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Join the ServerInside Bai Mengqi’s living room, an awkward silence settled.
Bai Mengqi and Zi Yanran sat stiffly side-by-side, surrounded by Bai Mengqi’s entire family. The atmosphere was akin to a three-way interrogation.
Every pair of eyes made their hearts pound with unease.
Of course, Bai Mengqi had anticipated this exact scenario.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, Auntie… please, don’t look at Yanran and me like that,” Bai Mengqi stammered, cold sweat beading on their forehead.
Under such intense scrutiny, Zi Yanran was equally constrained and nervous. Her usual powerful demeanor as a businesswoman had vanished, and she clung tightly to Bai Mengqi, her hand clutching their clothes.
Who could possibly withstand such an onslaught?
Bai Mengqi’s father, Bai Yunlong, was an ordinary middle-aged man, while their mother, He Ning, had undoubtedly been beautiful in her youth. Their gazes were the most astonished of all.
There had been no warning, no hint whatsoever. Their child had suddenly brought home a daughter-in-law. How could they *not* be shocked?
“You’ve been quite secretive, young one,” Bai Yunlong finally managed, still somewhat dazed. “Even your mother and I had no idea you had a girlfriend. I don’t know whether to call this a pleasant surprise or a fright.”
He was still reeling from the news. His eldest niece’s happy occasion had been utterly overshadowed by an even bigger event in his own home.
If they knew their child already had a grandson and granddaughter, they would truly be terrified.
“Indeed, Mengqi, when did you and this girl get together? Was it during university?” Bai Mengqi’s grandmother also began to probe.
Bai Mengqi genuinely didn’t know how to explain.
“Oh, come on! That’s enough, all of you. You just need to know that Yanran is my girlfriend. Why ask so many questions? You’re making Yanran and me incredibly uncomfortable. Can’t you just be normal?”
Bai Mengqi rolled their eyes incessantly.
At their outburst, the family members clearly found it difficult to maintain such a serious demeanor.
“A daughter-in-law visiting is a joyous occasion. We mustn’t scare her away.”
“Mengqi is right. What are you all doing? Our Old Bai family has double blessings today! Yanran, I’m Mengqi’s paternal aunt. Come, let’s chat with me and Mengqi’s mother.”
Bai Mengqi’s aunt proactively pulled Zi Yanran out of the “battlefield.”
After a quick glance at Bai Mengqi, Zi Yanran decisively rose and departed.
Bai Mengqi watched as Zi Yanran was led away by their aunt and mother, and was about to stand up.
But Bai Mengqi’s father called out, stopping them.
“Where are you going? The girl can leave, but you can’t. Confess everything quickly and you’ll be treated leniently. Resist, and you’ll face severe consequences.”
Bai Mengqi had no choice but to reveal what could be told, carefully omitting what should remain hidden for now.
This explanation proved truly troublesome, taking Bai Mengqi nearly half an hour.
Meanwhile, Zi Yanran’s side was certainly no easier. Bai Mengqi’s grandmother, mother, aunt, and various other aunts didn’t let her off the hook.
The only difference was that the conversations among the women were perhaps a little more free and relaxed.
This was a rite of passage for every new couple.
Originally, Bai Mengqi had intended to find an opportune moment to confess their full truth to their parents.
However, with this many people present, that seemed utterly impossible.
There were simply too many family members.
Bai Mengqi preferred not to let too many people know about their transformation into a woman.
****
That evening, the Bai family prepared a grand banquet to welcome Zi Yanran, a gesture to celebrate her arrival and clear away any travel weariness.
Bai Mengqi knew they wouldn’t have a moment’s peace in the coming days, especially with their cousins returning, which would surely bring another round of probing questions.
Yet, this was the essence of ordinary life.
Later that night, in Bai Mengqi’s room, a good night’s sleep was out of the question for the couple. Through the walls, they could hear the hushed conversations of their family.
“Oh, Yanran,” Bai Mengqi whispered, “I suddenly don’t want to tell them my true situation. What do you think?”
Zi Yanran deeply resonated with this sentiment.
“Mm, I think we should wait a few more years,” Zi Yanran agreed. “I’m worried Grandpa and Grandma wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
They truly needed to find another time to discuss this matter. They couldn’t simply reveal everything at once; it had to be a gradual process.
The family’s understanding was still too limited. Bai Mengqi needed to slowly expand their perception of the world.
“But then, what should we do?” Bai Mengqi fell into deep thought.
After some consideration, Zi Yanran offered a suggestion.
“We still need to broaden their horizons. Staying in this small mountain village and county town definitely won’t work. While I know you want to keep a low profile, some things are inevitable. If you want your family to believe you, you need to demonstrate tangible capabilities. This doesn’t necessarily mean showing them your supernatural abilities; it could also be wealth. Do you understand what I mean?”
Bai Mengqi was no fool; they understood Zi Yanran’s words. However, directly showcasing their financial power would certainly be troublesome.
Moreover, their personal wealth was limited. Only by leveraging Zi Yanran’s finances could they truly demonstrate such power.
“What’s wrong? Judging by your expression, you’re probably thinking that relying on my wealth would be like being a kept man, right?” Zi Yanran easily guessed Bai Mengqi’s thoughts.
Many people who hadn’t possessed such wealth before often felt conflicted about it. But everything needed a beginning. Only by taking that first step could a door to an unknown world be opened.
For Zi Yanran, for instance, no amount of money could ever surpass emotions and feelings.
“What do you plan to do?” Bai Mengqi asked.
“Leave this to me. I have some experience,” Zi Yanran stated. “You, on the other hand, must gain authority within the family. This authority stems from financial power. Without it, in their eyes, you’ll always remain a child, and your words will never carry conviction.”
After a moment of thought, Bai Mengqi did not refuse. From a rational perspective, they believed Zi Yanran was right.
“Alright then, you handle it. But make sure to do it gradually; don’t make it too exaggerated all at once.”
Zi Yanran chuckled, then pulled out her phone and made a call.
“Hello, Manager Wang? Could you help me with something? I believe all the properties in Lantian fall under your responsibility, correct? Yes.”
Bai Mengqi listened, and it didn’t sound overly extravagant, so they didn’t intervene.
“Mm, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I truly wouldn’t be able to do this myself.” Bai Mengqi immediately kissed her, expressing their gratitude.
Zi Yanran rolled her eyes.
“You’ve seen the big world, yet when it comes to family matters, you’re still like a child,” Zi Yanran teased with a wry smile.
“This is different,” Bai Mengqi shook their head.
****
The night passed, and the next morning, Bai Mengqi woke up and immediately called Bai Yunlong and He Ning to their room.
“You two, why are you being so mysterious? What’s going on?” He Ning asked, puzzled.
Zi Yanran nudged Bai Mengqi with her elbow. She could handle the arrangements for Bai Mengqi, but some words had to come from Bai Mengqi’s own mouth.
“Oh, Mom, there’s something I might need to confess,” Bai Mengqi said, steeling their resolve.
The couple looked at their child’s hesitant expression, growing more curious.
“What is it that you need to confess to us?”
Bai Mengqi took a deep breath, then spoke directly. “Your child, I, found a very good job this year…”
As Bai Mengqi began to explain, the couple’s expressions shifted from surprise to solemnity, then finally to incredulity and confusion.
“What? You… you’re currently working in a listed company in Jiangcheng? And this girl, Yanran, is the chairman of your company? Boy, you’re not joking, are you?”
Bai Mengqi didn’t offer many further explanations.
“Whether it’s a joke or not, you’ll see today.”
Having said it, Bai Mengqi immediately felt a sense of relief.
The couple could only half-believe them.
Time slowly passed. Around noon, a convoy of cars, including several trucks, drove out of Lantian County and entered Baijia Village.
The sudden arrival of so many vehicles in the village naturally aroused everyone’s curiosity.
Bai Mengqi’s parents and grandparents, for instance, had never witnessed such a grand display.
As soon as the vehicles arrived, Zi Yanran received a call.
“Mom, Dad, they’re here! Let’s go see!” Bai Mengqi quickly called their family to come and see the items.
The entire family walked out to the village road, dumbfounded.
This area was specifically designated for parking.
When they arrived, they were all stunned. More than a dozen cars, and several large trucks, filled the space.
As Bai Mengqi approached, a man in a suit scanned the crowd and quickly located Zi Yanran.
He walked over, beaming with delight.
“General Manager Zi, I am Lai Zimo, the branch manager of Zijing Group in Lantian County. Welcome back to Lantian County!”
Lai Zimo bowed and scraped to Zi Yanran. The difference in their positions was vast; meeting Zi Yanran was a rare opportunity for him.
This meeting, for him, represented a slight increase in possibilities for his future.
“Mm, Manager Lai, you’ve worked hard. Please have these items delivered. As for how they’re distributed, my boyfriend will tell you,” Zi Yanran said, quickly pushing Bai Mengqi forward.
Manager Lai was momentarily stunned. He stared blankly at the young person who looked as if they had just graduated from university, the boyfriend of their company’s chairman.
His first reaction was envy, jealousy, and resentment, but his face certainly maintained a respectful demeanor.
“Alright, Manager Lai, have your people carry these items and follow me. We’ll deliver them to each household, one by one,” Bai Mengqi instructed.
This was Zi Yanran’s idea. She had said that while one could be discreet about wealth, there were times when it needed to be displayed. If you didn’t show it, others would never know.
Thus, under the dumbfounded gaze of their family, Bai Mengqi began distributing gifts to everyone in the village. These items weren’t particularly precious—they included wine, tonics, and other sundry goods.
Each household received gifts worth approximately two to three thousand, for those with whom Bai Mengqi had only a casual relationship.
Those with the same surname as Bai Mengqi, or who were close blood relatives, received even more generous allocations.
This single act alone made everyone in the village realize that Bai Mengqi had become successful.
Regardless of what others might think—some would surely say Bai Mengqi was showing off—it didn’t matter, as Bai Mengqi wouldn’t be living with them anyway.
It took nearly an hour to distribute all the items Zi Yanran had prepared.
Afterward, Bai Mengqi and Zi Yanran were once again surrounded by family.
However, this time, their questions were no longer an interrogation. Their words and expressions had noticeably become more polite.
This politeness wasn’t a sign of estrangement; rather, they had learned to respect Bai Mengqi.
In a family, what people often lacked most was respect, especially for individuals like Bai Mengqi.
With respect, they would listen to what you said and believe you. Otherwise, even if it were true, they wouldn’t trust it.
“I can’t believe it! You little rascal became so successful so quickly! Why didn’t you say anything yesterday? You gave us a huge surprise today,” Bai Mengqi’s aunt exclaimed in awe.
Bai Mengqi glanced at Zi Yanran.
“Many things need to be done one step at a time. If we had overwhelmed you yesterday, you wouldn’t have been able to process it. That’s why we waited until today.”
With that said, Bai Mengqi then expressed a desire to host an even grander wedding for their cousin.
Instead of going to the county town, they would hold it right there at home. Of course, they would first need to seek their paternal aunt’s family’s opinion.
This time, Bai Mengqi was truly going to play the role of the ‘Crooked-Mouth Dragon King.’
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