Chapter 69: Daily Life 03

◎Back to Cohabitation.◎

Daily Life Arc

003

-About Cohabitation: Part Two-

After Xu Yixiao left, Xu Yan and Chen Yi began their balanced cohabitation life, complete with a mix of hearty meals and lighter fare.

New Year’s came around before long.

With Xu Yixiao gone, Xu Yan had originally planned to spend the holiday alone at home.

Xu Qing had even considered delaying their departure until after New Year’s so she could take Xu Yixiao abroad later, but there were too many commitments overseas, and the school required advance preparations. In the end, they had no choice but to leave early.

Xu Yan didn’t have any particular feelings about it.

To others, spending New Year’s alone might seem a bit bleak, but for Xu Yan, it was just par for the course.

She didn’t even think there was anything special about the holiday—it was just a few more ordinary days in a year of 365.

Plain and simple, nothing out of the ordinary.

Chen Yi saw things differently.

“Come home with me,” she said to Xu Yan. “What do you think, wife?”

Xu Yan felt a little embarrassed, of course.

She and Chen Yi hadn’t been dating for a full year yet—not even six months. And now she was supposed to go to Chen Yi’s family home? Especially since that family included Chen Nanyun. Xu Yan didn’t even want to imagine it.

“It’s fine,” she said. “You go home for New Year’s. Don’t worry about me.”

“How could I do that?” Chen Yi just couldn’t stop fretting over Xu Yan spending the holiday by herself.

“Alright, alright,” Xu Yan coaxed her. “It’s only a few days. Go keep Mom and Dad company. I’ll take good care of myself, okay?”

In the end, Chen Yi couldn’t win the argument and reluctantly agreed.

On the day of departure, Chen Nanyun and Chen Dad drove up together to pick her up and take her back to their hometown.

Chen Nanyun spotted Chen Yi and Xu Yan approaching from a distance while sitting in the car.

Xu Yan walked Chen Yi to the car and greeted Chen Nanyun and her husband.

Seeing the situation, Chen Nanyun asked, “Little Xu, aren’t you coming along?”

Xu Yan felt unusually awkward. She leaned down toward Chen Nanyun in the car and said, “General Manager Chen, I won’t be joining you. Have a great time.”

Chen Nanyun’s brows furrowed.

“Have you two broken up?”

Chen Yi’s eyes nearly popped out of her head at those words.

“Mom!” Chen Yi felt like she was going crazy. “What are you even saying?”

Chen Nanyun didn’t understand. “If you haven’t broken up, then why is she calling me General Manager Chen?”

Ever since Xu Yan started dating Chen Yi, she hadn’t interacted with Chen Nanyun all that much. Hearing this now left Xu Yan quite surprised—she hadn’t expected Chen Nanyun to be so straightforward in private.

Xu Yan didn’t quite know how to respond. She instinctively glanced at Chen Yi.

Chen Yi was losing it. “Mom! You’re being way too much!”

Chen Nanyun remained perfectly composed. “How am I being too much?”

“Little Xu, no need to be so formal. Just call me Chen Ayi in private.”

Chen Yi froze for a second, then let out a breath of relief.

Chen Nanyun caught the nuance and narrowed her eyes, zeroing in like a bloodhound. “Chen Yi, what did you think I was going to have Little Xu call me?”

Chen Yi’s gaze darted away. “Nothing.”

Chen Nanyun looked at her guilty expression and shook her head with a helpless smile.

“You could even call me Mom,” she said. She looked straight into Xu Yan’s eyes as she added, “It’s just a little early, that’s all. What do you think, Little Xu?”

Xu Yan pressed her lips together, then said to Chen Nanyun, “If you agree, Ayi, then it’s not too early at all.”

Chen Yi stood there listening to the two of them, feeling like her soul was about to ascend to the heavens.

What are you two even talking about?!

Chen Nanyun stared steadily at Xu Yan. She’d half-expected her to get cold feet or chicken out.

After a moment, her brows relaxed, and she broke into a warm smile.

“I have no objections,” Chen Nanyun said. “Dating is Chen Yi’s business.”

“By the way, Little Xu, how are you planning to spend New Year’s this year? All by yourself?”

Chen Nanyun remembered that Xu Yan’s parents had both passed away. She made a point of learning a bit about key employees at her own company. And after finding out Xu Yan was dating her daughter, she’d gone out of her way to review Xu Yan’s file. She was pretty sure she had it right.

With the conversation having gone this far, Xu Yan couldn’t very well lie. She admitted it was true.

Chen Dad sighed upon hearing this, then turned to lecture Chen Yi. “Chen Yi, how could you leave your girlfriend to spend New Year’s alone?”

He certainly didn’t remember teaching his daughter to treat her wife that way.

Chen Yi had no way to explain herself and could only shoot Xu Yan a pitiful look. “Yeah—how could I?”

Chen Nanyun realized Xu Yan was probably holding back out of deference to her.

“Enough. Don’t come with us, then,” Chen Nanyun said, glancing at Chen Yi. “You stay here and keep Little Xu company.”

Xu Yan hurriedly objected. “General Manager Chen, I couldn’t possibly—”

Chen Nanyun cut in. “Still calling me General Manager Chen?”

“. . . Chen Ayi.”

Chen Nanyun continued. “There’s nothing wrong with it. We’re just heading back to the hometown to visit the elders, then off on a trip. Chen Yi going back wouldn’t do much except shamelessly beg for more lucky money.”

“Her work schedule is flexible—she can make time anytime. It’s better if she spends New Year’s with you.”

Chen Nanyun glanced up at Chen Yi. “After New Year’s, you can go home by yourself to see Grandpa, Grandma, and your grandparents on Mom’s side. Got it?”

Chen Yi grinned. “Got it, Mom.”

“Alright, then. It’s settled.” Chen Nanyun made the decision with her usual crisp efficiency.

The trunk popped open with a click, and Chen Yi stepped forward to haul her suitcase back out—the one she’d just loaded in.

Before driving off, Chen Nanyun stuck her hand out the car window and handed over two thick red envelopes, leaving a kid on the roadside staring slack-jawed.

Xu Yan hadn’t even reacted yet when Chen Yi snatched them up with a beaming smile. “Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad! Happy New Year! Tell Grandpa, Grandma, and the grandparents hi for me! Once Xu Yan’s break is over, I’ll head home during the off-peak to see them all!”

Chen Nanyun replied, “Off you go. We’re heading out too.”

She waved and ruthlessly rolled up the window.

The car sped away, leaving behind only the fading rumble of the engine.

Chen Yi wheeled the suitcase while handing the red envelopes to Xu Yan.

Xu Yan took them, falling silent for a moment.

Chen Yi looked concerned. “What’s wrong? Did my mom scare you?”

Xu Yan shook her head.

She just hadn’t expected General Manager Chen to have this kind of vibe.

Even more unexpectedly, after Chen Nanyun gradually came to accept and confirm that Xu Yan and Chen Yi’s relationship was stable, she made an incredibly bold decision.

She started grooming Xu Yan as her successor.

Her own daughter had turned out a bit crooked in that regard, and Chen Nanyun couldn’t figure out why. By all rights, the apple shouldn’t fall far from the tree. Chen Yi had grown up in a family steeped in fashion and culture, yet she hadn’t absorbed a drop of it. Instead, she’d ended up with zero interest in trends and fashion, burying her nose in video games.

In Chen Nanyun’s era, that would have been utterly incomprehensible.

On the other hand, when Chen Nanyun had pursued fashion back then, people had seen her as an oddball too.

Of course, she wanted Chen Yi to follow her passions. But she also wanted to retire early someday, and the fashion empire she’d built needed someone to take the reins.

She knew Xu Yan had the talent. Xu Yan was already more than capable as an editor-in-chief, but to manage the entire group, she’d need more training.

So after discussing it with Xu Yan, Chen Nanyun decided to give her a year. While wrapping up her current work, Xu Yan would apply for an MBA program.

Once she finished her studies and returned, Chen Nanyun would hand her a division under the group to cut her teeth on, with further steps depending on performance.

For Xu Yan, it was both an opportunity and a challenge—a career path she’d never envisioned.

Chen Yi fully supported it, of course.

But sometimes, seeing Xu Yan so exhausted from work and still hunkered down studying, it made her heart ache. She couldn’t dissuade Xu Yan, so she started lobbying Chen Nanyun instead.

“Mom, aren’t you rushing this a bit? Shouldn’t we take it slower?”

Chen Nanyun shot her a sidelong glance and smirked. “Can’t talk your wife out of it, so you want your mother-in-law to try?”

Chen Yi nearly choked on that.

The matter eventually dropped.

Chen Yi knew that once Xu Yan set her mind to something, she wouldn’t quit—and she’d push it to perfection. Xu Yan had that obsessive drive for control.

No helping it, so Chen Yi turned her thoughts elsewhere: Xu Yan was going abroad for her MBA, which meant they’d be separated by an ocean.

She definitely didn’t want that, so she needed a way to stay with Xu Yan overseas. After racking her brain, she decided to ask her mom. As soon as Xu Yan left for school, Chen Yi arranged a work visa through the overseas branch. That way, she could happily stick by Xu Yan’s side without the hassle of long-distance.

Xu Yan suggested, “We could try applying for a dependent visa.”

Chen Yi knew about those, but she wasn’t sure their situation qualified.

She wasn’t Xu Yan’s blood relative or child, and even as a partner, they lacked legal proof.

“A local cohabitation certificate can serve as supporting evidence,” Xu Yan explained.

Chen Yi got it then—Xu Yan was indirectly telling her one thing: We could get legal proof.

She scooted over, hugged Xu Yan, planted a kiss on her, and happily went along. “Sure.”

When Xu Yixiao found out, she was over the moon from across the ocean.

“Little Aunt! Vegetable Sister! So when you two get here, the three of us can live together again!”

Xu Yan, who was reviewing work files nearby, hadn’t even opened her mouth to say no when Chen Yi cleared her throat first.

“Probably not,” she told Xu Yixiao. “It’s not a good time right now.”

As the old saying goes, it’s easy to live extravagantly after a life of frugality, but trying to swing back the other way is next to impossible.

After she and Xu Yan had sampled every roommate scenario in the book—and with their dynamic duo making it all so effortless—there was no way Xu Yixiao could ever go back to living solo.

Xu Yixiao wailed in accusation. “Why!”

“You don’t love me anymore!”

“Vegetable Sister! You don’t love me anymore! Aren’t I your favorite little girl?”

Xu Yan suddenly popped into frame on the video call. She gave the camera a gentle smile, but her words were anything but soft.

“Want to know why?”

“Go find yourself a girlfriend, Xu Yixiao.”

Xu Yixiao fell silent. “…”

Hmph!!

“Dating makes you so high and mighty, huh?” she grumbled, her lips forming a pout.

“Sorry, but we’ve already got enough lightbulbs around the house. We really don’t need one more,” Xu Yan drawled lazily.

Xu Yixiao stomped her foot in fury and slammed the laptop screen shut with a sharp snap.

Chen Yi sighed helplessly. “You’re teasing her again.”

Xu Yan huffed and set aside her work. Without another word, she slid onto Chen Yi’s lap.

“Tell me, then—who’s your favorite little girl?”

Chen Yi didn’t even have a chance to respond before a familiar shriek blasted from the laptop speakers.

“Little Aunt!” Xu Yixiao bellowed from the other end of the line. “I only turned off the video! I haven’t hung up yet!!”

That wicked Little Aunt! So jealous! Had she been a walking barrel of vinegar in her past life?

Fine, fine! Xu Yixiao swore she’d never live with Little Aunt and Vegetable Sister again! Let those two enjoy their cozy twosome all by themselves!