Upon entering the private room, I saw a dignified-looking woman who appeared quite young. She had short hair just like Xiao Su, looking very fashionable and avant-garde.
Sitting beside her was a middle-aged man with a worried, frowning face.
It was the Vice Principal. I ignored him directly.
"Jiang Linyuan, right? Sit next to me."
Seeing someone enter the doorway, the woman looked at Jiang Linyuan and spoke very calmly.
Her tone was flat, but it carried a commanding air.
It wasn't deliberate; it felt more like a habit.
The pressure was on.
"Mom, don't you want your daughter to sit next to you?"
At this moment, Su Muzhi smiled and asked her mother.
Mother Su nodded, then looked at the Vice Principal sitting beside her:
"You get up. Give your seat to Muzhi."
Ribbit! Why should I move? Can't that brat sit next to me instead!
The Vice Principal was furious, but he didn't dare disobey Mother Su, so he glared at Jiang Linyuan.
Then he got up, looking utterly pathetic.
Vice Principal, hasn't the three-year period ended yet!?
I still prefer the you in the bathroom who said, "Call me Principal."
Jiang Linyuan watched with amusement, sitting confidently on Mother Su's right side, while Xiao Su sat on her left.
It looked a bit like the composition of two door gods guarding the entrance. Oh, and there was also a holy guardian beast in the corner.
"Care to introduce yourself?"
Mother Su turned her head to look at Jiang Linyuan and asked.
Tsk tsk, you, this Auntie Shaqima, have already investigated me thoroughly, yet you're still putting on an act.
I won't play along!
"How should I address you, Auntie?"
Jiang Linyuan countered with a question instead of answering.
Mother Su instinctively frowned, then relaxed and said:
"For now, you can call me Auntie Su."
"Alright, Auntie Su."
Jiang Linyuan agreed with a smile, but showed no intention of introducing himself.
The atmosphere cooled for a moment. Mother Su suddenly chuckled:
"I was initially worried you might be a bit soft-natured and would be bullied by Muzhi in the future. But now it seems that won't be necessary."
After saying this, she called out toward the door:
"Start serving the dishes."
Seeing her manner, Jiang Linyuan felt Auntie Shaqima wasn't that bad after all, just a bit proud in character.
"How far have you and Muzhi progressed?"
Mother Su looked at Jiang Linyuan, her tone softening slightly.
Wait, this Xiao Su must have told her parents some weird things.
Why does everyone think I'm dating her?
"Auntie Su, Muzhi and I..."
"Mom, it's rare for us to get together for a meal. Do we have to talk about this?"
Su Muzhi nudged her mother's hand and said with a smile.
Seeing her reaction, Mother Su laughed and looked at Jiang Linyuan:
"It seems you've suffered an undeserved calamity."
Huh? Auntie Shaqima is quite perceptive.
She can tell Xiao Su and I are completely innocent.
"I originally heard from a friend that Muzhi was getting very close to a boy, so I asked my daughter about it."
Mother Su looked at Su Muzhi, staring at her:
"But this child was evasive, unwilling to say anything, which is why I came to see for myself."
Xiao Su!
So this was all your own doing! What a wicked woman! This is a wicked woman!
Jiang Linyuan was furious at first, but upon reflection, he began to ponder.
What does Xiao Su gain from doing this? Toying with me?
Hearing her mother's words, Su Muzhi's smile remained unchanged:
"I'm already twenty years old, Mom. Do you really need to inquire about such things?"
Mother Su raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Why shouldn't I? This concerns your lifelong happiness. Of course I care."
"It's just dating. We haven't reached the stage of discussing marriage, right?"
Su Muzhi retorted without any reservation.
"Isn't dating aimed at marriage?"
Mother Su said earnestly:
"Muzhi, Mom can't bear to see you suffer, not even a little bit. You say you want freedom in love, but if it ends in a breakup, you'll be the one hurting."
"Mom doesn't object to you finding someone yourself. It's just that Mom hopes the person you meet is someone who can accompany you to the very end. That's why Mom has to be involved."
Hearing this, Su Muzhi smiled and looked at Jiang Linyuan:
"Jiang-classmate, will you be the one to accompany me to the very end?"
As soon as this question was asked, Mother Su's eyebrows furrowed again as she began to scrutinize Jiang Linyuan.
Was I wrong? At first, I thought Muzhi had deliberately found someone to annoy me, but now it seems...
"I disagree!"
At this moment, the Vice Principal stood up, glaring fiercely at Jiang Linyuan.
This brat actually wants to take my daughter away? Absolutely unacceptable!
"Don't cause trouble."
Mother Su frowned and glanced at the Vice Principal.
"Mmm..."
The Vice Principal quieted down, not saying anything more, but continued to stare intently at Jiang Linyuan.
See how wicked this Xiao Su is.
She doesn't want to argue with Auntie Shaqima herself, so she shifts the focus onto me.
If you show no mercy, don't blame me for being ruthless!
Hehehe.
Jiang Linyuan put on a pained expression:
"Auntie Su, actually, Miss Su has been pursuing me all along. She harasses me every day, touches my hands and chest, threatens me with her family background, forces me not to date anyone else, and says if I reject her, she'll sink me into the Huangpu River..."
"Nonsense!"
Halfway through, the Vice Principal stood up again, unable to stop himself from shouting loudly.
"Be quiet."
Mother Su interrupted him with a frown.
Although what Jiang Linyuan said was somewhat exaggerated, it was indeed something her daughter might actually do.
When something piqued her interest, she would go to any lengths to figure it out thoroughly.
Moreover, although her daughter appeared approachable on the surface, she was actually proud and arrogant at heart, not even bothering to remember the names of people she wasn't interested in.
Yet she deliberately found this boy...
Thinking this, Mother Su looked at Su Muzhi again:
"Aren't you going to refute that?"
"Haha, Mom, do you want me to refute it? Or not?"
Su Muzhi replied with a smile.
This child...
Forget it. Jiang Linyuan, hmm, I'll keep an eye on him more in the future.
"Young people's matters, we won't interfere anymore. Just be mindful of boundaries."
Mother Su said politely.
This Auntie Shaqima is also utterly wicked.
When her daughter is being pursued, it's "I can't bear to see my daughter suffer."
When her daughter pursues someone else, it's "we won't interfere anymore."
Jiang Linyuan was utterly speechless and rolled his eyes at Su Muzhi.
Su Muzhi, however, remained smiling, completely unfazed, and said to her mother:
"I hope you keep your word, Mom."
Mother Su sighed again:
"Muzhi, you don't need to be so dissatisfied with me..."
"Not at all, Mom. I love you very much, just like you love me."
Su Muzhi said with a sweet smile.
Seeing this, Mother Su didn't say anything more.
Observing the conversation between mother and daughter, Jiang Linyuan felt that what Xiao Su had said that day was probably a lie.
Auntie Shaqima's controlling nature wasn't as suffocating as she had described. On the contrary, she seemed more like a mother who doted on her daughter immensely.
So, why did Xiao Su lie to me? And why did she want me to meet her mother?
It couldn't be that she's really after my body, could it?
During the meal, Jiang Linyuan's phone suddenly vibrated. He opened it to look.
It was a message from the Vice Principal.
"Come out. Need to talk to you."
Looking up, he saw the Vice Principal on the side making faces at him.
Fine, let's see what water the Dragon King wants to spew.
"Auntie Su, I'm going out to take a call."
Jiang Linyuan stood up and left the private room.
After a while, the Vice Principal laughed heartily:
"I'm also going to take a call."
Only the mother and daughter remained in the private room.
"Your father is meddling again."
Mother Su said lightly.
"It's fine. It's better than not caring at all."
Su Muzhi said.
Mother Su lowered her eyelids and sighed again.
...
Once outside the private room, the Vice Principal looked full of worry.
He looked at Jiang Linyuan and asked:
"You really don't like my daughter?"
"I don't like her."
Jiang Linyuan said.
If I say I do, what if you don't give me my diploma?
The Vice Principal nodded, though it was unclear whether he believed it or not, and said:
"Regardless of your relationship with Muzhi, the fact that she brought you to see her mother today means she probably really considers you a friend."
"I feel like she's just using me to draw her mother's fire and annoy her."
Jiang Linyuan said.
"Maybe so."
The Vice Principal sighed and said:
"Muzhi and her mother weren't like this before."
Could you stop being so cryptic! If you're going to talk, just say everything clearly!
"What were they like before?"
Jiang Linyuan asked directly.
The Vice Principal was taken aback, then said:
"Although their relationship wasn't great either, it wasn't as confrontational as it is now."
That's as good as saying nothing. Vice Principal, can you be of any use?!
Jiang Linyuan was exasperated:
"Vice Principal, stop speaking in riddles. Can't you just say it directly?"
The Vice Principal sneered and looked at Jiang Linyuan:
"You care so much about my daughter, yet you say you don't like her?!"
I... damn it!
Shouldn't have asked!
Jiang Linyuan ignored the Vice Principal, turned around, and walked away.