Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Only after I got out of the car did I realize we had driven into an upscale residential complex.

“Come on.”

I followed behind Xie Yi, feeling inexplicably nervous.

Sure, our relationship was fake, but meeting my future mother-in-law was very real.

What if I left a bad impression on my mother-in-law the first time we met? That would be awful.

I looked down at what I was wearing.

Thank goodness I had put on a dress before leaving instead of just throwing on some random T-shirt.

I smoothed out my clothes, then checked my reflection in my phone.

My makeup hadn’t smudged, right?

“Nervous?”

“Of course. An ugly daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws-how could I not be nervous?”

The moment I said it, both of us froze in the elevator.

In the reflection of my phone screen, I could see the corners of Xie Yi’s mouth lifting despite himself.

His smile was gentle and restrained.

Even pressing his hand against his lips couldn’t hide the faint amusement spreading through his eyes.

Seeing me lower my head in embarrassment, he gave two soft coughs.

“Ahem. Don’t be nervous. You look beautiful.

“And don’t worry. My mom will definitely like you.”

Huh? Why?

I looked at him in confusion.

But Xie Yi only smiled and said nothing.

When the door to his home opened, I finally understood what he had been hiding.

Because the person who opened the door was his mother-my advisor.

The door opened, and I had been about to call her Auntie. I never expected the person standing there to be my teacher.

My brain short-circuited. “Mo… Mom?”

No, wait. I had meant to say teacher.

My advisor burst out laughing. “Yiyi, as much as I’d love to take you as my daughter, I’m not that old, am I?”

I hurriedly waved my hands. “No, no, that’s not it. Um, Auntie-no, teacher, I…”

I completely jammed up and stood there frozen, finally closing my mouth in defeat.

My very first meeting with Xie Yi’s mother was instant social death.

My advisor, however, was very warm. “Call me whatever you want. If you call me Mom, I don’t mind either. Don’t just stand there. Change your shoes and come in.”

While changing shoes, I secretly bent down and asked Xie Yi, “Why didn’t you tell me your mom was my advisor?”

Xie Yi changed into his slippers at an unhurried pace.

He straightened, his voice sounding above my head. “I said so the first time I taught your class.”

“But…” He paused.

I couldn’t help looking up at him, only to meet a pair of smiling eyes.

His tone was bright with amusement. “You seemed to be secretly taking photos of me at the time.”

I heard my advisor fail to hold back a snort of laughter.

I was really going to thank him for that. Even more social death.

But what I didn’t expect was that the ultimate social death was still waiting for me.

I followed my advisor into the living room.

She chatted casually, “Didn’t you say you were going to spend the Qixi Festival in Xie Yi’s arms today? Why didn’t you go on a date?”

Me: …