The descent from the backyard led downstairs to a sight that stunned Yu Ziyu: flocks of vibrantly colored pheasants.
"So many? I only heard fluttering, I thought it was rats!"
"This isn't a lot," Li Weibuo shook his head. "The most is in spring, after the chicks hatch."
Yu Ziyu's eyes widened. "Do the pheasants hatch them themselves?"
"Not entirely; most are hatched using incubators." Li Weibuo led her to a series of rabbit cages.
"Rabbits are more prolific. The wild chickens and rabbits in our village are fed dried seedlings from the nursery. Do you understand why my family's wild eggs taste better?"
Yu Ziyu covered her mouth, nodding vigorously.
Her father had already told her about Tian Jing's identity and the special nature of her superpowers. When she saw Tian Jing, Yu Ziyu didn't connect her to those extraordinary abilities because Tian Jing felt so approachable. She seemed like any ordinary mother, happy that her son had brought his girlfriend home.
Li Weibuo removed her hand. "My mother is no different from other mothers. She loves us, her expression is just subdued."
"However, she's very nice to you, and I'm a little jealous."
"Hehe, that's because Auntie likes me," Yu Ziyu beamed. "Let's go buy some wild eggs in the village to take back."
"No need," Li Weibuo shook his head. "You said the wild eggs here are tastier, so my mother will definitely prepare some."
"Our problem will be how to carry it all. It's definitely going to be a lot of things."
Li Weibuo's prediction was correct; his mother had already gone to the village to order wild eggs. If they didn't order in advance, after the villagers set aside eggs for hatching, they would either give them as gifts or eat them themselves. When Li Weibuo and Yu Ziyu had spent some time with the rabbits, Tian Jing informed them that she had ordered a hundred trays of wild eggs for them. The two of them then awkwardly asked how they would transport them. A hundred trays meant three thousand eggs, plus other local specialties, and the tomatoes Yu Ziyu fancied. How would they take it all?
Tian Jing smiled and playfully nudged her second son. "Has your brain gone numb? Before the Lunar New Year holiday fully begins, quickly go to the county town and buy a pickup truck or a small van."
"This is Ziyu's first visit, and our family doesn't have many good things to give her and her parents. These local specialties are a token of our regard."
"Take as much as you can carry. Once you get them home, you'll definitely want to share some with friends and relatives."
"We can't outshine Ziyu in everything, but we must prepare these small gifts. We can't let Ziyu's relatives and friends look down on us."
"What's wrong with being from the countryside? The countryside has local products they can't buy."
"Auntie~" Yu Ziyu, touched, hugged Tian Jing's shoulder, resting her forehead against Tian Jing's. "Thank you, you're so kind."
Tian Jing gently patted her arm. "You know the kind of life you'll have with Xiaobo. Even if you have some personal desires, when your parents and we are no longer around, you'll face too many difficulties raising the children alone."
"At least you'll have peaceful married life in your old age. Who should I care about if not you? Now, I can compensate in advance. Once I'm gone, I won't be able to."
"Auntie~" Yu Ziyu's eyes welled up. "You'll live a long life, and you still have to watch over the small families of your three sons, right?"
Sensing Yu Ziyu's choked voice, Tian Jing comforted her. "Yes, I will strive for it with all my might."
Turning, Tian Jing handed her second son a bank card. "Xiaobo, take your uncle with you to buy the car. Tomorrow, you can go play at the Hot Spring Valley."
Li Weibuo nodded, took the bank card, and invited his girlfriend to join him, to see the scenery of the small county town.
After the two left, Li Weibuo's mother smiled and said, "Ziyu seems quite fond of you."
Tian Jing nodded. "I hope she can always maintain that feeling. It's good that they live far away; there will be fewer conflicts, and more mutual understanding."
"I only hope Xiaobo doesn't become caught in the middle."
On the way to the end of the village, Yu Ziyu chided her boyfriend for accepting the bank card.
Li Weibuo smiled and flicked her forehead. "My mother is wealthy. The company in Kyoto is just for my sister to play with."
"She said our salaries are earned through hard work, and she doesn't want them. She told us to spend her money, saying she earns money to spend on us. If I hadn't accepted it earlier, my mother would have scolded me."
The company in Kyoto is for his sister to play with? Yu Ziyu raised an eyebrow. "How wealthy is Auntie?"
"Countless," Li Weibuo shook his head. "The courtyards in the Houyizi Hutong area are almost all in my mother's hands."
"The income from the nursery, apart from employee salaries and bonuses, she donates it all to our specialty team."
"She divides my father's salary into three parts; she, my father, and my grandmother each get a portion as pocket money, saying it's proof that Father provides for the family."
"The income from the scenic spots, she just saves. When she needs to send us money or the family needs a large sum, she takes it out."
Houyizi Hutong? Within the Second Ring Road? Yu Ziyu's mouth fell open. No wonder when she mentioned one child being surnamed Yu, her parents laughed and said the unfair ones were the children surnamed Yu.
Li Weibuo waved his large hand in front of her eyes. "Shocked? We were shocked when we found out."
"However, the company is in my sister's hands. She told us long ago that she owns forty percent, and we three brothers each own twenty percent. We all agreed."
"It's only right," Yu Ziyu recovered. "My sister manages everything and will have to look after the family in the future; she should get more."
"As long as you don't have any objections," Li Weibuo held her hand. "Let's go, I don't know if the car dealerships in the county town are on holiday yet."
Li Zhengguo returned from the holiday meeting and, upon learning his second son had gone to the county town to buy a car, drove after him. As a result, they bought a seven-seater vehicle. Li Zhengguo suggested they drive it to the Yu family and present it to Yu Ziyu as a betrothal gift. Li Weibuo couldn't delay his return to the team for a car.
Tian Jing was indifferent and handed the bank card her second son had returned to Yu Ziyu. "Ziyu, consider this your meeting gift. Take it."
Disregarding Yu Ziyu's protests, she forcefully placed the bank card in her hand. Li Weibuo also urged his girlfriend to accept it.
"Thank you, Auntie," Yu Ziyu knew it would be impolite to refuse further. Even though there was still over two hundred thousand left on the bank card, she accepted it.
Tian Jing's expression brightened. "Yes, that's the way. What elders bestow, you cannot refuse; just accept it."
Yu Ziyu had figured out her future mother-in-law's temperament: generous, decisive, and disliked being defied. It was both good and bad. However, as a junior, it was always right to go along with elders.
Later, she quietly said this to Li Weibuo. He lightly tapped her nose. "My mother likes you. If she didn't, she wouldn't spend a single cent on you."
"Look, she arranged local specialties for you, told me to buy a car just to drive you home, and gave you over two hundred thousand as a meeting gift without hesitation. Every action proves she's very satisfied with you."
"Indeed!" Yu Ziyu nodded. "I'm the perfect match for you."
After saying this, she burst into laughter. "Actually, this is a matter of aura. People whose auras don't match just don't look good to each other."
"I just hope your future elder sister-in-law and sister-in-law can get along with our aura. They don't need to be overly close, just not to clash the moment they meet."
Li Weibuo had similar concerns. Fortunately, he had set up their small family in the Yu family's direction, so they wouldn't be entangled with his family. Besides, with Ziyu as a benchmark, his mother's expectations for future daughters-in-law should be higher. He had heard from his eldest brother about Lin Duo'er. He felt a sense of dread; if the petty-minded Lin Duo'er had become his elder sister-in-law, he truly wouldn't want to come home.