Me After Meeting You

Evidently, Amber’s mother couldn’t hold it in anymore, and started scolding her loudly. “I told you not to talk. Don’t you understand?!”

After that she looked at Ian again, her tone as amiable as could be. “Don’t worry. I said that she would make it up to you, and she will. As for last night, why did you come looking for Amber so late at night?”

Ian was silent, and only after a little while did he say, “Actually, I have nothing. I also don’t know how I ended up here.” Looking towards her mother, he said, “And again, I’m sorry. I didn’t intentionally strip in front of you. I really am having an allergic reaction. Look.”

As he said this, he stretched out his hand. The wrist he revealed did have a large lump of red rashes; because his skin was white and he’d been scratched himself, it was particularly striking.

Amber’s mother believed him with absolute certainty now. She stood up and said, “It really does look quite serious. Sit down, and I’ll get some medicine for you. It will get better in no time. You come too, help Mom take a look if this medicine is fine.”

The last sentence was directed at Amber. Disregarding her willingness, Amber’s mother pulled her into another room and closed the door. The first words out of her mouth were, “I don’t know when you became like this. How can you be so wild with intimate relationships?”

And then she asked, “Do you really have another boyfriend?”

Amber was still trying to process the situation, speechless. “…..”

She couldn’t laugh or cry. “Mom, can you not cause more trouble? The relationship I have with him isn’t what you think it is. I promise.”

“You promise? Last time, you even promised to break up with him. But, what was the result? Through the video call, your father and I clearly saw that he pounced on you as soon as he entered! And, last night, old grandfather Li even told us that, in the middle of the night, you ran downstairs to be intimate with him!

Amber, if you’re unwilling to admit what your relationship with him is because of our objection, that’s nothing. Last time, your dad also convinced me that you younger generation will do fine even without my supervision. Given your age, it’s also normal for you to get a boyfriend.

I just think that he’s a bit dazed. But after looking at him again today, I guess he’s alright, a bit empty headed, but he does truly like you. If the two of you want to get together, then that’s fine too. As long as his family’s background is alright and he truly treats you well, then as your parents, we won’t object. So don’t pretend to have another boyfriend to dodge our questions. Really, I’ve seen those twotiming people, and they make my heart worry for them.”

Amber’s mother waved her hand, and in a clearly exhausted voice, she said, “Go out. Go look at his rashes. Tell him that if he’s serious, then we should make plans for our two families to meet and get food together sometime.”

“… Mom, haven’t you changed your mind a bit too quickly?”

Her mother became incensed again. “If we didn’t change our mind, then would we have to wait for you to become pregnant before acknowledging the two of you?”

“….”

A doorbell rang outside. Amber’s mother glared at her one last time before walking out.

Amber followed her out, and somewhat felt exhausted when she saw Ian curled up on the sofa like a mealworm.

Her mother had gone to open the door when she heard her somewhat forced laughter. “Ah, it’s Calvin? What’re you doing here so early?”

Calvin’s warm voice responded, “Good morning, Auntie. I’m here to bring Amber to work.”

Upon hearing this, Ian tilted his head at her.

As for Amber, well, she really didn’t know what to do now.

At this time, she really wanted to make an anonymous forum post “my real boyfriend’s at the door, and he’s about to see my purported boyfriend sleeping in my home. But really, nothing happened. How can I explain the situation to everyone involved? Waiting online, quite urgent!”

Since she didn’t understand the full story, Amber’s mother’s heart was forlorn upon seeing Calvin. This was the perfect son in law for her daughter, capable and thoughtful, possessing a good pedigree, a good education and from abroad, no less! This was someone she’d be proud of bragging about.

More importantly, he was old classmates with her daughter, so they knew each other through and through.

But since her daughter already had Ian, she could only restrain her feelings and say, “Picking up Amber? How could we trouble you to do something like that? Her boyfriend’s already here to pick her up.”

Although Amber couldn’t see Calvin’s face, she could imagine what kind of expression he was making. It was undoubtedly a complicated one, impossible to describe.

She quickly walked out, already exasperated with her mother. “Mom, what are you saying?” And then she looked at Calvin. “Ah, you’re here? Why don’t you come in for now.”

She couldn’t just leave him standing outside, if she did, his questions would only increase.

Her mother and Calvin both looked at her with very different expressions. Her mother looked like she was blaming her, as she probably felt that she was being too intimate with Calvin. But Calvin, on the other hand, was quite calm and was even smiling at her.

Her mother sighed in her heart again, and she reluctantly opened the shoe cupboard to retrieve a pair of slippers for him. When Calvin walked in and saw Ian, who was draped in a quilt and lying on the sofa, he clearly became flustered. In his confusion, he looked at Amber once again.

Amber looked back at him hopefully, but he didn’t say anything. With his eyes half closed, he remained silent for a while before putting the things he was carrying on the table.

They were fruits that he had bought on his way over. There were some farmers growing strawberries by a shed on the roadside. He had seen them and specifically picked them out himself, choosing the freshest ones that were bright, vibrant, and still glistening with morning dew.

As if her mother was afraid that Calvin’s misunderstanding wasn’t deep enough, she introduced the other man in the room. “This is Ax-”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Ian finished Amber mother’s sentence for her. “Ian Axton.”

“Right, Ian Axton, Amber’s boyfriend ….”