Chapter 260: Nineties: Spring Water Family Chapter 260: I Believe Sincerity Can Move Hearts

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

The banquet hall was filled with exclamations; Wu Meng and Qiao Lin were mixed in among them, mouths wide open, forming perfect O shapes.

"Is this Star Sapphire?"

Lin Xiyu was also deeply attracted by the gorgeous color of one of the sapphires.

"Xiyu really has a good eye....."

Li Qing laughed and flattered her: "Recognizing the value of this gem at a glance."

"I don't know how much this gem is worth......"

Lin Xiyu told the truth: "I just think it's very pretty."

"Uh."

Li Qing's smile stiffened, she was pondering how to continue when.

Wang Jiarui noticed his mother's embarrassment and spoke up in time: "Gems have a price, but affection is priceless; no matter how much it's worth, it's all Mother's sincerity."

"Oh my, look at this child, so good with words."

As soon as these words came out, the ten-year-old boy successfully drew everyone's gaze onto himself; Qiao Lin even clicked her tongue in wonder, sizing him up from head to toe.

"Li Qing, your son is a talent."

Wu Meng also laughed and praised: "He doesn't speak often, but when he opens his mouth, he amazes everyone."

"Jiarui has been sensible since childhood......"

Li Qing listened with delight, taking the opportunity to boast about her son, wanting to leave a good impression in front of Guben and his wife: "His studies are also good; he already speaks four official international languages."

"Oh my, remarkable, truly remarkable......"

Qiao Lin was even more surprised: "Your son isn't just a talent, he's a genius."

"Not that exaggerated."

Li Qing feigned modesty, but there was actually a bit of showing off in it: "Jiarui grew up in Germany, so speaking English, German, and French is normal; as for Spanish, he learned it while studying abroad there. This child does have some language talent; I didn't expect it either. He just lived there for a few months and managed to pick up the gist of it. After returning, he actively asked for a professional teacher to teach him, and now he can already speak fluent Spanish."

"Germany doesn't seem to be an official international language."

Lin Xiyu graduated from a foreign languages department and knew a lot about language-related matters.

The six official international languages recognized by the UN are English, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Spanish.

"Uh."

Li Qing was embarrassed again, forcing a smile and tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Mother's meaning is that Chinese was counted in there too."

Wang Jiarui reacted quickly, speaking up again to smooth things over for his mother: "After all, my mother tongue is Guoyu; even growing up abroad, I've never forgotten that I'm Chinese."

"Mm-hmm."

"Well said."

"The young man has a future."

These words were spoken exceptionally beautifully, drawing many admiring voices.

"Jiarui."

Qiao Lin asked again with a smile, with a bit of a testing tone: "Can you tell Auntie why the gift wasn't a pair, but two gems of different colors and varieties instead?"

"That's because every gem is unique."

Wang Jiarui answered without thinking: "Representing the two little sisters, in their parents' hearts, they are also unique treasures."

"Hahaha, well said."

This sentence hit Guben and his wife right in the heart; even Wang Fan couldn't help but look at this son a few more times.

"Our Jiarui is so good at coaxing you two into happiness; letting him recognize a god-sister wouldn't be too much, right?"

Li Qing saw his expression change and became even more determined in her idea of forming a marriage alliance with the Gu family.

"We have two daughters; which one do you want to recognize?"

Lin Xiyu was in high spirits and laughed along, treating it as a bit of fun.

"I think Lele is pretty good."

Li Qing looked at the little daughter she held in her arms, a shrewd calculation flashing in her eyes.

"Lele, do you like it or not?"

Lin Xiyu didn't think much of it; she took the Star Sapphire gem from the brocade box and shook it in front of Lele.

"Hee hee."

Lele was small and didn't understand the twists and turns inside; she just thought her mother was coaxing her to play, reached out and grabbed the sapphire, laughing very happily.

"Lele likes it......"

Li Qing laughed until she couldn't close her mouth: "Then it's settled; from now on, Jiarui is Lele's...... older brother."

In her excitement, "fiancé" almost slipped out; fortunately at the critical moment, Wang Jiarui reacted fast, tugged her sleeve, and only then did she react and change it to older brother.

Wang Fan happened to see the mother and son's small movement; he lifted his eyelid and glanced at the two.

Wang Jiarui's breath hitched; the moment his father looked over, he distinctly felt his heartbeat slow by a beat.

Li Qing realized belatedly and was still trying to get close to Guben and his wife.

"The two daughters got gems; what did the son get?"

Wu Meng was purely watching for fun, egging them on relentlessly: "Hurry up and bring it out, let us see the rich wife's treasured collection."

"The boys' gifts weren't chosen by me; they were picked by Jiarui for the two younger brothers......"

Li Qing deliberately had her son curry favor with his future "father-in-law and mother-in-law," then pushed him forward again.

"Is that so?"

The guests present indeed grew interested, and all their gazes turned toward Wang Jiarui once more.

"The little brother and younger sister are different......"

Wang Jiarui didn't shrink back either; he smiled calmly: "Boys don't like jewelry, so I specially chose two small remote-controlled planes for them to play with for now; when they grow up, I'll buy real planes and give them as gifts."

"Heh, quite a grand gesture!"

Qiao Lin gave a thumbs-up in admiration: "Worthy of a wealthy young master; generous as soon as you make a move."

"Where are the remote-controlled planes?"

Wu Meng felt very curious: "I've never seen them before; bring them out first, let us have a look."

"I brought them."

Li Qing pointed toward the courtyard gate: "They're in that box placed right at the doorway."

"I'll go get them......"

Hearing about the remote-controlled planes, Ruirui also perked up, ran over first, and carried the box back.

Wang Jiarui opened the cardboard box, took out the remote-controlled planes, and gave an on-the-spot demonstration, teaching Ruirui how to operate the plane.

The two boys were similar in age and quickly became familiar with each other.

The remote control was easy to operate; Ruirui was clever by nature and grasped the knack in no time.

Under the expectant gazes of all the guests, the two young boys remote-controlled the planes into the sky.

"They really flew up?!"

"High-tech is the thing now; even children's toys can fly into the sky."

"Are there more? I want to try too....."

"You big rough guy, what are you fighting a child for?"

"Does this thing have an age limit? I'm just over 30, and I've already lost the right to play; isn't that too tragic?"

——

Laughter filled the small courtyard; everyone's eyes were deeply drawn to the remote-controlled planes, and even the four babies swiveled their dark, bright eyes, looking up at the sky curiously.

"Compared to their gift, your plane model is a bit lame......"

Guben and Eldest Brother's seats were next to each other, and the two brothers were also talking quietly.

"Mine is a fighter jet, limited edition, can't be bought outside....."

Fu Zheng felt embarrassed and thought it necessary to salvage his own uncle's image in the nephews' and nieces' hearts, deliberately emphasizing the words "limited edition."

Guben used facts to prove the uncle cared for the nephew more than his own biological father: "Ruirui quite likes the remote-controlled plane; the one in his hand, let him take it with him."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

Ruirui had sharp ears; hearing his uncle's words on the wind, he was so happy he nearly jumped up.

"Doing it like this is too extravagant."

Fu Zheng helplessly held his forehead: "Makes it very hard for me to educate my child later."

"Ruirui has been raised this way since childhood......"

Guben righteously declared: "Xiyu and I have never shortchanged him; what others have, he will have; what others don't have, he will also have. If you feel pressured, then don't take him away; just let him stay with us two."

"You already have four children."

Fu Zheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Raising one more, don't you feel tired?"

"How would it be tiring?"

Lin Xiyu feigned annoyance: "More children means more liveliness; it's not like we can't afford to raise them. We're just hoping for a few more kids to keep the babies company playing."

"If you want children, it's not hard......"

Li Qing, hearing the three's conversation, suddenly interjected: "There's a ready-made one right here; let Jiarui stay and entertain the younger brothers and sisters."

Wang Jiarui: "......."

Seen parents who set up their kids, never seen one who sets up their kid like this.

Confirmed the gaze; it's his birth mother.

——

"What are you two up to?"

After the Full Moon Banquet ended, Wang Fan deliberately walked slowly, blocking Li Qing and her son at the alley entrance.

"What do you mean?"

Li Qing played dumb: "Suddenly saying this, I don't understand."

"Cut the act with me."

Wang Fan, a cigarette between his fingers, frowned impatiently: "Your little schemes are written all over your face; thinking you can fool me, keep dreaming."

Li Qing stiffened her neck and retorted: "I just want to get on good terms with Guben and his wife; what's wrong with that? Not allowed?"

"Just that?"

Wang Fan didn't believe it.

"Believe it or not, up to you."

Li Qing pulled her son along, trying to go around him and leave.

"Wang Jiarui!"

Wang Fan sneered, a sharp shout stopping his son in his tracks.

Wang Jiarui's breath caught, and he involuntarily halted his steps.

"You speak."

Wang Fan's brows and eyes were cold and stern, brooking no argument: "Dare not speak the truth, and believe it or not I'll throw you into the Wangfu Pool to wake up your brain?"

"Why are you scaring the child?"

Li Qing pulled her son behind her, glaring at him in displeasure.

"I'm educating my son."

Wang Fan's gaze was sharp, piercing straight to the heart: "Don't want him turning out stupid like you."

"How am I stupid?"

Li Qing choked with anger: "What else have I done that displeases you, to humiliate me like this in front of our son? Have you forgotten, I'm your wife, not those women you keep outside who come at your call and go at your wave."

"Wang Jiarui, are you speaking or not?"

Wang Fan ignored her, his sharp gaze fixed on his son the whole time.

"What kind of attitude is that?"

Li Qing was furious, just about to explode, when her own son stopped her.

"Mom, let me speak."

Wang Jia Run stepped out from behind his mother, raising his head to look at his father.

At such a close distance, he couldn't help but recall five years ago, the scene of first meeting his father.

Back then he was still small, only five years old, hiding behind his mother, uneasy panic spreading through his whole body, so frightened he didn't even dare lift his head to look at him once.

Now, it was different.

Five years, enough to change many things.

He was ten years old now, his height reaching his father's shoulder, no longer needing to look up at him humbly.

Five years of endurance, striving, and tempering had given him enough courage to face him, to challenge his father's authority.

——

"Alright, Mom will wait for you."

Li Qing looked at her son, reading his persistence from his eyes, no longer opposed, retreated several meters, leaving just the right amount of space so the two of them, father and son, could talk freely.

"Not bad guts, you've improved."

Wang Fan blew out a smoke ring, scrutinizing this son he had deliberately ignored before.

Have to say, Wang Jiarui had changed a lot; that unwilling-to-lose ruthlessness inadvertently revealed in his eyes was very much like him when he was young.

"Of course, look at whose son I am......"

Wang Jia Run didn't confront him head-on right away, but avoided his edge, answering very cleverly.

"Hahaha."

The unexpected words indeed put Wang Fan in a great mood, and he thought a few degrees higher of him.

"You just asked, what ghost business are we up to?"

Wang Jia Run seized the chance to say: "Actually, in your heart, you already have the answer, don't you?"

"Want to worm words out of me, you're still too green......"

Wang Fan didn't take his bait, leaning comfortably against the railing by the pool water, adopting a posture of listening attentively, waiting for him to speak himself.

"Mom wants me to marry Aunt Lin's daughter."

Wang Jia Run didn't disappoint him, calmly stating his thoughts: "I agreed, because I didn't want to disappoint Mom."

"Hmph."

Wang Fan snorted through his nose, revealing a 'just as I thought' expression, glancing at Li Qing in disdain.

"I think Mom's right."

Wang Jia Run didn't flinch, deliberately poking his sore spot: "Uncle Gu and Aunt Lin's that kind of unwavering love is what's most enviable; they're the role models I truly want to emulate."

"You don't know shit."

Wang Fan was indeed struck where it hurt, the previous ease gone: "You want to marry their daughter? Have you thought, by the time that little girl grows to adulthood, at least another 18 years, what will happen in those 18 years is completely unpredictable."

"Maybe you swear vows here cursing and swearing, step out of the alley and run into a girl who makes you fall head over heels at first sight, heart pounding — then what? Don't you feel your face hurt? Slapping your own face, burning hot......"

——

"No!"

Wang Jia Run didn't even think, answering decisively: "I'll keep my promise, whether you believe it or not, I can do it."

"Childish!"

Wang Fan didn't believe it at all, coldly warning: "I'm reminding you, if you really have such thoughts, hide your tail deeper, don't let anyone find out, especially that Uncle Gu you arrogantly think you worship — if he really finds out you're coveting their daughter, he has a thousand methods to torture you to death."

"I believe sincerity can move hearts."

Wang Jia Run didn't fear in the slightest, righteously retorting: "Time will prove everything; eighteen years later, you'll understand, the words I speak right now, not half a bit is false."

Wang Fan choked with anger: "You get them to agree first, marry their daughter to you, then talk."

"I'll work hard."

Wang Jia Run looked back at his mother, showing her a victorious smile: "Mom's still waiting for me, no other business, we're leaving first."

"Go on, go on."

Wang Fan waved his hand impatiently, no longer in the mood to continue.

Wang Jia Run turned and ran back, came up close, happily reached out his hand, hooking one of his mother's fingers.

Li Qing smiled in relief, used a bit of strength, gripped his little hand back, mother and son together walked out of the alley.

Wang Fan narrowed his eyes, watching their backs disappear from his sight, a complex, hard-to-discern light flashing in the depths of his eyes.