Chapter 38: Meeting His Mother

After we’d been seeing each other secretly for a few weeks, Ji Feiyang said, “You’ll have to meet my mother sooner or later.”
“Of course. But it’s hardly fair. My whole family likes you. Your mother doesn’t like me.”
“I’m just as nervous as you are.”
“You? Nervous?”
I didn’t believe him. What did he have to be nervous about?
“Of course.”
“You know my family so well, and they all like you. What’s there to worry about?”
“It’s different now. Before, I was a family friend. Now I’m your boyfriend. Your parents treasure you so much. What if they don’t think I’m good enough?”
“Don’t worry.”
I patted his shoulder.
“If I like you, my parents will too.”
We were having dinner at a steakhouse as the city lights began to glow outside.
After practically every bite, I found myself smiling foolishly at him.
I was so happy I wanted to leap onto a cloud and dance—to announce to the whole world that Tang Yijun was almost dying of happiness.
“Come home with me afterwards.”
“To meet your mother?”
He nodded.
“Not so soon. I’m not ready.”
The thought of Yan Rong’s icy face made me shudder. She could look as sharp as a knife, as frightening as a witch.
Better to wait. I wanted a few more happy days with Ji Feiyang before she found out and split us up.
“You don’t want to keep sneaking out to see me as though we’re doing something wrong, do you? My mother isn’t that frightening. If you don’t go against her, she won’t make things difficult.”
“Let’s do it another day. I need to prepare. At least give my heart time to become a little stronger.”
“You’re avoiding it. What happened to the girl who wasn’t afraid of anything? Now you’re like a little mouse.”
He gave me a scornful look.
“It’s because she’s your mother. Do you know how terrifying she is?”
“She’s not the King of Hell.”
“She’s the mother of the King of Hell and every fearsome demon.”
“So what does that make me?” he asked unhappily.
“Well… you’re… you’re the child she found somewhere and took home.”
I burst out laughing.
“You’ve still got the nerve to laugh.”
He glared at me.
“All right, all right. She’s the mother of Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy. You’re the Jade Emperor’s son.”
“Nothing’s sacred to you.”
He sighed.
Leaning towards him, I said, “Then why don’t you come home with me?”
“No.”
“Why not? You wanted me to go to your house, but now you won’t come to mine?”
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s make a bet. Whoever loses goes to the other person’s house.”
“No. I’d be at a disadvantage.”
There would be a fifty-fifty chance of having to meet his mother.
“How is that a disadvantage? It’s perfectly fair. Let’s see whose phone rings first.”
He placed our phones side by side on the table.
“Whichever rings first, that’s whose house we go to.”
I reached for mine, but he was faster. He snatched it up and held it behind his back.
“Can’t we wait a few days? I have a bad feeling about this. Your mother will split us up.”
“The sooner we settle it, the better. For our future.”
Our future.
All right. I would risk it.
He had barely returned my phone to the table when his rang.
Looking delighted, he picked it up.
My eyes widened.
As soon as he finished the call, I protested.
“That’s not fair! You get more calls than I do.”
“A bet’s a bet.”
Between pulling, coaxing and nudging, Ji Feiyang got me all the way to his house.
Outside, he straightened my clothes and checked my appearance.
“I’ll do the talking. Just sit quietly beside me. If Mum asks you anything, be polite and keep your answers short. The more you say, the more likely you are to put your foot in it. Be sincere. Looking a little helpless wouldn’t hurt either. She responds better to gentleness than defiance.”
I followed him inside, trembling.
When we reached Yan Rong, he drew me out from behind him.
I smiled at her, then remembered his advice and changed it to a rather woeful smile.
She didn’t smile back.
Her expression was questioning but calm, without any obvious anger.
“Sit.”
Holding my hand, Ji Feiyang led me to the sofa on her right.
I could feel her sharp gaze resting on our joined hands. Gradually, her expression darkened.
He kept hold of me.
Beside him, I sat looking utterly forlorn.
There was no pretending about it.
Yan Rong had enormous power over what happened to us. I watched her in terror, afraid that I might lose him in an instant.
“Mum, Yijun and I are together.”
For a long time, she didn’t respond.
She sat upright and elegant as a statue, her eyes fixed on him with furious disappointment.
“Mum, I know what I’m doing. I’ve thought this through. It isn’t an impulse, and I’ll never regret it.”
Never regret it.
I looked at him, moved.
Neither would I.
Slowly, Yan Rong looked away and stared ahead.
“What do you expect me to say? Have you left me any say in the matter?”
“Yijun’s a lovely girl. She can be wilful sometimes, but she’s young and still learning. She’s changed a great deal. Her temper’s much better. In time, she’ll listen to you and be a caring, respectful daughter-in-law.”
Daughter-in-law.
It felt like such a distant word.
Yet the thought of marrying him filled me with sweetness.
After a pause, Yan Rong turned to me.
“Our family is different from yours. I hear your parents treat you like a princess. That isn’t how we raise children. Ask Feiyang. He had his share of beatings when he was little.”
“I… I don’t mind pain,” I said quietly.
She gave me a withering look.
“If you both want to be together, I have no reason to stop you.”
Joy swept through us.
Our hands tightened around each other.
“But…”
We watched her anxiously.
Just as my heart had begun to settle, it was suspended again.
She continued at her own unhurried pace.
“Joining the Ji family won’t be easy. My daughter-in-law must know how to conduct herself.”
“I’ll teach her.”
Ji Feiyang gave me a tender glance.
“I hope you can meet my expectations,” Yan Rong said directly to me.
“I will. Thank you, Auntie.”
I was almost tearful with gratitude.
Outside his house, I felt as though I were dreaming.
“Your mother agreed?”
“Yes. Now you’ll have to do your best.”
“I can’t believe she actually agreed.”
“I’m a little surprised myself. She agreed so quickly. It’s a miracle.”
A miracle.
A huge one.
“Then let’s see my parents tomorrow.”
I leaned against him, wheedling.
“All right.”
He smiled.
When the car stopped outside my gates, I started to get out, then quickly turned back and kissed his cheek.
It was the first time I’d kissed him.
“Goodbye.”
I gave him a mischievous smile.
He smiled too.
“Goodbye.”

When Ji Feiyang and I sat before my parents, brother and sister and shyly told them we were dating, nobody looked surprised.
They all watched us with cheerful smiles.
“You already knew!”
Angrily, I turned towards Zhou Guo.
“You betrayed me!”
“We’ve spoiled Yijun,” Dad told Ji Feiyang with a smile. “You’ll have to be patient with her.”
Then he turned to me.
“Be considerate. Don’t make trouble for him.”
“I know.”
“There’s something else,” Ji Feiyang began. “My mother… she’d like Yijun to work at the hotel. She hopes Yijun will eventually help manage it.”
Dad frowned, clearly displeased.
“It doesn’t really matter where she works,” Mum said with a smile. “With Feiyang guiding her, she’ll learn quickly.”
“No, the workplace itself doesn’t matter. Xueyou and Boshan are here to help with my company.”
Dad looked at him seriously.
“The question is how sincere your mother is. Can she truly accept Yijun? As far as I know, she isn’t an easy person to get along with.”
Ji Feiyang answered honestly.
“She hasn’t fully accepted Yijun yet. The main reason she wants her at the hotel is to see what she can do. Mum admires capable girls. Working there would also give them more time to get to know each other. There might be some friction at first, but I’m sure things would improve.”
“I hear she can be harsh with the staff.”
“She’s strict. At work, disagreements happen sometimes. People can misunderstand.”
“I also hear she’s fallen out with quite a few people. Relatives, for instance…”
Goodness. Dad had done his homework.
Ji Feiyang paused, then said, “Every family has its difficulties. A few words can’t explain everything.”
“None of that matters as long as she likes Yijun and Feiyang isn’t left caught between them.”
Mum stopped Dad from questioning him further.
“Yijun, you must make an effort. Give her no reason to dislike you.”
“All right.”
My answer held very little confidence.
With such a formidable opponent ahead, I wasn’t sure of my chances.
Dad spoke solemnly.
“My precious daughter may not live up to your mother’s expectations. You should be prepared for that.”
Nobody knew me better than Dad.
“Don’t worry,” I said, refusing to be discouraged. “I’ll make her like me.”