Superhumans of the Dome City-Chapter 1360 - 17: Parent-Child Outing (Part 1)_2

"Alright, I’ve told you earlier to take care of your health. Your aunt and I have been worried about you gaining weight these past few years." Mr. Gongsun looked at Shiyu Lianyi, "I heard from Mrs. Spencer that Shiyu, you’re engaged?"

"Yes, but we’re planning to talk more and not rush into the wedding..."

"You’ve settled down and established yourself, a young achiever!" Mr. Gongsun looked admiringly at the handsome duo, "Ah Ce, you should learn from your friends. Look at Shiyu, he’s already thinking about marriage at your age, while you’re still carefree..."

"Oh come on, just get in the car first!" Gongsun Ce forcefully shut the trunk.

In the Gongsun couple’s perspective, Mo Yuankai and Shiyu Lianyi were the quintessential "other people’s kids." Mo Yuankai was charmingly handsome and a rare talent in core technology. Every time he visited, he would casually mention some new project or patent he applied for, not only capable but also good-natured, willing to help Gongsun Ce improve. Mr. Gongsun had said more than once, "If it weren’t for Brother Kai, you’d have become a street hooligan by now." As for Shiyu Lianyi, he was even more impressive: gentle, well-read, and always presented a perfect image. He was considerate in all interactions, excelling in every aspect compared to their own son, delivering a comprehensive blow to their foolish child.

Every time Gongsun Ce heard them go on, he felt an indescribable bitterness, thinking to himself, "You both only see the surface, not the depths. Brother is fine, but Mr. Shiyu, this scheming man, dares to compare with me? Have you seen him fight? That disheveled look could give anyone nightmares."

Once in the car, Mrs. Gongsun started handing out homemade sticky rice dumplings, asking about their surroundings: "Little Qian, how have you all been? Has Ah Ce caused any trouble?"

Qin Qianbai exchanged a glance with Gongsun Ce and skillfully redirected the conversation: "Everything’s been great, and we’ve recently gone on a short survey trip to Union..."

"I heard from the Spencer couple you happened to pass by their house..."

Successfully shifting Mrs. Gongsun’s attention, Mr. Shiyu began discussing urban news with Mr. Gongsun, and Gongsun Ce secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Up to now, the plan had been going smoothly. His biggest fear was his parents fixating on the "girlfriend" issue, which could easily lead to slips by surrounding fools and conflicts at home: Speaking of having a girlfriend, who would play the role? How could Gongsun Ce have four girlfriends but introduce only one to his parents?

Thus, Gongsun Ce decisively set up a single persona. For the airport pickup, he specifically invited two close friends to create the image of an "unattached university student hanging out with buddies." With this preconceived First Seal impression, when the girls later met, they wouldn’t suspect anything, instead thinking their son knew many girls and might have a chance to break free from being single. As for handling things afterwards... that awaited a time for gradual resolution, but definitely not to be exposed in one day!

"Dad, how’s everything over at Empire?" Gongsun Ce deliberately asked loudly about recent events, "Nothing happened with those giant dragon phenomena this year, right? You all being out there makes me worried."

"The general environment is still stable, but privately everyone is tense. There’s been three major disasters since the beginning of the year, making fearful places feel uneasy." Gongsun Tu shook his head, "You all in Cangdu have access to information, but some things might be unreachable. Illegal gatherings have occurred in various provinces due to this in the past two months, keeping your mom and me busy."

Gongsun’s parents were both small civil servants within Empire’s system, and our grassroots information was most accessible. Upon hearing this, Gongsun Ce frowned: "Really? After all, it’s foreign matters..."

Mo Yuankai, driving, laughed, "In October, Cangdu even traveled to Union’s capital, and Ah Ce, just imagine how heated the international discourse must be? I work in network security and am clear about this. Some claim superpower users will soon leave their bases, while others say it was a failed secret attack, making the entire news sphere boil over."

Mr. Gongsun adjusted his glasses, smiling: "Now you understand how international events can impact Empire? You should learn from Brother Kai about the bigger picture."

Qin Qianbai looked on, secretly amused, as father and son adjusted their glasses in identical manners. Seeing Ah Ce about to retort, she discreetly pinched him: "Ah Ce, you sound like an old cadre now, talking about national issues at the first meeting."

"Alright, alright, my bad." Gongsun Ce raised his hand in surrender, "Is there any mundane stuff like daily necessities for me to chew over? Eating too much non-local cuisine here makes me miss home’s flavor."

"Does your chatty nature remind you of anyone?" Mrs. Gongsun placed another nectarine in his hand and began discussing trivial matters. From rising prices to a recent scandal involving a Union celebrity, from a newcomer in the town who crossed over 120 years, to the foreign neighbor’s daughter buying a new house.

The latter was Mrs. Gongsun’s consistently favorite topic, as a few years back, a foreign couple immigrated next to the Gongsun residence, quickly forming a good relationship with the kind-hearted Gongsun couple. To traditional Empire couples, foreigners were a fresh topic in everyday life, and both their kidney pies and the daughter in Country were worth mentioning.

"...I saw photos of their new house, it’s gorgeous! Just like those suburbs villas." Evidently, Mrs. Gongsun was envious.