118. Acting the Part for Real (Part II)

Aunt Shen smiled and said, "Feng'er, you are too polite. With such esteemed guests visiting today, I was worried the food wouldn't be good enough."

I thought to myself how affectionate and courteous Sister Li’s family was toward their housekeeper, treating her as one of their own. Of course, given that Sister Li’s foster mother required her care, being kind to the housekeeper made perfect sense.

I stood up and offered a toast to Aunt Shen, saying, "Thank you for cooking for us, Aunt Shen. You’ve worked hard today." Aunt Shen laughed, "Young man, don't be so formal. Eat up." She took a small sip of her wine just to acknowledge the gesture. Having heard me call Sister Li’s foster mother "Mom," she naturally assumed I was already Sister Li’s fiancé.

Because of her advanced age, Sister Li’s foster mother could only drink a tiny cup, and then we all sat down to eat. On the table, besides the dishes, there was a steaming hot pot. In our region, this is similar to a spicy hot pot, but usually, those are quite fiery. Our local custom favors fresh, delicate flavors over heat, as spice tends to mask the original taste of the ingredients and can be harsh on the stomach. Since the foster mother was elderly, the meal was mild. Sister Li, having lived and worked in the city, could handle a bit of spice, and as for me, I wasn't picky—I could eat anything regardless of the heat.

The hot pot here was different from the spicy version; it lacked a heavy base, focusing instead on the pure, original essence of the ingredients, which meant the freshness of the food had to be impeccable.

With the air conditioning running, the glutinous rice wine warming us, and the hot pot bubbling, our bodies soon thawed out. Sister Li and I took off our outer coats. "Be careful not to catch a cold," the foster mother cautioned.

Sister Li smiled, "Don't worry, Mom. It's snowing outside anyway, so we aren't going out this afternoon."

I looked out the window and saw that the courtyard was indeed swirling with heavy snow. The brief spell of sunshine at noon had been what the elders call a "snow eye," a sign of the heavy snowfall to follow.

Sister Li and I were flushed from the wine. The foster mother smiled and said, "Feng'er, you two drove such a long way this morning; Xiao Feng must be exhausted. You should get some rest this afternoon."

"I know, Mom," Sister Li replied with a smile.

Once I had finished eating, Sister Li took me to wash up. I bid the foster mother and Aunt Shen goodnight and followed her.

Perhaps because they knew I was coming, new toiletries had already been prepared. Sister Li’s villa was decorated in an exquisite, classic style, with most of the furniture made of solid wood; even the floor of the living room on the first floor had that rich, woody luster. It was beautiful and clearly expensive—I suspected the renovation costs alone might have exceeded the price of the new apartment Sister Li had just purchased.

When we emerged, we saw the foster mother sitting on the sofa, watching television while gently exercising her joints. It was clear the old lady had excellent health habits; it was no wonder she remained so sharp at over eighty years old.

I couldn't help but praise her, "Mom, your dedication to health and peace of mind is truly admirable." The old lady gave me a knowing, enigmatic look. "I dare not leave this world until Feng'er settles down! If I can see that happen, I will have no more regrets."

Sister Li walked over, draped her arms around her mother’s shoulders, and said shyly, "Mom, you’re nagging again! But this time it’s for real, so you can rest easy."

The foster mother patted her arm and smiled, "I hope so. That would truly put my heart at rest."

Feeling a bit awkward, I said, "Mom, I’m going to go get some rest now." Even though the old lady was advanced in years, her mind was razor-sharp, and I was terrified of saying too much and giving myself away as an imposter.

Sister Li walked over, beaming, and took my hand to lead me upstairs. She pushed open the door to a large bedroom and said, "This used to be my room. You can sleep here."

I noticed the bedding was all new, clearly prepared in advance. Seeing me rush to take off my coat and hop into bed, Sister Li chuckled, "What’s the matter? Are you afraid of my mother? You looked like you were fleeing just now!"

I leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Sister, your mother is so sharp. I’m worried she’ll spot a flaw in my act."

Sister Li pressed me down onto the bed with a smile. "What are you afraid of? At worst, you could just turn this fake act into reality—I’m sure that would convince her."

My face flushed, and I was momentarily speechless.

Sister Li giggled, "Don't be scared, I was just teasing. Anyway, get some rest. I’m going back down to keep my mother company; she’s bound to have a lot of questions for me."

"Sister," I said, "I’ll have to rely on you to handle her then."

She smiled, "Of course. Rest well and stop overthinking. My mother isn't suspicious at all; you’re just panicking and losing your composure."

I laughed, "That’s why I had to play the deserter and hide in bed."

She tapped me on the forehead with her finger. "What a coward! You’re scared of this? I don’t get it—how did you have the guts to kiss A-Yun when you saw her?"

I said awkwardly, "Sister, you and A-Yun are different!"

She squinted at me with a smile, "We’re both women. How are we different? Is it because she’s younger, prettier, and wealthier than I am?"

I blushed deeply and hurried to explain, "Sister, that’s not what I meant by 'different'!"

"Then what did you mean?" she asked. "Is it because I’m a 'withered flower' while she’s still an innocent girl, so you’re only interested in her?"

I said anxiously, "Sister, why do you keep thinking like that?"

"If that’s not the reason," she countered, "then kiss me."

My face turned bright red. "Sister, we’re in a fake relationship!"

She laughed, "So what? We aren't related by blood, and letting you kiss me doesn't mean I’ll start clinging to you. Why are you so afraid?"