CHAPTER 521: CHAPTER 11 HERBIVORES

After dinner, Lin Xiaoguai asked Mrs. Zhang to take Qiao Shan out for a walk, and she pulled her son aside to talk in the study, taking Shen Chi along with her.

"What’s going on? Do Qiao Shan’s parents have some sort of situation?" As soon as the door was closed, Lin Xiaoguai couldn’t wait to ask.

She had long told her children that she wouldn’t interfere too much with their marriages unless they were completely unreliable; otherwise, she was willing to respect their choices.

"Mom, don’t rush; we can take our time talking about this." Shen Yinian poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of Lin Xiaoguai.

Compared to when he had just started college, although his appearance hadn’t changed much, his demeanor had undergone a complete transformation. If he was once just a boy, he could now be considered a man. Standing next to Shen Chi, even though his presence might still be overshadowed, he no longer went unnoticed as he used to.

Lin Xiaoguai picked up a cushion, leaned on the sofa, and sighed, "Okay, go ahead."

Shen Chi also sat next to her, waiting for his explanation.

Shen Yinian sat down opposite them, touched his nose, and said, "You probably know of Qiao Shan’s parents."

Facing the puzzled looks from his parents, he bravely continued, "Her parents’ names are Qiao Yuanting and Luo Meng."

Qiao Yuanting and Luo Meng?

Lin Xiaoguai furrowed her brows, "The boss of Yuanfang Construction, Qiao Yuanting, and the owner of Mengli Clothing, Luo Meng?"

Shen Yinian nodded.

"But aren’t they from Shanghai?" Lin Xiaoguai asked, puzzled.

Speaking of Qiao Yuanting and Luo Meng, they were also well-known workaholic couples in business circles, able to build such significant enterprises on their own; their capabilities and acumen didn’t need to be mentioned. But what made them most famous was their spousal relationship, which, though not discordant, always seemed strictly professional to outsiders. Many said it was fortunate that the couple worked in different fields, for if they ever clashed over interests, they would definitely turn against each other.

Lin Xiaoguai had some dealings with the couple over the years but had never heard they had a daughter.

She never imagined that there would come a day when her family would be bound by marriage to theirs.

"Qiao Shan had an argument with her parents and ran off to City N to clear her mind. Then, while shopping, her bag got stolen, and I helped chase it down for her. That’s how we met," Shen Yinian said, taking a sip of his tea.

"When did this happen?" Lin Xiaoguai asked.

"The year before last." Pausing for a moment, Shen Yinian continued, "From a young age, Qiao Shan was enrolled in the elite education arranged by her parents and went to Harvard in the United States at eighteen to study business management. Her parents originally planned for her to pursue graduate studies, but she couldn’t get used to the food there and ended up with a chronic stomach issue. After completing her undergraduate studies, she wanted to come back, but her parents utterly rejected her reason. Out of frustration, she came back to the country on her own and had a row with them before running off to City N."

Shen Chi raised an eyebrow, "Just because her parents wouldn’t let her return to the country, she fell out with them?"

"It’s more than that." Shen Yinian touched his nose and said, "Her mother found a love letter in her luggage, and then they really got into a fight."

He pursed his lips, "Qiao Shan’s parents have always planned on having her marry into their own family, so they forbade her from dating and hoped she would marry a man of their choosing. Qiao Shan didn’t want her life dictated by them, and neither side was willing to compromise."

Lin Xiaoguai was taken aback by this; by that logic, didn’t her son also fail to meet their conditions for a son-in-law?

"What do you think about this?" Shen Chi asked his son.

"Let’s get married before Qiao Shan’s parents catch on to what’s happening," Shen Yinian decisively said.

Lin Xiaoguai was stunned, "But... it’s not great to just marry off their daughter without any notice, is it?"

"My dear mother!" Shen Yinian squeezed over to hug her shoulder, "If we notify them, your son might very well lose the chance to marry her; are you sure you want to make that call?"

Lin Xiaoguai still frowned, "Does Qiao Shan agree with this?"

"Don’t worry; she absolutely agrees."

Lin Xiaoguai still felt uneasy, but since Shen Chi didn’t speak up, she didn’t voice any more objections.

That evening, when the quadruplets came home, Qiao Shan, who didn’t have any siblings, was quite astonished, but through Shen Yinian as a mediator, although they didn’t immediately become close, they got along quite well.

In the evening, Lin Xiaoguai couldn’t help but ask Shen Chi, "Hey, you don’t also agree with Little Niangao’s idea, do you?"

"Why wouldn’t I agree?" Shen Chi replied with a question.