216 — Li Lianmo Has Changed

"The Young Master and the Young Madam are here!" Butler Nan announced, joy clear in his voice.

The people in the living room who were making small talk all paused before smiles blossomed on their faces.

The boys got up excitedly and walked with quick steps towards the incoming couple.

"My Goddess!" Li Yuchen shouted as he launched himself at Pei Yueran, who caught him with some difficulty.

She patted his head and smiled, "How's my favorite rascal doing?"

"Fine, fine, but I missed you so much."

Li Chuanmo chose to interrupt this emotional scene with a glare at his son, "Why are you hugging my wife so tightly? Get your hands off her."

"Vinegar jar!" Li Yuchen muttered, while Pei Yueran frowned at her husband, "Leave him be. I have missed him very much too."

Li Chuanmo kept quiet, but not before leveling another look at his son. Li Yuchen stuck out his tongue and gave a cheeky grin of victory.

Han Yichen, who was relatively less enthusiastic greeted both of them and inquired about their journey.

The other members of the Li family and Director Zhou waited in the living room on purpose, to give the new family some time alone.

When they finally got to the living room, Zhang Heying stepped forward with a huge smile to hug her daughter-in-law, "Ran'er, it's so good to see you."

Pei Yueran gave her a tight hug as she responded, "We're back Mom." Then she greeted Li Qianye, "Dad," who nodded with a smile.

Director Zhou was focused on Li Chuanmo, asking him about the journey. He answered her patiently with genuine respect, before giving way to Pei Yueran. As she came towards them, Director Zhou's eyes turned red and she patted Pei Yueran's back, "Welcome Baobei."

Pei Yueran hugged her with a smile.

Then it was the turn of the twins. Li Junmo was already chirping excitedly as every one of his sentences began with "Sister-in-law." Li Chuanmo rolled his eyes on his behalf.

Li Lianmo was more tame in comparison. She greeted her quietly and asked about the journey. Although she didn't look enthusiastic, she wasn't hostile either. Pei Yueran had been wondering what changed since the wedding.

Seeing her surprise, Li Junmo came to whisper into her ears, "Sister-in-law you're surprised right? Just wait till dinner, you would see something interesting."

Puzzled, Pei Yueran nodded.

Like that, everyone moved to sit down, talking and laughing. The new couple used the opportunity to distribute the souvenirs they bought from their honeymoon.

Li Qianye received a new painting of Country T's hills for his study, while Zhang Heying and Director Zhou received big boxes of natural skincare products, said to be made from Country T's secret recipes for maintaining beauty.

Pei Yueran didn't bank on such words and did a proper research on the company. Only after confirming that the products were authentic did she feel at ease to buy them.

Li Junmo and Li Lianmo's gifts were predictable. Their eyes lit up with identical glows as they received the stamps and globe set. They looked more like twins at that moment than any other time Pei Yueran had seen them. It was so comical that she shook her head.

The boys got theirs too. Han Yichen got a book about Country T's history, as well as a book on their traditional fairy tales and folklores. Li Yuchen's was a novel board game that he hadn't seen before. "Excited" was not enough to describe his lively reaction.

Everyone also got a customized round necked shirt with the words "Thank you for supporting our wedding" emblazoned on the back.

Then they all sat around chatting, until Butler Nan announced that the food was ready.

It was during the meal that Pei Yueran understood a bit about Li Lianmo's changed behavior.

From the first moment she picked up a piece of braised pork, it was delivered straight to Han Yichen's bowl, "Yichen, try this." Han Yichen politely ate it and thanked her. Then next it was some vegetables, then a piece of mildly sweet fish, then some braised eggplant in soy sauce.

With her there, Han Yichen didn't even have to stretch his hands to pick anything, except he wanted to. Li Yuchen was already used to it and just happily pestered his goddess to pick food for him.

Pei Yueran was amazed. Seems like this younger sister-in-law of hers had been conquered by her son!

Li Lianmo only remembered that Pei Yueran was actually present and watching her when Li Junmo nudged her. She blushed a bit, then mustered a strange smile, while Pei Yueran smoothly moved her gaze away with a wry smile of her own.

Since the first day Li Lianmo met Han Yichen, she had been really impressed by this quiet and reserved, not to mention adorable nephew. She decided on the spot that she was going to be nice to him. He was so innocent after all, even if his mother was a potential gold digger.

Then she discovered that he was "Introspective-sama," the owner of the blog she spent most of her free time on whenever the pressures of medical school threatened to be overwhelming.

The blog was her safe haven, a world where she could just be a spectator and forget all about the test she had the next day, or the cadavers she watched being dissected the day before.

To her, "Introspective-sama" was like a Kpop idol, and she was a starstruck fan. That was why her servile attitude shot through the roof.

The only reason she wasn't the president of his fan club was not even because he didn't really have one, but because she was too busy. But she was a very active member.

Now she was trying to get on his good side by all means, including changing Pei Yueran's first impression of her and mending their relationship.

Dinner passed without incidents, and afterwards the couple followed Li Qianye into his study.

After the initial small talk, he went to the point. "So what are your plans now? Will she continue to work at the headquarters, or are you poaching her?" The second question was directed to Li Chuanmo.

Pei Yueran smiled and spoke, "I plan to continue working at the headquarters. However, the meeting with the Board is scheduled for the second half of next month, so I guess it depends on the outcome."

"The meeting will not hold." Li Chuanmo announced. When the other two people turned to look at him, he cleared his throat and explained, "Since Fen Wucai transferred his shares to me and gave up his rights, the opposition has been crushed.

"At the last shareholders' meeting, everyone unanimously agreed to the motion that I remain the chairman. Now there's no one clamouring for my removal anymore, and naturally the meeting is no longer needed."