Yan Mo paused for a moment and said, "It's nothing. Haicheng is so close to our Nancheng, only an hour away by high-speed train. When the time comes, he can go there, or I can come back. Distance is not a problem."
"Sigh! Momo, if only you could come back to Nancheng. Both your maternal home and your husband's family are in Nancheng, yet you ran off to work in Haicheng, so far away from home."
Yan Mo comforted her mother, "Mom, don't worry about this; distance really isn't a problem. Alright Mom, the dishes are washed, we should head home."
Just a moment ago she was happy, but upon hearing this, Su Yunxiu's eyes instantly turned red, and her throat choked up, "My Momo has grown up, she's married off and has her own home now. From now on, coming back isn't 'going home,' it's 'returning to the maternal home.'"
"Mom." Seeing her mother so distressed, Yan Mo felt a pang in her heart. She stepped forward and hugged Su Yunxiu's shoulders, gently swaying her. Before she knew it, her own voice also choked up, "Mom, I'm married, not running away. Please don't be like this; it makes me feel terrible."
As she spoke, she pulled out a few tissues to wipe her mother's tears and then her own, "Mom, I went to Nancheng for school when I was eighteen. After graduation, I stayed in Nancheng to work until now, and I only came back for a few days each year. Isn't that the same as it is now?"
"That's different. Before, when you came back, it was called 'going home,' and you could come back whenever you wanted." Su Yunxiu took the tissue and wiped the corners of her eyes, "From now on, when you come back, it's 'returning to the maternal home.' You are a member of your husband's family; you can't just run to your maternal home whenever you please. Your husband's family might have an opinion about it. Besides, once you have a child in the future, you'll be tied down by the child, and it won't be so easy to come back."
"Mom, I'm married, not sold. My legs are on my own body; can my husband's family really tie them up?" Yan Mo was amused by her own words and broke into a smile through her tears, "Besides, I haven't even planned on having children. Who knows, maybe Liang Qingzhou and I will have incompatible personalities and get a divorce in a year! The divorce rate is so high these days, it's common for people to just split up."
Suddenly remembering something, Yan Mo teased, "Mom, if we really do get a divorce, I can come back and celebrate the new year with you and Dad next year. What a good thing that would be!"
"You brat, saying such disheartening things again." Su Yunxiu was also amused to laughter by her daughter. She couldn't bear to be truly harsh, so she just gently patted her daughter's hand, "Don't you dare say such disheartening things again. It's a good thing that you could get married. Even if your father and I are reluctant to part with you, we can't just tie you up at home, can we? You have your own life and your own path to walk. Your father and I want you by our side, but we hope even more that you can live the life you want and go to the places you want to go. May you meet a good person and be cherished. We don't ask for anything else, we just hope that you and your younger brother can live healthy and peaceful lives."
Yan Mo had always known that her parents loved her very much and did not prefer boys to girls. But hearing such heartfelt words from her mother, she was still deeply moved.
At this moment, Yan Zhiyuan called out toward the kitchen, "Yunxiu, Momo, why are you two dawdling in the kitchen for so long?"
"Coming!" Su Yunxiu replied, hurriedly wiping her eyes clean. If her son-in-law saw her like this after they went out, he would laugh at them.
Yan Mo also quickly wiped away her tears and conveniently carried the cut fruit platter out.
When she reached the living room, she saw Liang Qingzhou handing a new mobile phone to her younger brother. She had no idea that Liang Qingzhou had prepared a gift for him.
"Wow, Brother-in-law, how did you know I liked this phone?" Yan Chen asked, surprised.
"I didn't know, but this phone is this year's new model, and I thought you would like it." Liang Qingzhou's tone was calm, as if the phone worth over twenty thousand was just a toy.
Yan Chen touched the unopened phone box, unable to put it down, "I've wanted to buy this phone for a long time. My parents wouldn't give me the money to buy it and kept saying if I wanted it, I should earn the money myself through a part-time job. Brother-in-law, you are too good. Brother-in-law, just because you bought me this phone, I don't want my sister anymore; I'd rather have you as my brother-in-law."
Yan Mo despised her brother's fawning, but she was very gratified and moved that Liang Qingzhou valued her family so much. Although she didn't know when Liang Qingzhou had bought the phone for her brother, she pretended she knew and walked over. She placed the fruit platter on the coffee table and subconsciously sat down beside her brother.
Yan Chen intentionally pushed her, and Yan Mo almost fell into Liang Qingzhou's arms.
"What are you doing?" Yan Mo glared at her brother, pretending to be angry.
Yan Chen chuckled, "Nothing, I just think you should sit next to my brother-in-law."
"What's the difference where I sit?" Yan Mo threatened, "Do you believe that if I get really annoyed, I'll make Zhao Luoluo stop talking to you?"
"Don't, Sister, I was wrong, I was wrong." Yan Chen quickly raised his hands in surrender, patted the seat beside him, and said hesitantly, "Sister, here, you sit."
"I don't care for it." Yan Mo rolled her eyes at her brother and sat down beside Liang Qingzhou without getting up again.
Watching his son and daughter bickering just like they used to, Yan Zhiyuan put on a look of indifference and said apologetically to Liang Qingzhou, "Look, those two just won't grow up. My Momo has this kind of personality; she's almost thirty and still acts like she has no sense of propriety. Qingzhou, please bear with her."
Liang Qingzhou nodded with a smile, "Dad, I think Momo is just fine like this. I quite like it."
Hearing this, Yan Mo felt her face heat up slightly.
Although she knew Liang Qingzhou was just being polite, hearing it in her ears still made her feel sweet inside.
Yan Chen was on the side, winking, "Yo yo yo, Brother-in-law has a sweet tongue."
Yan Mo reached out and lightly hit him, "You talk too much."
At this moment, to ease the awkwardness, Su Yunxiu smiled and said, "Qingzhou, have some fruits."
The family sat together, chatting while eating fruits, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Yan Zhiyuan suddenly remembered something and gave Su Yunxiu a look.
As expected of a couple of more than twenty years, with just one look from her husband, Su Yunxiu understood immediately and quickly got up to go to the room.
Soon, she returned from the room with five stacks of red bills and handed them to Yan Zhiyuan.
After Yan Zhiyuan placed the five stacks of money on the coffee table, he pushed them directly in front of his daughter and son-in-law: "Well, Dad has something to say to you two. The relatives from our side attended the banquet you held on your wedding day. Qingzhou, this is our share of the banquet money; you take it back."
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