Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 566: Chapter 567: Keeping Secrets from Me

As they chatted and laughed, Yang Chen and Mo Qianni found themselves outside a Sichuan restaurant called "Baixiang". The signboard was brand new, its vibrant red color very eye-catching, indicating that it hadn't been open for long.

Since it wasn't too late, the small restaurant, which had around a dozen tables, had only three or four tables occupied. The ever-familiar, plump Sister Xiang was busy at the counter, just as she had been in the past.

As Yang Chen and Mo Qianni walked in, Sister Xiang initially thought they were customers. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes lit up, and she squinted happily, "Ni Zi, it's been a while since you brought your boyfriend here. Is this Xiao Yang? Am I right?"

"You're not wrong. It looks like business is good at your new place, Sister Xiang," Yang Chen said with a smile.

Sister Xiang chuckled, "It's just a small business, enough to get by. You're here to see your mother-in-law, right? Guifang just went to the kitchen, she'll be out soon."

As they spoke, Ma Guifang, wearing an apron and her hair in a ponytail, came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of spicy stir-fried snails. Compared to the last time Yang Chen saw her at Kunshan Village, she hadn't changed much. She dressed more like a city person now. Despite some wrinkles, her face still retained some charm, and it was easy to see the resemblance between her and Mo Qianni.

"Mom, Yang Chen's back," Mo Qianni called out happily.

Ma Guifang was delighted to see Yang Chen. She had seen her daughter every day since moving to Zhonghai, but her future son-in-law had been out of the country until today. Smiling, she said, "Yang Chen, you're back from your trip. Wait a moment, I need to serve this to the customers first."

Yang Chen responded quickly, noting that Ma Guifang now called him by his name instead of "son-in-law," which felt more endearing.

After serving the dish, Ma Guifang came over, casting a reproachful glance at Mo Qianni, "You picked a busy time to come. Don't you know Sister Xiang has business to run? Your mom is busy here."

"Yang Chen wanted to take you out for dinner, I couldn't stop him," Mo Qianni said, pushing the blame onto Yang Chen, which clearly earned him some points.

Yang Chen nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes. I mentioned it on the phone earlier that I wanted to welcome you, mom, and apologize for not being here sooner. Please honor us with your presence."

Ma Guifang hesitated, "The restaurant is getting busy, how can I just leave?"

Sister Xiang interrupted, "Oh come on, Guifang, it's just us. Your daughter and son-in-law made a special trip. I can't keep you tied here. It's not like you're formally working here. Don't worry about the restaurant, I'll handle the orders tonight. You go enjoy dinner with them."

Hearing this, Ma Guifang accepted Sister Xiang's kind offer and nodded, "Alright, let me get ready."

Although they could have had dinner at the Sichuan restaurant, it didn't feel appropriate, especially if Sister Xiang insisted on treating them for free, which would make Ma Guifang uncomfortable. So, they decided to eat elsewhere.

After saying goodbye to Sister Xiang, the three of them left the restaurant. Mo Qianni held her mother's arm, keeping some distance from Yang Chen.

Yang Chen asked Ma Guifang about her spinal treatment and said a few caring words, making Ma Guifang smile broadly.

Yang Chen silently congratulated himself, feeling proud of his ability to make his mother-in-law happy. With multiple women in his life, he knew this skill was essential.

They got into Mo Qianni's Audi, with Yang Chen driving this time, and headed to a high-end restaurant by the sea. Mo Qianni had chosen this place for its quiet ambiance, knowing her mother had much to discuss with Yang Chen.

They arrived at a table by the window on the restaurant's second floor. Outside the glass window, the sea was illuminated by lights, and a silver moon hung quietly in the vast sky.

Ma Guifang looked around at the orderly waitstaff and the elegantly decorated restaurant, a bit like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, gazing around in awe.

Having spent most of her life in a village, everything in the city seemed novel to her.

For some young people, Ma Guifang might appear unsophisticated, inviting scorn, indifference, or even ridicule. However, Yang Chen didn't mind at all. He had a thick skin and, upon returning to the country, had made a living selling lamb skewers in the market, interacting with vendors daily. High or low status meant little to him.

Seeing that Ma Guifang was filled with curiosity, Yang Chen even took her on a tour around the restaurant, leaving the task of ordering dishes to Mo Qian Ni. As a result, a young man swaggered through the restaurant with a middle-aged woman, drawing plenty of attention. Many people pointed and whispered about them, but Yang Chen paid no mind.

Ma Guifang felt greatly comforted. She had come alone from Sichuan Province to the big city to find her daughter. On the way, because of her lack of knowledge and education, she had received many contemptuous looks. The young people nowadays, especially those from the city, always looked down on rural women like her.

Ma Guifang was not foolish. She could see that Yang Chen had no pretense in his eyes. He clearly did not care about her rural background and was genuinely trying to please her and make her happy. She wondered where her daughter had found such a special young man. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

As the intermediary, Mo Qian Ni was naturally filled with happiness. She had worked hard in Zhonghai for many years to reach her current status, and few people judged her based on her past. She was very afraid that her mother would face contempt from others, and Yang Chen's sincerity touched her deeply, making her love for him grow even stronger.

When the dishes were served, Yang Chen busied himself pouring wine for Ma Guifang. There were seven or eight dishes on the table, which seemed excessive, but Mo Qian Ni knew Yang Chen's appetite, so she boldly ordered a sumptuous meal.

Ma Guifang insisted on seeing the menu prices, and when she saw that the meal, including drinks, was nearly three thousand yuan, she frowned and glared at her daughter. "Stop wasting money. Three thousand yuan could buy enough groceries to last for days at home."

Mo Qian Ni stuck out her tongue and glanced at Yang Chen with her beautiful eyes. "Don't worry, Mom. This amount of money is nothing to Yang Chen."

Although Lin Ruoxi never said it, as the second-in-command of the company, Mo Qian Ni could easily guess that the five billion yuan that saved the company back then had everything to do with Yang Chen. Her man was truly exceptional, driving a woman's car, living in a woman's house, and working at a woman's company, yet his own wealth was undoubtedly the greatest. It was both impressive and exasperating.

Yang Chen didn't think much of it, just nodded with a smile and said, "That's right. As long as you're happy, Mom, I wouldn't blink an eye at spending three thousand, thirty thousand, or even three hundred thousand!"

The thought of "three hundred thousand" gave Ma Guifang a headache. She believed Yang Chen wasn't an ordinary person, but still found it too extravagant. She quickly waved her hand. "Stop talking nonsense. Let's eat and chat."

Seeing Ma Guifang's expression of disbelief, Yang Chen felt a bit frustrated. He rarely got to be generous and truthful, yet his mother-in-law thought he was bragging.

The three of them ate and chatted happily. Ma Guifang shared some embarrassing stories from Mo Qian Ni's childhood, making Mo Qian Ni blush and protest repeatedly.

She also asked a lot about Yang Chen's past and current work. Yang Chen chose some simple stories that wouldn't be easily disproved.

When it came to family, Yang Chen found it harder to answer. Although he wasn't interested and didn't want to, it seemed he couldn't escape his connection to the Yang family in Yanjing.

Especially with the recent appearance of Yan Sanniang, who had helped him greatly. Even though she herself thought her help was useless, he still owed her a debt.

Moreover, even if he didn't acknowledge Yang Gongming, Guo Xuehua was still considered the wife of the Yang family. His wife, Lin Ruoxi, though she didn't respect him much, behaved like a good girl in front of the old man Yang Gongming, leaving him both amused and helpless.

Yang Gongming had control over the two most important women in his life, making it difficult for him to sever ties with the Yang family.

When telling Ma Guifang about it, Yang Chen also mentioned that he had family in Yandu and that his mother was in Zhonghai. Unexpectedly, as soon as he mentioned that his mother was in Zhonghai, Mo Qianni, who was sitting next to Ma Guifang, became visibly nervous, secretly glared at Yang Chen, and looked frustrated.

Yang Chen was puzzled, wondering if he had said something wrong.

Ma Guifang then happily said, "So, your mother is in Zhonghai. That's great! Why not find a day for me to meet your mother? After all, Qian Ni is at the age of getting married. You two have known each other long enough, and seeing how good your relationship is, why don't we set a date for our families to formalize things?"

"What?" Yang Chen's mind turned into a mush, and he thought, "Oh no! I've really messed up! No wonder Mo Qianni looked at me like I'm an idiot!"

However, Ma Guifang thought Yang Chen was just surprised and continued, "To be honest, although I've only met you twice, I really like you for being willing to accompany Qian Ni back to our poor mountain village. Now seeing you again, the more I look at you, the more I like you. I only have this one daughter, and as someone who has been through this, I know how important it is not to miss out on such a fate. While I'm still able to, let's get the wedding done early so I can hold my grandchildren."

"Mom, I'm really busy with work right now, and it's too early to get married," Mo Qianni said, seeing Yang Chen dumbfounded, and had to act coquettishly, shaking her mother's hand to delay the situation.

Ma Guifang gave her daughter a disapproving look and said, "What, do you want to wait until I can't walk to get married and have children? Qian Ni, even though my health has improved, I still have chronic illnesses. I don't know when I might be bedridden. I'm urging you to get married early for your own good. Besides, you're not young anymore. Many girls your age already have children running around."

Mo Qianni was momentarily speechless. Ma Guifang had brought up the possibility of becoming bedridden to persuade her, so as a daughter, she couldn't oppose it without seeming unfilial.

But she couldn't possibly marry Yang Chen...

Mo Qianni glanced at Yang Chen with a mix of frustration and helplessness, hoping he would find a way to handle this.

At this moment, Yang Chen regained his composure. Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind, and he finally understood.

In fact, such matters couldn't be avoided forever. The true nature of his relationship with Mo Qianni would eventually come to light, so it was pointless to keep evading it. It would be better to be honest.

Fortunately, among his women, Rose, An Xin, and Liu Mingyu had no such troubles, and even Cai Yan, being a daughter of the Cai family, wouldn't face much opposition from her father Cai Yun Cheng due to her status.

The truth is, Mo Qianni was the only one from an ordinary family, which made her presence by his side all the more precious.

"I think it's a good idea. I'll talk to my mother today and have her arrange a time to meet you," Yang Chen said sincerely.

Mo Qianni was stunned. She didn't understand what Yang Chen was thinking. Wouldn't a meeting make things final? She felt anxious but couldn't stop him.

In fact, Mo Qianni had already met Yang Chen's mother, Guo Xuehua, who lived next door. There had been several times when Guo Xuehua brought delicious food over, and she and Rose entertained her well and had pleasant conversations.

However, Guo Xuehua always thought that Rose was Yang Chen's lover, and believed that Mo Qianni was merely Rose and Lin Ruoxi's friend, which avoided any awkwardness. Now, if Guo Xuehua found out that she was also her son's lover, she didn't know how Guo Xuehua would react. More importantly, she was worried about her own mother's reaction, which made her feel deeply uneasy.

Upon hearing Yang Chen accept the proposal, Guo Xuehua was even more delighted, repeatedly expressing her approval. Her cheeks, flushed from the wine, made her look several years younger.

After dinner, Ma Guifang, slightly tipsy, was helped into the car by Mo Qianni to go home. Yang Chen, having to return to the company to get his car, paid the bill and took a taxi. Watching Mo Qianni drive away, Yang Chen scratched the back of his head, took a breath of the cold, damp air by the roadside, and thought that he would have to discuss the matter of Mo Qianni with his mother. A meeting was necessary, but the key was whether he could persuade his mother-in-law. If things ultimately went south, Yang Chen could only take things as they came.

Meanwhile, on the way home, Ma Guifang, sitting in the car, had a different look in her eyes. Half-drowsy and half-awake, she leaned against the seat and asked, "Qianni, are you hiding something from me about you and Yang Chen?"

Mo Qianni, focused on driving, trembled slightly at the question. Thankfully, her expression was not clearly visible in the dark. Forcing a stiff smile, she replied, "Mom, what are you talking about? You gave me a scare."

"It better not be. If I find out that you two are hiding something important from me, let me make it clear now. I, Ma Guifang, may not be well-educated, but I'm not blind. No matter how successful you are in Zhonghai, you're still my daughter, and I have the right to manage you. You shouldn't even entertain thoughts of doing anything you shouldn't."

Ma Guifang's voice was calm, but to Mo Qianni, it made her heart race uncontrollably, leaving her speechless.