Chapter 548: Chapter 522: Victory Without Bloodshed
If Yu Minglang had to express his feelings about this surprise, he would surely evaluate himself like this: There is justice in the world, and effort always pays off. Actions speak louder than words; if you’re going to do something, do it the best!
If it weren’t for the dinner party tonight, Yu Minglang wouldn’t have even realized how great his Xiao Guaiguai is.
Tonight, Xiao Qian was treating Father and Son Liao to dinner. Although Father Liao was only lightly injured, he had stepped up when Jia Xiufang needed him the most. Even if he hadn’t been successful in saving the beauty, his rare and precious intention still needed to be appreciated. Xiao Qian knew that Jia Xiufang was superstitious and just took this opportunity to comfort her mother.
The dinner was held at Yu Minglang’s eldest brother’s restaurant, and the Liao Father and Son were both present.
Liao Fugui only found out that his father had been beaten after work. Father Liao originally didn’t want to come since he felt ashamed that he hadn’t been of help. How could he let Xiao Qian treat them to dinner? But because it was hard to refuse such kindness and he wanted to use this opportunity to interact with the Fang neighbors, he still brought his son along.
Yu Minglang was very generous tonight.
Jia Xiufang noticed that her future son-in-law’s performance at this party was commendable. Throughout the entire event, he played the role of the host on behalf of her family, treating the two guests, especially since he and Father Liao had some professional overlap, so their conversation never stalled.
Yu Minglang’s second master’s degree was in Law, which gave him something in common with Father Liao. Jia Xiufang learned for the first time that there were so many levels of judges, and the big brother next door, who usually discussed where to buy cheaper and fresher radishes, was actually quite impressive.
On the contrary, it was their hostess daughter, Chen Xiaoqian, who seemed listless throughout the entire dinner. She yawned several times and only contributed sparingly to the heated topics being discussed. It seemed as if she hadn’t woken up fully.
Jia Xiufang was not sure if her daughter was displeased with Father Liao or just feeling unwell, so she took advantage of the moment when Yu Minglang and Father Liao went to the restroom to ask Xiao Qian.
“Qian’er, what’s wrong with you?”
What else could it be? She had been tormented by Yu Minglang’s energetic antics, and she just wanted to find a place to get a massage now to relieve her muscle soreness.
“I’m fine, just feeling a little unwell.”
“Xiaoqian, let me get you a cup of warm water. If you’re feeling unwell, you shouldn’t be drinking cold juice,” said Liao Fugui considerately.
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary.” Xiao Qian politely declined, finding Liao Fugui much less annoying now.
His father had gotten involved because of her mother, and she had thought he would quote some great leader’s words like he had in her past life, but instead, he just showed great concern for whether Da Long and her mother had been frightened. When Xiao Qian and Yu Minglang returned, they saw Liao Fugui playing with the sand table with her brother.
Her good feelings for him increased instantly.
Although it was just a simple sand table game, Xiao Qian, who studied psychology, knew very well the role this kind of thing played in the treatment of mental problems. Sand table therapy can treat and diagnose various mental illnesses, and Liao Fugui was using this special method to assess whether Jia Xiufang and Da Long had been frightened.
Considering that Da Long was a boy, who cared about face, he would definitely say he wasn’t scared if asked directly. Using the sand table to test was the most appropriate method, as it took into account Da Long’s need to save face as a teenager and helped to understand whether he had any lingering fears.
After seeing this scene, Xiao Qian’s resentment towards Liao Fugui from her previous life vanished in an instant. Of course, this was also because of the pleasant mood after their bedroom activities. She found that her mood was very joyful during the few hours she spent with Yu Minglang afterwards, indirectly proving that pillow talk wasn’t entirely baseless.
Liao Fugui felt slightly embarrassed after being rejected by Xiaoqian’s proposal, and Xiao Qian couldn’t help but laugh at his nervousness.
“I drink cold water because my throat is uncomfortable, not because I have an issue with you. Just relax.”
It was her first time smiling at Liao Fugui, and at the sight of her smile, Fu Gui’s face turned red, slightly flushed from the effects of the alcohol.
Yu Minglang walked in with a fruit plate just in time to witness this scene. The intuition he had developed as a sniper immediately kicked in, as he pushed the specially ordered fruit plate towards Xiao Qian’s side, and then casually chatted with Liao Fugui without drawing attention.
As the cold watermelon was eaten, the stinging sensation in Xiaoqian’s throat seemed to ease a lot. She alternated between eating watermelon and listening to Yu Minglang’s conversation with Liao Fugui. She found that her husband seemed to have a varying EQ when dealing with different people.
At least when dealing with outsiders, his emotional intelligence was high, and he was very sociable.
“Xiao Mei is tired from all this as well. She just woke up from a nap, and she always has the strange habit of eating something cold right after waking up. Before, she’d even get up in the middle of the night and sneak some cold water from the fridge. I asked my mom about it, and she said it’s okay to replenish fluids, but not too cold, or it’ll harm the body.”
This seemingly considerate statement, though subtle, was quite terrifying.
Xiao Qian grinned at him pretending to be a wolf and trying to claim territory in front of Liao Fugui. Was he coming over here to assert his dominance?
Liao Fugui, after all, was a PhD, and his IQ was not low by any means. He quickly understood the hidden depths in Yu Minglang’s statement. As an unmarried couple, it seemed that they had been together for quite some time. He lowered his head to take a sip of tea to hide the panic he felt when Yu Minglang caught him out.
Jia Xiufang was still contemplating the weird habit her daughter had developed, not wanting to bury it too deeply. She was reflecting on when her daughter had picked up this strange quirk.
Half of what Yu Minglang said was right and half wrong.
Xiao Qian did have the habit of drinking cold water and eating cold food, but it was not halfway through her sleep; it was after being with him.
Yu Minglang hadn’t noticed this before, but now that they were finally together, he realized that Xiao Qian would wrap herself in a quilt, go to the fridge, and rummage for the mineral water he had thrown in long before. At that moment, Yu Minglang assumed it was a coincidence.
However, just a few hours ago, she had kicked him off the bed to fetch cold water, and he had begrudgingly gone downstairs to buy it for her. After drinking the water, she fell into a deep sleep. He realized that he’d discovered Xiao Qian’s quirk—she liked drinking cold water or eating cold watermelon. This tidbit about the watermelon was something he learned by asking her playfully.
“Brother Lang, why do you call my sister Xiao Mei?” Chen Zilong asked a question he had been wondering about for a long time. Liao Fugui was grateful for the distraction, as he still felt embarrassed. What a good younger brother, always so considerate of him.
“It’s a nickname, just like your brother Yun Chang’s nickname is Fu Gui, right, Brother Fu Gui?”
Fu Gui’s heart shattered. Sob sob, how did Yu Minglang learn from his Fu Gui Five-Combo Kill technique?
Yu Minglang, who had eliminated a potential rival, finally showed some mercy on the pitiful Comrade Fu Gui and focused on accompanying Father Liao with drinks. Some things end before they even begin, which can be the best possible outcome.