Love in the Fast Lane - Novelbike

From the city to the county, it takes at least an hour and a half to two hours. It started snowing last night. Although the snow wasn’t as heavy as in the Northern region, it was a fine, steady snowfall. As it snowed, it also melted, making the roads muddy. The car moved slowly, and since they missed the first bus, they had to wait at the bus station for more than half an hour before catching the second bus.

The accents in the bus made Tang Ning feel disoriented. He couldn’t even tell if he was still in the country.

Mo Zihan, on the other hand, was very excited. However, her excitement was completely wiped out when Tang Ning said, “We’re almost at your home. Excited? Well, if you swap that excitement for vigilance, you wouldn’t be as happy.”

Vigilance? Oh, right, vigilance. What follows will be more challenging than pretending in front of Tang Ning’s parents. This definitely calls for vigilance.

They got off the bus, both feeling somewhat disheartened. The county town was quite developed, but neither of them had much interest in sightseeing. They were almost at Mo Zihan’s home, so they had to get there quickly. It was cold outside, they were tired, and they were anxious about what might happen next.

It was better to face it directly. Having gone through the ordeal with Tang Ning’s parents, they were somewhat experienced. They knew that delaying the inevitable wouldn’t make it any easier. It was better to just get it over with bravely.

In the county, Tang Ning noticed that the road conditions were not bad. Waiting for a bus would take some time, so after asking for directions, Tang Ning decided to call a taxi. Since they were almost home, the final stretch had to be completed. Leaving someone’s daughter out in the freezing weather wouldn’t make her parents happy. Tang Ning understood this bit of social etiquette.

Mo Zihan’s hometown turned out to be a picturesque small town. The town was surrounded by water, and inside the town, crisscrossed by small rivers. These ancient rivers reflected the scenery of houses and the people passing by.

When they got out of the taxi, the snow was falling heavily. Because they hadn’t called ahead, no one came out to greet them. The taxi stopped in front of a small lake at the entrance of the town. It was an old square, and the shallow snow layer bore deep and shallow footprints, indicating the joy and harmony of the townspeople.

“We’re here!” Mo Zihan said, half anxious and half in an indescribable mood, her voice trembling a bit.

In her heart, there was actually a hint of joy. This place, where she had grown up, had never left her dreams. The waters and the pond were her eyes and her soul.

Today, she brought a man home. Although this man wasn’t her real boyfriend, he was the first man she had ever brought here to show this place.

Tang Ning felt her anxiety and unease. He reached out and held her cold fingers, which were also trembling slightly.

Mo Zihan turned her head to glance at Tang Ning. Tang Ning nodded at her and said softly, “It’s okay. We’ve done this before. This time will be fine too. I have a sense of what to do.”

You have a sense of what to do, but I don’t. And I’m not sure how well I can handle it. No matter how well you do, what if I slip up? You can’t possibly cover for me in every situation, can you?

Nevertheless, she didn’t let go but instead held Tang Ning’s hand tighter and said gently, “Nothing will happen here, except…”

Except for what? Mo Zihan didn’t finish, but they both knew what she meant.

“I got you. No worries. Let’s try to have a happy New Year.” Tang Ning lightly scratched Mo Zihan’s palm, making her smile and feel a lot more at ease.

“Alright, let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we’ll feel relieved. But today, you can rest well for a day, while I am going to have a tough time.”

Tang Ning chuckled, “Well, there’s no choice. I’m just pretending to be your boyfriend. If I start talking to your family right away, and I make a mistake, it’ll be a big deal. Let me rest for a bit, get a feel for the situation, and then I can cooperate with you better. Right?”

Mo Zihan giggled, “Alright, we’ll do it your way. But I’ll listen to you just for today. Tomorrow, I need to rest too. Here, it’s a tradition that when the son-in-law arrives, relatives come to visit. You’ve got a long day ahead of you tomorrow. You’d better be prepared. Cigarettes and alcohol will come your way, and you might just get dizzy. Remember, don’t slip up.”

Tang Ning laughed, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Oh, there’s one more thing, and we need to get it clear now. When the time comes, don’t accuse me of overstepping.”

Mo Zihan sighed, “I knew it. Alright, do whatever you need to. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just pretend a dog bit me. After all, I’m the one who brought you here.”

By her tone, she seemed quite dismissive and disdainful of Tang Ning.

Tang Ning shot back, “You should be grateful if I bite at all. What more do you want?”

Picking up a few bags, Tang Ning started charging into the town. It was clear that he liked this quaint and charming place, but he was rushing in too hastily. Was he planning to barge into someone’s home?

“Hold on, do you even know where you’re going?” Mo Zihan asked, half amused, half exasperated, as she pulled Tang Ning back. “If you walk into someone else’s house by mistake, don’t be surprised if they chase you out. Follow me, and don’t peek into open doors.”

Tang Ning asked curiously, “Why not?”

Mo Zihan replied, “It’s a custom. I’ll explain later. Hurry up; I bet they’ve already heard the news. They’re probably on their way to meet us. Do you want my entire family to come out and greet you?”

Tang Ning was taken aback but quickly understood. It was still snowing, but plenty of people were out and about. Given the intricate web of relationships in such a small town, someone must have already called ahead to announce Mo Zihan’s return.

Following Mo Zihan along the winding stone paths for about ten minutes, Tang Ning realized how confusing the town’s layout was. Even the most skilled thief would get lost here, unable to find their way. Without Mo Zihan’s guidance, he would have never found the right path.

There were streams and stone bridges along the way. After walking for a while, a large group of people suddenly appeared in the snowy distance. Mo Zihan, seeing them, panicked, “Oh no, they’re coming out. Quick, get ready! Take a deep breath. When we meet them, don’t screw this up!”

Tang Ning couldn’t help but laugh quietly. If I manage to stay perfectly calm, he thought to himself, that would be a miracle.

Seeing the crowd get closer, Mo Zihan whispered, “This is bad, this is bad. Why is everyone coming out? Be careful, my drama mom is right at the front-you need to be extra cautious around her. And the old lady next to her, that’s my grandma. She’s a bit hard of hearing, so speak loudly when you talk to her-or better yet, I’ll just translate for you.”

Before she could continue, the group had already arrived.

Tang Ning hurriedly set the luggage down. He intended to act a little flustered, but in truth, he didn’t need to pretend. The sheer intensity of the situation made his blood rush to his head, leaving him momentarily stunned and unable to think.

Much to his surprise, instead of greeting her daughter, Mo Zihan’s mom swatted away Mo Zihan’s outstretched hands and came straight for Tang Ning. Her first words left him sweating: “Xiao Tang, what took you so long? Your room is all ready. Get some good rest; tomorrow you’re going to meet everyone.”

Tang Ning finally understood why Mo Zihan referred to her mom as a drama mom. Not only was she formidable, but she was also incredibly unpredictable. They were not even officially together, yet she had already accepted him as her future son-in-law.

Mo Zihan’s mom was indeed extraordinary. She clearly believed that since Tang Ning and Mo Zihan had been living together for so long and, according to Mo Zihan’s Third Uncle, they had a great relationship, Tang Ning must be her future son-in-law. To her, it was a done deal as soon as she learned they were cohabiting.