Love in the Fast Lane - Chapter 56 - He's So Resourceful
Mo Zihan’s hometown wasn’t very big; the yard was quite spacious, though. Upon entering, there was a small two-story wooden house. The lower level was a living room, while the upper level was a bedroom. On either side of the wooden house were two single-story houses, used for living; these were where Mo Zihan’s grandparents and parents stayed when they visited. Opposite these two rooms, one side housed the kitchen, and the other side was a storage room for miscellaneous items. The storage room was in disrepair and unsafe to live in, with a makeshift pillar holding it up.
In the yard, there were piles of cement bricks and wood, suggesting impending renovations.
A lot of relatives showed up today, including several young men. Tang Ning’s luggage was naturally taken from him, and Mo Zihan’s two suitcases were promptly grabbed by her grandmother. Tang Ning couldn’t understand what the old lady was saying, but her demeanor suggested she was speaking in doting tones.
Tang Ning chuckled, while Mo Zihan felt a bit embarrassed, shooting him a reproachful glance. She turned to say something to her grandmother, who smiled warmly, though it gave Tang Ning an eerie feeling.
What did Mo Zihan say to make her grandmother react like that?
Instinctively, Tang Ning glanced at Mo Zihan’s mother for help. He was sure that with Mo Zihan having backup in her own territory, she would definitely want to poke fun at him. Maybe he could rely on his future mother-in-law and just play along.
However, his mother-in-law completely ignored him. Although she had more or less accepted their relationship, she was bound to have some reservations. Now, on her own turf, she decided it was time for some payback.
Seeing this, Tang Ning realized he had to come up with his own strategy. He glanced at the piled-up materials in the yard and an idea struck him.
You have your tricks, but I have my own ways to deal with them. Hmph, now that I’ve come here, why should I fear whatever you might pull on me?
As they entered the house, an elderly man was sitting there. He appeared to be in good spirits, though he had grown quite thin. He wore reading glasses and immediately focused his attention on Tang Ning as he put down the book he was holding.
Next to the old man sat a middle-aged man who seemed to be Mo Zihan’s father. He had a strong scholarly aura but didn’t wear glasses. He smiled warmly and stood up as the group of people entered.
The old man smiled and said, “Xiaohan, you’re back! It’s cold outside, come in and have a seat. And this must be Xiao Tang, right? Come, sit down. It must have been a tiring journey in this cold weather.”
Tang Ning greeted everyone one by one and said with a smile, “I’m originally from the Northern region, so I’m used to the cold. When I usually go back home, it takes one or two days of travel, and I’m accustomed to it. But this year’s weather has been particularly annoying, and Xiaohan isn’t used to taking the train, so it was quite hard on her.”
At this, the elderly man stood up. Mo Zihan went over to wash her hands and face with some warm water. The old man pulled Tang Ning to sit down and, noticing that Tang Ning’s eyes were a bit bloodshot, said in somewhat soft Mandarin, “It’s nothing, nothing. We’re not pampered children. Back in the day, when we were studying or working, we’d walk hundreds of miles on foot. This little bit of hardship is nothing!”
Tang Ning replied, “It’s fine for a man to endure some hardship, but girls should suffer less. Besides, Xiaohan didn’t need to go through this. In this kind of weather, taking a plane is not a big deal…”
“How could it not be a big deal? Safety is more important during heavy snow. It’s good that you made it back safely; this little bit of hardship is nothing,” Mo Zihan’s mother murmured from the other side of the stove.
Mo Zihan handed a damp hot towel to Tang Ning and said, “Wipe your face. You’ve been worrying about this and that the whole trip. Do you see now? I’ve told you many times, you can relax now, right?”
Tang Ning nodded quickly and forced a smile, saying, “I was just inexperienced.”
Mo Zihan raised an eyebrow and asked, “So, you want to gain experience?”
Tang Ning hunched his shoulders and replied sheepishly, “Of course not, that’s not possible.”
Perhaps Tang Ning’s earnest behavior truly showed, as his mother-in-law spoke up on his behalf. “Alright, Xiaohan, you’re just picking on Xiao Tang because he’s being so honest. You’ve just arrived home. Let me make you some hot soup. It’s getting late; after a night’s rest, you can start preparing for the New Year tomorrow.”
With these words, the nearby neighbors and relatives nearby knew that the mother-in-law cared for her son-in-law. Although she seemed a bit unreliable, she was still the mother-in-law. Any grievances would be confined within the family and not shown to outsiders.
Moreover, before Mo Zihan returned, her mother had already warned everyone. No matter their personal views on Tang Ning, no one was to give him any trouble. Given her reputation in the relatives’ social circle, no one dared to defy her orders.
Seeing this, the relatives wisely decided to take their leave. Tang Ning, still a guest himself, didn’t dare to detain them. He quickly stood up and, along with Mo Zihan’s father, escorted the dozen or so neighbors and relatives to the gate. Once they had all departed, Tang Ning noticed that Mo Zihan’s father hadn’t turned back yet. Uncertain, he didn’t dare to walk back inside, even though it was cold and damp outside.
After a long while, Mo Zihan’s father finally spoke, almost startling Tang Ning with his blunt question: “Young man, now that it’s just the two of us, let’s be frank. What are your intentions with my daughter? Are you planning to keep dragging this out, or do you intend to formalize things now that both families have met?”
Tang Ning hesitated before responding in an uncertain tone, “We don’t have a solid foundation in our lives yet, so…”
Mo Zihan’s father interrupted, speaking firmly, “What foundation? I’m asking about the foundation of your feelings for my daughter. Is it strong? If you intend to spend your life with her, I won’t give you a hard time these days. I might even help you out. But if you try to fool around, I’ll wash my hands of you two.”
Tang Ning quickly responded, “We’re serious. All along, we’ve been working hard to establish a solid foundation for our life together. The main issue is with me; my family isn’t well-off, and I need to take care of my parents first.”
Mo Zihan’s father didn’t dwell on his answer and said, “That’s good to hear. I firmly believe that a person who respects their parents can’t be all that bad. These responsibilities are yours to manage. We won’t interfere; I’ll leave my daughter in your hands.”
One can only imagine how Mo Zihan would react if she heard her father practically handing her over to Tang Ning.
Regardless of whether she heard her father’s nearly conclusive statement, the scene that unfolded next nearly made her pass out.
After having some hot soup, Tang Ning and Mo Zihan were assigned a room in the attic. It seemed everyone assumed they were already living together, so there was no point in overthinking things. Their relationship just needed a little push toward formalization.
Given the situation, the two didn’t dare to sleep in separate places. Besides, with the cold and damp weather, sleeping on the floor wasn’t an option-it would surely result in severe chills after just three nights.
Mo Zihan slept soundly in her old bed. When she woke up, Tang Ning was already gone. She heard the cheerful laughter of her father and her mother chattering away in the courtyard. Rushing to the window and looking out, she was instantly taken aback.
There was Tang Ning, wearing her father’s clothes, working with mud and seemingly repairing a nearly collapsed shed.
It turned out that when Tang Ning woke up and came downstairs, he saw Mo Zihan’s father about to leave. When he asked where he was going, the father mentioned he was off to find a handyman to help repair the shed. Tang Ning laughed and said he could handle it himself.
Mo Zihan’s family was surprised, but as soon as they saw Tang Ning at work, they understood. Clearly, he was someone who often did this kind of manual labor, or at least had done it for a long time.
Seeing such a capable and hard-working person, the Mo Family held him in high regard.
So, Mo Zihan found herself at a loss for words as she witnessed this unexpected but significant scene.