My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 74 It's hard to appease Mom, but it's even harder to appease Xia Li.

The sky gradually darkened.

After a bumpy journey, Song Jianguo and Zhang Shushu finally arrived at the entrance of their familiar residential area.

The couple didn't have much luggage. Song Jianguo dragged his suitcase with one hand, while carefully holding the gift he had bought for his son to his chest with the other, as if protecting some fragile treasure. Passing by a flower shop that was still open, Zhang Shushu went in and picked out a small bunch of pale yellow tulips.

It was prepared for that girl I had never met.

I pulled the key to the iron gate out of my bag, pushed it open, and with a creak, the familiar old apartment building alleyway came into view.

After walking a few steps inside, Zhang Shushu suddenly tugged at her husband's sleeve and lowered her voice:

"Jianguo, look ahead... isn't that our son?"

Song Jianguo squinted and looked down. Under the streetlight not far away, a tall and thin figure was bowing his head slightly, and there seemed to be a petite figure next to him.

"Is it that...the one getting hit on the head?" Song Jianguo couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the way the guy was being hit.

"It seems... I can't see her face clearly. The one next to her... is that the girl?" Zhang Shushu craned her neck, trying to make out her features in the dim light. "She's quite pretty... why is her hair silver?"

"Should we go over and say hello?" Song Jianguo asked.

"No!" Zhang Shushu immediately shook her head, a detective glint in her eyes. "Don't alert them yet. Let's go around this way and check on Sister Lan first. These two kids probably just came from her place; we can ask them what happened."

"That's fine. Sister Lan lives alone, so I should visit her more often. She said she fainted last time, I wonder if she's feeling better lately." Song Jianguo said, taking the suitcase and gifts into his own hands. "Let's go, let's go upstairs and put our things down first."

"Sister Lan is the same. She's not young anymore, but she's still as stubborn as she was when she was young, insisting on following us around." Zhang Shushu sighed, her tone filled with familiar complaints and concern.

The two carried their luggage up to the third floor and opened the small room.

After quickly putting down his things, he turned and went to He Lan's house across the street.

The knock had barely finished when He Lan's cheerful voice came from inside: "Is that Xia Li? Did you leave something behind again?"

"Sister Lan, it's me, Shu'er."

"Oh, coming, coming!" He Lan hurriedly opened the door, and when she saw Zhang Shushu, a genuine smile appeared on her face. Then she paused for a moment, reached out and touched the corner of Zhang Shushu's eye, "Shu'er, why do you have wrinkles?"

Zhang Shushu was both amused and exasperated by this blunt greeting: "Sister Lan, I'm already this old, of course I have wrinkles."

She knew that He Lan's memory was often confused, but she didn't care.

"Oh, look at my memory..." He Lan was a little embarrassed and subconsciously reached for the small notebook she always carried with her.

"Sister Lan, did Song Che come by just now? And he brought a girl with him?" Zhang Shushu got straight to the point.

"Yes, she's here. That girl was so sensible, so quiet, but she didn't smile much." He Lan recalled, her tone revealing undisguised fondness.

Hearing He Lan's praise, Zhang Shushu finally felt a sense of relief. It didn't matter that he wasn't always cheerful; as long as he was kind and honest, that was more important than anything else. What she feared most was that her son would meet the wrong person and get hurt for no reason.

Zhang Shushu chatted with He Lan for a few more minutes, while Song Jianguo took the keys and went back to his own house, carrying all his luggage inside. The house was quite tidy, with a broom and half a bucket of water in the corner of the living room, indicating it had been used recently.

"This kid...when did he become so diligent?" Song Jianguo was somewhat surprised. In his memory, although his son Song Che was sensible, he was still a teenager, and he was just as mischievous and lazy as ever. In the past, he would just do a perfunctory job of sweeping the floor and would never have prepared a bucket of water.

A child being too sensible... is sometimes not a good thing.

Song Jianguo knew that if a person "becomes sensible" too early, it often meant that he had been forced to experience something at an earlier age.

True understanding usually comes only after becoming a parent oneself. For Song Che, who has been alone at home for the past six months, finding a companion to look after each other is actually a good thing.

In this respect, he was more open-minded than his wife.

Good or bad is often just a subjective feeling. What matters most is liking each other and getting along well.

After putting down his luggage, he had just stepped out when he ran into Zhang Shushu, who was coming down from He Lan's house.

"Finished talking?"

"Hmm. But some of the things Sister Lan said... were quite strange. I guess her memory is getting worse and she's mixing things up."

"What did she say?" Song Jianguo asked, intrigued.

"She said that the girl named Xia Li sometimes has silver hair, sometimes black, but lately it seems to be silver all the time. She also said she has a little girl at home, a friend she plays house with..." Zhang Shushu patted her chest, still shaken, as she said this. "It scared me to death! I thought... she already had a child!"

"What are you thinking!" Song Jianguo chuckled. "We've only been gone for half a year."

"Yes..." Zhang Shushu breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Is all the luggage packed?"

"Hmm. Shall we go see our son directly?"

"Right! No more sneaky observation." Zhang Shushu straightened her back, her eyes carrying a hint of a surprise inspection. "I'm going to launch a surprise attack! You know, people can pretend. When I met your parents back then, I pretended to be especially gentle and virtuous... Pshaw, I was genuinely gentle!"

"Yeah, I can tell, she's really gentle." Song Jianguo nodded seriously, but in his mind he remembered the times she would "gently" punch him, making his hand hurt, and then asking him to apologize.

She got all the arguments right.

Fallacy!

"Then it's settled. But..." Song Jianguo suddenly thought of something and chuckled in a low voice, "What if we happen to catch the young couple... kissing or something?"

"Then I'll just stand there and watch!" Zhang Shushu glared at him. "What about you?"

"I'm quite traditional; I believe in not looking at what is improper, so I'll avoid it," Song Jianguo readily agreed.

"Virtue!"

Amidst their laughter and conversation, the two arrived at the door of Song Che's rented room. Song Jianguo didn't say much, but simply raised his hand to knock on the door, still holding the gift for his son in his arms.

dong dong dong-

A clear, cheerful little girl's voice immediately came from inside the door: "Coming, coming! I'll open the door! Brother, don't move, I'll do it!"

With a creak, the door opened.

A short, chubby-cheeked little girl with eyes like black grapes peeked out and curiously looked at the strangers outside the door.

When Zhang Shushu saw this, her heart softened instantly.

She had always wanted a sweet and soft daughter, but she couldn't have her wish back then because of policy and economic reasons. Now, seeing such a lovely child, her love for her was overflowing.

"Hello, Auntie~" Tao Xiang tilted her head and asked sweetly, "Huh? Why haven't I seen this auntie before?"

Hearing the commotion inside, Song Che walked towards the door, saying, "Tao Xiang, how many times have I told you? You can't just give things to strangers... What the hell?! Mom?! Dad?!"

Before she could finish speaking, there was a loud "bang" as the door, which had just been opened, was slammed shut again, almost hitting Zhang Shushu's nose as she was about to enter.

Zhang Shushu was startled.

I haven't seen my son for half a year, why is he so distant?

Judging from his reaction just now, it was as if he had done something wrong and been caught red-handed.

"Could he be hiding more than one 'girlfriend' in the house?" Zhang Shushu looked at her husband suspiciously.

Song Jianguo was also taken aback, then joked, "Maybe it's not about 'keeping a mistress in a golden house,' but rather that she thinks our parents are unreliable and wants to change parents. It's all your fault for always going out to work and leaving the kids at home."

After waiting for a while, the door opened a crack again, and then slowly opened wider.

Overwhelmed with longing, Zhang Shushu rushed forward to give her son a big hug, but saw that he had his eyes tightly closed. She asked in confusion, "Dabao, why... are your eyes closed?"

"I...I..." Song Che stammered, unable to explain. He was a little afraid to look at his parents, because as soon as he did, those damned "labels" would automatically appear. He couldn't control this ability, and he was even more afraid of seeing any unpleasant words above his parents' heads—such as "incurable disease" or "exhaustion." Aunt Lan's "exhaustion of yang energy" was already enough to worry him; he simply didn't have the courage to face the potential health problems his parents might have.

"My eyes... feel a little uncomfortable," he offered a dry excuse.

"Son..." Song Jianguo suppressed a laugh and deliberately asked, "Want to borrow some money?"

"You dare bring this up when my mom's still here?!" Song Che retorted instinctively, but his eyes remained tightly closed.

"Then open your eyes," Song Jianguo said, handing the gift forward. "I brought you a present. By the way, where's the girl? Isn't she home? Oh, and does she like tulips? The flower shop only had these left."

"I..." Song Che struggled internally. He seemed fearless, but when it came to the crucial moment, he still chickened out. Even a label like "memory decline" was something he didn't want to see from his closest relatives.

"Are your eyes really uncomfortable?" Zhang Shushu asked, her concern replacing her doubt as she watched him remain closed. She reached out to touch his face.

"No...it's just...sigh!" Song Che gritted his teeth, slowly opened his eyes, and glanced at the scene quickly.

Above Mom's head: "Tired" and "Healthy".

The sign above Dad's head reads: "Very healthy."

There aren't many labels, and certainly no scary words.

Song Che's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a relieved smile unconsciously bloomed on his face.

Zhang Shushu didn't know why her son suddenly became happy, but seeing his smile filled her heart with warmth.

"Mom, didn't you say... you wouldn't arrive for two days?"

"I wanted to surprise you!" Zhang Shushu smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Look, I even prepared a gift for you!"

Song Jianguo handed over the rather heavy cardboard box and then stuffed the bouquet of tulips into Song Che's hand: "This is for Xia Li."

"Thank you, Mom and Dad!" Song Che took the things, stepped aside to let the two of them into the house, and closed the door behind him.

His parents' arrival was too sudden. He hadn't even memorized the "truth" script he had rehearsed countless times in his mind, and Xia Li's "persona" still had flaws. He wasn't prepared for anything.

He had thought that reuniting with them after a century would fill him with overwhelming emotion and tears. But upon actually seeing them, he felt not intense sorrow, but a profound peace filled with a sense of tranquility and happiness.

There were no tears, only a heart full of joy.

A century of vastness, fleeting like white clouds.

It's so good to see you all again.

As soon as she closed the door and turned around, Zhang Shushu gave him a tight hug, just like when they were little. She tried to pick him up, but she wasn't strong enough, so she could only hug his neck tightly, cup his face, and affectionately rub her nose against his.

"Mom, you smell wonderful."

Song Che smelled the familiar and warm scent on his mother's body, a scent that was a mixture of the weariness of a journey and the smell of home, completely different from the cool and light fragrance on Xia Li's body.

He wondered to himself: Did he not miss his mother enough? His emotions didn't seem as surging as he had expected. Should he shed a few tears to make it seem more genuine?

"Dabao, you've grown taller again." Zhang Shushu looked at her son carefully, her eyes shining. "But why aren't you being affectionate this time? Last time you came back, you were begging to go out for a big meal."

"Alright, alright, our son's all grown up now." Song Jianguo walked over with a smile, opening his arms to give the mother and son an even stronger hug. "But... your dad can still pick you both up in one go!"

My father's embrace is as broad and reliable as ever.

Song Jianguo put them down and looked around: "Where's that girl? We haven't seen her yet."

"Oh, she's taking a shower. She should be out soon."

"You took a shower before even eating?" Zhang Shushu keenly noticed the detail.

"She... she's not always like this. It's just that lately she's gotten into the habit of washing her hands before and after meals," Song Che quickly explained.

"Hmm." Zhang Shushu nodded and didn't ask any further questions. It's normal for girls to like being clean.

She began to slowly pace around the house, her gaze carefully sweeping over every corner. The living room was tidy; the desk was piled with review materials and countless sheets of draft paper, and opposite it was another sheet of draft paper and a thick book. On the rug near the balcony, a large, round, fat cat lazily raised its head and glanced at her. Tao Xiang had already run to the kitchen doorway and was sitting obediently like a puppy waiting for its meal.

Zhang Shushu turned around once, then silently sat back down on the sofa without saying a word.

Song Jianguo, however, was quite talkative. He squatted down and struck up a conversation with Bruce: "Your name is Bruce? Isn't that a dog's name? Who gave you that?"

"Woof woof!" Bruce responded loudly twice.

Song Jianguo was completely bewildered by the "woof".

"Dad, I already told you its name is Bruce. It's very intelligent, almost like a dog," Song Che said with a smile.

At this moment, Zhang Shushu stood up from the sofa again and continued her inspection. She looked from the kitchen to the bedroom, patted Taoxiang's head, checked the kitchen knives and refrigerator, which only contained eggs and a few kinds of vegetables, then went to the bedroom to look at the wardrobe. There weren't many clothes, but they were neatly folded. Finally, she walked to the entrance hall and glanced at the electricity meter.

After completing this series of silent examinations, she sat back down on the sofa.

Song Che noticed that his mother's mood was a bit off, so he went over to her.

He froze as soon as he got close.

The woman, who had originally planned to give her son a stern and authoritative start, now had red-rimmed eyes, and a few tears were already rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. Seeing her son approach, she hurriedly tried to wipe them away, but the more she wiped, the more tears streamed down her face.

She suddenly remembered the question she often argued with Song Jianguo: Is it better to let the child mature early, or to let him stay a child forever?

She always said that it's good to be sensible, because being sensible means being independent and suffering less.

But now, looking at this overly tidy, overly simple, even somewhat austere house, and at the few tiny cracks on her son's hands caused by the cold and hard work, she felt as if she had been pricked by a needle.

Zhang Shushu hugged Song Che tightly as he leaned in, her warm tears dripping onto his cheeks, her voice choked with sobs and reproach:

"You're so disobedient... Why don't you listen to your mother...?"

"Huh?" Song Che was stunned by this sudden accusation. "I've always listened to my mother."

"Didn't you hear me...? Do you think Mommy is bad...? Mommy is really bad...? Mommy didn't think that much of it..."

She was incoherent, and her tears fell even more heavily.

"Huh?" Song Che turned his head to the side, trying to sound relaxed. "Mom, could it be... that I skipped studying on Sunday and you found out?"

These words only made Zhang Shushu cry even harder, her shoulders trembling slightly.

However, Song Che secretly glanced at his mother and saw that when she cried, she seemed... younger and more beautiful than when she usually had a stern face.

Not wanting his mother to continue being sad, he tried to change the subject: "Mom, don't cry, you're still so beautiful."

As a result, Zhang Shushu cried even harder.

She cupped Song Che's face in her hands, examining it closely as if trying to etch every change in him over the past six months into her gaze. After looking at his face, she took his hand and examined it from all angles.

"Look at your hands, they're all cracked from the cold... You didn't even buy some hand cream." She touched the fine, almost healed cracks on her son's finger joints, feeling extremely distressed.

"It's...it's okay, it'll be almost healed." Song Che glanced at his hand; the little cut was the kind that would heal on its own even without donating blood. He wasn't that dramatic.

"You just won't listen to me!" Zhang Shushu began listing everything, her tears still wet on the surface, her nagging already in full force. "I told you to buy warm clothes when it gets cold, did you? You didn't listen. I told you to talk to the landlord about getting a better air conditioner, or just turning on the heating, did you? Still, you didn't listen. I told you to replace those old pots and pans in the kitchen, that knife is so dull, did you replace it? You didn't listen. I told you not to be stingy, to buy some good food, the fridge is full of eggs and vegetables, did you buy any? I told you to buy some face cream, there's only one toothbrush and one tube of toothpaste on the sink, where are yours? And in the shoe cabinet, there are only two pairs of shoes to alternate wearing, where are your winter boots? Why don't you listen to your mother... are you blaming your mother for not taking good care of you...?"

Song Che felt a chill run down his spine and was almost exhausted, but he finally understood why his mother was crying.

So she felt sorry for her son because he was suffering.

Song Che felt a warm glow in his heart, but also a little amused and exasperated. He quickly reassured her, "It's okay, Mom, it's really okay. I love you so much, Mom, I've never blamed you. It's a bit cold, but I can handle it. I've eaten all the good food, and I've made plenty of rib soup. I completely forgot about replacing the air conditioner, and it hurts to run a level 3 energy-efficient one like that. As a boy, why would I need skincare cream? Just washing my face is enough..."

"You! Don't! Listen!" Zhang Shushu interrupted him, her three words ringing out firmly.

"They are extremely disobedient!!!"

"..." Song Che immediately shut his mouth obediently.

It seems that after hearing "I love you, Mom," Mom automatically ignored all subsequent explanations.

Women... are so hard to please.

Mom... I just can't soothe her!

She keeps saying I'm disobedient, but once she meets Xia Li, she'll know what true "disobedience" really means.

...Xia Li, that idiot.

The thought had just flashed through Song Che's mind.

"Splash—"

The continuous sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped.

Oh no! They "heard" me calling her an idiot again!

Oh no... I'm going to have to appease two women at the same time.