Chapter 66: Visiting the In-Laws

Day after day passed, and Shen Xin was making progress every day. Though not obvious, his supernatural abilities were steadily advancing. Now, he could teleport more than three hundred meters at a time and could do it a hundred times in a row.

His mastery of spatial distortion had also improved greatly. He could now release spatial distortions in areas as small as a chicken egg, or create large-scale distortions within dozens of meters.

Whereas before he could only twist a person into a bloody mist, now he could reduce someone to a wisp of blue smoke.

Within a hundred meters, a single glance was all it took to pulverize a stone as large as a face into dust.

Shen Xin felt that he had grown powerful.

If he wished, in the span of a single breath, he could turn over a thousand people into smoke, erasing them utterly.

The big goose had also grown much stronger, now five meters tall, three meters long, and weighing an astonishing three hundred jin.

Most importantly, it could now fly.

And it was capable of carrying people in flight.

This pleased Shen Xin immensely. Though its flying speed couldn't match a Cloud-Piercing Bird, it was still impressive, especially considering the great white goose was only four months old.

Perhaps in a few more months, its flying speed would improve even further.

As the New Year approached, Sister Dan took an early holiday, returning to the Holy City to spend the festival, and Shen Xin brought Tang Ziran and Shen Lan home for the celebrations. As for Yu Yanan, since she was technically still just his girlfriend, she planned to spend the New Year with her own family and visit Shen Xin's family after the holiday.

When Shen Xin returned home, he found that the goose at home had also grown up. Though smaller than the one he raised himself, it was still a colossal creature.

Shen's father, holding the goose, boasted, "Son, look at the goose I raised. Isn't it great?"

"Not bad, Dad. Now take a look at mine."

He then released his own great white goose from the trunk of the car.

When the two giant geese met, they were stunned for a moment, then both raised their heads and honked loudly, their necks intertwining in a display of intimacy. After all, they were siblings.

Shen's father was astonished. "Son, how did your goose get so big?"

"Yanan fed it well—milk and beef every day."

"No wonder," muttered Shen's father, the corner of his mouth twitching. His daughter-in-law was truly extravagant; he himself couldn't bear to eat beef and drink milk every day. His own goose only got corn and grains, with an occasional pellet of spirit feed.

That New Year's was especially bountiful. First, Shen Xin had struck it rich, so there was no shortage of money and they could buy whatever they wanted. Second, the family had gained new members: a daughter-in-law, Yu Yanan, and a goddaughter, Tang Ziran.

In previous years, only the four of them celebrated the New Year together. Now, with six people, the festivities were much livelier.

Yu Yanan stayed at their house for several days, experiencing fishing, netting fish, releasing chickens and ducks, tending sheep and cattle, cutting grass for the pigs, and feeding them.

She was especially fond of the family’s great white goose and went to town to buy over a dozen boxes of milk to feed it.

The joyful bustle continued until the sixth day of the New Year.

Shen Xin decided to pay a New Year’s visit to Yu Yanan’s family—it wouldn’t do not to go. She, a young woman, had visited his home several times already, while he had never been to hers. It would be wrong in every sense.

Shen’s father and mother had long prepared a large assortment of local specialties—mutton, beef, chicken, duck, fish—and even packed a red envelope with a hundred thousand yuan, intending for Shen Xin to deliver it in person.

Shen Xin accepted it with a smile, then drove off with Shen Lan and Tang Ziran, while Yu Yanan led the way in her BMW.

Shen Lan and Tang Ziran simply went along to have fun in the county.

Once they reached the county, Shen Lan and Tang Ziran got out to go shopping.

Shen Xin parked his car and rode with Yu Yanan in her BMW to the supermarket, where they bought cigarettes and liquor and carried large bags to Yu Yanan’s house.

It was already the sixth day of the New Year, so there were no other guests at the house. When Shen Xin entered, he saw only Yu Yanan’s parents and her younger brother, a tall boy of seventeen or eighteen, playing video games.

"Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year!"

He felt his voice tremble as he mechanically handed over the gifts.

Yu Yanan's mother appeared quite young, looking like a woman in her thirties, well cared for. She’d long heard her daughter mention Shen Xin, and upon meeting him, found him to be a spirited young man. Though his skin was a bit dark, he was well dressed, fit, and rather handsome.

She hurried to accept the cigarettes and liquor, delegating the rest of the items to her son.

"Take a seat!"

Yu Yanan’s father was a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses, a prominent belly, and an imposing presence. He wore a woolen coat and was calmly brewing tea.

He looked Shen Xin up and down, nodding to himself. His first impression of his future son-in-law was quite favorable.

"Young man, what plans do you have for the future? Our Yanan has been pampered since childhood; she can't endure hardship."

"Dad, really, am I that delicate?" Yu Yanan pouted, clearly displeased.

Shen Xin cleared his throat. "I don’t have any grand plans. I suppose I have enough money now to retire, so nothing in particular."

At that, Yu’s father immediately scolded, "How can you talk of retirement at your age? How much savings do you have?"

"Um..." Shen Xin wasn’t sure exactly how much he had, so he could only estimate. "Probably one or two hundred million. Yanan, isn’t that right?"

Yu Yanan nodded firmly. "Yes."

Yu’s father, who had just taken a sip of tea, coughed and spat it out.

"Wife, make a few more hearty dishes. I want to have several drinks with my son-in-law!"

The younger brother sprang up from the sofa. "Brother-in-law, can you buy me a PS4?"

Yu Yanan grabbed her little brother by the ear and shouted, "You’ll be a senior next term, and you still think of nothing but games! What will become of you?"

Her brother yelped and protested, "Let go, sis! I’ll inherit the family business; I’ll never want for food or drink. If brother-in-law gives me thirty or fifty million, what’s the point of working hard?"

Yu Yanan tugged hard on his ear without letting go, amused and angry. "Well, you’re already eyeing your brother-in-law’s money. Husband, you mustn’t give him a single cent in the future!"

Her brother broke free in outrage, then accused, "Yu Yanan, after all these years of Mom and Dad feeding and raising you, you’re already trying to distance yourself from us before you’ve even married. Brother-in-law, look at her villainous face!"

Smack! Yu Yanan’s father finally lost patience, giving his son a heavy slap. He smiled awkwardly. "I’ve really failed in raising my son. Please don’t mind him."

Steadying himself, Shen Xin responded a bit awkwardly, "It’s my duty to look after my brother-in-law. Thirty or fifty million might be a bit much, but three or five million shouldn’t be a problem. After all, that’s about all I have in private funds. If you want more, you’ll have to ask your sister."

"See, sis? Look at brother-in-law’s generosity. Brother-in-law, I officially acknowledge you. If my sister doesn’t work out, I’ll introduce you to the school beauty—she’s not only gorgeous but a real knockout!"

Smack, smack! Yu Yanan’s father delivered two more slaps to his son.

Normally, he could never bear to hit his precious boy—he’d adored him since birth. But today, he really couldn’t stand it. If this blind and unfilial son scared off such a golden son-in-law, it would be a huge loss.

Even Yu Yanan’s mother, who usually doted on her son, couldn’t take it anymore. She quickly dragged him into the kitchen to help with the cooking.