Try Saying You Don't Like It - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

He Xinglan lifted her chin: “Mm, easily won over the in-laws.”

“Wow.” Xiao Hua was truly surprised: “He Xinglan, you’re pretty amazing.”

Xiao Hua looked genuinely impressed.

He Xinglan chuckled, her tone modest: “It’s alright, it’s alright.”

But the grin on her face clearly showed she was relishing Xiao Hua’s compliment.

Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan with eyes full of adoration and love, giving her full support: “Xingxing is very amazing.”

Having been praised by her girlfriend, He Xinglan looked back. Their gazes collided, incredibly sticky and affectionate.

Xiao Hua looked at Yin Qiuman, then at He Xinglan. The sour stench of love made tears well up in her eyes.

She felt that the delicious food in front of her had lost its flavor.

Xiao Hua sighed deeply, looking at the two with envy.

“Alas, you two are complete, but pity me! I was single when Manman was single, and now Manman has met the parents of her partner, and I’m still single. Why can’t the heavens just drop a partner for me?”

He Xinglan: “That’s easy. I’ll introduce you.”

“Don’t bother.” Xiao Hua immediately rejected He Xinglan’s kind offer: “I’m straight.”

He Xinglan shrugged, raising an eyebrow, not denying that few of her friends were straight women.

Xiao Hua picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, ate two bites, and asked: “Speaking of which, since you two have met the parents, are you going to start preparing for registration and a wedding?”

Registration and a wedding? He Xinglan’s eyes immediately sparkled, looking at Yin Qiuman.

Before returning to this small county town, she wasn’t in a hurry, but now their relationship had been approved by Yin Qiuman’s parents, Leng Ci and Yin Huaishan. He Xinglan, contrary to her usual self, now wanted to immediately drag Yin Qiuman to register their marriage and firmly bind herself and Yin Qiuman together.

However, the person who was initially eager, Yin Qiuman, had now become the one who wasn’t rushing.

Seeing the urgency on He Xinglan’s face, Yin Qiuman reminded her helplessly: “Xingxing, I haven’t visited your Auntie and Uncle yet.”

“It’s fine. My mom really likes you anyway. We won’t get beaten up if we take action first and report later.” He Xinglan understood her parents; they wanted her to settle down sooner rather than later.

“But it’s impolite,” Yin Qiuman still shook her head.

“Besides…”

“Hmm?” He Xinglan waited for her to continue, but Yin Qiuman clearly had no intention of finishing her thought.

“We should still visit your Auntie and Uncle first, and then let my parents meet your Auntie and Uncle.”

Yin Qiuman initially couldn’t wait to drag He Xinglan to register their marriage the moment they met so they would be bound forever. But now, Yin Qiuman only felt that her previous idea was too perfunctory and disrespectful to He Xinglan. That wasn’t love; it was her own selfish thought.

Besides, she hadn’t even proposed yet. Skip that step and go straight to registration and marriage?

Although Yin Qiuman knew He Xinglan wouldn’t mind, Yin Qiuman still wanted her and He Xinglan to go through every step that other couples would take.

“Alright then.” Disappointment flashed in He Xinglan’s eyes, but she quickly rallied her spirits, being an obedient puppy.

Yin Qiuman’s ‘besides’ made her a little uneasy, but then again, she had managed to win over Yin Qiuman’s parents. If Yin Qiuman really wanted to dump her like seven years ago, her parents would be the first to object. Moreover, maybe Yin Qiuman’s ‘besides’ was leading up to a surprise for her?

Thinking this way, her worry was replaced by happiness.

Xiao Hua looked at their open display of affection and felt that, even though she hadn’t eaten much of the food on the table, her stomach was already full and round.

Xiao Hua: “I’m full. I’m going home.”

Xiao Hua said this and prepared to leave.

“Wait,” Yin Qiuman called out, stopping her.

“Xiao Hua, you mentioned you had a cousin who worked as an HR in Qīngchéng before?”

Xiao Hua plopped back down onto her seat, asking: “Do you want to change jobs?”

Yin Qiuman nodded, then said: “Xingxing’s career and life focus are in Qīngchéng, so I…”

“I get it,” Xiao Hua nodded understandingly: “You don’t want a long-distance relationship with He Xinglan, so you’re planning to move your job to her city.”

“Manman, why do I suddenly feel like you’re a bit blinded by love?”

They had only been dating He Xinglan for a few days: official announcement, coming out, brought her home to meet the parents, quickly won over the parents, and now she was thinking about registration and marriage, and even abandoning the career she had built to move to the other’s city… Wasn’t she afraid of having her efforts go to waste in the end?

Xiao Hua was tempted to offer a few words of advice, at least suggesting she wait until their relationship stabilized before making such a decision, but Yin Qiuman’s eyes were firm; she clearly couldn’t be persuaded with just a few words.

Besides, the small county town did indeed limit Yin Qiuman’s development.

She belonged to a broader world.

“Alright, I’ll send you my cousin’s WeChat. You can contact her.” Xiao Hua compromised. Love, after all, was an aggressive force that often made people dizzy.

However, Xiao Hua still warned He Xinglan: “Be good to Manman, otherwise…”

Xiao Hua made a gesture of drawing a finger across her throat, full of menace.

He Xinglan: “…Why don’t you ask Yin Qiuman to be good to me? We’re classmates, too.”

He Xinglan was indignant. They were both classmates, yet Xiao Hua’s heart was clearly biased.

“Who told you my relationship with Manman is better?”

Xiao Hua raised an eyebrow, admitting her partiality.

People’s hearts are naturally biased.

And she, Xiao Hua, was no saint.

After parting ways with Xiao Hua, Yin Qiuman walked He Xinglan back to the hotel.

The two were affectionate in the hotel for a while, then He Xinglan urged Yin Qiuman to go home.

Yin Qiuman stood at the hotel room door, her feet unmoving for a long time: “Didn’t we agree to live together when we came back?”

Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan, her eyes full of grievance, as if complaining that He Xinglan had gone back on her word.

He Xinglan looked at Yin Qiuman like this and felt as if she had committed a grave mistake. Her heart was swaying in the wind.

Should she just let Yin Qiuman stay?

But the thought that the hard-won approval of her in-laws might be ruined if their daughter didn’t come home on the first day because of her immediately solidified He Xinglan’s resolve: “I’ll pick you up early tomorrow morning.”

He Xinglan promised Yin Qiuman.

Seeing the confusion in Yin Qiuman’s eyes, He Xinglan explained: “I’m going to see my grandparents tomorrow. I’ll take you with me then.”

This was Yin Qiuman’s first time meeting He Xinglan’s family (video calls didn’t count). Yin Qiuman immediately became nervous.

“Then… what should I prepare?”

“You don’t need to prepare anything. Just put on some pretty makeup and wear a beautiful outfit. That’s enough.”

“My grandma has sharp eyes. She only likes pretty girls, so Jiejie just needs to doll herself up beautifully and let me take her home.” He Xinglan said with a smile, soothing Yin Qiuman’s nervousness.

Yin Qiuman was thus coaxed by He Xinglan and got into a taxi home.

It wasn’t until the taxi stopped downstairs at her house that Yin Qiuman realized and called He Xinglan, accusing her of being wicked.

Like a mesmerizing fox spirit.

“Do I look like a fox spirit? Jiejie is clearly the fox spirit.” He Xinglan refused to take the blame.

Yin Qiuman was clearly the one more like a fox spirit, captivating her soul and heart, making her reluctant to withdraw and end their lovemaking every time.