Chapter 18. Their Eldest Daughter Lost Her Mind
On the other end of the phone, the dial tone droned on.
Lin Meizhi and Bai Cheng, the couple, were completely baffled.
“Did Xiyi just say she didn’t remarry A’Chen? And that they’re completely over?”
“And Xiyan is back too? Since when? Just two days ago, during our video call, she said she was still abroad!”
The old couple stared at each other in confusion, utterly clueless about what was happening.
“If all else fails, maybe we should call A’Chen?” Bai Cheng suggested cautiously.
Lin Meizhi frowned but nodded. “Fine, I’ll call and ask.”
With that, she pulled up Ye Chen’s number and dialed.
Ye Chen’s clear voice came through the phone.
Lin Meizhi immediately brightened.
“A’Chen, your dad saw the video you posted on your social media. Did you go out on a boat with Xiyi today?”
On the other end, Ye Chen pressed his lips together.
“No, Mom. I didn’t go out with her.”
Lin Meizhi’s brow furrowed.
Softly, she said, “A’Chen, I know you’re a good kid, and I know Xiyi has a bad temper. If she did something wrong, I’ll apologize on her behalf. When I called her earlier, she sounded really angry. Can you—tell me what happened between you two?”
How was he supposed to explain this?
He scratched his head, feeling completely stuck.
Beside him, Bai Xiyan, seeing his dilemma, leaned over and said, “Mom, we’re on our way to your place right now. Just stay home with Dad and wait for us. We’ll explain everything when we get there. Alright? He’s driving, so we shouldn’t talk too much. If there’s nothing else, let’s hang up for now.”
Without waiting for a response, she ended the call for Ye Chen.
On the other end, Lin Meizhi was stunned again.
“Wait—wasn’t that Xiyi’s voice?”
“Just now, didn’t she say she was done with A’Chen? Why are they suddenly in the same car together? And they’re coming here?”
Bai Cheng was equally confused.
Bewildered, he muttered, “Yeah, what’s wrong with that girl?”
He scratched his head, then smacked his forehead. “Ah, forget it! No point overthinking it. Xiyi’s always been since she was a kid—so emotional! Completely unpredictable. How many times has she done stuff before?”
“Luckily, A’Chen can put up with her. Anyone else would’ve divorced her long ago.”
Lin Meizhi blinked, feeling like something was off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“Something just doesn’t feel right.”
Bai Cheng patted her shoulder. “Come on, what’s there to overthink? Couples fight—it’s normal. And it’s not like she and A’Chen haven’t had arguments before.”
“Since they’re coming over, why don’t you run to the supermarket downstairs and grab some groceries? I saw A’Chen caught a big fish—tonight, I’ll share a few drinks with him.”
“Let him vent a bit, and you can give Xiyi a good scolding. Tomorrow, I’ll personally drag them both to the civil affairs bureau to get their marriage certificate reissued. Problem solved!”
Hearing this, Lin Meizhi’s mood lifted again.
“Mhm, you’re right. That’s exactly what we should do!”
“Alright, I’ll go buy some groceries. You take out that aged Moutai you’ve been hoarding.”
“You can drink a few extra glasses tonight, but don’t get drunk! If you mess up this important matter, I won’t let you off easy!”
With that, she cheerfully got up and headed out, humming a tune.
The moment she stepped outside, the neighbors gave her strange looks. Seeing her in such high spirits, they seemed to hesitate before speaking.
“Mrs. Bai, going out again? You should spend more time online—might discover something interesting.”
“Pfft, who has time for that? My daughter and son-in-law are coming over soon. I need to buy more groceries to cook them something nice!”
“Mrs. Lin… which daughter and which son-in-law are you talking about?”
“Hah! What kind of question is that? I only have one married daughter—my youngest is still studying abroad!”
“Mrs. Lin, as we get older, it’s important to keep an open mind.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Since when have I not been open-minded? I’m perfectly fine!”
The whole way, the neighbors spoke in odd tones, leaving Lin Meizhi puzzled. But she brushed it off and happily continued to the supermarket.
Behind her back, the neighbors shook their heads.
“Mrs. Lin… such a simple woman. Still completely in the dark!”
“Right? Her eldest daughter divorced her son-in-law, and now her youngest married the ex-son-in-law. What kind of mess is this?”
“Honestly, their eldest daughter really must’ve lost her mind. Xiao Ye is such a good man.”
“No wonder Mrs. Lin is so happy—she got her son-in-law back!”
“Though at the cost of her youngest daughter.”
“Hey, doesn’t that count as ‘keeping the good stuff within the family’?”
“Ha! You’re absolutely right!”
The neighbors chattered away.
By the time Lin Meizhi returned with groceries, they had all gone quiet.
“You all are acting so weird today!”
Frowning, she walked back inside, completely oblivious.
The moment she entered, she saw Bai Cheng had already taken out the aged Moutai he’d been saving for years.
Noticing her return, he quickly waved her over.
“Meizhi, hurry up and start cooking. The moment you walked into the building, A’Chen’s car pulled in.”
Lin Meizhi’s face lit up.
“Great, great! I’ll get started right away.”
“When A’Chen brings the fish, we’ll make a sour fish stew—it’s his favorite.”
“Yeah, good idea. A’Chen likes Sichuan food. We should learn more Sichuan dishes in the future.”
“Makes sense. If our daughter won’t behave, then this mother-in-law will just have to step up and win over her son-in-law through his stomach!”
Humming cheerfully, she disappeared into the kitchen.
Bai Cheng, meanwhile, went straight to the door and opened it, waiting for his daughter and son-in-law to arrive.
Bai Xiyan stood at the doorway, clinging to Ye Chen’s arm, her expression slightly nervous.