Chapter 211: Chapter 198: Uneasy Return to the Yin Family
Su Xiaomeng immediately fell silent, put a hat on Shuangshuang, then donned her own coat. She waited for Yin Shixiu to get Huang Huang ready, and then the two of them headed out together.
"Don’t worry. Your mother-in-law has already figured out everything about you, your capabilities, and your background. She’s not someone who would stubbornly stick to the same issue."
"Shixiu, does that mean she’s already deemed me a good-for-nothing, so she’s given up on me?"
Yin Shixiu glanced at her, "Think positively."
Su Xiaomeng sighed lightly; she really couldn’t think positively.
All the way there, someone held on to this nervous thought.
But her daughter seemed unable to sense her mother’s unease and instead seemed to know they were going to her grandparents’ place, so she was particularly excited, always reaching out to grab Su Xiaomeng’s hair.
On the other hand, the princely Huang Huang, fixed in the baby seat, was much calmer, with a pacifier in his mouth, occasionally taking a suck, even though there was no milk to be had.
Once the car drove through the gates of the Yin Mansion, Su Xiaomeng, following Huang Huang’s lead, became completely calm as well.
On this New Year’s Day, Yin Shixiu’s other three siblings all brought their families along.
Just from Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin’s branch alone, there were about twenty people.
Almost everyone was present today.
Yin Shixiu and Su Xiaomeng each carrying a child entered the door.
Ah Su and another maid whom Su Xiaomeng had not seen before came up to take their coats and outerwear.
Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin’s children, Su Xiaomeng had met off and on, but the family sitting in the living room now, Su Xiaomeng didn’t recognize.
Yin Shixiu led Su Xiaomeng over, "Xiaomeng, this is Second Sister and Second Brother-in-law, this is Yin Hongyi, their son and daughter-in-law."
"Hello, Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law..."
Su Xiaomeng quickly called out, then looked at Yin Hongyi and his wife, saying, "Hello."
Yin Shilan sized up Su Xiaomeng, then moved a bit, "Sit down, holding the child is tiring."
Su Xiaomeng nodded and thanked her before sitting down.
Yin Shilan’s husband Yu Hongguang had married into the Yin Family, so their son Yin Hongyi took the mother’s surname.
Yin Hongyi and his wife Lu Jingshuang have a five-year-old son named Yin Qiyang, who at first glance appeared well-behaved and quiet.
The boy had a pair of long narrow phoenix eyes, resembling his father. He sat beside Lu Jingshuang, holding onto Lu Jingshuang’s sleeve, and looked shyly at Su Xiaomeng.
Su Xiaomeng caught the boy’s eye and raised her hand slightly to greet him, "Hello."
Yin Qiyang didn’t expect Su Xiaomeng to suddenly greet him and shyly buried his face in his mother’s arm, only after a long moment did he sneak a peek again towards Su Xiaomeng.
Su Xiaomeng was utterly charmed by the boy’s cuteness.
"Yangyang is a bit shy and doesn’t like to greet people, so, Little Aunt, don’t mind it."
Hearing Lu Jingshuang speak, Su Xiaomeng immediately understood whom the boy’s personality resembled.
"He’s truly adorable."
Su Xiaomeng said.
Lu Jingshuang merely gave a shy smile and didn’t say much.
The entire family was rather quiet, with it being Su Xiaomeng’s first meeting with them, and Yin Shixiu was not someone accustomed to small talk himself.
Thus, the two families around the coffee table fell into silence.
Later it was Yin Shilan who spoke first, addressing Yin Shixiu.
"Shixiu, it seems like the company has been very busy recently."
"It’s year-end, every company is busy."
Yin Shixiu reached over Huang Huang’s underarms and held him on his lap, while the other hand was being squeezed and kneaded like a toy by Prince Huang.
"If it’s busy, let your brother-in-law handle more, it’s fine, you don’t have to do everything yourself."
Yin Shilan said, and Yin Shixiu, without even raising his head, replied, "I’m fine, the ones who are busy are the layers below me. As for Brother-in-law, isn’t he still insisting on doing the system development for Guangzhou? That should be enough to keep him busy, right?"
Yu Hongguang was a family business successor too, but after Yin Shixiu founded a company in the United Kingdom, the first internet company he acquired upon returning to China was Yu Hongguang’s family business.
The family-run business model was not well-suited to the internet industry, but Yu Technology had at least established some presence in Beijing.
After returning to China, Yin Shixiu saw Yu Technology declining and was approached by Second Sister, who hoped he could provide financial assistance.
He wasn’t altruistic by nature, couldn’t do charity, so he offered Yu Hongguang a purchase contract.
All the terms listed had no room for compromise.
Yu Hongguang signed with a heavy heart, after which he held a vice president title at Yin Family, but after assigning him three projects, Yin Shixiu stopped letting him handle real matters.
All show but no substance, aiming too high.
He wasn’t cut out for business or technology.
Yet he loved to whisper in Second Sister’s ear, and over time, the relationship between Yin Shixiu and Yin Shilan grew increasingly distant.
Yin Shilan was a politician, undeniably forceful outside, and she would never admit she had chosen a husband who was insignificant in the grand scheme.
So the responsibility was thrown onto Yin Shixiu, thinking it was Yin Shixiu who deliberately excluded Yu Hongguang, not letting him get involved with the company’s affairs.
It was about this time last year when Yu Hongguang insisted on pursuing a system development project in Guangzhou, which he disagreed with.
After Yu Hongguang’s proposal was rejected by Yin Shixiu, who knows what he said in front of Yin Shilan.
In the end, Yin Shilan even called Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin.
At that time, Yin Shixiu was just with Su Xiaomeng, and he didn’t want to always go against his parents, so he agreed to the project that Yu Hongguang was adamant about pursuing.
Now, nearly a year has passed, and Yu Hongguang hasn’t yielded any results, yet there’s already a six-figure loss.
He hasn’t reported it, but that doesn’t mean Yin Shixiu doesn’t know.
"I’ve indeed been quite busy, and the situation in Guangzhou is quite complicated."
Yu Hongguang said.
Yin Shixiu glanced at him, then said to Yin Shilan, "Since brother-in-law has said so, there’s no need for you to worry so much, sister. Brother-in-law isn’t a slacker, right?"
"Your brother-in-law is almost fifty this year. Many times, he still needs your help. For over half a year, he’s been running between Guangzhou and Beijing, and he’s fallen ill several times."
"Is that so? Brother-in-law, you don’t have to push yourself so hard. Even if the project doesn’t succeed, your salary and share of the company’s profits will remain the same."
Yin Shixiu said.
"That’s easy to say, but Shixiu, your brother-in-law isn’t someone who just wants to laze around and waste time. He also hopes to contribute to the Yin Family."
"Oh, then brother-in-law, do your best."
"Shixiu, you actually know that there’s been some issue with the project your brother-in-law is handling in Guangzhou."
Yin Shixiu raised his eyebrows, "Is that so? I really didn’t know. What happened?"
Even though Yu Hongguang seemed incompetent in Yin Shixiu’s eyes, he himself had a strong sense of pride.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t stubbornly endure a loss of four to five million, refusing to mention a word of it to Yin Shixiu.
He understood that Yin Shixiu certainly knew about this matter, and now he was feigning surprise...
"It’s nothing serious; I’ll manage it myself."
"Oh, that’s good. If brother-in-law faces any difficulties, I’ll definitely help you."
Yin Shixiu finished speaking and continued playing with his son.
Yin Shilan glared at Yu Hongguang, who avoided her gaze and took a sip of tea from the table.
Su Xiaomeng didn’t understand the business affairs of Yin Shixiu, but she knew that the brother-in-law working with Yin Shixiu wasn’t a capable person.
Soon after, Yin Shihua and Shan Munan’s family arrived.
Minglang was still the same. With so many elders here, he didn’t bother to greet anyone before heading straight to Su Xiaomeng, taking a look and then taking Shuangshuang from her arms.
Shuangshuang had been a bit restless since earlier. The atmosphere was strange here, and with Shan Minglang’s arrival, she finally saw a familiar face.
Xiao Meng got up to greet the third sister and brother-in-law, then went to Yin Meng’s side.
As lunchtime approached, Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin came down from upstairs.
Su Xiaomeng quickly swallowed and greeted, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law... Happy New Year."
Yin Shaohui nodded, asking, "When did you get here?"
"Not long ago."
Su Xiaomeng answered and didn’t ask more. Zhou Mengqin glanced at her, asking blandly, "Where are Huaiyu and Jinxi?"
"Oh, Jinxi is with Minglang, Huaiyu is with Shixiu."
Zhou Mengqin sat on the sofa, adding, "Didn’t your parents come to Beijing?"
"Yes, they’re having a meal at Grandpa Bai’s today."
Zhou Mengqin nodded, "Have a seat, these are all family members, get to know them well."
God knows how fast Su Xiaomeng’s heart was beating now.
Since the incident during the mountain ancestor worship, Su Xiaomeng hadn’t interacted with the Yin family’s elders, so she had no idea what their current thoughts about her were.
From these simple words, she couldn’t glean much, only faintly feeling... there was less hostility and disdain.
She didn’t know if it was just her illusion.
At noon, the family split into two tables for the meal. The elders and their children, both daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, sat at one table, with Yin Shilan holding her grandson, Yin Qiyang, also sitting at this table.
With nine people already seated at a ten-person table, when Su Xiaomeng and Yin Shixiu came over after settling the two kids, there was only one seat left.
At that moment, Su Xiaomeng didn’t dare look at Zhou Mengqin and Yin Shaohui, just quickly scanning the faces at the table...
For an instant, she felt at a loss, not knowing if she should retreat to the other table or...
Actually, by this time, at least the people at Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin’s table had their eyes on Su Xiaomeng, yet no one spoke.
Yin Shixiu was about to speak, seeing Yin Qiyang occupying a seat alone with his grandmother, when Su Xiaomeng asked the two elders sitting at the head, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, can we add another seat here?"
Her voice was not loud, sounding neither servile nor overbearing, but Yin Shixiu, being her closest person, could sense the subtle hesitance and unease in her seemingly normal tone.