It's his own mother's friend again, and also his immediate boss. This deadly combination, is there no mercy for him? At this moment, Jiang Qi's mind felt like it was about to explode. He struggled to utter a few words, but when it came to his mouth, he didn't know what to say.
"It's okay."
"What's wrong with the vice president? What's so great about the vice president? In the end, she'll be your wife." Jiang Qi's mother said with a smile, "Don't be nervous, you're my son, Jiang Yaling's son. These difficulties are just a drop in the bucket for you."
Upon hearing his mother's words, Jiang Qi, who had come back from the shock, pursed his lips and helplessly said, "Mom... Auntie Song and I really aren't suitable. Although we're only four years apart, she's your friend, I can't date your friend even if I'm shameless, right?"
"Why is your thinking so outdated?" Jiang Yaling said impatiently, "Mom is already forty-eight, and I also know that as long as two people truly love each other, they can overcome age and societal norms. Besides, she's only thirty-one, why are you calling her auntie... call her sister!"
"It's just... I always feel... awkward." Jiang Qi still sat in the restaurant, his face full of bitterness. "Then let me ask you a question... what if we end up together, how should she address you? Call you sister or mom? And what should I call you? Son or brother-in-law?"
Facing this question, Jiang Yaling smiled and replied, "Call whatever you want, our family is very democratic."
Oh my... damn it!
Has playing mahjong all day destroyed her brain?
A hysterical and helpless emotion surged through Jiang Qi's heart, permeating his whole body. In order to climb onto a wealthy woman, his mother was really going to any lengths.
"Alright, alright."
"The mahjong table is set up, I won't waste time with you." Jiang Yaling asked seriously, "By the way... have you added her on WeChat?"
"No!" Jiang Qi said casually.
"You... usually seem pretty clever, why do you act so foolish at critical moments?" Jiang Yaling sighed and said seriously to her son, "Later, Mom will send Meiyue's WeChat to you. Add her immediately, then chat more with her. Relationships need communication and exchange, don't be like a mute... understand?"
Jiang Qi sighed. Although he really wanted to refuse in his heart, after all, it was his mother's task. He thought about it and decided to just go along with it. He would pretend to communicate with Song Meiyue, anyway... his mother probably wouldn't ask the parties involved. As for questioning himself... he could just come up with some excuse to evade it, and then be honest later that there was no mutual interest.
"I understand, I understand." Jiang Qi said exhaustedly, "Send it over."
"That's my good boy, Mom will send it to you right away." Jiang Yaling smiled.
After hanging up the phone, in just a moment, a message arrived on WeChat from his mother. He opened it and indeed found a business card forwarded by his mother.
Xiao Yue?
Thinking back to their first meeting, Jiang Qi couldn't imagine... that Song Meiyue, with her youthful beauty and mature, sophisticated demeanor, could have such a girlish side. But then again, could his mom have gotten it wrong? Um... probably not. Both her nickname and her name contain the character "Yue," so it's likely Song Meiyue.
After pondering for a long time, Jiang Qi hesitated whether to add her on WeChat. In the end, he chose to give up. After all, they were from two different worlds, and there was no need to force them together. Moreover, she was his mom's friend and his immediate boss. The pressure was a bit too much to bear.
After leaving the restaurant, Jiang Qi drove his Hong Guang Mini slowly towards home.
...
...
He arrived home almost at seven o'clock. Jiang Qi took a shower first, then lay on the sofa playing with his phone. Mother and son still lived in the old neighborhood, although they had bought a three-bedroom house, it was still under construction... it wasn't time for delivery yet.
Just then, his phone rang... and the caller was Xie Buchen.
"Bro!"
"Are you sure you don't want to sell your soul?" Xie Buchen said seriously, "I just met that pretty wealthy woman again. She hopes you can accompany her to sing tonight, as for the fee... it's quite generous. Oh... she's quite pitiful, she said seeing you reminds her of her late husband when he was young."
"I'm not going!"
"I'm not some gigolo," Jiang Qi said annoyed.
Xie Buchen helplessly said, "Oh... my brother Jiang, making money, doing business, is not embarrassing."
"It's embarrassing, very damn embarrassing." Jiang Qi said seriously, "Just drop this idea, don't mess around with such crooked ways. We should be upright and honest, we're both young people striving for progress, not engaging in these shady dealings."
"Okay, okay."
"You're right... then I'll hang up." Xie Buchen replied.
After hanging up, Jiang Qi continued to lie on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. Suddenly, he heard the sound of the door being unlocked behind him. Coming in was his mother.
"Mom?"
"Didn't you go to the square dance today?" Jiang Qi didn't get up, holding his phone absentmindedly.
However, the answer he got was silence.
Realizing that something was wrong, Jiang Qi hurriedly sat up from the sofa, and sure enough... his mother was glaring at him with wide eyes. An uneasy feeling spread throughout Jiang Qi's body. He shrunk his neck and cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Yaling walked over to her son with a black face, sat down beside him, turned her head to the side and stared at him fiercely, and asked sternly, "I just called Meiyue and asked if she received a WeChat friend request, but she told me she didn't receive any request at all. What's going on?"
"Huh?"
"No... Mom... you... you actually called to confirm?" Jiang Qi's scalp felt like it was about to split open.
"Hmph."
"I raised you from infancy to adulthood. Do you think I wouldn't know what little schemes you have in your heart?" Jiang Yaling said angrily, "Now I'm sitting here, watching you add her as a friend. Hurry up... don't dawdle."
Seeing his mother's unreasonable attitude, Jiang Qi could only compromise in the end. However, when he picked up his phone, he still thought about making one last struggle.
"Mom..."
"Your son has hands, feet, and a brain. There's no need for me to become a son-in-law." Jiang Qi said seriously, "A man should strive for self-improvement... I don't want to take shortcuts in life for a few measly bucks. Life is not about the result, but about the process. I enjoy the struggle for my ideals."
At this point, Jiang Qi earnestly advised, "Mom, please stop. Sitting beside you is a strong and independent man. I... Ouch, that hurts."
Jiang Yaling fiercely pinched her son's thigh, scolding him angrily, "Do you think in this society, you can succeed just by working hard? If that were the case... your father wouldn't have passed away so early."
As she let go of her hand, Jiang Yaling sighed deeply and said to herself with sorrow, "Husband... you left so early, leaving the two of us, mother and son, to rely on each other. Now, even my son doesn't listen to me, what should I do?"
A desperate move!
All acting, no real emotion, a desperate move!
"Alright, alright."
"Stop acting here... I'll add her! Isn't that enough?" Jiang Qi rolled his eyes, silently opening Song Meiyue's business card, staring at the option to add her as a friend, feeling a bit melancholic and bitter inside.
One moment he was preaching about self-improvement to Xie Buchen, and the next moment... he was being contradicted so quickly.
But then again, life is all about getting contradicted constantly.
Sending friend request: "Hello Auntie Song, at my mother's request, I'm here to add you."
...