Yu Zhiwan turned the corner of the hallway and walked a little farther before returning to the private dining room.
Seeing that something was off with her expression, Xie Jingmo’s eyes darkened immediately.
“What happened?”
Yu Zhiwan didn’t want to bring up those people who ruined her mood, nor did she want the Yu family to affect her.
She casually waved her hand.
“Nothing.”
“By the way…” After sitting down, she looked at Xie Jingmo with her clear black-and-white eyes, blinking repeatedly. “I wanted to ask you this while we were eating. What do Grandpa and Grandma like? Do they have any particular hobbies? We should buy them some gifts later.”
She knew that given the Xie family’s wealth and status, his grandparents probably lacked nothing.
But this was her first time meeting her husband’s family. She still had to show proper courtesy and sincerity. How could she show up empty-handed?
So as soon as they finished lunch, Yu Zhiwan pulled Xie Jingmo to a nearby luxury shopping mall.
Xie Jingmo had originally intended to tell her that he had already prepared everything.
But seeing her happily dragging him around the mall like a young couple shopping together, he merely raised an eyebrow.
With a little scheme of his own, he said nothing and simply let her pull him around, choosing gifts and buying things.
After they finished shopping, they headed to the Xie family’s old residence.
On the way there, Xie Jingmo was driving when his phone suddenly rang.
It was a message from Xiao Yichen.
That guy rarely had anything serious to say, so Xie Jingmo initially had no intention of responding.
However, he glanced at Yu Zhiwan in the passenger seat and suddenly said lazily,
“Wife, help me reply to the message. I can’t do it while driving. Do you still remember my lock-screen password?”
Yu Zhiwan: “…I remember.”
His phone was sitting on the center console.
Yu Zhiwan picked it up and entered 161027, unlocking it.
The lock screen and wallpaper were both photos of the two of them together.
Yu Zhiwan awkwardly touched her ear.
She then opened WeChat and saw that his pinned contact was her.
The nickname was simply Wife.
She awkwardly touched her earlobe again.
Quickly, she opened the chat with Xiao Yichen.
【Xiao Yichen: Bro! Bro!】
【Xiao Yichen: What are you doing?! Come out and hang out!】
Besides those two new messages, Yu Zhiwan also happened to see part of their conversation from yesterday.
【Xiao Yichen: Yu Zhiwan actually agreed to marry you?! Did you trick her into it? Definitely! You must’ve kidnapped her somehow!!】
【Xie Jingmo: Stop calling her Yu Zhiwan over and over.】
【Xie Jingmo: From now on, call her Sister-in-law.】
Yu Zhiwan: “???”
What was Xiao Yichen talking about?
Trick her?
Kidnap her?
He had to be joking.
Yu Zhiwan found it a little strange.
But she knew her boundaries. She didn’t scroll through their conversation or read anything else.
“Xiao Yichen wants you to go out and have fun.”
Xie Jingmo glanced at her discreetly before saying,
“Tell him I’m not going. I’m going back to the old residence.”
Yu Zhiwan replied according to his instructions.
Within seconds, Xiao Yichen sent another message, typing ridiculously fast.
【So your grandparents are back?】
【Perfect! I haven’t visited your grandparents in a while. I’ll come to the old residence with you!】
Yu Zhiwan read the messages aloud.
Xie Jingmo answered lazily and calmly,
“Tell him I’m going home with my wife. Why is he tagging along?”
Yu Zhiwan: “…”
How was she supposed to say that?
Seeing the resentful look she gave him, Xie Jingmo raised an amused eyebrow.
“Then tell him I’m his wife and he’s driving, so he can’t reply.”
Yu Zhiwan: “…”
She ignored him and simply replied:
【I’m Yu Zhiwan. He’s driving, so he can’t reply right now.】
The other side suddenly went completely silent.
Several dozen seconds passed before Xiao Yichen came back to life.
【Xiao Yichen: HOLY—HOLY SHIT! It’s Sister-in-law!!!】
【Xiao Yichen: So Bro’s phone is with you!!】
【Xiao Yichen: Ahhh, Sister-in-law, hello! I’m Bro’s friend, Xiao Yichen! Nice to meet you! Sorry, sorry!】
【Xiao Yichen: I didn’t expect our first conversation to happen through WeChat. How embarrassing!】
【Xiao Yichen: Looks like you and Bro are really affectionate with each other. Now I’m relieved, hehe~~ Let’s hang out together sometime~~ I’ll stop being a third wheel and disturbing you two. Happy newlywed life, and may you have a baby soon~~】
“…”
Looking at the flood of messages, especially the words “really affectionate” and “have a baby soon,” Yu Zhiwan’s lips twitched.
She didn’t dare read every word to Xie Jingmo.
She cleared her throat and selectively summarized it.
“Xiao Yichen said he’ll stop bothering you and let you get back to what you’re doing.”
Xie Jingmo knew Xiao Yichen too well.
That chatterbox could never have said something that short.
Seeing the faint blush spreading across the girl’s fair cheeks, he curled his lips playfully.
“Nothing else?”
Yu Zhiwan shook her head firmly.
“No!”
The man let out a low, amused laugh.
“Fine. If my wife says there’s nothing else, then there’s nothing else. Even if there was, I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”
Yu Zhiwan: “…”
When they arrived at the Xie family’s old residence, the ornate gates slowly opened from both sides.
After the car entered the estate, it drove for several more minutes before finally arriving at the main house.
Before the servants could even announce their arrival, Old Master Xie and Madam Xie heard the sound of the car engine and couldn’t sit still anymore.
They hurried to the entrance and eagerly looked outside.
They’re here!
Their grandson had finally brought his wife home!
The rest of the Xie family had originally been sitting in the living room. Now, they were all gathered around curiously.
The black car stopped.
Xie Jingmo got out first, then walked around to the passenger side and personally opened the door for her.
A girl wearing a light green dress stepped out.
She was tall and slender, with skin as fair as snow. Even from a distance, she looked delicate and beautiful.
Perhaps worried that she would feel nervous or uncomfortable, Xie Jingmo immediately took her hand as soon as she got out of the car.
When they came closer and everyone could see her clearly, they were stunned by her beauty.
Her face was as delicate as peach blossoms in March, while her eyes were clear and luminous like spring water. Her dark, silky hair fell naturally around her shoulders.
Under the soft sunlight, she seemed almost otherworldly.
Beside her, Xie Jingmo stood tall and elegant, handsome and distinguished.
His usually lazy, flirtatious eyes were filled with indulgence and tenderness.
Hand in hand, the two looked incredibly well-matched.
They truly looked like a couple destined for each other.
Madam Xie couldn’t have been happier.
The smile on her face simply wouldn’t fade.
Old Master Xie was even more delighted. He was smiling so broadly that even his chronic leg pain seemed to disappear.
Xie Jingmo led Yu Zhiwan over to them.
“Grandpa, Grandma, this is Zhiwan.”
Yu Zhiwan’s eyes were clear and gentle as she greeted them softly.
“Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Grandma.”
“Good girl!”
Madam Xie happily answered.
Although she was already advanced in age, she had maintained an elegant appearance and took excellent care of herself. A jadeite bracelet of brilliant imperial green rested around her wrist.
The warmth in her eyes as she looked at Yu Zhiwan was unmistakable.
“Zhiwan, are you tired from the journey? Don’t be nervous. Grandma and Grandpa are so happy to see you. We’ve been looking forward to meeting you!”
Old Master Xie’s hair was slightly gray, and he leaned on an exquisitely crafted cane topped with a lion’s head.
He unhappily tapped the cane against the ground, his voice full of vigor.
“This is all Jingmo’s fault! He rushed you into getting married yesterday without any proper ceremony and made our Zhiwan feel wronged. Grandpa and Grandma will definitely make it up to you!”
Yu Zhiwan immediately shook her head.
“Grandpa, I wasn’t wronged.”
She had actually wanted to register their marriage as quickly as possible.
She wanted to get her household registration transferred out of the Yu family as soon as possible.