C19 19 Pick a Gift

"I’m telling you, this money has nothing to do with my daughter," Yulian said anxiously. "Chris, why are you just standing there? Come over here and help me get him out."

"Mom, what’s going on?" Mengyao couldn’t believe that the money was stolen by Sky.

Sky stood his ground, unmoved despite Yulian’s attempts to push him out.

"Mom, I swear I didn’t steal this money," Sky said with a wry smile. "I went out to look for a job today, and it turns out a big boss needed a driver. I got hired, and this is an advance on my salary. I’m not lying to you."

Hearing this, Yulian hesitated and looked at Mengyao.

Mengyao quickly added, "Mom, he really did go job hunting today. There’s no way this money is stolen."

"Really?" Yulian asked. "Is there really such a generous boss who gives an advance on the first day? Aren’t they worried you’ll run off?"

"Mom, you can relax," Mengyao reassured her.

"Then what about that siren earlier? Wasn’t it for you?"

Sky couldn’t help but laugh. "Mom, you misheard. That was an ambulance!"

Yulian blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed for mistaking an ambulance for a police siren.

"Alright, I’ll believe you this time," Yulian said, quickly regaining her composure. "But from now on, you have to hand over your entire paycheck every month, got it?"

"Mom, wasn't it supposed to be four thousand?"

Qin Yulian shot her a glance and said, "He eats our food, uses our things, what does he need so much money for?"

"Honey, it's fine. I don't really have much use for money myself. It's better to give it to Mom."

Hearing this, Chen Mengyao was left speechless.

"Smart move!"

Qin Yulian's expression was indifferent, but she was quite pleased inside. Ever since she married into the family, their savings had never exceeded five figures. Now, with an extra ten thousand dollars, they wouldn't have to live so frugally.

At seven in the evening, Qin Yulian surprisingly cooked six dishes. Even though five of them were vegetarian, it was still quite a treat.

"Mom, your cooking is really delicious!" Xiao Tian said with a smile, taking a big bite and enjoying his meal.

"Don't get too comfortable calling me that. Just because you handed over the money doesn't mean I'll accept you as my son-in-law," Qin Yulian said coolly. "You're too different from my daughter. I won't agree to her marrying a driver."

"Mom, trust me, I'll work hard to be worthy of Yao Yao."

He looked at Chen Mengyao earnestly and added, "I'll also work hard to make Yao Yao fall in love with me."

Chen Qiang didn't say a word, just kept picking through the dishes, muttering under his breath, "Still not a piece of meat."

*Bang!*

Yulian slammed her chopsticks on the table and snapped, "Meat, meat, meat! All you think about is meat. Tomorrow is your grandma's 70th birthday, and we haven't even bought her a gift. How can you still be thinking about eating meat?"

"Mom, I signed the contract with the Purple Gold Group, and I got an $800 bonus from the project. How about we go out tonight and pick a birthday gift for Grandma?"

After signing the contract today, she had specifically asked Chen Yong for an advance on the bonus. Thankfully, he didn't hold back and agreed readily.

"I'm just eating some meat. Why does it always come back to birthday gifts?" Chen Qiang muttered. "Besides, you have money now, don't you? Just go buy it!"

"If you weren't so irresponsible, would our family be in this situation?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Chen Qiang finished his meal in silence and retreated to his bedroom.

"Mom, don't be upset. After dinner, I'll go with you to look around," Mengyao whispered, trying to comfort her mother.

At 8 p.m., Yulian, Mengyao, and Xiao Tian arrived at the bustling shopping street in Cloud City.

The street was brightly lit, and the crowd was lively. Mengyao linked arms with Yulian as they entered the mall, dazzled by the array of gold and jewelry on display. Yulian felt overwhelmed by the sheer variety.

Giving cash feels too impersonal, and diamonds are too expensive. The two women were overwhelmed with choices and unsure of what to pick.

"Yao, what do you think of this bracelet?" Yulian pointed to the display case.

Mengyao looked down and saw that the gold-inlaid jade bracelet was indeed exquisite.

Just then, a store clerk in uniform approached with a friendly smile, "Are you interested in this bracelet? You have a great eye. This gold-inlaid jade bracelet is unique to our store. It's not only stylish but also a great investment, suitable for all ages!"

"Can we try it on?" Mengyao asked.

"Of course!"

The clerk smiled and carefully took out the bracelet.

"Mom, try it on."

Yulian couldn't take her eyes off the bracelet. She slipped her hand through it effortlessly, and it felt smooth and warm.

Most importantly, wearing the bracelet instantly elevated her elegance, exuding an air of sophistication.

"It looks stunning on you," the clerk complimented. "It suits you perfectly."

Hearing this, Yulian felt delighted.

"Yao, why don't we get this bracelet?"

Mengyao also thought it was beautiful. It would make a wonderful gift for Grandma, and she would surely love it.

"How much is this bracelet?"

The saleswoman, sensing a sale, beamed even brighter. "This bracelet is priced at $88,888. It's a very auspicious number."

What? $88,888? That expensive?

Qin Yulian's face fell immediately. "This bracelet costs over eighty-eight thousand?"

She had assumed it would be just a few thousand dollars at most, not over eighty-eight thousand! Instinctively, she started to take off the jade bracelet.

At that moment, a woman in her forties approached, surprised. "Oh, Qin Yulian, what are you doing here?"

Hearing the voice, Qin Yulian turned around, equally surprised. "Liu Jing, is that you?"

Liu Jing was her high school classmate. They had been quite close back then, but everything changed because of a man.

That man was Liu Jing's husband, Xu Ming.

"Yulian, long time no see!" Xu Ming chimed in.

"Xu Ming." Qin Yulian looked at him with a complex expression.

Back in the day, the three of them were very close friends. Xu Ming had always liked Qin Yulian, while Liu Jing had feelings for Xu Ming. The twist was, Qin Yulian didn't like Xu Ming.

Just like in a melodramatic romance novel, the three ended up becoming estranged. The male lead eventually ended up with the supporting female character. It had been over twenty years since they last saw each other.

Cloud City isn't that big, so it wasn't surprising that Xu Ming knew Qin Yulian had married the most timid of the Chen family's sons. He'd also heard they were living in a poor neighborhood now. This news gave Xu Ming a secret sense of satisfaction.

"Serves you right for looking down on me and chasing wealth," he thought. "Now you're getting your comeuppance."

"Is this your daughter, Mengyao?" Xu Ming asked with a smile, glancing at Chen Mengyao. "Hello, Mengyao. I'm an old friend of your mom's. You can call me Uncle Xu."

Mengyao was puzzled; her mother had never mentioned him before.

"And this must be the new son-in-law everyone's talking about?" Xu Ming extended his hand, saying, "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

Why did that sound so condescending?

Xiao Tian looked at him calmly, not intending to shake hands.

"What's wrong with you?"

At that moment, Liu Jing stepped forward, saying, "Didn't you see an elder offering you a handshake? Don't you have any manners? Qin Yulian, your son-in-law is quite rude!"

What? This man is the son-in-law?

Liu Jing's voice was loud enough to draw attention from those nearby. Even the sales clerk from earlier looked on with disdain.

A grown man, with hands and feet, and this is what he chooses to be—a son-in-law?

Feeling the eyes of those around him, Xiao Tian remained unfazed and calmly said, "Who do you think you are to call yourself my elder?"

Wow!

As soon as he spoke, the crowd erupted in astonishment.

Liu Jing's face turned beet red. "You're just a live-in son-in-law. What makes you think you can act so high and mighty?"