Chapter 269 A Family Dinner 2

Yue Niang froze. To distract everyone from noticing, Tai Cheng laughed loudly, eagerly scooping more food to Jingwei's plate.

"I mean, my mom died a long time ago - but I'm not saying that your cooking is like a dead woman's! Sorry if I said something wrong!" Jingwei was just about to apologise again, because Xue Ning's mom was staring at him unnervingly, like she was about to burst into tears or stab him with her spoon.

"It's alright Jingwei, we understand what you mean. That's a very nice thing to say, isn't it, wife?" He nudged Yue Niang knowingly, and Yue Niang finally responded, shaking herself as though she was waking up from a dream.

"That it is. One of my oldest friends taught me this recipe," Yue Niang said. "To think you would like it is surprising."

"Hahaha, your friend must be a great chef Auntie! Does she own a restaurant too?"

Yue Niang thinks of Bi Yu, trapped in a golden gilded cage as Sun Jingwei's wife. "No she doesn't. Now eat your food before it gets cold."

"Yes Auntie!"

'Bi Yu, I'm feeding your child with the recipe you created. Aren't you glad you didn't let me storm out of class? Are you watching over us?'

Other than Yue Niang's nostalgic thoughts, the rest of the meal continued peacefully for all, since everyone's mouths were too busy eating than sniping with each other.

Jingwei even went for second helpings of rice - there was something about eating a warm home-cooked meal together with a family that made him want to stuff his face. His family would never be caught dead huddled around a tiny table squashed like sardines, but Jingwei enjoyed the warmth.

It made him feel like he belonged somewhere.

Of course, such peace was apparently short-lived as Xue Ning and her brother immediately started bickering over the last chicken drumstick

"It's mine."

"My chopsticks touched it first."

"No, mine did. You already ate one, meimei this is mine!"

"A thief yelling thief? I saw you eat one drumstick earlier, greedy brother."

"I'm giving it to your sister-in-law, so don't fight me for it!"

"Well I'm giving it to Jingwei so you let go!"

Jingwei looked up from his bowl of rice, blinking owlishly as everyone turned their eyes towards him.

Everyone except Xue Ning, who was determinedly staring at the chicken, her ears red.

Oh. Oh. Xue Ning loved him! She wanted to feed him because she knew he ate a lot! Jingwei smiled into his bowl, because the alternative was jumping in joy and there was no space for that. He also couldn't kiss Xue Ning in front of her entire family with his mouth tasting like garlic. He was still a gentleman!

"Tai Xuan, let Jingwei have the drumstick," Xin Yu said, amused. "He's a guest. Unless you already consider him family…"

Tai Xuan lifted his chopsticks off the drumstick as though he had been burned. "Take it! It's yours!"

Xue Ning took it and dumped it on Jingwei's bowl without even looking at him.

"Thanks, Xue Ning," Jingwei said adoringly, squeezing her hand. Xue NIng turned, met his eyes and blushed redder than a tomato.

Tai Xuan pretended to retch into his soup. His wife stomped on his foot and he let out a manly squeal, slamming his knee once again to the underside of the table. "Wife!"

"Alright, stop this nonsense. Once we clear the plates, Jingwei can wash the dishes since he arrived last." Tai Cheng said cheerfully. "Someone please feed Wei Yan too."

"I'll do it," Ming Guang offered, taking the plate with leftovers to him. Even though he caused so much trouble, the Li couple was still kind enough to keep the food warm for Wei Yan.

"He's a guest!" Xue Ning protested. "How can you make Jingwei wash the dishes?"

"That's fine!" Jingwei said agreeably. "It's the least I could do!"

Unknown to him, Xue Ning didn't want Jingwei to wash the dishes for another, less altruistic reason - Jingwei was too sexy when he washed dishes!

But of course, all her protests were met with deaf ears, because she couldn't tell her parents about how Jingwei doing the dishes made her want to tear off all her clothes so she could paw him.

"A man needs to be able to do housework." Yue Niang said with no room for negotiation. "If you feel bad for him now, you will suffer when you marry him!"

So now Xue Ning was suffering in a different way. While her family was out in the living room watching TV, she was staring at how Jingwei's muscles flexed when he washed the dishes.

No, she had to help him. If she just stared all the time, she'd beg him to fuck her in their kitchen.

He wore her mother's frayed blue apron and ugly neon yellow rubber gloves as he scrubbed, and still Xue Ning wanted him!

"Xue Ning!" Jingwei turned around, a pot still in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my house, why would I not be here?"

"I know that, but you should be sitting in the living room. Your mom cut apples." Jingwei said fondly, even as he adored the fact that Xue Ning didn't leave him by himself. The fact that she bothered to check on him already meant the world to him. "I'll be done soon!"

"I'll help you," Xue Ning said, determinedly shoving him aside to make room for herself. "Hand me the wet dishes so I can dry them."

"Aww, you love me!" Jingwei said in a sing-song manner, as he did as she asked. Their fingers brushed when he passed the plate over, and the brief touch made him smile in contentment.

Even if the day had started out terrible, everything was fine now. He got to wash dishes with Xue Ning - the casual domesticity was making his heart sing!

Meanwhile, Xue Ning hurriedly dried every dish with the diligence of a top scholar. The dishes were just a roadblock to her main goal - how was she going to sneak Jingwei into her bedroom?