Qin Tian was aware that his mother was going to give a red envelope and agreed with the idea.
However, he hadn't asked how much was inside. Based on the thickness he felt, it should be quite a bit.
“How does it feel?”
Not long after leaving home with Xia Nuannuan, Qin Tian asked with a smile.
Xia Nuannuan turned her head to look at him and nodded with a beaming smile, “Your aunt is very kind and friendly, and her cooking is delicious too!”
“I agree with the first half of that, but the second half, are you serious?”
Qin Tian looked half-believing and half-doubting, smiling teasingly, “We’ve already walked quite a distance, don’t worry, I won’t let it slip.”
Xia Nuannuan gave him a playful glare and said earnestly, “I mean it sincerely, it really was delicious. You’re just too picky!”
“Alright then!”
Qin Tian chuckled and nodded. His mother’s cooking skills were certainly a step below that of Xia Nuannuan’s future mother-in-law. He had thought Xia Nuannuan was just being polite, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. He supposed there was nothing wrong with that. After all, they were home-cooked meals, and the culinary requirements weren't too high. Moreover, his mother had diligently learned the recipes for these dishes from him these past few days, and he thought the meal that evening was quite good.
“Next time I see your aunt, I’ll report you to her.”
“No, no, no, I was wrong, I was wrong.”
“Hmph hmph!”
Xia Nuannuan proudly lifted her delicate chin, pouting slightly, “I know your cooking is great, but don’t be too arrogant, okay? I’m going to learn to cook from my mom too.”
“Really?”
A look of surprise appeared on Qin Tian’s face.
“Yes, I have nothing else to do this summer vacation, so I might as well learn to cook.”
Xia Nuannuan nodded with a sweet smile.
“That’s good.”
Qin Tian nodded and said with a chuckle, “When your cooking skills are perfected, I’ll be the first to apply for a taste test.”
“As if!”
Xia Nuannuan pouted with feigned disdain. Qin Tian knew she was being coy. He smiled indulgently and changed the subject, “By the way, I’m planning to go to Jiangcheng the day after tomorrow. Do you want to come along?”
“Why are you going to Jiangcheng?”
Xia Nuannuan asked in surprise.
“Some business, and I thought I’d visit while I’m there!”
“I see. Then I’ll have to ask my mom. You should ask her later and send me a message.”
“Okay, okay. Actually, I’d like to visit Jiangcheng too. We could go to Jiangcheng University first.”
Xia Nuannuan’s bright eyes were filled with longing as she began to anticipate the moment when she and Qin Tian would walk onto the university campus together.
“Good idea. We’ll go take a look together then.”
“Mhmm!”
Chatting and laughing along the way, they soon arrived outside Xia Nuannuan’s residential complex. The security guard at the gate was already familiar with them and opened the gate for them. After thanking him, the two headed towards Xia Nuannuan’s building.
“When are you guys moving?”
Qin Tian asked casually.
“We don’t know yet. It should be after my dad finishes his work and comes back.”
“Okay. Let me know when you move. I can help. I’m quite strong.”
“Hehe… Okay!”
At the entrance of the building, Qin Tian handed the red envelope his mother had given him to Xia Nuannuan. Xia Nuannuan stared at the red envelope, her expression a little conflicted.
“Take it!”
Qin Tian took her small hand and placed the red envelope in it, saying with a playful grin, “This is from my mom as a meeting gift for her future daughter-in-law. If you don’t accept it, who else would she give it to?”
Hearing this, Xia Nuannuan’s pretty face flushed visibly. She playfully punched him in annoyance.
“Ah, the heroine’s punch has deep internal energy! I’ve been seriously injured!”
Qin Tian covered his chest where he had been punched, feigning a pitiful expression.
“Stop pretending.”
Xia Nuannuan rolled her eyes shyly.
“I am truly injured and need a hug.”
Qin Tian smiled, spread his arms, and winked at her. Xia Nuannuan’s face turned red with embarrassment again. After a moment of hesitation, she quickly glanced around. Seeing no one, she mustered her courage and threw herself into his arms. Feeling the warmth of his embrace once more, Xia Nuannuan felt a moment of daze.
“Can… can I let go now?”
“Hold on a little longer.”
“Okay…”
Xia Nuannuan leaned against his chest and slowly closed her eyes. The surrounding sounds seemed to fade away. She could only hear their breathing and Qin Tian’s strong heartbeat. The feelings of shyness and fluster receded like a tide, replaced by a growing sense of happiness and security that filled her heart. If this continued, she would become addicted to this feeling! But it seemed she was already reluctant to leave. Just then, she felt a reassuring touch on her head. Without opening her eyes, she guessed that Qin Tian had kissed her hair. This made Xia Nuannuan feel a bit fortunate that she had showered and washed her hair before going to Qin Tian’s house for dinner.
“Alright, let’s go up!”
A magnetic voice sounded in her ear.
“Mhmm!”
Xia Nuannuan responded softly and then slowly opened her eyes, stepping back to leave his cherished embrace. Their eyes met, and sweet affection slowly flowed in their depths.
“Go on, get some rest early!”
Qin Tian smiled gently. Xia Nuannuan nodded slightly, walked up the steps, and entered the building. After opening the intercom and going in, Xia Nuannuan couldn’t help but turn back and wave to Qin Tian, who was still standing there. Qin Tian also waved goodbye with a smile and then turned to leave.
…
…
After Xia Nuannuan returned home, she was naturally questioned by her mother. The mother and daughter first opened the meeting red envelope. At the top were six one-yuan bills and one ten-yuan bill, followed by a fifty-yuan bill, all crisp new banknotes. Further down was a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills.
“Nuannuan, count it. If I’m not mistaken, there should be sixty-six of them.”
Su Xia said with a gentle smile. Xia Nuannuan nodded, picked up the money, and counted. There were exactly sixty-six hundred-yuan bills, all looking like new money withdrawn from the bank.
“Indeed, it’s 6666, signifying everything goes smoothly, and they’re all new bills too. It seems Qin Tian’s mother really put a lot of thought into it,” Su Xia said, smiling. Seeing her precious daughter so valued made her extremely happy, and she felt even more favorably towards this future in-law whom she hadn’t met yet.
“Mom, is it really appropriate for me to receive so much money?”
Xia Nuannuan asked with some concern. She was both happy and touched, but receiving such a large red envelope on their first meeting made her feel a little awkward. Moreover, she knew that Qin Tian’s mother had worked in a garment factory before, and this red envelope might represent her mother’s hard-earned income from two months of work.
Su Xia raised her hand and touched her daughter’s cheek, comforting her with a smile, “Since you’ve confirmed your relationship, a meeting red envelope is a customary courtesy, and you must accept it. You don’t need to think too much about it. Don’t worry, I know what to do. I’ll prepare a return gift.”
Hearing this, Xia Nuannuan finally relaxed. Her mother was so smart; she would definitely consider everything properly for her. Xia Nuannuan put all the money back into the red envelope, then carefully folded it and sealed it. She had no intention of spending the money in this red envelope. Including the childhood photo of Qin Tian she received today, she had two more treasures to cherish. What a delightful day it was!