Chapter 541: Chapter 541
He Jinxia blushed as she heard the words, clenching her fists tightly, It was... it was too embarrassing!
The people of this era were much more open than those in ancient times. Even though she had already been in the modern world for a few years, there were still some things she could not accept.
It would have been one thing if Sheng Yan had whispered sweet nothings to her in private, after all, it would have been just the two of them, but to be so bold and direct in front of the elders was too much for Jinxia to handle!
What followed left He Jinxia completely dazed, as she listened to Sheng Yan taking the initiative to discuss engagement dates with the elders.
Sheng Yan’s idea was that there was no better day than the present, and no celebration could top the festiveness of the New Year, so why not have the engagement party then?
However, this idea was rejected by all three elders; it was too hasty! ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel·fire·net
Aunt Rui wanted to speak up for Sheng Yan, but Jinxia was, after all, Ah Fang’s daughter. Such a hasty engagement could lead others to speculate there was some urgent matter pushing the marriage, which would not be good for the woman’s reputation.
Everyone argued their point and, after much persuasion, it was eventually decided to pick an auspicious date for the engagement according to the couple’s birth dates and horoscopes.
Seeing that they had made a decision, Sheng Yan spoke no more. He Jinxia sat beside him, clearly sensing his frustration, which made her cover her mouth to suppress a laugh.
After roughly discussing the children’s marriage arrangements, Sheng Yan’s family did not linger any longer and returned to their own home.
He Jinxia saw them out and, when she came back home, found Mrs. He sitting in the living room with her head bowed, lost in thought.
He Jinxia sat beside her, took her hand, and said softly, "Mom."
Mrs. He came back to reality and patted her head, sighing, "It’s unbelievable how you’ve grown up so fast, you’re already of marrying age."
"When you were born, you were so tiny. I watched you grow from a little bean sprout to a cabbage... I used to worry you wouldn’t find a boyfriend, but now here you are, with a fiancé."
Jinxia felt a pang in her heart and her eyes reddened as she said, "Mom..."
Mrs. He rubbed her head, "Don’t cry. What’s there to cry about? We should all feel happy."
"I had thought you’d stay young a little longer to keep me company. When you were chubby, I worried you wouldn’t find anyone. But after you slimmed down and became so lovely, I found it hard to let go."
"Because, mom knows that being so beautiful, you’d surely attract attention, and I feared you’d be bullied for your youth."
Mrs. He sighed softly, a hint of melancholy in her voice, "Sheng Yan is a good kid. I trust him. It’s better to pick someone familiar than a stranger; then there are no surprises... Bah, there won’t be any! Old age really does make one’s mind wander."
Biting her lip, a thought flashed through He Jinxia’s mind, and she blurted out, "Mom, how about I don’t get engaged, and stay by your side a few more years!"
Mrs. He looked at her amusedly, "Silly child, if that were the case, wouldn’t Sheng Yan want to eat me alive?"
After a pause, Mrs. He continued, "An engagement is good. Once engaged, both parties have a status, and that puts my mind at ease."
"I wouldn’t agree to you marrying right now, you’re still too young, you don’t know how to keep house, and you haven’t learned how to handle your in-laws – I need to teach you these things."
"Besides, your relationship with Sheng Yan hasn’t been for that many years. If you find you’re not suitable for each other midway, it’s easier to call off an engagement."
"Love and marriage are different after all. Love is between two people; marriage is the merging of two families."
"Aunt Rui is a good person, and she’s watched you grow up – I’m not worried about her. But I fear that Sheng Yan might not resist the temptations of the entertainment circle. By getting engaged first, I can observe him a bit longer."
"If I catch him getting cozy with other female celebrities, I won’t hesitate to call off your engagement!"
Mrs. He looked at Jinxia and said, "I just wonder if you’ll blame me when that time comes."
He Jinxia bit her lip and whispered like a mosquito, "Mom, I trust Sheng Yan; he isn’t that kind of person..."
Mrs. He suddenly laughed, teasing, "Looks like the child doesn’t listen to the mother. You’re not even married yet, and you’re already taking his side!"
He Jinxia shook her mother’s arm, "Mom!"
Mrs. He shook her head, "The environment today is not like it was in your father’s and my day; it’s too impetuous. Pleading with me is useless. I have to keep a close eye on Sheng Yan. It’s not that I don’t trust him, but nowadays, cheating barely costs anything."
"The two of you have only spent time together during courtship, never lived together, so you don’t understand each other’s habits. I’m not old-fashioned. Once you’re engaged, you can live with him, try out living together.
If you discover you can’t tolerate too many of his flaws, don’t worry about face; just tell me directly, and I’ll cast aside my aging pride if I have to, to help you back out."
He Jinxia’s cheeks turned slightly red as she said softly, "Mom, you’re thinking too far ahead!"
Mrs. He smiled and said, "Not at all, not in the slightest. If I don’t keep an eye out for you, you might get duped by that boy Sheng Yan and help him count the money without even knowing you’ve been sold. You’re just too innocent, while Sheng Yan is too shrewd."
He Jinxia coughed lightly, feeling that experience still trumped youth.
Setting aside the halo of parental love, her mother could see Sheng Yan’s true colors with the discerning eye of a mother-in-law scrutinizing her potential son-in-law.
Mrs. He patted Jinxia’s hand and said, "I really feel that Sheng Yan likes you and wants to have a life with you. But both of you are celebrities, one is either going to shoot a film or on the way to shooting, and the other has to go to work after shooting, and then shoot some more after work."
"You both have far too little time together; married life requires joint effort. If you only look after yourselves, affections will fade over time.
Listen to Mom’s advice: if you marry Sheng Yan in the future, you’ll need to make more compromises; you can’t be immersed in shooting films all the time."
He Jinxia uttered a soft "Mhm," "Mom, I understand. I have plans."
Mrs. He said, "I will also speak to Sheng Yan, tell him he can’t always be busy working and not keeping you company. I’m not entrusting my daughter to him just to leave her living alone."
He Jinxia continued to nod obediently.
Cough, she wasn’t going to tell Mrs. He that between Sheng Yan and her, it seemed she was the busier one.
It wasn’t her accommodating Sheng Yan, but rather Sheng Yan accommodating her.
The mother and daughter had a long heart-to-heart until Mrs. He couldn’t hold up and went back to her room to rest.
Once Mrs. He left, He Jinxia also felt tired and returned to her room, intending to switch off her phone and rest, when she noticed her phone had been flashing.
She tapped on the screen and saw that many people had been sending group messages to each other to wish a Happy New Year.
He Jinxia yawned without looking at and replying to each one individually, she just did a quick scan and was ready to switch off her phone.
Suddenly, a message popped up on the screen.
Sheng Yan: [Have you gone to sleep?]