dkrc Chapter 104 The Two Elderly Mothers Conspire
Chapter 104 The Two Elderly Mothers Conspire
Chapter 103 The Two Elderly Mothers Conspire
The kitchen is large, clean, and bright.
Liu Xiaoli opened the sterilizer and took out the tea set.
Jiang Yu turned on the hot water at the sink and began washing the cups.
Neither of them spoke for a moment; only the sound of flowing water and the humming of the kettle gradually filled the air.
"President Jiang," Liu Xiaoli finally spoke, her voice very soft, as if afraid of being overheard by the people in the living room, "Yifei has been in the US for the past six months, and thanks to you so much, she's been taking care of her. Every time she calls back, eight out of ten sentences mention you."
"Of course." Jiang Yu washed the cups very carefully, rinsing each one inside and out. "Auntie, Yifei works very hard and doesn't cause me much worry. Even the director admires her hard work on the 'Black Swan' set."
"She's always been strong-willed," Liu Xiaoli sighed, taking a tea canister from the cupboard. "She keeps everything bottled up inside, never telling anyone. I know she's under a lot of pressure filming this ballet movie; I've danced since I was little, I know how tough it is. Every time I call, she says she's fine, Mom, I'm doing great." This child—she only shares good news, never bad.
Jiang Yu turned off the tap and wiped the cup dry with a clean cotton cloth.
"She really works incredibly hard. Director Darren said she practices dancing for two hours every day, and one of her toenails even fell off, but she didn't complain at all. Once when I visited the set, I saw her hiding in the dressing room rubbing her feet, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain. But as soon as she saw me, she immediately held back her tears and smiled, saying, 'It's okay.'"
Liu Xiaoli's hand trembled, and a few tea leaves spilled out.
She quickly composed herself, her eyes welling up with tears again: "This child has been like this since she was little. When she was five, she tore her ligaments while learning to dance. She was in so much pain that she couldn't sleep all night, but she still insisted on going to class the next day. I advised her to rest for a day, but she said, 'Mom, I promised the teacher I would go, so I have to go.'"
The water boiled and emitted a sharp screech.
Liu Xiaoli turned off the fire and began to warm the pot and cups.
Her movements were elegant and slow, as if she were thinking about something, or giving each other time to process their emotions.
"So, Mr. Jiang, thank you, Auntie." She finally said, her voice trying hard to stay steady. "Thank you for being there for her, thank you for seeing her efforts, and thank you for seeing through her bravado when she was putting on a brave front."
Jiang Yu turned around and looked at Liu Xiaoli intently.
This decisive and efficient man in the business world now had eyes as pure as a young boy's: "Auntie, it's not just about taking care of her. Yifei is special. She deserves all the good opportunities, she deserves to be seen, cherished, and treated well."
Liu Xiaoli stared at him for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Liu Xiaoli smiled.
That was a mother's smile, a smile that showed she had seen through everything and was at peace with everything.
"You're not just talking about work, are you?" she said, adding tea leaves to the pot, her voice regaining its usual gentleness.
Jiang Yu smiled, neither denying nor panicking: "Auntie, you noticed?"
"I'm not blind." Liu Xiaoli shook her head and began rinsing the tea for the first time. "The way you two looked at each other when you walked in—your expressions and demeanor were completely different from six months ago. Yifei's eyes couldn't hide anything when she looked at you. She's always been like this since she was little; what she likes and dislikes is all written in her eyes."
She poured out the first brew and started the second.
The aroma of tea filled the kitchen; it was the delicate fragrance of fine Longjing tea.
"Xiaoyu, your aunt isn't old-fashioned."
As Liu Xiaoli poured tea, she spoke in a calm tone, as if chatting casually, "You know, Yifei is my only daughter. She's been in the entertainment industry since she was little, and I've been very protective of her, afraid she might suffer even the slightest grievance. So I'm extra careful about my feelings for her. It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust this industry, and I don't believe that people's hearts are so fickle."
"I understand." Jiang Yu nodded, took the teacup she offered, but didn't drink it. He just held it, feeling its warmth. "I understand your worries. I've worried too. I worried that I wasn't good enough, that I was too busy, that I couldn't give her the companionship she wanted."
He paused, looking at the emerald green tea in his cup: "But Auntie, relationships aren't arithmetic problems; you can't list all the conditions and add, subtract, multiply, or divide them. Yifei and I—it just happened naturally. As for problems, we'll solve them together. I'm busy, and she's busy too, so we can leave a light on for each other when we're both busy. I'm four years older than her, and she says that's just right. She says she can be willful, and I can tolerate it."
Liu Xiaoli listened and slowly sipped her tea.
The tea smelled wonderful, but her mind wasn't on it.
"You've thought it through very clearly," she finally said.
"I've thought about it for a long time," Jiang Yu confessed. "Ever since I realized I liked her, I've been thinking about it. I've considered all the possible problems and all the possible solutions. In the end, I realized that as long as two people want to be together, there's no problem that can't be solved."
Liu Xiaoli put down her teacup and looked at Jiang Yu.
Her eyes held a complex mix of emotions: relief, blessings, and the lingering worry that a mother can never completely let go of.
"Tea should be savored slowly, and relationships should be nurtured slowly too," she said softly. "Xiaoyu, Auntie doesn't object, but I hope you two will be cautious. Yifei is still young, and sometimes she doesn't think things through. You're a boy, you need to take more responsibility. And—"
She paused, then said, "This industry is complicated. Once your relationship is made public, there will be a lot of discussion. You need to protect her."
""
"I will," Jiang Yu solemnly promised. "As long as I'm here, I won't let her suffer any injustice."
"That's good." Liu Xiaoli smiled, this time a genuine, relaxed smile. "Let's go, the tea should be drunk while it's hot."
The two carried the tea tray back to the living room.
Liu Yifei was chatting with Chen Jingming, seemingly about interesting stories from the filming of "Black Swan".
Upon seeing them come out, Liu Yifei immediately stood up, her eyes darting back and forth between her mother and Jiang Yu, as if trying to read something from their expressions.
"Mom, what are you whispering about? It's been so long." She asked in a deliberately relaxed tone, her hands unconsciously twisting together.
"Tell me about your childhood memories," Liu Xiaoli said without changing her expression, placing teacups in front of everyone. "Tell me about how you wet the bed at three, shaved the neighbor's cat bald at five, and twisted your ankle at seven by secretly wearing my high heels—"
"Mom!" Liu Yifei blushed, truly blushed, her face turning red all the way down to her neck. "Don't talk nonsense! I didn't!"
"I'm not making this up." Liu Xiaoli blinked. "Xiaoyu knows, right?"
Jiang Yu suppressed a laugh and nodded in agreement: "Yes, Auntie told me everything. She also said that when you were eight years old, you secretly ate chocolate from the fridge and ended up having a toothache all night."
"You guys—" Liu Yifei stomped her foot angrily, but seeing the tacit interaction between her mother and Jiang Yu, she felt inexplicably sweet inside.
She knew that she had passed her mother's test.
Chen Jingming watched from the side and smiled.
He's a smart man. From the twenty minutes in the kitchen, from Liu Xiaoli's change in attitude toward Jiang Yu, and from Liu Yifei's reaction, he has pieced together a complete picture.
He was sensible; he neither asked nor said anything.
"Teacher Liu, General Manager Jiang," he glanced at his watch and spoke up at the opportune moment, "I see it's getting late, perhaps we should—"
"Stay for dinner." Liu Xiaoli interrupted him firmly, her tone typical of an elder giving orders. "I've prepared everything. The vegetables are all chopped; they just need to be stir-fried. It's rare for Jiang Yu and President Chen to come, so you must eat before you leave. You have a meeting this afternoon, right? Then you absolutely must eat your fill before going; otherwise, it'll be unbearable to attend the meeting on an empty stomach."
Chen Jingming looked at Jiang Yu, who nodded: "Then I'll trouble you, Auntie."
"No trouble at all," Liu Xiaoli said happily, turning to walk towards the kitchen. "You guys chat, I'll go cook. Yifei, come help."
In the kitchen, Liu Yifei put on an apron and washed vegetables, while Liu Xiaoli turned on the stove and poured oil.
The mother and daughter worked together seamlessly, their chopping, stir-frying, and running water blending into a heartwarming family symphony.
"Mom," Liu Yifei asked softly, her eyes fixed on the broccoli in her hand, "what were you and Jiang Yu talking about in the kitchen? It took so long."
"What do you think?" Liu Xiaoli said without looking up. The oil in the pan was hot, and she added minced garlic to sauté until fragrant.
"How would I know—" Liu Yifei's voice was even softer, almost drowned out by the sound of stir-frying, "What—what did he say?"
"He said you deserve to be cherished." Liu Xiaoli poured the sliced meat into the pot, and with a "sizzle," the aroma instantly filled the air.
Liu Yifei's hand froze in mid-air.
She turned to look at her mother, something gleaming in her eyes.
"mom----"
"And you?" Liu Xiaoli stirred the vegetables in the pan, her voice muffled by the noise of the range hood. "Have you thought it through? This isn't a small matter."
Liu Yifei remained silent for a while.
She put down the broccoli in her hand, turned off the tap, turned around to face her mother, and her expression was more serious than ever before.
"Mom, I've made up my mind," she said, enunciating each word clearly. "I like him, not just on a whim, but truly. He's serious, responsible, understands me, and supports me. And the way he looks at me is different from how he looks at others. It's just—the way he looks at me. The way he looks at Liu Yifei as a person."
Liu Xiaoli stopped stirring the food and turned to look at her daughter.
The face she had seen since childhood now held a firmness and maturity she had never seen before.
"So when are you planning to go public?" Liu Xiaoli asked, starting to stir things up again. "You know this industry, you can't hide anything."
"We won't go public for now," Liu Yifei said, continuing to wash the vegetables. "Jiang Yu said he didn't want me to be labeled as his girlfriend. He said I should be Liu Yifei first, an actress, and then someone else's. I also feel it's not the right time yet. Let's wait until 'Lucy' is finished filming, until I prove myself with my work, until we—are more stable."
Liu Xiaoli nodded and scooped out the stir-fried meat slices: "He's very thoughtful. But with you two like this, it's inconvenient to meet up all the time; you always have to hide."
"We can do it secretly," Liu Yifei suddenly laughed mischievously, like a child who had just pulled off a prank. "Like underground agents, how exciting! Mom, don't you think that's dramatic? Partners in public, but in private—"
Before she finished speaking, Liu Xiaoli understood.
She looked into her daughter's bright eyes and sighed inwardly; her daughter had grown up, really grown up, and was no longer the little girl who needed her to protect her all the time.
"You—" Liu Xiaoli gently poked her daughter's forehead with a spatula, the gesture affectionate, "But Xiaoyu is indeed a good kid. His mother called last time, subtly inquiring about you, asking what you like to eat and what your hobbies are. She probably figured it out."
"Huh?" Liu Yifei's eyes widened. "Zhou's mother knows?"
"You think adults are all fools?" Liu Xiaoli laughed and started cooking the next dish. "Your Aunt Zhou is very shrewd. But she likes you too. She said she'd be happy to wake up laughing in her dreams if you could be her daughter-in-law. She even said she wants to learn how to take care of herself from you, and that it's a miracle her son found such a wonderful girl like you; it's like the Jiang family's ancestors were blessed."
Liu Yifei blushed, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.
She whispered, "Aunt Zhou is a very kind person—last time it was my birthday, she even asked someone to bring me hot dry noodles and bean curd sheets from Wuhan, saying she was afraid I wouldn't be able to eat authentic ones in America."
"That means they consider you family," Liu Xiaoli said meaningfully.
Lunch was quickly prepared, and the table was laden with food: steamed sea bass, braised pork ribs, garlic broccoli, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cucumber salad, and a pot of lotus root and pork rib soup...
Authentic Hubei cuisine, with a milky white broth and an enticing aroma.
"Auntie's cooking is really good." Chen Jingming exclaimed. He is from Jiangsu and has a good eye for food. "This pork rib soup is even more authentic than the one I had in Wuhan last year. The lotus root is soft and powdery, the soup is rich and flavorful, and the cooking time is just right."
"Mr. Chen, you're too kind." Liu Xiaoli served soup to everyone, first to Chen Jingming, then to Jiang Yu, and finally to her daughter. "It's just home-style cooking, I'm glad you don't mind. Jiang Yu, try this soup, how does it compare to your mother's?"
Jiang Yu took a sip, closed his eyes, and savored it.
Then she opened her eyes and said sincerely, "It's delicious. Even better than my mom's. My mom always likes to put a lot of pepper in her soup, but yours is just pure, natural flavor."
"You're just trying to make me happy." Liu Xiaoli said this, but her face lit up with a smile. "Your mother's cooking style is from Hubei, and she likes the flavors stronger. I adjusted it to Yifei's taste; she can't handle too much spice."
The atmosphere at the dinner table was very pleasant.
Chen Jingming was a great conversationalist, sharing many interesting anecdotes from the industry, which made Liu Xiaoli laugh.
Liu Xiaoli occasionally asked Jiang Yu about his work, but they mostly chatted about family matters and their parents' recent situation.
"Is your mother's back pain any better?" Liu Xiaoli put a piece of fish on Jiang Yu's plate. "Last time I called, she said her old problem had flared up again."
"She's much better. She saw an old Chinese medicine doctor for acupuncture and can now go downstairs for a walk by herself," Jiang Yu said. "She also said that when you return to Wuhan, she wants to go for a walk with you on the East Lake Greenway, saying that you promised her."
"Yes, yes, I promise," Liu Xiaoli smiled. "We'll go back after Yifei finishes her promotion. Chinese New Year is early this year, so we need to hurry up and prepare for the holiday."
Liu Yifei rarely spoke, but ate quietly, occasionally putting food on Jiang Yu's plate.
Her movements were very natural, as if she had done it countless times.
Jiang Yu naturally accepted the soup and occasionally served her soup, skimming off the oil from the surface as she did so, because she didn't like it too greasy.
Liu Xiaoli noticed all these small details.
She saw the undisguised light in her daughter's eyes when she looked at Jiang Yu, saw Jiang Yu's unconscious care for her daughter, and saw the unspoken understanding between the two.
After the meal, Jiang Yu and Chen Jingming said their goodbyes.
The meeting is at 2 PM, so it's perfect to leave now.
Liu Xiaoli saw him to the door. The winter sun in Beijing was lovely, warming him comfortably.
Jiang Yu nodded, his tone serious, "Auntie, please wait, it's cold outside."
"Yifei, see them off," Liu Xiaoli said to her daughter.
At the entrance of the courtyard, Chen Jingming got into the car first, leaving the two of them some space to talk.
The driver very considerately drove the car forward a few meters, turning his back to them.
"I'll be busy starting tomorrow." Jiang Yu looked at Liu Yifei, who was wrapped in his scarf, with only her bright eyes showing. "Take care of yourself, don't push yourself too hard."
"Mm." Liu Yifei nodded, her fingers unconsciously twirling the tassels of her scarf. "You too, don't always work overtime. Did you bring your stomach medicine? You have a sensitive stomach, so make sure to eat on time."
"I brought it," Jiang Yu smiled. "Wang Wei reminded me."
"That's good." She paused, her voice suddenly softening, "See you in Wuhan?"
"See you in Wuhan." Jiang Yu nodded. "I'll come find you when I get back."
"Okay." Liu Yifei smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Be careful on the road. Don't be too fierce in the meeting. President Chen is a very nice person, so don't always scold him."
"When did I ever scold him?!" Jiang Yu said, both amused and exasperated.
"You can be quite fierce when you're serious," Liu Yifei said matter-of-factly. "I've seen you in the meeting room; you look like you're about to devour someone."
""
"That's for other people." Jiang Yu looked at her, his eyes softening. "It won't be for you."
These words were so direct that Liu Yifei blushed again.
She nudged him: "Let's hurry, we're going to be late."
Jiang Yu got on the bus.
The car slowly drove out of the residential area. Liu Yifei stood there for a long time, watching until the car disappeared around the corner, before turning around and going home.
As soon as she entered, she saw Liu Xiaoli standing in the middle of the living room with her arms crossed, looking at her with a half-smile.
His expression was as if he had seen through everything, or as if he was preparing for a serious conversation.
"Mom—" Liu Yifei felt a little guilty, and her movements slowed down as she untied her scarf.
"Go ahead and tell me," Liu Xiaoli said, sitting down on the sofa and patting the seat next to her. "When did this happen? How did it start? How far has it progressed?"
Liu Yifei sat down next to her, hugging a cushion, and honestly explained, "It was during the filming of 'Black Swan.' He often came to visit the set. At first, we were just ordinary friends. Then one time, I injured my foot while practicing dance, and he took me to the hospital and stayed with me all night. After that—things gradually changed."
She paused, her voice even softer: "On the day filming wrapped, I drank too much—and that's when I confessed my feelings."
Liu Xiaoli raised an eyebrow: "You took the initiative?"
"Mmm—" Liu Yifei blushed and buried her face in the cushion. "He likes me too! He said he's liked me for a long time, but he thought I was too young and wanted to wait until I grew up a bit, until I finished filming—he said he was afraid of affecting my performance, so he didn't say anything—"
"That's more like it." Liu Xiaoli breathed a sigh of relief. "If he still doesn't respond when I ask him to take the initiative, I'll teach him a lesson."
"Mom!" Liu Yifei exclaimed, both amused and exasperated, "What kind of logic is that—"
"My daughter is so outstanding, of course she should be a little reserved," Liu Xiaoli said confidently. "But Xiaoyu is indeed a good kid, Mom, don't worry. He just chatted with me in the kitchen, and he sounded quite sincere."
She held her daughter's hand and patted it gently, one pat at a time, just like when she used to lull her to sleep when she was a child.
"Xixi, all Mom wants is for you to be happy." Liu Xiaoli's voice was soft, but every word was weighty. "No matter who you're with, being happy is the most important thing. Mom can see that you're happy right now; your eyes are shining. That's enough. Everything else can wait. There's no rush."
"Mom—" Liu Yifei's eyes welled up with tears as she leaned on her mother's shoulder. "Thank you."
"Silly child," Liu Xiaoli patted her back, "Go and rest, adjust to the time difference."
"good!"
Liu Yifei went upstairs.
Her room was on the second floor, facing south, and received plenty of sunlight.
She threw herself onto the bed, hugging her pillow and clutching the dark blue scarf in her hand.
The scarf still smelled of Jiang Yu. She pressed it to her face, closed her eyes, and couldn't hide the smile on her lips.
Downstairs, Liu Xiaoli sat in the living room, looking at the winter sunshine outside the window.
She sat for a long time, then picked up her phone and found "Zhou's mother's" number in her contacts.
After hesitating for a moment, she dialed the number anyway.
The call connected quickly, and a warm and cheerful voice came from the other end; a typical Wuhan woman's voice: "Xiaoli! What made you think of calling me? Did Yifei come back to China?"
"Yes, I just got home," Liu Xiaoli said with a smile. "Your son is back too, did you know?"
"I know, I know! That brat, he didn't even go home first after coming back, he went straight to a meeting in Beijing."
Mrs. Zhou complained, her tone filled with undisguised longing and pride, "They said it was some important meeting, related to an investment of hundreds of millions. Sigh, the kids are all grown up, I can't control them anymore."
"It's a good thing that your child is successful." Liu Xiaoli paused, her tone becoming somewhat subtle, "However, there's something I feel I need to tell you—"
"What's wrong?" Zhou's mother immediately became alert, her voice rising. "Is it related to my Xiaoyu? Did he get into trouble? Or is there something wrong with his health?"
"Neither." Liu Xiaoli looked towards the stairs and smiled. "It's about your son—and my daughter."
There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone.
Then, a voice burst forth in surprise, almost cracking with delight: "Really?! Xiaoli, are you serious?! They—they're together?!"
"Keep your voice down," Liu Xiaoli said with a smile, moving the phone further away. "The kids want to keep it a secret for now, and we parents have to cooperate. I just found out myself; Xiaoyu came over for dinner earlier and we talked about it."
"Oh my goodness!" Zhou's mother exclaimed excitedly, her words tumbling out incoherently. "This is wonderful! This is truly wonderful! Xiaoli, I've been dreaming of this day! Yifei is such a wonderful girl—beautiful, sensible, polite, and such a good actress—my Xiaoyu is incredibly lucky to have found Yifei!"
Hearing the excited voice on the other end of the phone, Liu Xiaoli's last bit of uncertainty dissipated.
She knew that if the two children were to get together, at least the family hurdle would be clear.
"Yes," she said, her voice filled with genuine relaxation and relief. "As long as the children are happy, that's all that matters. As parents, we just need to support them."
"Support! Of course I support you!" Zhou's mother said excitedly. "Xiaoli, when are we going to meet? I want to thank you properly for raising such a wonderful daughter! By the way, are you going back to Wuhan for the New Year? If you are, you must come to our house. I want to give Yifei a big red envelope and cook a whole table of delicious food—"
"I'll go back on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month," Liu Xiaoli said.
"Great, great, great!" Jiang Xiaxia's voice was full of laughter. "Xiaoli, this is truly the best news of the year. I'll go tell his dad right now; he'll be overjoyed too—"
The two beggar women chatted on the phone for a long time, laughing continuously.