Chapter 205 - 203: About the Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 205: Chapter 203: About the Forbidden Fruit

A little after nine in the evening, Lin Yanwan returned home after a passionate farewell kiss with Jiang Xia.

Just as she finished packing her luggage and was about to take a shower and go to bed, Ji Wanqiu suddenly pushed the door open and came in.

She looked at the two suitcases on the floor, both packed to the brim with clothes, and asked, "Are you leaving for the Imperial Capital tomorrow?"

"The acceptance letter says registration is on the 26th, so I have to go at least a day early," Lin Yanwan said with a nod.

"Mm... that makes sense."

Ji Wanqiu hesitated slightly. After entering the bedroom, she gently closed the door. Lin Yanwan took this in and asked calmly, "Mom, is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"...Um, yes... yes, there is."

Seen through so easily by her daughter, she felt a little awkward. She then pulled her daughter by the hand to sit on the bed, pursing her lips as she tried to figure out how to begin.

After all, giving her daughter "the talk" was an embarrassing conversation to have, no matter when it happened.

"Mom, just say what’s on your mind. I’m your daughter; you don’t have to beat around the bush," Lin Yanwan said.

"Actually, if you weren’t dating Xiao Xia right now, and if you two weren’t so close, there are some things I wouldn’t be telling you this early." Ji Wanqiu fiddled with her fingers, deciding to just get it over with. "Yanwan, tell Mom honestly, how far have you and Xiao Xia gone?"

Lin Yanwan couldn’t help but cringe. She knew this was coming.

In her past life, this exact same conversation happened when she was 21. At that time, she and Jiang Xia had just moved out of their school dorms and, hiding it from their families, had begun a life of shameless bliss together.

"We’re just dating. How far could we have gone?" she said, her cheeks turning slightly red.

Ji Wanqiu didn’t believe her for a second. She’d seen the two of them secretly hugging downstairs many times.

"You’ve kissed, haven’t you?"

"...Yeah."

"And more...?"

"No!"

She denied it flatly, but the truth was, that guy’s hands were always getting restless whenever they kissed.

’But I can’t possibly tell my own mother that!’

Seeing that her daughter’s expression didn’t look like she was lying, Ji Wanqiu silently breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good, then."

"Yanwan, you’re still young, and you might not understand the importance of certain things yet. As a girl, you must protect your first time. I know Xiao Xia is a good kid, but I’m worried you two won’t be able to resist temptation."

Ji Wanqiu had witnessed Jiang Xia’s silver tongue firsthand. She was sure he could spin a web of sweet nothings, one after another. She was afraid that once they were away from their parents, with her daughter being so naive, all it would take was one moment of weakness for her to be talked into giving herself to him.

As someone who’s been there, she knew men all too well.

Men have a million excuses to trick a girl into bed.

Including but not limited to—

"It’s too late, the dorms are definitely locked by now."

"Babe, the hotel said they only have one room left."

"I just want to hold you while we sleep. Trust me, I won’t try anything."

"Honey, I’ll just rub against it, I won’t go in."

"I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I’m so lost in my love for you I couldn’t pull myself away. I just couldn’t hold back."

"Don’t worry, I’ll definitely take responsibility for you!"

Hearing her mom’s words, Lin Yanwan was a little speechless. She really wanted to say that as for the Forbidden Fruit, she’d already tasted it countless times in her past life. Jiang Xia had a lot of stamina when he was young; sometimes the two of them could spend a whole day in bed, lost in their own world.

"Mom, you’re worried I’ll sleep with him, right? Don’t worry, I won’t," Lin Yanwan said firmly.

Seeing her daughter’s resolute expression, Ji Wanqiu finally felt at ease.

She had given her the warning she needed to. As for how long the "prevention" would last, she had no idea.

But at the very least, she shouldn’t give herself away so carelessly.

Ji Wanqiu added a few more instructions. As she was leaving the room, she produced a small pink box from somewhere and secretly slipped it into her daughter’s bag.

As a mother, she hoped her daughter would never have to use it before marriage.

「The next day, August 25th.」

Knowing their daughter was about to leave for university in the Imperial Capital, Lin Gaoyuan and Ji Wanqiu, who had been busy for over a month, took a rare day off for themselves. The toy factory, however, continued to operate as usual.

After all, with *Cat and Mouse* becoming a hit on television stations across the country, the related merchandise was in a constant state of high demand. Closing the factory for even one day meant a significant loss of income.

Early in the morning, Ji Wanqiu spoke to her daughter, who was brushing her teeth. "Yanwan, give Xiao Xia a call, and while you’re at it, ask his parents to come over for a casual lunch."

Lin Yanwan hesitated for a moment. "Mom, isn’t it a little awkward for me to be the one to invite them?"

"What’s awkward about it? Haven’t you already been calling his mother ’Mom’? You’re going to be their daughter-in-law sooner or later, so what’s there to be afraid of?" Ji Wanqiu teased.

Given the relationship between the two families now, the only thing missing was a formal marriage. She wanted to make it official as soon as possible, but the law wouldn’t allow it yet.

Lin Yanwan blushed slightly but didn’t argue. She had called her ’Mom’ for eight years in her past life. She couldn’t just go back to calling her Aunt Xia; that would be ridiculous.

Besides, she was already used to it and couldn’t change back now.

"I know..."

After finishing brushing her teeth, Lin Yanwan scurried back to her room, closed the door, and dialed Jiang Xia’s number. His groggy voice came through the phone.

"Piggy, time to get up. Are you still sleeping?"

"Mmm... Babe, morning. I love you. Kisses." Jiang Xia’s voice was thick with sleep. Without the pressure of animation production, he hadn’t slept this well in a long time.

"Kisses, my ass. Get up. My mom wants you to come over for lunch today." After a pause, Lin Yanwan let out a soft "mua~" into the phone.

"Lunch?"

Jiang Xia was suddenly wide awake. "What’s the occasion?"

"Aren’t we leaving for the Imperial Capital today? I guess she wants us to have a meal together before sending us off," Lin Yanwan said.

"Oh, right."

"Don’t forget to ask your parents to come over too."

"It’ll be more convincing if you ask them yourself," Jiang Xia said with a yawn, getting out of bed to dress.

"...Then you should come over early."

"Miss your hubby?"

"I want to bite you to death!"

Jiang Xia naturally interpreted ’bite’ as two separate actions. He would be more than happy to die that way.

After hanging up, Lin Yanwan took a deep breath and called her mother-in-law.

"Mom, my mom is inviting you and Dad over for lunch today. Mm-hm, that’s right. We’re all heading to the Imperial Capital this afternoon. You and Dad should definitely come over a bit early."

Hearing her mother-in-law agree, she silently sighed in relief.

Then she walked out of the bedroom and said to Ji Wanqiu, "Mom, it’s all arranged. Aren’t you going to work today?"

"Nope. I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t had any time to spend with my two kids. Mom’s going to make it up to you today and cook you something delicious."

She smiled and continued, "Yanwan, is your luggage all packed?"

"Mhm, all packed. Two big suitcases and a bag in total."

"That’s good. Anyway, once you get to the Imperial Capital, if you’re missing anything, just buy it yourself. If you run out of money, just give Mom a call."

Ji Wanqiu was all smiles these days. Ever since securing the exclusive license for *Cat and Mouse*, business at the factory had been getting better day by day. With money in her purse, she even carried herself with more confidence.

Lin Yanwan just nodded slightly. She was currently in control of nearly three million in public funds for Qitian Animation Company. Although it wasn’t her money, as the boss’s wife, she sometimes had more say than Jiang Xia himself.