Why didn’t you tell me my eldest aunt’s family would be coming today? This is so awkward!”
“Your eldest aunt only called me this morning,” Zheng Yinqiu whispered back. “I figured their visit wouldn’t conflict with meeting Xiao Xi, so I didn’t tell you.”
“Alright then.”
It was indeed no conflict, but it was tough on Xi Qin. He was already nervous enough, and now, seeing this situation, he’d probably be even more cautious.
Jiang Zhong turned to Xi Qin and gave him a helpless look.
Amid a group of strangers, Xi Qin instinctively kept an eye on Jiang Zhong’s movements. He had a general sense of Jiang Zhong’s concern, so when Zheng Yinqiu wasn’t looking, he lightly patted Jiang Zhong’s back a few times.
“Come on, Xiao Xi,” Zheng Yinqiu called out, “Have a seat.”
Jiang Zhong let go of Zheng Yinqiu’s arm and, walking properly, stayed by Xi Qin’s side as they went to the lounge area.
The television was playing a lively program, but it was mostly background noise as the others only glanced at it occasionally.
Jiang’s father and eldest uncle were chatting about current events and societal issues. Bai Xuyang, who had returned earlier, chimed in now and then. A seat beside Jiang’s eldest aunt was empty, clearly where Zheng Yinqiu had been sitting before. Meanwhile, Bai Yuelang was the most relaxed, cracking sunflower seeds while playing on his phone.
As Jiang Zhong and Xi Qin followed Zheng Yinqiu over, Jiang Chengye turned his head first and gave Xi Qin a thorough once-over.
The conversation abruptly stopped, and everyone on the sofa turned to look at them.
Jiang Zhong didn’t know how Xi Qin was feeling, but he himself was starting to get nervous. His dad’s expression was way too serious.
Jiang Chengye had always been a stern yet dependable father figure to Jiang Zhong. Jiang Zhong knew his dad had several sides to him, which was evident just from how he treated him compared to how he treated Zheng Yinqiu.
But Jiang Zhong hadn’t expected his dad to switch expressions so quickly and so intensely. One moment, he was smiling and chatting, the next, he was coldly scrutinizing Xi Qin.
“Hello, Uncle,” Xi Qin greeted Jiang Chengye and the eldest uncle with a slight bow, then turned to the eldest aunt and repeated the gesture. “Hello, Auntie.”
Finally, he smiled and nodded at Bai Xuyang and Bai Yuelang.
Not bad, Jiang Zhong thought. At least Xi Qin’s voice sounded completely steady.
Following Xi Qin’s lead, Jiang Zhong greeted them as well. “Eldest Aunt, Eldest Uncle, you got here so early.”
“It’s you who came back too late,” Jiang Chengye said with a serious expression. Then he turned to Xi Qin. “You’re Xi Qin, right?”
“Yes,” Xi Qin replied, his face showing a harmless and polite smile. “You can just call me Xiao Xi, Uncle.”
Jiang Chengye gave a nod without any expression.
The eldest aunt and uncle, sensing the slightly odd atmosphere, didn’t press further. The eldest aunt smiled and said to Jiang Zhong, “I was just asking your mom where you were. So you went out with a friend, huh?”
Before Jiang Zhong could reply, Zheng Yinqiu interjected, “Jiang Zhong has never liked staying home. Every time there’s a holiday, he runs off to hang out.”
“Young people are all like that these days,” the eldest aunt said with a sigh. “Xuyang and Yueyue are the same. If it weren’t for coming here today, they’d already have plans with their friends.”
The conversation shifted to “my kid does this” and “your kid does that,” leaving Jiang Zhong and Xi Qin completely sidelined.
Jiang Zhong was perfectly happy with this. He took the opportunity to pull Xi Qin over to the far end of the sofa and handed him a can of soda.
Jiang Chengye and the eldest uncle resumed their earlier discussion. For a moment, the living room was filled with an atmosphere of warmth and harmony.
In the next half-day, Zheng Yinqiu and Jiang Chengye never openly mentioned the relationship between Jiang Zhong and Xi Qin, but Jiang Zhong knew his parents had been quietly observing Xi Qin from the moment they saw him.
When discussing current events, Jiang Chengye would casually ask Jiang Zhong’s opinion, then naturally transition to asking if Jiang Zhong’s “friend” had any unique insights.
When talking about everyday life details, Zheng Yinqiu would casually suggest that the younger ones learn a thing or two, all while secretly observing how Xi Qin treated her son.
To this, Jiang Zhong could only say: your parents will always be your parents!
Fortunately, Xi Qin handled the scrutiny of these two “workplace veterans” with poise, answering every question clearly, articulately, and with sound reasoning.
Jiang Zhong figured his parents were probably satisfied.
He wasn’t sure if his eldest aunt and uncle had figured out the relationship between him and Xi Qin, but they were definitely suspicious.
After all, who brings a “friend” alone to their house on the second day of the Lunar New Year, stays by their side at all times, and even has the “friend” tag along to see off departing guests, clearly suggesting they’ll be staying the night?
If Jiang Zhong knew about their doubts, he would have confidently answered: I would.
But he didn’t know, nor did he have the bandwidth to worry about what his aunt and uncle thought.
Because after sending off the eldest aunt’s family, Zheng Yinqiu personally closed the door, then turned around with a smile: “Come on, Xiao Xi, let’s have a chat.”
It’s happening! Jiang Zhong thought. This time it’s really happening. She even called only Xi Qin, not him.
To make the conversation more comfortable, Jiang Zhong prepared a plate of fresh fruit, neatly arranged, and placed it in front of Zheng Yinqiu and Jiang Chengye.
“Well, aren’t you considerate today,” Zheng Yinqiu said, taking a piece of fruit on a toothpick that Jiang Zhong handed her. “Do you think one plate of fruit is enough to bribe me?”
“What are you talking about?” Jiang Zhong replied shamelessly, unfazed at being called out. “It’s not like I’ve never been considerate before.”
Zheng Yinqiu gave him a meaningful look, then turned back to Xi Qin. “Where were we? Oh, right, you and Jiang Zhong are roommates.”
“Huh?” Jiang Zhong interjected, “I didn’t tell you that?”
Zheng Yinqiu gave him a “What do you think?” expression.
“So, you’ve known each other since your first year of college and only got together recently?” Zheng Yinqiu asked.
“More or less,” Jiang Zhong chimed in again. “We went to the same high school—Xi Qin also attended Shiyan High.”
Zheng Yinqiu shot him another glance.
“She’s asking him,” Jiang Chengye, who had been silently observing until now, finally spoke up. “Stop talking.”
Jiang Zhong stuffed a piece of fruit into his mouth.
“Yes, I knew Jiang Zhong in high school,” Xi Qin said with a slight smile. “But he didn’t know me. Strictly speaking, we only got to know each other in college. By chance, Jiang Zhong and I chose the same major.”
Zheng Yinqiu nodded. “Well, that’s quite the coincidence.”
Jiang Zhong quickly nodded repeatedly.
Zheng Yinqiu was completely helpless and smiled helplessly. “We haven’t really done much about him. Jiang Zhong is usually carefree, I don’t know if you can handle it.”
Xi Qin smiled and shook his head. “Jiang Zhong has a great personality, and he makes up for many of my shortcomings.”
“Alright then,” Zheng Yinqiu relaxed her posture. “His dad and I just wanted to get to know you. You seem quite composed. You two can continue your relationship.”
“Okay,” Xi Qin nodded. “Thank you, uncle and aunt.”
“No need to thank us,” Zheng Yinqiu waved her hand.
“Is that it?” Jiang Zhong kept glancing between Zheng Yinqiu and Xi Qin. “Nothing else?”
“You brat, what else do you want?” Zheng Yinqiu threatened. “Should I have your dad ask a few more questions?”
Jiang Zhong: “…”
That would really not be necessary.
“Here,” Zheng Yinqiu turned to Jiang Chengye. “I don’t have any questions. You can chat with Xiao Xi.”
Jiang Zhong widened his eyes and looked at Xi Qin.
Sorry, I really dug a hole for my boyfriend.
“I don’t have any questions either,” Jiang Chengye’s tone when speaking to Zheng Yinqiu was completely different from before. “If you think there’s no problem, then I don’t have any issues.”
“Then it’s settled,” Jiang Zhong immediately said. “Xi Qin is fine. Don’t you trust my judgment?”
Zheng Yinqiu and Jiang Chengye both ignored him and continued eating fruit.
Really, all that worry was for nothing. Once kids grow up, they’re hard to hold on to.
“Well, uncle and aunt, I’ll be heading back now,” Xi Qin said after a while. “I’ll come visit again another day.”
“You’re leaving?” Jiang Zhong looked at him reluctantly. “It’s so late, stay the night at my place.”
Xi Qin opened his mouth but didn’t speak, and then Zheng Yinqiu added, “Yes, stay until tomorrow, it’s not easy to catch a cab on New Year’s Eve.”
Jiang Zhong looked at Xi Qin eagerly.
Xi Qin didn’t want to separate from Jiang Zhong either, so he obediently agreed. “Then I’ll trouble you, uncle and aunt.”
“It’s fine,” Zheng Yinqiu arranged, “Jiang Zhong, go check if the guest room needs tidying up. When it’s ready, take Xiao Xi to rest.”
“Why does he need to sleep in the guest room?” Jiang Zhong said matter-of-factly, “He can stay with me…”
Zheng Yinqiu glanced at him lightly.
“Alright, alright,” Jiang Zhong quickly changed his words, stood up, and pulled Xi Qin along. “I’ll take you to the guest room.”