yournovel Chapter 387 Don't take it to heart
Chapter 387 Don't take it to heart
Chapter 387 Don't take it to heart
The young couple sat side by side at the dining table.
Lin Yourong had already put down her chopsticks. She watched with a gentle expression as Yu Huan finished off the last bit of stir-fried beef on her plate, completing the "Clean Plate Campaign".
Then, she raised her eyes slightly and looked at her mother across the table.
"Mom, stir-fried beef with yellow peppers is delicious, but I feel we can try a different way of cooking it..." Lin Yourong said softly, a bright smile appearing on her face, "For example, stewing it with potatoes, stir-frying it with scallions and ginger, or braising it."
Upon hearing her daughter's words, the mother-in-law's gaze unconsciously fell on Yu Huan, who was holding a bowl of chicken soup, and a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes.
Yu Huan nodded in agreement.
She paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, then next time Mom will try something different."
Yu Huan drank the warm chicken soup in one gulp. He put down the bowl and said with a smile in his eyes, "Mom, everything you cook is delicious. Now, I can't wait to try your new recipe."
Old Lin leaned back comfortably in his chair, intently looking at his phone.
His fingertips lightly swiped across the screen, and without looking up, he said repeatedly:
"That's just how your mom is. Her cooking skills are undeniable, absolutely top-notch. But once she's decided on a method, she doesn't easily change it. Over the years, it's basically been the same old dishes. After a while, even the best food gets monotonous and boring."
As Old Lin spoke, he paused slightly, as if he had suddenly come up with an idea.
He put down his phone, looked at the young couple, and continued, "You two should share more new recipes with her so she can keep up with the times."
Upon hearing this, the mother-in-law frowned and glanced at Old Lin sideways.
His eyes held both reproach and dissatisfaction.
“I’m busy with all sorts of things every day, where would I find the time to research new recipes? It’s already a great favor that I can cook for you! And now you’re here picking and choosing. We’ve been doing this for so many years, and I’ve never heard you say anything bad about me before, but now you’re complaining about me.”
Hearing this string of complaints, Old Lin hurriedly explained, "What are you saying? I didn't mean to criticize you! I was just saying it casually, don't take it to heart."
The mother-in-law ignored him and instead looked at the young couple with a beaming smile, her eyes full of affection: "You two, if you want to eat any dishes, just tell Mom and Mom will make them for you."
Old Lin coughed lightly, as if trying to cover up his embarrassment.
He put his hand on his mother-in-law's shoulder and continued the conversation without changing his expression: "That would be wonderful! Your cooking skills are so good. If you could try some new recipes, we would be really lucky!"
The mother-in-law turned slightly to the side, deftly brushed his hand away, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Didn't you say that my cooking gets monotonous and boring after a while?"
"Uh……"
Old Lin scratched his head, momentarily speechless.
Yu Huan watched the old couple bickering, his lips trembling slightly. He tried to suppress his laughter, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Lin Yourong chuckled without any attempt to hide her laughter. She got up and quickly began clearing away the dishes, stacking the rice bowls together.
As she worked, she smiled and said to Yu Huan, "Honey, I'll clean up. You can wash the dishes later."
Yu Huan nodded without hesitation and said, "Okay, I'll do whatever my wife decides."
The young couple moved seamlessly between the dining table and the kitchen, working together to quickly and efficiently clean up the mess after the meal.
When everything was neatly arranged, the clock hands pointed to 12:30 noon.
Without taking a moment's rest or any delay, the four of them walked out of their homes together and entered the elevator one by one.
Yu Huan raised her slender fingers and pressed the buttons on the first and second basement levels of the underground parking garage in succession. A slight "beep" sound was emitted the moment her fingertips touched the buttons.
As the elevator doors slowly closed, a slight mechanical whirring sound filled the air, and a feeling of falling enveloped the body in an instant.
Yu Huan tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on the constantly changing floor numbers, and broke the silence first: "Dad, what are you planning to do this afternoon?"
The voice just fell.
Then his mother-in-law's voice came from behind: "What else can he do? Go to a friend's house for tea, play cards, he's always busy."
"I'm not playing cards today. I'm going to meet up with some old friends, chat, have some tea, and relax," Old Lin smiled slightly and turned to Yu Huan, saying, "I'll come over to your place for dinner tonight."
Yu Huan smiled slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips beneath her mask, and replied, "Okay."
The elevator descended slowly and steadily, and soon arrived at the basement level.
As the elevator doors slowly opened, a faint, distinctive garage smell wafted out—a dark, damp odor mixed with gasoline.
Yu Huan looked at Old Lin, who was walking out, and quickly said, "Dad, be careful on the road."
"Okay, drive slowly too." Old Lin replied without turning his head, and turned the corner and drove away with a carefree air.
The elevator doors closed again, and in the blink of an eye, it descended to the second basement level.
The three of them filed out of the elevator.
Lin Yourong affectionately took her mother's arm, blinked her bright eyes, and asked, "Mom, where are you going to play cards? Are you going to Xiahe Street again?"
"Yes, we're going to Xiahe Street. Wang Han and Xiao Ru's mothers are there—" The mother-in-law said, then paused, looking at Yu Huan's tall figure in front of her, and suddenly raised her voice to call out, "Xiao Yu."
Upon hearing the sound, Yu Huan slowed his pace slightly, turned slightly to the side, and looked back with a gentle smile on his lips.
Seeing this, the mother-in-law smiled and continued, "We usually play mahjong from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. We went early today so that you would have time to chat with Wang Han about the program."
The voice just fell.
Lin Yourong suddenly raised her hand and pointed to Yu Huan's feet, her eyes full of concern, and reminded him in a clear voice, "Darling, watch out for the threshold."
"Oh," Yu Huan replied.
After going back and forth so many times, he had actually noticed it long ago.
Looking back at the threshold, he lightly stepped over it and then picked up where his mother-in-law left off, saying, "Dad already told me that before."
The mother-in-law laughed and said, "I've known Wang Han for a long time. Just be quick-witted and call him Uncle Wang. It's always good for young people to be sweet-talking. Since we'll be dealing with each other in the future, it'll leave a good impression."
Lin Yourong gently patted her mother's hand, but said in a light tone, "Mom, don't worry, Yu Huan isn't a shy person. He's very good at handling things outside and can get along with anyone." The three of them walked and talked, and before they knew it, they arrived in front of the little BMW.
Yu Huan moved with light steps, quickly circling around to the driver's side like a gust of wind, and picked up the conversation: "Wife, don't describe me like some kind of socialite, that's so strange!"
The humorous tone made Lin Yourong burst into laughter.
A clear, bell-like laugh echoed through the garage, dispelling some of the gloom brought on by the dim lighting.
Yu Huan chuckled softly, and after the laughter subsided, he emphasized, "But don't worry, Mom, I'll definitely do my best."
After saying that, he reached out and opened the car door, then casually got into the driver's seat.
The mother and daughter sat in the back seat, and the mother-in-law adjusted her posture slightly to find the most comfortable position.
With a kind smile on her face, she looked at Yu Huan through the rearview mirror and said, "Xiao Yu, when we're playing cards, you and You Rong can do whatever you want. You can go shopping, watch a movie, or find a place to have coffee and chat."
Lin Yourong slightly raised her chin, a playful smile appearing at the corner of her mouth beneath her mask: "Mom, why do we young people need you to tell us? We'll take care of everything ourselves! Don't worry about it."
Upon hearing this, the mother-in-law smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I know you young people have your own ideas. I was just offering a suggestion. As long as you're happy."
Yu Huan gently turned the key, started the engine, and the awakened BMW emitted a deep roar.
He lightly pressed the accelerator and drove the BMW slowly out of the parking space, the wheels rolling on the ground and making a slight friction sound.
He glanced at his mother-in-law and Lin Yourong sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror and said, "Mom, just focus on playing cards. We'll plan our afternoon activities carefully and come over for dinner at 5:30 in the evening."
After speaking, he quickly looked away, his gaze fixed intently on the reflective epoxy flooring.
The little BMW smoothly and effortlessly climbed the rotating ramp and drove up to the first floor of the garage.
As the vehicle gradually approached the exit, abundant light poured in from the front, instantly filling the entire carriage.
Lin Yourong turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on the receding wall outside the car window, and suddenly asked, "Mom, where are we having dinner tonight?"
The mother-in-law smiled and replied, "You don't need to worry about that. Your father will take care of it."
"Oh." Lin Yourong nodded.
Soon after, the BMW drove out of the residential area and gradually accelerated on the main road.
The midday sun was noticeably brighter than before.
Skyscrapers stand on both sides of the road, their glass curtain walls gleaming in the sunlight, like countless giant mirrors reflecting dazzling light.
Yu Huan couldn't help but pull down the sun visor, squinting slightly, and said, "Honey, the weather's so nice, why don't we go for a walk on Orange Isle?"
"Okay." Lin Yourong nodded without hesitation.
The route to Xiahe Street is a straight line, only a few kilometers long.
The little BMW sped briskly along the main road, and in less than ten minutes, it had reached the vicinity of Xiahe Street.
Following his mother-in-law's instructions, Yu Huan made a U-turn under the bridge and then parked his BMW on the auxiliary road.
The road here is a bit narrow, so in order not to obstruct passage, the right side of the little BMW had to be kept close to the wall.
As a result, the mother and daughter in the back seat could only get out of the car from the side closest to the driver's seat.
Lin Yourong gently pushed the car door open a little, her bright eyes glancing back to make sure no car was coming before she opened the door completely and stepped out.
Yu Huan, who had already gotten off the bus, stood to the side with her hands on her hips.
He raised his arm, stretched his body to his heart's content, and joked, "No matter when I pass by here, I can always smell a strange odor."
On both sides of the long uphill path are stone slab walls that slope down from high to low. They are mottled in color, bearing the marks of time, and in some places, they are even slightly covered with the green of moss.
Lin Yourong looked around at the somewhat cramped environment and pulled her mask down a little.
As soon as the mask was pulled up to her nose, a strong smell of urine wafted over, causing her delicate eyebrows to furrow instantly. She then quickly pulled the mask back up.
After getting out of the car, the mother-in-law turned around and closed the car door. Then she slung the shoulder strap of her bag over her shoulder, a gentle smile on her face, and said, "Under this bridge, people often urinate indiscriminately, and the smell is indeed unpleasant."
Seeing his mother-in-law start walking as she spoke, Yu Huan quickly grabbed Lin Yourong's hand and followed closely behind her, asking curiously, "Mom, is the place where you play cards inside Xiahe Street?"
The mother-in-law nodded without hesitation: "Yes, it's an old mahjong parlor. I've been playing mahjong here for over ten years, and I still come here often to play."
"Oh," Yu Huan replied softly.
After the three of them walked out of the slope, a bustling wholesale market for small commodities came into view.
Yu Huan couldn't help but turn her head away, her gaze sweeping over this familiar yet unfamiliar area, a complex and subtle feeling welling up in her heart.
As the heart of the city, this area, after years of efforts to improve it, is not exactly dirty, but it is definitely chaotic and disorderly.
The stalls were jagged and overlapping, like random pieces of a jigsaw puzzle piled up, with a dazzling array of goods piled up, making it hard to choose.
This place was once the top choice for almost all Changsha residents to shop, as it was known for its wide selection of goods and low prices.
The prosperity of that time was indescribable. The crowds were shoulder to shoulder, the sounds of bargaining rose and fell, and the bustling scene left everyone who saw it in awe.
However, as the wheels of time roll ever onward, it has gradually lost its former clamor.
What's even more heartbreaking is that, two years from now, a devastating fire will sweep through this area, burning away the youthful memories of a generation and accelerating the demolition process of Xiahe Street.
The young couple held hands and silently followed behind the mother-in-law, walking straight through the wholesale market and into the Xiahe Street area.
The surrounding environment looked somewhat dilapidated, with narrow alleyways paved with uneven bluestone slabs.
The peeling paint revealed the red bricks underneath. The red, weathered by time, had lost its vibrant brilliance, but exuded a rustic charm.
The mother-in-law's steps suddenly slowed down.
She slightly turned her head, and only after the young couple had come closer did she resume her steps, a smile playing on her lips, and said with a touch of wistfulness:
"Xiao Yu, don't be fooled by how dilapidated this place looks now, with all sorts of junk piled up. When I was a kid, it was a really bustling place."
(End of this chapter)