Chapter 47: Second Update

Chapter 47: Second Update

Qin Yao realized she had acted inappropriately, so she behaved obediently after that, chatting with her mother-in-law and even helping out in the kitchen. In the Gu family, there was a young housekeeper surnamed Zhang who was quite amusing. While helping in the kitchen, Qin Yao prepared several dishes.

Liu Shuqin subtly started a conversation with Qin Yao, who responded appropriately, appearing polite and well-spoken. Liu Shuqin could see that her new daughter-in-law was well-read, familiar with both idioms and poetry, and seemed well-mannered and cultured.

Even though Liu Shuqin should have been happy with such a daughter-in-law, she found herself missing the earlier lively and carefree laughter. This more formal and serious version of her daughter-in-law felt less interesting.

Their family was serious enough as it was. The father-in-law was serious, the husband was serious, and even the son was serious. Family meetings happened all the time, with summaries of family business being announced. Even the young granddaughter, Miaomiao, who was in elementary school, was an excellent meeting minutes recorder.

Her new daughter-in-law had laughed softly and adorably, a carefree laugh that was really charming.

Liu Shuqin could tell the laughter was real, not just a polite smile to keep up appearances. When she looked at her son, her eyes sparkled with bright joy.

Her eyes showed no sign of calculation.

That’s why Liu Shuqin didn’t have any issues with her. Laughter was contagious; seeing her laugh made Liu Shuqin want to laugh too, though she held back.

"Yaoyao, what were you laughing about just now? Can you tell Mom secretly?"

Qin Yao hesitated. "Mom, it's nothing. I just felt happy."

"Ever since I returned to my hometown, I’ve realized that my parents are very good to me, my brothers and sisters-in-law are good to me, and now, coming to my in-laws' home, you’re all good to me too. When I think about it, it makes me really happy."

With that, Qin Yao gave Liu Shuqin a joyful smile.

In the kitchen, Qin Yao, who wasn’t wearing a hat, had a long, black braid hanging over her chest. Her skin was clear as crystal, her eyes large and bright. When she smiled, her small nose wrinkled up, as if she was glowing.

Liu Shuqin smiled as well. "You should be happy. Feel happy and eat more tonight."

When Liu Shuqin didn’t press further, Qin Yao breathed a sigh of relief. The reason for her earlier laughter was because of Gu Cheng's ability to switch expressions. At her home, he had been so relaxed, but here, in his own home, he became more formal.

By the time dinner came around, all the men in the Gu family were seated at the table. Qin Yao realized this was a longstanding family tradition.

The meal felt like a meeting. First, the elders made speeches welcoming Qin Yao, with everyone offering their blessings. Then, each person gave their own speech. Miaomiao, the elementary school niece, had a class monitor demeanor, acting like a little adult.

The entire meal went by without any incidents, but Qin Yao felt as if she had attended a company annual dinner or a team-building welcome party.

Nothing had really happened, but there was an inexplicable sense of fatigue from the socializing.

After dinner, it was free time. Young Miaomiao watched TV and listened to the news with her grandfather, while Gu Cheng took Qin Yao upstairs to his room.

Gu Cheng's room was on the second floor, facing south, with brown wooden floors, plain-colored wood paneling around the walls, and blue curtains. There was a set of wooden cabinets along the wall, with glass doors on the top. Below that, a wooden desk and a few tall stools.

At that time, the furniture and decor were primarily made of solid wood, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere when the lights were on.

Unlike the dining room, where the wooden table and chairs made her feel like she was in a meeting, this room felt more relaxed.

Gu Cheng’s desk had been cleared, with nothing on it except books. On the shelves were a few photo frames showing Gu Cheng in his military uniform.

Qin Yao couldn’t help but pick one up to look at.

The frame looked like it had been frequently dusted; there wasn’t a speck of dust on it.

As soon as Gu Cheng entered the room, he locked the door, then flopped onto his bed, stretching out his long legs.

He grabbed a pillow, put it behind his head, and crossed his legs, relaxing with his eyes half-closed.

Seeing him like this, Qin Yao couldn’t help but lose her smile.

She walked over to Gu Cheng and gave his shoulders a pinch. Gu Cheng opened his eyes and gave her a surprised look. Qin Yao wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

With a smile, Gu Cheng pulled her into his arms. "What is it?"

Holding his face, Qin Yao suddenly realized that their upbringings were somewhat similar. She had always found it hard to bear her father's authoritarian style. He would tie every little action to some grand significance, preaching the need to endure hardship and suffering. As a child, she was made to watch the news daily, and her father never allowed any romantic dramas or idol series in the house, dismissing them as the works of madmen.

Even as she grew older, Qin Yao continued to view real-life relationships with suspicion for a long time. She had always felt embarrassed watching romance novels or idol dramas in public, though she had sneaked a few views here and there... It wasn't until much later that she realized many families actually watched idol and Qiongyao dramas together.

In her own home, the television was always tuned to news and weather forecasts. The only content she dared to watch at home were detective shows and war dramas. Variety shows were basically just about cooking.

"I just wanted to kiss you." At first, Qin Yao had worried that Gu Cheng might be like that too, not that it was bad, but she had always wanted to live a relaxed life, like a capybara, carefree.

Initially, one of the things that had attracted her to Gu Cheng was his relaxed and easy-going nature. It made her feel comfortable and drawn to him.

This might have had something to do with the climate on the island where they grew up. The island was lush with greenery all year round, without the harsh winters and desolation found elsewhere. Anyone living in such an environment would naturally develop a sense of laid-back relaxation.

Now, after spending six months on the island, Qin Yao had become a little too relaxed for her own good.

It felt like wearing sunglasses, sporting beach pants, walking on the fine silver sands, feeling the salty sea breeze, and taking a nap between two coconut trees when she got tired. It was a life of pure bliss.

"Well then, I really have to kiss you now," Gu Cheng said, before flipping her over and covering her face in little kisses.

Qin Yao laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, then, recalling something, she teased, "Liar."

She'd worried Gu Cheng might live in a cramped space with too many people around, but his room was quite spacious, and the soundproofing seemed decent enough. He was truly a master of strategies, but Qin Yao finally understood why he could act so well—it was something he had been immersed in since childhood.

"It's all part of the game," Gu Cheng said, his eyes smiling with a particularly gentle expression. The small beauty mark at the corner of his eye became even more captivating.

Qin Yao laughed and gave his face a little push, but when she couldn't move him, she gave in and kissed his beauty mark, a mix of resignation and sweetness. Then, she was pulled into a whirlwind of affection.

Gu Cheng's room had been decorated like a bridal chamber. The bed was adorned with a bright red mandarin duck quilt, and red double happiness characters were stuck on the windows. Outside, the cold wind raged, but inside, it was warm with the promise of spring.

In the end, Qin Yao was too exhausted to continue. She just couldn't keep up.

Gu Cheng helped her cover up with the quilt and then wrapped his arms around her from behind. Qin Yao nestled closer to him, a look of dependence on her face. In her semi-conscious state, she thought: when it's quiet and late at night, with just the two of us, let's be a pair of capybara couples, without a care in the world.

Lying there without haste or worry, if the house burns down, I'll take a pic. If life goes haywire, I'll take a nap.

Good night.

The next morning, Gu Cheng got up early to practice boxing with his grandfather in the courtyard. After waking up, Qin Yao was taken out by her mother-in-law to stroll around the compound. Along the way, she met countless uncles, aunts, grandpas, grandmas, and various other relatives. The accents from all over the country were quite entertaining.

Liu Shuqin picked out a few pieces of fabric and planned to have a tailor make her some new clothes for different seasons.

"Take off your clothes, I'll take your measurements," Liu Shuqin said.

Store-bought clothes were all too big and didn't fit right. Naturally, Liu Shuqin wanted to have custom-made clothes for her daughter-in-law. Once the measurements were taken, the clothes wouldn't take long to be ready.

Qin Yao took off her hat and loosened her scarf.

When Liu Shuqin saw her neck, she froze. Qin Yao's skin was fair, and there was a large mark visible. In the cold of winter, there shouldn't have been that many mosquitoes... That's quite something.

"I'll take the measurements," Liu Shuqin said quickly.

Qin Yao had her measurements taken by her mother-in-law and initially didn't think much of it. But when she looked in the mirror later, she saw a huge area on her skin, and couldn't pretend not to see it even if she wanted to.

Qin Yao fell silent...

Her face gradually flushed red, and she couldn't stay in the house any longer.

Liu Shuqin burst out laughing. Curious, she asked, "How did you two meet?"

Since Liu Shuqin had been good to her, Qin Yao didn't want to hide anything and replied, "We met at the port; he was really kind. It was pouring rain that day, and I shamelessly asked him to help me carry my luggage back to the guesthouse."

"That's not cheeky at all. As a soldier, he should help people in need," Liu Shuqin said.

After returning from the tailor, Gu Cheng was standing at the door, arms crossed, looking visibly annoyed. Early in the morning, his wife had vanished for half the day, whisked away by his mom, leaving him at home with the elders.

Finally, when Qin Yao returned, Gu Cheng's cold expression lightened a bit.

Before going into the house, Liu Shuqin asked him, "How did you and Qin Yao meet?"

"We were set up," Gu Cheng replied nonchalantly.

Qin Yao: "...?!?"

Liu Shuqin looked surprised. "What do you mean it was a set-up?"

"A nurse manager introduced us," Gu Cheng answered.

Liu Shuqin gave him a suspicious look. "So why did Yaoyao say you met at the port?"

Gu Cheng stayed cool. "Oh, right, I almost forgot. We did see each other at the port first."

Qin Yao: "...?!?"