Chapter 52

"Mom, I'm back! Hey? Where's Dad? Out playing chess again? And my little brother hasn't come back yet?" As soon as he got home, He Dong suddenly became like a child, his voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness.

"You brat, you...!" Meng Jing's face immediately lit up with a smile when she saw her son, but her gaze was soon drawn to Zhao Xinxin, who was following behind He Dong.

"Hello, Auntie!" Seeing Meng Jing looking at her, Zhao Xinxin immediately called out sweetly.

"Good, good, good!" Meng Jing's face was full of delight as she looked at the young girl.

Meng Jing had always had a regret, which was not having a daughter. So long ago, she had been looking forward to the day her son would bring home a wife. However, her eldest son hadn't even graduated from university, and her youngest was about to enter his third year of high school, so she had kept this wish buried in her heart.

Today, seeing her son bring home such a beautiful girl, her hidden desire was instantly aroused. She immediately took Zhao Xinxin's hand, completely ignoring He Dong.

Of course, she didn't know that her son had had a girlfriend before, as He Dong had never told her. In fact, He Dong had once wanted to bring his ex-girlfriend home, but she always found various excuses not to come. It wasn't until they broke up that He Dong realized his ex-girlfriend had already had other thoughts at the time.

"What a beautiful girl!" Zhao Xinxin was already very sweet and lovely, and Meng Jing liked her more and more. Suddenly, she said, "Son, I heard that you can get married even during school! When are you getting married?"

"Ah!" Meng Jing's sudden words made He Dong and Zhao Xinxin both freeze, and Zhao Xinxin's face instantly turned red.

"Mom, what are you talking about! Xinxin is my good friend, and she came over today to help me." He Dong felt his head was about to explode.

"You're called Xinxin? What a beautiful name!" Meng Jing completely ignored He Dong and looked directly at Zhao Xinxin.

"Auntie! My name is Zhao Xinxin!" Zhao Xinxin's voice was much softer, and it had become much gentler. If you only heard her voice without seeing her, you would definitely think Zhao Xinxin was a well-bred lady. But He Dong knew that Zhao Xinxin was actually a versatile and mischievous girl.

"Xinxin, if this boy ever dares to bully you, tell me, and I'll deal with him!" Meng Jing spoke to Zhao Xinxin as if she were a mother-in-law talking to her daughter-in-law.

"Mom!" He Dong shouted again, full of resentment.

"What are you shouting for? Can't you see I'm helping you find a wife?" Meng Jing shouted back at He Dong.

"Auntie! My relationship with Master is really nothing! Master has a girlfriend." Seeing the situation escalate, Zhao Xinxin quickly explained, but after saying it, she suddenly felt a pang of jealousy.

"Master... Master?" Meng Jing was surprised by Zhao Xinxin's title.

"This...! Xinxin is a junior of mine. She's interning at the pet hospital with me, and I've taught her a few things, so she calls me Master!" He Dong started to explain.

"Oh, I see!" Meng Jing looked at Zhao Xinxin with a hint of regret, but then she seemed to remember something and her eyes lit up. She stared at He Dong and asked, "Xinxin just said you have a girlfriend. Is that true?"

"Yes! Her name is Lin Xuan, and she's from the capital. She's already gone back home for the holidays. When school starts, I'll definitely bring her to meet you!" He Dong admitted generously.

"What do you mean 'meet'? That sounds so formal!" Meng Jing's face immediately lit up with joy upon learning that He Dong really had a girlfriend.

"You're the matriarch of our family, how can she not come to meet you!" He Dong said with a grin.

"Rubbish, you brat, am I that domineering?" But He Dong's flattery backfired, angering Meng Jing.

"Hehe!" He Dong and Meng Jing's banter made Zhao Xinxin laugh, and it also made her, an orphan, feel a warmth she had never experienced before.

"Mom, this is a gift for you!" He Dong didn't dare let Meng Jing continue, not knowing what other shocking things she might say.

"Why are you buying gifts again? Even though you've earned some money, you shouldn't spend it recklessly. You still need to save for a house and a wife!" Meng Jing didn't even look at the gift He Dong gave her; she immediately started lecturing.

"Mom, don't you want to see what gift I've prepared for you?" He Dong's face was a mix of amusement and exasperation, but to stop Meng Jing from continuing, he quickly tempted her.

"What gift?" Meng Jing's attention was indeed diverted. When she opened the box He Dong handed her, she was stunned.

Since it was for his mother, He Dong had been very generous, preparing a complete set of jade jewelry, including a bracelet, necklace, earrings, ring, and brooch.

Although Meng Jing had a low level of education and came from a rural area, with the current abundance of information, she had seen various kinds of valuable items on TV, in movies, newspapers, magazines, and especially online. She, who loved watching TV, knew how valuable the jade in front of her was.

"Mom, do you like it?" Seeing Meng Jing's stunned expression, He Dong couldn't help but laugh.

"Son... Did you rob someone?" Meng Jing's voice trembled, and she looked at He Dong with fear.

"What are you talking about! I didn't rob anyone!" He Dong said, annoyed.

"Then where did these things come from? Don't lie to your mom and say they're fake. Although your mom isn't very educated, I've seen 'Crazy Stone' recently, and I know the difference between real and fake!" Meng Jing said very seriously.

"Hehe, Mom, sit down. I have something to tell you!" He Dong pulled Meng Jing to the sofa and began to explain how he had gone to a jade market and, with good luck, made a lot of money. He pointed to the jade jewelry and said, "These are made from the jade I won!"

"This... this... this...!" The information He Dong provided was so shocking that Meng Jing's mouth hung open for a long time, and she couldn't say a word.

"Mom, there's one more thing I need to tell you. I used the money I made from the jade to buy a villa in Ping'an Garden on Huayuan Street. I want to bring you and Dad to live there with me!" Taking advantage of Meng Jing's shock, He Dong said everything he needed to say.