novelraw Chapter 473 - 183: The Gold Medal Mother-in-law Assistant, This Night is Not Quiet_4
Chapter 473 - 183: The Gold Medal Mother-in-law Assistant, This Night is Not Quiet_4
Li Yuan was secretly thrilled, and his impression of Gu Lanxin improved considerably. With such an "understanding" mother-in-law playing support, restoring his relationship with Zhong Tingyue seemed just around the corner.
Li Yuan proactively raised his glass of red wine and looked at Gu Lanxin. "Auntie, a toast to you."
Seeing that Li Yuan was quick on the uptake, Gu Lanxin lifted her glass with one hand while passing a small glass of red wine to Zhong Tingyue with the other.
"Little Moon, it’s a rare happy occasion. Let’s have a drink together," she said.
Zhong Tingyue stared in bewilderment at the glass her mother pushed toward her. Why did *she* have to drink, too?
Gu Lanxin seemed to have anticipated her daughter’s reaction and explained with a cheerful smile, "Little Moon, I heard from wellness experts that red wine is good for your complexion. Drinking a little at night can improve your skin, so you should have some."
Li Yuan nearly burst out laughing, and his gaze toward Gu Lanxin softened even more. What a treasure of a mother-in-law. A true gold-medal support. It was the first time he had ever heard of a mother trying so hard to persuade her daughter to drink alcohol.
Zhong Tingyue glanced at her earnest mother, then stole a peek at the smiling Li Yuan. She finally nodded and accepted the glass of red wine.
Gu Lanxin’s eyes crinkled with a smile. "Come now, Little Li, Little Moon. We’re a family. Let’s clink our glasses."
Li Yuan chimed in, "Auntie’s right. As a family, let’s drink together."
Hearing her mother and Li Yuan say "a family" in unison, Zhong Tingyue felt a strange stirring in her heart, as if she had sensed something.
She raised her glass, clinked it against theirs, and took a sip of the red wine. The taste wasn’t astringent; instead, a sweet and sour sensation lingered in her throat.
Gu Lanxin picked up her chopsticks again and placed some food on Li Yuan’s plate. "Little Li, eat more. Don’t be so reserved."
Li Yuan was speechless. Wasn’t this his house? How had he become the guest?
The three of them ate and drank, and with Gu Lanxin, the gold-medal support, constantly urging them on, the wine flowed freely. Before long, they had finished the entire 750 ml bottle.
Zhong Tingyue had an average tolerance for alcohol, and this was her first time drinking red wine. After just two glasses, her cheeks were flushed, and she was already feeling a bit tipsy. Gu Lanxin’s face was also faintly rosy, adding another layer of color to her beautiful skin.
"Little Li, you hold your liquor well. Let’s open another bottle," she declared.
Hearing this, Zhong Tingyue quickly tried to protest, "Mom, we’ve had plenty. We should stop."
Gu Lanxin replied cheerfully, "A little red wine won’t get you truly drunk. If we’re going to drink, we should drink to our hearts’ content. Let’s keep going!"
As she spoke, she stood up, grabbed another bottle of red wine, and poured more for both Zhong Tingyue and Li Yuan.
"Auntie is happy today, Little Moon. Don’t look so glum. Smile a little and have another drink with your mom."
Zhong Tingyue’s cheeks were crimson, her eyes already hazy with intoxication. She pursed her lips, forced a smile, and replied helplessly, "Mom, please, let’s drink a little less!"
Ignoring her daughter’s plea, Gu Lanxin raised her glass toward Li Yuan, making her intentions increasingly clear. "Hehe, it’s fine. Today, I got to meet my son-in-law, and that makes a mother very happy," she said with a grin. "Come, Little Li, let’s toast. From now on, here in Modu, I’m entrusting Little Moon to your care. You must not bully her. You have to be patient with her, keep her company, and make sure she’s happy every single day. Little Li, can you do that?"
With his future mother-in-law laying her cards on the table like this, what else could Li Yuan say? He agreed at once without the slightest hesitation.
"Auntie, please rest assured. My feelings for Little Moon are one hundred percent sincere. I will never let her be wronged. I’ll always stay by her side, accompany her, protect her, and make sure she is happy and cheerful every day."
After making his promise, Li Yuan lifted his glass and drained the large serving of red wine in one gulp.
Pleased by his words, Gu Lanxin nodded in satisfaction and took a large drink herself. "Little Li, I trust you’ll keep your word," she affirmed.
Listening as her mother sold her off over wine and conversation, Zhong Tingyue’s heart pounded in her chest. "Mom!" she protested with a soft whine.
Gu Lanxin simply winked at her and said with a smile, "Here, eat some more food."
Nearly an hour later, the three were full and content. The three bottles of Lafite red wine were now empty.
Red wine seems mild at first, but it has a strong kick. Li Yuan himself had drunk more than a bottle, and even with his high tolerance, he was feeling a little buzzed. As for Zhong Tingyue, who was drinking red wine for the first time, she was thoroughly drunk. Her eyes were as sultry as silk, and she had an utterly inebriated look about her. She kept stealing glances at Li Yuan from the corner of her eye, as if she had a thousand unspoken words to share with him.
Gu Lanxin’s tolerance, honed over decades, was better than Li Yuan had imagined. She was still perfectly sober, acting as if she hadn’t had a drop.
Seeing her precious daughter in such a drunkenly shy state, she smiled and shot Li Yuan a meaningful look. "Let’s call it a night. I’ll clean up the kitchen. You two young people can go chat in the other room," she said. "Little Li, Little Moon has had a bit too much to drink. Why don’t you take her to her room to rest?"
This accommodating mother-in-law is just too considerate. A true gold-medal support. Li Yuan smiled and nodded, giving Gu Lanxin a mental thumbs-up. His mother-in-law’s assistance had paved the way for everything to come. If he still couldn’t win Zhong Tingyue over under these circumstances, he would have no one to blame but himself for his own incompetence.