0128: The Taste of Rice

"Oh, it was probably when the doctor was examining me that I had to take off my clothes. It was quite embarrassing with so many police officers and medical staff around."

Xu Lin, being a quick-witted lad, immediately realized his mother was beginning to probe him. If Qin Yunhe had accidentally spilled everything, the situation wouldn't be like this. His mother would have definitely called his father back, tracked down Qin Yunhe’s parents to discuss an engagement date, and apologized on his behalf. So, this was clearly just a test; he couldn't panic. He had to stay steady.

Having successfully gauged the situation, Xu Lin felt a sense of relief. Seeing her son’s reaction, Ms. Li also eased up a bit. If her son really had something going on with that girl, she honestly wouldn't know what to do, but she decided to press just a little further.

"I see. Then whose clothes were you wearing?"

Xu Lin mentally processed what Qin Yunhe would have answered if asked the same question.

"They must have been her colleague's clothes; she brought them for me."

"I see. But what about your school?"

"I asked my head teacher for leave yesterday at noon."

"Alright then. I’m going to make lunch; you should rest for a while."

"You rest, I'll do it," Xu Lin said, gently pressing his mother back onto the sofa before heading to the kitchen.

"Remember to call Qingchan and Yun; don't let them worry."

"I know, Mom. Are you following in your son's footsteps by trying to manage two at once?"

"I’m not encouraging you to be a heartbreaker, am I?"

"I understand, I understand. You just think every girl is wonderful and that by getting to know them more, I can choose the one I like best."

"Exactly."

Hearing his mother’s excuse, he couldn't help but smile. He was quite happy that she was supportive of him.

"What would you like to eat?"

"There are just two of us, so let's keep it simple. Just fry the leftover rice from yesterday with an egg."

"Sure."

A few minutes later, as the mother and son were about to tuck into two bowls of egg fried rice, there was a knock at the door. Xu Lin set down his chopsticks and went to open it.

Standing there was a blonde JK (schoolgirl), looking dainty and pretty, her adorable twin tails bobbing slightly.

"Chu Fengyi, you're back?"

"Mm, just got back."

She tilted her head and smiled. It wasn't her usual little-devil smirk, but a very ordinary smile, tinged with a bit of exhaustion and tenderness.

It softened Xu Lin’s heart. Despite their frequent bickering and arguments, all he wanted to do right now was hug her. He opened his arms and pulled her into an embrace.

He had never been this proactive in hugging Chu Fengyi before. Usually, he’d try to hug her only to be tossed aside, so this time he truly felt how slender she was. She was so petite, yet possessed such immense strength—it was truly magical. Could it be that she had a system too?

"Missed me that much?" Chu Fengyi’s slender arms wrapped around his waist, her nose lightly sniffing at Xu Lin’s scent.

"I did."

"Liar, I don't believe you! With so many girls around, it’s a miracle you aren't already in someone else's bed; I doubt you were thinking of me."

Chu Fengyi teased him. She really understood him well, and her words left him feeling even more embarrassed.

"Come inside first; my mom is home."

"I actually brought a little gift for your mom."

"Oh? Why are you dressed so thinly?"

Xu Lin noticed that although she wore a small trench coat, underneath was only a thin lining, not a sweater or thermal wear.

"I'm not cold."

As he brought Chu Fengyi inside, Li Yuan rose to head toward the bedroom; she truly didn't know how to handle this hot-tempered girl. However, the girl walked right up to her and carefully handed her a bag.

"Auntie, I noticed last time that you were wearing flip-flops, and the plastic part was chafing the skin between your toes."

"A friend of mine is doing research on foot care and recently launched some ergonomically designed slippers. I picked up a pair for you to try."

"Oh, thank you." Li Yuan was taken aback. She hadn't expected this sharp-tongued young lady to be so observant.

*Did Xu Lin tell her?* No, Xu Lin probably wouldn't have noticed his own mother’s chafed feet; even her husband, who was with her every day, hadn't noticed. *Was it Qingchan?* Did she find out and tell her sister?

In her daze, Ms. Li couldn't quite believe this was Chu Fengyi’s doing. Chu Fengyi noticed her hesitation but said nothing more.

"Put them on and try them out."

"Okay."

Ms. Li sat back on the sofa. Chu Fengyi helped her open the packaging, which contained a small box that looked quite premium. However, upon opening the box, the slippers themselves looked very ordinary, not appearing expensive at all.

But when Ms. Li put them on and stood up to take a few steps, she felt that her legs actually felt much less strained. As she pressed her feet down, the softness and elasticity were excellent. There was no chafing sensation at all, and despite being slippers, they stayed securely on her feet.

"They're quite good, very comfortable!"

"I'm glad. And there's this, too."

Chu Fengyi pulled two smaller boxes from the bag. Inside were little roller bottles filled with a clear liquid.

"Apply this to your knees and calves; it can help relieve muscle fatigue."

As she spoke, Chu Fengyi sat down beside Ms. Li, gently picked up the older woman’s leg, placed it on her own lap, rolled up her pant leg, and began to massage it lightly.

"Let me massage them for you first to help you relax; it'll make the medicine work better."

"Okay..."

By now, Ms. Li was completely stunned. Xu Lin was the same; he felt as if he didn't recognize Chu Fengyi at all.

Xu Lin roughly guessed what was on Chu Fengyi’s mind—the girl had clearly realized the importance of getting on good terms with her future mother-in-law. Yet, seeing Chu Fengyi like this made Ms. Li feel very valued. After all, how many young women would offer to massage someone's feet?

Furthermore, this girl was from a wealthy family. He wasn't sure how rich, but based on what Qingchan and his son had said, she was exceptionally wealthy. For a girl raised in such luxury to do this—whether it was an act or not—Ms. Li would be lying if she said her heart wasn't touched.

Besides, the girl was so beautiful. Aside from being a bit thin, if she and Xu Lin had a cute little doll of a baby, that wouldn't be bad at all.

Suddenly, Ms. Li felt that as a mother-in-law, she was becoming quite fickle herself. Nothing was even