The Fluff (4)

Lin Kang turned his face away from the computer, making a point of not checking his schedule and he challenged defiantly, "Why? Why should I do that?"

A dangerous aura gathered around Lin Kang. The man was close to exploding. No one dared to defy him in a moment like this.

Normally, Mrs. Lin would have just surrendered and left things as they were. Since Lin Kang became the man of the house, the idea that she no longer had any right to mother over him was gradually implanted in Mrs. Lin's mind. As dictated by culture and tradition, Mrs. Lin slowly conceded to her son's authority without even realizing it herself. She simply saw it as part of the change of time.

However, the increased interaction with Xiu Ling had triggered a change within Mrs. Lin. Perhaps watching her daughter-in-law looking after Lin Xi had awakened the motherly instinct in her or recognizing how troubled her son was in this matter of love had made her realized she still had job to be done, either way, instead of being petrified, Mrs. Lin saw her son's defiance as an act of petulance.

It was as if Lin Kang had regressed before her eyes to when he was still the young man who gave her many headaches and sleepless nights with his irresponsible antics. She had half the mind to stride forward to smack Lin Kang on the back on his head for daring to challenge his biological mother.

'Why is he purposely making this so difficult? Can't he see that I'm just trying to help me? Sheesh, the boy will never change!'

She roared, "Now, you listen to me, young man. You are going to make yourself free this weekend and stay home! Why, you asked?! Because I'm your mother!"

Lin Kang shivered in his seat. He definitely did not expect this reaction from his mother. His presence extinguished like a candlelight left out in a raging storm.

His mother had not yelled at him like this since... well, since he was still in his tens and twenties.

At that moment, it was as if the young Lin Kang had taken over his body and he mumbled obediently, "Yes, mom..."

"Good." Mrs. Lin nodded satisfactorily before leaving, closing the door behind her.

After Mrs. Lin left, Lin Kang sat in his seat still dazed, trying to comprehend what had happened.

Outside the door, Mrs. Lin was feeling the same way. Either way, she felt validated because at least her mission had been accomplished.

...

The weekend soon arrived and Lin Kang woke up that morning still deciding whether to heed his mother's order or not.

As he put on his clothes, he had this idea to just rush out the front door, jump into his car and drive away without turning back. However, there was this voice at the back of his head that kept on telling him if he stick around, something good would be waiting for him.

Deciding to be a good boy and listen to his mother's order after what seemed like decades, Lin Kang dragged his body down the stairs. Even though his body was moving forward, the man's mind still had difficulty coming to terms with the fact that he was too afraid to go against his mother's words. After all, he was a grown *ss man!

At the bottom of the stairs, he heard sounds coming from the kitchen. Since Mrs. Lin did not provide him with any details, he assumed that was a sign that he was needed inside the kitchen. Lin Kang thus moved towards it.

He had his frown plastered on his face to show his mother that he really wasn't there willing, a childish attempt to keep his dignity, one could say. However, to his surprise, his mother wasn't there but his wife was.

Xiu Ling was standing before the kitchen counter, looking over the ingredients that were piled up before her. She had a checklist in her hand. She used it to make sure that she had not missed anything.

Based on the ingredients like the many different bags of flour and butter, Lin Kang assumed she was going to bake some kind of bread.

Turning his frown into a smile, Lin Kang wandered close with interest. "Xiu Ling, what are you up to?"

Xiu Ling turned around and smiled politely when she saw Lin Kang. "Oh, good morning. Did not see you there. I was just preparing the ingredients needed for the cooking class with Lin Xi."

"A cooking class?" Lin Kang asked out of confusion.

"Yes, mother suggested I do one with Lin Xi."

"Wait, mother suggested this?!" Lin Kang commented with surprise.

"Yes, don't you think it's a wonderful idea?" Xiu Ling asked innocently.

Lin Kang nodded and tried to not let the smile fall from his face. His mind rang with alarm the moment Xiu Ling revealed this was his mother's idea.

Normally he was the one who schemed against others but in that moment, he could kinda understand how those people who he schemed against felt like. Lin Kang had to say he did not appreciate that feeling at all.

"By the way, have you seen mother?" Xiu Ling asked when she was done with her inventory.

Lin Kang shook his head. "Actually, that's what I want to know as well. I wish to have a little chat with her myself."

Xiu Ling felt that Lin Kang sounded weirdly exasperated for some reason. She did not dwell on it, there were too many things about her husband that she did not quite understand. However, she was indeed curious about one thing. "By the way, Lin Kang, I know today is a Saturday but don't you normally have work as well? Why did you decide to stay home today?"

"I..." Lin Kang stammered. He could have answered honestly but the thought of saying 'because my mother told me to' would shame him so deeply that he did not think he would be able to raise his head in front of his wife anymore.