Chapter 117: Chapter 117: The Ugly Daughter-in-Law Meets the In-Laws

Uncle Xue was utterly bewildered.

How did the gossip he was enjoying suddenly turn on him?

But he still obediently fanned away with all his might.

It was no joke. What if these two VIPs got upset and made Jiang Liu move his shop? What would they all do then?

Just then, Liu Honglei ran off to get back in line.

Jiang Dahai and Lin Qiu didn’t snap out of their daze even after sitting down and starting to eat peanuts.

’What in the world is going on?’

’Does our son have some kind of special status?!’

Ever since they arrived on Yangzhai Street, why had they been met with nothing but flattery?

The couple felt too awkward to let the surrounding uncles and aunts stand.

"You’re our elders. Please, you sit. It’s fine for the two of us to stand."

"Hey, why are you standing up? Sit, sit, sit! Don’t be so polite. We absolutely shouldn’t be so formal with each other."

"You two are Boss Jiang’s parents, and on top of that, you’re guests who have come from afar. As Boss Jiang’s neighbors, how could we possibly let you stand?"

"Just sit. I was just thinking about standing up to stretch my back anyway," Uncle Li said, convincingly grabbing his waist and giving it a twist.

With no other choice, Jiang Dahai and Lin Qiu obediently sat down.

After chatting for a while, the uncles and aunts proved to be warm and hospitable, all of them smiling. The couple began to relax.

Lin Qiu looked at the crowd in line and asked curiously, "Ma’am, why are there so many people in front of Liu’er’s shop? What does he sell?"

"You don’t know?" an aunt asked in surprise.

Lin Qiu shook her head. "Not really."

Jiang Dahai, who knew a little, let out a couple of proud hums.

’My son’s buns and juice are especially delicious, after all.’

As a father, he felt extremely honored.

Uncle Li described it vividly. "Let me tell you, your son is this!" He gave a thumbs-up. "Everything in the shop, there’s not a single thing that isn’t delicious. And I mean *really* delicious. You have no idea just how good it is. Let me put it this way: everyone queues up three hours in advance, rain or shine! All just to buy your son’s food!"

The other aunts and uncles nodded in agreement.

"That’s right, Uncle Li is absolutely correct. If I go a day without one of his buns, I get antsy all over!"

"It’s delicious and cheap. Everyone here really supports your son."

"You should talk to your son later. Tell him not to move. Just keep selling here. Everyone loves him."

One after another, the crowd chimed in, all of them showering Jiang Liu with praise.

Lin Qiu listened with pricked ears, unable to hide her astonishment, her heart pounding.

Even Jiang Dahai, who already knew his son’s buns were good, felt his blood boil with excitement as he listened.

’My son is already this awesome?’

’His buns are priceless?’

’With a single command, tens of thousands of people will donate to support him?’

’Holy crap!!’

’This is too absurd.’

Before long, the news of Jiang Liu’s parents’ arrival had spread through the uncles’ and aunts’ internal grapevine.

More and more people started to gather around.

"I have some sunflower seeds here. Would you two like some?"

"Have some water. I brewed it with good tea leaves."

"Younger Brother Jiang, your son doesn’t have a girlfriend, right? Here’s a photo of my daughter, a university graduate. Want to consider her for your son?"

"My daughter is about to start college. Let me introduce her to your son so they can get to know each other."

Lin Qiu and Jiang Dahai could only smile politely and decline them one by one.

They sat on pins and needles.

Uncle Niu quickly shooed them away. "Go on, go on! What are you all crowding around for? If Father Jiang and Mrs. Jiang get overheated, are you going to take responsibility?"

"Move, move, disperse!"

Only then did the crowd reluctantly scatter.

「A little after seven.」

The sky gradually dimmed. Wisps of red sunset clouds appeared above the distant high-rises. A brown sparrow skimmed over the bustling crowd and landed on a grapevine branch to preen its feathers.

The customers in front of the Number Two Restaurant Under Heaven gradually dispersed.

The uncles and aunts who managed to buy food left happily. Those who didn’t went home with long faces to cook for their families.

Uncle Li sighed, "Ah, no buns on the table again tonight."

Aunt Huang gave a smug little smirk. "Heh, if you don’t have any, you just don’t eat. Good thing I saved five from lunchtime. I’ll just heat them up when I get home."

"Can you spare me two? We had a youthful encounter once upon a time, you know!"

"Hmph! In your dreams."

...

Seeing that most people had left, Jiang Dahai and Lin Qiu stood up.

Their expressions were stern.

Now that he wasn’t busy, it was time to give their son a proper lesson!

They had just spent a long time chatting with the neighbors.

The more they heard, the angrier they got.

’Qingmeng is such a perfect daughter-in-law, and that brat dared to reject her time and time again.’

’He needs to be taught a lesson. This is infuriating!’

Lin Qiu was impatient, her longing for her precious son running deep.

"Dahai, let’s go. Let’s find our son and see what he’s been doing all day that’s made him so busy he doesn’t even want a wife!"

Jiang Dahai put on a stern face, then used his phone screen as a mirror to adjust his collar and hair.

"Do I look imposing? Stern enough?"

"You do. This is our first time meeting our daughter-in-law; we can’t leave her with a sloppy impression."

With that,

the two of them dragged their suitcases and walked to the entrance.

A "Closed for Business" sign hung on the glass door.

Jiang Dahai pushed the door open, his face set in a severe expression.

Lin Qiu followed right behind him, unable to hide the curiosity and excitement in her eyes.

Tongtong was leaning over a table, holding a pockmarked eraser and a pencil, head bent as she struggled to think of the next letter in her little notebook.

Jun Qingmeng was wiping down a table. Hearing the door open, she looked up with a smile and said, "I’m sorry, you two, but we’re all sold out. Could you please come back tomorrow?"

"Where’s Jiang Liu?" Jiang Dahai forced his face into what he thought was his most amiable smile and asked in a warm voice.

"Jiang Liu?"

Hearing the voice, Tongtong, who was still slumped over the table, immediately shot her head up.

When she saw Jiang Dahai and Lin Qiu, her little eyes widened. "Ah! Is that Grandma? And Grandpa?"

Without hesitation, she dropped what she was doing and, in a few quick steps, threw herself onto Lin Qiu’s leg.

"Waaah, Grandma, Tongtong missed you."

Jiang Tongtong looked up pitifully, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.

Jun Qingmeng didn’t even react when she heard Tongtong call them Grandpa and Grandma.

After all, the child was a sweet-talker and tended to call everyone that.

But when Tongtong threw herself onto Lin Qiu’s leg and was picked up by her...

Jun Qingmeng’s heart skipped a beat as she realized who the two people in front of her were.

In the next moment, her relaxed mood vanished, replaced by flustered awkwardness. Her smile froze on her face.

’Even an idiot would know these two were Jiang Liu’s parents!’

Jun Qingmeng was internally screaming with anxiety.

’It’s over, it’s over!’

’Jiang Liu’s parents are here! What should I say?’

’I’m not prepared at all!’

’My clothes today are so casual, and I just washed my face, so my hairline is still wet.’

’And I’m even covered in grease from washing dishes and wiping tables...’

"Who is it, Tongtong?"

Jiang Liu came out from the back kitchen. He had heard voices but wasn’t sure, so he came out to take a look.

He hadn’t expected his parents to actually be here.

He called out in pleasant surprise, "Mom! Dad! When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?"

Lin Qiu was hugging the pouting Tongtong, while Jiang Dahai tenderly stroked Tongtong’s head.

Neither of them spared Jiang Liu a single glance.

They completely ignored their own son.

Lin Qiu smiled warmly at Jun Qingmeng and asked, "Dear girl, you must be Tongtong’s Teacher Qingmeng, right?"

Her tone was gentle, and her eyes were filled with affection.

Jiang Dahai couldn’t help but nod from the side.

’This girl is great. Up close, she’s even better!’

’You can tell she has an air of grace about her.’

Thinking of his own bratty son, he felt another wave of anger.

Jun Qingmeng blinked.

’Something’s not right!’

’Didn’t Jiang Liu say his parents hated girls like her?’

Emm...

’Why does it feel like Jiang Liu’s parents are looking at me so gently?’

’Is it just my imagination?’

While thinking this, Jun Qingmeng nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, yes, that’s me, Ma’am. My name is Jun Qingmeng. I’m a teacher at South City Kindergarten, and I’m usually the one looking after Tongtong."

Jiang Dahai, his face wreathed in smiles, chimed in to make his presence known. "Is Tongtong usually well-behaved? This child has always been a little mischievous. She hasn’t caused you too much trouble, has she?"

"Not at all. Tongtong is very smart. I like her a lot."