Chapter 24

“Look at you, so old-fashioned. Everyone uses WeChat now, and you’re still sending text messages.”

“Come on, what era are we in that you still care about this?”

“My godfather said two thousand for a night isn’t a low price. If you’re a virgin, he’ll give you another four thousand.”

“Last time you mentioned treating us for your birthday—do you even have the money? We’re not going to those low-class places.”

Reading word by word, Xu Bin frowned. He knew the atmosphere in schools was liberal these days, but he hadn’t realized it had gone this far.

After reading through the entire exchange, he could only say that this girl named Ajiao was quite experienced, her words full of temptation.

“I’ll think about it!!”

The last reply from his sister-in-law Yao Le’er was clearly hesitant, and it seemed she was tempted. After all, her mother had always been strict and demanding, and for her, the leftover money after buying a phone would still be a huge sum.

A few thousand bucks to play with a virgin schoolgirl, and a loli with a baby face and huge tits at that—what a toad lusting after swan meat.

Damn, if his sister-in-law really agreed to compensated dating, Xu Bin would definitely be the first to throw money at it without hesitation.

At dinner time, Shen Ruyu came home first. She cautiously glanced inside from the doorway, and Xu Bin, busy in the kitchen, turned around with a smile and said, “Mom, you’re back. Go change your clothes. When Nannan gets home, we can eat.”

“Alright!”

Shen Ruyu looked at her son-in-law’s calm expression, but she felt especially awkward. After thinking it over in her room, she changed into a more conservative nightgown, one that Xu Bin hadn’t even seen before.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Ruyu walked into the kitchen, picked up the bowls and chopsticks, and said, “Son-in-law, last night Mom was a bit drunk and said some nonsense. I’ve forgotten what I said myself, so don’t take it to heart.”

“Got it, Mom!”

Xu Bin hummed a little tune as he continued cooking.

Shen Ruyu had the bowls and chopsticks ready but still felt uneasy. She went back to the kitchen and said softly, “Son-in-law, when I said my hands were sore, I was just mocking them. Why did you take it so seriously and actually buy Mom another bracelet?”

“It’s only right to honor you, Mom. Wear it however you like—why care about those gossiping women?”

Xu Bin smiled gently.

The mission line for his mother-in-law hadn’t updated yet, which left Xu Bin a bit puzzled. So for now, he acted as usual, focusing all his attention on the line involving his lovely wife.

When Yao Nan returned, the delicious dishes were already laid out on the table.

Steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce, stir-fried beef with green peppers, a plate of scallion and ginger crab, some braised pig’s ear bought from outside, and a stewed ginseng and black chicken soup—it was quite a feast.

“Delicious, son-in-law, your cooking skills are impressive.”

With her worries set aside, Shen Ruyu’s smile was noticeably warmer.

“Mom, this soup is especially good—it’s nourishing and warming. Give it a try.”

Seeing her husband being praised, Yao Nan proudly served her mother a bowl of soup.

The dinner atmosphere was harmonious and rare. Before, Shen Ruyu didn’t want to cook, Yao Nan came home late and rushed through meals, and Xu Bin, intent on not living there, would just boil some noodles to get by. So moments like this were few and far between.

“Mom, my aunt asked how your job situation is going!”

Yao Nan suddenly brought it up.

Shen Ruyu, who played mahjong every day, didn’t have deep pockets and couldn’t sustain it. When she lost too much, she’d think about working, but Yao Baichuan’s fixed living allowance would come in and kill that idea.

“It’s a private hospital!”

Shen Ruyu said irritably, “They call it a high-end private hospital, but it’s just two things: delivering babies and abortions, plus treating STDs. Your Aunt Yanzi works there—it’s pretty relaxed, but the pay’s low, and all day long a bunch of gossiping women gather there comparing this and that.”

Shen Ruyu had studied nursing at a health school, but with no family connections, she couldn’t find a good job. She married Yao Baichuan and had kids early, but her qualifications had aged well over time.

When she lost money, she’d study hard, take exams, and now her professional title wasn’t low. But whether she could still handle the work was another question.

Yao Nan just murmured an acknowledgment, too scared to speak, fearing her mother’s fiery temper.

Seizing the moment, Xu Bin placed a piece of beef in his mother-in-law’s bowl and said, “Mom, I don’t want to work at Xinhui Real Estate anymore. Being a security guard doesn’t pay much, and it’s really not as good as the business I’m running on my own.”

“Ding…”

As soon as he finished speaking, that familiar voice echoed in his mind: “Side mission: Apology with a cock in the mouth issued. Reward: mysterious and generous.”

At that moment, Yao Nan also spoke up, “Yeah, Mom, Binbin has so many things to deal with. Working that job and staying in the dorm—when would he have the time?”

Shen Ruyu gave her a charming, teasing glance and joked, “You just can’t bear to be apart from your husband, can you?”

Yao Nan blushed, her face glowing with the contentment and happiness of a well-loved young woman.

Shen Ruyu looked at the dazed Xu Bin and said, “Son-in-law, Mom’s not unreasonable. If you think there’s no future there, then go ahead and resign.”

“Really?”

Yao Nan said with some surprise, “Mom, you said before that even if you didn’t give face to my brother-in-law, you’d give it to my sister—you were worried about making things hard for her.”

“That was before; this is now.”

Shen Ruyu, who could usually make a scene over nothing, rarely blushed. The two gold bracelets together were already worth sixty thousand—such sweet talk had completely swayed her stance.