The Xie family placed great importance on family rituals.
Though they were a wealthy family for generations, neither Xie Xiangming nor Su Jinyue enjoyed being served by others. They usually had the live-in housekeeper prepare meals, but for such family gatherings, they always took matters into their own hands.
Even Xie Youci would lend a hand.
Chi Yang had never lifted a finger for household chores. She had initially intended to help in the kitchen to play the role of a loving couple.
But Xie Youci, leisurely deboning chicken wings, curled his lips casually and leaned close to her ear, whispering, “The Xie family kitchen has always been a man’s battlefield.”
“Go have fun, or grab some fruit.”
Xie Youci casually tossed the deboned chicken wings into a bowl. “Just wait for dinner to be served.”
And so, Chi Yang was pulled into the living room by her second aunt.
The cheerful chatter and gossip buzzed incessantly in her ears—
“I heard Er Er and A Ci’s marital home was personally designed by Er Er, the great artist!”
“Really? That wild child A Ci has been unruly since he was young. He really needs a good wife like Er Er to settle him down.”
“I didn’t believe it before, but now that I’ve seen them, I never expected Er Er and A Ci’s relationship to be so genuine.”
“You’re so outdated! Don’t you browse the internet? A while ago, Er Er and A Ci were photographed by paparazzi!”
“Oh my! Drunken flirting, spending the night together?”
“Is Er Er really like that?”
“Doesn’t that mean there might be a little one on the way soon!”
“…”
Chi Yang forced an awkward yet polite smile, finding herself unable to refute this rumor for the first time.
She could only pretend to be bashful and tacitly agree, “Uncles and aunts, please don’t tease me about this…”
Xie Youci couldn’t help but let out a muffled laugh.
As he peeled garlic, he overheard the commotion in the living room. It was rare to see Chi Yang, that little swan, at a loss for words in front of others—clearly unwilling to acknowledge the rumor but too afraid to refute it.
Xie Xiangming glanced at him sideways. “Married life treating you well?”
“Not bad.” Xie Youci still wore a smile on his lips, as if he found Chi Yang’s predicament amusing. He didn’t even notice the odd expression on his father’s face.
“Is that so?” Xie Xiangming sounded skeptical. “Then why don’t I see even a hint of Er Er liking you?”
Xie Youci’s smile froze.
He slowly turned his gaze toward Xie Xiangming, pretending not to care as he chuckled lightly. “How could that be?”
With the way Chi Yang looked at him—that enticing charm—
He’d fall for it the moment their eyes met.
But Xie Xiangming seemed to see right through it all. “If you think it’s fine, then it’s fine. After all, she’s your wife, not mine.”
Besides.
Even if someone were to fall, it would be his son first. As long as his daughter-in-law didn’t suffer, it didn’t matter.
Xie Youci: “…”
He narrowed his eyes and turned to look at his father.
But Xie Xiangming had no intention of spelling it out. He picked up a plate of stir-fried liver and turned to leave the kitchen:
“A Yue, call Er Er and the others for dinner.”
Su Jinyue was coaxing Chi Yang and the others to eat some fruit. Hearing Xie Xiangming’s voice, she gathered everyone to the dining room.
The Xie family was harmonious from top to bottom.
Xie Xiangming also got along well with Su Jinyue’s family.
Thus, the meal was filled with warmth and cheer.
Chi Yang felt no restraint while dining with the Xie family. Everyone looked out for her, never pressuring her to drink, though Xie Xiangming kept toasting his brothers-in-law.
This was Chi Yang’s first time interacting with so many of his family members.
She turned to look at Xie Youci. “I never expected a weekday dinner at your house to be this lively.”
“Lively?” Xie Youci seemed surprised.He had originally worried that Chi Yang might find it too noisy, but he never expected her first visit would leave her with such feelings.
However, the Chi and Xie families were indeed very different.
Chi Yang came from a single-parent family and took her mother’s surname.
Her father, who had married into the Chi family, had an affair when she was three years old. Chi Qing kicked him out, demanding he leave with nothing, and Chi Yang was raised by her maternal grandmother.
Chi Qing was too busy managing the family business to ever come home.
Even during important holidays like New Year’s Eve, it was almost always just Chi Yang and her grandmother celebrating together at home.
And now.
Her grandmother had also passed away three years ago from a sudden cerebral hemorrhage.
Chi Yang picked up her teacup, lowered her eyes to take a small sip, and listened to the elders chatting happily at the table, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
“My family tends to get even livelier during holidays.”
Xie Youci leaned back in the rosewood official’s hat chair, turning to look at Chi Yang. “From now on, I’ll bring you home for every one of them.”
Chi Yang, holding her teacup, was taken aback.
She looked at Xie Youci with a dazed expression but soon turned away with a proud, disdainful glance. “Who wants to spend holidays with you at your home…”
Xie Youci raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.
Chi Yang leaned in and whispered, “Shall we leave later?”
“Mm.” Xie Youci nodded slightly. “It wouldn’t be appropriate to leave now. I’ll find a good moment to tell them later.”
Chi Yang nodded in agreement.
But at that moment, Su Jinyue suddenly looked up at Chi Yang. “Er Er, why don’t you stay at home tonight?”
Chi Yang, who had just been discussing leaving, was caught off guard by the sudden mention of her name. She looked up in surprise.
“What’s wrong?”
Su Jinyue gazed at her with gentle, watery eyes. “Are you unwilling to stay at your mother’s home?”
“No…” Chi Yang instinctively denied it.
In truth, Chi Yang had been spoiled since childhood. With Chi Qing, who rarely showed her concern, she always knew she could attract attention by throwing tantrums or acting willful.
But faced with Su Jinyue’s gentleness and care, she suddenly felt at a loss.
Su Jinyue smiled warmly, her eyes curving. “Then stay tonight. I specially aired out the quilts for you and A Ci, and changed all the bedsheets and pillowcases to new ones.”
Xie Youci frowned.
He crossed his legs carelessly. “Mom, I’m taking Er Er back to our marital home to sleep. She doesn’t have any spare clothes here.”
“How could she not?”
Su Jinyue looked at him with mild reproach. “I purposely cleared out some of the clothes you rarely wear from your closet to make space. I bought quite a few new clothes for Er Er—outerwear, underwear, pajamas, and bathrobes, all included.”
“Er Er, what do you think?”
Xie Youci: “…”
He clicked his tongue lightly, about to come up with another excuse, when he suddenly heard a soft voice beside him say, “Okay.”
Xie Youci: …?
He slowly turned to look at Chi Yang, his long eyes narrowing slightly, his dark pupils fixed on hers.
But Chi Yang didn’t dare meet his gaze.
She had always been best at picking fights and arguing, but she couldn’t withstand gentle persuasion. She simply couldn’t refuse Su Jinyue’s warmth and kindness—she didn’t want to and couldn’t bring herself to.
Chi Yang pursed her lips lightly, then looked up at Su Jinyue. “Mom, I’ll stay tonight.”
Xie Youci lowered his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose twice.
Su Jinyue, however, beamed with joy, and the relatives cast playful, teasing glances at the newlywed couple.
The dinner soon came to an end.
The leftovers and dishes would be cleared by the housekeeper later.Su Jinyue had Xie Youci take Chi Yang back to the room to rest. The relatives dispersed and returned home, while some members of the Su family who had come from Jiangnan to stay in the capital for a while were arranged to stay in the guest house.
Before leaving, the young aunt slipped something into Chi Yang’s hand, winking mysteriously. “Keep this. Your mother-in-law definitely didn’t prepare this for you.”
Chi Yang: ?
She lowered her head to glance at the small packet in her hand and instantly flushed crimson from her face down to her neck!