Jiawen Li hurried to ladle so soup for herself. Seeing this, Lin Xi sat back down. "Sister Li, don’t be so formal."
"Okay."
After ladling the soup, she realized this was her first ti having steak with pork rib soup. I wonder how it will taste. She took a tentative sip, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Lin, this soup is delicious!"
It was both savory and rich. You could tell it had been simred with great care. The soup at the hotel was also good, but the flavor was completely different.
Pleased with the praise, Lin Xi bead, her eyes curving into crescents. She gave a proud arch of her eyebrow. "Of course. I learned from Xue Yang. He’s incredible."
Whenever Lin Xi ntioned Xue Yang, a special light would appear in her eyes. It was at tis like these that she was at her most charming.
「」
It was quite late by the ti dinner was over. Lin Xi chatted with Lin Zhenhai for a while before going back to her drawing. As she released new updates for her comic, her audience grew, and so did the daily demands for more Chapters. Lin Xi could only work faster to keep up. Though it was exhausting, she felt a deep sense of joy.
Jiawen Li finished reporting on her work to Lin Zhenhai. Just as she was about to leave, she heard him say, "Jiawen, please prepare a generous housewarming gift."
"Chairman, who is moving?"
"Xue Yang."
Jiawen Li looked up at Lin Zhenhai. His face was expressionless, but for him to make such a request told her everything she needed to know. "Yes, I understand."
A housewarming gift for the future son-in-law can’t be stingy. In fact, it can’t just be generous; it also has to reflect their status. As expected of soone who had been Lin Zhenhai’s secretary for so long, Jiawen Li imdiately formulated a clear plan in her mind.
「」
Ti flew, and soon it was the day of the housewarming for Xue Yang’s new ho.
They entered the new house at an auspicious hour in the early morning, and guests began to arrive soon after. The first to co were relatives from Zhong Hailan’s side of the family.
Xue Yang’s maternal grandmother walked into the new house, supported by her son and granddaughter. His maternal grandfather had passed away more than a decade ago. Xue Yang had been young back then and didn’t have a strong mory of him.
All he rembered was how his grandfather loved to hold his small hand and walk him to the local shop to buy ice cream. If Mrs. Zhong caught them, a scolding was inevitable, and the ice cream would be thrown out. But without fail, his grandfather would secretly take him again next ti, using even more covert thods.
When his grandfather passed away, his mother hadn’t told him. She’d said it was because he was too young, and she was afraid it would be so kind of negative shock for him.
"Xiao Yang, where’s Xiao Xi? I don’t see her anywhere," the old woman asked the mont she arrived, her eyes scanning the house for her beloved granddaughter-in-law.
"That’s right! Where’s my cousin-in-law? I heard she’s gorgeous! I even took a day off from school just to et her," said Zhong Ling, Xue Yang’s cousin. She had just started her senior year of high school and was supposed to be in supplentary classes.
Having heard about her cousin’s housewarming, she had specifically taken leave to co. She took a look around the house. The decor and everything else was very avant-garde—exactly the style that young people like her loved.
"She’s going directly to the hotel with her father later."
Hearing this, Zhong Ling asked, "Cousin, isn’t she going to enter the new house with you all?"
Hearing her daughter’s thoughtless words, her mother imdiately pulled her back, signaling for her to keep quiet. "Xiao Yang, don’t mind her. Lingling is still young and doesn’t understand. Since you two aren’t married yet, custom dictates that she can’t enter the new house with you."
Xue Yang smiled. "It’s okay, Aunt. Please, have a seat. It’s going to be a bit hectic today, so please forgive if I’m not the most attentive host." He then led them to the sofa.
"Not at all, not at all! You go on and do what you need to. We can look after ourselves."
"Mom, didn’t you tell before we ca that I should talk more with my cousin? Why did you stop just now?" Zhong Ling asked, still puzzled after she sat down.
"I told you to chat with your cousin, not to make things awkward for him. He already said your cousin-in-law is going straight to the hotel, and you still had to comnt on it. You just had to put your two cents in."
Zhong Ling pouted. Although she was still unconvinced, she didn’t talk back again.
Around ten o’clock, relatives from both sides of the family had arrived, crowding the modest-sized house. Other friends had been told to go directly to the Emperor Hotel.
As soon as Xue Yuanxia arrived, she asked, "Xiao Yang, I suppose Lin Xi and her family... they aren’t coming here, are they?"
"She’s going directly to the hotel," Xue Yang replied.
"I heard her father ca, and that you’ve already formally t. Even so, shouldn’t you invite your future in-law to co see the new house? I hear Lin Xi’s family is quite well-off."
At Xue Yuanxia’s words, the other relatives began to chi in.
"Xiao Yang, where’s your girlfriend? She hasn’t shown up for such a major event."
"That’s right. For her not to co on the day you move into your new house... it seems your relationship isn’t all that strong, is it?"
Hearing everyone else saying the sa thing, Zhong Ling couldn’t hold back any longer and muttered, "See? Everyone’s saying it. How co it’s fine when they say it, but I get scolded when I do?"
Unsurprisingly, her mother swatted her on the back again. "If you don’t keep your mouth shut, you’re not coming with anywhere from now on."
Zhong Ling finally fell completely silent, pulling out her phone to scroll through it.
At half-past eleven, Xue Yang and the rest of the family arrived at the Emperor Hotel, where most of the other guests were already waiting.
Quite a few people from the car dealership ca as well, but only those at the manager level or above. Xue Yang hadn’t invited the other employees. It wasn’t because he looked down on them. He knew they worked hard for their money and felt there was no need to oblige them to co just because he was the boss. When he and Lin Xi got married, he could invite everyone then—and he’d make it clear that no gifts were necessary.
Noticing Lin Xi wasn’t there, people started asking where she was. Xue Yang could only explain patiently over and over, "Xiao Xi is coming later. Her father is in town, so she had to spend so ti with him first."
After repeating the explanation so many tis, he was starting to feel a little impatient himself. Uncle Lin is a busy man. It’s perfectly normal that he can’t be here on ti.
"Your future father-in-law cos all this way but doesn’t even attend your housewarming banquet. It seems he doesn’t really approve of your relationship with Lin Xi," Xue Yuanxia said, seizing the opportunity to make a snide remark.
As his aunt, she felt that while she couldn’t comnt on other things, she had so right to speak on this particular matter.
"That’s enough out of you," her husband rebuked. This wife of his was a decent person, but she had such a big mouth. Sotis she was too much of an embarrassnt to take anywhere.
"I didn’t say anything wrong. Why can’t I speak my mind?"
"If you say one more word, I’m taking you ho right now."
Hearing her husband’s ultimatum, Xue Yuanxia finally fell silent.
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