Chapter 34. ☆ Best son-in-law

Bonus Chapters to celebrate my birthday! Thank you all for sticking with me through the past few months.

The fifth day of the first lunar month was the birthday of the God of Wealth. Every year, Ruan Hai went to Mount Hengshan to worship the god, praying for prosperity in the coming year and for the Furong Life supermarket chain to make money every day.

At 3am, Ruan Hai Hai and He Zhenhua got up and knocked on the doors of the two youngsters’ rooms, respectively.

“Mengmeng, it’s time to get up.” Ruan Hai knocked twice on the door, and the alarm in the room went off at the same time. It was followed by Ruan Mengmeng’s soft voice, “Yes, Daddy.”

Ruan Hai peered through the window to see his daughter sitting up from her bed, rubbing her eyes with both hands and shaking her head with her little face.

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His little cotton padded jacket was so cute.

It was a pity that in a few years’ time, she would be taken away by the little wolf cub in the next room.

Ruan Dahai was furious just thinking about it.

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“Who’s the young couple? My Meng Meng is still young, and he dares to eat in front of me; I want to beat him to death!” said Ruan Hai, his voice low.

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“What are you talking about with death during the Chinese New Year? Bah bah bah!” He Zhenhua dragged Ruan Hai towards the door, “Let’s go farther away; we’ll go over there to talk. Don’t worry, Mengmeng and Yiyang grew up together. They just kissed; they won’t do anything else. My eldest grandson is reliable! Now that we found out, should we as adults have a serious talk about it ……”

Ruan Mengmeng came out, wrapped in a white down jacket, holding a mouthwash cup in her left hand, “Dad, what are you doing standing in the yard?”

Ruan Hai returned to his senses and looked at his own daughter.

Ruan Mengmeng had been as well-behaved as a little white rabbit since she was little. Now, she had grown another year after the New Year, and Ruan Hai’s heart was sour and soft.

“Why don’t you wear a long coat? It will be cold when you go up the mountain.”

“The long leg wraps are not good for walking.” Ruan Mengmeng said, taking a mouthful of warm water to prepare to brush her teeth.

When she was done, He Zhenhua stood in the next yard, shaking his hand and shouting, “Mengmeng ah, come and shout at your brother to get up when you’re done. I can’t even shout at the brat.”

The two families had their own private houses. The courtyard wall was less than two metres high, so when they stood on the concrete bench in the middle of the piazza and shouted, the quiet early morning could be heard clearly.

Ruan Mengmeng put on her white fluffy earmuffs and passed by Ruan Hai who was loading the car, explaining, “Dad, wait a minute oh, we’ll go with Grandpa He. They should be almost done.”

Ruan Hai bristled, not wanting to say anything.

“Huh, brother you’re up?” Ruan Mengmeng said.

He Yiyang was standing lazily in the courtyard brushing his teeth, and when he saw her enter, he waved at her to come over.

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When Ruan Mengmeng went over, He Yiyang expressionlessly shoved his other hand into her armpit for warmth.

“Pfft.” Ruan Mengmeng glanced at him in amusement.

He Yiyang was a bit hypoglycemic and would lose his temper if he got up too early. Just now, Grandpa He must have been suffocating and held back before calling her over.

It was still dark, and an old-fashioned lamp shade in the courtyard was being blown around by the north wind.

After the two families had finished, Ruan Hai drove. He Zhenhua sat in the passenger seat, and Ruan Mengmeng and He Yiyang sat in the back. Not long after they got on the road, the two little ones fell asleep, head to head.

He Zhenhua covered them with a blanket. Seeing his grandson’s hands protecting Ruan Mengmeng in his sleep, he said to Ruan Dahai, “Nephew, just agree. My family’s Yiyang is definitely the best son-in-law.”

Ruan Dahai glanced in the rearview mirror and hummed, “Uncle, that’s too early for you to say; who knows about the future.”

He Zhenhua sighed unhappily as he failed to give his grandson a chance to work through his father-in-law. He leaned back in his chair with both hands, “My old bones can’t withstand the torment anymore, I still want to see my great grandson one day. Hai ah, you suffer. Drive all the way to Nanyue, huh?”

He Zhenhua was Ruan Hai’s village elder. When Ruan Hai was young and working, He Zhenhua also helped him in every way, so the two families had a close relationship.

As the saying goes, it was better to be a close neighbour than a distant relative. This could not be more appropriate for the relationship between the two families.

However, Ruan Hai did not relent on the matter of his children’s in-laws, despite several hints from He Zhenhua.

After a pause, he said sincerely, “Uncle, you sleep, I’ll call you when we get to the place.”

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Hengshan Mountain was a famous Buddhist and Taoist mountain dedicated to the fire god Zhu Rong. It had many legends and stories, and incense flourished.

When Ruan Hai and his group arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was less than six o’clock. The sky was still dark, the crowd was already incessant, and the streets on both sides were brightly lit.

Ruan Mengmeng had just gotten out of the car when a pocket of cold wind hit her and she instantly winced. He Yiyang saw it and helped her button up the hood of her down jacket. He patted the top of her head, his eyes indicating that she was not allowed to take it off.

“Let’s have some hot breakfast before we climb the mountain.” He Zhenhua greeted everyone.

Ruan Mengmeng ordered a bowl of wontons, with finely chopped tender green coriander leaves floating on top. There were round and steaming white fat wontons, topped with a spoonful of red chopped chillies and yellow jinxed radish in sauce.

So delicious~~

Her meaty cheeks puffed out, and she ate so much that her eyes narrowed in enjoyment. He Zhenhua and Ruan Dahai were also infected and their appetites were whetted, except for He Yiyang, who was sitting next to them like a cold-faced god.

When the owner of the breakfast shop passed by and saw He Yiyang’s untouched breakfast, he was so stifled. He then took a look at the girl next to him, who was eating with her cheeks flushed, and felt relieved.

When Ruan Mengmeng was almost done eating, she swept her eyes towards He Yiyang and found that he hadn’t moved his chopsticks, “Brother, why aren’t you eating? The beef noodles are almost cold.”

“It’s not pig’s foot soup,” He Yiyang said, as a matter of fact, “It’s definitely not as good as yours, so I’m not eating it.”

Ruan Mengmeng: “……”

Could the ones at home be compared to those outside? The real material, the hygiene, and the heart are all far worse. Okay?

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He Yiyang was probably complimenting her, but you couldn’t stop eating breakfast outside just because of that, right?

Ruan Mengmeng looked at He Yiyang helplessly, with a somewhat coaxing tone, “You should eat more or less. It’s cold now, and you’ll have to climb a mountain later. Your body needs to burn calories.”

He Yiyang still didn’t move.

Ruan Mengmeng put down the spoon in her hand and negotiated, “You eat a little first. I’ll make you rice noodles with pig’s feet once more when we get back.”

“How about the wontons?” He Yiyang asked, his eyes falling on the bowl of wontons in front of her.

“It’s delicious! I’ll order you a bowl of wontons?” Ruan Mengmeng said.

“No need.” He Yiyang lifted Ruan Mengmeng’s bowl and took the spoon from her hand again. He ate the remaining two wontons, saying with slight disgust, “It’s very average.”

Ruan Mengmeng’s eyes widened. Wasn’t he a cleanliness freak? Didn’t he dislike the unhygienic nature of the shops on the street?

Why did he grab her wontons, and why was another bowl not good enough? She was so speechless.

He Yiyang stood at the door to settle the bill and said to Ruan Mengmeng inside, “Why are you sitting there? Let’s go.”

Hengshan Mountain was more than 1,300 metres above sea level, so the group started from the Nan Yue Temple at the foot of the mountain. From there, they slowly climbed up the mountain on foot until the daylight overhead was gradually brightening and the pine trees on both sides of the trail could be seen to have cold, clear fog hanging from their needles, and only then did they reach the halfway point.

“Dad, Grandpa He, are you all right?” Ruan Mengmeng asked, propping herself up on the railing of the pavilion halfway up the mountain, “Should we call a palanquin driver to carry you guys just to the bottom of Zhurong Peak?”

Ruan Hai was panting with both hands propped up on his knees. He hadn’t exercised in years.He drove every day to socialise, and then drove home to sleep. The number of times he got off the road to walk could be counted.

“Uncle, call out to the palanquin driver. It’s freezing cold, it’s not easy for them, just do business with them.” Ruan Hai said to He Zhenhua.

“No way, you have to walk up and look sincere.” He Zhenhua waved his hand, a mountain wind blew, coughing and bending his back.

Seeing this, Ruan Mengmeng hurriedly handed over the thermos, “Grandpa He, drink some water.”

He Yiyang swept his gaze over the two adults’ faces and directly beckoned the two sets of bearers over.

“Grandpa, Uncle Hai, you two sit up there, sincerity is spiritual. It’s three degrees below zero today, and the weather forecast says there will be a snowstorm in the afternoon, so we’d better not delay too long on the mountain.”

“Hey, okay.” He Zhenhua knocked on his old cold leg and compromised.

Ruan Hai had actually wanted to sit for a long time. It was just that he was embarrassed that He Zhenhua hadn’t asked yet. When he sat on the palanquin, the palanquin driver tried it out, and the veins on his forehead burst out.

The palanquin driver looked at He Yiyang, “Little brother, you have to pay extra.”

Without waiting for He Yiyang to say anything, Ruan Mengmeng covered his mouth next to her and said, “Yes, it has to be increased. Please lift my father more steadily, master.”

The palanquin driver looked at Ruan Mengmeng. Her face was round and white, and he smiled kindly, “Sister, you are so blessed.”

“Hahahaha, that’s right.” Ruan Hai laughed and answered. Originally, the bearer had indirectly said he was fat and he was still upset, but now he had no temper.

The higher you went, the more slippery the road became. Ruan Mengmeng wore hiking shoes and was careful with each step, but she almost fell several times.

The most dangerous part of the road was when the road turned upwards. There was a shout ahead, and three people fell in quick succession, sitting in a ball.

Ruan Mengmeng subconsciously touched her own buttocks. This flat fall… with not much meat, the thin man must be in pain.

A hand suddenly came over her back. Ruan Mengmeng looked sideways. It was He Yiyang.

“I’ve been following you. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.” He Yiyang said, his ink-black eyes confident and powerful.

Ruan Mengmeng froze. She wondered how He Yiyang’s pair of long legs could have fallen behind her; it turned out that he was protecting her silently.

She raised her head to expose her chin to the scarf and responded sweetly, “En.”

The corners of her red lips were slightly raised, and her curved almond eyes were as clear as a bright mirror. For a moment, Ruan Mengmeng smiled as if spring flowers were in full bloom, and the ink-like wind and snow in the mountains took on colour for a moment.

He Yiyang looked on in a trance, with his heart beating fiercely and uncontrollably.

In his eyes, Ruan Mengmeng’s smile was like a slow-blowing yellow moonflower, its petals spreading, blooming in the softest place in his heart, quietly exhaling fragrance.

As they ascended, a sea of clouds rolled over the top of the mountain, and visibility was less than two metres, so He Yiyang, Ruan Mengmeng, and the adults got separated.

He Yiyang took out his mobile phone to call, but both adults did not answer. When he turned his head, a certain little fatty was holding his left hand, tiptoeing up to touch the icy ribs of the fog. His phone instantly followed over.

“Mengmeng.”

“Eh?” Ruan Mengmeng turned back, maintaining the pose of raising her hand on tiptoe.

He Yiyang looked at the snapshots with satisfaction, “None of them were picked up. We’ll take the ropeway down the mountain and meet at the parking pad as we said before.”

“Good,” Ruan Mengmeng wanted to go to He Yiyang’s pocket to get his phone, but he avoided it, “Let me see it.”

He Yiyang wouldn’t let her, “What are you looking at? I’m not taking pictures of you.”

Not me? “Then what did you take a picture of?” Ruan Mengmeng asked.

“The fog.”

Ruan Mengmeng beamed, “Oh.”

The weather forecast was really accurate, and as soon as He Yiyang and Ruan Mengmeng got on the cable car, snowflakes drifted up from the mountain.

As they slid down, the sea of clouds on Mount Heng was magnificent. The black rocks standing in the sky and earth were solemn and majestic.

The small cable car passed through it with a sense of awe, of being swallowed up, and a sense of raging grandeur that came from floating between heaven and earth.

He Yiyang held Ruan Mengmeng in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head, and asked, “Are you cold?”

Ruan Mengmeng shook her head, feeling the warmth and scent of He Yiyang’s body behind her, and frowned at the memory of something.

Her eyes blinked sideways, and she asked, “Brother, there’s something I want to understand.”

“En.” He Yiyang answered simply.

Holding the person he liked and looking at the view, he only had one word to describe it now – Awesome.

“Can I still call you brother now?” Ruan Mengmeng was distressed, “You’ve kissed me twice, is it, um, weird to call me brother?”

He Yiyang’s cool seemed like a backwards-turned funnel, and he looked down at a certain foolishness that could really defeat the mood.

He remembered again that she hadn’t said she liked him. His face instantly turned bad and he asked, “Ruan Mengmeng, do you like me?”

Ruan Mengmeng paused for a moment, her eyes widening in confusion.

The hand around her waist tightened, and her “en” spilled out of her throat, causing He Yiyang to lower his head and bite her lower lip, saying roughly, “Say it.”

Ruan Mengmeng’s face was red, and she was still not sure about the relationship between the two of them, to be honest. But every time He Yiyang kissed her or looked at her with that hot sight, her heart beat so fast.

She thought, “It probably doesn’t need to be clear, does it? No matter if He Yiyang was her brother or her boyfriend, she liked [email protected]

At this moment, Ruan Mengmeng suddenly wanted to laugh, and she did so.

He Yiyang was surprised, “You?”

Ruan Mengmeng turned around. She wrapped her arms around He Yiyang’s neck and took the initiative to touch He Yiyang’s lips, “I like it, I like you.”

“……” He Yiyang swallowed. It was killing him.

“Mmmm ……”

The sweet, silky sound quietly transforms into a bright red thread of karma amidst the incense-laden, crowded sea of fortune-seeking devotees at Hengshan Mountain.