Ning Wentao"s face was flushed red as if he was experiencing a rebirth. Looking at all the gifts, he tried hard to stop his twitching lips."Just the person coming is fine, why did you need to buy so many things?"
Trailing from behind, a disgraced Cao Xuehua repeated what he had said earlier. "That"s right. We have money, we can afford all of these!"
Before Huo Beichen could say anything, Ning Wentao retorted. "What do you understand? What we buy is called "stuff". What the son-in-law buys is called sincerity!"
"…"
"This is not what you said earlier!"
She wore a humiliated face but did not dare to say anything more against Huo Beichen. She could only sit quietly in resentment.
Ning Meng finally pulled herself together and slowly walked toward Huo Beichen. "Why did you come over? I thought you were on a business trip?"
Huo Beichen raised his brow. Every time he saw her, she would come to him like a dog rus.h.i.+ng up to its owner and vomiting out an endless rainbow. Why did she seem so detached today?
He felt that something was not right and stared at her.
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival so I changed my flight time to the afternoon one. I will leave after the meal."
Ning Meng was bewildered. He had intentionally changed his flight for her? And he would even eat this meal with her?
Ning Wentao was trying very hard to maintain his composure as a respected father-in-law. When he heard this, he ordered the staff in the kitchen, "Did you hear that? The son-in-law is having a meal with us! Add more dishes!" His voice seemed to have improved a lot from earlier.
Ning Meng and Cao Xuehua were rendered speechless.
Ning Wentao signaled for them to sit on the sofa.
"Son-in-law, let"s have a seat first. Do you know how to play chess?"
"Not really…"
Ning Meng face-palmed.
"Dad, this is an old person"s activity, how would he know!"
To save his face as a father-in-law, Ning Wentao was determined to not admit his ignorance.
"What do you mean an old person"s activity? This is a game pa.s.sed down from one generation to the next. If younger people don"t know how to play this, they should learn!"
He turned toward Huo Beichen.
"So, my son-in-law. What do you normally play? Let"s play a game together?"
Ning Meng was speechless. Where was your dignity?
Huo Beichen walked toward the sofa.
"You"re right, father-in-law. I will learn to play chess."
"???"
He was beyond elated but tried hard to control his impulses and calmly replied, "Come, let me teach you."
As he sat down, he took up his phone before arranging the chess set and sent his old friend a text.
[Guess what am I doing?]
Old friend: [What?]
Ning Wentao: [I"m teaching Huo Beichen how to play chess.]
Old friend: [What?! You dare to teach Mr. Huo??]
Ning Wentao: [He is my son-in-law. He needs to be obedient in front of me. If he does not learn well, I will even scold him. He does not dare to retort.]
Putting down his phone, he beamed gleefully.
"Son-in-law, I will first teach you how each piece moves. If you don"t understand, just let me know."
-
Su Tiantian stood in a trance outside. She felt like she had just been slapped hard on both cheeks and could still feel the pain. Even the maid in the house was stifling her laughter, obviously ridiculing her. She held her finger, feeling degraded, and looked at her phone. She then sent a text to Li Yichen on WeChat.
[Could you come over for a while? My mum would like to see you.]
He immediately replied: [I don"t think that"s necessary.]
Su Tiantian"s heart was wrung. Everyone was having a heartwarming meal but she was on the verge of breaking up. Su Tiantian impulsively rushed toward Ning Meng, her face soaked in tears.
"Meng Meng, you already have Mr. Huo. Why do you want to steal Mr. Li from me?"