Chapter 465: The three challenges for the grooms
After Jianyu and Serena’s wedding, it was a double celebration for everybody. Everybody partied hard until the last drop of sweat.
The couples danced and enjoyed the rest of the day. They played games and laughed and cheered. Today was the best day in everybody’s lives. The reporters captured all these fun moments on their cameras.
Even the twins, Yukito and Yukira, talked a bit to Yu Ichika. She was so overwhelmed that she burst into tears. It was a small start but a beginning nevertheless for the mother and sons to bridge their differences.
The day set and soon turned dark. The most excited people were Jinhai and Jianyu, who couldn’t wait to spend their anniversary night with their partners.
Nana and Serena were already in their rooms after the celebration was over.
But, Jinhai and Jianyu weren’t allowed to go inside. Yet.
Yukito stood in front of them with his arms raised and stretched on either side.
“Sorry, my brother-in-law. But you cannot meet our sisters yet.”
Yukira giggled and nodded, and Jing was busy watching Yukito with a silly smile on his face.
This declaration made their faces even more ugly. Only they knew how hard it was for them not to push them aside and just barge in their rooms.
Jianyu’s mouth twitched. “What do you mean?”
Meiling hopped in forward. “It means that you will have to earn your way inside.”
Yukira said, “You will have to go through some tests we put forward for you, and if you pass, only then will we leave your way.”
All the elders were just chilling and watching the show at their son’s expense. Liu Hai and Chen Liling were even rooting for them to lose.
Liu Hai yelled. “Don’t let them win so easily!”
Jing laughed. “Now we got the support of all the oldie too!”
“Hey, you brat! Who are you calling an oldie!?” Liu Hai glared at him.
Jing rolled his eyes. “Duh. It’s you. Who else?”
“Just you wait and let me beat you up! I will show you who is an oldie!”
Jinhai asked with a soft smile. “What do I have to do?”
Jianyu said, “Yeah, let’s get it over and done with.”
Chen Liling coughed. “*Ahem* somebody is too excited for the night.”
Everybody laughed except Huo Shen and Liwei. Their faces were as black as charcoal.
“Mom…can you not say such vulgar things?” Jianyu looked at her dryly.
She shrugged and rested her head on Chen Guiren’s shoulder. He lovingly patted her head and smiled.
“Alright!” Jing rubbed his hands in excitement, and his gaze sparkled in mischief.
“By the way, Jing,” Jianyu interrupted, “Shouldn’t you be on our side?”
“Nope. I will always be only on my sister-in-law’s side! Because I am their adorable brother!” Jing proudly said.
“You are our brother too.”
“I am their brother first.”
Jinhai –”…”
Jianyu –”…”
They sighed.
“Alright! Let’s get this started. You both will have three tasks to do. If you pass all three levels, then we will let you inside. BUT! You have to pass all three.”
They nodded.
Yukito said, “Let’s start with the first one. It’s a question about our Nee-chans that you will have to answer correctly.”
Yukira said, “We will test how much you know our sisters and, more importantly, how much you observe them.”
“Alright.”
“First, we will start with brother Jianyu!”
Jianyu nodded and was ready.
Jing asked, “Why is sis Serena called Serena if her name is Zhilan?”
Jianyu slowly raised his eyebrow in amusement.
Huo Xiao Fan also helplessly shook her head.
I don’t think we ever told anybody about this.
Jing laughed. “Hah! We know you don’t the answer because we confirmed it with sis Serena. She said that she never told you this.”
Jianyu chuckled. “I know the answer.”
Jing and everybody else. “…”
“But she never told you!”
“I still know the answer. I mean, sure she never told me. But I can fairly guess it,” Jianyu was confident.
“Alright. Then tell us what that means.”
Jianyu smiled. “Serena and I were just casually talking once, and she brought the subject of her great-grandmother. Aunt Huo Xiao Fan’s grandmother. She was a Japanese who married a Chinese man. After things got better between Aunt Huo and Serena, they began talking and sharing a lot. Serena told me that Aunt Huo said to her once about her grandma. She was a very kind and peaceful person, always having a gentle and warm smile on her lips.”
It was Aunt Huo who named her Serena in remembrance of her grandmother because Serena is also a name in Japanese culture that means tranquility and calmness, which was just like her personality. Perhaps, Aunt Huo also kept that name to thank her for taking care of her during the time she was in Tokyo.”
Huo Xiao Fan was stunned. She was speechless. She didn’t think that Jianyu would ever accurately guess that.
Jianyu looked at her and smiled. “I am right, right Aunt?”
She chuckled and nodded. Her eyes slightly watered as she remembered her grandmother. “Yes.”
Everybody clapped hard. “Wow, brother Jianyu! You are amazing!”
“You didn’t know the answer, yet you answered it with full marks!”
“Awesome!”
Chen Liling grinned. “After all, he is my son. Smartness runs in our family.”
“Brother Jianyu pass the first test! Now it’s bro’s turn.”
Jinhai smiled. “Shoot.”
Yukito asked, “This is a straightforward question. But it tests your memory. Maybe, you wouldn’t have even noticed it at that time.”
Jinhai raised his eyebrow. “Let’s see.”
“Alright. What color nail polish was Nee-chan wearing during the Liang family banquet?”
Meiling giggled. “Mr. Liu. We know that you really love boss with all your heart, but I don’t think any man notices such small details.”
“Lavender. It was lavender shade nail polish. She was wearing a lavender pair of earrings too.”
He calmly spoke.
“…”
Everybody was speechless yet again.
Jing inquired. “You really remember what Nee-chan’s nail polish color was?”
Yukira asked, with his mouth opened from shock. “Brother-in-law…you really know that?”
Jinhai smiled. “I remember her dress and her accessories down to the last detail. Not just in Liang banquet but in all the celebrations we ever attended. When it’s about Nana, I don’t let anything slip from my sight.”
Liu Hai boomed. “Hohoho! Like father like son! I am proud of you!”
Liu Chunhua curiously asked, “You seriously remember what I wore all these years in all the banquets?”
Liu Hai smiled. “How about I answer this question in the bed, my dear?”
She furiously blushed and looked away. “Idiot!”
Yukito coughed. “Well, well. Brother-in-law wins this round as well!”
Jing said, “Now we move onto the second level. Cousin Jianyu and bro. We have snatched the lovely rings from your wife’s finger that you just wore in the wedding ceremony. The rings are with your mother-in-law.”
Yukira said, “You have to willingly make them hand over the ring to you. You cannot touch them either. If they give you the rings on their own accord, then you pass!”
The crowd cheered loudly!
“Woohoo! This will be fun!”
Jinhai and Jianyu thought for a moment and nodded.
“This time, let’s start with bro. Bro, sit in front of Aunt Liang, and you can start.”
Jinhai walked up to where his in-laws were sitting.
Liang Zou nudged his wife. “Don’t hand it over to him, okay! It’s all in your hands now.”
She rolled her eyes. “I will do my best.”
Jinhai sat on the chair in front of her and smiled. “Good evening, mother-in-law.”
Liang Xiao Dan chuckled. “Well, well. So, how do you plan on getting her ring back?”
“You are looking beautiful today, Aunt.”
“Flattery is not going to get you anywhere, son-in-law,” she laughed.
Jinhai continued. “Nana also looked just as beautiful and adorable as you when she was a cute little girl.”
The Liang couple blinked their eyes, and so did Shin, whose ear stretched to listen in to their conversation.
“I have a lot of pictures of Nana right from her childhood and teenage years up to now. I think as a mother who couldn’t see her daughter growing up would be thrilled to have those pictures, don’t you? I mean, my Nana is a pure angel in those pictures.”
Liang Xiao Dan and Liang Zou widened their eyes.
Nana’s childhood pictures…
Jinhai cunningly smiled. “There are so many pictures of her achievements, too, which I am sure you will be so proud of if you see them. But the best part are her childhood pictures. She is this cutest angel ever that will just melt your hearts.”
Liang Xiao Dan felt tempted. But, she cleared her throat. “We can get those pictures from Yukito and Yukira. And Yu Ichika too!”
Liang Zou quickly nodded. “Of course!”
Jinhai chuckled. “Sorry, mother-in-law and father-in-law. You have already seen those pictures that they have. I know each and every photo. What I have is completely different, and I am pretttty sure you don’t want to miss looking at your daughter’s pictures. But such a pity. Nothing is for free in this world.”
Everybody almost puked three liters of blood.
This was Jinhai’s strategy? Threatening?
He was a businessman through and through!