Love in the Fast Lane - Chapter 69 - Warnings from Both Sides

Back at home, Mo Zihan changed into her slippers and lay on the bed. Seeing that it was still early, she decided to call Tang Ning. He hung up, but called back a few minutes later.

“Are you home? Get some rest and skip going to the office this afternoon. I’ll bring the stuff back and then come home. It’s cold, let’s sleep in. I’m already feeling a bit dizzy,” Tang Ning said cheerfully on the other end.

Mo Zihan rolled her eyes. Sleep in? Do you think you’re as carefree as Qi Xiaomeng?

“Drink less, okay? How are you going to move things after drinking? How did the negotiations go?”

Tang Ning laughed, “I tried to drink less, and everything went smoothly. We’ve already paid half now, and once the new year starts and the company opens, we’ll pay the rest. I did the math, and with the leftover money, we can buy a few good computers for the office. After all, once we open, we’ll need to focus on design, and we can’t do that without the right hardware.”

Mo Zihan replied, “Let’s go with your plan then. Didn’t my mom call this morning? We’ll probably have a lot of explaining to do again. They’ve found out that when we went home last year, it was all a show.”

Tang Ning paused, then quickly said, “That’s not a problem. We have the marriage certificate now; that’s indisputable, right? No need to worry, just explain the truth over the phone. They can’t expect us to get a divorce because of last year’s act.”

Mo Zihan laughed softly, “You’re talking nonsense. They’ve probably realized that too. After all, we’ve been together all year. Whenever relatives came to town, they stayed with us. Can they twist the facts? You go on and move the stuff. I’ll call back and explain. There’s another matter that seems suspicious. Let’s talk about it tonight.”

Suspicious? Tang Ning murmured, “Alright, let’s talk tonight. Don’t go to the office this afternoon; it’s too tiring. After the new year, we’ll gather our strength and tidy up. We need to start shopping tomorrow. We haven’t been home for two years, so we should buy more stuff this time.”

Mo Zihan teased, “You don’t need to tell me that. We’ve just started the company, and I’m sure they won’t let us spend money once we’re home. We should buy what we need first-some clothes and some supplements for your parents. It’s okay if we’re tired on the way.”

Tang Ning sighed, “We’ll definitely be tired. Money is tight this year, so we’ll be taking the train. It’ll be your first time squeezing onto a train. We should be prepared to get sick before we go home.”

Mo Zihan playfully chided, “Am I that frail? Alright, we’ll talk when you get back. I’ll call home first to explain. Let’s invite Qi Xiaomeng over for dinner tonight. She’s got something to tell us, but I haven’t had the chance to ask in the past few days. I need to interrogate her properly tonight.”

After hanging up the phone, Mo Zihan lay down and thought for a while, carefully organizing her words before calling her mother.

Her fierce mother was very serious this time, starting off not with questions about when they would have a wedding, but with a straightforward inquiry, “I just called you, and then I called Xiao Tang, and both times the response was that you were on another call. Tell me, are you two planning to keep things from us again?”

As soon as she finished speaking, her father chimed in, “What exactly is going on? Xiaohan, explain this clearly. I remember when relatives visited your house, what they saw was completely different from what that friend of yours mentioned. It’s obvious you two are living together. We don’t trust him, but we need to check with you to get the story straight.”

Mo Zihan praised, “Dad is still the rational one-oh, and Mom is being quite sensible this time too. Props to you!”

Her mother scolded, “Less nonsense, tell the truth!”

Mo Zihan explained, “That so-called friend has been stirring up trouble with old stories. When Tang Ning and I first met, indeed, we didn’t plan to be together right away. Over time, after living together for several months, we both felt very good about each other, but neither of us said it outright until his parents came over. He asked me for this favor because he thought well of me. Then, we started living together. A couple of months after his parents left, we decided to make it official. Ever since then, whether it was after returning home or during the more than a year here, we have been truly, seriously in love.”

Only then did her mother breathe a sigh of relief, but then she remembered something, “Then what were you two discussing on the phone just now? Aren’t you living together? Why call each other? Also, Xiao Tang didn’t answer my calls this morning, several times. What was he doing?”

Mo Zihan helplessly replied, “Mom, you know how it is. These past few days we’ve been busy with our little company, treating every yuan as ten yuan, every minute as an hour. He went to the suburbs to buy some stuff today, and I was cleaning the studio. He only saw the missed calls after having a drink, and he called me back to tell me to call you. He had a bit to drink, worried you might scold him.”

Her mother’s anger turned to joy, “That child, still so honest, that’s good, that’s good. No matter how confusing the process was, the outcome is good. You two, your father and I saved some money, but you won’t take it for use. Such a big city, high living costs, and look how busy Xiao Tang is. And what’s with your friend stirring up old news? Now that you two are like this, is he trying to create discord, or does he have other motives?”

Props to her, Mom’s vigilance is high indeed!

Mo Zihan explained, “That so-called friend has been bringing up old stories to complain to you. When I first met Tang Ning, I really didn’t think we would end up together. But after spending about half a year getting to know each other, we both felt good about it, though neither of us spoke up. Then, when his parents came to visit, he asked me to help out, and I thought he was a great person. So, we started living together, and after a couple of months, when his parents left, we decided to officially be together. Whether at home or during the year we’ve been here, we’ve genuinely been committed to dating seriously.”

Her mom finally relaxed, but then remembered something, “So why were you two calling each other earlier? Aren’t you living together? And Xiao Tang didn’t answer my calls this morning, even after several tries. What’s he up to?”

Mo Zihan replied helplessly, “Mom, you know we’ve been busy with our small company lately. We’re pinching pennies, trying to make every minute count. He went to the outskirts to buy some things today, and I was cleaning up the studio. He noticed the missed calls after having a few drinks and asked me to call you back. He’s a bit tipsy and worried you might scold him.”

Her mom’s tone shifted from frustration to joy, “That kid is still so honest. That’s good, that’s good. The process made me a bit anxious, but the outcome is what matters. You two are something else. Your dad and I saved some money, but you won’t take it. In such a big city with such high expenses, look how busy Xiao Tang is now. And about that friend of yours, since things are going well for you now, why is he bringing up old stuff? Trying to stir up trouble, or does he have another motive?”

Kudos to mom for being so vigilant!

Mo Zihan said, “I’m also trying to figure out what that guy is up to, but I haven’t quite pieced it together yet. I haven’t caught him red-handed either. But no matter what he does, the bond between Tang Ning and me is strong. We’re not going to have problems just because of some comments he makes. I suspect it might be related to my previous work. This person isn’t exactly a grassroots guy; it seems like his family has some assets. If he’s willing to lower himself like this, he probably has other motives. I think he might have heard about the small company Tang Ning and I started and assumes it’s mainly my venture, so perhaps he’s planning something around that.”

Dad chimed in, “We also think it might be related to your company. After all, it’s worth tens of thousands, and it could fetch some money if sold. Plus, Xiao Tang was quite valued at your former company, and you held a mid-level manager position for over a year and a senior manager position for several months. It’s unlikely your new company isn’t linked to the old one. If this person has ulterior motives, I suspect he’s aiming to control your small company and then leverage that to gain something from your former company. You need to be vigilant.”

Mom added, “I feel the same way. You and Xiao Tang need to keep your eyes wide open. Also, discuss this with Xiaomeng. People who are greedy for profits will stop at nothing. The three of you are the company’s stakeholders. If there’s any conflict among you, and this person manages to disrupt your harmony, even if they somehow obtain Xiaomeng’s shares through unscrupulous means, it would create a lot of issues.”

Mo Zihan didn’t have much experience in this area and felt overwhelmed, so she said, “That’s true. No wonder Tang Ning just mentioned having Qi Xiaomeng over for dinner to chat tonight. Alright, we’ll make sure not to give him any opportunities.”

Mom praised her, “That’s the spirit. Xiao Tang may be honest, but he’s not foolish. He thinks things through, unlike you, who can be forgetful. Also, I just came back from outside and transferred some money to your account. This year, when you visit Xiao Tang’s hometown for the first time, remember to buy some gifts for his family. His mother isn’t in good health, so make sure she gets a thorough checkup at the hospital. Got it?”

Mo Zihan laughed, “You’re definitely the kind of mother-in-law who deserves a medal! Don’t worry, I know what to do. Tang Ning and I have also planned to visit you guys before the Lantern Festival after coming back from his hometown, so don’t go on a trip again.”

Mom praised her again, “See, Xiao Tang is very considerate. Alright then, take a break and prepare some sour soup. While Xiao Tang is out building his career, you need to think more about supporting him at home. We’ll take a nap now.”

Mo Zihan couldn’t help but smile wryly, thinking to herself, “It seems like my parents really have a high opinion of Tang Ning. Although they don’t believe Li Ke’s call entirely, it’s obvious they’re not completely certain either. That’s why they want me to build a good relationship with his mom.”

In truth, this all stemmed from Tang Ning’s genuine efforts.

How many holidays are there in a year? Mo Zihan wasn’t sure, but Tang Ning would call her parents during each one and chat with them for ages. If her parents fell ill, even before Mo Zihan knew, Tang Ning would be calling them three times a day to offer his care and concern.

As for her parents’ and even her grandparents’ birthdays, Mo Zihan was quite clueless. However, Tang Ning remembered each date clearly. On those occasions, he would prepare gifts in advance and send them home. The gifts weren’t necessarily expensive, but the thought truly counted.

So, Mo Zihan’s mom treating Tang Ning better and better was, in her view, entirely thanks to Tang Ning’s thoughtful nature.

When she woke up from a nap, it was already past four, almost five in the afternoon. She opened the fridge and saw there was plenty inside. Looking outside, the weather was gloomy and chilly, so she decided not to go out to buy anything else. She called Tang Ning, and it turned out he was already at the office, amidst the clattering sounds. He said he was almost done and would definitely be home by six.

Just as Mo Zihan was about to call Qi Xiaomeng, the doorbell rang.

To her surprise, it was Qi Xiaomeng at the door.

Mo Zihan was baffled. She hadn’t even told her to come over for dinner yet, so how did she just show up?

“Oh? A distinguished guest, a rare guest! What brings you here?” With Qi Xiaomeng, Mo Zihan didn’t have to hold back. They both were lively and playful, exchanging some friendly teasing as their version of a greeting. Then Mo Zihan playfully touched Qi Xiaomeng’s forehead and checked the wind direction outside from the balcony, pretending to be astonished.

Qi Xiaomeng rolled her eyes, “In this freezing weather, do you think I’d come here for fun? It’s because of Li Ke. My gut tells me there’s something off about that guy.”

Mo Zihan frowned, “Has he contacted you again?”

Qi Xiaomeng, helping her prepare the vegetables, replied, “Yes, he did. You had hot pot with Li Ke at lunch, right? Around one in the afternoon, he called me. He was vague, but it was clear he was fishing for information. It seems like he doesn’t even believe you’ve already gotten your marriage certificate. I just played it safe, deflecting whatever I could and being honest when necessary. Li Ke seemed frustrated, but he’s not giving up.”

Qi Xiaomeng’s choice of words was odd, but Mo Zihan understood that she was just speaking according to her instincts and wasn’t hiding anything.

Frustrated? Not giving up?

What exactly is Li Ke up to?

“I can’t figure it out, and I guess you can’t either. Let’s wait until Tang Ning comes back and have him think it through. I just have a feeling Li Ke is plotting something lately. Anyway, it’s hard to say, and we all need to be on our guard,” Qi Xiaomeng was the second person to caution Mo Zihan.