Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 127 – Xiao Feng Gives His Aunt an Uncle-In-Law

Strangely enough, after Qi Kai said that, Mao Huimei didn’t get angry. She just found it laughably absurd. “Now that you’ve said it like that, I really do want to try,” she said with a grin. “Go ahead and spread it. The wider the better. If you don’t, you’re a coward.”

Qi Kai was startled by her reaction.

“I was just wondering how to deal with you,” Mao Huimei sneered. “This works out perfectly—I’ll send you to rot in jail. Save you from going around disgusting people. Even if Lu Nana’s still willing after that, I doubt her family would let her marry a convict.”

Qi Kai frowned. “Stop exaggerating. You’re not scaring me.”

“You think I am exaggerating? I suggest you check the criminal law for defamation,” Mao Huimei said. “You’ve already got the motive, and I won’t even need to look for the source of the rumor—it’ll start with you.”

She was clearly done talking. “So, while I’m still in a good mood, get lost!”

“Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I won’t go have a chat with Lu Nana.”

Seeing there was nothing to gain today, Qi Kai had no choice but to leave for now.

Xia Mian stepped out from the corner. “I almost beat the crap out of him just now.”

“No need to dirty your hands on trash like that,” Mao Huimei said. “If you hit him, he’d know we’ve already figured out He Wei. Better to let them stay clueless and in harmony for a while longer.”

Xia Mian laughed. “Well, let’s hope their relationship lasts.”

The two of them parted and headed home. When Xia Mian saw the lights on in the house, a smile appeared on her face.

Sure enough, when she walked in, she saw Ning Shaobai and Xiao Feng. The main room’s door was wide open, and the two of them were leaning over the table, studying something intently.

Xia Mian vaguely heard Xiao Feng pointing at something and saying, “little brother and sister.” Ning Shaobai’s lips curled into a slightly mischievous smile, like he was cooking up something sneaky.

Xia Mian found it strange, but just then, he seemed to sense her presence and looked up. Xiao Feng looked over at the same time, and both of them smiled.

The dark haze left by Qi Kai instantly vanished from Xia Mian’s heart.

“Auntie!” Xiao Feng ran toward her.

Xia Mian picked him up and twirled him around. “When did you get back? Where did you two go today?”

Xiao Feng just smiled without answering, glancing over at Ning Shaobai.

Ning Shaobai waved at him, and Xiao Feng immediately ran back, snuggling up against his leg in a suspiciously affectionate way.

Xia Mian couldn’t help but laugh. “When did you switch sides?”

Ning Shaobai ruffled Xiao Feng’s hair with a smile. “Don’t ask. We’re planning a surprise for you. You’ll find out tomorrow.”

Tomorrow would be Xia Mian’s birthday. Over the past few days, these two had apparently formed an alliance, secretly plotting something behind her back.

Xia Mian shook her head helplessly and looked down at the blueprint on the table. “Wasn’t the design already finalized? Are there changes?”

Ning Shaobai replied, “This one’s for my place.”

“You’re renovating too?”

He glanced up at her, his eyes flickering. “I was thinking of adding some entertainment rooms, maybe a music room or something.”

Xia Mian recalled that wild kiss in the changing room at the Rong family’s house, and her cheeks flushed red. She didn’t have the mind to question him further.

Ning Shaobai reached out and patted her head, the corners of his mouth curling into a sly smile she couldn’t see.

Just as Ning Shaobai had predicted the previous year, since it was her first birthday after she began dating, Xia Mian found herself more excited for her nineteenth birthday than she had been for her eighteenth.

And it seemed she wasn’t the only one filled with anticipation.

When Xia Mian opened her eyes, Xiao Feng was already awake, lying beside her bed with bright eyes. “Auntie, good morning.”

She turned over to face him and stroked his little cheek. “Up so early, baby?”

The little guy’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Auntie, happy birthday!”

“Thank you!” Xia Mian leaned over and kissed his cheek, smiling. “Are you giving me my birthday present now?”

Xiao Feng pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’ll give it to you tonight.”

“Why wait until tonight?” Xia Mian put on a disappointed face. Xiao Feng giggled, eyes sparkling, clearly just as excited about giving the gift as she was to receive it.

That only made Xia Mian even more curious.

By the time she got up and washed, Xiao Feng had already run across to the house opposite. When Xia Mian arrived at Ning Shaoyun’s place, he and Chenchen were decorating the birthday cake. As for Mao Huizhu? Ever since summer vacation started, that girl refused to get up before noon.

The cake already had writing on it—strong, bold characters, completely different from previous years.

Xia Mian recognized the handwriting at a glance. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling that those few words made the cake look even more delicious.

Ning Shaoyun smiled. “Xiao Bai came over at dawn to work on the cake.” She sighed. “Never seen him bake before—nailed it on the first try.”

Xia Mian thought of her and Zhou Xuewen’s chaotic attempt at baking and laughed quietly.

“Dr. Ning can do anything.” Xia Mian said proudly.

Seeing Ning Shaoyun giving her a teasing look, Xia Mian didn’t even try to hide it. “Where is he?”

“He just went back to change. He has to go to work soon.”

Xia Mian ran out and bumped into Ning Shaobai just as he was leaving. Seeing her, he raised an eyebrow, then stepped back into the house.

Xia Mian grinned and slipped through the doorway after him, landing right in a warm, solid embrace.

Ning Shaobai lowered his head and brushed her lips with a kiss. “Happy birthday.”

Xia Mian stood on tiptoe and kissed him back. “Thank you.”

He cupped her chin and returned the gesture with action. “See you tonight.”

At noon, Xia Wenyue and Mao Zhishan also returned from the factory and rolled up their sleeves to cook a full feast.

Xia Mian complained, “The factory’s so busy, you didn’t have to come back just for this.”

Xia Wenyue brushed her off, “The booth setup is pretty much done anyway, so we’re taking it easy today. It’s been a while since we’ve all had a meal together.”

“Besides, it’s your birthday—probably not many more you’ll celebrate at home.” She sighed. “Honestly, I never realized Dr. Ning was this impatient.”

“Good thing you’re only nineteen. If you were twenty, I bet he’d be dragging you off to get a marriage certificate already.”

“No, no, we must do it properly. I need to find another chance to sit down and have a proper talk with him. You’re not getting married until after you graduate college.”

Xia Mian couldn’t help but laugh. Personally, she didn’t really mind either way.

But Ning Shaobai clearly wasn’t giving anyone the chance to object, including Xia Mian. When the meal was nearly finished, he handed her a thick envelope.

Xia Mian opened it and found a property ownership certificate inside. When she saw the location and size, she nearly jumped with joy. “Haha, Dr. Ning, you’re amazing!”

Last summer, he had lured her back from Mingxi County using a property deal. Later, that house, along with the two-entry courtyard house they currently lived in, had all been placed under Xiao Feng’s name.

She kept two single-entry courtyards for herself, one of which she gave to Xia Wenyue’s family. Since then, Xia Mian had been eyeing more properties that might be up for demolition in the future.

But these kinds of houses were hard to come by. Demand far outstripped supply, and with the local obsession over real estate, very few were willing to sell.

Add to that the lack of real estate agencies and the difficulty of finding reliable info, Xia Mian had come up empty-handed.

She hadn’t expected Dr. Ning to quietly secure one for her! If not for everyone being present, she definitely would’ve given him a big hug!

When Xia Wenyue realized what the gift was, she made a polite comment. “Isn’t that a bit too extravagant?”

Xia Mian immediately played along with mock modesty. “Ah, yes, it’s far too much.”

Her overly dramatic tone earned her a glare from her aunt.

Ning Shaobai chuckled. “This isn’t extravagant. Xiao Feng’s gift is much more impressive.”

Xia Mian looked at the boy in surprise. “Wasn’t this a gift from both of you?”

Xiao Feng blinked his big eyes and shook his head. Then he brought his arms out from behind his back, revealing a jewelry box.

Seeing his expectant expression, Xia Mian was a little puzzled. She took the box with a hint of hesitation, opened it, and found a beautiful ring nestled inside. The silver-white band adorned with a semicircle of tiny diamonds wasn’t exactly low-key, but it matched her taste perfectly. It was breathtaking.

But…

“Xiao Feng’s giving this to Auntie?”

Everyone else looked confused too, until the boy beamed and said, “Uncle-in-law.”

???

Chenchen, his partner in crime, helpfully explained, “Auntie Mian, Xiao Feng’s giving you an uncle-in-law!”

Ning Shaobai proudly stepped up beside Xiao Feng.

The room erupted in laughter as everyone caught on.

Ning Shaoyun shook her head and sighed, while Zhou Xuewen simply muttered, “Sly guy.”

Ning Shaobai patted Xiao Feng’s head and looked at Xia Mian. “Do you like Xiao Feng’s gift?”

With the child’s bright, shining eyes staring up at her, how could Xia Mian say no? All she could do was bend down and plant a big kiss on his cheek. “Auntie loves it. You did amazing!”

And just like that, the nephew amazingly sold off his aunt.

Ning Shaobai laughed, took the ring, and gently slipped it onto the middle finger of Xia Mian’s left hand. His voice was soft and sincere. “Mianmian, I’m giving you the rest of my life. Happy birthday.”

A sudden wave of warmth surged through Xia Mian’s chest without warning, making it feel full to the brim. Her nose tingled, but her face wore nothing but a sweet smile. Unable to help herself, she gripped his hand tightly, and the two of them smiled at each other.

The precocious Mao Huizhu immediately led the applause, and Xiao Feng grabbed Xia Mian’s other hand.

While Xia Mian held Xiao Feng and blew out her candles to make a wish, Xia Wenyue said, “Mianmian, add one more thing to your wish—may your sister find a good man soon.”

Xia Mian nearly burst out laughing, and Mao Huimei sighed helplessly, “Mom~”

“What?” Xia Wenyue glared. “Mianmian is younger than you, and she is settled now. You’d better hurry up too. I expect you to bring someone home by the end of the year, at the latest. Got it?”

Mao Huimei had already informed Xia Wenyue about her breakup, though she didn’t go into details. She simply told her mother that He Wei looked down on their family and was only chasing her for a game.

Xia Wenyue’s first reaction was a sigh of relief. “No wonder I always felt uneasy. He isn’t from the same world as us.”

Mentioning her daughter’s dating life, Xia Wenyue couldn’t help but scold, “That He Wei, such a damn waste of space. Doesn’t even find himself a partner, and still manages to mess things up for others!”

“If it weren’t for him getting in the way, maybe Huimei would’ve already brought a young man home!”

After two straight rounds of rotten men, Xia Wenyue suddenly became very anxious about Mao Huimei’s marriage prospects.

So much so that Mao Huimei started avoiding her altogether.

Fortunately, the factory got extremely busy soon afterward. Yan City’s biggest food industry expo was about to begin, and Xinsheng had secured a booth there.

Xinsheng Food Factory had just finished expanding its production line. With capacity now keeping up, Xia Wenyue began setting her sights on the national market. This kind of nationwide expo was the best opportunity for both promotion and securing distributors.

They even heard that some international food companies would be attending. Xia Mian had casually mentioned, “We could sell overseas too. Chinese people are gourmets; if Xinsheng can do well domestically, it’ll do fine abroad.”

She’d meant it as a long-term idea, but somehow Mao Huimei had taken it seriously. So lately she’d been frantically brushing up on her English, hoping to visit the international booths.

Right before they left, she pulled Xia Mian, who was fluent in English, along with her, and Mao Huilan decided to tag along too for the experience. Mao Huizhu and Xiao Feng, naturally, were left in Ning Shaoyun’s care.

Xia Wenyue arranged for one of the factory’s vans to take them straight to the venue. As the van pulled out of the alley, she suddenly said, “Hey, isn’t that He Wei’s car?”

Xia Mian and Mao Huimei exchanged a glance. Xia Mian rolled down the window and leaned out to take a look. Sure enough, it was He Wei’s car.

Xia Mian whispered, “Looks like he’s lost his mind, showing up this fast.”

Mao Huimei sneered. “Then let him wait all he wants.”

The expo was set to run for three days, during which no one would be home during the day.

But the confrontation came much sooner than expected. In a twist of fate, they ended up running into He Wei face-to-face at the expo itself.

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