They arrived back in Yucheng as evening fell.
The two first took Su Yan to the outside of her residential complex, with Qin Tian helping her carry her suitcase.
"Thanks a lot!"
Su Yan took the suitcase and thanked them with a smile.
"We're old friends, no need for thanks."
Qin Tian grinned.
"Su Yan, tomorrow or the day after, let's get together with Jia Jia and the others, maybe go shopping or something."
Xia Nuannuan suggested with a beaming smile.
"That sounds great!"
Su Yan readily agreed and asked, "Are we bringing the guys?"
Xia Nuannuan glanced at Qin Tian beside her and chuckled, "No, it's our girls' day out."
"That'll be perfect."
Su Yan's face lit up with a smile.
"Sigh, even a great boyfriend like me has days where I'm out of favor!"
Qin Tian feigned a wronged expression and sighed.
The two girls were immediately amused, laughing heartily.
"Alright, I'm heading in now. You two should get home too!"
Su Yan, her laughter subsiding, bid them farewell.
"Mhm, goodbye!"
Xia Nuannuan waved her hand with a sweet smile.
Afterward, Su Yan entered the complex, while Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan got into the car and continued driving home.
As soon as he started the car, his mother's call came through.
"Hello, Mom!"
Qin Tian quickly answered the phone.
"Xiao Tian, have you arrived?"
Tang Xiuxia's voice came from the car's audio system, along with the humming sound of a steaming pot coming to a boil.
"Just arrived in Yucheng. I'll take Nuannuan home first, help her with her luggage, and then I'll head over with her."
Qin Tian replied.
"Okay, okay, then invite Nuannuan's mother too. I've already called her. I've cooked quite a few dishes!"
Tang Xiuxia reminded him.
"Alright, I know."
Qin Tian agreed; that was his intention anyway.
Her father was still in Jiangcheng and wouldn't be back for a couple of days. If Nuannuan went to their home for dinner, she certainly couldn't let her mother eat alone.
"Where's Nuannuan?"
Tang Xiuxia asked again.
"Auntie, I'm here!"
Xia Nuannuan quickly responded loudly.
"Nuannuan, bring your luggage in and come over quickly! I've cooked all your favorite dishes!"
Tang Xiuxia's voice was full of pampering and affection.
"Okay, Auntie, we'll be right there."
Xia Nuannuan smiled sweetly.
"Alright, then I'll be waiting. Make sure Xiao Tian drives safely."
"Got it, I'll remind him."
"Mhm, bye for now!"
"Okay!"
With that, the call ended.
Qin Tian glanced at Xia Nuannuan, smiled, and said, "Now you know why I wanted you to come along, right? Listen to that tone. My mom has never spoken to me so gently."
"Hehe... Could it be that you were too mischievous?"
Xia Nuannuan teased with her eyes crinkled.
"Me? Mischievous?"
"I mean when you were little, so Auntie had to be stricter with you, and then she got used to it!"
"Whoa... that actually makes sense!"
Qin Tian appeared to be in deep thought.
"Boys are all mischievous when they're little, unlike me. I was very well-behaved as a child."
Xia Nuannuan boasted proudly.
"Really?"
"Believe it or not, look at Old Xia and my mom, aren't they both quite gentle with me?"
"Then I'll ask Auntie later if you were mischievous as a child."
"No way!"
Xia Nuannuan immediately refused.
"Getting flustered?"
Qin Tian gave her a teasing look.
"Me... what am I flustered about? I'm not!"
Xia Nuannuan dodged his gaze, regretting her words immediately.
How could she have gotten carried away? Now, if her mother mentioned embarrassing childhood stories at the dinner table, it would be too mortifying.
She didn't care about Qin Tian as much, but she didn't want her future mother-in-law to know about those embarrassing incidents either.
...
...
After helping Xia Nuannuan with her luggage at home and picking up her future mother-in-law, they drove back to their house.
It was already dark outside. As soon as they heard the car, his mother, who had just placed a dish on the table in the brightly lit main hall, hurried to the door.
After the car stopped, Qin Tian and the other two got out.
"Auntie, we're back."
Xia Nuannuan greeted them with a joyful expression.
"Ah, come here, let me see."
Tang Xiuxia walked closer with a beaming smile, then her expression suddenly changed. She pretended to be concerned and complained, "Oh dear, why have you gotten thinner? And a bit darker too. Xiao Tian, how have you been taking care of Nuannuan?"
As she spoke, she shot a stern glance at Qin Tian, who had just gotten out of the car.
Qin Tian scratched his head speechlessly.
"Auntie, it's because I've been through military training for half a month. It's normal. I'm considered one of the lucky ones."
Xia Nuannuan explained with a smile.
"Even so, this rascal hasn't taken good care of you. He'll get less food later."
Tang Xiuxia said seriously.
Qin Tian looked dejected and sighed, then went to get the luggage from the back without a word.
The two mothers met every few days and had become the best of friends, so there wasn't much need for pleasantries.
Tang Xiuxia held Xia Nuannuan's hand in one hand and her good friend Su Xia's arm in the other, and they entered the house together.
Behind them, Qin Tian carried a backpack with two sets of clothes, like a neglected, pitiful child.
"Hahaha... Xiao Tian, you're so miserable!"
A hearty laugh rang out.
Qin Tian followed the sound and saw Grandpa Sun from next door standing there with a large ceramic bowl, eating his rice.
"Tell me about it!"
Qin Tian shrugged helplessly and asked with a smile, "Where's Grandma Liu?"
"She's eating inside!"
Grandpa Sun replied with a chuckle.
"We're about to eat, why don't you bring Grandma Liu over to join us for some extra dishes!"
Qin Tian invited.
"No need, I was lucky today and caught a few wild crucian carp. We're quite well-fed!"
Grandpa Sun picked up half a braised crucian carp from his bowl and proudly showed it to him.
"That's great! You didn't come back empty-handed today?"
"What are you talking about? Now that your Grandma Liu often accompanies me fishing, my luck is amazing. We have something to catch every day!"
"Really?"
"Hmph, if you don't believe me, come along with me tomorrow."
"Alright!"
Just then, Grandma Liu also came out of the main hall, carrying her bowl.
Her aged face still wore its usual kind and amiable smile. To Qin Tian's relief, Grandma Liu's complexion had noticeably improved, likely because Grandpa Sun had been taking her out for strolls and to relax recently.
"Xiao Tian, you're back!"
"Yes!"
"How's university?"
"It's great."
"That's good, hurry up and eat!"
Grandma Liu said with a smiling face.
"Okay, I'll go eat now. I'll come over to watch TV with you later if I have time."
"Alright!"
Qin Tian smiled and then went inside.
In the main hall, Xia Nuannuan was helping set the table. The two mothers had likely gone to the kitchen in the back.
"Oh, Nuannuan, why are you still doing chores? Let me, let me."
Qin Tian casually placed his backpack on a small chair by the wall, smiled, and went over.
Xia Nuannuan's pretty face blushed slightly as she shot him a glance and mumbled softly, "Is someone feeling jealous? I can smell vinegar."
"Just kidding, what do I have to be jealous about?"
"Because Mom loves me!"
As soon as she said this, Xia Nuannuan saw Qin Tian look at her with a strange expression from behind her.
Xia Nuannuan's smile froze, and she turned her head mechanically.
As expected, the two mothers were standing there, holding dishes, looking at her with fond smiles.
"Ahhh... I can't live anymore!"
Xia Nuannuan covered her face with her hands, filled with embarrassment and shame.