Lan Yuxi tiptoed to glance at the tray. "Fourth Brother, I want two bowls of chicken soup."
Lan Muguo shot her an exasperated look. "Let him get it himself!"
Lan Yuxi pouted. "It's not for him to drink, it's for me."
Nan Qiyue smiled and picked up the soup ladle, scooping a bowl and placing it on the tray. "Little Aunt, I'll bring it over to you. You go back to the dining room first."
"Our Qiyue is the best!" Lan Yuxi snorted at Lan Muguo and turned back to the dining room.
Nan Xiao was setting the table. Seeing Lan Yuxi return, he smiled and waved her over. "Come and sit. What do you want to eat? I'll make something else for you."
Nan Qiyue placed the tray on the dining table and smiled. "Brother Guo has almost finished cooking. You and Little Aunt should drink the soup first. I'll get it for you."
"Thank you, Qiyue." Nan Xiao curved his lips and glanced at Nan Qiyue. "Your辈分 (generations) are a bit mixed up. Should we call Mr. Guo over and sort out these relationships properly?"
"President Nan!" Nan Qiyue, her face flushed, ran back to the kitchen.
Lan Yuxi cupped her cheeks, staring intently at Nan Xiao. "I just realized, most of my sisters-in-law have some connection with you!"
Nan Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly. "This is what's most frustrating to me. Your brothers are all scowling at me because I married you, but why don't they think about it? One of their other halves is my own niece, another is my collateral niece, and another is my old subordinate. Only Pei Pei has a shallower relationship with me, but in terms of辈分, he should still call me uncle."
Lan Yuxi thought of something and suddenly grabbed Nan Xiao's hand. "I still haven't told Pei Pei about Zheng Yuan."
"I spoke with her after I returned. She's not in a good mood and didn't say anything. Second Brother took her out and they haven't returned yet."
Lan Yuxi stirred the soup in her bowl with her spoon. "Even if her family treated her badly, she would still feel hurt."
Nan Xiao raised his hand and rubbed her head. "Er Wan's visit was primarily for my matters, and also to see Pei Pei. He was afraid that Zheng Yuan's situation would disrupt our family harmony."
"At least he has a conscience!" Lan Yuxi tasted the soup and nodded repeatedly. "It's delicious! You should drink some too."
Nan Xiao smiled and sat down. "If I drink it, will Fourth Brother hit me?"
"If he dares to hit you, threaten him that you won't marry Qiyue to him..." Lan Yuxi's peripheral vision caught Lan Muguo coming out with dishes. She smiled and stuck out her tongue. "Husband, try Fourth Brother's cooking. Even a five-star hotel chef's skills are not even thirty percent of Fourth Brother's."
Nan Xiao chuckled and rubbed her head.
Lan Muguo put down the plate with a heavy thud. "Don't think I didn't hear what you said. Flattery won't work now!"
Lan Yuxi turned sideways, tilting her head up to look at him. "You're getting bolder! Qiyue is my niece, do you still want to have a good life?"
Lan Muguo scratched his head. "What else do you want to eat? I'll make a few more dishes for you."
Lan Yuxi suppressed a smile and turned her head away. "No need for more dishes, just two more bowls of rice will be fine. Once I'm full, I'll go deal with Er Wan."
Lan Muguo smiled. "You only know how to bully your own family! You've got all of us elder brothers and junior brothers wrapped around your finger. Why don't you go deal with those who bullied you?"
Nan Xiao's hand on the table tightened slightly, his expression growing grim.
Lan Yuxi winked at Lan Muguo. Lan Muguo glared at her and huffily returned to the kitchen. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he nearly collided with Nan Qiyue, who was bringing out rice.
Lan Muguo reached out and took the rice bowl. "You go upstairs and rest. I'll serve these two ancestors."
Nan Qiyue smiled. "Don't always pick on President Nan, or it might spoil your relationship with Little Aunt."
Lan Muguo snorted coldly. "No matter my attitude towards Nan Xiao, Xi'er still favors him. So I might as well take out my frustration on him!"
Nan Qiyue smiled and retreated back to the kitchen.
Lan Muguo hesitated for a moment before asking, "If Nan Xiao and Xi'er both don't let me be with you, will you listen to them?"
Nan Qiyue froze. "...What are you talking about! Hurry and take the food to them, I'm going upstairs."
After speaking, Nan Qiyue ran off quickly.
Lan Muguo looked at her flushed ears and smiled as he entered the dining room.
Lan Yuxi had almost finished her soup. Seeing her Fourth Brother bring in the rice, she smiled and took it.
"Thank you, Fourth Brother. You don't need to look after us here. You can go cultivate your relationship with your beloved girl."
Lan Muguo gently poked her forehead. "I'm telling you, from now on, don't play any tricks on Qiyue, or I'll never make delicious food for you again."
"I know, you're my biological brother, how could I trick you!" Lan Yuxi handed Nan Xiao a bowl of rice and smiled at Lan Muguo. "Fourth Brother, can you get me some ice cream?"
"What are you eating that for so late at night..." Under Lan Yuxi's fierce gaze, Lan Muguo immediately opened the refrigerator and placed a box of ice cream on the table. "Eat your meal first, and eat it when it's not so cold."
Nan Xiao smiled and looked at him. "Fourth Brother, you go and rest. I'll watch her."
Lan Muguo rolled his eyes at him and walked out.
Lan Yuxi stealthily reached for the ice cream. "Husband, do you think Fourth Brother will go find Qiyue?"
Nan Xiao smiled and pushed the ice cream a little further away. "He definitely will. There's only a thin veil between them now, and Fourth Brother is in a hurry to break through it."
Lan Yuxi pouted and put a mouthful of rice into her mouth.
Ten minutes later, Lan Yuxi walked out of the dining room with a bowl of ice cream in one hand and holding Nan Xiao's hand in the other.
The chess game was nearing its end. Lan Haolin looked at his daughter with a smile. "Finished eating?"
"Yes. Whose chess skills are higher, yours or Master's?" Lan Yuxi looked at the chessboard with a smile. "Master, are you going easy on him?"
Elder Hong smiled and said, "I'm not going easy. Your father's chess skills are improving."
"My dad plays chess with those grandpas in the park every day these days, he has indeed improved!" Lan Yuxi said, glancing at the ice cream in Nan Xiao's hand.
Nan Xiao, being observant, handed the ice cream over.
Lan Yuxi pursed her lips and smiled, then kicked Ming Zicheng's shoe tip.
Ming Zicheng immediately got up without her even speaking, offering his seat. "Senior Sister, please sit."
Lan Yuxi let out a proud snort and then sat down next to Elder Hong. "Master, have you spoken with my maternal grandmother these past few days?"
"I have." Elder Hong looked up at Nan Xiao. "Your father has quite a nerve to sneak off. If your mother finds out, won't there be trouble?"
Nan Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice, "As long as we who know don't say anything, my mother will never know where my father is."