So, You’re the Henpecked One? 21

Chapter 21

Everyone arrived at the front hall. When she saw the man sitting in the main seat, drinking tea with an indifferent expression, Lin Zhao’s gaze subconsciously shifted to Chu Xihuan.

In truth, Lin Zhao couldn’t stand it when people put on a stern face. It was too intimidating for her. But after seeing Chu Xihuan’s calm expression, she inexplicably felt a sense of support and wasn’t as afraid anymore.

“Have a seat,” Ye Liuxiang said lightly.

Lin Zhao didn’t know where she should sit, so she just watched Chu Xihuan. After she took a seat, she quickly sat down beside her. However, as soon as her bottom touched the chair, she saw Chu Xihuan look at her with a slightly questioning gaze.

Lin Zhao paused and looked back at her blankly. Shouldn’t I be sitting here?

Seeing her clear, innocent, and slightly clueless expression, Chu Xihuan rubbed her forehead, a little amused. Didn’t this person think it was a bit out of place for her to still be holding those things?

“Mother, we’ve prepared gifts for all of you.”

Chu Xihuan stood up.

Lin Zhao quickly stood up as well.

Chu Xihuan took a package from Lin Zhao’s arms and handed it to Ye Liuxiang with a smile. “Mother hasn’t been sleeping well lately. This is a calming incense that I prepared myself.”

Ye Liuxiang was speechless. Didn’t she have any idea why she wasn’t sleeping well?

But since it was specially prepared by her daughter, she still accepted it and nodded noncommittally.

Chu Xihuan looked at her father, who had remained silent all this time.

But the man didn’t even spare her a glance.

Chu Xihuan thought for a moment and said, “I see that Father is in good health and doesn’t lack anything, so I didn’t prepare a gift for him. I hope Father will forgive me.”

She said this with a smiling face, and her tone was a little infuriating.

Lin Zhao, who was standing beside her, was dumbfounded.

Chu Xuanzhuang was speechless.

Ye Liuxiang was speechless.

Chu Xihuan’s brother and sister were also silent, looking at Chu Xihuan with a slightly dazed expression. They clearly hadn’t expected Chu Xihuan to still be going against her father in this situation.

The entire front hall was strangely quiet. Even the maids who came to serve tea felt a little uncomfortable and quickly left after serving.

Sensing that the atmosphere had solidified, Chu Xihuan’s eyes curved into a smile. She took another package from Lin Zhao and handed it to Chu Xuanzhuang. “Did Father believe me? Of course I was teasing you.”

“This is a snuff bottle I made myself. I hope Father will like it.”

This roller coaster of events was a real test for Lin Zhao’s little heart. She looked at Chu Xihuan with a mix of apprehension and shock, clearly seeing for the first time a child daring to tease their parents to their face.

As for Chu Ningyi and the others, they were thinking that their little sister, who had been spoiled since she was a child, really did say and do whatever she wanted without any regard for others.

Chu Xuanzhuang didn’t accept it. He looked at her, then at Lin Zhao, and snorted coldly. “I’ll accept your gift when you know you’re wrong.”

To be honest, Chu Xuanzhuang was also furious. It was shocking enough that his daughter had suddenly said she liked women, but then she had quickly arranged her marriage to Lin Zhao, as if she were afraid he hadn’t lived long enough and wanted to anger him to an early grave.

Chu Xihuan paused for a moment, then placed the item on the table next to Chu Xuanzhuang. “Then I’ll leave it here. You can use it whenever you want. You can also throw it away if you don’t want it.”

This angered Chu Xuanzhuang so much that he glared at her.

Chu Xihuan ignored his glare and distributed gifts to her brother and sister one by one before sitting down with Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao felt as if her heart had been thrown into the air and then dropped. So this was what Chu Xihuan was like at home?

It seemed she didn’t just bully her. She bullied everyone equally.

Lin Zhao suddenly felt much more balanced.

Ye Liuxiang looked at her unrepentant daughter and felt a headache coming on.

The reason she didn’t express her disapproval as strongly as Chu Xuanzhuang was because she knew her daughter’s personality better.

Ever since she was a child, once she had made a decision, if she didn’t want to turn back, not even eight bulls could pull her back.

She had originally thought that her daughter’s hasty decision to marry Lin Zhao would be a stumble in her path, but from the looks of it, she was doing quite well.

As a mother, she naturally wanted to see her happy and at ease, but…

Ye Liuxiang sighed. It wasn’t that she was prejudiced against Lin Zhao, but how could Lin Zhao possibly be worthy of her daughter?

“Tell me, what are your plans for the future?” Ye Liuxiang asked, her head aching.

As far as she knew, Lin Zhao still didn’t have a decent job.

“We haven’t planned yet. When we have a plan, we’ll let you know, Mother,” Chu Xihuan said with a sincere expression.

It was true. It had only been a few days since she and Lin Zhao had gotten married, and they had spent a lot of time just getting used to each other. Their only concrete plan for the future was to urge Lin Zhao to find a job first.

Ye Liuxiang was speechless.

Chu Xuanzhuang’s face darkened as he listened.

Seeing that her parents were about to be choked to death by her, Chu Ningyi stepped in to smooth things over. She looked at Lin Zhao and said kindly, “Sister-in-law, are you and Xihuan getting along well?”

Hearing her call her “sister-in-law,” Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up as she looked at her. And her voice was so gentle!

Xihuan’s sister is so nice!!!

From the corner of her eye, Chu Xihuan saw someone’s sparkling eyes, then glanced at her gentle-as-water second sister. She turned to look at Lin Zhao, a not-so-pleased curve on her lips.

What, so this person likes gentle, good-tempered people like my second sister?

Lin Zhao keenly sensed the subtle change in the person beside her and looked at her with a slightly confused expression. At the same time, a primal instinct, like a small animal sensing danger, made her hackles rise.

Why does Chu Xihuan’s gaze feel so oppressive?

She’s rarely looked at me like that lately.

With Xihuan’s second sister’s question in front of her and Xihuan’s stare behind her, it felt as if she would be swallowed whole if her answer didn’t please her.

Lin Zhao’s face stiffened. She looked back at Chu Ningyi and stammered, “W-we’re doing fine. I like Xihuan very much.”

The curve on Chu Xihuan’s lips became even more inscrutable. From the corner of her eye, Lin Zhao noticed it and felt a cold sweat break out on her back.

Chu Ningyi looked from one to the other and suddenly found it a little amusing. Why did it seem like that person had only said that under the duress of her little sister?

“Little sister, if you don’t tone it down a bit, I think she’s about to cry,” her older brother, Chu Qincheng, said with a hint of kindness. However, seeing that person being so completely under his little sister’s thumb, he had to admit he was a little relieved and gratified.

She wasn’t as much of a scoundrel as those other loafers.

Chu Xihuan glanced at him lightly but did withdraw her gaze from Lin Zhao.

Ye Liuxiang witnessed all of this, a thoughtful look in her eyes. It was better for her daughter to control others than to be controlled by them.

Just then, the butler came in and announced that lunch was ready, inviting everyone to the dining hall.

At this, Chu Xihuan turned to look at Lin Zhao and instructed, “Eat more later. After today, who knows when we’ll be able to eat such good food again.”

Her cooking skills wouldn’t improve overnight, and Lin Zhao’s were nothing to write home about. They didn’t have enough money to eat at restaurants every day, so it was clear what kind of food they would be eating for a long time to come.

Lin Zhao’s expression faltered for a moment, but seeing Chu Xihuan’s serious expression, she still nodded firmly, blindly believing whatever Chu Xihuan said!

The other four were speechless.

**

Author’s Note:

Zhaozhao: I’ll eat a lot. [Pitiful][Pitiful]