“Have you got a plan for this?”
Xie Yuping took several deep breaths before asking his nephew.
Xie Qian sounded confident. “Of course I have.”
“Xiao Wen is a wonderful girl, and her parents must be reasonable people. Perform well, show sincerity and responsibility!”
Xie Yuping set the tone first: Wen Ying’s parents were reasonable, so if Xie Qian failed to win their approval, it would definitely be Xie Qian’s fault.
He said this to encourage his nephew to adopt a humble attitude when meeting the parents.
Anyone familiar with Xie Qian knew he was cold on the outside but warm-hearted within.
He concealed his intense emotions behind a cool exterior. Years of contending with his scumbag father, Xie Jinghu, had taught him patience, while family upheavals had forced early maturity. Running a business had added a decisive sharpness. In short, Xie Qian’s presence was overwhelming. He showed none of the awkwardness typical of university students his age.
An ordinary university student meeting his girlfriend’s parents for the first time would certainly be nervous.
He might fidget, stumble over his words.
These were normal reactions, and understanding parents would make allowances.
With Xie Qian, Xie Yuping’s worry was the opposite.
He feared Xie Qian would show no nerves at all, or would hide any anxiety behind an impassive face.
That approach worked when fighting his father or negotiating business, but not when meeting parents.
If Wen Ying’s parents saw only an icy, expressionless face, they could easily misunderstand.
“Enthusiasm. You must display plenty of enthusiasm, understand? Sincerity and responsibility are not proved by words alone. Actions speak loudest.”
Xie Yuping stressed this several times. To make his point convincing, he revealed his own past. “When I visited your aunt’s family, I was extremely enthusiastic. Your grandmother-in-law liked buying cheap vegetables at the early market. Before dawn, I would wait at the door, accompany her to the market, haggle over prices, then carry the vegetables home. Your grandfather-in-law bought coal for winter heating. I pulled strings to find cheaper coal and unloaded it myself, shovel by shovel. When a stool broke at your aunt’s house, I noticed before she did and fixed it immediately. After several months, her family finally agreed to our marriage!”
Early markets, shovelling coal, repairing stools.
Xie Yuping’s stories were so vivid that Xie Qian was stunned. His uncle had been outstanding even in his youth, yet he still had to work so hard to win approval!
Xie Qian’s confidence had been an act. After his uncle’s advice, he grew even more nervous.
He struggled to picture Xie Yuping unloading coal, and he certainly could not imagine himself doing it.
Actually, unloading coal would be straightforward. He could just pick up a shovel and get on with it.
The problem was that society no longer required coal unloading.
Economic progress had blocked all the simple, practical ways to impress Wen Ying’s parents through hard work!
Xie Qian thought for ages. Did he need to manage stocks for Wen Ying’s mother or write reports for her father?
Probably not.
“Uncle, I understand!”
He said he understood, but inside he had no idea.
Apart from his warmth towards Wen Ying, Xie Qian found it hard to be enthusiastic with anyone else. In his whole life, this was the first time he envied others. If he had the thick skin of Peng or Wang, the scumbag students, meeting the parents would be much easier.
That evening, Zou Weijun noticed her son’s unease and comforted him. “Your uncle’s methods are only a reference. In her youth, your aunt was highly sought-after. Many wanted to marry her. Although your uncle had a good job, he had a widowed mother and three younger brothers to support. Without great effort, how could he outshine the competition?”
Xie Qian appreciated his mother’s comfort, though it did not help.
No matter how popular his aunt had been, she was nowhere near as famous as Wen Ying now. His uncle had faced many rivals, and Xie Qian’s would surely be no fewer!
This only increased his pressure.
Lovers in the honeymoon phase notice every shift in mood. The next day at school, Wen Ying sensed something off with Xie Qian.
“Are you having business troubles, or has Zhang been causing problems again?”
Xie Qian shook his head. “No issues with business. Zhang Zhijun has been quiet lately. It’s something else. When do you think would be a good time for me to visit your parents?”
“Visit my parents? They’ve been expecting—”
Wen Ying stopped mid-sentence.
This was not the first time Xie Qian had mentioned a formal visit. She herself did not mind, but since he had raised it twice, he clearly cared. Now she cared too.
“Are you ready? Shall I arrange a time?”
Of course he was not ready!
No one could guarantee a flawless first meeting with a girlfriend’s parents. A perfectionist like Xie Qian grew especially anxious thinking of possible mistakes.
But the matter had to move forward regardless.
Xie Qian nodded. “Alright. You set the time and let me know in advance.”
Wen Ying leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t worry. My parents were strict with me, but they’re polite to others. They absolutely won’t make things difficult for you.”
Previously, Wen Ying could not have promised that. Now, with her improved standing in the family, she believed her parents would respect Xie Qian for her sake.
“Even if they do make things a little difficult, it’s only right. Every son-in-law has to go through it.”
Xie Qian tried to sound calm.
Wen Ying was puzzled. “Who are ‘they’? Who have you been consulting?”
Xie Qian would rather die than reveal his advisor was Uncle Xie Yuping.
When Wen Ying mentioned it to her parents, it happened that Wen Dongrong was coming to Shanghai the following weekend on business. Hearing that Xie Qian wanted to visit formally as her boyfriend, Wen Dongrong cleared his throat over the phone.
“Invite him for dinner. Don’t worry about your mum’s rented flat being small. I’ll cook a few dishes myself to welcome him. Your aunt’s husband is in Shanghai too. I’ll ask him along!”
“Ask Uncle too?”
“Why not? Is he not worthy?”
Wen Dongrong used to look down on Deng Shangwei, but now they got on well. If Wen Ying dared suggest Deng Shangwei was unworthy, her father would immediately lecture her!
“Of course he is!”
Deng Shangwei already knew Xie Qian. Meeting together was fine.
Fortunately, it was not in Chengdu. In Chengdu, Xie Qian would probably have to meet the entire Wen family at once!
…
Wen Kai had cornered Xie Qian with no escape, yet his own path forward had become uncertain.
Since confessing his family tie to Wen Ying, his girlfriend Gan Tao had not contacted him for days.
Wen Kai wanted to know what she was thinking, but Gan Tao avoided the topic.
The moment he broached it, she would end the call with excuses like “class starting”, “homework to do”, or “going to study”.
Wen Kai felt as if he were punching cotton!
He would almost prefer her to shout or scold him.
Before, Gan Tao had been extremely clingy. Now everyone could see they had quarrelled.
His dorm mates pitied Wen Kai, assuming Gan Tao’s parents had firmly rejected him.
Poor Wen Kai.
No one knew how to console him.
It was already hard for an out-of-town boy to win approval from Beijing parents!
Some who had previously teased Wen Kai for aiming high and clinging to a rich beauty now awkwardly advised him to rely on himself and take the proper path.
Why chase a rich, beautiful girlfriend? You only suffer, and in the end it comes to nothing!
Wen Kai: …
What nonsense was this!
His cousin-in-law Leng Jun was very concerned and pulled Wen Kai aside. “What exactly did you do to upset Taotao? Did you insult her idol?”
Wen Kai was not that stupid.
He hesitated. Leng Jun nudged him. “Out with it!”
“I didn’t insult her idol. I told her her idol is my cousin.”
“Your what?”
“Cousin.”
Leng Jun pointed at Wen Kai, finger trembling with anger. “You kept that quiet! No wonder Taotao is furious. Even I’m angry. Stay away from me. I don’t want to see you.”
“We share a dorm…”
Leng Jun cut him off. “Fine. I’ll leave. I’ll go home!”
Leng Jun was genuinely hurt.
He had thought he and Wen Kai were close.
He had recommended jobs, shown him the world, even set him up with his cousin.
Yet Wen Kai had hidden the fact that he was related to “Niliu de Yu”.
He knew how much Taotao adored “Niliu de Yu” and had kept it secret all this time!
Unable to drive Wen Kai away, Leng Jun left for home himself.
Wen Kai chased after him explaining, but Leng Jun refused to listen.
Now his girlfriend was still upset, and he had offended his future cousin-in-law. No one was left to mediate.
Ask Wen Ying for advice again?
Wen Ying refused to get involved in a female fan’s romance with her cousin. “Brother Kai, you have to coax your own girlfriend. If I do it, do you think she likes you or me more?”
Did Gan Tao like Xiao Ying more, or him more?
Wen Kai had no answer.
Perhaps that was why he had not wanted to tell Gan Tao the truth.
…
Early Saturday morning, Xie Qian had Driver Yang load the prepared gifts into the car.
The neighbourhood where Xie Qian and Zou Weijun lived was half an hour from Chen Ru’s rented flat. Previously, Xie Qian had thought it a bit far, inconvenient for weekend visits to Wen Ying.
Now he felt the two places were too close!
Half an hour passed in a flash. Before Xie Qian had mentally prepared himself, Driver Yang delivered him to the entrance.
Driver Yang was eager to help. “Mr Xie, shall I carry the things up for you?”
Remembering Xie Yuping’s instructions, Xie Qian shook his head. “No need. I’ll manage.”
The gifts were fine in quality, not quantity. Xie Qian had resisted the urge to empty the house and carried only seven or eight boxes.
It was a stretch for two hands. Driver Yang watched his boss struggle and wisely kept quiet.
Mr Xie was still Mr Xie. Even laden with gift boxes, his back remained straight and imposing!
