Xie Qingping had been dating this partner for about a year.
Recently, they had reached the stage of discussing marriage.
Xie Jianguo looked at Xie Qingping’s expression, the smile fading from his face as he spoke seriously:
“Qingping, what’s wrong? If there’s any difficulty, tell us.”
Xie Qingping just kept his head down, eating, his eyes filled with conflict and struggle, not daring to look up at Xie Qingtao.
Under Xie Jianguo’s repeated questioning, Xie Qingping finally spoke up:
“Mom, Dad, prepare the gifts this weekend. We’re going to the Mu Family to propose marriage.”
After saying this, Xie Qingping ran out. He was now heading to the Mu Family to find Mu Mingyue.
Xie Jianguo and Liu Guiyun’s smiles vanished, their expressions turning serious.
For a moment, the atmosphere at the dinner table froze.
Xie Qingtao could sense the low pressure and unhappiness emanating from her parents.
Xie Jianguo, seeing his eldest son like this, gritted his teeth in anger and cursed:
“That brat!”
Xie Qingtao was confused. Seeing her father so angry, she quickly tried to soothe him:
“Dad, don’t be angry. Big brother might have his reasons for doing this.”
Her voice was sweet and lively, with a slight upward lilt at the end, carrying the unique playfulness of a young girl, making anyone who heard it feel happy.
Seeing his daughter’s sweet smile, Xie Jianguo’s anger melted away.
“Alright, alright, Dad won’t be angry. It’s still my little cotton-padded jacket that’s warm and considerate.
Taotao, eat more!”
Xie Jianguo picked up a piece of braised pork for Xie Qingtao, rolled his eyes in Xie Qingping’s direction, and then turned to Xie Qingtao with a smile as bright as a sunflower—as bright as could be.
Xie Qingtao suddenly broke into a smile, the corners of her eyes curving like crescent moons, shallow dimples appearing on her cheeks. Her smile was like a blooming rose, lively and charming.
“Thank you, Dad! You’re the best!”
Xie Qingtao provided an abundance of emotional value, and Xie Jianguo felt he had received a rich dose of it.
Liu Guiyun, watching Xie Qingtao’s radiant smile, felt the earlier irritation and anger fade away. She looked up and said:
“Alright, alright, let’s eat. You two, father and daughter, are like sunflowers—smiling so brightly.”
Hearing this, Xie Qingtao was delighted. Her eyes sparkled, and a bright smile curled at the corners of her mouth:
“Really? Sunflowers are so pretty! Mom’s praise is so fitting, and so eloquent—I’ll give you full marks!”
As she spoke, she even raised her thumb in a serious manner.
Liu Guiyun was so flattered that a faint blush spread across her cheeks. She playfully retorted:
“Flatterer!”
Xie Qingxiao watched Xie Qingtao with gentle affection in his eyes.
No one brought up the matter of Xie Qingping again.
That night, Xie Qingtao heard some noise and got up to check. It was Xie Qingping returning home.
She pushed open the window and waved to greet him:
“Big brother, why are you back so late?”
Xie Qingping saw it was Xie Qingtao, and a flicker of complex emotions passed through his eyes. As usual, he spoke gently:
“Taotao, staying up late isn’t good. Go back to sleep quickly.”
Xie Qingtao wanted to say more, but seeing that Xie Qingping clearly didn’t want to talk, she obediently kept quiet.
Earlier, under the light of the full moon, Xie Qingtao had clearly seen the look of disappointment on her big brother’s face.
Could something have happened with Sister Mingyue?
Xie Qingtao lay down, filled with doubts.
At that moment, the Gossip System in her mind spoke up:
【Host, I want to know what your big brother was doing just now?】
Xie Qingtao refused without a second thought:
[No way!]
She believed it was wrong to excessively pry into her family’s privacy.
Although she loved gossiping everywhere, her family’s privacy was her bottom line.
The Gossip System felt a bit disappointed, then a system task popped up on the interface:
[Alright! Beep～ System task issued: Get the first-hand gossip about the eldest brother. On-site gossip rewards are generous. Time limit: two days.]
Xie Qingtao: …
[System, what happens if the task fails?]
[Task failure penalty: The host loses their sense of taste for 24 hours. At that time, the host will experience the feeling of everything tasting like wax.]
Tasting like wax…
Xie Qingtao was somewhat devastated. For a foodie, this punishment was a massive blow.
[System, can we change the punishment?]
[Host, this punishment comes with the system task and cannot be altered. Except for punishments that endanger human health, all other punishments are random!]
Xie Qingtao accepted it. The cool breeze of the summer night blew gently, and before long, Xie Qingtao drifted into a deep, sweet sleep.
Early on the weekend morning, as soon as Xie Qingtao woke up, she sensed the noticeably tense atmosphere at home.
Xie Jianguo and the others wore much more serious expressions.
Xie Qingping was already sitting there, dressed neatly.
Seeing this, Xie Qingtao leaned over and teased:
“Big brother, are you feeling excited about going to Mingyue’s house to propose? Couldn’t sleep last night from the excitement?”
For the past two days, her eldest brother had been returning home very late. Xie Qingtao had been chatting with the Gossip System until late at night, so she naturally knew that Xie Qingping had been coming home late every evening, though she wasn’t sure what he was up to.
Xie Qingping had been dating Mu Mingyue for a year. Mu Mingyue worked as an elementary school teacher and was a very gentle and humble girl.
When Xie Qingtao first saw her, she was utterly captivated.
Mu Mingyue had delicate features, and her scholarly aura was so strong that it added a radiant glow to her refined appearance.
She was the epitome of a classical, elegant beauty.
Xie Qingtao liked her from the start.
After all, who doesn’t love a beauty?
Xie Qingping revealed a simple, honest smile, flashing his bright white teeth:
“Of course I’m excited.”
Xie Qingtao was about to say more.
But Xie Jianguo urged her to go eat.
Xie Qingxiao had already served a bowl of coarse corn porridge and was waiting for Xie Qingtao.
Regarding their eldest brother’s proposal, Xie Qingxiao’s expression remained indifferent.
In this family, his greatest concern was Xie Qingtao.
Everyone else combined couldn’t compare to Xie Qingtao’s importance in his heart.
For Xie Qingtao, he had been protecting her since the moment they were in the womb.
The advantage of his high intelligence was his ability to read people and analyze situations rationally at all times.
The downside was that he was too rational, leaving him with little attachment to the world and a heart that felt cold, barren, and lonely.
Fortunately, he had Xie Qingtao, his little sun.
Because he could always draw the emotional value he needed from Xie Qingtao, injecting vitality into his lonely heart.
Xie Qingtao took the porridge with a sweet smile and a soft, delicate voice:
“Thank you, brother! Have you eaten yet? Keep me company while I eat.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qingxiao silently accompanied Xie Qingtao for breakfast.
At the Mu Family’s residence in the compound
As soon as Xie Qingtao and the others entered, they keenly sensed something was off.
Unlike their own family, who were laden with bags and packages,
the Mu family wore indifferent expressions.
Mu Bozhou sat there, dressed sharply in a white shirt and crisp black pants, his gaze fixed on them.
Mu Mingyue sat beside her parents, watching Xie Qingtao and the others with her usual gentle gaze.
Father Mu’s expression looked a bit odd.
Mother Mu avoided eye contact.
Seeing this scene, Xie Jianguo’s heart sank, and a sense of foreboding quietly crept over him.