Chapter 54: All for Brother-in-law's Sake

“Mom, let’s make sure we have everything straight. When the time comes, you’ll say you won these movie tickets in a raffle, and I’ll pretend I’m not feeling well, so that my sister and her husband will go to the movies together!” That afternoon, Meng Lengzhi left work early, slipped home quietly, and handed two movie tickets to her mother, who was also Huang He’s mother-in-law.

“Pearl Harbor? Isn’t that a romance set by the docks?” Her mother said confidently as she read the movie’s title.

“Well… something like that,” Meng Lengzhi’s expression froze a little, but it was perfectly normal for her mother not to know what Pearl Harbor was. If she hadn’t played beachhead assault games before, she herself wouldn’t know what Pearl Harbor meant either.

“Good girl, you’re so thoughtful, trying to bring your second sister and brother-in-law together. I didn’t dote on you for nothing!” Her mother, believing it to be a love story, affectionately patted Meng Lengzhi’s head.

“That’s not all! Mom, look, the movie starts at nine in the evening, and the cinema is in East City. It won’t end until nearly midnight, and the buses will have stopped running. Then, my sister and her husband won’t be able to get home and will have to stay at a hotel together!” Meng Lengzhi announced triumphantly.

“But Hehe has a car, doesn’t he? He can drive them home!” Her mother didn’t find anything odd about her youngest daughter orchestrating a night out for her second daughter and son-in-law. Instead, she worried about possible complications.

“Don’t worry, Mom. He won’t be able to drive back tonight; he’ll have to take a taxi!” Meng Lengzhi grinned. “I had someone disconnect his car battery. He won’t be able to start the car, and he doesn’t know how to fix it, so a taxi is his only option!”

“Smart girl!” Her mother gave her head a vigorous rub. “But your sister and brother-in-law could still take a taxi back after the movie!”

“Relax, Mom. There are only a handful of taxis in Wenzhou, and hardly any run after eleven. Plus, the cinema used to be the Factory 362’s theater, tucked away in a remote spot. It could take hours for a taxi to show up. The only option will be to find a hotel nearby!” Meng Lengzhi was full of confidence.

“But your brother-in-law is a gentleman. Whenever you and your sisters went on business trips with him, you each had your own room. Even if you set things up this way, he’ll probably book two rooms tonight!” her mother worried.

“Hehe, I thought of that too!” Meng Lengzhi gave a smug smile. “There are only three hotels nearby. Two are run-down, not even rated, and only one is a three-star. He’ll definitely pick the three-star hotel. I’ve already talked to the front desk. When they see him, they’ll say there’s only one room left, because I’ve reserved all the others. So my sister and her husband will have to share a room!”

“Good child, you’re so clever!” Her mother was even more delighted.

“Hehe, I learned this from TV dramas! Isn’t it always just one room left in those stories? It’s rarely that much of a coincidence in real life, but we can create one ourselves!” Meng Lengzhi looked wise beyond her years.

“But your brother-in-law is so proper. Even if there’s only one room, he’ll sleep on the sofa and let your sister have the bed…” Her mother was still worried.

“Mom, sometimes you just have to leave things to fate. We’ve done everything we can. What more do you want—are you going to drug him?” Meng Lengzhi said, exasperated.

“You’re right. Just so happens, I bought three kidneys today. I’ll add a little something to them!” Her mother went to her room and soon returned with a glass bottle with no label.

“Mom, what is that? That’s illegal—you can’t use it!” Meng Lengzhi quickly stopped her.

“Nonsense, it’s not medicine. It’s Black Chicken White Dragon Wine, your father’s old tonic!” Her mother tapped Meng Lengzhi on the head. “You should know, your father wasn’t in the best health, but he managed to father six children thanks to this family recipe.”

“But this wine isn’t some kind of drug—it replenishes the body, helps with recovery. It’s not that kind of medicine.”

“So why haven’t you given it to my brother-in-law before?” Meng Lengzhi asked, puzzled.

“He’s in excellent health, doesn’t need any tonic. If he takes it without need, it might even have some side effects!”

“What side effects?”

“Children shouldn’t ask!”

“Mom, after all I’ve done, how can you scold me? That’s so unfair!”

“All right, my clever, thoughtful girl!” Her mother stroked her head and sighed. “Honestly, I’ve known for a long time your second sister only has eyes for your brother-in-law, but she’s too shy to admit it.”

“And your brother-in-law is cautious about his status. They’re clearly fond of each other, just waiting for us to break the ice for them!” Her mother hummed a little tune, her mood bright and cheerful.

Some might wonder, is there really a mother who would push her own daughter into the arms of another man, especially her own son-in-law?

Of course, such mothers are rare. But billionaires for sons-in-law don’t grow on trees either. And this son-in-law, in her eyes, is as good as a real son, with so many women outside just waiting for their chance. If she doesn’t act quickly, she’d be foolish.

Besides, the whole Leng family depends on Huang He for support, and Leng Zhiruo is at the age to marry. If her mother-in-law doesn’t push hard, she’d be missing her chance.

“All right, Mom, I’m off to play games. Please don’t tell my sister about all this, or she’ll never agree!” Her mother, humming, took the bottle into the kitchen, while Meng Lengzhi silently vowed not to eat a single bite of kidney tonight, just in case she ended up sleepless.

Then Meng Lengzhi went back to her room to play games.

Over an hour later, the door opened and her mother came out, only to find the victim of tonight’s scheme, Leng Zhiruo, had returned.

“Zhiruo, why are you home so early today?” her mother asked, puzzled. Leng Zhiruo usually came home from work with Huang He, but now it was only three in the afternoon—a rare occurrence.

“Mom, is brother-in-law coming for dinner tonight?” Leng Zhiruo’s cheeks were faintly flushed.

“Yes, he is. Is that why you came home?”

“No, I just thought it was a good opportunity to help Mengzhi!” Leng Zhiruo’s face paled a little, but she spoke up.

“What’s wrong with Mengzhi that she needs your help?” her mother was even more confused.

“It’s like this—brother-in-law said today he really wanted to watch Pearl Harbor at the cinema, but aren’t most of the cinemas in Wenzhou closed? I searched for ages and finally found one in East City and bought two tickets.” As she spoke, Leng Zhiruo took out two movie tickets.