"What's the situation?"
Wan Yunting sat next to Jin Xiuwen and asked with a smile, gesturing towards the two unfamiliar women sitting beside He Chengping and Xue Jianchao, "Who are these two beauties?"
"Who else could they be? Their girlfriends," Jin Xiuwen said, pointing at Xue Jianchao and He Chengping with a chuckle.
"Well done, you two. Introduce us," Wan Yunting guessed.
"This is Sun Miaomiao."
He Chengping immediately introduced his girlfriend, Sun Miaomiao, who was sitting beside him wearing a blue dress with a small jacket over it and holding a handbag. She waved her hand a little, a bit excited, saying, "Hello, it's nice to finally meet you in person."
"Hello..."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled at her politely. Xue Jianchao, beside him, introduced his girlfriend. She was dressed simply in a white shirt and a suit jacket, with black trousers and black high heels, giving off a capable, white-collar professional vibe. While not stunningly beautiful, she had a good aura. "My fiancée, Zheng Lanmeng."
"Wow, fiancée? When did that happen, old Xue?"
Upon hearing that Xue Jianchao's introduction was his fiancée, Wan Yunting's eyes lit up. He seemed incredulous.
Xue Jianchao smiled, "We just got our marriage certificate at the end of last month. We wanted to formally announce it tonight."
"Good, good, good. You're the man, you beat us all to it," Wan Yunting said, giving them a thumbs-up.
Zheng Lanmeng also nodded politely and said, "Hello, Mr. Wan. I work at the Wang Group."
"Oh, Wang Group, my second brother's company?"
Wan Yunting's expression faltered. Zheng Lanmeng nodded. She mentioned it not for any particular gain, but simply as information.
"What a coincidence."
Wan Yunting pointed at Xue Jianchao and Zheng Lanmeng, smiling, "One is my buddy, and his girlfriend works at my second brother's company. It seems we're destined to be together. Come, let's toast with tea, congratulations to you both."
"Thank you..."
Xue Jianchao and Zheng Lanmeng raised their teacups to toast Wan Yunting. Jin Xiuwen also raised his teacup, "Come, come, let me toast too..."
Wan Yunting turned and shot him a look, "What's it to you?"
Jin Xiuwen's expression froze, then he snorted, "What do you mean it's not to me? I'm congratulating them too."
Wan Yunting downed his tea, then put down his cup, crossed his legs, and squinted at Jin Xiuwen, asking, "Tell me, what's the progress with you and Dai Qiuyue?"
The mention of Dai Qiuyue deflated Jin Xiuwen like a balloon. He put down his teacup and sighed heavily, his face full of helplessness. "What else? She just doesn't like me."
"Is that the woman from last time?" Xue Jianchao and He Chengping asked.
"Mm."
Wan Yunting nodded. Xue Jianchao and He Chengping had seen Dai Qiuyue when she came to watch the competition earlier, but they only knew Jin Xiuwen was pursuing her, without any interaction.
"Old Jin, are you even capable?"
He Chengping gave him a look and teased, "Aren't you known as the 'Prince of Pickup'? Can't even win over one woman now?"
"Get lost."
Jin Xiuwen glared at him, saying, "Do you think they're like the women outside? Dai Qiuyue is different. No matter what I do, it doesn't work. It's like offering a hot face to a cold butt; she completely ignores me. What can I do?"
"If that's the case, then there's no hope," Wan Yunting said, crossing his arms and shaking his head with a smile.
"It's okay, don't fixate on her. There are plenty of good girlfriends out there. If it doesn't work, we'll just find new targets," He Chengping said, munching on a pastry.
"I think that little secretary you brought is quite good. She looks very gentle and gives off a virtuous vibe. She's quite suitable for you," Xue Jianchao said, pointing towards the villa at Zhou Xiaomin, who was in the kitchen helping her mother, Huang Guilan, with dinner. He teased Jin Xiuwen.
"Hey, what are you talking about? Her mother works for Wan Yunting. Besides, she's just a young girl who doesn't understand anything," Jin Xiuwen shot back, looking speechless.
"Haha..."
This made Wan Yunting and He Chengping burst into laughter.
"Yunting, you guys should bring out the tables. The food will be ready soon."
At this moment, Fang Yanxi opened the small door to the backyard and called out to Wan Yunting and Jin Xiuwen on the lawn.
"Okay."
Wan Yunting turned and responded, then shouted, "Come on, let's go move the tables..."
"Let's go..."
So Jin Xiuwen and the other two got up to move the tables and chairs. The women didn't need to help.
"Yunting..."
Just then, Huang Yuqing arrived. Seeing she was alone, Jin Xiuwen asked, "Where's Peipei? Why didn't she come?"
Huang Yuqing glanced at Wan Yunting and said with a smile, "There's a basketball game at school tonight, and Peipei is hosting it, so she's busy."
"I see."
Jin Xiuwen and Xue Jianchao nodded, not thinking much of it.
However, Wan Yunting looked at Huang Yuqing and knew that Jiang Peipei wasn't unable to come, but unwilling to!
This made him feel helpless. It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to have a good talk with Jiang Peipei later...
Soon, the rectangular tables were moved to the backyard lawn. Wan Yunting and Jin Xiuwen also helped carry the dishes, placing them on the dining table. Huang Guilan came out and said with a smile, "Mr. Wan, are there enough dishes?"
"Plenty, it's enough. Thank you for your hard work, Auntie. Please sit down and eat with us too."
Looking at the table full of dishes, Wan Yunting was very pleased. He invited Huang Guilan and Zhou Xiaomin to sit down and eat.
"No need, Mr. Wan. I'll eat in the kitchen."
Huang Guilan shook her head. After all, as housekeepers, they couldn't possibly eat at the same table as the boss.
Zhou Xiaomin felt the same and accompanied her mother to eat in the kitchen.
"It's alright, there are no such rigid rules here. Please sit down and eat together," Wan Yunting waved his hand, insisting that the mother and daughter sit down.
"Xiaomin, you should sit down."
Jin Xiuwen also beckoned them. Fang Yanxi came out with the chicken and broccoli she had stir-fried and smiled at Huang Guilan, "Auntie Lan, please sit down and eat with us."
"This..."
This made Huang Guilan a little hesitant, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Sit, sit."
Wan Yunting called out, and also smiled at Xue Jianchao, He Chengping's girlfriends and fiancée, "Everyone, don't be so formal, hurry and sit down to eat."
So everyone nodded and pulled up chairs to sit. Huang Guilan and Zhou Xiaomin also brought their chairs and sat at the lower end of the long table. Seeing the mother and daughter looking so reserved and uncomfortable, Wan Yunting didn't say anything further.
"Hey, where are the senior and junior siblings?"
Just as Wan Yunting was about to pick up his chopsticks, he remembered that Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang hadn't arrived yet. He got up and returned to the villa, shouting to the siblings in the living room who were still watching an idol drama, "Are you two still eating? If you want to eat, hurry up."
"Senior sister, it's time to eat! Let's go..."
Li Zihang, who was lying on the living room sofa, jumped up as soon as he heard "eat." He grabbed Xu Lingwei, who was sitting beside him, paused the TV with the remote, and got up to eat.
Wan Yunting returned, too lazy to bother with the siblings. He, Fang Yanxi, Jin Xiuwen, and Huang Yuqing raised their glasses to toast Xue Jianchao and Zheng Lanmeng first. Everyone began to eat, and they praised Huang Guilan's cooking.
"Yanxi, this must be yours. Let me try."
Wan Yunting picked up a piece of chicken and broccoli in front of Fang Yanxi, took a bite, and nodded with a smile, "It tastes alright, not bad."
Fang Yanxi gave him a look and smiled, "It's good enough to have something to eat, no need to be picky."
"Haha, let me try too..."
Jin Xiuwen, sitting opposite, got up and reached out with his chopsticks. Wan Yunting immediately batted them away, glared, and snorted, "What are you trying? This is my girlfriend making it for me. If you want to eat, find yourself a girlfriend to make it for you."
This made Jin Xiuwen pause, glare angrily at Wan Yunting, and then sit back down, huffing, "Hmph, I don't even want to eat it. What's so great about it?"
"Haha..."
This scene made He Chengping and his girlfriend Sun Miaomiao, Xue Jianchao and Zheng Lanmeng, and Huang Yuqing all laugh. Wan Yunting directly moved Fang Yanxi's plate of chicken and broccoli in front of himself, chuckling, "Don't worry, I'm eating this tonight. I promise to finish it all."
Seeing her man trying so hard to please her, Fang Yanxi felt a little embarrassed to smile.
However, Huang Yuqing, sitting to her right, smiled without comment. Fang Yanxi then asked, "Sister Yuqing, why didn't Peipei come?"
"Oh, there's a basketball game at school tonight, and she's hosting it," Huang Yuqing replied with a smile.
"I see."
Fang Yanxi nodded upon hearing this and said no more.
Li Zihang dragged Xu Lingwei over. The senior and junior siblings each held a large bowl. Without a word, they went around the dining table and scooped up all the dishes, piling their large bowls high like small mountains. Then, they dropped a line, "We're going to watch TV," and left.
This scene left Wan Yunting speechless. He shook his head and smiled, "Don't mind them. Come, I'll propose a toast to everyone. Thank you all for your concern regarding the disaster relief efforts."
"Come, we won't stop drinking until we're drunk tonight," Jin Xiuwen and the others raised their glasses and drank with Wan Yunting.
Except for Huang Guilan and Zhou Xiaomin, who sat at the end of the dining table, mother and daughter were still somewhat reserved and uncomfortable. After all, she was just a housekeeper, and it was her first time eating at the boss's table, so she felt very awkward...
The meal lasted until past nine o'clock. Jin Xiuwen, Xue Jianchao, and He Chengping were quite tipsy and were chatting casually with Wan Yunting.
Meanwhile, Fang Yanxi and Huang Yuqing, along with Zheng Lanmeng and Sun Miaomiao, were sitting aside, chatting and laughing about women's topics.
Huang Guilan and her daughter had already finished eating and were now tidying up the kitchen while chatting...
After finishing a large bowl of rice, Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang, the senior and junior siblings, were still engrossed in their idol dramas.
They planned to stay up all night watching this forty-episode series so they could return to their sect with peace of mind the next day.
This was because in the Wuliang Daoist Monastery, disciples were forbidden from indulging in mobile phones and television. Therefore, the siblings were taking advantage of their time outside to understand love through idol dramas...