The Stars In Your Eyes - Chapter 168

Lin Caihong was born in a wealthy and powerful family. Her grandfather was a high military officer. A kind of family that was not as rich as the Sun family but wealthy enough to not let her raise her fingers for the rest of her life. She was studying in the girl’s boarding school filled with daughters from similar backgrounds. That’s where she met Zhou Qunfei and they have been best friends for more than 40 years.

Studying in the best girls boarding school back then was different with current education. Back then her school days filled with etiquette lessons, arts, language, and little bit science. Her hobbies are watching plays and movies, and also reading romance stories. From cheap third rate romance novels to high literature such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, even Romeo and Juliet.

Her parents then matchmade her with the third son of the Jian family, a wealthy merchant. The business was run by the first and second son, while Jian Shen decided to work in financial business. He secured the highest position in the company until he retired. Jian Shen earns more than enough to let her wife idle all day long.

That’s why her days are filled with reading too many cheap romance stories and watching soap operas on television. In her school days, she loved to act in the theatre. But with their background, none of the students there will be allowed to be an actress for the rest of their life. Thus she can only channel her hidden dream in front of her family and best friends.

Jian Shen, Jian Kang Lu, and Jian Kang Se, all were accustomed to her hobby and sudden play she created. But later along with her age, she didn’t play and teased her family much again, because they were just so boring. It was like punching air, there’s no satisfaction in there.

One of her dreams is trying to act like an evil mother in law. Once her daughter in law learns the truth, it will create a strong bond between them. It will be a beautiful bond and will make her friends who like to criticise their daughter in law envy her.

She always wanted a daughter, but what she got is two sons. Then she can only comfort herself saying she could enjoy all the things she dreamed with her future daughter in law. She already dreams of bringing her daughter in law each time they go together, lunch together, shopping together, just like her friends did with their daughter and daughter in law.

But who can guess that her first son was single for so long until she felt the corner of her dream grew mushroom already yet she didn’t see any sign of her future daughter in law. Then her cold stone second son brings her the daughter in law she dreamed of.

But once again her dreams shattered one she learned that her daughter in law was so excellent in her job resulting in her being so busy in the office? Fan Mingle didn’t have time to leisurely enjoy afternoon tea or strolling in the boutique to make their matched dress with Lin Caihong.

Why can’t her sons give her the docile unemployed daughter in law she was once imagining? In her meetings with her friends, she could only grit her teeth when they flashed their docile daughter in law. That’s why she always scolds her friends who like to say bad things about their daughter in law.

“You said your daughter in law’s cooking is so bad until you can’t even eat another spoon? You should be grateful your daughter in law cooks for you. Look at me? I can’t even see my daughter in law’s shadow until now!” That’s what she told them when both of her sons were single until she turned 50 year old.

Then after she got Fan Mingle as her daughter in law, her scold changed into “You said your daughter in law didn’t want to work and spending your son’s money? Look at me! My daughter in law was so busy until I couldn’t see her shadow except on our Sunday lunch even though I wanted to spend my money on her!”

Lin Caihong’s social circle is wide. She knows there’s a lot of hidden same sex relationship out there. She also read much. She didn’t have any prejudice against them. Although as parents, of course she prefers her sons marry good women and give her a lot of grandchildren.

But she saw too much family drama, and saw so many unhappiness around her. She can count herself lucky when her parents matched him with Jian Shen. Even though Jian Shen worked in the company instead of owning his own business, and cold as stone, he was a good husband, good father, a good man.

When Jian Kang Se ties a knot and Jian Kang Lu is still single, she already guessed about her oldest son’s sexual preference. There is no normal man with a face and career like her son who can’t get a woman he wants.

She once asked her husband about that, and they reached the same conclusion. No matter woman or man, as long as they were good and loved their son, it doesn’t matter. As parents, their job is to love and protect their children.

They make enough money to live a good life without their sons needing to help them. In this life, if their sons can live happily with their choices, that was good enough. That’s why they never meddle with their son’s choices in career, and in love.

Even if her son chooses to be alone for the rest of his life, as long as he was happy, it doesn’t matter for her. Happiness for each person is different. You can’t push your own views on other people. Just like an almond is a healthy food, but could kill someone who is allergic to it.

That’s why when Jian Kang Lu brought Bai Yutang to her house for the first time, she was convinced about her son’s preference, and she was happy to welcome her future son in law. She waited, and waited, but her son didn’t say anything to them.

Lin Caihong thought maybe because her son’s partner is too young. A student! That’s why she and her husband waited until their future son in law graduated. They even helped him to practice his thesis presentation, but still no shadow of her future son in law officially introduced!

Then she thought maybe because her future son in law was still looking for a job. They waited again, but then after Bai Yutang worked, Lin Caihong still didn’t get what she imagined to happen.

She imagines her son holding Bai Yutang’s hand kneeling before them, trembling and sweating, asking for their blessing. Then she will act to scold them at first before they agree to accept him and Bai Yutang being together.

But those beautiful scripts she wrote in her brain never saw the light. She scolds her timid and cowardly son in her heart. She will be 60 year old soon!

No matter how peculiar Lin Caihong is, there’s another reason why she loves to play pranks like this other than her hobby. It was to see the other party reaction to her rejection. To see their true colour behind those smiles.

She saw too many fake smiles in her life. Luckily her cold husband never fake anything. Their relationship started not from love, but from filial duty to their parents, and mutual respect to each other.

But who knows her little test makes her gentle future son in law crying like this? She only ever saw someone cry like this in the drama. It aches her heart. Maybe she went too far this time. She could only apologise and pat her future son in law’s back. While patting she frowned. Why was her future son in law so skinny? Does her son didn’t feed him well???

“Let’s eat dinner first, okay? We can talk while eating together.” Lin Caihong coaxed her future son in law who was still having his eyelashes wet from the tears he shed.

Bai Yutang usually avoids dinner with anyone because he wants to enjoy it with his lover. But he can’t reject his future mother in law. Thus he can only nod his head. Wu Yajun pressed the bell and 1 minute later the waitress came to take their order.

They enjoy the signature date-wood roast duck. Wu Yajun ordered the typhoon shelter-style fried crabs have firm flesh and rich roe, served with mildly hot chilli and earthy garlic to heighten their sweetness. She told Bai Yutang that was her favourite dish in this restaurant. It definitely pampers your sense, but Bai Yutang’s taste buds are not working yet. His mind was still buzzing from this overload of information.

“So, where do you meet Ah Lu for the first time?” Lin Caihong put the sliced duck on Bai Yutang’s plate.

Bai Yutang answered truthfully. These three ladies asked him about his romance story, and teased him until his face was as red as the fried crabs with rich roe. Especially when they asked who was the one who declared their love first. How could Bai Yutang tell them that they were kissing in the bed in Boston before they confessed to each other???

Wu Yajun teasing him with her original devilish smile, “So, is this your first relationship?”

Bai Yutang just nodded his head. He didn’t want to ask how Wu Yajun could guess that. She laughed and turned her head to her mom. “Transfer me the money. Told you, a cute guy like him must be a pure virgin deflowered by Jian Ge.”

Bai Yutang knows even though he wants to deny Wu Yajun’s statement, his face right now clearly betrays him. He decided just to shut his mouth. How could these women talk about that? And her future mother in law even didn’t help him at all. She only laughs and teases Bai Yutang even more.

“Ah, so Ah Lu has to take responsibility. Don’t worry, TangTang. If Ah Lu bullied you, tell auntie immediately. I’ll smack his butt for you.”

“Tch! TangTang, do you know you just made me lose 100.000 yuan? Your son is really a wolf in a sheep cloth, HongHong.” Zhou Qunfei’s face is still cold. I

At this moment Bai Yutang suspects her face was originally like that, not because she despises Bai Yutang. But maybe she really hated Bai Yutang right now for that 100.000 yuan. Who on earth bet that much for that kind of matter???

The dinner went until near 8 pm. Bai Yutang was restless from fear will reach home later than his lover. He also hasn’t ordered dinner yet for them. Even though he is full now, eating together with his lover was one of his happiness.

These three ladies, sensible enough to see Bai Yutang keep looking at the classic wall clock at the corner. Wu Yajun washed her mouth with the oolong tea. “Let me drive you home, TangTang.”

Bai Yutang awkwardly stands up following Wu Yajun’s gesture. He bowed a little bit to say goodbye to Lin Caihong and Zhou Qunfei. “Then i will take my leave, aunties. Thank you for today’s dinner.”

Suddenly Lin Caihong stood up and hugged him tight. She patted his back again. Her voice is soft but clear. “With all the things you have been going through, not only Ah Lu needs to take care of you right now. Our family also has the responsibility to take good care of you. From now on, don’t call me auntie anymore. Call me mother.”