Chapter 202: Parents
“Is that really your boyfriend?”
After they arrived in the kitchen with Aunt Cai, she pulled Li Mu’s hand and asked softly.
“Mm.” Li Mu didn’t have to worry about gender issues in front of Aunt Cai.
Even though Aunt Cai knew she was a "man," because she treated Li Mu as if she were Lin Xi, there was no problem with calling him her boyfriend.
“He’s so handsome, you need to be careful.”
Aunt Cai gave a wise, older-person kind of advice. “Boys can’t resist temptation, especially ones as good-looking as him. There must be many girls around him.”
“It’s better to find someone with a regular look, calm and steady. Someone like him is too risky.”
Li Mu nodded seriously. “I know. Don’t worry, I’ll only take as much money as he has. If a man doesn’t have money, he won’t be interested in others.”
“Nonsense. Can being handsome fill your stomach? If he has no money, it won’t matter. There will still be girls who will spend money on him.”
“Then lock him up and don’t let him go out?”
“With the internet today, even if he doesn’t go out, girls can find him online.”
“Got it. Then we’ll cut off the water, electricity, and internet, and tie him up with a chain.”
Aunt Cai thought deeply and frowned. “Wait, maybe that’s not a good idea? Men still need some freedom, right?”
Xiao Jing somehow overheard their conversation and interrupted, “Sister, that’s illegal!”
Li Mu finally smiled. “Aunt Cai, don’t worry. I know what kind of person he is.”
Although she’d only known Yu Fan for a few months, at the start, they had been close like best friends. It’s well known that best friends often talk about some inappropriate things.
At that time, Yu Fan had no guard up around her, sharing funny or embarrassing stuff, sometimes talking about girls or joking around. He wasn’t shy at all when he was in front of her.
So, Li Mu already knew most of Yu Fan’s views on women, his preferences, and his ideas about relationships. She couldn’t promise he wouldn’t change, but for now, she felt very at ease with him.
Aunt Cai didn’t say much more and got busy with cooking, while Li Mu helped her out. Yu Fan and Xiao Jing were in the living room watching TV and chatting.
The two experienced cooks didn’t need Yu Fan’s help, so by around 11 o’clock, several simple home-cooked dishes were ready to serve.
These dishes were very common on the table for locals, and the taste was nothing special, but once everyone sat down, Aunt Cai and Li Mu both smiled in satisfaction.
Xiao Jing was loudly grabbing food from Yu Fan while holding her milk tea, Li Mu ate slowly and calmly, and Aunt Cai looked at the three younger people with a gentle smile.
“It’s been so long since it’s been this lively.” Aunt Cai sighed softly. “Lin Xi was so noisy when she was here. With her around, there was never a quiet moment.”
Li Mu looked up at her, seeing a nostalgic look in her eyes, and decided not to speak.
“She was noisy and troublesome. When she was in middle school, she wouldn’t listen to anyone, ran away from home, and always thought about making money instead of studying.”
“She was pretty enough, so if she were a boy, I’d let her do what she wanted, but for a girl so young to go out into the world, it wouldn’t end well.”
“After she finished vocational school, she became much calmer. In the summer, she even said she’d bring me a cake for my birthday, but...”
Li Mu understood Aunt Cai’s feelings. When her own parents passed away, she felt the same way.
They both lost someone dear. She had lost her parents, and Aunt Cai had lost her child.
Li Mu suddenly spoke up, “My parents have been gone for a long time, and I’ve been alone ever since.”
Xiao Jing and Yu Fan both stopped talking and almost simultaneously looked at her.
“Sister! I’m here for you!” Xiao Jing proudly puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hips. “I’ve always been with you!”
Li Mu gave her a quick glance.
If it weren't for the fact that she can see ghosts now, she would have already considered selling that haunted house, okay?
You call that being with me?! When I didn't even know your existence, you were always messing with electronics to freak me out!
Maybe recalling her past actions, Xiao Jing quickly pointed at Yu Fan. “What about him! Your husband will always be with you too!”
Yu Fan’s face turned slightly red, and he smiled. His smile was as warm and bright as always, but now it seemed even more gentle and affectionate.
But Aunt Cai suddenly froze. “Sister?”
“Yes! Sister!” Xiao Jing nodded forcefully. “She’s always been my sister!”
“I thought you were a boy.” Aunt Cai suddenly laughed. “I was wondering why a boy looked so much like Lin Xi.”
Since Li Mu had never shown her ID to Aunt Cai, she just let her believe what she thought.
“Anyway, I don’t have a daughter, and you don’t have family anymore...” Aunt Cai said gently, testing her words.
Perhaps because of the memories Li Mu inherited from Lin Xi, she didn’t feel uncomfortable. Instead, she smoothly and calmly said, “Mom.”
Aunt Cai froze in place, staring at Li Mu, shocked. That word, "Mom," was said just like how Lin Xi would say it. She was starting to believe that Li Mu might really be another Lin Xi.
“Hey!” When Aunt Cai laughed, the wrinkles on her face were very clear, but they also made her seem kind and warm. “When your uncle has some free time, we should have a family meal together.”
“I’ll bring them both along.”
“Bring them, sure.” Aunt Cai looked at Xiao Jing, and then her gaze fell on Yu Fan. She clicked her tongue in admiration. “You have great taste. Such a handsome boyfriend, and his personality is nice too.”
Yu Fan was a bit surprised. He had heard the private conversation between Aunt Cai and Li Mu earlier.
Guess this is what they mean by ‘when you like someone, you end up liking things related to them too?’
After the meal, Li Mu, Xiao Jing, and Yu Fan said goodbye to Aunt Cai.
The wig delivery had arrived, so Li Mu had to go home to prepare and then visit her grandfather’s house. She didn’t want to get scolded by him for not visiting during the New Year holiday.
“You really accepted Aunt Cai as your godmother?” Yu Fan asked, still a bit surprised.
“Calling her 'Mom' can make her happy all day.” Li Mu tried to sound nonchalant as she walked ahead, but the emotion brimming in her eyes contradicted her casual tone.
“I feel like there’s more to it than that...” Yu Fan mumbled. “You probably miss your parents.”
Li Mu shook her head. “They’re gone. Maybe they’re already dead.”
“Sounds like there’s a lot of resentment in that...”
She stopped walking and looked at Yu Fan with a blank expression. Yu Fan was caught off guard and quickly shut up, feeling guilty and looking away.
“Brother-in-law, why do you always say what’s in sister’s heart?”
Xiao Jing was lightly tapped on the head. She made a cute face at Li Mu, her eyes full of tears. “Sister~”
“Stop it, let’s go home.”
Li Mu walked ahead to the bus stop and leaned against the sign.
With Xiao Jing and Yu Fan by her side, wanting her parents to come back felt a little too much. She was content with the present and had no desire to chase after anything more.