Liu Rushuang looked at Xu Musen and flashed a smile: "The little brat from my memories has now grown into a capable adult. Come, have another drink with mom, as a toast to your success tomorrow!"
Liu Rushuang picked up the red wine glass, her moist eye corners reddening half of her cheek alongside the alcohol.
Xu Musen raised his glass, looking at the slightly tipsy Liu Rushuang, and gently persuaded her.
But Liu Rushuang had already raised her glass and finished it in one gulp, her face looking even more intoxicated.
"Who separates drinks at a celebration? One sip for one bride, how many more sips do you want?"
Liu Rushuang swayed the empty wine glass, squinting her eyes and smiling at Xu Musen.
Yao Mingyue glanced at the wine glass and then at Xu Musen.
Father Xu and Mother Xu also silently pondered over this sentence and looked at their son.
Xu Musen cleared his throat.
"Ah, Xiao Sen is getting engaged, and our Xiao Mingyue still doesn't know what to do. She has been spoiled by Xiao Sen since childhood, I really wonder if any other man can tolerate her temper in the future."
Liu Rushuang shifted the conversation to her daughter.
Yao Mingyue's cheeks heated up, wondering why her mother was speaking so oddly today: "Mom, you've had too much to drink, and ... I am not as bad-tempered as you say!"
"You see, my baby is also quite stubborn, sometimes she is clearly deeply in love, yet her words are unforgiving..."
As Liu Rushuang spoke, she reached out and patted Xu Musen's shoulder.
"It's all because you spoiled her, Xiao Sen. If Ming Yue can't get married in the future, it will be all your fault. You know you're responsible, right?"
"Mom... you're really drunk."
Yao Mingyue stood up, intending to stop her mother from talking further, witnessing her mother for the first time.
Liu Rushuang's words made the atmosphere at the dinner table increasingly awkward. Father Xu and Mother Xu also looked at Xu Musen and Yao Mingyue, their gazes complex and unsure of how to continue the conversation.
Xu Musen's voice broke the momentary silence at the dinner table, causing Yao Mingyue to halt her attempt to stop her mother from speaking.
Father Xu and Mother Xu also looked at their son.
As Liu Rushuang's wine-induced eyes showed a slight sobering, she looked up at Xu Musen.
Xu Musen looked at Yao Mingyue, extending his hand to gently hold her wrist: "I am willing to spoil Ming Yue. She won't remain unmarried, even if she's really spoiled. I, her childhood sweetheart, will take responsibility."
Yao Mingyue had not drunk any alcohol, but her cheeks were redder than Liu Rushuang's, her hand trembled slightly as Xu Musen held it.
Does this guy even know what he's saying?
He is going to engage someone else tomorrow, and this might be the last New Year's reunion meal for the two families together.
It should have just been a happy celebration.
She didn't want an uncertain herself to lay down a potential cause of rift between the two families in the future...
She tried to pull her hand free, but Xu Musen gripped it even tighter.
Mother Xu's lips moved, wanting to say something, but looking at the empty seat beside Liu Rushuang, no words came out.
Instead, the usually quiet Father Xu was lost in thought for a while and finally took a deep breath as if making a decision, and said to Liu Rushuang: "Yes, they're all our children. Ming Yue is also like a daughter to me, there's no such thing as spoiling too much. We are willing to spoil this girl for a lifetime, and we'll always be one family. This home will always keep a place for you all!"
Father Xu's statement felt like an official validation.
Yao Mingyue looked up at Mother Xu, who had a serious yet warm smile, and she gently sniffled, without any other elements involved.
But this affection had long surpassed the warmth of a blood relation.
Liu Rushuang's eyes welled up with tears. She had intentionally gotten drunk today because she saw her daughter forcibly keeping up physically and smiling happily every day, and even bless her favorite person's engagement to another girl while pretending as if nothing was wrong...
Her silly daughter, however, was the one least capable of keeping up such a facade.
She understood, there was no right or wrong in this matter, but Yao Mingyue was her only kin in this world.
She couldn't change anything, but at least, she wanted to hear this acceptance and promise personally from Xu Musen's parents today.
Tears glistened in the corner of Liu Rushuang's eyes.
"Good... that puts my mind at ease. Brother Xu, Sister Xie, Xiao Sen, I hope you all will take good care of Ming Yue in the future. On behalf of Old Yao, I thank you all."
Liu Rushuang said, swaying slightly as she tried to lift her wine glass again.
"Mom, you should rest."
Yao Mingyue took the wine glass from her hands and sat next to her mom, helping her wipe her eyes.
Liu Rushuang gently pulled her daughter into her arms: "Xiao Ming Yue... be good..."
Her drunken murmur was like the lullaby used to soothe Yao Mingyue to sleep in her childhood.
Only this time, it was her who was falling asleep.
After so many years, a widow held up a huge business on her own, bearing pressures no less heavy than anyone else's, repressing it for so long, and now she seemed to finally let go of a bit of burden momentarily.
Father Xu and Mother Xu also felt a sudden sourness in their hearts, but both of them had found their answers…
Fireworks soared into the sky, splendid and colorful.
The New Year's wishes will definitely come true.
As Liu Rushuang was drunk, they readied a room in their home for Liu Rushuang to rest.