Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Chapter 330: Chapter 26 Auntie of the Xie Family
 

When it came to meeting the elders of his girlfriend’s family, Yan Yu had quite a bit of experience under his belt.

Su Yunjin’s parents were senior intellectuals, so he knew he had to be careful with his words and show some cultural refinement; he couldn’t be too crude.

Chen Lingyun’s father was cunning and shrewd, it was best to be frank with him, no need to beat around the bush; her mother, on the other hand, was both foolish and haughty, so there was no need to be too polite, otherwise, she would look down on him.

Li Minghu’s parents were middle-class small town folks, school teachers, with a very laid-back and easy-going nature; as long as their daughter and son-in-law were happy, everything was fine.

Xie Ruoxi’s rural parents, according to Yan Yu’s memories from his previous life, didn’t stir up any scandals even when Ruoxi’s bad reputation was all over the internet, suggesting they weren’t the difficult type—even if they were, they wouldn’t be a match for Yan Yu.

Back at Jinling Prefecture, he arranged as usual for the maid to come clean the house at a set time.

Yan Yu played with his phone on the sofa for a while but then noticed an unusual quietness in the living room, with only Chen Lingyun sitting at the bar making coffee.

“Where is everyone?” he asked as he stood up.

“They’re all training in the basement,” Chen Lingyun said with a smile.@@novelbin@@

“Why the sudden enthusiasm?” Yan Yu immediately became suspicious, “Usually, they can’t wait to skip out on extra training, and now, after coming back from the Mysterious Realm and resting for half a day, they’re actually training voluntarily?”

“Yeah, weird, right?” Chen Lingyun said cheerfully, “What do you think is the reason?”

“Hmm, it must be a case of ‘shamed into bravery’,” Yan Yu walked over to Chen Lingyun, took a sip of the coffee she had prepared, and grimaced, “Why is it so bitter?”

“That’s just how this variety of beans is,” Chen Lingyun replied, “Full-bodied and aromatic, with a sweet aftertaste.”

“I don’t taste any sweetness,” Yan Yu said, frowning slightly, “Just a sour bitterness. You didn’t put dish soap in here, did you?”

Chen Lingyun chuckled helplessly and shook her head.

“You dare to mock the captain?” Yan Yu extended a finger and poked her on the head, “Going against the natural order? Learning from Xie Ruoxi, are you?”

“Coffee inherently has acidity,” Chen Lingyun said calmly, “As long as it’s smooth and not too sharp, it’s fine. If you can’t handle it, you could try something else.”

“Indeed, it must be me,” Yan Yu said carelessly, “I can’t be expected to share the same tastes as a little girl who strives for perfection and is stubborn and petty.”

“Mhm,” Chen Lingyun didn’t get angry but just smiled and said, “With drinks, you have to find your own favorite. It’s always right to try more options.”

Yan Yu’s brow furrowed instantly. What are you implying? Don’t think I don’t understand!

He was about to organize his thoughts for a comeback, when he heard the front door being opened from the outside.

Su Yunjin took off her shoes at the doorway, walked into the living room, and saw Yan Yu and Chen Lingyun chatting.

“Captain, I’m back,” she said with a warm smile.

“Good to have you back,” Yan Yu put on his captain’s air, looked her up and down, and suddenly said, “Did you get a tan?”

“Did I?” Su Yunjin looked alarmed, quickly took out her phone to take a selfie, and then compared it with her photos from a few months ago.

Lin Ning and the others were just coming up from the basement staircase when they saw Su Yunjin standing in the entrance hall. They immediately rushed over to surround her, expressing their care and concern:

“Yun Jin, you’re back?”

“Sister Yun Jin, I’ve missed you so much!”

“Yun Jin, you seem a bit thinner.”

After exchanging pleasantries with her sisters for a moment, Su Yunjin smiled and said:

“Let’s all go to my room. I’ll check on your injuries first. Captain, please wait downstairs for a while.”

The reason she planned to check the women before the men wasn’t due to any superficial spirit of mutual aid, but rather her own little scheme:

If she checked the captain first, the other girls waiting downstairs might come and hurry her, causing interruptions; therefore, it was better to check everyone else first, leaving the captain for last. That way, the examination could be more thorough and comprehensive, take more time, and give her a chance to chat alone with the captain and foster their relationship…

The girls went to the second floor and into Su Yunjin’s room, where she proceeded to conduct a detailed Divine Sense inspection for each of them.

“Ling Yun is fine,” said Su Yunjin after a brief check. “Ning Ning has a rib fracture, but it seems to be healing well. Going forward, you need to increase your calcium intake, drink milk, and don’t forget about vitamin D either.”

“I’ve already checked Ruoxi’s condition; there’s nothing wrong. The medical team mentioned the risk of pneumothorax just as a precaution, but in reality, there’s nothing to worry about. Sister Zhao’s injury can’t be exposed to water; it’s best to cover it with a sterile gauze bandage. Let me find some…”

She turned to search the drawers when they heard Xie Ruoxi sigh and say:

“Ah, so annoying.”

“Is it because your parents are coming?” Lin Ning asked with concern.

“Not just my parents,” Xie Ruoxi said dejectedly. “My aunt’s family is coming too.”

“Do you not get along with them?” Su Yunjin asked casually as she applied the bandage to Zhao Yuanzhen.

“I don’t get along with any of my relatives outside,” Xie Ruoxi expressed with frustration. “But my aunt’s family… they’re the kind that’s quite troublesome.”

She briefly explained that the aunt in question was actually Xie Mother’s cousin. Because they lived in the same village, they would often visit each other, but their relationship wasn’t very close, and the reason was straightforward: the other party was all too fond of making comparisons and gossiping.

For instance, how many tables were set for the New Year’s feast, how much money was given out in red envelopes to the younger generation; or how prestigious the university her son or daughter attended was, their monthly salary after graduation, what their partner’s family background was, and so on… Anything that could be compared would be brought up for comparison. After the comparison, they wouldn’t stop there but would go on to gossip with neighbors and friends, which Xie Mother and Xie Father both disliked.

Ordinarily, the visit of Xie Parents to see their daughter had nothing to do with this aunt. However, since the aunt’s daughter (Xie Ruoxi’s cousin) happened to work in Jinling Prefecture and heard that Xie Ruoxi was also in Jinling, she took the opportunity to say, “I’m going to visit my daughter and son-in-law, and it just so happens to be on the way,” so she booked tickets in the same train carriage as Xie Parents.

“My cousin works in internet operations, and her husband is in real estate sales. Together, I heard they earn about twenty thousand a month,” Xie Ruoxi said with a headache. “Ever since this aunt found out I went to work after high school, she’s always asking about my situation, or bragging about how much dowry her daughter received at her wedding, how much money she’s made since then… Both my parents and I dislike this relative.”

The girls looked at each other, understanding the situation.

“Even if she brags, you have nothing to fear from her!” Lin Ning spoke her mind bluntly. “We live in a big villa, and we have millions lying in our bank books, so how could we be afraid of not measuring up to her?”

“It’s not about outdoing her; it’s about not wanting to compete,” Xie Ruoxi sighed. “If she finds out, she’ll go back to the village and talk about it, and then everyone remotely related will come to my family asking to borrow money…”

“That matter of borrowing money is indeed troublesome,” Su Yunjin nodded. “Maybe we should ask the captain what to do?”