Chapter 12

In Lin Dongfan's heart, Shen Junlan truly is the most beautiful mother-in-law in the world.

Knowing that Lin Dongfan has neither a car nor a house, his financial situation isn't great, and not wanting him to spend money, they had already bought seafood and mountain delicacies in advance, fearing he would bring vegetables over as he did last time.

As soon as Lin Dongfan entered the door, he took charge of all the work in the kitchen.

Seeing Chu Lingxi roll up her sleeves and walk in to help, Lin Dongfan chuckled: "Look at you, with your ten fingers never touching spring water—have you ever done any work?"

"I'm an obedient good girl; my mom told me to help you, so I must."

On the cutting board lay a large bag of green vegetables, the mouth tied somewhat tightly. Chu Lingxi tried to undo it a few times but couldn't, so she lowered her head and bit it with her teeth, pulling hard.

This fierce bag-opening method left Lin Dongfan stunned, his eyebrows raised.

Lin Dongfan glanced at the kitchen knife lying nearby, really doubting his own judgment—could using a knife to cut a plastic bag be illegal?

Lin Dongfan wore a speechless expression: "You'd better go out, stop causing trouble."

"Don't underestimate me."

Possessed by the stubborn spirit, Chu Lingxi bit the already-loosened tie and gave it a hard yank, finally opening the plastic bag.

She took out a bunch of garlic sprouts from the plastic bag, examined them carefully, then picked up the sharp kitchen knife beside her: "The root of this scallion needs to be cut off, right? I understand."

"Uh! This..."

Leaving aside whether it's garlic or something else, just looking at her long, shiny fingernails, Lin Dongfan truly couldn't imagine how she would press vegetables on the cutting board.

He might end up losing his fingers.

Lin Dongfan turned around, grabbed a large handful of mung beans, secretly mixed them into the bowl containing red beans, stirred a few times, then placed it before her and instructed: "First help me pick out the red beans from this."

"Okay."

Having been given the important task, Chu Lingxi seriously began picking out the red beans.

She was all about being obedient.

Halfway through picking, she puzzledly asked Lin Dongfan: "I see that in the mall, red beans and mung beans are sold separately, so why are ours mixed together?"

"Who knows? Hurry up and pick, I need them." Lin Dongfan urged.

Chu Lingxi twisted her slender waist a few times, looking weary: "Standing so long, my waist is a bit sore; can I bring a chair in to sit while I pick?"

"As long as you're not afraid of your mom scolding you, bringing a chair into the kitchen is fine." Lin Dongfan, busy chopping vegetables, didn't need to glance askance to know whether someone was acting foolishly all over.

Chu Lingxi, thinking it over, raised the retreat drum: "Then I'll just stand and work."

She continued to pick the beans seriously.

After picking for over an hour, when Lin Dongfan had finished cooking the four-red blood-nourishing porridge that needed red beans, she was still intently picking beans.

But she had realized that continuing to pick this way seemed not to be a solution.

She belatedly asked Lin Dongfan: "Shouldn't there be other red beans at home? Could we set this red-and-green mixed batch aside for the maid to use?"

"No need, let's eat."

Lin Dongfan turned off the stove and brought a fresh plate of salt-and-pepper shrimp to the dining table.

Chu Lingxi followed behind and glanced at the dishes on the table.

Upon seeing the four-red blood-nourishing porridge in the casserole, she instantly looked bewildered: "I picked for over an hour, and you didn't use the red beans I picked?"

"If we waited for you to finish picking, the dishes would have gone cold." Lin Dongfan said.

Shen Junlan walked over with a smile, said nothing, merely shook her head with a full face of compassion; that single action and expression made Chu Lingxi's scalp go numb.

Chu Lingxi furrowed her brows in frustration:

"Mom, why are you looking at me like I'm an idiot? What's funny about that? Just now I was really serious about helping in the kitchen, I didn't slack off at all—don't believe me, ask him."

"I believe you didn't slack off; go get a bottle of red wine." Shen Junlan said with a smile.

Chu Lingxi let out an "oh," obediently went to the storage room to get the wine: "Should I bring a corkscrew?"

"If you don't take a corkscrew, what will you use to pull the cork out?" Shen Junlan watched the silly maiden, then turned to Lin Dongfan and smiled sighingly: "She's been spoiled by her father into a simpleton; aside from dancing, she can't do anything."

"Focused and refined—I think that's pretty good."

Lin Dongfan wanted to praise Chu Lingxi a bit, but really couldn't think of any fresh words.

To say she's beautiful, that every frown and smile carries the elegant air of an Oriental beauty—would seem superficial. To say she has poetry and books in her belly, thus an aura of elegance—would come off as pretentious.

But her dance foundation is flawless; that's her profession.

Moreover, Teacher Shen teaches ethnic dance at Nanzhou University, and she personally taught her daughter. The daughter's achievements in her professional field are Teacher Shen's proudest accomplishment.

Seeing Teacher Shen's joy evident on her face, Lin Dongfan knew he hadn't spoken wrongly.

During the meal, Shen Junlan again chatted with Lin Dongfan about many life philosophies.

One moment she said officialdom is like a battlefield; before a final verdict is reached, no one knows their own outcome, so one shouldn't judge heroes by temporary gains or losses, and young people shouldn't lose heart.

Another moment she lamented that the Chu family's fortunes have declined—when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; adversity reveals true feelings.

Between the lines, she was revealing a standard for choosing a son-in-law.

She doesn't care about the future son-in-law's identity and status, valuing character more. Lin Dongfan isn't stupid either; upon hearing, he immediately understood this was a set of standards tailor-made for him.

Chu Lingxi, meanwhile, didn't interject the whole time, remaining in an awkward state.

Suddenly hearing her mother say again:

"Our family only has this one daughter, Lingxi; Old Chu also has his obsession, wanting to take in a son-in-law. But nowadays everyone's an only child—who would readily become a son-in-law? Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

Chu Lingxi lowered her head, pretending to eat, occasionally glancing up to steal a look at Lin Dongfan's reaction.

Lin Dongfan, understanding tacitly, replied: "Teacher Shen, you're overthinking; who says no one wants to be a son-in-law? If this were up to me, I'd be very happy to become one."

"Perhaps I really did overthink; you all eat slowly, I'll go out for a walk to digest."

Having heard the answer she wanted, Shen Junlan also broke into a satisfied smile, immediately put down her chopsticks and left the table, leaving Lin Dongfan and Chu Lingxi alone together.

After Shen Junlan went out.

Chu Lingxi glanced embarrassedly at Lin Dongfan, smiling shyly: "Whatever my mom says, you just go along with it—have you already considered yourself our Chu family's son-in-law?"

"If you're willing to marry down, then I'll be the Chu family's son-in-law." Lin Dongfan laughed.

Chu Lingxi's pretty face flushed crimson.

She lowered her head shyly: "Besides that airport pickup, we've only met twice; we don't really know each other... My mom randomly matched us on the mandarin duck chart, you're not allowed to take it seriously..."

"In the past, people were matched by matchmakers and married without even meeting." Lin Dongfan lifted his red wine cup, face full of spring breeze: "Dare to share a cross-cupped wine with me?"

You're dreaming.

Chu Lingxi continued to lower her head shyly.

She complained softly: "Let me tell you, there are plenty of rich, handsome guys chasing me. Some invite me to movies, some to performances, some to meals, some to trips. But my mom doesn't approve of those people, so I've ignored them. Now you only focus on pleasing my mom, you've never pleased me at all, lacking any sincerity..."

It's not that I don't want to date you; mainly I'm broke right now. Wait a while until I have money, and you'll see how I'll spoil you rotten. Lin Dongfan was full of confidence.

Chu Lingxi, who had been lowering her head shyly, suddenly lifted her head, puffing with anger, acting coquettish: "How much money can a movie cost? You just lack sincerity—I've been back in the country for two days and you haven't even asked me out."

After drinking this cross-cupped wine, let's go see a movie right away.

Lin Dongfan lifted his red wine cup again, gazing at Chu Lingxi with anticipation.

In fact, Chu Lingxi had already decided on Lin Dongfan before returning home; she trusted her mother's judgment, believing her birth mother wouldn't blindly pick a husband for her.

At present, seeing Lin Dongfan with a sincere look.

Although Chu Lingxi was a bit shy, she eventually lifted her red wine cup. However, she felt embarrassed to initiate the cup exchange, staying in place and waiting for Lin Dongfan to lead the rhythm.

When Lin Dongfan approached to exchange cups, she suddenly pulled her hand back: "Answer my question first."

"What?" Lin Dongfan listened attentively.

Chu Lingxi smiled, revealing two sweet dimples: "What do you like about me?"

I like your innocence and liveliness.

Lin Dongfan didn't even think; this was Chu Lingxi's first impression on him, just as Teacher Shen said, full of silly air.

Innocence and liveliness is just another way of saying full of silly air.

Chu Lingxi obviously hadn't appreciated the profundity of Chinese; she laughed and linked arms with Lin Dongfan, then drank the cross-cupped wine up close.

After half a cup of red wine, Chu Lingxi wasn't drunk, but her heart was.

Seeing Lin Dongfan gazing at her with a smile.

She didn't speak either.

Chu Lingxi again lowered her head embarrassedly: "You're like a block of wood, just knowing how to stare stupidly at me; this sense of ceremony isn't perfect at all..."

Then let's make it perfect.

Before Chu Lingxi could react, Lin Dongfan had already reached out, pulled her into his embrace, and kissed her lips.

He acted swiftly and decisively.