GL My Goddess Best Friend’s Seduction (H) - Chapter 60

At five o’clock in the morning, the alarm I had set blared and pulled me out of sleep. I needed to return to my grandma’s house before anyone else in the family woke up.

The night before, I asked my dad to unlock the front gate at around 5:40 AM. He grumbled at me a bit, but in the end, he agreed.

Originally, I intended to walk back or maybe take a taxi since it wasn’t very far. But when Si Jingnian got up and insisted on driving me herself, I ended up agreeing.

After we washed up, we headed downstairs. It was around 5:30 in the morning. The sky was still dark, which made it perfect for slipping home unnoticed.

Snowflakes floated down like confetti in the dim sky. We stepped out of the brightly lit hotel and into the snowy wind. The scene looked like something out of a romance novel, a couple walking hand in hand into the real world after a passionate night.

Si Jingnian parked the car not far from the alley entrance. After getting out, she wrapped her scarf around my neck. It was still warm from her body. I buried my mouth and nose in the scarf, pretending to block the wind, but the warmth and her scent made me feel like I was snuggled into her neck.

The alley was quiet. The streetlights were still on.

She naturally intertwined her fingers with mine and slipped our hands into the pocket of her coat. She really could handle the cold better than I could. I was bundled in a down jacket, with a vest, thermal shirt, and base layers underneath, yet my hands were still icy. She was only wearing a thermal shirt and a designer coat, and her hands were as warm as if they had been toasted by a heater.

“Why are my hands so cold even though I’m wearing so much?” I complained. “Even when I played badminton with Yiyun, my right hand was sweaty from holding the racket, but my left arm was as cold as something from the freezer.”

“And you’re barely dressed, but your hands are so warm! It’s not fair.”

“It’s just physical constitution.”

“You’re trying to say my health is poor and yours is better? But I hardly ever catch colds or get fevers.”

“That’s because your kidneys are weak. Mine are strong.”

“What? Are you being a pervert right now, Si Jingnian?” I squeezed her fingers hard to remind her of my presence.

I saw her smiling, the corners of her eyebrows slightly raised as she gave me a teasing look. “Isn’t it true?”

“Of course not!” I yanked my hand away in embarrassment. How could I admit something like that?

“Oh, really?” Si Jingnian wrapped her right arm around me just as I was trying to get away. With her left hand, she pulled down my scarf and lowered her head to kiss my lips.

After a few soft kisses, she murmured, “These lips always like to lie.”

Right after saying that, her tongue slipped in, playing with mine briefly. Then she added, “But I still love them so much.”

Blushing, I quickly interrupted her. “If you want to kiss, then just kiss. Why are you saying so much?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After that playful exchange, even though I was used to her kisses, my heart still raced every time. When I finally snapped back to reality, I realized my hands had somehow ended up on her chest, and I was not exactly being gentle.

We reluctantly pulled apart. I slipped through the gate and dashed back into my room.

The yard was still quiet. In our family, it was tradition on the first day of the new year to wake up naturally. You were never supposed to wake someone else up.

So did I technically wake up my dad? I began to wonder.

We spent the first day of the new year at my grandma’s house. When I got back, my dad stopped me before I could return to my room.

He said he wanted to talk. I wondered if it would be about how to get my mom to accept things.

But it turned out not to be.

My dad cleared his throat awkwardly. When I got impatient and told him to just say it, he dropped a bomb on me. “You and Jingnian, ahem, the two of you… you should be more mindful of appearances. Being all lovey-dovey in public… it doesn’t look good.”

Crap. My dad had seen us.

“Uh, got it, Dad.”

I watched, mortified, as he shuffled out of my room. I buried myself under the blanket and screamed internally.

Why did he have to see that? How unlucky could I get?

I ran off to complain to Si Jingnian. She was totally unfazed and even asked what time she should come over the day after tomorrow.

I told her just to come at a normal time, and to be ready to handle my mom’s sarcasm or cold treatment. She agreed.

On the morning of the third day of the new year, I noticed right away that my mom didn’t look too happy. Maybe it was because she knew Si Jingnian was coming. The nearby market was still open for the holiday. My dad dragged my mom out to buy groceries and shot me a supportive look on the way out.

I took the chance to do a full makeup routine.

Si Jingnian and her family arrived a little after nine, surprisingly early. When I opened the door, I saw she was fully made up too. She looked absolutely radiant in her beige coat.

“Hello, Uncle, Auntie,” she said with a bright smile.

“Hey, Jingnian, you’re here!” my dad replied warmly. My mom, however, acted like she didn’t see her and instead greeted Aunt Luo Lan and her husband.

The three of them each carried a gift. My mom said politely, “You didn’t need to bring anything.”

My dad took the gifts from Jingnian and Aunt Luo Lan. I quickly took what Jingnian was holding.

“It’s the new year. This is only right,” Aunt Luo Lan said.

“All of these were picked out by Jingnian,” she added. “She got you a massager and some skincare products. She also had health supplements brought in from abroad. They’re really good for managing stress and maintaining beauty.”

My mom’s smile froze. She forced a slight grin.

My dad quickly jumped in to smooth things over. “Wow, thank you, Jingnian. That’s very thoughtful. Your aunt has been a bit moody lately. Maybe it’s menopause. She really could use these.”

“You’re the one with menopause!” my mom snapped.

“Alright, alright. Let’s say it’s me. I’ll take the supplements,” my dad said, laughing it off.

“Uncle, I also brought you some supplements,” Jingnian said. “And your favorite Longjing tea. I don’t know much about tea, but people say this batch is excellent. Maybe you can try it later.”

My dad really did love tea. Jingnian actually knew quite a lot about it, even though she usually drank coffee. I gave her full marks for her flattering performance.

Today, my dad was the one cooking. He and Jingnian’s father headed straight for the kitchen. My mom tried to protest about letting guests do the work, but Aunt Luo Lan cut her off. “He just wants to show off the new recipes he’s learned.”

The four of us women sat in the living room. I sat with my mom, while Jingnian sat with Aunt Luo Lan. I noticed she was wearing the engagement ring I had given her. I felt a little guilty. I hadn’t worn mine in the past few days to avoid upsetting my mom.

My mom must have seen it too, but she looked away like she hadn’t noticed.

“Liming, you’ve gotten so radiant lately,” Aunt Luo Lan began. “Your figure looks slimmer too.”

I saw a flicker of pride cross my mom’s face, only for her to suppress it the next second.

“Maybe it’s from all the stress Xiaoyu gives me,” she replied coldly.

“Oh, it’s not worth getting upset over young people’s choices. As long as they’re happy, we should be too.”

“But what they’re doing goes against common sense.”

“Didn’t we learn in history class that whatever exists must be reasonable?”

“But what will people think? The gossip will be nonstop.”

I was about to argue, but Aunt Luo Lan beat me to it.

“People only gossip about those they think are doing poorly. If Jingnian and Xiaoyu build a good life together, others will have nothing to say. Don’t you think that’s true, Liming?”

“But…”

“Jingnian, tell your aunt about your income and future plans,” Aunt Luo Lan said, turning to her.

“Auntie, in 2018, my after-tax income was over one million yuan. It’s not a huge amount, but I’ll be applying for a raise this year. I expect a ten percent increase. I plan to start my own company within three years. The business model and structure are already forming, and I’ve recruited over five people. I expect to earn over ten million by then.”

“I’ve already paid the down payment on a home in Tianding Garden, Beijing. It will be our future marital home. It’s a fifteen-minute drive from Xiaoyu’s company. It’ll be convenient for her commute. There’s also a top school nearby for our future children. I currently drive an Audi A5. As a wedding gift, I’d like to give Xiaoyu a BMW.”

“Auntie, I truly want to be with Xiaoyu. I believe she’ll be happy with me. My goal in life is to keep her happy.”

My mom was silent. I was too. I hadn’t known that Si Jingnian had planned so far ahead, and that I was part of every plan. Could I be any happier? I had already reached the peak.

My mom stared at the napkin in her hand. She had unconsciously twisted it into a tight, tangled knot, her fingers still gripping it tightly as if unsure what to do next. She sighed. “Jingnian, that’s the first time I’ve heard you say so much.”

“To be honest, it’s a little annoying.”

I giggled. My mom shot me a glare. I quickly mimed zipping my lips.

She turned away and continued. “Your plans are so well thought out. Thank you for taking care of Xiaoyu.”

“But my daughter may not be good enough for someone like you.”

“Auntie, I know exactly how wonderful Xiaoyu is. You do too. She takes after you. When two people are together, they help each other become better. Xiaoyu makes me a better person. She works hard, switched jobs for me, and learned to cook. I hope you can give us your blessing.”

“Oh, and I saw the ring you’re wearing. With such a generous dowry, we can’t be stingy with the bride’s side either.”

“Mom!”

“Auntie!”

“Liming!”

I threw myself into my mom’s arms and cried.

My dad and Si Jingnian’s dad came running from the kitchen. One look at the scene and they understood everything.

On the third day of the New Year, the An and Si families officially became in-laws.