A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 235 Paying Respects to Mother Yang

On a sunny weekend, Liu Qicheng and Yang Xuexue walked hand in hand on their way to Yang Xuexue's house. Liu Qicheng's heart was pounding with nervous excitement, as this was his first time meeting his girlfriend's parents.

"Xuexue, do you think Auntie will like me?" Liu Qicheng asked nervously, tugging at his collar as he spoke, trying to make himself look more energetic.

Yang Xuexue chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Look at you, so timid. My mom is great; you just need to perform normally. But don't say anything silly when you're nervous!"

Liu Qicheng patted his chest and said confidently, "Don't worry, I'll definitely be fine! I'm a seasoned football coach, I've seen it all." Even so, his palms were still sweating.

When they arrived at Yang Xuexue's house, her mother greeted them warmly as soon as the door opened. "Xuexue, you're finally back! This must be Xiao Liu, come in, come in."

Liu Qicheng quickly handed over the carefully prepared gift, his face beaming with smiles. "Hello, Auntie, this is just a small token of my appreciation."

Yang Xuexue's mother accepted the gift and said with a smile, "Oh, you've come all this way, why bring anything? You're too kind."

Upon entering the living room, Liu Qicheng felt as if he had entered an "interrogation room." Although Yang's mother was smiling, he always felt that there was a pair of eyes scrutinizing him from behind.

After asking them to sit down, Mrs. Yang started chatting. "Little Liu, Xuexue told me you're a coach at a football club. That must be an interesting job!"

Liu Qicheng nodded quickly, "Yes, Auntie, I really love this job. Being with a group of kids who love football every day makes me feel several years younger. And watching them improve little by little on the field gives me an incredible sense of accomplishment." As he spoke, Liu Qicheng became enthusiastic and began to talk at length about the interesting stories of the players he coached.

Mrs. Yang listened with a smile, nodding occasionally. After a while, she changed the subject, "So, Xiao Liu, what do your family members do?"

Liu Qicheng sat up straight and answered earnestly, "Auntie, my dad owns a chain of fruit and vegetable stores. He loves handling those fruits and vegetables and works from dawn till dusk every day, but the business is quite successful. My mom is the chairman of the Li Group. She's extremely busy with work and often flies around to discuss business. My eldest sister and brother-in-law are managers at a subsidiary of the Li Group, and my second sister and brother-in-law are responsible for teaching ancient etiquette and makeup on the film set. They're quite interesting; they often tell me all sorts of interesting stories from the film set."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yang raised an eyebrow slightly. "Wow, your family is quite diverse. Your mother manages such a large group; she must be very capable."

Liu Qicheng scratched his head and said with a smile, "My mom is indeed quite amazing, but at home, she's just an ordinary mom, very talkative, always worrying about this and that about me. Once, I lost a game and was in a bad mood, so she talked to me all night, about everything from life philosophy to football tactics."

Yang Xuexue couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You say your mother is nagging, but you're the same way. Once you start talking, you can't stop."

Liu Qicheng smiled sheepishly and quickly shut his mouth.

At this point, Yang's mother asked again, "So what are your plans for the future? Will you continue to be a football coach?"

Liu Qicheng thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "I really enjoy being a coach and hope to continue doing it to cultivate more outstanding football talents. However, I also want to learn more about management, so that I can help my mother with some of her work in the future. I think that no matter what you do, you have to be down-to-earth and take it one step at a time."

Hearing this, Mrs. Yang nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, it's good that young people have ideas. But nothing is easy, so don't give up easily when you encounter difficulties."

Over the next few minutes, Liu Qicheng and Yang's mother got along better and better, and he gradually relaxed, no longer as nervous as he had been at the beginning.

Suddenly, Yang Xuexue remembered something and said to Liu Qicheng, "Didn't you say your dad's fruit and vegetable shop is doing well? Tell my mom what the secret is. My mom has been trying to grow some vegetables herself lately, but she can't seem to grow them well."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qicheng perked up. "Auntie, there are so many things to consider when growing these vegetables. First, you have to choose good seeds, just like selecting athletes—you have to choose those with potential. Then there's watering and fertilizing; you have to get the amount just right, too much or too little won't do. My dad even plays music for those vegetables and fruits, saying it helps them grow better."

Yang's mother asked curiously, "Listening to music? What good is that?"

Liu Qicheng said in a serious tone, "It really works. My dad said that soothing music can help fruits and vegetables relax, just like listening to music can relieve fatigue when we're tired from training. And, my dad also talks to them. He says that this makes the fruits and vegetables feel cared for."

Yang Xuexue and her mother were amused. Yang's mother said with a smile, "Your dad is really funny. It's like he treats all those vegetables and fruits as his own children."

Liu Qicheng laughed, "That's just how my dad is. He's very attentive to his fruit and vegetable shop. Sometimes I feel like he loves those fruits and vegetables more than he loves me."

As they chatted, it was lunchtime. Mrs. Yang had prepared a sumptuous meal, which Liu Qicheng enjoyed immensely, praising Mrs. Yang's culinary skills incessantly.

"Auntie, your cooking is absolutely amazing! I haven't had such delicious home-cooked meals in ages. My mom is usually busy and rarely has time to cook, so my dad and I often eat out or sometimes eat at home in the evenings."

Hearing this, Mrs. Yang was overjoyed. "If you like it, eat more. If Xuexue isn't home, you can come eat here with me."

Liu Qicheng nodded quickly, "Thank you, Auntie. Then I won't be polite."

After dinner, Yang Xuexue and Liu Qicheng helped clear the table, while Yang's mother watched them with a gratified smile on her face.

After tidying up, Yang's mother called Liu Qicheng to her side and said seriously, "Little Liu, after chatting with you today, I think you are a down-to-earth and ambitious good boy. Xuexue has been spoiled by me since she was little, and sometimes she has a bit of a temper. If you are with her, you will have to be more tolerant of her."

Liu Qicheng quickly said, "Auntie, don't worry. Xuexue is a very good girl. I like her so much, how could I dislike her? I will definitely take good care of her."

Mrs. Yang nodded. "Okay, Auntie believes you. Since you two have a good relationship, then get along well."

Hearing Yang's mother say that, Liu Qicheng and Yang Xuexue both smiled happily. This trip to meet the parents, which they had originally thought would be full of tension and awkwardness, unexpectedly ended perfectly amidst laughter and joy.

After leaving Yang Xuexue's house, Liu Qicheng breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, finally passed. Xuexue, your mom is so kind. I thought she would be very strict."

Yang Xuexue linked her arm with his and said with a smile, "I told you, my mom is easy to get along with. But you really did a good job today; you made my mom laugh several times."

Liu Qicheng smiled smugly, "Of course, I came prepared. I'll have to perform well in the future and try to make Auntie even more satisfied."

Hand in hand, the two walked in the sunset, a sweet atmosphere filling the air. This experience of meeting the parents not only won Liu Qicheng the approval of Yang's mother, but also deepened their relationship.