Chapter 265: Chen Dongmei: Find some time during the winter break to get engaged

「Back in their small courtyard.」

Su Qinghe carried the kitten Yiyi’s bed and began searching for a suitable spot to place it.

Gu Yifan had originally wanted to put its bed out in the courtyard.

But with Jinling’s awful weather, putting a one-month-old kitten in the courtyard wasn’t a good idea. If they did that, it would probably freeze to death in a single night, and Su Qinghe would likely cry her eyes out.

So!

In the end, Gu Yifan decided to put its bed in a corner of the living room, next to the sofa.

After setting up the cat bed, litter box, and other supplies, Gu Yifan looked at the little fella’s new home and nodded in satisfaction.

“Su Hanhan, bring Yiyi over here!”

Gu Yifan stood in the corner and called out to Su Qinghe, who was on the sofa cradling the kitten. “We need to teach her where to sleep and use the bathroom, or we’ll be in trouble when she starts peeing all over the place!”

“Okay.”

Su Qinghe nodded, then carried the kitten Yiyi over to Gu Yifan’s side.

“Um, put her down for a second,”

Gu Yifan said, looking up.

“Okay, sure.”

Su Qinghe nodded, then squatted down and placed the kitten Yiyi on the floor.

As soon as she was on the floor, the kitten Yiyi curiously sized up the cat bed before her. She took a few wobbly steps, looking this way and that, the very picture of a curious baby!

“She’s so cute!”

Su Qinghe watched the little kitten, a huge smile on her face.

“Yiyi, this is your new home now!”

“This is where you go to the bathroom!”

“This is where you eat and drink, so don’t get them mixed up, okay?”

“If you dare to pee or poop anywhere else, you’re going to get a spanking. You hear me?”

Gu Yifan said to the kitten Yiyi, pointing at the bed and litter box.

“MEOW~”

The little kitten Yiyi looked at Gu Yifan and Su Qinghe and let out a meow, as if responding to what Gu Yifan had said.

“I-It’s like she can understand us.”

Su Qinghe said in amazement.

“Mm-hm.”

Gu Yifan nodded. “I read online that most pet cats are pretty smart. When a kitten like this gets a little older, her intelligence will be equivalent to a one- or two-year-old child. If we teach her properly now, she won’t be so mischievous later on!”

“Oh, I see.”

Su Qinghe’s eyes lit up when she heard that, and she nodded seriously.

No sooner had Gu Yifan spoken than the kitten Yiyi wobbled over to her bed and, right before their eyes, curled up inside it.

Seeing this magical sight, Su Qinghe’s eyes lit up once more.

From that day forward, their home had a new member: the kitten, Yiyi.

…

“I head all the way north, leaving the season of you behind…”

Just then,

Gu Yifan’s phone started ringing.

He froze for a second, then pulled his phone from his pocket. It was a video call from his mom, Chen Dongmei.

Gu Yifan smiled and answered the call. “Mom, what’s up?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s up’?”

“I can’t call you unless I need something?!”

Chen Dongmei couldn’t help but roll her eyes, her tone annoyed.

“Uh…”

Hearing his mom, Gu Yifan said helplessly, “Mom, that’s not what I meant. You know me!”

“No, I don’t!”

Chen Dongmei shot back without a moment’s hesitation.

Gu Yifan: “…”

“Alright, alright, I’m already sick of looking at your face!”

“Anyway… where’s Qinghe? Let me talk to her for a minute.”

Chen Dongmei said irritably, seeing his expression.

“Here, she’s over there playing with the cat.”

Gu Yifan switched the camera view and aimed it at Su Qinghe.

“Playing with a cat?”

Chen Dongmei asked in surprise, “Oh… you got a cat?”

“Yeah, we just got her.”

Gu Yifan nodded and explained, “Qinghe wanted one, and we have the space, so we decided to get one.”

“Oh, I see.”

Chen Dongmei nodded.

Then Gu Yifan walked over to Su Qinghe and handed her the phone. “Here, Empress Dowager Chen wants to chat with you.”

“Okay.”

Su Qinghe took the phone and, seeing Gu Yifan’s mom on the screen, gave a sweet smile. “Hi, Auntie~”

“Hello, hello! Qinghe, dear, has that brat Gu Yifan been giving you any trouble lately?”

“If he has, you just tell me, and I’ll give him a piece of my mind for you!”

Chen Dongmei said, looking at Su Qinghe with an adoring expression.

Gu Yifan: “?????”

‘Wait a minute!’

‘The first thing she asks is if I’ve been bullying her?’

‘My own mother, honestly!’

‘Who’s her real child here???’

Gu Yifan thought, both speechless and exasperated.

Seeing Gu Yifan’s frustrated expression, Su Qinghe quickly came to his defense. “Auntie, Yifan hasn’t been bothering me at all. He just bought me a kitten!”

“Good, as long as he’s not giving you a hard time.”

“Since I’m not there with you, you two have to take good care of yourselves!”

“Otherwise, I’ll worry!”

Chen Dongmei said with a nod.

“We will… I know, Auntie. Please don’t worry.”

Su Qinghe nodded obediently.

After they chatted casually for a little while longer…

Chen Dongmei suddenly said, “Son, Qinghe, why don’t you two find some time this winter break to get engaged!”

?????

Gu Yifan: “…”

Su Qinghe: “…”

The words from Gu Yifan’s mother, Chen Dongmei, left both Gu Yifan and Su Qinghe completely stunned.

They both stared at each other, eyes wide!

Their gazes locked.

Their expressions were filled with utter disbelief.

WHOOSH~

Su Qinghe’s face instantly turned bright red.

She lowered her head, unable to meet Chen Dongmei’s eyes on the screen, looking completely flustered.

“Uh…”

“Mom, isn’t… isn’t this a little too soon?”

Gu Yifan said helplessly, looking at his mother.

“Pah~”

“I’m just telling you to get engaged, not married!”

Chen Dongmei said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, even if you wanted to, you’re not even of legal age to marry yet!”

Gu Yifan: “…”

‘Well, she’s got a point there!’

‘I can’t even argue with that!’

Gu Yifan thought, speechless.

“Mom~”

“I know what you mean!”

“I just feel like it’s still a bit too early, isn’t it?”

Gu Yifan said weakly.

“Hmm??”

Chen Dongmei’s brow furrowed slightly.

“What’s so early about it?”

“Your father and I just discussed this!”

“It’s fine for you, you’re the boy, but you have to think about Qinghe, don’t you?”

“Is she supposed to just follow you around with no commitment?”

“Once you’re engaged, you won’t have to worry about gossip!”

“As for making it official, you can wait until after you graduate college. Then you can just pick a date to go register and get married!”

Chen Dongmei said slowly, looking at Gu Yifan and Su Qinghe.

Gu Yifan: “…”