Chapter 454 - 431: One Person Attains the Dao, Chickens and Dogs Ascend to Heaven

Chapter 454: Chapter 431: One Person Attains the Dao, Chickens and Dogs Ascend to Heaven

In the afternoon, Shen Ying carefully explained the various family relationships to her parents, describing everyone’s personalities and character. She was full of praise, wanting to put her parents at ease before the dinner.

Meanwhile, Wang Ming called the families to invite the elders for dinner at the Fenghua Hotel at six o’clock.

Once everything was arranged, at five in the afternoon, Shen Jianjun and Ye Qiuju put on what they considered to be their most formal attire and got into Wang Ming’s car with their daughter.

"Xiao Wang, did you buy this car yourself?" Shen Jianjun asked.

"It used to be my mom’s. After she left for the Imperial Capital, it was just sitting at home. Now it’s at Uncle Jiang’s. He helps with the upkeep so it doesn’t fall into disrepair," Wang Ming said casually, habitually glancing at his rearview mirrors.

"Oh. You seem like a skilled driver. When did you get your license?"

Shen Ying cut in, "Dad, Wang Ming just got his license this semester. He’s still a new driver, so please don’t distract him. Let him focus."

"Oh, right, right. My apologies."

A bit embarrassed, Shen Jianjun leaned back gently against his seat and gazed out the window.

’He usually rode his own motorcycle to and from work and almost never took a taxi. In the winter, especially, the wind felt like knives when he was riding. A private car is so much better.’

Before long, the group arrived at the Fenghua Hotel. Wang Ming, already quite familiar with the place, led his future parents-in-law straight to the most luxurious private room.

Shen Jianjun gazed at the room’s dazzling opulence, secretly wondering just how much this dinner was going to cost.

Shortly after, the door to the private room opened, and in walked Xia Shanshan and Jiang Wende. Lin Xiaoman was with them.

Given how close the two families had become, whenever Lin Gaoyuan and his wife were busy, they would send Xiao Man to Xia Shanshan’s place. The other matriarch could watch over her and even help her with her studies—killing two birds with one stone.

"Hello, Uncle Jiang. Hello, Aunt Xia." Wang Ming immediately stood up to greet them.

"Hello, Mingming," Xia Shanshan said with a cheerful smile. "Yesterday, your Uncle Xia told me you were back. You came all the way to our door, why didn’t you come in for a bite to eat?"

Wang Ming quickly offered an apologetic smile. "Aunt Xia, I really didn’t have time yesterday. I’m here to make up for it today, aren’t I?"

"Oh, right. Aunt Xia, Uncle Jiang, let me introduce you. This is Shen Ying’s father, and this is her mother. Uncle Shen, Aunt Ye, these are Jiang Xia’s parents, the ones I told you about."

Xia Shanshan glanced over. She had noticed Shen Ying the moment she walked in, and putting that together with the dinner invitation, she already had a good idea of what was happening.

’Wang Ming must have come home to meet Shen Ying’s parents, and now he wants the elders to meet, get to know one another, and act as witnesses of a sort.’

Shen Jianjun and Ye Qiuju quickly stood up, their expressions somewhat stiff and formal. If Jiang Xia was the emperor, then these two were the emperor’s parents.

’They were people you couldn’t afford to offend.’

"Hello, a pleasure to meet you." The humble Shen Jianjun bowed his head low.

"You must be Yingying’s father? A pleasure to meet you. I’m Jiang Xia’s mother, and my surname is Xia. I’m a teacher at Nanshan Primary School. When they were children, Mingming was in the same class as my son. So, you could say he was one of my students, too," Xia Shanshan said with a smile.

In a single sentence, she clarified the relationship between the two families. By also sharing her profession, she made it clear she didn’t view Shen Ying’s parents as strangers.

After all, if things went as expected, Wang Ming and Shen Ying were bound to get married. Plus, Li Weiya was Jiang Xia’s godmother. The families were destined to be deeply connected in the future.

"My surname is Jiang. Jiang Wende. I used to be a taxi driver, but now I’m just an unemployed bum. I like to go fishing in my free time. Father of Shen Ying, if you like fishing too, maybe we could go together sometime," Jiang Wende said with a smile, extending his hand.

Shen Jianjun quickly shook his hand, his smile a bit strained. He’d hardly ever been fishing; his family’s circumstances didn’t permit him the luxury of whiling away his time on such hobbies.

’In other words, even though Jiang Wende called himself an unemployed bum, the man clearly wasn’t hurting for money. With a son whose business was so successful, he could live out the rest of his days in comfort and peace.’

"Yes, of course. But I haven’t fished much, so I’m not very good at it."

"Don’t worry about it, fishing is easy! I’ll teach you when we go. I guarantee you’ll pick it up in no time."

"Absolutely," Shen Jianjun agreed.

With his keen eye, Jiang Wende could already tell that Shen Ying’s parents were ordinary, working-class people. Their faces bore the marks of time beyond their years, but they had an honest simplicity about them.

"Brother Wang Ming, why didn’t my sister and brother-in-law come back with you?" Xiao Man asked, her little face fallen.

After spending a summer vacation in the Imperial Capital, it had been a long, long time since she’d seen her sister and brother-in-law, and she missed them terribly.

Wang Ming smiled and patted Xiao Man’s head. "They’re both very busy. Your favorite *Cat and Mouse* movie is about to be released, and they’re working on the promotion for it."

"I wanna see it! I wanna see it!" Xiao Man’s eyes widened, the pretty orbs seeming to sparkle.

"Mingming, did you say you’re only back for a few days?" Xia Shanshan asked, looking at Wang Ming.

"I did. I’ve already bought my plane ticket for the day after tomorrow. They still need me over there. I can’t let Jiang Xia keep shouldering my responsibilities, can I?" Wang Ming said with a helpless smile. After all, he was the lead director of the movie.

Xia Shanshan nodded, her smile beaming. "In that case, when you go back, take some sausages and cured ribs with you for me. I just made a fresh batch this year, and Xiaxia loves them."

"No problem, Aunt Xia," Wang Ming readily agreed.