Chapter 1100: Chapter 472: Aunt Pan, Come to Jinling with Me!

Zhou Yuwen met his mother-in-law in his previous life only after graduating from university, which means this life they met three years earlier. Pan Min hasn’t even turned forty yet.

And Zhou Yuwen’s actual age is over thirty, so subtracting and adding, they aren’t too far apart in age, making their interactions as a single man and woman together a bit awkward for Zhou Yuwen.

Suddenly, he thought of something and said, “Oh right, Aunt Pan, shall we open the gifts first? Inside there’s not only some clothes and sachets Su Qing bought for you but also some health supplements I brought you from abroad. Look, like this snow ginseng, it’s great for nourishing yin and enhancing beauty, especially good for women.”

As Zhou Yuwen spoke, he opened them to show Pan Min. Pan Min said, “I’m already a forty-year-old woman, what’s the use of these?”

Zhou Yuwen replied, “How can you say that, Aunt Pan? With your looks, it’s more than fair to say you could put flowers to shame. I often say, Su Qing is pretty because she inherited your genes, and even then not completely.”

Upon hearing this, Pan Min initially held back a bit, but eventually couldn’t help but laugh, seeing Zhou Yuwen’s serious manner. Pan Min said, “Now I understand why you managed to win over Xiao Qing, your words are indeed sweet.”

Zhou Yuwen immediately pouted, “Aunt Pan, how do you know it was I who pursued Su Qing? Maybe it was she who pursued me. Besides, I’d only say such things to you! Otherwise, why would one person after another chase after you if you weren’t beautiful?”

Zhou Yuwen shouldn’t have said more, because once he did, Pan Min’s previously better mood became slightly unhappy again.

For other women, it might be a good thing, but for Pan Min, it’s genuinely a problem.

Pan Min is a woman with high aspirations, and given her decent situation, had she not been held back by her daughter at the time, she might’ve already gone to the big city to find a talented and capable husband.

But with a daughter, she needed a stable job, so she became a teacher at a school, which she’s been doing for so many years now. The town isn’t short of excellent men, but those men likely have matched women, while the rest are just about biological needs.

They’re either men with good conditions yet drained by indulgence, neglecting their image, or men struggling financially, with odorous bodies.

In any case, none would be Pan Min’s standard for a mate.

Yet these men are persistently keen.

Especially after Zhou Yuwen bought a car for Pan Min, her image became even more prominent.

Zhou Yuwen noticed Pan Min’s furrowed brows of distress, curiously asking if something’s troubling her.

Pan Min figured, discussing these matters with a child like Zhou Yuwen might not be understood, so she shook her head and said it’s nothing.

But Zhou Yuwen, being sharp-witted, quickly understood her meaning.

Yet indeed, on such matters, it wasn’t suitable for him to say much, so he changed the topic, suggesting they look at the gifts.

Pan Min acknowledged with a hum.

Living alone is lonely, especially for someone like Pan Min. Despite the loneliness, she understood boundaries, rarely interacting with strangers, which made her life even lonelier.

Only with someone like Zhou Yuwen, her daughter’s boyfriend, would Pan Min feel at ease, openly conversing with him.

And Zhou Yuwen indeed had a knack for sweet-talking women; with just a few words, he had Pan Min rolling her eyes and accusing him of being full of empty sweet-talk.

To which Zhou Yuwen merely chuckled along.

In the evening, Pan Min invited Zhou Yuwen to stay for dinner. Zhou Yuwen, aware of his mother-in-law’s solitary life, thought he might as well keep her company.

In the past life, while married to Su Qing, he did quite a bit of cooking. So when it came to cooking now, he could lend a hand or even play a leading role in making a few dishes.

The two of them, wearing aprons, worked in a small kitchen of just a few square meters, chatting as they picked vegetables and cooked.

This suddenly added some warmth and vitality to the previously quiet little abode.

Such a life was something Pan Min hadn’t experienced in a long time.

While helping Zhou Yuwen with the vegetables, she asked when he had learned to cook.

Zhou Yuwen explained that, since his family was busy when he was young, he did the cooking himself.

Pan Min responded with an “Oh,” curiously inquiring, “Does your mother not cook?”

“She scarcely has time to look after me.”

In fact, Zhou Yuwen’s cooking skills were really an adapted version of Pan Min’s, since the meals were made for Su Qing, and in the past life, he undoubtedly learned a lot from Pan Min. So both of their cooking bore similarities, which Zhou Yuwen didn’t notice, but Pan Min grew increasingly satisfied with Zhou Yuwen, thinking their tastes aligned.

Eventually, when Zhou Yuwen married her daughter, his meals would certainly be to her daughter’s liking.

“How is she doing abroad?”

“Very well, and she’s made new friends.”

“Good, that’s nice to hear.”

The two of them stir-fried a few simple dishes and then brought them to the table together.

Pan Min smiled, saying it had been a long time since she ate at home.

Zhou Yuwen replied that if Aunt Pan liked it, he would come back to keep her company more often.

Pan Min said, “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”

“No way, it’s the least I could do. How about a bit of this?” Zhou Yuwen suggested with a smile, waving a half-bottle of whiskey.

Mentioning alcohol made Pan Min feel a little embarrassed.

A woman nearing forty, drinking alone at home.

Zhou Yuwen assured her that it was normal, everyone has their little hobbies.

“Shall I drink a little with Aunt Pan today?”

Zhou Yuwen poured the whiskey into two hexagonal glasses, handed one to Pan Min, signaling a toast.

Pan Min’s smile was exceptionally lovely.

Especially under that gentle light in her home.

The two of them drank together and chatted about some of Pan Min’s matters.

Later, perhaps because of the alcohol, Pan Min started sharing about herself, saying she wasn’t happy with her life now, working day in and day out for ten years, originally for Su Qing.

Now she didn’t know what it was for; it had just become a habit.

Sometimes she thought about changing her lifestyle.

But then she thought, she was almost forty and shouldn’t be so reckless.

Zhou Yuwen noticed the confusion in Pan Min’s eyes.

Thinking about what Su Qing said to him in the past life, Zhou Yuwen couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever thought about living in Jinling?”

Pan Min was taken aback and looked at Zhou Yuwen, not understanding what he meant.

Zhou Yuwen remembered that the reason Su Qing worked so hard in her past life was to bring her mother to live in Jinling. Unfortunately, in the future, the work pressure on young people was too much. No matter how hard they worked, the money they earned wasn’t enough to buy a house, let alone bring their parents over.

Zhou Yuwen thought that now that he had the capability, he could let his mother-in-law try it?

Who knew that Pan Min was just stunned for a moment, then smiled and shook her head.

She said it was meaningless.

“Now that Xiaoqing is already abroad and I don’t know anyone in Jinling, what’s the point of me going there? It’s just a strange place,” Pan Min said with a look of disappointment in her eyes.

Zhou Yuwen looked at the woman under the dim light, her expression forlorn, and couldn’t help but say, “You still have me.”

“?”

Pan Min was puzzled, but she listened to Zhou Yuwen seriously say, Aunt Pan, I’m serious about Su Qing. The two of us will definitely get married in the future, so for me, you’re my family, my elder.

“If you don’t like the job here, then come with me to Jinling. If you want to work, I’ll find you a job. Of course, it’s also okay if you don’t work. With my abilities, I can completely take care of you.”

Zhou Yuwen’s heartfelt words made Pan Min feel a bit overwhelmed, but she quickly smiled and said, having you support Xiaoqing to study abroad already makes me feel like we owe you a lot.

If we let you support me too.

“Then wouldn’t we mother and daughter be indebted to you for a lifetime?”

Zhou Yuwen said, “We’re all family. What’s there to repay or not repay?”

Pan Min thought for a moment and still refused. She said she was still young and capable of working.

Besides, after working for over a decade,

she didn’t mind working a few more decades.

When she retired, it would still be okay to let him and Xiaoqing support her.

Pan Min felt that she had really talked a lot with Zhou Yuwen today.

It was peculiar; she unknowingly talked so much to a younger person.

Perhaps she really hadn’t confided in anyone for a long time.

The two of them had a few more drinks, and it was already very late.

Zhou Yuwen left.

The room returned to its cold quietness.

For some reason, when Zhou Yuwen mentioned taking her to Jinling earlier, she was genuinely tempted.

Now, looking at the crystal-clear wine glass, Pan Min felt a little ridiculous.

Zhou Yuwen was sent home by Liu Shuo.

Back in his room, he had a video chat with Su Qing, who was studying at her desk, her hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing frameless glasses, looking somewhat like a young professional.

Zhou Yuwen roughly recounted his visit to Pan Min today, including Pan Min’s suitors.

Su Qing listened and felt it was quite normal.

She said, in her impression, her mother never lacked suitors.

“After all, my mom is so beautiful.”

Zhou Yuwen said, there’s no shortage, but the quality is a bit lacking.

Su Qing agreed with that. The town is pretty small.

“Hey, wife, I was thinking, why don’t we bring mom to live in Jinling?” Zhou Yuwen suggested.

Su Qing hadn’t considered this before.

Zhou Yuwen explained to Su Qing, saying he remembered she had this thought in her past life.

“At that time, we didn’t have much money on hand. But now, since I have the capability, and mom doesn’t want to stay in the small town, why don’t I take her to Jinling? Even if she has suitors, the quality will be higher there, and she won’t be bothered by other men.”

“I hadn’t thought about that until you mentioned it.”

Su Qing adjusted her glasses. She hadn’t thought about it before, but after Zhou Yuwen brought it up, Su Qing felt it was really feasible. But what would she do in Jinling? Surely she couldn’t just rely on Zhou Yuwen to support her?

She knew Zhou Yuwen was capable, but she also knew that Pan Min was only in her thirties and wouldn’t be willing to be supported forever.

Zhou Yuwen suggested opening an educational training institution for her.

In Jinling, there’s a high demand for quality teachers. Tutors with experience can easily charge three to four hundred for an hour of tutoring.

“Our mom is a gold medal teacher with over a decade of experience. I can set up an educational training center for her, and then she can find a few familiar teachers.”

“The way you’re saying it, it does seem feasible,” Su Qing acknowledged Zhou Yuwen’s idea.

The current issue is that even if Zhou Yuwen proposes, Pan Min might not agree.

After hearing this, Su Qing immediately said, “I’ll talk to mom.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea.”

So Su Qing called her mother, shared her and Zhou Yuwen’s thoughts, and explained that experienced teachers are indeed in high demand in Jinling and that Zhou Yuwen was right.

“Mom, I think you can resign and give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, it’s okay; Yuwen and I will have your back,” Su Qing said.

Pan Min found this amusing and said, “You and Yuwen aren’t even married yet. Why would he be so good to us?”

Su Qing wanted to say that her relationship with Zhou Yuwen was special, but she wasn’t sure how to express that. Meanwhile, Pan Min said, “Yuwen is really good to us.”

“You should take good care of yourself, finish your studies and come back soon. Right now, I don’t have any big wishes, just hoping that you’ll quickly get married and have kids, and my task will be complete.”

Hearing this, Su Qing laughed too and said, “You want to be a grandmother before you’re even forty?”

Pan Min lazily stretched, “Why not?”