Volume 1, Chapter 155: A Host of Relatives and Gossips

"Make sure to send a message to your aunt and uncle to let them know you've arrived safely, and please give my best regards to your parents," Su Wenli said, instructing Jiang Yu by the doorway.

It was the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Today, Jiang Yu and Su Muyu were heading back to that small county town to visit his parents and younger sister.

"Got it," Jiang Yu said with a beaming smile.

Ning Yanqing stood nearby, holding Su Muyu's hand. "Be on your best behavior when you get there, understand?"

"Mhm." Su Muyu nodded. "Well, Mom and Dad, we're off then. We'll be heading straight to work after staying there for a couple of days."

"Alright."

The two of them got into a commercial van and headed toward the airport.

Upon arriving at the airport, for some reason, Su Muyu felt a flutter of anxiety. "Jiang Yu, did we pack too light? Should we buy some more gifts?"

Jiang Yu gently stroked Su Muyu's long hair and smiled. "No need to buy anything else. Didn't we already buy plenty of local specialties? There's no need for anything too expensive—if we bought those, they'd probably be too thrifty to use them anyway. Besides, it's not very convenient to carry them on the plane. If anything is needed, don't let our small county town fool you; you can find practically anything there."

Hearing Jiang Yu say this, Su Muyu dropped the idea.

After sleeping for a little over two hours on the plane, they finally landed. The pre-arranged car was already waiting at the arrivals exit, and after another drive of nearly two hours, they finally arrived back at the small county town.

It was already seven o'clock in the evening, and the sky was completely dark.

Su Muyu stretched her back, which had grown somewhat stiff from the long journey.

"When I stayed at my grandmother's place during my childhood, it didn't feel like this, but coming back now, it actually feels a bit inconvenient. How about having your parents move to the city to live?"

Jiang Yu smiled. "I've already brought it up with them, but Jiang Ru is about to take the college entrance examinations. Moving now would mean transferring her to a new school, and changing her environment right before the exams wouldn't be ideal. Let's wait until Jiang Ru finishes her college entrance exams."

Just at that moment, his phone rang.

Jiang Yu answered the call. "Hello, Mom? Why are you calling all of a sudden?"

"Son, have you arrived yet? Your sister said you were coming back today, and since it's getting so late, I wanted to give you a call."

"This Jiang Ru, she really has a big mouth," Jiang Yu said with a half-amused, exasperated tone. "I've already reached the county town and am heading home right now."

"Really? You've already reached the county town? Your aunt and your uncle's wife heard you were coming back, and they're waiting for you at the house too!"

"Huh?" Hearing this, Jiang Yu froze completely.

He hadn't expected that he still wouldn't be able to avoid a large gathering of relatives. If this group of relatives found out that he and Su Muyu were together, heaven knew what kind of commotion might ensue.

Moreover, aside from their parents and immediate family, they didn't want to tell anyone else just yet.

"Alright, I'll be back in a bit."

Jiang Yu hung up the phone and looked at Su Muyu with an apologetic expression. "There are a lot of people at my place today. Why don't I drop you off at a hotel first? Once they've all left, I'll come find you."

Su Muyu smiled and shook her head. "It is getting quite late, and we've been traveling all day. I'll just get a good rest and visit your uncle and aunt with you tomorrow."

"Okay," Jiang Yu nodded with a smile.

After dropping Su Muyu off at the best hotel in the small county town and ordering some room service for her, he headed back to his own home.

A lively commotion drifted from inside. He knocked on the door.

There were a great many people in the living room, making quite a lively din, and for a moment no one heard the knocking. It wasn't until Jiang Ru noticed it that she ran over and pulled the door open.

Seeing that it was Jiang Yu, her face lit up with joyful surprise, and she practically leaped onto him. "Big brother! Mom, Dad, Big Brother is back!"

"Xiao Yu is back!" Hearing Jiang Ru's words, Pan Lanzhi rushed out of the kitchen, her emotions instantly surging with excitement at the sight of him.

Jiang Anfu wore a deeply affectionate expression. "You're back."

"Yeah," Jiang Yu smiled. "Dad, Mom, Happy New Year."

"All right, hurry up and come inside. We'll talk once you're in." Pan Lanzhi quickly cleared a path. "Old Jiang, standing there like a corpse! Why aren't you helping take your son's backpack?"

"Oh, right!" Jiang Anfu stepped forward, instinctively reaching to take Jiang Yu's backpack.

"No need, Dad, I can manage."

"Nonsense, let your father take it!" Pan Lanzhi stopped Jiang Yu, then pulled him into the house. "Come in, you must be tired. Mom's going to make braised prawns for you..."

Walking into the house, Jiang Yu finally took in the room full of people.

"Xiao Yu is back! Come, come quickly."

"Eldest Aunt, Eldest Uncle, Younger Aunt, Uncle, Auntie..."

Jiang Yu began greeting them one by one.

The room was packed with relatives, who all looked exceptionally enthusiastic upon seeing him.

After he had eaten a little, the interrogation by the aunts and uncles commenced—questions about his job, whether he was seeing anyone, and so on.

Fortunately, his family hadn't told them about his current profession, so the relatives remained largely in the dark.

"Mom, I'm going to my room to unpack!" Jiang Yu couldn't take much more of it and appealed to Pan Lanzhi for rescue.

Pan Lanzhi nodded. "Go ahead."

With his mother's backing, Jiang Yu felt a profound sense of relief.

He hurried straight to his room.

"Second Sister, Xiao Yu has really turned out well, staying right in the big city," the aunts and uncles chimed in with praise.

Hearing her son praised, any mother would naturally be delighted.

"Second Sister, how old is Xiao Yu now?"

"Twenty-three, not even a year since graduation."

"Oh my, shouldn't he be looking for a girlfriend then? Well, is there any news on that front?"

Pan Lanzhi shook her head. "He hasn't mentioned anything to me, so I suppose not."

"How about I introduce someone to the boy? She's a very pretty young lady who works as a teacher," his uncle's wife chimed in with great excitement.

Pan Lanzhi raised an eyebrow. Her sister-in-law's words had caught her attention; she knew her son worked in the entertainment industry, and that circle wasn't exactly peaceful—it would be better for him to find a girlfriend and settle down sooner rather than later.

"Really? Do you have a photo?"

His aunt's wife pulled out her phone, brought up a picture, and a very delicate-looking young woman appeared on the screen.

"Not bad at all! Wait, I'll go call the brat out." Pan Lanzhi stood up.

Right at that moment, however, Jiang Yu stepped out of his bedroom. "Mom, I'm heading out for a bit. Have fun, everyone."

"Son, why are you going out right after getting home? Where are you off to?"

"Oh, I have some things to take care of."

"Hold on a second, your uncle's wife introduced a girl for you. Take a look at her photo, see if she's to your liking, and we can arrange for you two to meet."

Jiang Yu smiled. "No need, Mom. Thanks, Auntie, but I have to go."

"Sigh..." Pan Lanzhi wanted to say more, but Jiang Yu had already slipped out the front door.

She could only let out a sigh. "This child—at least tell me who you fancy! Put on another layer, it's snowing outside!"

Jiang Ru suddenly ran out holding a phone. "Mom, where's big brother?"

"Your brother went out. Why?"

"It was Third Great-Aunt on the phone. Hearing that my brother is back, she told him to come pick up two strips of cured pork."

"What is your brother going out for now? I'll call him—oh, never mind, I won't bother him. It's not far anyway, I'll just run over myself." Pan Lanzhi put on her coat and walked out the door...

Back at the hotel.

Su Muyu was sitting on the sofa. Hearing the door chime, she knew Jiang Yu had returned.

"I'm back. I'm sorry, you might have to endure staying here for a couple of days."

"It's fine, you're here with me," Su Muyu smiled. "It's still early. How about accompanying me for a stroll around your hometown?"

"You got it!"