26: Someone from home

“Really, just thinking about their faces makes me upset!”

“This relative really doesn't know when to stop.”

“An hour-plus phone call, at least an hour of it was spent showing off her child and that future daughter-in-law!”

“It’d be fine if she just showed off, but she kept asking questions, using them to put down our Mu Bai.”

“Truly, how can one endure this?!”

In the living room of the house.

Li Mother sat on the sofa.

Her upper body was ramrod straight, her chest heaved violently, her breathing was short, her face was angry, and her words were filled with dissatisfaction and annoyance.

“Wife, you know how they are.”

“Don’t be angry. It’s not worth getting sick over people like that.”

Li's Father played the role of peacemaker.

He sat on a stool by the coffee table in front of the sofa, trying to comfort her.

However, he wasn't truly comforting her.

He knew his wife's temperament too well; such comfort would have no effect on her.

She would be angry regardless.

As for the relatives from his wife's side of the family, he didn't want to get involved in their gossiping.

Those people were too snobbish, and they usually didn't have much contact.

But today, they suddenly called.

They said they were passing through on a trip and wanted to visit, as they hadn't seen each other in a long time, and to introduce their younger generation to each other.

So they wouldn’t pass by each other later, unrecognized.

He actually knew in his heart.

That relative simply wanted to use this opportunity to come over and show off and compare.

He found it quite meaningless.

Why did these people love to compare so much?

Of course.

His wife also seemed to have a bit of this flaw.

And look.

Just twenty minutes ago.

His wife had called a matchmaker she knew, asking her to arrange a blind date for their son.

He was quite speechless.

How could anything come of it in such a short time?

“I just don’t like them putting down our Mu Bai!”

Li Mother said, puffing out her cheeks.

Li's Father shook his head, no longer trying to comfort her, but instead asked:

“Oh, right. They called and said they’d arrive soon. It’s past seven in the evening now, when are they coming?”

“I’ve already cooked the rice; I just need to stir-fry the dishes.”

After speaking.

He picked up a cigarette, put the filter to his lips, and with his other hand, pulled out a lighter.

With a crisp click.

A small cluster of flame appeared, lighting the tobacco.

After taking a deep drag.

Whoosh...

Thick white smoke billowed from his mouth.

The wrinkles on Li's Father’s face also relaxed at this moment, and a look of comfort appeared in his eyes.

Just then.

The bedroom door opened.

Li Qian walked out with a relaxed expression and entered the living room.

She had just finished the homework assigned by her teacher.

Li's Father turned his head to glance at her, then immediately took the lit cigarette from his mouth and extinguished it in the ashtray.

“Mom. When are Great Aunt and them arriving?”

Li Qian picked up some grapes from the coffee table, peeling them as she casually asked.

“They should be arriving soon, I guess.”

Li Mother raised an eyebrow, looked at Li Qian, and asked again:

“Have you finished all your homework? When they arrive, it’ll be noisy, and you won’t be able to do it.”

“Mom, you underestimate me too much.”

“The stuff from school, anyone can do it. It’s not difficult for me.”

Li Qian ate the grapes, her expression calm and unconcerned.

She seemed to pay no mind to the homework assigned by her teacher.

Li Mother just nodded after hearing her:

“It’s good that you’re done.”

She knew her daughter best.

As one of the top students in her grade, there was no need for her to lie about homework.

The family of three sat in the living room, quietly waiting.

Before long.

Li Mother couldn't stand it anymore:

“No, I’m going to call and ask them when they’ll arrive. Waiting like this isn’t a solution.”

Saying this.

She pulled out her phone.

She scrolled through it, looking for that relative’s phone number.

Finding the number, she didn't hesitate, and immediately dialed.

A short while later.

A ringing sound suddenly came from outside the front door.

Li's Father had excellent hearing and immediately identified that the ringtone was coming from outside the door.

“Wife. Hang up. They’re at the door.”

Saying this.

He stood up and walked towards the front door.

The door opened.

Two pairs of men and women appeared at the doorway.

One pair of men and women looked to be in their forties.

The man had a shiny, sparse head of hair, a typical balding pattern.

The woman had fair skin and a head of dark, shiny wavy hair, which fell behind her.

Despite this.

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes still couldn't conceal her true age.

These were the relatives from Li Mother's side of the family.

This woman was the child of Li Mother's mother's older sister.

The other young couple was the relative's child and their future daughter-in-law.

Li's Father, with a smiling face, quickly welcomed the group inside.

At Li Mother’s beckoning, Li Qian also greeted the group with a smile.

Li's Father exchanged a few words of greeting, then walked towards the kitchen.

It seemed Li's Father was in charge of the cooking at home.

Furthermore.

These arriving relatives were from Li Mother's side of the family, and he wasn't very familiar with them, so he let Li Mother entertain them.

The kitchen door closed, and soon after, a rustling sound could be heard.

Li Mother sat on the sofa, her face wreathed in smiles.

Of course.

These smiles were all a facade; she wasn't as happy as she appeared on the surface.

“Oh, right, Shuyu. How come I don’t see your Mu Bai?”

The female relative of the same age was the first to ask.

And Shuyu was Li Mother's given name, her full name being Ning Shuyu.

“Oh, Mu Bai is still at...”

Li Mother was about to tell them that Li Mubai was on a blind date.

But the words caught in her throat, and she stopped abruptly.

Her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the relative’s son’s girlfriend.

The relative’s son’s girlfriend had fair skin, was very beautiful, and had a great figure.

Especially that large rear, which looked like she could definitely bear sons!

Seeing this.

Li Mother decided to rephrase her answer.

The truth that Li Mubai was on a blind date definitely couldn't be revealed.

She believed.

As soon as she said it.

It would immediately be met with an endless stream of chatter from the other party.

“He’s still working at the Steel Factory; he’ll be back later.”

“Oh, still at the Steel Factory? Hasn’t that Steel Factory closed down yet? Didn’t they say they don’t have many orders anymore?”

Although the female relative of the same age spoke with a questioning tone, there was no surprise in her eyes.

She had heard these rumors long ago.

She was well-informed about such gossip!

Li Mother's voice stiffened.

This sentence made her feel somewhat offended; it sounded like a curse for the Steel Factory to go bankrupt.

They are guests, I will endure!

Suppressing a hint of anger, Li Mother gave an awkward laugh:

“Although the Steel Factory is facing difficulties, it hasn’t reached the point of bankruptcy yet.”

The female relative of the same age smiled:

“Shuyu, don’t try so hard to save face. I’ve heard about your family’s Steel Factory.”

“I don’t believe that small, broken factory can survive.”

“We’re relatives, so if your family encounters any difficulties, just tell me.”