Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 597: Family Harmony, Two Mothers-in-Law

Around the Chinese New Year in 2016, a heavy snow fell upon Jinling. The entire Jinling City was blanketed in a vast expanse of white. The Qin Huai Riverbank was also frozen solid for miles around, with the painted pleasure boats moored one after another, all coated in a pristine layer of snow.This year, Zhou Yuwen did not return to his hometown for the holidays. Instead, he brought his parents over to Jinling City.

Zhou Yuwen purchased a larger villa in the same residential area as Jiang Xinyi's home. Between buying the property and renovating it, he spent over fifty million yuan. Although there was still room for property values to rise, it was bound to be limited. After all, the golden age of real estate only lasted for a few years, and eventually, the market would stabilize around this price point.

However, this was pocket change to the current Zhou Yuwen. He no longer bothered calculating future profits and losses. To him, living comfortably right now was the most important thing. No matter how much money he spent, he could easily earn it all back in the future anyway.

During this year's Chinese New Year, Zhou Yuwen's home was exceptionally lively. This wasn't just because Su Qing and Lu Wanting had returned from abroad to celebrate the holidays with him, but because this year, all of Zhou Yuwen's women gathered in the villa to spend the New Year together.

When Zhou Yuwen's parents were first brought to the villa, they were completely stunned by the sight before them. The massive, luxurious villa was filled with a flocking of beautiful women.

Tao Tian, Li Shiqi, and Shen Yu were bustling about in the open-concept kitchen.

Zheng Yanyan was playfully teasing Lu Lin over to the side, trying to wrestle around with her.

Lu Lin, however, simply shot Zheng Yanyan a cold, dismissive eye roll.

Su Qing and Pan Min, who had stayed behind for the New Year, were chatting on the sofa in the living room.

When they saw Zhou Guowei and Yang Lijuan walk in, every single one of them stood up in unison.

"Uncle, Auntie, you're here!?"

Zheng Yanyan, who was standing the closest, took the lead in greeting them.

Zhou Guowei and Yang Lijuan exchanged bewildered glances, completely at a loss for words.

Fortunately, Pan Min grasped the situation gracefully. Smiling, she invited Zhou Guowei and Yang Lijuan inside, explaining that Yuwen was still tied up with some matters at the company and hadn't returned yet.

"Come in and have a seat first. Oh, Su Qing, go brew a cup of tea for your Uncle and Auntie."

"Okay."

Su Qing nodded. After gaining so much experience abroad, her aura had transformed dramatically. Today, she wore a simple, form-fitting T-shirt paired with dark blue skinny jeans, giving her an incredibly capable and sharp appearance.

"I'll do it."

At that moment, Tao Tian stepped up to help Su Qing.

Seeing so many girls getting along so amicably, displaying a scene of harmonious sisters-in-law, left Zhou Guowei and Yang Lijuan absolutely speechless. They simply traded another glance.

Meanwhile, Pan Min hosted them with a warm smile. She took the teapot from Su Qing's hands and personally poured them tea.

Watching Pan Min act so attentively, Zhou Guowei felt a bit uncomfortable. He couldn't help but ask, "Do you know all these girls?"

"I do. They are all Yuwen and Su Qing's friends, here to hang out," Pan Min replied, choosing not to expose the truth.

However, judging by her expression, it was obvious she already knew everything.

If this were in the past, Zhou Yuwen's parents might have found his behavior completely absurd.

But given Zhou Yuwen's current status, he was far beyond their control.

This year, half of the investment projects in their hometown were directly or indirectly funded by Zhou Yuwen. Because of their son, Zhou's parents had become VIP guests among the local officials. Even though Zhou's father had entered a state of semi-retirement due to his son's immense wealth, this very fact meant that whenever a major event occurred at his workplace, the top executives would personally consult him. By the end of the year, they had even bumped up his salary and benefits.

Furthermore, Zhou Yuwen had invested funds to establish a family trust. He declared that any capable and ambitious relatives within the family would receive financial support for their tuition fees and living expenses. He even offered to sponsor the younger generation to study abroad. Through this, Zhou Yuwen firmly united his entire family under his influence.

This year, Boss Ma of Hangcheng and Boss Ma of Shenzhen were both incredibly popular figures.

Although Zhou Yuwen hadn't quite reached their staggering level yet, whenever he attended televised events, he confidently stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them, engaging in cheerful conversations.

Every time Zhou Yuwen appeared on television, a crowd of relatives would flush red with excitement, clapping their hands and telling Zhou Yuwen's parents that Yuwen was on TV again!

One day, he was shaking hands with the wealthiest man, Boss Ma.

The next day, he was standing alongside Liu Dongqiang and his wife.

But to be honest, ever since Sister Milk Tea married Liu Dongqiang, she had developed a much more mature, married-woman aura.

The main thing was, she was the exact same age as Zhou Yuwen.

When the three of them stood together, it almost looked like a son and daughter-in-law standing with their father.

Because of that group photo...

Old Liu was relentlessly teased by others.

Yet, Old Liu merely laughed it off.

After all, Zhou Yuwen was a rising star. Old Liu would never fall out with him over a woman.

Right now, Zhou Yuwen was ranked eleventh on the billionaires' list—a legitimate tycoon. He was also the only individual under the age of twenty to make the list.

Therefore, no matter how absurd his actions were, Zhou Yuwen's parents simply chose to turn a blind eye.

Soon, Zhou Yuwen returned home, accompanied by Jiang Xinyi, who worked with him at the company.

Seeing his parents, Zhou Yuwen joyfully called out, "Mom, Dad!"

He then explained that he had originally planned to pick them up.

"But an urgent matter came up at the company, so Xinyi and I had to head over there. Was your trip smooth?"

Upon arriving home, Zhou Yuwen naturally took off his suit, and Tao Tian immediately helped him hang it up.

Following that, Li Shiqi brought him a glass of water.

Moreover, as Zhou Yuwen sat beside his parents, Qu Jing even fetched him a hot towel to wipe his face.

Zhou's father was a man who had seen a lot in his life, but looking at the scene unfolding before him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward his son. This was absolute paradise.

Sure enough, money really could buy you whatever your heart desired.

Zhou Yuwen chatted briefly with his parents, telling them to enjoy themselves for a few days since they were in Jinling. He mentioned that after the New Year, Su Qing and the others were planning a trip to Europe.

"We'll bring you along when the time comes. Aunt Pan, you should join us too," Zhou Yuwen declared as they sat at the dining table, taking his rightful place at the head.

Hearing this, Pan Min smiled and replied, "I probably shouldn't go, right?"

"How could you not? Aunt Pan, if you go, you can keep my parents company," Zhou Yuwen insisted with a smile.

The girls began bringing out the dishes. Since it was the first time Zhou Yuwen's parents had visited, the meal was naturally prepared to the highest standard. Delicacies like abalone and lobster were merely appetizers, followed by an endless array of exquisite dishes that Zhou's parents had never even seen before.

After finishing the feast, Zhou's parents returned to their bedroom, but they found themselves completely unable to sleep.

Zhou's mother felt deeply gratified. She murmured that their son had truly made something incredible of himself!

Noticing her husband remaining completely silent, she nudged him with her arm, prompting him to share his thoughts.

Zhou's father looked at her and asked, "Are you truly okay with all of this?"

"A house full of women, and Wenwen is the only man. Do you honestly believe they are just friends?"

Hearing his words, Zhou's mother's expression shifted slightly.

But she quickly found her own justification. "I don't care about all those details. Yuwen is wealthy and capable now. Why are you interfering? What, are you envious?" Hearing this, Zhou's father was rendered speechless. "When did I ever say I was envious? I just think that this... isn't very appropriate."

"What's so inappropriate about it?"

Yang Lijuan muttered. She only found one thing strange.

Zhou's father asked her what was so strange.

She replied, "Think about it. There are so many girls, yet not a single one of them has managed to get pregnant and give my son a child."

Hearing this, Zhou's father immediately furrowed his brows. "Yang Lijuan, there is something seriously wrong with your mindset!"

"How is this a problem? Tell me, Yuwen is so wealthy now. If he doesn't have a child early on, what else is he supposed to do?"

Faced with that logic, Zhou's father fell silent.

It was true—it was something engraved into everyone's DNA. When people were warm and well-fed, their thoughts naturally drifted toward physical desires. Now that they were so insanely rich, what else was there to do but have children?

Zhou's mother declared that she would have to give Yuwen a serious talking-to the next day.

Zhou's father felt it wasn't the best idea, but he kept his mouth shut, tacitly agreeing with her plan.

Over the next few days of the New Year, Zhou's father still found it difficult to adjust his mindset. He only had one son, yet suddenly he had gained an army of daughters-in-law. Anyone would find the situation awkward and uncomfortable.

But Zhou's mother adapted in record time. Having so many beautiful girls—all essentially her daughters-in-law—bending over backward to please her was intoxicating. They constantly called her "Mother-in-law" and "Auntie," their words dripping with sweetness. For a while, Zhou's mother was so overjoyed every day that she didn't even want to return home.

During these few days, she cornered Zhou Yuwen to discuss the matter of having children.

Zhou Yuwen, however, brushed it off, stating that he was still young and there was no rush for such things.

Who would have expected his mother to frown and snap, "How can you not be in a rush?"

"You fool, you have so many women right now. Don't tell me you're just playing around with them? If you truly want to be with them, give them a child. At the very least, it's a proper commitment to them."

"Wait, Mom?"

Zhou Yuwen froze, staring at his mother in absolute disbelief.

His mother scoffed, "What are you looking at me for?"

"I'm not an old fossil like your father. I know about that gaming company boss—what was his name? The boss of that Journey to the West game. He has hundreds of children, and he's doing just fine! If a man like that can have hundreds of children, my son is tall, handsome, and successful—what's wrong with having a few more?"

Faced with his old mother's urging, Zhou Yuwen felt deeply embarrassed. He could only deflect, "Ah, let's talk about it later. There's no rush."

With that, he fled the scene, leaving his mother completely helpless to stop him no matter what she said.

After the Chinese New Year passed, Zhou Yuwen prepared to take Zheng Yanyan back to Jingcheng.

This had been agreed upon beforehand, and it was indeed time for him to formally meet Zheng Yanyan's parents.

As for Zheng Yanyan, she actually wanted to use this opportunity to make her parents accept the fact that Zhou Yuwen had other girlfriends.

She knew this task would be an uphill battle.

But it was bound to happen sooner or later.

She couldn't just let Su Qing take the lead on every good thing, right?

Right now, Su Qing's mother had already accepted the other women and was actively currying favor with Zhou Yuwen's parents.

Watching her husband's parents grow increasingly fond of Su Qing, Zheng Yanyan was undeniably anxious. She wanted to pull her own parents into the fray to compete for their affection.

If she couldn't be the empress, she could at least be the highest-ranking noble consort, couldn't she?

On the morning of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Yuwen and Zheng Yanyan boarded an airplane to Jingcheng.

It was on the exact same day she left.

Liu Jing had just returned from abroad. Upon learning that Zhou Yuwen's parents had arrived, she decided to prepare some gifts and pay them a visit, intending to casually bring up the topic of marriage between the two young people.

Regarding this visit to Zhou Yuwen's home, Jiang Xinyi had been hemming and hawing, even blaming her mother for being too hasty and warning her not to scare them off.

Liu Jing, however, found this amusing. "What's wrong with being a little hasty? Don't tell me you're thinking of finding another man?"

"That's not what I meant," Jiang Xinyi quickly became anxious, clarifying her intentions.

Liu Jing replied, "Well, there you go."

"You're not getting any younger. Besides, Zhou Yuwen already has plenty of women surrounding him. If you don't tighten your grip and lock things down now, by the time he actually ends up with another woman, you won't even have a place to cry about your regrets. Hurry up and help me prepare the gifts; we're going over to see them."

With that, Liu Jing grabbed Jiang Xinyi by the hand and dragged her along to check out Zhou Yuwen's villa.

Living this close certainly had its perks.

Liu Jing mused that once Jiang Xinyi got pregnant, she could easily pop over to visit back and forth.

But on the way to Zhou Yuwen's home, Jiang Xinyi was visibly conflicted, looking as if she were hiding some unspeakable secret.

Yet, no matter how much she agonized over it, they were eventually going to arrive. She simply lacked the courage to tell her mother the truth.

She could only pray that her mother wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

And so, Jiang Xinyi and her mother knocked on the front door of Zhou Yuwen's villa.

The person who opened the door was Pan Min. Pan Min looked the same as always—appearing to be in her early thirties with a great figure and an elegant, understated demeanor.

The moment she saw Pan Min, Jiang Xinyi thought to herself, 'I'm doomed.'

Liu Jing, on the other hand, was delighted. She grabbed Pan Min's hand and exclaimed, "Sister, I didn't expect you to have moved in with Yuwen!"

Pan Min was briefly stunned when she saw Liu Jing, but she quickly offered a soft nod.

"Yuwen's parents came over, so I'm just here to help take care of them."

"Of course, of course. Actually, the reason I came over today was to pay a visit to the two of them. Are they home?" Liu Jing asked.

"I think so?"

Pan Min had originally intended to say yes, but she suddenly remembered that Su Qing was currently accompanying Zhou Yuwen's mother in the backyard, tending to the flowers. Thinking of her daughter's temper, she suddenly felt a bit unsure.

"That's great! Look, I even prepared gifts especially for them. Sister! You have to help me out in a bit. You know that my daughter and Yuwen have been together for two or three years now. Yuwen can afford to wait, but my daughter is already twenty-six! A woman past twenty-five is like a flower on the verge of withering—her prime days are numbered. So, Sister, put in a good word for me later so we can finalize their marriage as soon as possible!"

Liu Jing clutched Pan Min's hands, speaking with absolute sincerity.

She had indeed worried endlessly over her daughter's affairs.

But listening to Liu Jing's earnest plea, Pan Min found herself trapped in a deeply awkward position.

She genuinely didn't want to offend Liu Jing. The problem was, she had her own daughter to worry about.

If she advocated for Jiang Xinyi, who was going to advocate for her own daughter?

Just as Pan Min was caught in this dilemma, a voice echoed from behind her: "Do we have guests?"

Turning around, she saw that Zhou Guowei was already standing there, curiously sizing up Liu Jing at the door.