Chapter 678: The First Time Bringing My Girlfriend Home 2

Rejected 99 Times, the Aloof Campus Belle Comes On Strong at Me, Jiang Muye

Boss Cutie

She didn't know if it was just her imagination.

A bit of disappointment flickered in Sheng Xinyi's eyes.

It was Little White Dove who sensed the dip in Sheng Xinyi's mood and immediately grabbed her hand. "It's fine. My parents just aren't familiar with you yet. Give them some time and they'll definitely warm up to you."

"Okay." Sheng Xinyi smiled.

She and Little White Dove returned to the Chen family's old home.

Sheng Xinyi had already prepared herself mentally, but she was entirely unprepared for just how poor they were.

It wasn't a single-story flat—it was the kind of brick-and-tile house that had only been half whitewashed, three stories tall. In the city, it would've been classified as a condemned building.

But it seemed most of the houses in the area were like this.

Stepping further inside, there was a bit of a homey atmosphere. It had a distinctly rural flavor, quite festive. Not much furniture, but neat and clean.

All red wooden furniture, little rattan chairs, and small wooden stools.

When Sheng Xinyi stepped through the door, the neighbors from both sides all came to look.

Some even carried their babies, or cracked sunflower seeds, opening with practiced familiarity, "Oh, Sister-in-law Chen, your boy's back, and he brought a girlfriend too? So pretty."

Little White Dove was just about to speak when Mother Chen said, somewhat evasively, "Just a friend. They're here for our rural getaway, just looking around."

Sheng Xinyi trembled. She'd already felt a bit uncomfortable seeing the enthusiastic neighbors crowding around, and now hearing Mother Chen's words, her mood sank even further.

While she was feeling a bit down, Little White Dove denied it outright, "Mom, this is my girlfriend. What do you mean, friend? She came all this way just for me."

"You're not even talking marriage yet, what do you know," Mother Chen scoffed.

She actually wasn't willing at all to let her son marry a girl from far away, especially one who wouldn't even come back to live here. What was the point?

In her heart, she still preferred a girl from the village. That way her son could stay close to her. Most importantly, rural girls were attentive and could endure hardship, and she'd know their background inside and out, so her son wouldn't have to be too accommodating and suffer.

But Little White Dove was stubborn, "It's only a matter of time."

He was entirely focused on Sheng Xinyi, "Xinyi, what do you want to drink? I'll pour you some."

"Just plain water is fine." Sheng Xinyi smiled awkwardly.

She could tell that Senior Chen Ge's parents didn't much care for her, especially Mother Chen, but she had come here specifically to win Senior Chen Ge's parents' acceptance.

"Uncle, Auntie, I came in a bit of a hurry and didn't know what you like, so I prepared some things. I hope you like them."

Sheng Xinyi decided to win them over with gifts, hoping it would raise her impression score a bit.

Sheng Xinyi opened her suitcase and took out a bottle of sorghum liquor, handing it to Little White Dove's father, "Uncle, this is Lidu sorghum liquor I bought. I don't know if you'll like it."

When Father Chen saw it was Lidu sorghum liquor, his eyes went wide.

This sorghum liquor was very expensive.

Several thousand yuan a bottle. He'd seen the village chief's family drink this before.

Father Chen was happily about to accept it when Mother Chen picked at it, "My husband's health isn't good. He just had surgery, and the doctor told him to drink less. We don't really drink at home anymore."

Sheng Xinyi, holding the bottle, gave a dry laugh, "Is that so… then I didn't understand thoroughly enough. I'm sorry. How about I give a red envelope instead? That way Uncle can buy whatever he likes."

No sooner had Sheng Xinyi finished speaking than Mother Chen said unhappily, "Since when do juniors give elders red envelopes? Isn't that something that happens after you've married into the family? Are you hinting at something, thinking I didn't give you a greeting red envelope when you arrived, that you're unhappy, and now you're using this to remind me, or blame me?"

Hearing Mother Chen's words, Sheng Xinyi's hands trembled with fright, and she nearly dropped the bottle she was holding.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, Auntie. You misunderstood."

"Oh, so I'm overthinking it?" Mother Chen was picky.

Father Chen also felt she'd gone a bit too far and tugged at Mother Chen, giving Sheng Xinyi a way out, "Your auntie didn't mean it that way. She just likes to joke with you too much. The sorghum liquor is quite nice, good for entertaining guests in the future. I'll accept your kind intentions."

"Thank you, Uncle," Sheng Xinyi bit her lower lip, somewhat blaming herself for not being good with words and making Senior Chen Ge's parents think poorly of her.

Little White Dove had now come back with the water and handed it to Sheng Xinyi, "Here, have some water."

Sheng Xinyi had been nervous and fearful, but now seeing the person she trusted return, she felt she had someone to lean on. She revealed a faint smile, "Thank you."

She had only taken one sip when Mother Chen said with a sense of grievance, "What's going on? Now I don't get water poured for me? Son, is your girlfriend the only one in your eyes?"

"Auntie, I'll pour it for you!" Sheng Xinyi was very nervous and immediately stood up to pour water for Mother Chen, but Little White Dove made her sit back down.

"I'll go. You sit."

"Yes, you're a guest. How can we trouble you to pour water? That doesn't make sense." Mother Chen deliberately put emphasis on the word "guest."

The sarcasm was obvious. Sheng Xinyi wasn't a fool. How could she not understand that Mother Chen especially didn't care for her?

"A friend from afar—let alone the fact that she's my girlfriend. We should take good care of her." Little White Dove spoke to Mother Chen without holding back, somewhat unhappy.

"Son, because I won't let her pour water, that means I'm not taking good care of her? Look at you, you don't even feel sorry for your own mother anymore." Mother Chen was quite displeased.

She only had this one son, so naturally she doted on him.

She also, from the bottom of her heart, didn't approve of Sheng Xinyi as her daughter-in-law. She looked delicate and tender—what housework could she do?

She also looked like she'd have a hard time bearing children. How would she give her a big, chubby grandson in the future?

"It's fine with me!" Sheng Xinyi waved her hand. "You don't need to take care of me. I can take care of myself."

Eager to make a good impression, she immediately went to get the gift she'd brought for Mother Chen, "Auntie, these are face masks and bird's nest I brought you. Good for beauty and skincare."

"Oh, so you're saying I'm ugly, that I've been out in the wind and sun, that I've got wrinkles and I'm old, so I should take better care of myself?" Mother Chen was unconvinced.

"That's not what I meant. It's just that every woman loves to be beautiful, so I thought Auntie would like them too…" Sheng Xinyi was very awkward.

She had already considered that Auntie wouldn't accept her so easily, but she'd never imagined the other party would be even more sharp-tongued than she'd thought.

Sheng Xinyi now felt thoroughly uncomfortable all over.

Little White Dove said unhappily, "Mom, you misunderstood Xinyi. She gives you a gift and that's still wrong? You could do with using some face masks and drinking some bird's nest. Why won't you accept that you're getting old?"

"You, all you know is to be tough at home!" Mother Chen blamed Little White Dove.