Then matters developed beyond Chen Ruo Yu’s expectations.

Meng Gu had successfully and smoothly passed all the obstacles but in the evening after he had returned to his hotel and she was at home, her troubles began.  Chen Mother seems to want to know more and dragged her daughter into the house for a detailed interrogation.

How did she meet him?  How are they getting along?  Does he treat her well?  Is he bad-tempered?  Is it true she is in charge of his money?  Does he allow her to spend?  What is the situation of his family?  What is his parent’s attitude towards her?  When are they planning to get married?  The house is registered under whose name…..his or his parent’s name?  After marriage, will they be living with his parents?  How much is his monthly salary?  What is the potential for his promotion and salary increase?  How far are they in their relationship?  Had he taken advantage of her?  What method of contraception will they be using?  When do they plan to have children……….

Chen Ruo Yu was questioned until she felt dizzy and her brains had swelled.  There were some matters that she had not even thought of and they were already listed down in the Chen Mother’s ‘need-to-confess’ list. 

She was interrogated until nearly 12 midnight and she felt really sleepy.  Finally, she was successful in begging for mercy and returned to her bedroom.  In the room, her Second Auntie was still awake and she also intended to question her all over again. Chen Ruo Yu rolled on the floor and found the situation so bad that she could not bear it.  Just when she wanted to pretend to sleep, Chen Mother came running in again with some questions that she had just thought of and wanted answers from Chen Ruo Yu. 

Chen Ruo Yu had no way of dealing with them and made an excuse to go to the toilet where she called Meng Gu for help and encouragement.  

“Why didn’t they ask questions when you were here and only ask now when you have left?”  She felt so sleepy and felt like crying.

“You’re useless.”  Meng Gu said with disdain.  “You have to be serious and tell them you are sleepy, whatever they want to ask, they can ask tomorrow and now you want to sleep.  Then don’t bother about them and go to sleep.”

“Okay.”  After Chen Ruo Yu took note of his instructions, she returned to her bedroom.

Chen Mother and Second Auntie, both were still there waiting for her to come back to her room.  Chen Ruo Yu pretended it did not concern her and slipped back under her quilt on the floor.  She told them that they could talk again tomorrow.  Since Grandmother was sleeping, they should not disturb the old lady.  It was not good for the elderly to stay up late and so they should go back and rest early.

As a result, before she could finish talking, Chen Mother poked her head and Second Auntie pretended she did not hear anything.  The two people started to talk again and discussed the problems of living in A-city.  If she were to get married, would the wedding banquet be held in two different places or what?  They also discussed how much the marriage monetary gift should be, to be considered as appropriate and they also wanted to know how marriage rites were normally done in A-city. 

Second Auntie asked Chen Ruo Yu about Meng Gu’s parents’ style of dealing with matters and what were their views on this.  She also said to Chen Mother that since Meng Gu is an only child in the family, and his conditions are so good, it was afraid that Meng Gu’s family would be arrogant and not easy to deal with.  However, the marriage monetary gift should not be reduced as marrying a daughter off is not easy and the task of raising a daughter should not be fruitless.

Chen Mother was also a little worried.  If both their families were well-matched in social status, it would have been easily settled but as it is, she was afraid that the other party would look down on them who were from small cities.  So, she grabbed hold of Chen Ruo Yu and asked questions about Meng Gu again.

Chen Ruo Yu really wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl in to have a good sleep.  She was not interested in whatever the two elderly were discussing.  She did not understand, and since she had not reached that stage yet, she was not concerned.

With her eyes closed, Chen Ruo said she was very sleepy but Chen Mother and Second Auntie ignored her as they were talking excitedly.  At this moment, Chen Ruo Yu’s cell phone rang and the call was from Meng Gu.

“Is it ineffective?”  Meng Gu asked.

“Huh?……”  Chen Ruo Yu felt unhappy and pursed her lips sleepily.

“I knew you would be useless.”

“Oh.”  But what can she do?

“Tell them now that if they still want to talk, I can invite them out for supper to let them talk, so you can sleep well.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, what?......  Tell them now and don’t hang up!”

So Chen Ruo Yu said to the two elders who were staring at her.  “It is Meng Gu who is calling.  He said if Mom and Second Auntie still want to talk, he will treat you to supper and both of you can go out and talk so that I can sleep.”

“Ah?”  Chen Mother and Second Auntie immediately softened.

“This child, why did you tell him about this?  It’s already so late, we won’t go for supper and tell him to rest.  We will talk again tomorrow.”

Chen Ruo Yu said into the phone.  “My Mom said it’s late and you should rest.  They don’t need supper.”

“Tell Mom on my behalf……Goodnight…..Go to sleep.”

“Oh.”  Chen Ruo Yu said as instructed.  “Mom, Meng Gu said ‘Goodnight’…..’Go to sleep’.”

Chen Mother still wanted to say something but when she saw her daughter still holding the phone without hanging up, it was obvious her son-in-law was still on the phone overseeing this.  Suddenly she felt a little embarrassed, awkwardly muttered a few words and returned to her room.  

Second Auntie naturally did not have anything to say and settled down to sleep.  Chen Ruo Yu sighed and said to Meng Gu on the other end of the line.  “Okay, the meeting is adjourned.  Going to sleep….. Goodnight.”

She hung up the phone, nestled into the bed and fell asleep.  Suddenly the door opened again, and Chen Mother bent her waist, squatted down beside Chen Ruo Yu who was nestled under the quilt.  She asked in a small voice.  “Daughter, I have been thinking.  Although Meng Gu that child is good, his family’s situation is much better than our family.  How does he treat you?  Sometimes Mom talks harshly but Mom is still on your side.  If his family treats you badly, you have to tell Mom.  We don’t need wealth.  We just want you to be treated well.”

Chen Ruo Yu was touched and her eyes grew hot.  She nearly could not control herself and wanted to open her eyes to hug her mother.  But thinking that if she really moved, the result might be, she would again be captured by her mother and continue the talk about Meng Gu and his family.  So it was better for her to continue her pretense to be asleep.

Chen Mother waited for a while, noticed her daughter was really asleep, then she muttered she will tell her again tomorrow and left.

After a long while, Chen Ruo Yu opened her eyes and sent a text message to Meng Gu. 

~ My mother asked me whether you and your family treat me well.  She said she does not need wealth, she only wants me to be treated well.  So, you have to treat me a little bit better because I have a mother who will back me.

After a while, Meng Gu’s text message came back.

~ Please tell my mother-in-law, her daughter had already lost her heart and her body.  It is too late for regrets.

She pursed her lips and stared at the text message and replied after a long time.

~ Pei!

After that, she felt satisfied and went into a beautiful sleep.

 

Meng Gu stayed in C-city until the sixth day of the New Year.  In addition to receiving loving care and questions from Chen Family, he also took Chen Father, Chen Mother, and Chen Brother on a shopping spree as a way of showing his goodwill as the future son-in-law.

During this time, Chen Ruo Yu exhibited her complete control over her Mr. Tyrannosaurus’s wallet saying that this item is expensive, that is not practical, this is a waste and that is not appropriate.  In the end, the three members of the Chen Family and Meng Gu, a total of four pairs of eyes glared at her.  But she still stuck to her principles and insisted to follow her own views and standpoint.

In the end, Chen Father shook his head, while Chen Brother disdained her for taking sides, neglecting him and Chen Mother lamented that this daughter eats at home while secretly crawling out*.

(Here it means that CRY as the daughter of Chen Family is not favoring her own family instead she is taking Meng Gu’s side, who an outsider and still not part of the family yet.)

In order to mediate the family conflict, Meng Gu came forward to express his temporary withdrawal of financial power from Chen Ruo Yu.  The three members of the Chen Family immediately stopped their protests and felt embarrassed to continue shopping.  Chen Ruo Yu secretly looked at Meng Gu and showed her satisfaction with the result.

After two days of shopping, the result was everyone was happy and due to Meng Gu’s wallet, Chen Ruo Yu had rapidly developed into a strong woman.  Meng Gu also told her in private he felt she was ready to face his parents.

She ignored him and thought he was joking.

On the sixth day, the sun was shining and the weather was very good.  Meng Gu took his leave and together with Chen Ruo Yu, they went back to A-city.

Because Chen Ruo Yu’s relationship with her mother had improved by leaps and bounds, like the time when she was young, so she was in a good mood.  All along the journey, she was humming the song ‘I want to come to look for Chen Ruo Yu’, at the same time writing into her small notebook.

“What are you writing?”  Meng Gu was driving and was not able to check her small book, so he just asked.

“Writing down the foolish things you had done.”

“Then I’ve to trouble you to write down all the foolish things you had done next to those foolish things that I had done.  But is this book enough?  I can get you a bigger one.”

“Huh?…….”  Chen Ruo Yu wrinkled her nose.

“Have you written down the smart things I had done?”  Meng Gu asked again.

“No need.  You had only done one smart thing.  I won’t forget.”

“What is it?”

“It is…..you liked me and pursued me.  Looking for me to be your wife is the full reflection of your IQ. 

Meng Gu smiled and nodded.  The more he thought about it, the more he laughed and eventually he burst into loud laughter.

“Hey, what is so funny?”

“Nothing.”

“What is nothing?”

“It’s just that I have confidence in you.”

She was unable to understand Meng Gu’s words.  Later she fell asleep in the car and when she woke up, she finally understood the meaning of Meng Gu’s words.

He took her to a restaurant and as he led her upstairs he told her his parents were waiting for her in a reserved room.

What?!

Chen Ruo Yu’s footsteps faltered and she was greatly surprised.

Does he need to spring such a sudden attack on her?

“I’m not prepared yet!”  This is terrible! !  Instantly she was attacked by her Elderly Parental Phobia

She pulled Meng Gu’s hand and asked.  “When I see them, what should I say?”

“Anything will do.”

“What if I can’t even speak?”

“Then just eat.”

“What if they ask me questions?”

“Just answer.”

“What if they issue me a cheque?”

“……”