Chapter 33: Let’s become sworn sisters
I felt like Grandmother Meng was no longer on my side.
As expected, in order to make use of the ten thousand, the two of them watched TV together and didn’t bother casting a glance at me.
In order to show my fury, I purposely stood in front of the TV before I went to the kitchen. I swayed the plastic bags as I glared at him, “Yes yes yes. You are correct. Because you’re the boss…”
“You!” Suyang was irritated by my expression, and he threw a popcorn from the table at me. I caught it with my mouth as I ate it.
“I hope you die from an excess of anger!” I shook my head as I stuck out my tongue and made a face at him. Then, I hopped to the kitchen.
Damn that Suyang! I cursed him as I washed the vegetable leaves. If Suyang was the radish on the chopping board, I would definitely cut him up very smoothly.
From outside the kitchen, Suyang and Grandmother Meng’s laughter sounded especially ear piercing. I felt like a bullied young married woman; working alone in the kitchen.
Sweet and sour spare ribs, ground meat with eggplant, kung pao chicken, stir-fried beancurd in chili sauce, and a thick bowl of corn soup.
A relatively sumptuous meal was prepared. While I was carrying the dishes out, the two descendants were already at the table ready to eat. They didn’t make any attempt to help me set up.
The only thing worse than serving a Suyang was serving two Suyangs!
Serving them felt very strange. I was carrying all the bowls and utensils. Not only was I behaving like a young married woman; it was as if I had a lazy husband and was the daughter in law of an evil granny.
Deep down, I lamented. Whoever that ends up marrying Suyang will be one unlucky woman!
“Granny, how did you find out about Lin Yixin?” Suyang started a conversation. Why was he bring this up again? Didn’t he say he knew we were lying?
“Ah, I randomly heard Shaoqian talking about it. He said you hired a new assistant.” Grandmother Meng calmly responded, “So I asked for her phone number.”
“Goldfish, did you say anything weird?” Suyang suddenly asked me.
“Huh? No… can you not call me Goldfish in a public place?” I just wanted to eat in peace. I merely want to leave this dining table, why can’t my wish be fulfilled?
“Why Goldfish?” Grandmother Meng asked as she picked up a spare rib and began chewing. The moment she took a bite, her eyes sparkled, “Delicious!”
This was the biggest praise as a chef.
Suyang cut in before I could respond to Grandmother Meng, “Because she’s as stupid as a goldfish. Although, her culinary skills are quite high. Granny, eat more.”
I lightly kicked Suyang underneath the table. He paused his actions in mid air as he stared at me.
“Sorry, it was an accident.” I wasn’t actually sorry. I picked up my bowl and used it to hide my face.
“What were you two talking about before I arrived?” Suyang pressed my bowl down and acted like an interrogator. It was annoying how he kept questioning me consecutively.
“You two haven’t seen each other in so long, why do you keep talking about me? You should worry about yourself first.” I pouted as I muttered.
I picked up a piece of meat with my chopsticks and placed it in my mouth. All of a sudden, Suyang reached over and grabbed my left hand (the one I wasn’t holding the chopsticks with), and wrapped his fingers around my hand in front of Grandmother Meng. He calmly stated, “We have moved in together.”
Grandmother Meng spat out all the food in her mouth. It appeared she had choked; she was coughing vigorously.
My food was also almost stuck in my throat because of Suyang’s statement.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I wasn’t able to gulp down the content in my mouth as I said in a muffled voice. I put down the chopsticks and violently slapped Suyang’s hand to release me, “Can you not scare people like this?”
“You….what did you just say?” Grandmother Meng pointed her shaken finger at me. With great difficulty, she regained her breath, “Her? No!”
I was so sad…. Even though our relationship was just a joke that Suyang made up, Grandmother Meng had directly shown her disapproval in front of me….
My ego…
“Calm down! Calm down! We’re just living underneath the same roof. That’s it! That’s the truth! I’m speaking the truth!” I quickly explained. If I didn’t, I was afraid Grandmother Meng would faint from anger.
“You two cannot be together!” Grandmother suddenly became very solemn as she glared at us.
“Why not?” Suyang spoke up as he looked at me and analyzed my face from left to right, “She looks alright. At least, she won’t bring down the next generation…. Tell me, what did you do to anger my granny so much? Were you saying bad things about her grandson? Is that why she loathe you?”
I rolled my eyes in response as I waved an empty fist at him. Then, I raised my right hand and gave Grandmother Meng a guarantee, “I swear that we will definitely not be together. So you don’t have to worry.”
“How can you say that? How would you know what happens in the future?” Suyang refuted.
What the hell was wrong with my boss? Can’t he see the current situation? My heart felt very tired.
“Come over here!” Grandmother Meng suddenly stood and dragged me to stand up. Then, she went inside the kitchen by herself to look for something. We heard her going through a bunch of pots and pans. After a little while, Grandmother Meng energetically came out with an incense burner.
Suyang and I looked at each other; we didn’t expect Grandmother Meng to take this so seriously.
Grandmother Meng sincerely said to me, “Let’s become sworn sisters!”
“What?!” I yelled out from surprise. Grandmother Meng was Suyang’s granny. Based on our age and her seniority, we have two generation gaps between us. Yet, she wants to be sworn sisters?!
Suyang found this very amusing. It was as if he was watching a comedy show. He didn’t even try to prevent it from happening.
What the hell! This was clearly happening because of him! How come I was the one that had to suffer?
“If we become sworn sisters, I will believe that you won’t end up with my Xiao Su!” Grandmother Meng was very serious about this issue. The muscles around the corners of her mouth and eyes were drooping downwards; as if all the cells in her body were telling me she wasn’t happy.
How come she disliked me so much? Wasn’t she ok momentarily ago? In the past, she told me to come by whenever to chat…
“Fine, as long as you’ll be relieved.” I gave up resisting. I’ll just do whatever that makes her happy. Deep down, I sighed to myself, even if I like your grandson, it’s not like he will like me…
At the end, I randomly ended up becoming the generation of Suyang’s granny. I went from a 25 years old female without ever having a boyfriend to having a 27 years old grandson!
What type of sorcery was this?
I could tell by Suyang’s trembling shoulders that was trying his best to hold in his laughter.
Afterwards, Grandmother Meng acted as if nothing had happened. She continued eating dinner, but called me “old sis”. I felt like the title matched my outfit.
Nightfall, Suyang and I were leaving. Grandmother Meng walked us to the door.
I blankly sat in the car as I looked out the window without any attachment to this world. I stared at the stars high above the sky and recalled the words that Grandmother Meng had said to me after we had become sworn sisters.
“Old sis, my grandson and I have been mutually dependent on each other for years. Now, Xiao Su has grown up. My biggest concern for him is finding a girlfriend!”
“Aside from being handsome, good in school, filial, kindhearted, he doesn’t have any more good qualities. But strangely, he is often surrounded by extreme and ridiculous women. So, sometimes I worry for him. I’m worried he will encounter a bad woman and be tricked.”
“Old sis, when you and my grandson are returning home, please be careful. It is late. Also, he is the younger generation, so please help me watch over him….”
When Grandmother Meng kept referring me as “old sis”, it made me felt very awkward.
That title wouldn’t stop spinning around my head. It just wouldn’t go away.
I opened the car window a tiny crack, and we happened to pass by a forest trail. The air was very fresh. It was perfect for clearing my mind.
“Today, you must give me overtime fee for mental compensation.”
Suyang lightly chuckled, “Alright.”
“Also, you’re not allowed to call me granny. I know you’re going to use it to laugh at me…” I crossed my arms as I stared at the rows of traffic lights; it had a hypnosis effect. I was seeking for spiritual serenity.
“If you didn’t want to, why didn’t you reject her?” Suyang asked.
How could I tell him I had to do as she says because I still required Grandmother Meng’s help? Why were these Su descendants so good at grabbing hold of my weaknesses; leaving me with no choice other than to listen to them?
I felt like I was forced into the Su family. In ancient terms, it was similar to being sold into the family as a slave.
“What’s the point of rejecting? Plus, it’s not that big of a deal…” I breezily replied, “In the future, you should go visit her more whenever you have time.”
“I will.” Suyang replied. He gradually began to accelerate.
The wind coming in through the window became too fierce; making it impossible for me to get into a state of serenity. Furthermore, the wind was turning my hair into a mess.
“Driver slower, Xiao Su.” I ordered.
“What did you call me?” Suyang exclaimed as he slowed down.
I leaned my head against his arm as I gazed up at him. For some strange reason, he looked exceptionally handsome tonight. Was it because of the lighting from the streetlights?
I admired Suyang’s face as I evilly laughed, “You don’t want me to call you Xiao Su?”
“Landlord and tenant, boss and assistant, teacher and student, granny and grandson…we sure have a lot of relationships between us!” Suyang sighed.