"Every family has its own hard-to-read scriptures," and the "scripture" of a wealthy family is even harder for outsiders to understand in a short time.
It's nothing more than matters like a good match in social status, family alliances through marriage, or favors owed. In short, the waters are very deep.
Jiang Li took these things very lightly and had no intention of prying too much.
Moreover, since Jiang Li's parents had both passed away, there shouldn't be any major problems when they met.
She didn't ask much about Chen Siqi's stepmother. Instead, she was thinking about what kind of demeanor she should show when meeting these two elders later.
All in all, as long as she followed the plan: first, smile; second, nod; third, greet them, she would definitely not make any mistakes.
When they arrived at the pre - reserved restaurant, without waiting for Chen Siqi's reminder, Jiang Li took the initiative to hold his arm and put on a very standard smile.
She was so sensible that Chen Siqi couldn't help but smile softly.
In terms of perfection, there really wasn't a second Jiang Li.
Up until this moment, Jiang Li still hadn't thought about what would happen next.
Chen Siqi said that his parents had been waiting for them in advance.
When Chen Siqi led her into the reserved private room and pushed open the door, she followed the plan: first, smile; second, nod; third, greet them.
"Uncle and Aunt..."
Before the last word "hello" could come out, Jiang Li looked at the familiar face of the woman in front of her, and her heart skipped a beat.
Her pupils suddenly constricted, and her fingers unconsciously tightened on Chen Siqi's arm.
Almost instantly, a thin layer of sweat broke out on her back, and she barely managed to maintain her proper smile.
The world was really small.
Zhou Ningyun, who was sitting in the main seat, also saw Jiang Li. Her complexion was no better than Jiang Li's, and a look of embarrassment flashed across her face.
She was wearing a very luxurious dark - yellow cotton - linen long robe, with a gold bracelet on her wrist and a jade jewelry hanging around her neck. She looked very elegant and noble.
I don't know if it was in fashion, but she was also holding a string of Buddhist beads in her hand.
Jiang Li had never seen Zhou Ningyun like this before.
It was obvious that she had been really happy after her remarriage.
But in an instant, she quickly composed herself. With a calm expression, she spoke in the posture of an elder, "Siqi, what's this young lady's name?"
Zhou Ningyun deliberately pretended not to recognize her.
How absurd!
The woman sitting across from her was clearly her own mother, but she was asking others what her name was and how to address her.
Jiang Li instinctively wanted to laugh, but she held it back.
"My name is Jiang Li. You can just call me Li Li," Jiang Li closed her eyes and said with a smiling face. "Auntie, you're really beautiful."
The word "mom" was stuck in her throat, and she even felt ashamed to say it.
Their eyes met, and there was an undercurrent surging, but it wasn't obvious. They were both maintaining the surface calm and peace.
Only Chen Siqi and his father, Chen Donghai, didn't notice anything strange.
"Don't just stand there. You two sit down quickly. The dishes will be served soon."
Chen Donghai was a very successful industrialist. He was generous and magnanimous. After his ex - wife passed away, he handed over the family business to Chen Siqi to handle early on and was happy to be a hands - off boss.
Jiang Li remembered that Zhou Ningyun had once told her that she had married a very difficult man and had to be submissive when speaking and doing things.
But Chen Donghai was clearly so approachable, with a kind and gentle look on his face.
When he asked about Jiang Li's career midway, he was also smiling.
She found it hard to connect the fierce man Zhou Ningyun had described with Chen Donghai.
This meal tasted like wax. Midway, Zhou Ningyun even said that she was too thin and should eat more.
So she knew how to care about people.
Of course, only when she was someone else's mother.
When they were about to leave, she still waved goodbye to the two elders with a bright smile. "Uncle and Aunt, see you next time."
...
On the way when Chen Siqi drove Jiang Li home, she, who had never been carsick before, suddenly felt nauseous. So they had to stop the car midway and let her vomit by the roadside.
She hadn't eaten much at the dinner table, and now it all came out.
Chen Siqi parked the car on an empty space and came over with a bottle of mineral water in his hand. Seeing her bending over, he handed her the water. "Rinse your mouth."
"Don't come here. What I vomited is too disgusting."
Jiang Li finally felt a bit better in her stomach. She slowly straightened up and gave him a pale - faced smile. "Sorry. I suddenly got carsick today."
"It's okay. It's my poor driving skills. I'll drive slower next time." Chen Siqi's voice was amiable. His eyes were on her, and he always felt that something was wrong.
It seemed that she had been acting strange since she saw Chen Donghai and Zhou Ningyun.
"What, were you too nervous to meet the elders today?" Chen Siqi asked with a smile. "You've won so many awards and attended so many important occasions. How could you still be so stage - shy?"
Jiang Li rinsed her mouth with water. After she caught her breath, she replied, "It also depends on the time and the people."
"What, is today special?"
"Not just a little special." Jiang Li's answer was very ambiguous. It was not clear whether she meant it was special to meet Chen Siqi's nominal parents or to meet Zhou Ningyun.
It was really a surprising gift.
After adjusting her state, Jiang Li and Chen Siqi got back into the car. She casually asked, "Although it may be a bit presumptuous, can I ask why your father..."
"A promise."
"A promise?"
Chen Siqi held the steering wheel with both hands and explained to her, "Aunt Zhou and my father were classmates. They had a relationship during their school days."
"I heard that Aunt Zhou had a tough time in the past two years. Plus, my mother passed away, so my father invited her to live with us."
When saying these things, Chen Siqi's tone was calm, but one could sense that he was a bit resentful of Chen Donghai.
Jiang Li could understand.
Who could accept that their own mother had just passed away not long ago, and their father immediately married a new strange woman?
It was just that everyone was an adult and chose to endure.
But Jiang Li was still curious. She tentatively asked, "Then didn't you investigate her?"
With the Chen family's capabilities, they could easily dig out Zhou Ningyun's background, including the fact that she was Zhou Ningyun's daughter.
When they stopped at a red light at an intersection, Chen Siqi pulled on the handbrake, turned his head and raised his eyebrows at her. "Every word you've said today is very strange. Why should I investigate her? This is my father's concern."
Jiang Li pursed her lips slightly.
She knew that she had been acting very abnormally today.
But she was also thinking about whether she should tell Chen Siqi about her relationship with Zhou Ningyun.
If she didn't tell him, it would be a pre - marriage concealment; but if she did tell him, it wouldn't change the result.
Jiang Li composed herself and calmly gave a reasonable explanation for her abnormal behavior. "Generally speaking, don't wealthy families usually investigate their future spouses' life experiences before marriage?"
"I've seen it on TV," Jiang Li added seriously.
Chen Siqi was taken aback and couldn't help laughing. "Watch less mindless TV dramas."