Chapter 61
After washing their hands, everyone came to the main hall. Chu Ningyi looked at the well-presented dishes on the table and couldn’t help but say, “Sister-in-law’s cooking skills look quite good!”
She had eaten Chu Xihuan’s cooking, but after all, she had been pampered for many years. It was already very good that she could make the food and that it tasted normal. It was impossible to expect it to be any more delicious.
“Second sister, you haven’t even eaten yet,” Chu Xihuan’s tone was a little resentful. Wasn’t her second sister’s expression a clear hint that her cooking skills were not good?
Lin Zhao smiled a little foolishly. “Then second sister can eat more later.”
Lin Zhao naturally knew that her second sister, who was used to eating delicacies, was just praising her. Although she knew that, hearing the praise was another matter, and it didn’t stop her from being happy.
She served everyone rice. Lin Zhao’s eager gaze would occasionally fall on Chu Xihuan. Seeing her start to eat, she also felt a little nervous. After all, it had been more than three years, and she was worried that she couldn’t grasp Xihuan’s taste anymore.
Under Lin Zhao’s gaze, Chu Xihuan first took a piece of fish for herself. Just as Lin Zhao thought she was about to eat it, she saw her put it in her bowl, then carefully remove the bones, and place it in Chu Lin’s bowl, reminding her to eat slowly and to be careful of any small bones.
The curve of Lin Zhao’s lips immediately fell. She thought to herself that she hadn’t done a good enough job. She hadn’t even thought that a child would have to be careful of fish bones. When she went to learn how to debone a fish before cooking it later, she would definitely do a better job in the future!
“Mmm~ Delicious!” Chu Ningyi said with her eyes half-closed. Although it was not as good as the cooks at home who had been studying cooking for decades, for an ordinary family, the taste was already very good.
Chu Xihuan also took a piece of fish for herself. When her tongue really tasted it, she gave Lin Zhao a soft, gentle smile.
“Lin Zhao, it’s delicious.” It was still the familiar taste from her memory, with a warm temperature that made her feel warm from her stomach to her heart.
Lin Zhao’s heart finally relaxed, and she gave her a bright smile.
Chu Ningyi found their clingy behavior a little amusing and a little cringe-worthy. She shivered and ate her own food.
Those two were really too clingy! The child was still watching from the side!
After finishing the meal, seeing that it would be a little rude to stay any longer, Chu Ningyi said, “Little Lin’er, let’s go. We’ll go and find grandma to play.”
Chu Ningyi felt that she was still a very considerate person. She was completely considering the fact that the two of them were now in a “short separation is better than a new marriage” state. If Chu Lin was still here, wouldn’t she be a bit of a hindrance?
Chu Lin’s eyes widened slightly at her words, clearly not understanding why she had to go and find grandma to play with her auntie when she was already at home.
Lin Zhao’s heart moved at her words, and her lips almost curved up uncontrollably.
Although she was already trying to accept the child, she had just come back, and at this stage, she definitely wanted to spend more time with Chu Xihuan and didn’t want any “extra” people.
Especially since that person could attract most of Chu Xihuan’s attention.
Chu Xihuan silently did not object, just ruffled Chu Lin’s head and gently reminded her to take care of herself at her grandmother’s house and not to catch a cold.
Chu Lin hugged Chu Xihuan’s leg, her brow furrowed, clearly not wanting to be separated from her.
“Be good. Mother still has things to do. I’ll come and pick you up later, okay?” Chu Xihuan’s voice was very gentle, which made Lin Zhao, who was standing to the side, look at her again.
Chu Lin’s little mouth was clearly a little dissatisfied, but under Chu Xihuan’s gentle coaxing, she still obediently nodded slightly and gave her little hand to Chu Ningyi to hold.
This obedient and endearing little appearance made Chu Ningyi’s eyes curve into a smile. Then, she bent down and picked her up. “Let’s go! We’ll go and find grandma for some pocket money to go shopping!”
This little one’s steps were not very steady yet, so it was naturally impossible to let her walk on her own.
The little one wrapped one arm around Chu Ningyi’s neck and waved her other hand at Chu Xihuan. At the end, as if she felt that it was a little bad, she smiled shyly at Lin Zhao and waved her little hand gently, then shyly hugged Chu Ningyi’s neck and buried her face.
Lin Zhao was taken aback for a moment, and her eyes lit up, a little joy in her heart.
It seemed that the child was not that resistant to her.
Watching the carriage carrying Chu Ningyi and Chu Lin disappear around the corner of the alley, Chu Xihuan and Lin Zhao turned and went into the courtyard, tacitly cleaning up the leftovers from the meal together.
“When will you take up your post?” In between cleaning up, Chu Xihuan also asked about Lin Zhao’s future arrangements.
“I can rest for a while first. In ten days,” Lin Zhao was not in a hurry to take up her post. Anyway, the appointment letter had already come down, and the post would not run away. She had just come back and still wanted to spend more time with Chu Xihuan. After all, she would be very busy at first when she was not familiar with the post.
Hearing her say this, Chu Xihuan nodded. She looked at Lin Zhao’s completely matured face, and at the thought that this person could now completely support a family, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of softness and heartache.
“By the way, let’s find two people to help with the daily chores,” Lin Zhao said, discussing this with Chu Xihuan. She was also afraid that she would be too busy after she took up her post, and the chores at home would not be handled in a timely manner.
“Alright,” Chu Xihuan agreed readily. She had originally been looking for someone to help with the laundry. Now that Lin Zhao was back, there were naturally more things to do, so it was perfectly fine to find someone to help, so that they would not be so tired.
Seeing Chu Xihuan agree so quickly, Lin Zhao couldn’t help but smile, her gaze on Chu Xihuan soft and bright, as if she could never get enough.
Seeing her staring at her again, Chu Xihuan said with a smile, “Am I more beautiful than before?”
Lin Zhao came back to her senses, her face a little hot at her words, but she still said very seriously, “You’re just as beautiful.”
No matter when, Chu Xihuan was incomparably beautiful in her eyes. No one could be more beautiful than her.
Chu Xihuan’s lips curved up slightly. She came up and gave Lin Zhao a sudden kiss on the lips. “Then you have to remember your feelings at this moment, and don’t suddenly get tired of me when I’m old and my looks have faded.”
Chu Xihuan really had to worry about this. After all, Lin Zhao liked beauty.
“I won’t,” Lin Zhao said immediately. She also seemed a little angry, angry that Chu Xihuan didn’t believe her. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she was very unhappy.
“No matter what kind of you, at what time, I like you very much,” although Lin Zhao was a little unhappy that Chu Xihuan didn’t believe her, she still said this very seriously.
She had never put a person in her heart like this. Only Chu Xihuan, she had been thinking about her for so long and still couldn’t let go. Even in the years when she was most angry with her, she would still feel a palpitation every time she thought of her, and would feel extremely sad because of the realization that she didn’t like her.
When she was enveloped by the realization that Chu Xihuan didn’t like her, Lin Zhao felt as if her whole person had collapsed. She couldn’t accept this, but she had to face it. She could only let herself fall into that crazy, numb struggle to seek a brief moment of peace.
She cared about Chu Xihuan far more than she thought.
Chu Xihuan quietly looked at Lin Zhao’s serious expression, then let out a soft laugh and cupped her face, rubbing it. “Alright~ I believe you.”
If she couldn’t even believe Lin Zhao, she was afraid that there would be no one else she could believe.
Seeing her speak to her in such a soft and gentle voice, Lin Zhao’s heart still beat fast uncontrollably.
What should I do? Why does it feel like Xihuan is becoming more and more of a demon.
Has her cultivation level increased?
Lin Zhao murmured in her heart. By the time she came back to her senses, she found that she was already in the kitchen with Chu Xihuan. Her and her hands were both in a basin of hot water, and Chu Xihuan was even guiding her to wash them slowly.
Chu Xihuan’s fingertips would occasionally pass through her fingers, and Lin Zhao felt her cheeks and ears grow hot. Although it was winter, she felt as if she were about to break out in a hot sweat.
In a daze, Lin Zhao found that she was already lying on the soft bed, her gaze fixed on Chu Xihuan, who was sitting on her waist.
Her throat bobbed uncontrollably.
**
Author’s Note:
Zhaozhao: Xixi is now a great demon!
