Chapter 21: Auntie, Our Love Is True!
“Lately, there have been a lot of rumors in class that I’m dating Tang Wenjing. It’s not surprising that this would reach her mother’s ears,” Chen Meng murmured, analyzing the situation.
If her daughter has a boyfriend, it’s only natural for a mother to step in and check things out.
“But it probably isn’t just about checking. With my family background, I’m nowhere near Tang Wenjing’s family’s level. Most likely, her mother won’t accept me.”
“So, she’s probably here to warn me off, to make me leave her precious daughter.”
“How will she make me leave Tang Wenjing?”
“Eliminate me physically?”
“I’m still underage. If she actually tried to harm me, under current Huaguo law, she couldn’t afford the consequences.”
“So what else could she do?”
Chen Meng asked himself, then a smile crept over his face. “Could she try to humiliate me with money? Yes, that’s what wealthy people always do, isn’t it?”
“If that’s the case, that would be fantastic—I’m in desperate need of money.”
Chen Meng actually felt a bit of anticipation. As for whether he and Tang Wenjing were actually dating—did that matter?
As long as she pays me, whatever she says goes. If she says yes, it’s yes; if she says no, it’s no.
“Lead the way,” Chen Meng said to the driver, his mood improving considerably.
The driver was a bit bewildered. Seeing Chen Meng’s obvious excitement, he couldn’t understand why the boy seemed so expectant.
“Get in,” the driver said, opening the car door for him just as he did every day for Tang Wenjing.
Chen Meng slid into the car, hardly able to believe he was sitting in a luxury vehicle worth over three hundred thousand yuan—a house’s worth under him.
The driver remained silent the entire ride, the mark of a true professional.
“Aren’t you picking up Tang Wenjing after school today?” Chen Meng asked casually.
“Miss Tang will be in self-study for another hour at school,” the driver replied. And that was that.
Fifteen minutes later, the car stopped in front of a stylishly decorated café.
“Crimson?” Chen Meng muttered, recognizing the place. His mother liked coffee and had mentioned this café as one of the best in Jiangzhou. A single cup here cost well over a hundred yuan—not a place ordinary people could afford.
“Ms. Shen is waiting for you inside,” the driver said, pointing to a window seat on the second floor. There, a woman in a sunhat sipped coffee, her gaze directed their way.
Through the glass, Chen Meng couldn’t quite make out her features, but from her slender figure, he guessed she was a slim woman.
“All right, I’ll go up,” Chen Meng said, getting out and slipping his jacket over his shoulders as he buttoned it on the way in.
As soon as he entered, a hostess greeted him. “Good afternoon, sir. How many in your party?”
“I have an appointment upstairs,” Chen Meng replied, pointing to the second floor.
The hostess nodded and stepped aside.
Chen Meng climbed the spiral staircase. As he reached the second floor, the woman in the sunhat rose gracefully.
“Over here,” she called.
This was Ms. Shen. She must have seen a photo of Chen Meng, or she wouldn’t have recognized him so quickly.
Chen Meng approached and saw she’d already ordered him a coffee. He sat down calmly.
He introduced himself. “Hello, Ms. Shen. I’m Tang Wenjing’s classmate—my name is Chen Meng.”
He was polite enough, and now he took a closer look at her. She looked a lot like Tang Wenjing, perhaps seventy or eighty percent, though her hair was cut short, giving her a capable air.
“Hello, I’m Shen Man, Tang Wenjing’s mother,” she said, introducing herself as well. Unlike Chen Meng, who smiled, her expression was stern.
Seeing her demeanor, Chen Meng felt more certain than ever—this was it. She was definitely about to humiliate him with money.
Come on, I can’t wait.
“Ms. Shen—”
“Don’t call me Ms. Shen. This isn’t the company, and you’re not my employee,” she interrupted with a frown, clearly displeased.
Chen Meng watched her, thinking this must be the start—picking faults with him, looking for an excuse to act.
I see right through this routine.
But if he wasn’t to call her Ms. Shen, what should he call her?
He eyed her uncertainly, feeling as if she was pushing him to make a bold move. After a moment’s hesitation, he tried, “Mom?”
She was just taking a sip of coffee; at those words, she spat it out in shock.
Chen Meng didn’t dodge in time, and a large patch of his chest was soaked.
“What did you call me?” Shen Man still hadn’t recovered. “Calling me Mom already—it’s a bit early for that, don’t you think? And honestly, I don’t think you’re suitable.”
Chen Meng nodded. That’s more like it. I’m just not worthy.
Hurry up and offer the money. I’ll take it and leave, and this will be over.
I wonder how much she’ll pay to get rid of me. For someone this wealthy, it should be at least three to five hundred thousand yuan.
“Call me Auntie,” Shen Man said, seeing Chen Meng still hadn’t responded.
“Oh, all right,” Chen Meng agreed. “So, Auntie, why did you ask to see me? Is this about Wenjing? There’s really nothing between us, you don’t have to worry. We’re just ordinary classmates, not even friends, honestly.”
He spoke directly, but deliberately emphasized ‘Wenjing’ and ‘friends.’
Shen Man was sharp; hearing this, she groaned inwardly. You’re already calling her Wenjing, and just now you called me Mom—then you say you’re just regular classmates? Do you take me for a fool?
Ah, why is my daughter dating so young?
“Auntie, are you all right?” Chen Meng felt triumphant. It seemed that when it came to their daughters, no mother could keep her composure.
Shen Man took a deep breath and looked at him. “You’re both still young. Dating at your age is too early. Right now, your main task is to study and get into a good university. I’m sure your parents think so too. By the way, what do your parents do?”
She’s checking my family background. Yes, just as expected.
“My parents? My father’s an engineer at the Flying Car Manufacturing Plant, and my mother is a junior cultivator at the Spirit Medicine Company. We don’t have any influential relatives. The house and car are both on loans. You’re welcome to visit us if you get the chance,” Chen Meng answered with an air of sincerity.
“And your grades?” Shen Man pressed.
“My grades? To be honest, Auntie, I’ve always been consistent—usually ranked in the seventies in class. But I’m working hard now. If I keep it up, I might just scrape into a lower-tier university. If my parents really grit their teeth, they could probably scrape together a hundred thousand or so for a promotion serum,” Chen Meng replied shamelessly.
Shen Man nearly burst into tears. If she remembered correctly, there were only eighty-one students in Tang Wenjing’s class. That meant he was in the bottom ten—a true slacker.
As for the promotion serum, was he planning to have his family sell their home for that?
“And your ambitions?” Shen Man asked, still unwilling to give up.
“My ambition? I want to be a chef, get married, have three to five kids—my parents would love that. But chefs don’t make much money, so I’d like to get my family a bigger house too, though that’ll probably take years of saving,” Chen Meng mused. He had once truly dreamed of being a chef in another world, though he knew his parents would never allow it.
Hearing this, Shen Man knew she had to make a decision. She took a deep breath and said slowly, “I’m convinced you and my daughter aren’t suitable. Tell me—what will it take for you to leave her?”
A cunning smile appeared on Chen Meng’s face. That’s more like it.
This is how the script should go!
Auntie, forgive me—I really need money right now. You’re so wealthy; just consider this a bit of charity.
Amitabha!
He chanted silently to himself, but didn’t ask for money outright. Being too eager wouldn’t look good.
“From what you’ve said, your family needs money. A hundred thousand yuan—leave my daughter, and it’s yours. How about it?” Shen Man said, narrowing her eyes and tapping the table.
Only a hundred thousand? How stingy.
Chen Meng calculated. A hundred thousand would cover all his high school alchemy expenses, but he still had to cover forging. It wasn’t enough.
Looking up at Shen Man’s annoyed expression, he retorted indignantly, “Auntie, we’re truly in love!”
“True love?” Shen Man laughed. At your age, you talk to me about true love? Do you even know what love is?
But then Chen Meng added slowly, “So you’ll need to add more.”
Shen Man was furious. Was he really saying the amount was too low? A hundred thousand would almost buy him a divine body promotion serum.
But on reflection, she didn’t really care about the money. Whether it was a hundred thousand or three to five hundred thousand made little difference. If it got her daughter away from this troublemaker, it would be worth it.
Yet seeing the look of anticipation on Chen Meng’s face, just waiting for her to raise the price, she suddenly felt a chill. She recognized that feeling from business—a sense of falling into the other party’s trap.
No, something’s wrong here!
Shen Man snapped awake. Reviewing their conversation in her mind, she realized she had been led along by Chen Meng from the very start.
First, Chen Meng had emphasized his closeness with Tang Wenjing, then repeatedly hinted at his financial difficulties, painting himself as a total scoundrel, leading her to offer him money to leave Tang Wenjing.
So that’s how it was.
Unbelievable—this whole thing had been orchestrated by the boy in front of her. He’d been trying to extort her from the start.
What a cunning fellow—she’d almost been tricked.
Shen Man drew in a sharp breath. That was close. Fortunately, she’d realized in time.
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