Chapter 90: Mother-in-Law Evaluating Her Son-in-Law: The More She Looks, the More Pleased She Is!

Are you crazy? Minori’s personality—you’re letting her decide for herself? If you can’t make the decision, then let me decide.

Minori may have a soft spot for this kid named Shengzai, but that’s just in the game.

I’ll be the one to ask about his situation—you sit quietly and just watch my cues.

Jōseki Kyōko also knew her husband once planned to marry Minori to Sugou Nobuyuki, but who knew he was a scumbag.

It’s natural for her husband to feel guilty about his poor judgment, but letting their daughter Minori run completely wild is clearly impossible.

I really think this kid Shengzai is quite excellent—he not only saved Minori, but Minori clearly likes him a lot.

Don’t be fooled by his young age; I’ve interacted with him before, and in speech and action, he’s far more mature than other kids his age.

To be honest, I’m not even worried he’s unworthy of our daughter—I’m wondering whether he’ll even notice Minori…

Shengzai’s situation—Jōseki Shōzō felt he understood it far better than his wife did.

Can a mere wealthy man or high-ranking official compare to a being with such supernatural power?

Frankly speaking, beings like Shengzai, if they truly wanted women, would have countless powerful figures lining up to propose marriages.

Our daughter Jōseki Minori is beautiful, certainly, but there are countless beautiful women in this world. Now that we have a chance to marry into such a mysterious existence, your wife still wants to interfere? That’s downright ungrateful.

In short, regardless of Minori’s own feelings, we still need to find out what kind of person this Shengzai really is.

Do you want to push your daughter into another pit of fire?

Hearing her husband Jōseki Shōzō speak so highly of Shengzai, Jōseki Kyōko was genuinely surprised.

Although her husband had misjudged Sugou Nobuyuki, Jōseki Shōzō had held a high position for years and rarely praised anyone so lavishly—especially someone who was merely a teenager.

That evening, Shengzai was naturally invited to stay for dinner by the Jōseki couple.

The Jōseki household was already wealthy, and since this dinner was prepared to thank Shengzai, the dishes were exceptionally luxurious.

To entertain Shengzai, Jōseki Shōzō not only hired a professional chef but even opened a bottle of red wine he’d never dared to drink himself.

Shengzai looked at the lavish spread before him and sighed at the decadence of the rich, then calmly began cutting his premium steak.

Trapped in the game for two and a half years, he’d barely eaten real food; though he’d consumed plenty of real meals these past two days, Suguha’s third-rate cooking meant he’d been drinking nothing but porridge—his mouth had been utterly bland.

“Uncle Jōseki, no need for alcohol—I’m still a minor, and in this country, encouraging a minor to drink is illegal, isn’t it?”

Shengzai’s “Uncle Jōseki” made Jōseki Shōzō’s heart swell with joy, then he quickly added awkwardly, “Yes, yes, I almost forgot—you’re even a year younger than Minori. If red wine’s out, then juice will do—our juice is quite good too.”

At Jōseki Shōzō’s glance, the perceptive maid swiftly poured Shengzai a glass of juice.

“Shengzai, since you’re Minori’s friend, I can call you that, right?”

“Of course. Aunt Jōseki is Asuna’s mother—if you use formal titles with me, I’ll feel uncomfortable.”

Hearing Shengzai’s words, Jōseki Kyōko nodded in satisfaction, then glanced at her husband, still grinning foolishly beside her, and sighed—men were truly unreliable. Then, as if casually, she asked Shengzai, “Shengzai-kun, what does your family do? And how did you meet Minori?”

At Jōseki Kyōko’s question, Shengzai paused, then glanced curiously at Jōseki Shōzai beside him.

To be honest, as Asuna’s mother, Jōseki Kyōko’s curiosity about Shengzai’s identity and his relationship with Asuna was perfectly natural.

Asking such questions was entirely reasonable.

But what puzzled Shengzai was—hadn’t it been two or three days since he visited RECT Corporation to see Jōseki Shōzō?

Why hadn’t Jōseki Shōzō investigated him—or told his wife Jōseki Kyōko anything about him?

Seeing Shengzai’s glance, Jōseki Shōzō instantly understood his meaning.

But this wasn’t his fault—Shengzai had explicitly warned him not to tell anyone about him.

How was he supposed to know whether “anyone” included his own wife?

As for investigating Shengzai’s background—he dared not even consider it.

Joking? The power Shengzai had shown him before was, in Jōseki Shōzō’s eyes, indistinguishable from that of a god.

If he’d known Shengzai was so close to Minori—and so easygoing—he wouldn’t have walked on eggshells these past two days!

Seeing Jōseki Shōzō’s expression, Shengzai guessed the reason and couldn’t help smiling inwardly.

That earlier maneuver to save face had clearly terrified Jōseki Shōzō.

To ease the Jōseki couple’s unease, Shengzai soon gave a brief account of his background and how he’d met Asuna in SAO.

Of course, to prevent Jōseki Kyōko from becoming as nervous as her husband, Shengzai concealed his supernatural abilities.

Even so, after hearing Shengzai’s basic information, Jōseki Kyōko was already quite satisfied with him.

Setting aside family background, Shengzai was truly outstanding among his peers.

He won the national kendo championship in middle school, and even before being trapped in the game, his academic performance had always ranked among the top in school.

His manners were also excellent—his refusal to drink alcohol earlier clearly showed that, despite being an orphan, he had strong discipline and upbringing.

His family hailed from Huaxia—perhaps an ancient, culturally rich lineage. Even if fallen, such a family’s prestige still far surpassed ordinary households.

Though their contact had been brief, from personal qualities, upbringing, and character, even Professor Jōseki Kyōko found Shengzai flawless in every way.

Especially when, due to her professional habit, she unconsciously began discussing dry cultural and academic topics with Shengzai—and he conversed with her fluently—Jōseki Kyōko felt exactly like a mother-in-law evaluating her future son-in-law: the more she saw, the more satisfied she became!

Especially when Yukiyo, suffering from her occupational habit, unconsciously began chatting with Shengzai about dull cultural and academic topics, and Shengzai actually engaged her in fluent conversation, Yukiyo suddenly regarded him with the eyes of a mother-in-law sizing up her daughter’s fiancé, growing increasingly satisfied with him!

(End of Chapter)