Love in the Fast Lane - Chapter 35 - Dizzy and Talking Nonsense

Tang Ning’s meal wasn’t as free as it seemed, and Mo Zihan finally understood why.

However, expecting her to come up with a solution was really tough. What could she possibly do about it? Who told him to babble on the phone like that?

Despite saying she had no idea, Mo Zihan couldn’t help but ponder the issue over the meal.

Helping Tang Ning was one reason, but another reason was that she was trying to come up with a solution to deal with her own mother. No one, well, except for her father, knew her mother better than she did. Her mother was a persistent woman, and after the last phone call misunderstanding, unless Mo Zihan presented her with a legitimate marriage certificate, her mother wouldn’t believe any explanation she gave.

The most pressing issue at hand was the upcoming Spring Festival¹.

This year, Mo Zihan had to go home. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t even think about staying in this city any longer. Her mother’s intervention would cause a commotion, and that was a guarantee.

Now that Tang Ning found himself in a similar situation, why not use him as a trial run? This way, she could have a reasonable excuse when her parents questioned her again.

Haha, I’m so clever. Yes, let’s have a bite to celebrate!

Tang Ning was troubled, affecting his appetite. He hadn’t even finished half a bowl of mixed noodles before he put down his chopsticks.

There was no solution now. He had to wait until he could come to his senses and figure out a way to free himself from his worries. She couldn’t possibly help him every step of the way, could she?

Slurping a mouthful of sour soup, Mo Zihan chuckled and ordered another bowl of noodles.

Tang Ning shot her a glare, then disheartenedly shoveled another mouthful of noodles.

Just at this moment, Mo Zihan’s phone rang. One glance at the screen and now it was her turn to frown.

The caller was obvious; the two large characters spelled out: “Mom!”

She shot Tang Ning a threatening look, forcing him to quiet his slurping noises. Seeing that there were quite a few people standing outside, Mo Zihan answered the phone. Although she wanted to speak softly, the bustling noodle shop was noisy, and she couldn’t really manage that.

Thinking again, Mo Zihan realized there was no reason to feel guilty-she hadn’t done anything wrong. Yes, yes, she could hold her head high and speak firmly!

“Hello, Mom. What’s up now? Has Dad had an affair?”

Such shocking words caused Tang Ning to nearly choke on his food, and he couldn’t help but start coughing loudly.

Her mother had sharp ears. Despite his altered tone from coughing, she immediately recognized the voice from before, well, from a long time ago.

“Oh, Xiaohan, are you eating with someone?” Her usually stern mother immediately perked up upon hearing the noise from this side. Mo Zihan could almost picture her mother’s beaming face, even without seeing it. “I’m not saying this just to criticize you, but life is more meaningful when you manage it yourself, you know? It’s great that you both can earn money, but restaurant food doesn’t always suit our tastes, nor is it clean, right? As a woman, it’s natural to support your husband and teach your children. Cooking and washing clothes are things you must be able to do, understand?”

The more her mother talked, the more serious she became, leaving Mo Zihan both speechless and somewhat amused.

She had been very careful not to let any man’s voice be heard during calls with her mother, but fate had other plans. This time, her mother had caught her.

“Yes, yes, I get it. I get it. From now on, I’ll cook and do my own laundry, okay? Mom, we’re eating right now, so how about I call you back tonight, okay? There are so many people here, we just got a table and if I stay on the phone, people will get mad at us.” Knowing that once her mother started talking it would take at least half an hour to pause, Mo Zihan quickly interrupted during a break to catch her breath.

Mo Zihan’s mother sounded puzzled. “Hmm? Which restaurant is so packed? Xiaohan, let me warn you: don’t try to fool us. When it comes to matters of the heart, once you’ve made up your mind, you have to be responsible. You can’t keep changing your mind about who you like better, understood? Oh, and your father asked me to find out where you’re planning to spend the Spring Festival this year.”

Mo Zihan felt like banging her head against the wall. Now she truly understood Tang Ning’s frustration. When it comes to parents, there’s no winning argument. The more you explain, the more they think you’re irresponsible and treating relationships lightly. If you go along with what they say, you’ve fallen right into their hands.

In short, they had already concluded that she was discussing marriage. What could she possibly do about that?

Resigned, she sighed, rolling her eyes at Tang Ning. With forced cheerfulness, Mo Zihan replied, “We haven’t discussed it yet. Once we have, I’ll call you. Mom, I have to go now. I’m hanging up.”

“Wait!” Her mother’s shout was so loud it made Mo Zihan’s ears ring through the phone. “Weren’t you two together the last time you called? It’s been over six months now; feelings should be quite stable. Let me talk to the man. I need to say a few words to him.”

Seriously?

Mo Zihan wanted to die. She began to understand Tang Ning’s dilemma even more. The more you try to explain, the more confused you get, while her mother becomes increasingly “clear” on the situation. No matter how nonsensical you are, she could piece together a coherent story, making it sound just right. But looking back, it never happened that way. What could you do in such a situation?

It’s a nightmare, a living nightmare!

With a long sigh, Mo Zihan lamented her plight, wished she could run away, and hastily muttered, “We’ll talk about it when I come home for the Spring Festival,” as she tried to hang up. However, her mother’s parting words, “Oh, you need to bring your boyfriend home for the holiday,” left her utterly exasperated once again.

Her mother’s mind really worked at rocket speed. She just couldn’t keep up; she must be getting old!

Hanging up the phone, Mo Zihan suddenly realized something was off. Wait a minute, none of what she said made any sense!

Stunned, Mo Zihan could only gape in shock. The bowl of sour soup noodles that had just been served no longer looked appetizing.

She could almost imagine her mom brainstorming all sorts of scenarios the moment the call ended. But what could she do about it? Should she call back and explain that she was just confused?

That would surely be digging her own grave, no question about it!

Mo Zihan reflected deeply. She figured she’d been so on edge from her mom’s constant probing over the past year or two that answering the phone immediately put her on high alert. Consequently, she ended up rambling nonsense as a defense mechanism, forgetting to focus on the main point.

For instance, with Tang Ning-a guy she had been seeing for over half a year-it wasn’t like she had any intention of breaking up with him. Those old excuses she used as shields were no longer needed, yet she completely forgot that during her face-off with her mom.

Now, what to do? If her interactions with Tang Ning continue, her mom would definitely recognize his distinctive voice. There was no way to cover it up in the future, and from a personal feelings standpoint, there was no way she could do anything else.

But then, what should she do?

Should she just tell the truth? Forget whether her mom would believe her or not; if she did tell the truth, her phone would likely be ringing off the hook every single day, not from scolding, but from incessant calls.

Could she just ignore her mom’s calls? The answer was, of course, no.

Hmm, in this light, Tang Ning seemed like he could serve as a pretty good shield. He seemed decent enough to pass as a fake boyfriend, right? So maybe, just maybe, she should let him serve as her shield?

The moment this thought crossed her mind, Mo Zihan felt the urge to scold herself. While using him as a shield seemed like a perfectly logical excuse, she felt strange about it, and all she wanted to do was chide herself.

Come on, what season is this? How could she…

Ahem, anyway, she decided. Tang Ning would act as her shield. However, she shouldn’t tell him about this for now.

Footnote:

1. The Spring Festival(春节):The Spring Festival (also known as Chinese New Year, 春节, chūnjié) is the most important traditional Chinese holiday, marking the start of the lunar new year. It takes place between late January and mid-February, following the Western New Year on January 1st, and features family gatherings and various cultural activities.