Chapter 448 - 428: Shen Ying’s Shocked Parents

Chapter 448: Chapter 428: Shen Ying’s Shocked Parents

"I just had the car inspected not long ago. There were some issues with the brakes and headlights, but they’re all fixed now. The tire pressure is normal, and I’ve filled up the gas tank, so you can drive it without any worries."

Jiang Wende took out the car keys and handed them to Wang Ming, reminding him, "You just got your license, which makes you a new driver. You need to be careful, you hear? Don’t go too fast, keep your eyes on the road, watch for pedestrians at intersections, and give me a call if anything happens."

Wang Ming nodded but didn’t take the keys.

"Uncle Jiang, I have a key. You should keep this one. I’ll just be driving the car for two days. After that, I’ll have to trouble you to keep helping with its maintenance."

"Sure, it’s no trouble at all. It’s a small thing," Jiang Wende said with a laugh. "By the way, what about that son of mine, Jiang Xia? How come he didn’t come back with you?"

"The *Cat and Mouse* movie just started its limited release screenings, so he’s running all over the place for promotional events. I had to ask him for some time off just to get a chance to come back. As soon as I’m done here, I have to head right back," Wang Ming said.

Only then did Jiang Wende remember that his son seemed to have mentioned this to him a couple of days ago. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to come home for the New Year again this year.

’Sigh. He started a company and became a boss, but he still has to run around all day long. He doesn’t even have time for a family reunion over the New Year.’

’From the looks of it, being a boss isn’t as great as one might think.’

’Maybe his mother and I should just take another trip to the Imperial Capital?’

’Never mind. He’ll probably be busy even if we go to the Imperial Capital. We still wouldn’t get a chance to see him.’

"I hear you’re the one who led the production on this movie?" Jiang Wende asked with a smile.

Wang Ming scratched his head sheepishly. "Jiang Xia was just too busy, so I helped share some of the workload. I’m just glad I didn’t get in the way."

"I was looking at the online reviews today. The new movie is supposedly very good. Once it’s showing in the local theaters over the New Year, I’ll go buy a ticket to show my support," Jiang Wende chuckled.

"Heh heh, thank you, Uncle Jiang."

"You probably haven’t had dinner, have you? Your Auntie is cooking right now. Why not stay and eat before you go?"

"No, that’s alright, Uncle Jiang. I still have some things to take care of, so I won’t impose," Wang Ming said, shaking his head.

"Alright, then."

Jiang Wende felt a pang of disappointment. He had hoped to use dinner as a chance to ask Wang Ming how his son was doing.

"Alright. Drive slowly, and don’t rush through intersections. Stop when you’re supposed to. Better to wait three minutes than to rush for a single second."

"I will, Uncle Jiang."

"Go on, then," Jiang Wende patted his shoulder. "Keep up the good work."

Wang Ming opened the car door and got in, first adjusting the seat, then fastening his seatbelt. He turned the key, and the engine ignited. "Well, Uncle Jiang, I’ll be off then."

"Okay, drive safe," Jiang Wende waved and said with a smile.

He released the parking brake, pressed the clutch, and shifted into first gear. After turning on his signal, he eased off the clutch, and the car slowly began to move.

Jiang Wende watched Wang Ming drive away. His actions were deliberate and by the book, clearly marking him as a novice. Still, for his first time driving this car, he hadn’t stalled it on takeoff, which was impressively solid.

Wang Ming drove home at a leisurely pace, staying in third gear the entire way. Even though it was his first time behind the wheel of his family’s car, he wasn’t the least bit nervous. He made it back to his apartment complex without incident, parked in the garage, and then took the elevator upstairs.

He hadn’t been home in almost two years, and the apartment had a thick, musty smell. He first pushed open the windows to air the place out, then yanked the dust cover off the sofa. After a quick sweep and mop to clean up, there was at least a place to sit down.

Once that was done, he ran to a small eatery near the complex, ordered two stir-fried dishes with a large bowl of white rice, and started to wolf it down.

「Meanwhile.」

Shen Ying tiptoed back home, quietly using her key to open the door. Inside, she saw her mom making her favorite dish: sweet and sour pork ribs.

"Mom! I’m home!"

She suddenly hugged her from behind, startling her mother, Ye Qiuju.

"Ah! Yingying, you scared me to death!"

Ye Qiuju clutched her chest in mock fright, but after composing herself, a happy smile spread across her face as she looked at her daughter.

"You came back so suddenly! Not a peep from you. I was just about to call and ask how far along you were."

"Heh heh, I did it on the sly. I wanted to surprise you," Shen Ying said, playfully shaking her mother’s arm. "Where’s Dad?"

Ye Qiuju glanced at the wall clock. "He should have just gotten off work. He’ll be back in a bit."

"You two haven’t been fighting lately, have you?" Shen Ying asked cautiously.

In her memory, her parents fought every other day over the most trivial, petty things. Sometimes she’d get dragged into it, and the atmosphere at home would turn incredibly tense. It was why she hated coming home, and why she often found herself envying families like Jiang Xia’s and Yanwan’s.

Still, when they weren’t fighting, her parents were always very good to her.

"What would I have to fight with him about?" Ye Qiuju pursed her lips.

"Heh heh, good. As long as you’re not fighting."

Shen Ying took her suitcase to her room to put it away. After freshening up a little, she went to the kitchen to help her mother with dinner. Not long after, Shen Jianjun came home from work, still in his work clothes.

He spotted Shen Ying’s shoes by the shoe rack and poked his head into the kitchen. Mother and daughter were both there.

"Yingying’s back for the break?" A rare smile touched the old man’s weary face.

"Yeah, Dad. I just got home a little while ago."

Shen Ying smiled sweetly, then ran to get her father a glass of warm water and handed it to him.

"Careful. Don’t touch me, I’m dirty."

"Put your dirty clothes in the laundry sink. I’ll wash them tonight," Ye Qiuju said matter-of-factly.

Shen Jianjun nodded, downed the water in the glass, then casually stripped off his dirty work jacket and tossed it into the laundry sink.