Ending Up with the Female Lead’s Mom - Chapter 8

Gu Zhanci understood that different relationships required different modes of interaction. However, in her view, the mother-daughter and mother-in-law-daughter-in-law dynamics were similar. Since she and Gu Shiyue weren’t biologically related, and her interactions with Su Ming were actually quite comfortable, she figured it all boiled down to the way elders and youths get along.

She asked, puzzled: “Is there really a difference?”

Su Ming said: “Of course there is.”

Gu Zhanci waited for Su Ming to provide an example, but she saw Su Ming suddenly stand up. They were currently at the sofa in the guest area; Su Ming walked over to her and leaned down. From this angle, one could easily see down Su Ming’s neckline. Gu Zhanci averted her eyes.

She didn’t look.

While she was wondering what was happening, Su Ming leaned in close to her ear and whispered in a low voice, like a secret: “Sister…”

Gu Zhanci wasn’t used to being so close to people. When they first met, Su Ming had called her that, and she hadn’t thought much of it then—she just found it strange why the girl insisted on leaning in so close to speak.

If it were anyone else, she would certainly know they were interested in her and were flirting. But this was Su Ming, her daughter’s pursuer; it made everything feel bizarre.

“Why are you calling me? Next time, just speak normally. Don’t lean into my ear every chance you get,” Gu Zhanci reminded her.

She wasn’t deaf; she could hear just fine.

Su Ming: “…”

“Don’t you see the difference? I can call you ‘Sister’ whenever I want. If you used our ‘mother-in-law rules’ for your daughter, do you want Gu Shiyue to call you ‘Sister’ too?”

Gu Zhanci hadn’t expected that to prove such a small point, Su Ming would need to be this close—close enough that she could smell the girl’s youthful fragrance and see the fine down on her cheeks.

She pulled back to create some distance. “Of course not.”

A daughter was a daughter. Even if not biological, she couldn’t just call her “Sister.” The only reason she indulged Su Ming was because everything was still undefined.

“So, the way we get along is unique and cannot be replicated.” Su Ming arched an eyebrow. She had her hair in a bun today, which made her eyebrows look particularly expressive.

Gu Zhanci caught a hint of smugness in Su Ming. She had never imagined she would have such an intersection with a girl so much younger than herself, let alone ask her for advice.

She said: “You’re right. It truly is irreplicable.”

Su Ming gave a proud hum. “Actually, getting along with someone in their rebellious phase is simple. You must have had a rebellious phase too; you should understand the feeling of not wanting to be constrained. As they say, ‘Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.’ You need to let go and give her autonomy.”

Gu Zhanci exposed her ruthlessly: “It feels like you said a lot, yet said nothing at all. Besides, I never had a so-called ‘rebellious phase.'”

Su Ming: “…”

She didn’t have kids herself, and she wasn’t Gu Shiyue; naturally, she could only provide some superficial theory.

Su Ming suggested: “Let’s try a different way. From now on, pretend I’m your daughter. Use your usual interaction style to talk to me.”

Gu Zhanci found this interesting. She pursed her lips and instantly got into character.

When Su Ming read the novel, she only remembered the romance between the female leads; she didn’t remember exactly how the mother and daughter interacted.

She took a moment to prepare, then crouched by Gu Zhanci’s legs, pretending to be Gu Shiyue. Based on the character profile in her memory, she used a negotiating tone: “Mother, I want to live in the dorms this semester.”

Gu Zhanci looked down at Su Ming. Gu Shiyue would never dare speak to her like this, and she certainly wouldn’t rest her hands on Gu Zhanci’s knees.

She didn’t make an issue of it and said: “No.”

Su Ming opened her eyes wide, feigning disbelief: “Why?”

Her acting was terrible and looked nothing like the character; Gu Shiyue would never make such a big facial expression. Gu Zhanci wanted to laugh, her lips curling up slightly. As she usually did, she stood up and said: “The school isn’t safe. There’s no need for you to live in the dorms. I’m going to work now. As for other matters—”

Gu Zhanci stood up so suddenly that Su Ming was caught off guard. She lurched backward and instinctively reached out to grab… or rather, hug Gu Zhanci’s thigh. Her cheek ended up in an extremely awkward position.

Right against the woman’s most private area.

“…” Gu Zhanci looked down at Su Ming. Suddenly, she felt the office was very hot. It was normal for Su Ming to be afraid of the heat, because she was like a little furnace; Gu Zhanci felt Su Ming’s very breath was scorching.

And today, she was wearing professional attire—a pencil skirt.

Gu Zhanci tried her best to act as if nothing happened, to keep her face from changing color, and to remain calm. She reached down to nudge Su Ming’s head away and move her from between her legs.

Su Ming hadn’t expected this either. She said awkwardly: “Sorry, total accident.”

Su Ming was still kneeling on the ground when Gu Zhanci reached out to pull her up. “It’s fine. Get up first. A posture like that could easily lead to—”

“President Gu, the new proposal.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, President Gu! I didn’t see anything!”

The planning department manager felt he would be fired tomorrow. He had actually witnessed such a stimulating and indescribable scene.

Gu Zhanci: “…”

Expressionlessly, Gu Zhanci finished her sentence: “…misunderstandings.”

Su Ming let go of Gu Zhanci’s leg and stood up with her help, standing aside obediently.

Gu Zhanci glanced at her, then spoke to the manager who had already retreated to the door: “Come back.”

“President Gu, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it! I should have knocked, but the door opened as soon as I pushed. This proposal is urgent; I wanted you to sign it immediately.”

As if she hadn’t heard his excuses, Gu Zhanci pointed at Su Ming: “She is my daughter’s schoolmate.”

The manager wiped the sweat from his forehead.

What does that mean?

So it really is a ‘cradle robber’ situation?

And it’s her daughter’s schoolmate?

Gu Zhanci also realized the explanation didn’t help, but since nothing was actually going on, she didn’t feel the need to explain further. She emphasized: “Do not speak a single word of this to anyone.”

The manager nodded repeatedly: “Of course, of course!”

Gu Zhanci said: “Leave the documents. Get out.”

The manager left with great alacrity.

Su Ming rubbed her backside and said: “Sister, he won’t misunderstand our relationship, will he?”

Gu Zhanci narrowed her eyes at her: “Do we have any other relationship?”

Su Ming was very quick-witted: “No, only the ‘future mother-in-law’ one. Actually, a little tug-of-war between a mother and daughter-in-law is perfectly normal; he’s just making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Gu Zhanci: “…”

The “fake mother-daughter” exercise was forced to an end. Su Ming looked unbothered, and Gu Zhanci appeared calm as she said: “That delay brought us right to dinner time. I’ll treat you. What do you want to eat?”

Su Ming thought for a moment and said: “I want home-cooked food.”

Gu Zhanci asked: “Is there a specific restaurant you want to go to?”

“No,” Su Ming said truthfully. “Actually, I want to go play at your house.”

Gu Zhanci stared at her: “Trying to please your future mother-in-law again?”

Actually, she probably wants to see Gu Shiyue, Gu Zhanci thought. Given those bottomless love letters Su Ming wrote to her daughter—the so-called “simp quotes”—it was easy to see Su Ming liked her daughter very much.

Su Ming didn’t hide it either; she couldn’t hide it anyway, so she admitted: “Yes, I want to please you every day.”

Gu Zhanci gave her a deep look and said: “Let’s go.”

Su Ming followed Gu Zhanci out of the office. They looked like a parent-student duo. The company employees were curious about their relationship but didn’t dare ask.

Gu Zhanci acted as if she noticed nothing and took Su Ming home.

Just as they arrived and before Su Ming could even get comfortable, she got a call from Su Yao: “Baby, not home yet? If you aren’t back soon, I’m starting dinner without you.”

Su Ming sat on the sofa. Gu Zhanci had changed into a light blue loungewear set and sat right next to her. Su Ming said: “I’m at Sister Zhanci’s house. Sis, you go ahead and eat.”

Su Yao: “…”

“What are you doing at Gu Zhanci’s house?”

Hearing Su Ming call her “Sister Zhanci” and finding out she was actually in her house, Su Yao’s tone did a complete 180-degree turn.

Su Ming said: “She’s treating me to dinner.”

Su Yao really wanted Su Ming to come home, but had no real excuse. Finally, she just said “Come back early” and hung up.

Su Ming explained to Gu Zhanci: “My sister is like that. She always treats me like a child, even though I’m already nineteen.”

Gu Zhanci said: “Your sister is likely worried about you being here. She and I have never seen eye-to-eye.”

Su Ming said: “There must be a misunderstanding.”

Gu Zhanci: “No misunderstanding. We were just born to clash.”

Su Ming: “…” Is it even possible to have a normal conversation with her?

Gu Zhanci stopped teasing her and said: “It’s a pity; you came to see Gu Shiyue, but she’s not home. Sorry to disappoint you. What do you want to drink—juice or tea?”

Su Ming didn’t actually want to see Gu Shiyue; a meeting would just result in more “simp” accusations. She didn’t love anyone right now. She said: “I prefer milk.”

Gu Zhanci said: “That’s a good habit.”

She didn’t like milk; she found it too “fishy.”

Su Ming blinked and said: “I heard drinking milk helps you grow taller. I want to be a bit taller.”

Gu Zhanci remarked casually: “You aren’t exactly short.”

She was over 160cm and still had room to grow.

Su Ming propped her chin in her hands. It was mainly that Gu Zhanci was tall, which made her feel short. She said: “Then I want my chest to be a bit bigger.”

The original host had a bewitching face and eyes, but her figure was slightly lacking. Growing just one size larger would be perfect.

While pouring the milk, Gu Zhanci replied offhandedly: “Yours aren’t exactly small…”

The air suddenly froze. Only the gurgling sound of the milk being poured remained.

Su Ming looked at her curiously: “How do you know?”

Gu Zhanci: “…”

She was definitely going through Mercury Retrograde today. She kept stumbling into “taboo” territory with her future daughter-in-law.