Chapter 9: Her Aunt’s Here

Xiao Yu was ravenous, eagerly devouring the shabu-shabu in large, satisfying bites. 

Mu Qingwu, on the other hand, daintily sipped a few mouthfuls of her clear soup and then paused, her interest seemingly captured more by the hot pot restaurant’s complimentary drinks.

“Enjoying the beverage?” Xiao Yu asked with a teasing grin. “I can tell, your gaze is brimming with a longing for poverty.”

Mu Qingwu, unamused, thought, ‘I really feel like punching him right now.’

“By the way,” Xiao Yu mumbled through his mouthful, “what do you do for a living?”

“Just a small company,” Mu Qingwu replied, her cool gaze piercing him, a mix of mockery and annoyance dancing in her clear, autumn-pool-like eyes.

‘…’

Now, Xiao Yu felt the urge to retort. ‘Your supercar alone could probably finance a small company, right?’ 

He guessed Mu Qingwu was likely one of those high-powered female bosses, the kind of ‘aunt’ many men dreamt of yet found unattainable.

“Auntie, I don’t want to work hard anymore,” Xiao Yu joked, referencing a popular meme from his previous life.

“What?” Mu Qingwu paused, her irritation surfacing quickly. “Is it fun for a man to pick on a weak woman?”

“How can I pick on others if I can’t even handle a ‘weak woman’?” Xiao Yu laughed lightly, shaking his head. “Sister, there’s no need to pretend with me. I can see clearly.”

In truth, he was getting back at her for treating him like a mere pawn.

“Hmph,” Mu Qingwu huffed coldly.

“Alright, tell me how I can play along,” Xiao Yu reluctantly asked, feeling uneasy. 

“Your mother… I mean, aunt, what is she like?”

“She’s alright, I guess,” Mu Qingwu mused, her mouth twitching slightly, “though she’s not exactly warm to me.”

“Just like my mom,” Xiao Yu mused with a bitter smile. 

It seemed all parents were the same, hard on their own kids, yet admiring others’.

Should he go home tonight? Given that his mentor was working late, he could just stay at the brigade overnight.

He remembered how he’d fled his blind date today. If he went home now, his mom would surely have a field day scolding him. 

Noticing Xiao Yu’s suddenly woeful and fearful expression, Mu Qingwu’s curiosity was piqued. 

“Is your mother really that formidable?”

“Formidable?” Xiao Yu’s face whitened slightly. “You might be misunderstanding that term. To describe my mom… she’s more on the ferocious side, I guess.”

“Haha!” Mu Qingwu laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement, soft and lively. “Really? Is that true?”

“Absolutely true,” Xiao Yu said with a wry smile. “But seriously, despite how me and my dad suffer under her rule, she’s the best mother in my heart.”

Thinking about his mother in this life, his face softened with warmth. 

Yes, she was a fiercely protective mother. She might enjoy bossing around her son and husband, but if anyone else dared to mess with them, she’d be ready to go to war for them. The epitome of a strong-willed Northeastern woman. 

“I’m kind of envious,” Mu Qingwu sighed softly.

“It’s all the same,” Xiao Yu chuckled. “Mothers always envy other people’s children, just like children often envy other people’s mothers.”

“That seems to be the case.” Mu Qingwu nodded and eyed the young man before her, “Are you full? I want to take you somewhere.”

A boutique store.

Xiao Yu felt like a prop, rolling his eyes incessantly.

Under Mu Qingwu’s direction, and with the bustling assistance of the boutique staff and the owner, he went through several outfit changes, trying on different clothes, belts, and leather shoes. He even got a haircut.

When he stepped out from the fitting room, everyone’s eyes were fixed on him.

The saying ‘clothes make the man’ truly held weight here. Dressed in exquisite attire, Xiao Yu stood tall and striking, his skin fair, nose prominent, eyes sparkling like stars, and his every move radiated a refreshing charm.

The perfectly tailored casual outfit he wore only accentuated his natural poise. It was a classic case of his good looks being enhanced by his attire.

This contrasted starkly with Xiao Yu’s usual indifference to fashion, despite having a face that could launch a thousand ships and a figure perfect for modeling. He could have easily relied on his looks, yet he chose a path far from the superficial, deep into a career in policing.

After a moment, Mu Qingwu regained her composure. Noticing the boutique owner and attendant’s infatuated gazes on Xiao Yu, she unexpectedly felt a surge of irritation.

‘What’s going on with me?’ she wondered, shaking her head slightly.

“Let’s go with this outfit,” Mu Qingwu decided, trying to ignore her feelings and quickly leaving the boutique with Xiao Yu.

In the car, she instructed, “Wear this when meeting my mother tomorrow.”

Her voice was slightly cold as she added, “Just wear it tomorrow. After that, you’re not allowed to wear it again.”

“Huh?” Xiao Yu was puzzled by her sudden change in mood.

‘Did her aunt visit?’ he thought.

“Did you hear what I said?” Mu Qingwu turned, her gaze chilly as she looked at Xiao Yu.

“Whatever you say. It’s your purchase, after all,” Xiao Yu responded, shrugging nonchalantly.

He concluded to himself that she must be in a particularly bad mood. It was probably best not to provoke her further at such times, to avoid making things worse.

Afterward, they spent some time in the car discussing the details for their meeting with the elders the following noon.

Xiao Yu stepped out of the sports car and made his way back to the Criminal Investigation Brigade.

Mu Qingwu didn’t drive off immediately. Instead, she watched the tall figure of the young man as he walked away, her gaze lingering on his retreating back.

Only when he was out of sight did she finally gather her thoughts and drove away.