Li Daming saw the big slap coming and tried to dodge, but still got hit.
He could only dodge while protesting, "It wasn't me who got him drunk."
"Aunt Wang, it really isn't Uncle Li's fault. I drank of my own accord," Gu Ye quickly explained.
Wang Xia waved her hand, "Don't cover for him. You don't even know how to drink. He must have pressured you into it."
Li Daming saw that his wife didn't believe him and felt terribly wronged.
Seeing this, Jiang Mo changed the subject, "Alright, Mom, let's have breakfast."
When everyone sat down for breakfast, the three at the table were silent, creating an oddly quiet atmosphere.
Gu Ye drank soy milk and ate a steamed bun, catching the resentful look from his future father-in-law across the table. He responded with a slight, upward-curving smile.
Li Daming snorted through his nose. What's there to smile about? Making me take the blame.
Jiang Mo, meanwhile, kept her head down, slurping her beef noodles, wondering if she should find a moment later to come clean with her mom.
Wang Xia, having already eaten, was busy with chores inside and out. She found it strange not to hear the usual loud discussions between father and daughter.
Today's quiet was because they had a guest and were both putting on a reserved act.
"Xiao Ye, is the food to your liking? Should I make you something else separately?" Wang Xia asked.
Gu Ye declined: "No need, what Uncle Li bought is quite delicious."
"Oh, alright then," Wang Xia felt she had forgotten something, and now she remembered.
"How did you have time to come over for drinks yesterday?"
"Well, Uncle Li is such a great fisherman. We went fishing together, and he even cooked a delicious meal in the evening."
Wang Xia nodded, so that's how it was, though she still felt a bit puzzled inside. Since when did these two get so close?
Jiang Mo looked up, saw the two talking, hardened her heart, and decided now was the time.
She spoke up, "Mom, why don't you sit down and have a bit too."
Wang Xia: "I've eaten, I'm not hungry."
"Then just sit down. I have something to tell you," Jiang Mo put down her chopsticks.
"What is it? Making it sound so serious," Wang Xia pulled out the empty chair opposite and sat down.
Gu Ye also put down his chopsticks, feeling a trace of nervousness.
Jiang Mo rubbed her hands on her thighs a few times, cleared her throat, and put on a face of righteous determination. "I'm in a relationship."
"You're in a relationship? So what? I thought it was something major," Wang Xia appeared very calm, breaking into a happy smile. "Who is he? What does he do?"
Jiang Mo reached under the table, grabbed Gu Ye's hand, intertwined their fingers, and raised them onto the table. "Meet my boyfriend."
Wang Xia's gaze shifted to their clasped hands. She froze for a moment, as if struck by an impact.
The next second, she burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, you young people are so funny. Did you learn this online? Is this some kind of test or prank?"
She turned to look at Li Daming and found he wasn't laughing at all. Instead, he was looking at her somewhat helplessly.
The two across from her weren't laughing either.
No, but it really is kind of funny.
"Your acting is pretty good. Alright, I've seen through it."
Jiang Mo was dumbfounded. No way, she had confessed, so why didn't her mom believe her?
Hardening her heart, she turned Gu Ye's face and kissed him on the cheek.
Now she surely wouldn't think she was joking.
Gu Ye, shocked and delighted, spoke up, "Aunt Wang, Xiao Mo and I really are dating."
Wang Xia was bewildered. No way, you're for real?
"When did you two start?"
Jiang Mo said quietly, "A few months ago. We waited until it was stable to tell you."
"You two... you didn't start back when you were at the Gu family's place, did you?"
"No, we started after I became a lawyer," Jiang Mo explained.
Wang Xia was still reeling from the shock; she had never connected the two of them together.
She turned and glared at Li Daming. "Judging by your look, you knew already, didn't you?"
"Only a little earlier than you," Li Daming focused on his meal.
"Eat, eat, eat, that's all you know," Wang Xia snapped. "You're pretty good at keeping secrets too. You're not hiding anything else from me, are you?"
Li Daming paused. He was just eating his meal, not saying much, trying to keep a low profile. How did he still get scolded?
Worried that Wang Xia might have reservations about their relationship, Gu Ye quickly spoke up, "Grandpa and my mom both know about us, and they're quite supportive."
Given the situation, some questions were hard to ask. Wang Xia opened her mouth, then closed it. "Fine, I understand."
After the meal, Gu Ye changed his clothes and went home, humming a tune.
Wang Xia stared at her daughter. "Are you two just fooling around, or is this serious?"
"Mom, do you think your daughter is the type to just fool around?" Jiang Mo linked her arm through Wang Xia's. "We're both very serious about this relationship."
After learning about their relationship, Wang Xia thought it over, piecing together all the previously odd details. Everything suddenly made sense.
No wonder he sent those gifts before.
Jiang Mo watched her expression. "Mom, you're not going to disapprove, are you?"
"I'm not a stick-in-the-mud. If you're dating, then date openly," Wang Xia said. "You wait here. Mom will go get something."
