516. Moan Louder

"Hmm? Why aren’t you answering, girl?"

Ye Qinshui frowned as she stared at her daughter up close. For some reason, Lingling seemed more beautiful, with a subtle yet noticeable maturity she couldn’t quite place.

Ye Lingling pursed her lips, gripping Qian Renjue’s arm tightly. She glanced up at him, weakly explaining,
"Jue, my mom isn’t usually like this~"

"?!"

Ye Qinshui’s eyes widened as she followed her daughter’s gaze upward, and she froze.

A young man with golden hair, amethyst eyes, and an aura of nobility stood before her, his expression warm and composed.

“Good day, Madam,” Qian Renjue greeted her kindly.

“Ah—hello, hello!” Ye Qinshui quickly straightened her posture, her face tinged with slight embarrassment as she shot her daughter a reproachful look.

“Mother, this is...”

Before Ye Lingling could finish introducing him, Ye Qinshui moved to bow respectfully toward Qian Renjue.

“Ye Qinshui greets the Holy Son.”

“There’s no need for that, Madam. You’re Lingling’s mother and my elder—just call me Xiao Jue.”

Qian Renjue stepped forward to stop her, gently helping her straighten up.

“Hmm?” Ye Lingling’s curiosity piqued as she looked at her mother.

“Mom, have you two met before?”

“Of course! When the royal heir was chosen, I visited the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and saw the Holy Son’s true appearance,” Ye Qinshui said with a smile as she grasped Qian Renjue’s hand.

Then, turning to her daughter, she added, “How long were you planning to wait to bring him home for me to meet? Another year? Two?”

Ye Lingling glanced at Qian Renjue, who chuckled.
“Ahaha, I must’ve forgotten to tell you about that.”

Ye Qinshui ignored her daughter, focusing instead on Qian Renjue.

“Holy Son, since you insist, I’ll call you Xiao Jue then?”

“Of course. All the elders in my family call me that,” Qian Renjue replied politely.

“Perfect, Xiao Jue! Come on, let’s go inside and sit.”

“A-alright,” Qian Renjue responded, slightly surprised by how quickly Ye Qinshui had started calling herself “Mom.”

Realizing what was happening, he could only follow behind her as she led him toward the house, her expression brimming with satisfaction.

Ye Qinshui was thoroughly pleased with this prospective son-in-law. She couldn’t imagine a better match—his appearance, background, and talent were flawless.

“Hey, Lingling! Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and follow us!” Ye Qinshui called out, turning back to scold her daughter.

“You’re always so careless. You didn’t even let me know Xiao Jue was coming ahead of time—how is the Ye family supposed to prepare properly?”

“It was my idea to visit on short notice, Madam,” Qian Renjue interjected gently.

“Xiao Jue, you’re too kind to her,” Ye Qinshui said, looping her arm through his as they walked.

“Come, let’s go inside for tea. Tell me what you like to eat, and I’ll make it for you later.”

“Thank you, Madam,” Qian Renjue said with a slightly forced smile. Ye Qinshui’s enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming, leaving him unsure of how to respond.

Meanwhile, Ye Lingling stood watching as her mother essentially “stole” her fiancé.

She looked down at her empty hands, sighing inwardly.

Who’s the real fiancée here? And who’s the actual daughter?

Still, as she took a deep breath and smiled faintly, she thought, Well, I guess this means Jue is no longer an outsider.

Feeling lighter, Ye Lingling followed them, her steps much more relaxed.


---

Soon, Qian Renjue was seated in the main hall while Ye Qinshui busily served tea, her actions filled with a strange excitement.

Glancing toward the entrance as though checking for eavesdroppers, she leaned close to Qian Renjue’s ear and softly asked:


"Xiao Jue~"

"Hm? Madam, what’s the matter?"

Qian Renjue accepted the tea, feeling slightly uneasy at the close proximity.

"Was Lingling... a bit distant last night?"

"What?!"

Hearing Ye Qinshui’s question, Qian Renjue’s expression shifted dramatically. He stared at her in shock.

Ye Qinshui, seemingly oblivious to his embarrassment, sighed apologetically.


"Xiao Jue, you’ll have to be patient with her. Lingling has always been a bit cold by nature, but she’ll warm up over time."

"Uh... Madam, there’s no such thing."

Qian Renjue’s awkwardness grew, unsure how to respond.

"Haha, as long as she didn’t disappoint you."

Ye Qinshui straightened up with a laugh, muttering to herself,
"That girl should’ve told me. I could’ve given her some tips."

Qian Renjue forced a smile, thinking to himself, With you like this, there’s no way Lingling would talk to you about it.

Honestly, it’s better she didn’t. Having to maintain her calm nature with you around must’ve been exhausting.

Noticing the blush on Qian Renjue’s face, Ye Qinshui’s own earlobes warmed, though she hid it well.

Well, it seems even the illustrious Holy Son was a bit inexperienced before last night.

Not bad! This means Lingling will hold a strong position in their relationship—definitely won’t suffer any grievances.


---

"Mom, what are you and Renjue talking about?"

Ye Lingling finally arrived, standing in the doorway. She frowned slightly, noticing Qian Renjue’s unusual expression.

"What are you so anxious about? I’m not going to steal him from you."

Ye Qinshui smirked, teasing her daughter—a habit she had developed over the years to lighten Ye Lingling’s usually reserved demeanor.

"Mom, stop saying such nonsense!"

Ye Lingling blushed, her eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

Couldn’t her mom tone it down with Renjue here?

"Haha."

Ye Qinshui chuckled, standing up. As expected, both of them turn red so quickly when teased.

"Xiao Jue, sit here for a bit~"

She smiled, refilled his tea, and then, without waiting for a response, quickly strode toward Ye Lingling.

Grabbing her daughter’s hand, she led her outside.

"Come on, Lingling, tell me what Xiao Jue likes to eat!"

"Ah—slow down!"

As Ye Lingling disappeared through the door, Qian Renjue exhaled deeply. Placing a hand over his chest, he thought, What an overwhelming mother-in-law...


---

Outside the house

Ye Qinshui pulled Ye Lingling to a quiet corner, glancing toward the door to make sure no one was listening.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Leaning against the wall, Ye Lingling looked puzzled.

Ye Qinshui’s tone turned serious.

"Tell me honestly, girl—who brought it up first last night?"

"What... last night?!"

Ye Lingling froze, her eyes widening in shock.

"Don’t look at me like that. It has nothing to do with Xiao Jue—I can tell."

Ye Qinshui tapped her daughter’s forehead lightly and pressed her,
"Come on, just tell me. Who brought it up?"

Biting her lip, Ye Lingling hesitated before stammering,
"I... I asked for it."

"Good for you, Lingling! You’ve grown up!"

Ye Qinshui’s praise made Ye Lingling feel utterly mortified. How was that something to be proud of?

After a moment, Ye Qinshui’s assessment of Qian Renjue rose even higher.

"Looks like Xiao Jue really is a great match. For such a beautiful girl like you, he held back for so long—impressive."

"Mom, Jue treats me very well."

Despite her embarrassment, Ye Lingling couldn’t hide the sweetness in her voice when talking about Qian Renjue.

"Hmph, already siding with him? Of course I know that!"

Ye Qinshui rolled her eyes, her own cheeks slightly flushed, and began offering advice.

"You’ve always been so reserved. When you’re together, don’t overthink it. Just remember to... Moan louder. That’s never a bad idea. Got it?"

"Mom! You’re....!"

Ye Lingling’s face turned crimson as she shrieked, wanting to flee.

With Jue, I wouldn’t need to try to be loud!

"Hey! Come back here! You haven’t told me what Xiao Jue likes to eat!"

Ye Qinshui quickly pulled her daughter back.

Even though she had already asked Qian Renjue, she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t just being polite. As a mother, she felt the need to double-check to make sure her daughter wouldn’t mess things up.

Ye Lingling glared at her mother, her face still red from shame. Now, she understood why Qian Renjue’s expression had been so off earlier.