Aunt Mu's face beamed with joy, and she kept piling food onto Zhan Yichen's plate, as if she had gained a biological son.
After a few more calls of "Mom," Zhan Yichen gradually grew accustomed to the address, finding it more and more natural.
"Mom and Dad, what do you think of my proposal? Why don't you come back with us? If you don't want to live together, you can have your own place, and Lin Jing and I can visit often."
Zhan Yichen knew that the Zhang Yi family would never change their ways. If they stayed in their hometown, they would be harassed every few days. It would be better to go with them.
To this, the couple tacitly refused, "We're old now, so we won't go and add to your troubles. We're quite happy here in our hometown. Besides, we don't know anyone over there, and it would be boring. We'd rather not go."
Zhan Yichen couldn't refuse this reason, but he insisted on them visiting for a short period. After all, the wedding still needed to be discussed by both families.
His suggestion was not met with refusal. For a daughter's important marriage, parents naturally had a say.
While things were harmonious on their side, the mother and daughter who had just been kicked out were walking home, still cursing in the direction of the Mu family.
"This Mu Lin Jing, acting like she doesn't know her own name and surname just because she found a rich and powerful boyfriend. Look at her smug attitude."
Zhang Xinyi, holding her bruised face, listened to her mother's curses as they walked. When she got tired of it, she grumbled, "You're still talking. She hit me, and you just watched. My face is swollen. Is this how a mother should be?"
Liu Xin dared not breathe loudly when reprimanded by her daughter, and she repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. When we get home, I'll get you some eggs to put on it. Don't be angry."
The way this mother and daughter interacted was truly puzzling. The daughter projected an image of filial piety and gentleness outside, but privately bossed her mother around.
However, Liu Xin was willing to endure this. She always hoped that her daughter would one day catch a rich husband, and then she would have endless wealth and glory. Just thinking about it made her feel content.
But now that Zhan Yichen was about to marry Mu Lin Jing, she felt that her future glory was somewhat uncertain and couldn't help but feel melancholic. "Daughter, if they really get married, what will happen to us?"
Zhang Xinyi rolled her eyes at her mother. "Mom, you're too spineless. Are the Zhan family the only wealthy family in your eyes? Must we cling to them alone?"
Liu Xin looked distressed. "But we don't know any other families."
"Who says we don't know any? I've met many rich second-generation heirs with gold mines in their families during my years at school. They've all been very good to me. If you hadn't given me so little living expenses, I would have gone traveling with them."
She then started to complain, "You and Dad are the same. You only give me so little money each month. If you don't invest in me properly, how can I take you to live in a big house and eat and drink well in the future?"
Zhang Xinyi didn't have the destiny, but she was never stingy with her spending. The card Zhan Yichen gave her at the Zhan family's funeral three years ago was long empty. She didn't want her classmates to realize that her wealthy persona was a pretense, so she came home.
If she had enough money, she would not have remembered that she had a home.
Hearing her daughter say this, Liu Xin also felt that she had a point. They should indeed invest more in their daughter, which was also the principle she had always adhered to.
However, Zhang Yi did not have the ability to support his daughter's expenses. Neither husband nor wife had a job, so where would they get the money for Zhang Xinyi to spend?
This was a troublesome matter. After much thought, Liu Xin still wanted to rely on the Mu family.
"Don't worry, daughter. As long as your aunt and uncle don't leave their hometown, they can't ignore us. Their daughter married into such a good family, and a little bit flowing from their fingertips would be enough for your tuition. They must help us."
She had always educated her daughter with these twisted values. Zhang Xinyi, having been influenced since childhood, also felt that what her mother said was right. If their own family was not good enough, the Mu family should support them. If they didn't, it meant they had poor character and were a disgrace to humanity.
After thinking about it, she made another decision. "Let's go back and pack. We'll go and ask for money when they get married. The Zhan family is a prominent family and surely won't want to lose face. We can get a lot of money, and then you can go traveling."
Zhang Xinyi also thought it was a good idea. Since Zhan Yichen was getting married, she couldn't put all her hopes on him alone, but she still needed some money to support her in finding the next one.
They had been keeping an eye on the Mu family's movements. After a few days, the Mu family's door was locked. They knew that the Mu family had gone to Pengcheng with Mu Lin Jing to discuss the wedding.
This meant it was time for them to set off, lest they miss the wedding.
Mu Lin Jing brought her parents to Pengcheng again. However, this time, they did not book a table at a restaurant but went directly to the Zhan family's home.
The two families were already so familiar with each other. They should have become one family three years ago, so there was no need for politeness at a restaurant.
Arriving at the Zhan family's home and seeing the spacious and elegantly decorated house, Aunt Mu sighed, but the sense of inferiority that had arisen three years ago was gone.
Perhaps it was because Zhan Yichen had accustomed them to this disparity over the past three years, or perhaps times had changed, and many things faded with time.
Regardless of the reason, today, with both families sitting together again to discuss their wedding, all past matters were no longer important.
Old Master Zhan did not show any displeasure towards the Mu family because of what happened three years ago. Since they had already agreed to the marriage, those matters should no longer be brought up.
"If you ask me, the sooner the two children get married, the better. They both have work to do, and Lin Jing is in a period of career advancement. Only after getting married can she establish her career with peace of mind. What do you think?"
The Mu family nodded in agreement. "Of course, it's good. When Jing'er gets married, we'll be at ease."
Although this was a tacit decision by both families, the man's family had to propose it first to avoid making the woman feel uncomfortable.
Zhan Mohan took a thick almanac from the study. "Grandpa, is this it?"
"That's right," Old Master Zhan pushed the almanac to the middle of the table. "A major event like a wedding, I still prefer to consult the almanac. Do you have any objections?"
The Mu family naturally had no objections, and the two families looked together.
After looking through it, they finally set a date: the third of next month, which was the nearest auspicious day.