Meeting The Parents

A few days later, both of them got a response from the director. That acclaimed director who had made the condition to land her a role and to provide her with a song. Ms Crystal Ann had finally found a song she liked. Not just liked, she felt like it was better than anything she could've imagined. Her hurried request for them to come to A Country proved her excitement.

Along with the fact that Qiao Feng's mother seemed to have lost her patience and was demanding that he come to A Country, they decided to leave that day itself.

As they boarded the steps of the private plane, Qiu Yue weighted the good and bad that could happen on this trip. She was quite ticked off by the way Qiao Feng's mother had done things, but she didn't want to say or do anything harsh as she was still his mother.

She looked up from her thoughts to smile as Qiao Feng, taking his outstretched hand as she climbed over the last few steps.

After the long flight, Qiao Feng picked up the car that had been left in the airport parking for him.

He looked at Qiu Yue and hesitated a bit.

"Can we go back to the Qiao Family estate first?"

Qiu Yue's lips twitched, and she couldn't help laughing a little looking at the way he was asking her permission. Her eyes smiling, she looked at him and said yes.

On the way there Qiu Yue looked outside the window, fascinated by the different feel of A country.

However, the Qiao family estate was a stark contrast to all the other mansions they'd seen on the way. It was heavily imbued with eastern architecture. It was still a mansion, but you could certainly feel the foreign details strike.

Qiao Feng's parents were waiting outside for him. It surprised Qiu Yue a little, after all, with how adamant his stepmother had been at not accepting her because of her status, she'd figured his family was colder. Her eyes softened as she looked at his parents hug him in joy. Seeing the soft smile on his face, Qiu Yue felt an unknown feeling bloom in her chest.

However, just like she's expected, his stepmother gave her a complete cold shoulder, refusing to even acknowledge her presence, while his father had simply nodded at her. As she'd already expected this, it felt so childish and petty, Qiu Yue couldn't help but chuckle. This just happened to annoy Qiao Feng's stepmother even more.

As they walked into the house, Qiao Feng fell into line with Qiu Yue, reaching for her hand with his. Giving her a slightly worried look, he squeezed her palm.

Qiu Yue looked up at him and smiled, bumping their shoulders together lightly to reassure him.

Qiao Feng's Father, who had been very quiet thus far, had a faraway look in his eyes as he looked at the both of them. He remembered his wife, Qiao Feng's mother. She'd died almost 15 years ago, but he'd yet to stop loving her. Of course, he was married to Qiao Feng's stepmother, and he respected her, and they both loved Qiao Feng. However, the way he'd felt for Qiao Feng's mother was something he could never forget. She had been his wife, his first love, his strength. Only he knew how hard he had struggled to stay alive after she was killed.

The people behind her death had long since been captured and punished, but the father and son could never forget her. Qiao Feng stopped performing and singing and his father was forced to pick up the pieces to take care of his son.

Looking at his son now, he felt like he was looking at his younger self.

While Qiu Yue was looking at the garden through the window, Mr Qiao pulled Qiao Feng aside.

"Don't lose her."

Qiao Feng blinked, processing what his father had just said.

"So you...?"

Qiao Feng's Father simply patted his shoulder.

"It's your life, I'm already old. All I hope is to see you happy."

Qiao Feng's heart clenched looking at his father. This same man had once had long black hair and his back had seemed as broad as the sky. But they both have grown older and time had taken its toll from his father.

When they joined Mrs Qiao and Qiu Yue, there was a terse silence and cold in the air as they sat on the dining table. Qiu Yue looked like she wasn't bothered by it all, further frustrating Mrs Qiao. Qiao Feng sat down next to Qiu Yue, whispering a sorry to her and looking at his dropping eyes she could only click her tongue.

Qiao Feng could only talk to try to disperse the atmosphere.

Qiu Yue's lips twitched, she knew how much he loved his family, and honestly? She wanted to get along with them too, but if his mother insisted on being like this, then she wasn't going to do anything.

Of course, she couldn't leave her sweetheart lurching.

"There's a lot of food here, do you always have breakfast like this?"

Qiu Yue asked innocently.

Almost as if she'd said something wrong, Qiao Feng's mother harrumphed.

"This is all Feng-er's favourite. Not like you would know."

Qiu Yue just cocked an eyebrow, then bending forward to take some food she said nonchalantly, "Indigestion is a thing, but okay."

Before Mrs Qiao could blow up, Mr Qiao laughed and started putting food in Qiao Feng's plate, just as Qiu Yue did.

Qiu Yue didn't know why, but Mr Qiao seemed much more amiable to her now. Glancing at Qiao Feng discreetly, she continued to make small talk with his father, completely ignoring the gabs that his mother kept sending her way.

By the time the breakfast got over, Qiao Feng's mother had had enough. So as Qiu Yue and Qiao Feng stood up to go inside, she stood up too.

"Ms Yue is not welcome here." She declares coldly.

Of course, Qiu Yue could refute her words, even defy them, after all, Qiao Feng and his father didn't seem to mind her presence. But... she didn't want to create conflict.

She waved her hand in the air as if accepting it.

She turned away, walking outside the hall.

"I knew something like this would happen, so I booked myself a hotel room-"

Just then, Qiao Feng's eyes glinted dangerously. Before he knew it, he had already grabbed onto Qiu Yue's elbow, pulled her towards him with unexpected force, making her turn.

"Why?"

Even when faced with her startled look he felt a bit annoyed.

"Stay with me."

He looked so serious at that moment that Qiu Yue felt like her breath was taken away. She stumbled on her words as she tried to tell him why she'd booked a hotel.

"I... I just thought... I mean, I knew your mother wouldn't want me here... and I don't want to... either..."

He'd already loosened his grip, scared of hurting her. Hearing her startled soft voice, Qiao Feng's irritation calmed down.

"Then we'll go together."

Qiu Yue had thought he wanted to stay here, hearing his quick reply she couldn't help but chuckle. He really knew how to spoil her.

"En."

She said softly, smiling helplessly at him.

Seeing as his suitcases had already been taken into the room, Qiao Feng went to get them back down.

While he was gone, Mrs Qiao didn't hold back.

"What do you think of yourself? Look at yourself once. Do you think you deserve him?"

Her face was seething, as she hissed out her words.

Funnily enough, the nice Mr Qiao was also turning a blind eye to her. Clearly, he also held some doubts, even though he hadn't said anything to Qiao Feng.

"People like you run around him all the time! Thinking you can get benefits off of him!"

Qiu Yue sighed deeply.

"So what is it that you want me to do?"

"Get out. Get out of his life and leave him alone!"

Mrs Qiao said coldly, sneering at Qiu Yue.

Qiu Yue rain her fingers through her hair, pushing it back.

"No."

Not giving Mrs Qiao a chance to start up again she continued.

"I understand you love him, and it only makes sense that you'd doubt a random girl who suddenly became his girlfriend. Much less one who was also his client."

It's not like Qiu Yue didn't understand where she came from, after all, if Mrs Qiao had just accepted her from the off go, then it would have been weirder.

"Then you understand-"

"But. I have no reason to comply with your words. I don't care what you call it, I will not leave him. Not till he asks for it. Then, I promise you, I shall not come back."

She shook her head lightly after that.

"Of course I'm also a bit surprised at your lack of trust in Qiao Feng's judgment. You don't think he'd just go all in just like that right?"

"Even if I have nothing to give, he must've known that I wasn't here to take anything either."

But if even she understood why Mrs Qiao was saying all this, it made no difference. She wouldn't leave Qiao Feng. So what if she couldn't give him anything right now, she could swear with confidence that she would ensure that whatever he wanted would happen. She had that ability. Even if she wasn't as talented as Yao Yan and Huo Zi Feng, Qiu Yue had her way of doing things, and she never thought anything was impossible.

And now that she'd decided to be with Qiao Feng, no one other than he himself, could stop her. On the other hand, the more they tried to stop her, pettier she'd get and annoy the hell out of them.

Originally Qiu Yue's shining traits were her confidence, maturity and her charm. Many things had happened, and she had gotten scared of the stage, of talking to people, of opening up. But the person herself couldn't be changed, her confidence had just been hidden away.

A confident smile bloomed on Qiu Yue's face as she faced Qiao Feng's parents. Her posture was relaxed, and yet she exuded a sense of regality that Mrs Qiao couldn't understand.

Even Qiu Yue herself had forgotten that the composure and self-assurance she had were hard to hide. It had always come naturally to her, even when things were a mess, people had thought everything was fine. Honestly, Qiu Yue didn't like the fact that everyone thought that she was always calm and confident. But for the most part, it always worked out on her side. Of course, that was how she seemed naturally, so now that she was showing off her confidence it only served to enhance the effect.

However, this only further incensed Mrs Qiao. Being in front of such unshakeable confidence, she was taken aback, and she didn't like the way it made her feel.

"How long do you think you two can last?!"

Qiu Yue only shrugged. Why would she think about how long?

Wasn't right now enough?

"Till he wants it to end, I guess."

Mrs Qiao's eyes sharpened, and she was about to say something but a deep voice, whose usual gentle tone had a harder edge to it sounded from behind Qiu Yue.

"That will never happen."

Qiao Feng walked up from behind Qiu Yue and lightly wrapped an arm around her waist as she turned to look at him.

He sighed a little as he took in the warmth of the person he held in his arms. Being away for even a short time scared him.

He looked at his stepmother before speaking in a gentle yet firm voice.

"I love Qiu Yue. In the first place, I wanted to be with her when she didn't even know I liked her. So mom... please don't fight with her? It hurts me a little."

Qiu Yue drove her elbow into his side and his arm around her waist tightened as he strained to maintain his sad puppy eyes.

Sure he loved his family, and he loved her, but this pathos stuffed dialogue was just blatant manipulation.

It worked though, as Qiu Yue would see Mrs Qiao's expression and words soften as her aggression melted away.

'Ah, Why... I worked so hard to rile her up! Tch.'

Qiu Yue was a little dissatisfied. She couldn't hate this mother-in-law, but she could still tease her a little right? Otherwise, how would she get her payback? Sending Feng on those blind dates... as if she wasn't pissed off.

As if sensing her dissatisfaction Qiao Feng entwined their fingers slowly, distracting her a little.

The next thing Qiu Yue knew, he'd already ended the conversation and was walking her to the car.

Standing next to the car, Qiao Feng rubbed his side lightly, pouting at Qiu Yue.

"It hurts, you know, being hurt by my lady love like this."

He put his arms on her shoulders, leaning into her even as she wore a bland look.

"You can pinch me if it hurts that much." :)

Qiu Yue flashed him saccharine-sweet yet scary smile.

Qiao Feng chuckled, "How could I bear to do that? The only marks I want to see on your body are the ones I make with my lips."

His hand crept closer to the edge of her shirt as he spoke. As they were whispering, others couldn't hear what they were saying, but there was no way they weren't looking.

Qiu Yue couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud. She pushed him away, walking to the other side of the car to get in.

"I'm getting my entire body covered in tattoos!"

"Then you can show me all of them in detail."

Qiao Feng didn't even wait before saying this calmly but his face betrayed his desire for her. There was also mirth dancing in his eyes as he reached out for her hand, sitting down in the driver's seat.

"Hmm, someone's impatient~"

Qiu Yue smiled as she teased.