Hardship had left its mark of time on that face, seeing the dyed white hair on her temples, Jiang Chen could not help but become teary-eyed.
"Mom!" Jiang Chen hugged his mom.
"Little Chen, you're finally back." Embracing her beloved son, Li Xuemei's voice was choked with emotion.
"Mhmm, I'm back. Your son has grown up," the rim of Jiang Chen's eyes were full emotions as he took a deep breath and said with a tremulous voice.
"Accomplished or not, you're always my son! Old man, your son is back. Come out and take a look!" Lin Xuemei shouted behind her.But there was no response in the room.
She slapped her forehead and chuckled when it dawned on her. "Look at this memory—I think your dad is probably playing chess in that stone pavilion in the district. You quickly go look for him, since it's almost time to eat. That old man must be showing off with his chess friends, flaunting the house that his dear son had purchased in Wanghai City."
Due to her old age, her memory was not as good. Jiang Chen was heartbroken while staring at his mother.
"What's there to boast about me?"
Although his words sounded humble, a proud smile unconsciously crept into his face.
"Ok, stop bragging, go get your dad to help me. My little Chen is finally back, so your mom will show off some skills... Eh? This is?" As she spoke, Li Xuemei's eyes suddenly lit up as though she had discovered a treasure while she stared at Ayesha, who was hiding behind Jiang Chen.
A different face, to someone who never left the country, was always an exciting news."I'm Jiang Chen's assistant." Because of trepidation, Ayesha almost bit her tongue.
Assistant?
Jiang Chen took a moment to process it. It was different from what they had agreed upon. He gazed at the flushed face and facepalmed. It finally dawned on him why would Ayesha change her mind.
He didn't expect that at the last moment, this girl would be frightened silly...
But this could also work. It saved him from being "interrogated" by his parents.
"Assistant?" Li Xuemei looked at her son, baffled.
Why bring the assistant back? She thought it was a daughter-in-law that her son had brought back. Even if it was a foreigner, she would not mind. Rather, she would be proud of her son.
Since she grew up in the Reform and Opening period, to the people in their era, being married to a foreigner was something to be proud of.
"Assistant in my work. Because it's quite hectic in the company and due to some business needs, she has to come back with me. This is Ayesha from UA," Jiang Chen hurriedly explained.
Strictly speaking. Ayesha is a Syrian, but considering the copious negative news in that area, Jiang Chen didn't want his parents to think too much, so he didn't say her real hometown. The green card was processed by an acquaintance of Robert's, so it would be accurate to say she was a UA citizen.
Listening to Jiang Chen's explanation, Li Xuemei thought for a brief moment before she smiled at Ayesha, and then she warmly held her hand. "Come in. I haven't cleaned the house for a while. Please don't take offense."
"It's, It's okay," Ayesha responded, face reddening.
"Our little Chen has always been like this. He's pretty slow with the girls—"
"Ahem! Mom, why are you revealing your son's dark past?" Jiang Chen grumbled and coughed loudly to interrupt his mom from continuing.
Jiang Chen looked embarrassed, but Ayesha wore an interested expression on her face.
"What dark past!" Li Xuemei rebuked Jiang Chen before once again smiled at Ayesha, saying, "Shasha, let aunt tell you, little Chen has always been courteous since he was young. It's the first time he brought a girl home."
"Shasha?" Eh, isn't the spelling of a foreign name—"Jiang Chen forced a smile as he wanted to correct his mom's mistake, but Ayesha didn't' seem to mind.
In regard to the name "Shasha," she appeared to take a liking to it.
"His first time?" Ayesha had a timid expression.
"Mhmm!" Li Xuemei nodded. She obviously could tell the meaning behind Ayesha's expression. Thinking of her would-be grandchildren, she affectionately took Ayesha's hands and continued cheerfully, "Let me tell you when he was young..."
Seeing the "mom and daughter-in-law" walking into the room, smiling and laughing, a genuine smile broke on Jiang Chen's face.
Although he was afraid of his mom revealing his "dark past," but when he thought about the happiness on her face, it did not matter anymore.
As long as she felt happy.
...
Ayesha began helping Li Xuemei to prepare dinner in the kitchen.
Speaking of food, it was worth mentioning a small episode that happened between Ayesha and Jiang Chen.
In the beginning, Jiang Chen was concerned about Ayesha's religion. Therefore, he specifically instructed not to deliver pork to the organic food company that delivered vegetable and meat to his mansion.
Until one day, when Ayesha and Jiang Chen grabbed a takeout ham pizza, did the pork taboo was finally resolved.
According to Ayesha's argument, when she became Jiang Chen's woman, in fact, she had already violated the doctrine, and automatically abandoned her religious identity, therefore her diet taboo would naturally no longer exist. But when it comes to pork, she still preferred beef and lamb, and this was purely because of eating habits, rather than taboo.
Witnessing the death of her parents at the hands of religious zealots, she had long begun to question her religion. Thus, towards her husband becoming an atheist, she didn't feel any repulsion at all. Particularly, after living in this highly secular state for some time, she began to get accustomed to living just for one person.
In fact, Ayesha's change was noticeable, except Jiang Chen never really paid attention to it. For example, if Ayesha was really religious, she would be seen praying several times in a day, but Ayesha never prayed at home.
Seeing that Ayesha and his mom had such a good relationship already, Jiang Chen left the time to the two as he went downstairs alone.
Downstairs, he met Dagger and Miao Yun leaning against the Santana chewing on takeout food.
"Do you want to come up for a meal?" Seeing the poor guys, Jiang Chen invited with a smile.
Miao Jun wanted to accept, but Dagger shook his head.
"There are strict rules within the organization, so just pretend we don't exist."
Jiang Chen shrugged and no longer insisted.
"Suit yourself, but I don't understand how you guys are so obvious downstairs... Is this really okay?"
Hearing this, Dagger cracked a smile.
"What do you think? Should agents go hide in the bushes? Those are assassins, not bodyguards."
Jiang Chen laughed, he shook his head and walked to the stone pavilion.
Dagger continued digging into his plastic container of fish-flavored minced pork with rice.
"Do we not need to follow?" Finished, Miao Jun threw the container into the garbage and dusted his hands.
Dagger chewed slowly. After swallowing the food in his mouth, he nonchalantly said," No need. This neighborhood is safe."
Miao Jun immediately realized after taking a moment to think, he awkwardly laughed." People on the top didn't even tell us—"
"Because there's no need," Dagger interrupted his partner's words, throwing the squeaky clean lunch box into the trash, "That's why I said, there is a lot more you need to learn."
VIP was already under protection, how could his relatives' security be overlooked?
If anyone dared to make moves here, it was no different than running straight into a gun.
