Julia Yu felt a bit embarrassed. "Mrs. Song, do you really not mind me becoming your daughter-in-law?"
"Why are you calling me Mrs. Song? That sounds so distant! Call me Mom!" Mrs. Song blurted out.
Julia was stunned.
Behind her, Mr. Song and Stephen Song both shook their heads helplessly.
Stephen Song whispered, "Mom, I haven't even proposed yet."
Mrs. Song shot her son a look. "Then hurry up and propose! Oh, oh, oh, you need to pick out a suit and a ring for the proposal. I'll talk to some designers I know and see what styles would suit you two best."
Under Mrs. Song's strong insistence, Julia didn't call her "Mom" but did switch to calling her "Auntie."
The whole family sat in the living room, but Stephen barely got a word in. Mrs. Song kept chatting away with Julia, barely pausing for breath.
Stephen sighed to his father, "Why does it feel like I'm marrying just to find my mom a companion?"
With that, Stephen shot a reproachful look at his own dad.
Mr. Song Sr. shook his newspaper and pretended not to hear a thing.
For lunch, Mrs. Song went all out, determined to make sure Julia was completely satisfied with the meal.
After the meal, when Julia got up to say goodbye, Mrs. Song grabbed her hand, repeatedly telling her to come over anytime. Then she had the housekeeper pack up the freshly baked pastries and stuffed them into Julia's hands, refusing to take no for an answer.
"The tangyuan you made for me last time was so delicious, Auntie," Julia said with a smile. "So I won't be shy about taking these pastries today!"
"As long as you like them, Auntie couldn't be happier. Just tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you. I'm retired now and have plenty of free time—making snacks is a breeze!" Mrs. Song grinned from ear to ear. "Stephen, you carry these! How can you let a girl carry things herself? Bring Julia home for dinner more often! I've been working on some new recipes, I'll make them for you two next time you're here."
"Alright, got it, Mom," Stephen replied, looking utterly defeated.
The two finally escaped Mrs. Song's eager anticipation and left the house. As soon as they got in the car, both of them let out a sigh of relief.
Oh my gosh, that was intense.
Stephen said, "I had no idea my mom liked you this much. If I'd started chasing you earlier, she probably would've been even happier!"
Julia, still a little shaken, replied, "I didn't expect Auntie to be so enthusiastic either. Honestly, I thought I'd get scolded today."
There are three airports in N City: two international and one domestic.
After confirming the airport, Yu Jie hit the road in her car.
Yu Jie's car met Shen Keke's on the overpass. They honked at each other, joined up, and headed to the airport as a convoy.
When they got to the parking lot, Yu Jie was immediately surrounded by Shen Keke and Dou Miao.
Dou Miao couldn't help but size up Yu Jie. "Yu Jie, look at you!" she teased.
Shen Keke stood to the side, smiling silently.
Yu Jie sighed, "Alright, alright, I remember—I'm treating everyone!"
"As long as you remember! I'm planning to eat till I drop," Dou Miao grinned. "I heard that young Mr. Song has great taste. I want to see what kind of food he picks."
Shen Keke chimed in, "Aren't you just trying to mess with Yu Jie? Isn't she the foodie here?"
Double meaning.
Dou Miao burst out laughing, nearly doubling over with tears in her eyes.
Yu Jie looked at the two of them helplessly. Bad luck picking friends, huh.
Keke used to be so pure, but now she's a total pro.
"What are you all talking about? Sounds fun!" Gu Xixi's voice called out from afar.
Everyone turned to look. Gu Xixi was walking over arm in arm with Charles Yin.
Charles was as handsome as ever, and Gu Xixi was as cute as always.
Maybe it's love, but both of them looked absolutely radiant.
Charles nodded politely to Yu Jie. "Congrats on your promotion, Assistant Yu."
"Thank you, Mr. Yin." Yu Jie laughed. "Finally, I can sit at the same table as all the other assistants."
Xiao Wang snorted. "As if you were ever below us in rank."
Dou Miao: "Hey, don't just go blurting out the truth."
Shen Keke: "Isn't challenging authority her specialty?"
The girls burst into laughter, the atmosphere couldn't be more relaxed.
Gu Xixi pulled out a small suitcase and handed it to Yu Jie. "You drove here, right? Put this in your car. Some of these are for your promotion, and some are gifts I picked just for you."
Yu Jie didn't stand on ceremony. "Perfect! I'll just keep getting promoted so you'll keep giving me gifts. Xiao Wang, where's your present?"
Xiao Wang frowned, her round face scrunching up. "Ha! As if I'd dare forget your gift. Here, I picked this out for you."
Xiao Wang handed over a small bag to Yu Jie. "Next time, I need to have a serious talk with your boyfriend. Can't let him steal you away so easily."
Yu Jie pretended to be surprised. "You're right! Xiao A took you away from us and we forgot to charge interest."
Innocent bystander Xiao A: "..."
The peanut gallery Xiao B, Xiao C, and Xiao D: "..."
"Come on, let's eat at my place tonight!" Gu Xixi grabbed Yu Jie's hand and led her away. "Finally, you're back! My sister and Ruona have been nagging me for days, saying there's a ton of stuff waiting for me. Ugh, if I'd known, I wouldn't have become the vice chairwoman."
"Quit acting like it's a burden," Yu Jie exposed her. "If you had nothing to do, you'd be bored out of your mind."
"Hahaha! Yu Jie, don't be so ruthless!" Gu Xixi laughed. "Come on, I've already called Ruona and my sister. They'll be here soon."
Charles saw Gu Xixi's smile and couldn't help but smile too. "You all go have fun. I need to stop by the office, but I'll try to get back early."
"Okay!" Gu Xixi hugged Charles and happily waved goodbye.
Watching Gu Xixi walk off with her girlfriends without looking back, Charles stood there feeling a bit forlorn.
Just like that, she left?
Not even a glance back?
Heartless!
Xiao A stifled a laugh. "Mr. Yin, our car is over there."
"Mm." Charles finally tore his eyes away, steeling himself and heading for the other exit. "Let's go."
That evening, Mu Ruona and Yun Morong arrived at the Yin residence. Gu Xixi had already directed people to bring out the tables.
The table was loaded with delicious food, and everyone sat around chatting comfortably.
"Ruona, come help!" Gu Xixi waved at Mu Ruona. "You're way better at grilling than me. Go on!"
Mu Ruona rolled up her sleeves and went over to help.
Yun Morong asked, "What can I do to help?"
"Sis, help me plate the food," Gu Xixi called out. "I'm so done with Western food. Tonight, I'm eating my fill!"
Yun Morong hurried over. "What, Charles didn't let you eat Chinese food abroad?"
"Not really," Gu Xixi replied. "It was meetings every day, people from all over the world, so we mostly had buffets. And those buffets... let's not even talk about them. Charles did arrange for special meals for me, but it just wasn't satisfying! Plus, there was never enough time to eat—always meetings, meetings, meetings. Couldn't even enjoy the food. Mmm, this is delicious!"
Gu Xixi grabbed a fried dumpling from Yu Jie. "Yu Jie, your cooking has improved!"
Yu Jie laughed. "Of course! If I spoil anyone, it's gotta be my own stomach!"
Mu Ruona and Yun Morong greeted Yu Jie. While flipping the barbecue, Mu Ruona said, "Why was your last celebration party so simple? I wanted to throw you a proper one but couldn't."
Yu Jie smiled. "No need to make a big fuss."
"I wouldn't say that," Mu Ruona replied. "You're a real celebrity now."
Yun Morong smiled gently. "Yu Jie lets her achievements speak for themselves. Whether or not there's a party doesn't matter. Even without one, no one would dare underestimate her."
Mu Ruona said, "That's not the point. If she doesn't make a public appearance, lots of people won't recognize her. If someone offends her by accident, it's a hassle to explain, and if she doesn't, she'll feel wronged."
Yu Jie laughed. "True, that's a good point."
Right?
Because Yu Jie didn't have a big celebration, Tao Huo didn't recognize her, which led to that whole embarrassing scene.