Two Faced Lover - Chapter 71

71: Promise

The moment she remembered how their passionate kiss had been witnessed by her own mother, Meng Xuran’s hands and feet went numb with embarrassment.

Bo Mingyan was even more flustered than Meng Xuran. She had never expected the middle-aged woman to be Meng Xuran’s mother, nor had she imagined that her first meeting with Meng Xuran’s family would happen under such circumstances. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she slid down from the shoe cabinet.

Out of the corner of her eye, Meng Xuran noticed Bo Mingyan slipping down and instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

The next second, she heard Meng Yao’s exasperated voice: “Enough with the affection—come help me carry these things inside first.”

“……”

Bo Mingyan’s ears burned, her heart pounding erratically.

Meng Xuran, however, suddenly grew thick-skinned. With a lazy “Oh,” she tugged at Bo Mingyan’s sleeve, signaling for her to follow.

“Mom… why are you here?” Meng Xuran asked.

“I told you two days ago that I’d be bringing the cat and New Year’s groceries today. But of course, your lovestruck brain didn’t retain a single word of it.” Meng Yao huffed at her daughter before turning to Bo Mingyan, who was helping with the bags, her tone instantly softening into warmth. “Ah, thank you, thank you.”

Bo Mingyan replied gently, “You’re welcome, Auntie.”

Meng Yao already had a favorable impression of Bo Mingyan. But given her relationship with Meng Xuran, she needed to learn more. “How should I address you?”

“Her surname is Bo,” Meng Xuran cut in, knowing Bo Mingyan wasn’t great with socializing. “Her name is Mingyan.”

“Bo Mingyan? ‘The bright sun veiled in light mist’—what a lovely name,” Meng Yao praised before adding proudly, “Our Xuxu’s name also comes from a poem.”

Bo Mingyan nodded. “Su Shi’s Nan Ge Zi.”

“Yes, exactly that one.” Meng Yao’s eyes curved into crescents, her tone brimming with satisfaction. “I came up with it.”

“It’s very beautiful,” Bo Mingyan agreed. Once inside, she unzipped the cat carrier and let Xiaoman out.

Meng Xuran fetched slippers for her mother from the shoe cabinet and snorted, “What’s the point of a nice name when you keep calling me ‘Xuxu’ like you’re coaxing a toddler to pee?”

Bo Mingyan raised an eyebrow. Back at the hot springs, she had heard Fu Junxue call Meng Xuran that and assumed it was a mispronunciation of “Xuxu” due to her fast speech.

Turns out, it really was “Xuxu.”

“Oh, you.” Meng Yao explained, “That’s because when your grandma was raising you, she kept forgetting to potty-train you. We came up with that nickname to remind her.”

“Well, I don’t need it now. Stop calling me that—it’s awful. I have a new nickname now, a hundred times better.” Meng Xuran lifted her chin, meeting her mother’s puzzled gaze with a raised brow. “Call me Meng Jiaojiao. The ‘jiao’ as in delicate.”

Meng Yao mirrored her raised brow and teased, “More like the ‘jiao’ as in spoiled.”

“It’s the ‘jiao’ as in charming,” Meng Xuran corrected.

The playful bickering between mother and daughter gradually dissolved the earlier awkwardness. Bo Mingyan listened quietly, her calm demeanor contrasting sharply with Meng Xuran’s liveliness. Meng Yao glanced at her, feeling slightly reassured.

With a temper like Meng Xuran’s, she needed a mature partner to balance her out.

After placing the bags on the dining table, Meng Yao instructed Meng Xuran to organize everything: “Put the perishables in the fridge, these can stay at room temperature, and this is dinner—I brought it specially for you. Just heat it up.”

Meng Xuran gave the items a cursory glance. She had no idea where anything went and couldn’t be bothered to reheat food, so she immediately called out, “Manman~”

Bo Mingyan hummed in acknowledgment and took the bags. “I’ll heat it up.”

“Ah, that’s too much trouble,” Meng Yao nudged Meng Xuran with her shoulder. “You’re supposed to be helping, yet you’re bossing someone else around.”

“She’s not ‘someone else’—she’s my girlfriend.” Meng Xuran shrugged. “Have you eaten yet? If not, Manman can whip up a couple more dishes. She’s an amazing cook.”

“You’re dating such a skilled cook, yet what have you learned? Any progress?” Meng Yao took one look at Meng Xuran’s fluttering lashes and knew the answer. She smirked. “Seems like the only thing growing is your waistline.”

“……” Meng Xuran narrowed her eyes. “Pointless question. Grandma eats early, so you must’ve already had dinner. Now that you’ve delivered everything, you can head back.”

“I haven’t eaten. I was looking forward to having a meal with my daughter for once, so I skipped dinner.” Meng Yao pinched the soft flesh on Meng Xuran’s cheek and clicked her tongue. “Hmm, you really have gained a bit of weight.”

Meng Xuran didn’t dignify that with a response. She swatted her mother’s hand away and forced a smile. “Heh.”

Bo Mingyan’s gaze softened imperceptibly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her eyes as she carried the bags into the kitchen.

Meng Xuran caught the movement from the corner of her eye. She slung an arm over Meng Yao’s shoulder and steered her toward the kitchen. “Who says all I’ve gained is weight? Cooking’s easy. With your skills, as your most outstanding daughter, I’ve definitely inherited your talent. Just guide me a little, and I’ll surpass your future daughter-in-law in no time.”

The term “future daughter-in-law” rolled off Meng Xuran’s tongue effortlessly in front of her mother. Bo Mingyan’s heart skipped, and she instinctively glanced at Meng Yao for her reaction.

Meng Yao seemed unfazed by the phrase. She simply found Meng Xuran’s arrogance unmatched. Combined with what she’d witnessed at the door, her maternal filter shattered into dust.

Before meeting Bo Mingyan, she had always believed her daughter was exceptional and held the upper hand in relationships. But after seeing her behavior today, she felt nothing but gratitude toward Bo Mingyan for putting up with this girl.

So, Meng Yao patted Bo Mingyan’s shoulder and said, “Dating someone with her personality must be exhausting, huh?”

Bo Mingyan’s anxious heart settled instantly. The corners of her lips curled slightly. “Not at all. She has a wonderful personality. Being with her is a joy.”

Meng Xuran shot her mother a triumphant look. No mother dislikes hearing her daughter praised, and Meng Yao’s smile deepened.

Once everything was put away, Meng Xuran rolled up her sleeves and tied on an apron, striking a pose like a seasoned chef—only to freeze in place, clueless. Bo Mingyan shot her an amused glance and handed her a bowl of eggs. “Can you beat these?”

Meng Xuran’s expression screamed, How dare you underestimate me?

Meng Yao cut in bluntly, “She can’t. She’s barely stepped into a kitchen her whole life. Forget it—I can’t teach you. Let your girlfriend handle it. Next time, you can show off your skills. Give me the apron.”

Meng Xuran: “……”

Bo Mingyan let out a quiet laugh. Meng Xuran glared at her, and she dutifully pressed her lips together to suppress her smile.

In the end, Meng Yao took charge, with Bo Mingyan assisting. Meng Xuran hovered nearby as Meng Yao casually inquired about Bo Mingyan’s background—her age, job, and so on. Bo Mingyan answered each question politely and confidently.

Meng Yao nodded in approval. “That’s good. Keep an eye on her at the company for me, will you?”

Bo Mingyan smiled but didn’t respond.

Meng Yao probed further, “Are you an only child?”

The curve of Bo Mingyan’s lips stiffened slightly.

Meng Xuran interjected, “Mom, are you conducting a census?”

“Yes, I’m the only one,” Bo Mingyan replied evenly, her tone unchanged.

Meng Yao gave Meng Xuran a thoughtful look before saying, “Just making conversation. You’re useless here anyway—go on, get out.”

Meng Xuran refused to budge.

Suspecting Meng Yao wanted to speak to her alone, Bo Mingyan said softly, “Xiaoman’s bowls and toys are still on the balcony. Could you put them away?”

“Go on, tidy up your cat’s things.” Meng Yao shooed Meng Xuran out and locked the door behind her.

“……”

Back at the counter, silence lingered for only a few seconds before Meng Yao spoke. “Our family has two.”

“Xuxu has an older sister. She was raised by her grandmother as a child. When she was older and ready for elementary school, we brought her back to live with me. But between running the business and shuttling Junjun to school, helping with homework, and everything else, we were stretched too thin. So, we sent Xuxu back to her grandmother.”

“At first, her grandmother took good care of her. But after the demolition and relocation compensation came through, her old neighbors reunited, and she became obsessed with square dancing and mahjong. When she danced, she’d tie Xuxu to a tree to watch. When she played mahjong, she’d tie her to her waist. Once, there was an accident… and Xuxu almost didn’t make it.” Meng Yao paused, catching her breath. “It wasn’t until I brought her back that I learned about all this.”

Bo Mingyan’s hands stilled on the cutting board. She glanced toward the door, where Meng Xuran was crouched, playing with Xiaoman.

The light haloed her head, making her hair look soft and fluffy.

Tolstoy once said, Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Bo Mingyan, no stranger to misfortune, had seen suffering in countless forms—in real life, on television. There was a time when memories of her father were not enough to sustain her, and she sought solace in others’ tragedies, clinging to them like lifelines until she grew numb and detached.

But now, listening to Meng Yao’s gentle recounting of Meng Xuran’s childhood, watching the vibrant woman Meng Xuran had become, she couldn’t help but picture a younger version of her—tiny, helpless, and dazed, tied to a tree.

The contrast was staggering.

Some spend their lives healing from their childhoods.

Others spend their childhoods healing their lives.

She was the former.

Meng Xuran was the latter.

The kitchen was warm with steam, yet Bo Mingyan’s chest ached with a cold, spreading pain.

“So, out of guilt and remorse, her father and I spoiled her rotten, never wanting her to suffer again. That’s why she’s so willful and stubborn.” Meng Yao sighed, taking the plate from Bo Mingyan and tipping the chopped vegetables into the wok. “It’s obvious she adores you. Our family is quite open-minded—we let her pursue what she loves, even if it’s someone of the same gender. To me, it just means gaining another daughter. I like you, and I hope things work out between you two. But…”

“I’ve read about relationships like yours. Many end in breakups—some because families object, others because one partner suddenly marries a man. But anything a man can provide, our family can give too: a house, a car—none of that’s an issue. So, I hope you’re serious about my daughter.”

Bo Mingyan lifted her thin eyelids slightly and said solemnly, “You have my word. I’m very serious.”

“Good.” Meng Yao smiled. “She’s flawed, but to me, she’ll always be the best. Call it a mother’s selfishness, but I don’t even want her to suffer heartbreak. So… if there ever comes a day when you no longer love her, please tell me first. Let me intervene. Of course, I hope that day never comes.”

The sizzle of stir-frying filled the kitchen, the aroma of food mingling with the steam.

Bo Mingyan turned her head. Outside, Meng Xuran had stood up, as if sensing her gaze, and met her eyes with a bright, dazzling smile.

Radiant.

Bo Mingyan looked back at Meng Yao and gave her answer.

Meng Xuran saw her lips move but couldn’t hear her over the range hood’s roar and the clatter of cooking.

All she saw was her mother’s hand freezing mid-stir.

The dish burned.

During dinner, Meng Xuran leaned close to Bo Mingyan and whispered, “What did my mom say to you in there? She even burned the food.”

Meng Yao cleared her throat. “Eat properly.”

Bo Mingyan glanced at Meng Yao, then at Meng Xuran, and echoed, “Eat up.”

Meng Xuran: “……”

After the meal, while clearing the table, Meng Xuran tried again. “Seriously, what did you two talk about?”

Bo Mingyan replied succinctly, “Your mother loves you very much.”

“That’s it?” Meng Xuran pressed. “I saw you say a whole lot more.”

Bo Mingyan side-eyed her. “Did I?”

Meng Xuran’s gaze drifted from her faintly pink ears to Meng Yao, who was on the sofa sipping water and playing with the cat.

If one wouldn’t talk, she’d pry it out of the other.

Meng Yao stayed for a short while longer before leaving. Meng Xuran walked her downstairs.

Once outside, Meng Xuran asked, “Mom, what did you talk about with her in the kitchen?”

“Nothing much.” Meng Yao had no intention of hiding it. She summarized briefly: “Just told you two to take the relationship seriously, asked her to be patient with you, and if she ever can’t stand your temper or falls out of love, to break up with you gracefully.”

“My temper?” Meng Xuran stepped into the elevator and pressed the button. She glanced sidelong at her mother, then tilted her head with a smirk—charming yet arrogant. “I’m the sun—rare, one-of-a-kind. Why would she ever want to leave me?”

Meng Yao facepalmed, laughing so hard she groaned. “Oh god, I just ate. Don’t make me laugh.”

“……”

When the elevator reached the ground floor, Meng Xuran watched Meng Yao get into her car. Holding the door, she hesitated before asking, “So… how did she respond?”

Her earlier bravado was gone, replaced by a timid uncertainty.

Meng Yao tapped the steering wheel and looked up at the lit window on the 27th floor, her mind drifting back to that moment in the kitchen.

Under the bright lights, amidst the rising steam, Bo Mingyan’s sharp features had softened.

She had said:

“As long as she’s willing, my love for her will never fade. And more than anyone, I hope that day never comes.”